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Daily Prompt: On the Road

JackieP20 Comments

Daily Prompt: On the Road

If you could pause real life and spend some time living with a family anywhere in the world, where would you go?

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

I’ve given this question some serious thought. This is my answer.

I would go home. I would go home to my own family.

I would go back  and ask one question. What the hell happened to us?

I would gather my  mother, sister and two brothers and I would sit us down in the living room and ask that question. What the hell happened to us?

What happened to what little closeness we had? Granted we were never much for showing our feelings unless they were angered or frustration with each other. But, we used to at least talk to each other. Well okay, let me be more specific here. YOU used to talk to ME. Now none of you do. That makes me sad.

photo by http://www2.gov.bc.ca/
photo by http://www2.gov.bc.ca/

I know I’ve been gone from home for a long time. Except for brief visits or a short time that I lived back home again. Otherwise since I left home when I was 21 I haven’t been back much. Even so, we still used to talk to each other! We would call or write at least once a week. What the hell happened to us?

My younger brother and I used to be so close. No matter what happened it was us two against everyone else. Now? It seems he is a bitter and angry man towards me and I’m not sure why. He holds what my ex did to the family against me personally. Truth to say they all do. It seems they think what he did is what I condoned. That could not be further from the truth. I doubt they will believe that, or maybe they just don’t wish to believe it.

My family was done wrong by my ex ( he is a true narcissist). They forget that he is my EX for a reason. They don’t seem to think that he controlled me, my actions and my thoughts to the point that I said and did what he wanted me to. Until I got away from him. Now I think for myself.

My older sister and I were always so close. I could tell her anything and everything and she would listen. Now, she won’t even return a Facebook message. It saddens me no end. I’ve sent cards, letters and I’ve tried calling. Nothing seems to work. It breaks my heart to think how far we have grown apart. What the hell happened to us?

So yes, I would go home to my own family and sit down with them and talk about the good times. I would talk to them, maybe cry with them and try to get back just some of that closeness we used to have.

My older brother and I never did get along. Even when we were kids we didn’t get along that well. Maybe because I don’t like bullies and he was one. Still is in many ways.  Just an older version. If I could though I would go and sit with him and talk to him and try to be more understanding and forgiving. He is who he is for better or worse. He is still my brother.

When I left home so many years ago, who would have thought I would still be gone at this time in my life? I’m much older and much more wiser, at least I hope I’m wiser. Part of our growing apart is my fault, I will admit that. But it’s not all my fault. I grew into the woman I am today. One I doubt my family would recognize or know. In fact I KNOW they don’t know me. How could they? I have to say that I don’t know them anymore either.

I’ve been through a lot these many years that I’ve been gone. Some my family knows about and much they don’t. They never knew half of what went on in my first marriage. Not even close. For me it’s the past and where it should stay.

I suppose my family still sees me as I was when I was 21. Maybe. They are quick to judge me, all in the worst way, for some reason. The only thing I have been guilty of is having poor judgement in marriage partners and staying in that marriage way too long. Okay, I’m guilty also of being a very private person. I didn’t tell them most of the stuff that was going on in my life because I felt they didn’t need to know.

I’ve left mentioning my mother for last. Her and I have always had a very tumultuous relationship. It was always apparent to me that she didn’t like me much. Sometimes we would go years without talking. One thing my mother knows how to do very well is holding a grudge.

I love my mother. Not sure if she loves me. Simple yet oh so complicated. She has always been the force in our family. A very strong force. What she says goes in my family. As it always has.

We had been getting along great for years after my father died. The longest we got along in my life! Then it all changed. I’m not sure  why. She wouldn’t answer my phone calls. She would get angry at me very easily. Now, she hasn’t talked to me for months. I’m not sure what I did or said this time. Hell, I’m never sure with my mother.

So yes, I would go to my own family, sit them all down and talk to them. One on one, or all together. And I would ask the question. What the hell happened to us?

 

 

 

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Daily Prompt: 2100

JackieP9 Comments

Daily Prompt: 2100

The language of the future: what will it be like? Write an experimental post using some imagined vocabulary — abbreviations, slang, new terms.

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

stock-vector-seamless-background-with-words-hello-in-different-languages-19651477

 

 

How will the language be in the year 2100? I don’t know myself, but there are plenty of thoughts out there on the subject.

The world is getting smaller and smaller as new technology grows. Some say that there will only be two languages used in the future. English and Chinese  Mandarin. Yeah, really.

I’ve done a bit of research and came up with several good articles as to why the future language might be these two. One says that it’s based on the finances of the world. If the Chinese become the top in world finances than that language will need to be learned to deal with the top dogs (so to speak).

To quote the article:

Is English or Mandarin the language of the future?

“The decline of the English language probably follows the decline of the US dollar.

“If the Renminbi is becoming the next reserve currency then you have to learn Chinese.”

Another good article that says that the future might well be spoken in Chinese is this one.

What will be the language of the future?

Lee Han Shih, who runs a multimedia company, says English is becoming less important to him financially because he is taking Western clients to do business in China, therefore you need to learn English but you also need to know Chinese.

Nǐ Hǎo – 你好 – Hello

facts-about-mandarin-chinese2.002

 

Other ideas of what language will be spoken in the future or what some call ‘Globish’.

In the early decades of the twentieth century, H.G. Wells imagined what would become known as World English in his prophetic novel, “The World Set Free.”

Today World English is known by several names, perhaps the most catchy of which is Globish, a term popularized by Jean-Paul Nerrière in his book “Don’t Speak English, Parlez Globish.”

In his book “Globish” (2010), Robert McCrum diagnoses English’s “subversive capacity to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds, to articulate the ideas of both government and opposition, to be the language of ordinary people as well as the language of power and authority, rock’n’roll and royal decree.”

You can read more and form your own opinion here:

What’s the language of the future?

 

No matter what you or I think the language will be in the year 2100, I do believe the world will have to accept a more universal language. I won’t be around to see it of course, but it would be interesting to see what happens. Until then I will sign off with the only language I know. English.

Till next time!

 

 

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Daily Prompt: The Cat Says Meow

JackieP11 Comments

Daily Prompt: The Cat Says Meow

Write a story about yourself from the perspective of an object, thing, animal, or another person.

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

“Oh oh, here she comes again.”

I sit in my chair and push the on button. Sitting back with my first cup of coffee, I stretch and yawn. Another day has started.

“Oh man, it seems like she just shut me down for the night!”

Thinking of all the things I need to do today, I sip my coffee and wait for the computer to boot up.

” I sure wish she would sleep late for one day. I am so tired.” Groooannnn…….. “I’m taking my time this morning.”

Impatiently I tap my slippered foot. Sure seems like my computer is going much slower than usual today. Maybe I need to clean it out and defrag it.

“Guess I put it off for as long as possible. If I delay much longer she might want to defrag me. I hate that!”

Finally it’s up and going! So I log in to WordPress to see what’s going on, check on my blogs, answer anyone who made comments. I smile as I see some online buddies have said something to me. I love comments!

“Ouch! Ugh! Owww! Does she have to hit my keys so enthusiasticly? That stings! I”m not made out of steel for Pete’s sake!”

Then I go to my emails. I have so many! Wow! I really need to take the time to get rid of some.

“I sure wish she would empty me out some. I’m getting so full from all this information! I don’t need all this on my hard drive. You would think she knew better after all these years.”

After answering a few of the more urgent emails I decide to do a little web surfing. Never know what I might find to get the old creative juices flowing.

“Don’t tell me we are going surfing again! I get so sick from that! Motion sickness they called it at WebMD. I call it foolishness!”

I better stop for now. It’s time to get dressed and face another day. Maybe I’ll check out some funny pictures after I’m dressed. They are always good for a few laughs!

“Good, she’s leaving. Probably just getting dressed, but at least I can take a break. She is always pounding on my keys or surfing the web, or doing something on me! I get so very tired but she is like a nightmare come to life. She never stops! I just hope when she gets back, she doesn’t go looking at funny cat pictures again. I’m allergic to cats!”

Copyright © toons4biz
Copyright © toons4biz
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Daily Prompt: Six of One, Half a Dozen of the Other

JackieP13 Comments

Daily Prompt: Six of One, Half a Dozen of the Other

Write a six-word story about what you think the future holds for you, and then expand on it in a post.

 

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

Misty future is shaped by dreams.

 

Courtesy of Cathi Falconwing
Courtesy of Cathi Falconwing

 

I don’t know what the future holds for me. All I can do is try my best to make my writing dreams a reality. The rest is up to the powers that be. I try to live one day at a time. I try to write every day.

My health at this time is not the best. Every day I grow older. We all do. I might die tomorrow, or today. So with those thoughts I do what I can every day to live my dream and try to make it in my future.

For myself I try to forget past hurts and disappointments so it won’t color my day. Everyday is a new beginning for me. Every day is a fresh start to try to do what I love. Write.

I try to be at peace with my surroundings. With the people in my life. It’s not always easy. So every day I try again.

The future to me is this misty path I travel down. As I walk a bit of it clears, a bit of the mist swirls and then disappears. I make my future for the most part.

What I can’t make happen myself I leave to fate. I can try to shape it, mold it to my liking, but there are so many other factors to deal with. Unknown factors that make every minute of every day an adventure.

Some of what happens I don’t like, some I love, and some is just mundane.

The main part of any day is mine to make it what I will. To walk down that misty path and see it take shape the way I want it to. With my words, my thoughts and my heart.

I love that misty path of my life. For it is ever-changing and I have a hand in that change. Yet a lot of it is by the hand of fate.

And that’s just fine with me.

 

 

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Daily Prompt: What a Twist!

JackieP15 Comments

Daily Prompt: What a Twist!

Tell us a story — fiction or non-fiction — with a twist we can’t see coming.

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

He watched her from the doorway. She hadn’t spotted him  so he had the rare pleasure of observing her without her knowledge. She was as beautiful in his eyes as the day he married her years ago.

His gaze followed her graceful movements as she set the dinner table for two. His ears picked up the lively little tune she was humming to herself. He smiled as he recognized the tune as ‘their song’. It was the song that was playing at the restaurant when he asked her to marry him. Every year on their anniversary they played that song as they danced around the living room. Happy days those were.

He sniffed the air and his senses picked up the smell of his favorite meal. Ah, pot roast with those small baby potatoes and fresh carrots. How he loved her cooking. His eyes closed and his mouth began to salivate with anticipation.

A quick click of a lighter could be heard as his wife lit two long tapered red candles. The acrid smell of the wicks burning mixed with the aroma of the pot roast had him opening his eyes again.

She had stopped humming as she opened a bottle of red wine. He watched her as she struggled with the cork. When it came out with a resounding pop her face took on a look a look of triumph. She was always an open book of emotions.

As she poured out two glasses of wine and set them with the place settings he thought of letting his presence be known to her. Before he could act on that thought she turned and stepped into the kitchen.

Pots and pans could be heard being banged in the next room as he walked over to the big picture window in the dining room. He always loved the view from that window.

His mind went back to their first meal in this house. They had just moved in as a young married couple. The room had been full of boxes, the dining room set not yet bought. They sat on the floor in front of this window and watched the sun set over the tree tops. Then they made love right there in front of that same window. The shadows of the moon glow softly flickering on entwined bodies. Soft gasps and words of young love whispered in the dark.

He turned from the window as he heard her humming again in the kitchen. His smile was soft as he quietly pulled out a chair and sat in his usual spot at the table. How he loved that woman he thought. They had seen some rough times in their years of marriage. Some very rough times. But those times just drew them closer.

She was a strong woman. Strong when needed and soft and forgiving when she needed to be also. Sometimes it seemed she was both at the same time. He chuckled quietly. She told him once that he was as stubborn and persistent as a anyone she ever met. Maybe she was right. Well of course she was right. She seemed to be always right.

His chuckle stopped and he frowned. Yes, she had always been right. So when she told him not to climb that ladder that day because the wind was high and a storm was coming he should have listened. But he was stubborn and he wanted to get that eave cleaned before the storm hit.

Just as he finished cleaning out the last of the leaves the storm was on him. It hit hard and it hit fast. That gust of wind took him right off that ladder and tossed him twenty feet. He landed hard and he swore when he saw her run out of the house toward him.

Damn it, why didn’t he listen to her that day 15 years ago? Why? If he would have she wouldn’t have had to spend the last 15 years virtually alone.

His mind came back to the present by the sound of the glass platter hitting the dining room floor. Time stood still as he looked at the pot roast laying in a puddle of gravy with those new potatoes and fresh carrots spattering the hardwood floor.

“Michael?!”

The gasp of his name had his eyes back to his wife.

“I wanted to surprise you Helen. For our anniversary, I wanted to surprise you.”

“You can walk!!!”

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Daily Prompt: Imagine All the People~~ A Tale of a Life well Lived

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Daily Prompt: Imagine All the People

The next time you’re in a public place — a coffeehouse, a park, a store — observe the people around you. Pick a person, a couple, or a group, and imagine what their lives might be like.

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

I don’t have to wait till the next time I’m out and about. I do this all the time. In fact I did this not an hour ago when I went to the grocery store. It’s what happens when you are a writer and you have a vivid imagination.

I saw her as I was on the way home actually.

It’s a beautiful day here in Canada where I live. The day is warm with a bright blue sky and wispy white clouds. I was driving home from the grocery store. Taking my time with the window rolled down and enjoying the beautiful day.

I saw her from quite a way as she was dressed in bright colors. Like a walking, living  bouquet of vivid wild flowers she walked gracefully down the country road. She wore a primrose pink jacket with her legs encased in sunshine yellow pants. On her feet she wore white sneakers. On her arm was a bright red purse that swung with each jaunty step.

http://www.treesflowers.com/
http://www.treesflowers.com/

As I got closer I could see she was old, her face full of well-worn wrinkles in a light brown face. Her dark brown eyes sparkled with happiness as she tucked her white hair into her bright blue head scarf.  She gave me a joyous toothless smile as I slowly went by. It was the kind of smile that made your heart sing and your lips turn up in a grin. That smile seemed to say, “Hello! I am so glad we are both alive and able to enjoy this perfect day!”

She may have been going to the same grocery store I had just left. Or maybe she was on her way to visit a close friend, where they would sit and drink coffee and reminisce over old times. Or she was on her way to visit a daughter or son who would hug her and tell her how welcomed she was.

Wherever she ended up I knew she would bring happiness to all she came in contact to. She had that aura about her. A wise woman full of love and kindness. A woman who had a tender touch or a soft kiss with aged lips. A woman who had seen much in life and like her Native Indian ancestors was at peace with her surroundings.

Her smile was such a beautiful present today. It made me feel lighthearted. It made me feel that I was where I should be at this time in my life.

I passed her in my car, a fleeting moment in time. But her image, her smile, her colorful self,  will stay with me for much, much longer. With those precious seconds as I slowly passed her and she had a smile only for me I felt the gentle hand of love surround my heart.

With that gift I will go about my day with a lighter step, a joy in living that I had not woken up to this morning. I silently thank her for giving that to me and I hope light and love will be with her always.

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Daily Prompt: I Am a Rock

JackieP13 Comments

Daily Prompt: I Am a Rock

Is it easy for you to ask for help when you need it, or do you prefer to rely only on yourself? Why?

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

I found out a long time ago it is easier to do things myself than ask for help.

I do ask for help if it’s something I know I can’t do or fix. Like plumbing, or building something. I mean for some things you just need to ask for help, but you are usually not only asking for help you are paying for help. So is this the same as just asking? I don’t think so.

I am what I like to call ‘vertically challenged’. Okay, I’m short! So very early on I had to learn how to do some things a bit different from most. I always have a step stool on hand. I have things in my cupboards on the lower shelves, those that I use a lot.

In grocery stores I will ask for help for things on the top shelf. I usually look around for the good-looking guys, but in a pinch I will ask anyone who is taller than me (which is just about everyone it seems).

So I’m not above asking for help if I need it. After all, we all need help now and again. We can’t be too proud to ask or we would do without a lot of the times. But with most things I will try to do it myself first. I can be very patient when I need to be. I can also fix just about anything I need to.

As the saying goes, ‘duct tape is a girls best friend’.

So I would say yeah I’m a rock, with a whole lot of pebbles around.

http://www.foundshit.com/heart-shaped-river-rock/
http://www.foundshit.com/heart-shaped-river-rock/

 

 

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Daily Prompt: Blogger With a Cause

JackieP14 Comments

Daily Prompt: Blogger With a Cause

If your day to day responsibilities were taken care of and you could throw yourself completely behind a cause, what would it be?

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

Today’s daily prompt tied in nicely with what I wanted to write for this post today. Warning: I am going to get serious on this one.

I usually stay away from controversy on my blog. Not that I’m afraid of a little debate, I’m not. I want this blog to be about positive things. Good stories, good friends, good times.

Something happened this past weekend that made me sad and worried. It’s something that I’ve thought about on and off, but never seriously, till now. I have to admit I never thought seriously about it because it never hit home before. This past holiday weekend it did. In a major way.

This issue is becoming an epidemic in Canada, United States and elsewhere. Elder abuse.

http://www.clker.com/
http://www.clker.com/

Elder abuse is a growing issue and it looks like it is growing more and more each year. I know it is  for a fact because I’ve seen it in action. I wish I could say this was a fiction piece I was working on. It’s not. It’s real and it’s damn scary.

From what I’ve read on the internet elder abuse can happen in various forms. I saw it personally in the form of threats of violence. A son threatened physical harm to his father. Here is the story. I will just use initials for names to protect the innocent and myself.

There was a group of us that got together over the holiday to have a few drinks, talk and have a good time. We were in the backyard just enjoying the day.

The homeowner’s son showed up on his motorcycle with his girlfriend. Now this son is 40 years old, works in the oil field and makes damn good money. He came over uninvited. He also came over looking for a fight. Why? Only he knows.

Now *R (the father) is 60 and crippled up with arthritis and emphysema. He is certainly no threat to anyone. He hadn’t seen his son *J in about a month because he was working way up north on an oil rig. R was happy to see J.

Everyone there could see J was angry about something the minute he showed up. He was on his phone trying to get hold of a buddy he was angry with. It just so happened this buddy of J owed R some money. The buddy bought something months ago from R and never paid him. R just innocently asked J to ask his buddy when he could expect payment for the item.

J went off on his father spoiling for a fight. R just looked at J in surprise and told him “I just asked a question.”

That’s when things got out of control for no good reason. J looked at his father in the meanest way and told him, “I don’t give a f*** what you asked. Maybe I should just go over there and smash your face in with my fist!”

The rest of us just stood or sat in shock! Believe me J meant it, you could see it in his face. J issued a few other threats and when a few of us stood up to get between R and J, he decided he better leave. Afterward we still were shocked that R’s son threatened him in the first place and we all believed he would have done it!

Now I know for a fact R has only been good to J. He has bought him stuff and I know he has borrowed money to J lots of times. J likes to party, a lot. He comes home on his days off and it’s one big party. By the time he has to go back to work he is on the phone to R, borrowing a couple hundred for gas to get back to work. It’s crazy! R is on a fixed income because he is no longer able to work. J makes a lot of money every month, but is continuously broke.

I know J has been totally disrespectful to R for months. R talks to me about it. Now threats of physical violence. It’s scary to think what might have happened if the crowd of friends had not been there.

The more I thought about what happened the more I wish I could have helped in some way. Elder abuse doesn’t get the attention it deserves in our news. We are focused on women and child abuse. Believe me I think those issues are very important! Don’t get me wrong. I hate it when I hear stories of women, children or animals being abused. Nothing gets me angrier faster.

The world’s population is getting older. Soon the elderly will be the majority. We need to address this issue soon, before it really gets out of control!

Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons

I looked up a few statistics.

Violent Crimes Against Seniors on the Rise (from: http://www.carp.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Elder-Abuse-Brief-Jan-2012.pdf)
• Up 14%: Data from a sub-set of police services in
Canada show that the rate of family violence
against seniors has increased by 14% since 2004.
• 7,900 seniors were victims of violent crime alone
between 2009 and 2011 (not including financial,
emotional, psychological abuse and neglect).
• Perpetrators are Mostly Family, Friends: Of the
7,900 reported acts of violence, the perpetrators
were likely to be family, friends, or a stranger, a
trend the CARP Poll™ confirms to be true for most
cases of elder abuse.

I also found an interesting statistic page. It shows that most abusers of the elderly are repeat abusers and they are white. Take a look for yourself. I think you will be surprised. You can find it here:

http://statisticbrain.com/elderly-abuse-statistics/

This is research done by  the National Center on Elder Abuse, Bureau of Justice Statistics in the United States, dated: Research Date: 6.18.2013

I’ll post some of the statistics found, if you want to read the full report go to the link above.

  • Number of elderly abuse cases in 2010    5,961,568
  • Percent of elderly population abused in 2010    9.5%
  • Percent of white victims     66.4%
  • Percent of black victims      18.7%
  • Percent of Hispanic victims 10.4%

Aging Statistics (USA)

The older population–persons 65 years or older–numbered 39.6 million in 2009 (the latest year for which data is available). They represented 12.9% of the U.S. population, about one in every eight Americans. By 2030, there will be about 72.1 million older persons, more than twice their number in 2000. People 65+ represented 12.4% of the population in the year 2000 but are expected to grow to be 19% of the population by 2030. The information in this section of the AoA website brings together a wide variety of statistical information about this growing population

You can read more here: http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Aging_Statistics/index.aspx

Canada

The Canadian population is aging. In 2011, the median age in Canada was 39.9 years, meaning that half of the population was older than that and half was younger. In 1971, the median age was 26.2 years.[1]

Seniors make up the fastest-growing age group. This trend is expected to continue for the next several decades due mainly to a below replacement fertility rate (i.e. average number of children per woman), an increase in life expectancy, and the aging of the baby boom generation. In 2011, an estimated 5.0 million Canadians were 65 years of age or older, a number that is expected to double in the next 25 years to reach 10.4 million seniors by 2036. By 2051, about one in four Canadians is expected to be 65 or over.

You can read more here: http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/.3ndic.1t.4r@-eng.jsp?iid=33

 

We as a people need to start addressing the issue of Elder Abuse now before it gets out of control. I’ve seen it and it’s ugly people. I want to do what I can to help in any way I can. After all I am a baby boomer and will be considered a part of this group soon enough.

I’m scared.

 

 

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Daily Prompt: A Little Sneaky

JackieP15 Comments

Daily Prompt: A Little Sneaky

Are writing prompts a useful exercise, or do you find them to be too limiting and/or hokey?

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

An interesting question posed today by the Daily Prompt. I’m so glad they asked!

Personally I like the daily prompts. It helps when I’m in a writing slump. I don’t do every single one of them. I pick and choose which ones I want to do.

Some of the prompts I’m not fond of. Those that want us bloggers to pat ourselves on the back too much are just not my cup of tea. For example, the other day they wanted us to write about the movie that would be made about our lives and who would play us. Eh, skipped that one.

I like the ones that make us think, give us some challenge in writing. I don’t mind silly sometimes, but not the self grandiose stuff.

I’m just not that interesting!

Another reason I like the daily prompts is because they can be a great jumping off place! I mean it gives me ideas in other ways. The prompt might be for one thing, but my mind takes it in another and another and …….well see what I mean? It can be a wonderful starting point for something completely different.

So please Daily Prompt keep them coming! I enjoy them, not only writing them but reading what so many other good writers do with them. Just keep ‘em coming!

 

http://www.mpsaz.org/
http://www.mpsaz.org/

 

So do you have any ideas for a daily prompt you might want me to use? I am always open for suggestions from you! Let me know in the comments sections below, or if your a bit more shy you can always email me a suggestion at

jlroeder (at) mail (dot) com

I’m always interested in what you have to say!

 

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Daily Prompt: The Full Moon

JackieP12 Comments

Daily Prompt: The Full Moon

 

When the full moon happens, you turn into a person who’s the opposite of who you normally are. Describe this new you.

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

I sit huddled in the dark corner of my living room. I can already feel the pull of the new mood that is rising in the star-studded inky sky.

I dread it every time the full moon rises. My body twitches and itches. My nerve endings tingle with energy. I know what is coming and hate the inevitable.

Clenching my teeth I hug myself tightly. My body rocks back and forth as my fingers dig into my aching arms. My head starts to buzz and I feel my teeth ache. I rock harder and hear myself mumbling a useless litany of words.

“Please, please, not again. No, no, no. I will not turn.”

Again and again I sing this song. I know it’s useless. It always happens on the full moon. Always.

My family has been cursed for centuries. An old ancestor had made a very powerful warlock angry and he cursed the females of the family. Every new moon the curse comes alive. For me it is an agony, a torture that I endure. I’m not sure how much longer I can endure it though. It weakens me each time. Each time I think will be my last. Each time I pray it will be my last.

Hours before the new moon comes I bar the door and windows. Dozens of locks are put in place and I hide the keys. I make sure my car is not readily available by pulling out cables and hiding those also. I do more and more each time to try to insure I can’t get out of my own home.

I’ve even gone as far as putting my car in someone else’s garage overnight, hoping that it will slow my desires down when the new moon rises. It’s never enough though. Never strong enough locks, the car is never too far away. The moon’s pull is more powerful than all my puny attempts of sabotage.

My rocking slows as I feel the moon’s final pull on my body. The change has come. I sigh deeply and rise from my chair. I know I look different now, I don’t have to search out a mirror to confirm it. I have lived with this never-ending curse for years now. I know there is no cure, no hope.

I know my eyes have ice in them now. I am cold, calculating. I have changed completely into someone I hate, I fear. I feel my body differently now. It feels rigid and tough. I toss back my hair and breath deeply. The change is complete once again.

I have changed into something I have always feared. That is part of the curse. The females change into something they fear the most. Each one is different. Each one is unique in her fears. For me, I have changed into something I am not.  Someone tough, hard and ruthless.

I grab my purse and keys and a brightly colored sales brochure. Yes, the change is complete one more time.

I have changed into a  shoe shopper, a sales shoe shopper!  Goddess help me.

http://www.funnyuse.com/
http://www.funnyuse.com/

 

 

 

 

 

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Daily Prompt: Procrastination

JackieP14 Comments

Daily Prompt: Procrastination

What have you been putting off doing? Why?

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

The simple answer to this question is: Everything!

I have even put off doing this post. I seem to be putting off doing anything and everything lately. I put the ‘Pro’ in Procrastination, as I seem to have gone pro in the procrastination department.

I never used to be this way. When I saw something needed to be done, I just did it. No hemming and hawing. Just doing!

Now I’m lucky if anything gets done. I hate it, but have put off changing it.

http://shenkitup.com/
http://shenkitup.com/

I should be editing my novel *“The Key”, should have started doing that months ago! I haven’t even started yet. I should be writing the second part to my published story **“The House of Mystery”. Haven’t finished it yet.

I’m great at starting things. Just not real good at finishing them lately. I want to finish things. I want to finish my novel, my stories. But just can’t seem to get myself together enough to do it. It’s very frustrating, as I see these things but I don’t seem to be able to see a way of changing.

My mind is scattered to the four winds, my ambition is nil. I’m always coming up with arguments  as to why I can’t do certain things. I tell myself, well this needs to be done first, then I need to do that and then I will have some free time. As I don’t even do that, how can I do this??

How the hell can I get off this treadmill to nowhere??! I don’t know right now, because I have to do something else first before I can finish that thought.

*The Key is my NaNoWriMo winner from last year. It’s going to be a great novel. Some day.

**The House of Mystery is my published story on Etherbooks.com. It’s a two parter. The first part has been published. The second part I’m still working on it. You can find my story here. Under ‘writers’ look for JLPhillips. You’ll find both my published stories there.

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Daily Prompt: Life Line

JackieP10 Comments

Daily Prompt: Life Line

You’re on a long flight, and a palm reader sitting next to you insists she reads your palm. You hesitate, but agree. What does she tell you?

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

As I settled myself in my seat next to the window I noticed an elderly lady making her way up the aisle. She was dressed all in lavender. With her white hair and deep blue eyes it was a great color for her. She had a billowy scarf around her neck that floated out behind her as she made her way closer to me.

I was hoping she would sit next to me as she looked like someone who had led an interesting life.  It was going to be an even longer flight if I didn’t get someone worth talking to next to me. I’m not much of a talker myself, but love listening, and elderly people usually have the most wonderful stories to tell.

I smiled as she walked and slowed down, she glanced at her ticket and then at the number on the seat and smiled back at me.

“Guess this is my seat.” She said to me with a sweet voice.

I noticed that with her words there was a faint accent in her pronunciation.  I couldn’t quite put a place to the accent, but that was okay. Maybe she will tell me without me being rude and asking.

The plane was filling up  fast, as my companion for our flight sat down and made herself comfortable. There was still an empty seat between us and I frowned to myself hoping it wouldn’t get filled with some loud mouth. Or worse yet some old guy who would fall asleep five minutes after take off and snore the whole time we are up in the clouds.

I held my breath as the plane door was closed and it seemed I was going to get really lucky and have the seat right next to me remain empty. What luck! As this very rarely happens. We all sat through the instructions for emergency landings and I watched out my window as we lifted off the ground. One of my favorite times is at liftoff, where you feel your stomach fall to your feet and the slight pressure in your chest as we headed straight up into the blue sky. I closed my eyes and relished the feeling of freedom.

http://travel-babel.com/
http://travel-babel.com/

As I sat with my eyes closed wondering how I could open a conversation with the lady on my left, I began to hear humming. The lady was humming to herself as she rifled through her purse. I glanced over curious. She looked up and smiled and pulled out a dainty little white lace handkerchief. A handkerchief! I haven’t seen a woman use one of those since my grandmother was alive years ago! How quaint!

My companion continued to hum as she stuffed her purse down in the seat next to her slight body. She sat there with folded hands, the handkerchief peeping out under her fingers. I looked back out my window and then felt a small warm hand on my arm.

“Excuse me my dear, but I would love it if you let me read your palm.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Read my palm? She was a palm reader? Now that I wasn’t expecting! I’ve got nothing against palm readers. In fact I’ve had my palm read once before, years ago. It was pretty accurate, almost frightenly so.

I gazed into those sharp blue eyes and found myself holding out my hand, palm side up towards her. She held my hand with both of hers and one thumb gently rubbed over my palm.

There we were, heads almost bumping, hunched over my hand in hers, being held over the empty seat between us. We were silent as she looked my palm over. Then she began to softly speak.

“You have led an interesting life so far, my dear.”

“Your lifeline is long, so you have many years to go yet.”

The old woman took my right hand and turned it over and then back again. She bent my fingers back slightly, then turned my hand palm face up again.

http://alatheia.com/
http://alatheia.com/

“You have decisions to make about your future.”

“You love beauty and create beauty. You are a very creative person.”

I didn’t say anything to what she was saying to me. Her voice was soothing and mesmerizing. I just watched her face and felt her warm hands covering mine.

“You have many loves in your life. You will be loved many times.”

“There is also great sorrow. Something in your past troubles you still. You have been hurt and continue to hurt because of what was done to you.”

I bit my lip but kept silent. All she said was true. But that could have been said of any number of people. You cannot live a life without sorrow coming into it.

“You can become quite stubborn. You have strong beliefs and will fight for them always.”

“You also have much more potential than you have shown others. You have the power to be whoever you want to be, just believe in yourself enough.”

Again I almost shrugged my shoulders, as it could have been said of anyone. I was beginning to feel let down a bit. I sighed softly as I tried gently to take my hand back.

She gripped it tightly and looked me in the eye.

“Never lose sight of what you want to be. You will attain it. You are strong and strong-minded. Do not let yourself get side tracked by the unnecessary things that will fall in front of you.”

http://www.etsy.com/
http://www.etsy.com/

“My dearest Jackie, you have a destiny that must be filled. One that will be full of excitement and wonder. Do not ever forget that”

With those last words she put that lace handkerchief in my hand and closed my fingers over it. Then she leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. She suddenly looked tired to me. I sat back and looked at the handkerchief peeping out of my fist and gripped it harder. I still hadn’t said a word. Then a thought flashed through my mind.

I never told her my name.

 

 

 

 

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