Month: July 2013

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Friday Fictioneers ~~ August 2, 2013

JackieP42 Comments

Can you believe it?? I am actually doing a Friday Fictioneers on Wednesday! I just had to. I know I usually do a Wednesday Comics of Sam and Me, but my comic was a bust this week. So there I was irritated and angry at myself when I saw the Wednesday picture for FF’s.

Whoa! I thought. Now that’s one to give me nightmares! That’s one big humongous bee! Then I looked around for Rod Sterling. You know Rod, the guy from Twilight Zone. The original Twilight Zone. Didn’t see him of course but that bee is right up his alley!

I mean take a look at that sucker!

Copyright - Jennifer Pendergast
Copyright – Jennifer Pendergast

 

Even though that bee is huge, you know what I really want to see? The flower it lands on! Now that would be awesome! Ha-ha! Ok, enough of that foolishness, on to business.

This issue of FF’s is hosted once again by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Want to read more stories based on the same picture? Click on Rochelle’s name and then scroll down to the blue critter and click on it. That will take you to the land of writers. Or come join us! We’d be happy as honey for you to join.

My story for the picture is next. Hope you enjoy! Please leave comments as I enjoy hearing from you all!

 

Genre/Futuristic truth? (99 words)

When Joel spotted the giant honey bee he quickly hid behind a scraggly dead tree.

The scientific community had heard that there were giant bees in the country, mutants of a long-lost species.

The pesticides/ fungicides had killed off most of the bee’s in the world years ago. People died along with plants and trees. The world almost came to an end.

Then the rumors. now proof.

Joel quietly left, his three legs making little noise in the grass. He couldn’t wait to get back to his computer to share the pictures and news of hope in what was left of the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Friday Fictioneers ~~ July 26, 2013

JackieP29 Comments

THE CHALLENGE:

Write a one hundred word story that has a beginning, middle and an end. (No one will be ostracized for going over or under the word count. However, I respectfully ask for your consideration. Please refrain from taking the  liberty of posting 200 words or more as a Friday Fictioneers story. Thank you.)

THE KEY:

Make every word count.

Hello everyone! Once again it’s my favorite day of the week, Friday Fictioneer time! I’m usually one of the later ones because I can’t seem to get my story done on Wednesday when the challenge comes out. But then again it does say Friday Fictioneers, right?

Whatever day the many writers that participate do their story in, is a good day! Thanks go out as usual to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting. She does a great job!

This week’s photo is:

I went in so many different directions when I saw this photo. This is what I ended up with. Hope you enjoy it. I love comments or feedback, so let it rip!

 

Copyright - Douglas M. MacIlroy
Copyright – Douglas M. MacIlroy

 

Genre/I’m not sure. Ha! 100 words

 

“Do you think they are ready yet?”

“Hmm, doesn’t seem like it.”

“You would think after thousands of years they would be.”

“Earthlings have a long way to go it seems.”

“They are still afraid of us? Even though we mean them well?”

“Earthlings don’t like to think they aren’t the only ones in the Universe. They still are afraid of unknowns”

“Unknowns!? We have been around millions of years before them!”

“I know, but to them we are the aliens not them.”

“Will they ever learn to accept things they fear?”

“For their sakes I hope so.”

 

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Wednesday Comics ~~ Sam and Me

JackieP10 Comments

I missed last Wednesday, but today I just had to do the comic.

Yesterday Sam got groomed again. This time I gave him a sedative from the vet. Did it help? Oh yeah! hahaha.

Poor Sam didn’t know what hit him. It made things a lot easier on Tammy though. Tammy is Sam’s groomer. She comes about every 8 weeks in her mobile grooming trailer. I love that she comes to the house. Makes things so much easier on Sam and me. Tammy is a wonderful lady and groomer.

So I gave Sam his sedative about an hour or so before Tammy was scheduled to show up. By the time she did come Sam was feeling no pain. He was not completely under, but he felt pretty darn good!

Sam was really good for Tammy, except for two things. His nails. He has super sensitive paws and hates getting his nails clipped.  Oh and she couldn’t get his butt trimmed. I will have to take him back over to the vet for that. Sighhhhhhhh. Poor Sam was traumatized by the first groomer that clipped him. She hurt him bad. He has never forgotten. I don’t blame him. That groomer came recommended by an acquaintance. So I blame myself for not checking her out more, or staying with Sam that time.

On the whole though Sam did really well and Tammy was pleased with him. She will be back in September and I will be back to the vet’s for more sedatives. 🙂

(C) JLPhillips 2013
(C) JLPhillips 2013

 

**Please click on the comic for a larger view**

 

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Daily Prompt: The Stat Connection

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Daily Prompt: The Stat Connection

by michelle w. on July 22, 2013

Go to your Stats page and check your top 3-5 posts. Why do you think they’ve been successful? Find the connection between them, and write about it.

 

I don’t check my stats very often. Maybe once or twice a week if that. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not. They just don’t play a big role in what I write on here.

So I thought I would do today’s Daily Prompt and see what I could find out. Here’s how it stacks up.

The most popular or the sites with the most views looks like this:

Title Views
Home page / Archives 2,460
Daily Prompt: Happily Ever After 283
I Am Who I Am 247
Weekly Photo Challenge ~ Silhouette ~ 162
Daily Prompt: Comedy of Errors 115

What do they have in common? Me, I suppose. They are the posts that have something personal in it. Either a picture or a story.

At least that is what I get from it. I mean ‘Home page/Archives’ could be any of them. I’m hoping a lot of them are for my short stories, but I’m thinking it’s more for my Friday Fictioneers. Either way is ok, as it all is my writing.

Now with the photo challenge, ‘silhouette’, I can understand why that was popular. I got lucky out my patio door to capture Mother Nature at her best. The shot turned out stunningly beautiful. It had nothing to do with my so-called talent at the camera, it was all Mom Nature.

(C) JLPhillips 2012
(C) JLPhillips 2012

The last one still makes me laugh. It’s my most popular post on my food blog too. Here it’s called “Comedy of Errors”, on my food blog it’s called “How I got run out of the grocery story by a little old lady”. Long title but so funny. I can understand why this is so popular.

So that’s my list. What was your favorite post?

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Daily Prompt: Party Animals (?)

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Daily Prompt: Party Animals (?)

by michelle w. on July 21, 2013

After spending time with a group of people, do you feel energized and ready for anything or do you want to hide in the corner with a good book?

 

The simplest answer to this Daily Prompt is this, I want to curl up with a good book and have peace and quiet.

I’m not much of a party person. I don’t enthuse over get togethers. I barely tolerate a small casual BBQ. I’m really not much of a people person. Never have been and I don’t see myself changing this late in life.

http://orpheus-blue.deviantart.com/art/Alone-in-a-Crowd-52607722
http://orpheus-blue.deviantart.com/art/Alone-in-a-Crowd-52607722

It’s not that I don’t like people. Well ok, maybe that is part of the problem. I would rather be around my pets than most people. For one thing there is a lot less drama. Yet, I love to people watch.

As long as I don’t have to be engaged in conversation I can sit and watch people all day. I’m not much for chit-chat. This is a woman who really doesn’t like to talk on the phone. Now let me write a letter to you and I’m your girl!

So, I doubt I would spend time with a large group of people in the first place. The last time I did was at my parents 50th wedding anniversary and the next day I was in the ER getting my gall bladder taken out. Omen? Maybe.

Thinking back on that, it’s been over 12 years now since then. See? Not much of a people person at all. Give me books or computer time!

Anyone for an old fashion letter from me? 🙂

http://www.olevelpakistan.com/
http://www.olevelpakistan.com/

 

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Friday Fictioneers ~~ July 19, 2013

JackieP15 Comments

THE CHALLENGE:

Write a one hundred word story that has a beginning, middle and an end. (No one will be ostracized for going over or under the word count.

THE KEY:

Make every word count.

Another Friday has rolled around. Here I thought it was Thursday, somehow I lost a day. 😦

I would like to extend a formal invitation to all my readers. Please come join us at Friday Fictioneers. You can participate by writing a short 100 word story to go with the picture, or just read what almost 100 writers have to say about the same picture. It’s rather fascinating.

Our delightful hostess is Rochelle Wisoff-Fields and she’s also one hell of a writer. Just click on her name to join in on the fun.

In the meantime you can read my contribution below. I love comments and helpful criticisms. Tally ho!

It’s not my best by a long shot. I couldn’t seem to concentrate today. Eh well, it is what it is.

 

Copyright -Anelephantcant
Copyright -Anelephantcant

 

Genre: Crime Fiction (100 words)

Keeping his eye on the man at the counter of the coffee shop he pretended to fix something on his bike.

He watched the man hand off a package to another man.

His lips hardly moved as he spoke in a whisper.

“The parcel has been delivered.”

The voice in his ear answered.

“Keep an eye on main player. We have the other one.”

He slowly sauntered over to the counter and sat a few stools over from the man he was told to watch.

He heard the man say into his phone, “It’s done.”

Done it was, as the CSI cuffed him.

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Daily Prompt: Dream Home

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Daily Prompt: Dream Home

by michelle w. on July 16, 2013

You win a contest to build your dream home. Draft the plans.

 

This is today’s Daily Prompt and I just had to add my 2 cents.

I have dreamed about a custom-built home for years now. I can see it so clearly in my mind. I have pinned places and ideas on Pinterest. Ah dreams……..

First it would be in the woods. Lots of trees and wildlife. It would kind of blend in the surroundings.  Sort of like this:

http://www.psdeluxe.com/
http://www.psdeluxe.com/

 

I don’t need nor want a really big house. Just one that’s comfortable and has a large studio for painting, writing, and relaxing, with lots of windows. Like this:

http://www.dailydreamdecor.com
http://www.dailydreamdecor.com

 

It also has to have a library. I’ve always wanted a room just for books, reading writing. On the lines of this:

http://uni-wall.com/
http://uni-wall.com/

 

Then of course I must have a great kitchen. That goes without saying. I love this:

http://www.homedecordream.com/
http://www.homedecordream.com/

 

Then there is my bedroom. That has to be relaxing and beautiful. Like this:

http://designkastle.com/
http://designkastle.com/

 

And then the bathroom. I want something unusual, with a view. Of course I would have to have lots of privacy, but ah it would be worth it.  Like this:

http://www.digsdigs.com/
http://www.digsdigs.com/

 

As you can see I’ve given it some thought. Now I just need to win that contest, or the lottery. Whichever. 😉

 

 

 

 

 

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Daily Prompt: Far from Home

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Daily Prompt: Far from Home

by michelle w. on July 15, 2013

Tell us about the farthest you’ve ever traveled from home.

Today I thought I would do the Daily Prompt. For those of you who are interested, I am working on some new short stories, as well as Part 2 of my Etherbooks.com published story “House of Mystery”. I know it’s been several months since I posted new stories. Sorry about that. Life has been crazy lately, with moving, then floods and storms and everything that comes with all that.

Now though I feel the need to start writing in earnest again.  I’ve missed it. I hope you have missed it also. But for now, I’ll do the Daily Prompt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s complex for me, telling you about the farthest I’ve been from home.

How can it be complex you ask? Well it depends on your definition of “home”. Do you mean where I was born and grew up? Or do you mean ‘home’ as in where I feel the most comfortable? Or does it just mean where I lived? See, complex. Maybe it’s just me making it complex.

home sweet home, kinda.
home sweet home, kinda.

So let me break it down for you. I was born and raised in Wisconsin. Good old Milwaukee to be exact. I hated it. I did. I hated living there and would never live in Milwaukee again. (Sorry folks who live there, no offense meant).  I just never felt like I belonged there. I always felt like an outsider, even in my own family of 2 parents and 3 siblings. I was so lonely 99% of the time.

I was a super shy kid and would spend most of my time reading books. I was painfully shy. Really. I would blush so red that it actually hurt. It took me a long time to get over that shyness.

Even when I was ‘home’ I was away. In my mind and my heart I was away from where I grew up. I always dreamed of far away places. I was determined to see other places and so I did.

crystalinks.com
crystalinks.com

 

My first venture of living away from Wisconsin is when I moved to Mississippi. Yeah, well that didn’t last but six months. I didn’t like where I was and I didn’t like the people I was with. So then if was off to Texas, where my younger brother was. Looking back that was a mistake and yet not. I suppose it was fate.

I lived in Texas for 20 years. I liked it for the most part. I thought I had found ‘home’ at last. Now, I think it was just another stopping place before I moved on. Yeah, a looonnnggg stopping place. 🙂 I had some living to do and some hurting to do as well. I got married, stayed married too long, then got divorced. I met some fantastic people living there. There are a lot of Texans that have hearts as big as the state they live in.

I don’t regret moving to Texas or staying as long as I did. I still have a bit of my heart in Texas with great friends. A bigger chunk of my heart stayed in Texas with someone I met and lived with after my divorce. I do believe he was the love of my life. He’s gone now, died of diabetes complications much much too young.

I also left a bitter angry stalker as many of you know. I’m not going to dwell on that one.

So now I’m in Canada. But the big question is, is this my home?

images (3)

Honestly, I don’t know. It’s a wonderful country with some great people. I’ve been here for a while now. So this is as far away from where I grew up as any place I’ve been. Around 1200 miles give or take a few hundred.

Is it home?

For now it is. I think I’m basically still looking. I might not be able to look any further. This may well be the end of my journey. Only time will tell.

 

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Friday Fictioneers ~~ July 12, 2013

JackieP39 Comments

Good Friday to everyone! Hope today is filled with sunshine and happiness. Can you tell I’m happy today? Want to know why? No? Well I’m going to tell you anyway. 😉 Neener, neener.

I’m happy because I’m alive and breathing. Ha! Seriously, I’m happy because I’m finally getting the roof of my house fixed this weekend! Yea!!!!! It’s been 2 months of nasty weather, rain, winds, hail. You name it we got it. Record floods too, can’t forget that.

Almost from the first week after we moved to this place (at the end of May) the roof has leaked. Then we got really high winds, which took the darn shingles right off. So the roof leaked even worse. My bedroom was the worst hit. At one point I couldn’t even open my bedroom door because it was swollen with rain water. Ugh. It’s been pure hell. We have had record rain falls this past month or so.

I would have gotten it fixed sooner except for a few things. First I was broke. Moving and buying a house is expensive. Second the damn rain wouldn’t stop!! This weekend is supposed to be rain free, kinda. We have a 40% this afternoon and a 60% chance on Sunday. You think I’m lucky enough to get the roof done before or in between the rain storms? We shall see. Cross your fingers for me!!

Anyhoo, on with the Friday Fictioneer challenge this week! Hope you enjoy it. If you do or you don’t I appreciate any and all comments.

THE CHALLENGE:

Write a one hundred word story that has a beginning, middle and an end. (No one will be ostracized for going over or under the word count. However, I respectfully ask for your consideration. Please refrain from taking the  liberty of posting 200 words or more as a Friday Fictioneers story. Thank you.)

THE KEY:

Make every word count.

Thanks once more to our patient and talented hostess Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Please click on her name if you want to join us or if you want to read other fantastic stories based on the same picture!

 

Copyright – Randy Mazie
Copyright – Randy Mazie

 

Genre: General Fiction (98 words)

Bigwigs in City Hall have no respect for the dead, Jerome thought.

Keep the cemetery looking nice they told him, while they cut his budget by two-thirds.

He knew his cousin Darryl had goats. Had to get the grass down somehow. The goats liked the job and Jerome got to sit for a spell.

City officials were shocked at the goats. No goats in the cemetery they told Jerome. We can’t have goats defiling the graves!

In Jerome’s mind the only thing defiling the graves was the old goats in City Hall who just voted themselves another raise.

 

Goat on hill

 

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Wednesday Comics ~~ Sam and Me

JackieP11 Comments

The other day we had a big hail, wind and rain storm. Yeah, just what we needed after record floods a couple of weeks ago. I of course took pictures of the hail on the deck.

Poor Sam wasn’t sure what to make of it all. Sam loves winter. He loves the snow and ice. Sam hates rain. He doesn’t like to get wet. Yeah, I know it’s a bit confusing. 😉 Crazy dog.

Anyway, we got all this hail and Sam wasn’t sure whether he should like it or hate it. He liked the hail but it was raining too! I wish I could have gotten a picture of his expression. He looked at me like he was saying what he did in my comic.

The first pictures are on my deck and how much hail we got. The wind pushed it under my front door! Ugh. Mother Nature is one mean mama. The comic follows with my interpretation of what Sam said to me. 🙂

 

hail on my deck 7/5/13
7/5/13 hail storm, it’s blurry but you can see the hail.

 

(C) JLPhillips 2013
(C) JLPhillips 2013

 

**Click on comic to see larger picture**

 

 

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Daily Prompt: Keep Out

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Daily Prompt: Keep Out

by michelle w. on July 9, 2013

Who is the one person you hope isn’t reading your blog? Why?

 

I would have to say the #1 person I hope isn’t and never does read my blog is my ex. If  he reads my blog then he would know where I am. I don’t think he can get into Canada, but I’m not positive. Knowing him he would BS his way to crossing the border. I have no idea if he has a passport. I have no idea if Canada would let him in. Depends on if he was able to talk the officials into deleting any criminal records. Knowing my ex, he would get it done.

antiviolenza-pozzuoli
antiviolenza–pozzuoli

Even after years of living in Canada, I still am very vigilant about my surroundings. I scout out parking lots at stores, I glance at any passing vehicle. I find myself still, though I hate it, looking to see if my ex shows up. After being stalked for years, you get into habits. These habits I’m not willing to break. At least not just yet.

The other people I hope not to read my blogs is my family. My mother, my 2 brothers and even my sister. Now most people wouldn’t mind their family reading their blog. They don’t have my family. It’s not that I’m not proud of my blog. I am. Both of them. (My food blog at http://changeforbetterme.wordpress.com )

My family is and always has been super critical of me and anything I do. They all disliked my ex. Well after the divorce anyway. My brothers didn’t mind partying at strip joints with him when they lived with me for short periods of time. Now of course they all have selective memories. It’s amazing how that works.

They all for some reason associate me with my ex. They seem to think that they know what went on behind closed doors. They seem to think they know what went on in my marriage, even though they hardly talked to me and lived across country. Now, they still bring up stuff that has more to do with my crazy ex than me. I certainly couldn’t control the man. Amazing they think I was just like him, or worse. But then they have always been quick to judge me, and not for the good.

th (4)

Do I sound bitter? Yeah, maybe just a tad. It was just last month my younger brother wrote something bad on one of my blogs. My tribute to my Dad. I trashed it of course. But it hurt like hell. Why attack me when all I did was talk lovingly about my Dad? I don’t understand that at all. I just spoke the truth. I guess after some of what they did to me the truth bothers them. Ah well. Tough to be them I suppose.

Anyway, I don’t like being bitter. So I usually shrug it off. My family is what they are. I leave them alone and hope they leave me alone. Good thing I have good friends who know me and know what happened during my marriage to my ex. They know the truth, my family just guesses.

Maybe they should read my blog. Maybe they should find out some of what was happening to me back then. But they won’t. So I’m now letting it go. Thank you readers for putting up with my little bit of bitterness. I’m flushing it now. Back to smiling again.

 

sweetnostalgia.wordpress.com/
sweetnostalgia.wordpress.com/

 

 

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Daily Prompt: Barter System

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Daily Prompt: Barter System

by michelle w. on July 8, 2013

If the world worked on a barter system, how would you fare? Would you have services to barter? Would you be successful, or would you struggle?

I thought today’s Daily Prompt was an interesting one. I actually think the world might do better with a barter system. You have something I want, I have a skill or something else that you would be willing to trade said item for. Sounds good to me. I think everyone has something to barter with. Whether it’s a skill they have, some knowledge, or a particular item. You know how to cook? Cook someone a meal for what you want. You know how to sew, knit, crochet? Make something for what you want. You know how to write excellent emails, letters, business letters? Barter your services for something that business has to offer.

http://www.artofhustle.com/
http://www.artofhustle.com/

The question was how I would fare if we had a barter system. I think I would fare rather well. I’ve done bartering in the past a few times and so I do have a little experience with the bartering system on a small-scale.

I have several things I’m rather good at. I can cook. I’m a really good cook and have learned in the past to cook with very few ingredients. When you don’t have much money, you learn real fast. I’m kind of like the show “Chopped” on the food network. Give me a few ingredients and I’ll cook you a meal. Just give me a bit more time than the cooks on Chopped get. 😉

I know how to type (I mean really type, as I was a secretary in my past life once) I can type 60 wpm or faster if my hands are doing ok. So I can get those letters and emails out rather quickly. I’m a good painter. I can paint you a picture to hang on your wall.

http://www.squidoo.com/
http://www.squidoo.com/

I have done painting for people for other items before. They didn’t have the money to buy what I painted, but they had something else I wanted, so we exchanged services. It worked out well for us. I’ve done this several times.

I have grown my own food and have bartered with friends and neighbors for various services or items. We have even had a small garden where several of us went in on it and we took turns weeding and watering and mulching for a share in the bounty. This can work really well if there are several of your neighbors who don’t have time for full-time garden but can spare a few hours a week.

I like bartering. You have something I need, I have something you want, we deal and it’s done without exchanging any money. Yup, I like this a lot.

Anyone wants to barter with me? Just let me know!

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