One Word at a Time

1) Comments mean everything.  They mean you're heard, your words have value, and other people care. 2) Keeping a physical notebook was hard.  I did much better when ideas came to me and I started a new blog post and saved it as a draft. 3) Time can be hard to find.  I did better when I set a 30 minute timer for myself for writing and a 30 minute timer for commenting, at separate times of the day. 4) I like writing narratives - which makes me laugh, because I hated writing growing up.  My most fun posts were ones where I told stories - with dialogue, or descriptions, or characters. 5) It makes me happy when my writing makes people feel, not necessarily think.  I thought I would enjoy most the posts that were thought provoking or topics I felt strongly about - but I enjoyed the ones where I tried to make people laugh, or smile, or sigh. I appreciate everyone who took the time to read the words that are carrying me through my life.  I am looking ...

"Hi, Mom.  Can I call you back in a minute?" I tucked the phone between my ear and my shoulder.  She often calls in the morning on her way to work, but she must have left earlier than me today.  I struggled to grab all of my bags (why do I need a lunch bag, a computer bag, AND a work bag?!?) without dropping my phone. "Where are you?  Are you okay?"  I could hear the panic in her voice. I stopped what I was doing and focused on making my words clear. "Mom, I'm fine.  I'm home.  I haven't left for work yet." "There is a bad accident in town.  The car looked like yours, so I got nervous." "No, it wasn't me.  I'm still home, but I'm just getting ready to leave." While I couldn't hear her sigh, I could picture her shoulders dropping and her pulse slowing. "I just wanted to make sure it wasn't you." "Thanks for calling to check on me.  I'll see you later tonight." ...

(This is going to be a very ramble-y post since I just got back from Paint Nite and I have so many ideas in my head!) A few coworkers and I decided to do a Paint Nite.  For those who haven't heard of them, here's a rundown.  An artist chooses a painting and walks you step by step through creating that painting - which colors, which brushes, which strokes, etc.  Usually they are held at a bar or restaurant, so drinks can be had. I've never felt more of an understanding of how our children feel learning every day. Some of us came in with experience - others had none.  Some of us were good at mixing colors - others good at certain strokes.  Some of us could keep up - others needed more time.  Some of us talked and chatted - others retreated to a quiet, introverted world.  Some of us were ok with mistakes - others had to redo, repeat, retry, repair. Each of us felt comfortable enough to take the risk of painting - because there was no higher expect...

Zooooooom. Skittles gets a running start and flies onto the carpet.  She lands in the middle, sliding across the floor like she's on her own magic carpet.  The ride abruptly stops when it hits the end of the tile and, nonchalantly, she saunters away like she didn't just take a magic carpet ride. Scratch, scratch, scratch. Skittles is a little stressed today.  Loud noises.  Windows closed.  Mom and Dad brought strangers into the house.  Dad smells like dirt - she remembers the scent on Dad's shoes from a long time ago.  She makes her way over to the carpet and let's loose, giving her claws, legs, and back a stretch. Purr, purr, purr. Skittles has just eaten dinner.  Her tummy is full and it is time to relax.  She can't believe Mom and Dad make her work sooo hard and wait sooo long to be fed.  She steps over to the carpet, making sure no one is around to make any noise or scare her off.  She lays down on the carpet - rolls o...

"Scratch scratch." "Scratch scratch." Ashley looks towards the direction of the sound, and a smile stretches across her face. The Easter Bunny is scratching at the screen door. But this isn't any old Easter Bunny. No, most Easter Bunny heads aren't made out of a paper bag, with floppy paper ears and uneven holes in the eyes so he doesn't fall walking up the stairs.  This Easter Bunny is decked out in an immediately recognizable pastel plaid shirt, clean pressed khakis, and white sneakers. Ashley opens the door.  "Happy Easter Grampie!" ~~~~~~~ "CHRIS, I found one of yours!  It's over there.  No, look closer to the rock.  Not that rock.  You're getting warmer . . . warmer . . . you're burning up!" Ashley shouted. "I found it!," Chris exclaims, tossing the bright pink plastic egg into his Easter Basket. Jenna and Brett aren't too far behind.  As the two youngest, they're often rushed thro...

London Has Fallen. I know it's just a movie. I actually like action movies. I enjoy the thrill, the good vs bad dichotomy. And I enjoyed the first movie. And don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this movie too. But a part of my brain and my heart ached watching it this time. Brussels has fallen. Paris has fallen. Too many have fallen. They never showed the innocent. They never showed the public. Death and destruction were ignored (unless you were bad or good) to move the plot line along. I know this.  I've watched enough action movies to know that gets too deep into the emotional side of things and you'll lose your target audience . But perhaps emotion is what we need. We need to see what this type of violence and destruction leads to. We need to see the faces of fear,  children making sense of the awful in front of them. If all we see is buildings and smoke, how will we be moved to change?

Last night when I was thinking about my day off, I had plans of grandeur.  I'd clean my house!  I'd do my laundry! I'd take a trip to Costco to stock up on some things! I'd drop my soon-to-be-overdue books at the library! Here's how my day off actually went . . . 930 Woke up. I was "stuck" in bed - a cat between my legs and a cat tucked into my side - so I was content to go nowhere.  I spent some time catching up with my digital world - Facebook,  Twitter, email, weather, Blogger, Timehop.  Got a text from a friend . . . 1145 My friend had tired of texting me, so she called. We spent 90 minutes venting about work, frustrated for the same and different reasons. I gratefully accepted a hot cup of coffee from my husband when he got home from work, after telling me to stop talking about work on my day off! 1200 My hubby and I discussed our upcoming schedules. I was making sure he remembered all the social engagements that we have coming up, as he tends to ...