Prompt Me - the Light

So... one of the things I was hoping to have time for between Christmas and New Year’s was to give some thought to revamping my Fiction Fridays. But as you know by the vast amount of whining I’ve been doing about it, my holiday did not go as planned. Now here we are with the same old, same old.

BUT. With a slight difference. The first Friday of the month will still be a picture prompt, and you are still encouraged to write whatever you like, inspired by that prompt - flash story, article, poem, whatever - but this time you only get a week to do it in. The second Friday of the month will have the results (if any) from that prompt.

Then the third Friday of the month will have a new prompt - this one will be words. Five of them in fact. I will pick five words at random from my big, hard back, Family Word Finder and you are going to include them in whatever you want to write. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? I’ll give you another whole week to come up with something, then hopefully I’ll be able to share again on the last Friday of the month.

So without further ado, here’s the picture prompt for the month:

You have until January 11 to send me what you came up with at carolrward(at)gmail(dot)com and I will post it here on the 12th.

And then on the 19th I’ll prompt you with 5 random words for you to have fun with and then send me the results by January 25th so I can post them on the 26th.

If you’re too shy to send me anything to share, that’s okay too. This is just for fun to help get you writing. But even if you don’t want to share what you've written I’d love to hear from you either in the comments or through email letting me know what you think of the prompts.

Like I said, I’m trying to revamp my Fiction Fridays, but if no one likes the prompts thing I can always go back to just posting excerpts from works in progress.

And So It Begins ...

The new year is upon us, filled with infinite possibilities...

Usually I take the time between Christmas and New Year’s to consider my goals for the year ahead, and figure out what changes I want/need to make to help reach those goals. Unfortunately this didn’t happen. I was a lot busier than I’d counted on and didn’t even have time to relax, let alone contemplate the future.

So January 1st caught me totally unprepared. And the shame of it all was that it fell on a Monday, perfect timing for my regular Monday post. But I had nothing to share, so I bought myself more time by going over last year’s goals and whether or not I met them. Then I spent the next couple of days staring at the blank screen, trying to figure out what I wanted to accomplish in the year ahead. And you could almost hear the tumbleweeds blowing around in my empty mind.

Then last night I pulled out one of my notebooks and started a list. There are a lot of doodles on the page with this list, and I added and deleted many times, but finally I had a list I could be happy with. It may not be a life-changing list, but I think it will take me where I want to be.

In no particular order:

Write every day - at least 500 words
This may seem like a no-brainer - if you’re a writer you write, right? But it’s not always as easy as it sounds. Even during NaNoWriMo there were days when I didn’t write a word, but also during NaNo I proved to myself that when I find my focus it’s possible to amaze even myself with my word counts. It’s just too bad my focus and my muse took off for an extended vacation at the beginning of December and haven’t come back yet.

Less time gaming and checking social media
One of the things that helped me when I got my writing mojo back during NaNo was I limited myself to the amount of time I spent on the internet playing games, checking Facebook, and checking my email. While I get email notifications on my phone, I do not have the Facebook ap on it, nor do I want it. And don’t even suggest I get Pinterest!

Shut down by 11 p.m., 12 at the latest
I go to bed around 1 a.m., and to be honest, the last couple of hours on the computer I’m usually too tired to do more than play games. So unless I’m on a roll with the writing, I think it’s reasonable to give myself an hour of reading time before bed.

Spend more time doing crafts
Last year I had this vision of making a lot of my presents for Christmas. And I was going to do this in the evenings while watching T.V. But invariably I found myself watching TV with the lap top open on my lap, one eye on the program I was watching and one eye on the game I was playing. I want to get my word count in during the day so I can start crafting while watching TV at night. Not only did I not get any crafts done for Christmas, for the first time in a long time I didn’t even get a new ornament made for my tree.

Make better use of my Neo
Another of the things I credit my spectacular word count for the last week of NaNo was that I stayed off the lap top. I used my Alphasmart Neo which has no bells, whistles, or internet. I also type faster on it than my lap top - I have no idea why, I’ll just go with the flow.

Organize my poetry
I started out writing poetry. I have a lot of poems - some printed out, some on the computer, a lot of it is both. Some of these poems have been saved more than once. I would really, really like to develop some kind of system to keep track of my poetry. I’m thinking a database so I can cross reference forms, subject, mood, whatever. All I know is that right now my poems are one hot mess, and good luck finding a specific poem.

Journal more often
I have a personal journal and a writing journal and I’m pretty sporadic with both of them. My personal journal I’ll promise myself I’ll update it tomorrow and before I know it a week has gone by and I’ll end up making these massive, multi-page entries that are pretty hum drum. My writing journal I just plain forget to use. It’s supposed to be for thoughts and ideas and notes about stories, but...yeah. Maybe part of that hour or two before bed could be spend writing in one or both of my journals.

So there you go. My goals for the coming year. Nothing earth-shattering, nothing arduous, just things I’d like to get in the habit of or accomplish over the course of the year. Good habits to get into, methinks.

And now, if you’ll excuse me, I still have 500 words to write today. :-D

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Time for resolutions!

Although to be honest, I don’t like the word resolution, it’s too black and white. I prefer to set goals rather than make resolutions. But first - let’s see how I did on last year’s goals:

1. Keep up with the good reading habits, but include a non-fiction book every once in awhile.
Fail
I don’t recall reading any non-fiction, and most of the time I kind of binge-read. I wouldn’t read anything for days, and then for days I’d do nothing but read.

2. Get back on the healthy life style band wagon.
Win
If you discount the last two weeks, I’ve done really well on the eating properly and exercising front. I’ve brought my A1c down a whole point, and I’ve lost 10 pounds. The weight may be coming off slowly, but at least it’s coming off.

3. Get out of the house once a week. And by out of the house I mean something other than babysitting or grocery shopping.
Fail
If anything, I became even more of a hermit.

4. Less gaming, more crafting.
Fail
I had big plans to make a lot of my Christmas presents and I only made one. I didn’t even get any ornaments made - not even for my own tree, let alone anyone else’s. That’s the first time this has happened in a long time.

5. Find a routine that balances what I need to do with what I have to do.
Fail
There were a couple of attempts, and I know what I want, but ultimately I kept putting things off and then regretting it.

6. Write every day.
Fail
While I did better with this than the year before, I still consider this a fail. There were way too many days when I wrote no words at all.

7. Write a flash fiction or short story once a month; maybe even submit one or two.
Semi-fail
While I did write more short fiction, I did not submit any of it.

Holy moly Batman! I didn’t do so great on the goals, did I?

Last year was a black hole as far as creativity went, and it was only a small comfort to talk with other writers and interact with them via the internet and know I wasn’t alone in this. It was like something in the air, seriously. Hopefully 2018 will be a kinder year, creatively speaking.

The last couple of weeks have been so crazy busy I haven’t had much time to be thinking about my goals for next year, so I’m going to give myself a couple more days to whittle down the list. Join me here Wednesday to see what I have planned for the year ahead.

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day, whether you celebrate Christmas or not.

The grandbaby asked Santa for snow, and he delivered big time. It’s been snowing off and on for the last few days and it’s looking very Christmasy out there. Just perfect for snuggling under a blanket and watching some Christmas music videos.

I Believe In Father Christmas - Emerson, Lake, and Palmer



Drummer boy – David Bowie and Bing Crosby



TSO – Christmas Cannon



TSO – Wizards of Winter



TSO – Christmas Eve in Sarajevo

Almost There...

Christmas is just a couple of days away, which means it's time for me to start posting Christmas videos!

Today I'm including some of my favorite Christmas songs and Monday I'll be posting my all time favorites. :-D

I apologize in advance if this page takes a while to load, but I hope the videos are worth it.

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland


Winter Wonderland - Doris Day


Silent Night - Bing Crosby


Faith Hill – Where Are you Christmas


Carol of the Bells - Celtic Woman


Enya - Silent Night in Gaelic


Harry Belafonte - Mary's Boy Child

A Bit of Christmas Fun

I don’t know about you, but with all the Christmas madness going on I could use a little comic relief. And what better way to get a laugh than a parody. . . or two.

The poems I have for you today don’t really need an explanation, but I’ll give you one anyway. The first one I wrote yesterday morning (and posted on my author’s Facebook page). Let’s just say I was inspired. The second one I wrote about ten years ago, and is my version of A Visit From St. Nicholas.


O Furnace Guy
(to be sung to the tune of O Christmas Tree)

O furnace guy, O furnace guy
I really must apologize
O furnace guy, O furnace guy
I really must apologize
My basement it’s so messy
and maybe smells like kitty pee
O furnace guy, O furnace guy
I really must apologize

O furnace guy, O furnace guy
was that sneezing I just heard
O furnace guy, O furnace guy
was that sneezing I just heard
Did I not mention dry wall dust
or that my furnace is full of rust?
O furnace guy, O furnace guy
here’s some Kleenex, help yourself

O furnace guy, O furnace guy
you sure are taking your sweet time
O furnace guy, O furnace guy
you sure are taking your sweet time
I’ve got so much Christmas stuff to do
Like wrapping presents, baking too
O furnace guy, O furnace guy
At last you’re done, I wave bye-bye.


A Visit From the Computer Tech

’Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, just the optical mouse;
The cords were all strung to the PC with care
In hopes the technician soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of interwebs danced in their heads;
The wife couldn’t take any more of this crap
So she went to bed while I took a nap.
When there on the screen there arose such a clatter
I sprang from the chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the keyboard I flew like a flash,
Grabbed up the mouse and gave it a bash.
The monitor gleamed with a brilliant blue glow
Seeming to mock me as I loudly moaned, “No!”
And what to my wondering eyes should appear
But a security warning that made my eyes tear.
With an attack on my drivers, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment my computer was sick.
More rapid than eagles the popups they came,
And I whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now Trojan, now Wormy, now BankerFox vixen!
A technician’s coming, my computer he’s fixin’
By installing protection, a router, a wall!
And then he’ll delete you, delete one and all!”
And then, in a twinkling, as I thought to despair,
A van entered my driveway and parked with a flair.
I opened the door with a feeling profound,
And into the house came the tech with a bound.
He was dressed all in blue from his head to his toe
And his jacket was covered with a sprinkling of snow.
A box full of tools was grasped in his hand
And he looked like an angel, come down to land.
His eyes, they were bloodshot, his face was unshaven
From his pocket he pulled a business card graven.
He was balding and old, and he started to sneeze,
Then, spotting the cat said, “I’ve got allergies.”
The stump of a cigar he held tight in his teeth
And he caught his hat on the door, in the wreath.
A squint of his eye and a shake of his head
Soon gave me to know the bill I would dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to work,
And in a few moments pulled the plug with a jerk.
“The mother board’s fried,” he said, shaking his head.
“And the rest of your hard drive looks like it’s dead.”
Then he packed up the tower and picked up his tools
“Gotta watch these old ‘puters, they’re stubborn as mules.”
He walked to his van, my computer in hand
I had to admit, this did not go as planned.
And I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, but no more surfing to-night.”

All Kidding Aside...

Short Fiction - LOL
Long Fiction - LOL
Poetry - LOL
Total Words - Hahahaha
Paragraphs of Notes - None

Oh, come on now. Did you really believe I was going to make good on my vague pledge to get at least a few words in every day? Seriously, you should know by now that I’m the chief paver of good intentions leading to the road to Hell.

To be honest, last week is a bit of a blur. I remember my stomach being off for a few days which may, or may not, have been a brush with E. Coli. We finally got some snow. It got super cold and I got some cool pictures of the lake...

That’s the view from the pier from where my writing buddy and I parked in the summer time.

And I’m going to honest and tell you not to expect any words from me this week either. I do have a Christmas poem for Wednesday, which will be repeated on my other blog on Friday, but Friday will be Christmas videos, as will next Monday.

It took three trips to the post office, but I got all my Christmas parcels sent last week, and no, it was not as matter-of-fact as it sounds, but I’ll spare you the gruesome details. LOL And we knocked off just about all the remaining Christmas shopping on the weekend. I also managed to get all my baking supplies - well, all except green maraschino cherries.

Not shown are the extra dozen eggs, four bricks of margarine, and brick of butter. The boxes of cereal at the back are actually the hubby’s, for making nuts and bolts. And that big white bag? That’s flour. I had a brain fart in Costco and was seduced by their low price. Damn you Costco! That bag is 10 kg (about 20 lbs to you Americans). Any guesses what I’ll be doing this week instead of writing? Well, that and making the grandbaby her Christmas dress.

Here’s wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas. And don’t forget, you have just one more week to get that Birdy Story finished. :-D