SoCS: Coexist

Welcome to Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Here’s the prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “co-” Find a word that uses “co” as a prefix and use it in your post. Have fun!

Okay. Here we go!

 

Coexist, dammit!

I’m talking to everyone. If I was yelling, I’d write, COEXIST DAMMIT! Yes. I’m feeling that. This goes out to North and South Korea. And America who needs to stay out of it. Mind your own damn business. We have enough to work on right here in the USA. Plenty to clean up in our own back yard. People with different beliefs, different religions, different races, be friends if you want. It’s possible and enriching. Listen to each other without trying to change someone’s mind. Learn something new, or at least try to understand. But if you don’t want to be friends, then mind your own business and leave each other alone.

I know it might not be that simple, but is it really that hard? I don’t think so.

A few days ago, I saw a lot of people on my neighborhood on-line thing? network? whatever, who were upset about a plan to cut down a group of very old live oak trees to put up another car wash in our county.  I jumped right in there, ready to do a tree sit, or at least bring my guitar and sing,  “They paved paradise, put up a parking lot,” which is really titled “Big Yellow Taxi.” It’s the one song I know by heart and don’t have to look at the chords to play.

 

I emailed all the county commissioners and left a phone message for the county planning department. I found a lot of comments on the county Facebook page from citizens opposed to cutting down the trees and added my 2 cents.

I’m gonna have to take a picture of them (the trees) for Thursday tree love. Live oaks are the ones whose branches get really low sometimes. They are beautifully reaching out, majestic. Here’s one I took a picture of at Brookgreen Gardens where my husband proposed.

The trees that were on the chopping block for the car wash aren’t this big, but they’re beautiful and over 200 years old.

So a couple of hours after I left the message, I got a call back from the county planning office. One of the staff members said the director was meeting with the owner of the property and they are trying to find a way to save the trees. I thought that was pretty cool that I got a phone call back so soon. By the next day, there was an article in the paper that the property owner does not plan to cut down any trees. He sounded like he got the message loud and clear that a whole lotta people care about trees around here, and he wants to be a good steward. The lesson here is that a small group of committed people CAN make a difference as Margaret Mead said. And we are not such a small group.

Still, at least half of the county commissioners, how shall I say… lean heavily in favor of “developers,” and don’t really care much about trees. But the tree ordinance is going to be reviewed at the next meeting. Maybe I’ll go and wear green. Yeah, maybe I’m just an old hippie tree hugger, but there are plenty more of us, so watch out!

Getting back to, Is it really so hard to co-exist, the property owner is presenting a revised plan which will save the live oaks and still build the car wash. So, why didn’t he do that in the first place? It didn’t take long to figure out how to coexist with the trees.  Maybe people who want to build stuff will figure out before it’s too late that trees give us oxygen. We depend on them.

Trees keep the air on.

I paraphrased that from this interview with Matthew Sleeth, who wrote a book called, Reforesting Faith. 

I just realized I wasn’t minding my own business when I went to bat for the trees, except that protecting trees is my business.  Protecting.  Coexisting. Okay, it can get complicated. I didn’t say it was easy. But it’s not that hard. We can figure this out.

Well, I got a lot of words here so need to rap this up. Watch out for old hippie ladies with guitars and come sing along.

…

Stream of Consciousness Saturday is hosted by Linda G. Hill. For more info, visit:

https://lindaghill.com/2019/08/16/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-august-17-19/

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!

 

#SoCS Ramblings on Social Justice and Being Social

Today’s prompt for the Stream of Consciousness is the word, “social.” We can use it any way we want and have fun.

Social studies, okay. Social Justice, Yes! I’m not the most social person, especially in person. But I do believe in social justice. I can be social for a while, but when there’s an event that is purely social without any other goal, I tend to flounder. I’d rather be social for social justice – marches, meetings, volunteer work, picking up trash, protesting – it’s easy for me to be social when there’s a cause.  Years ago, I was pretty active in environmental and animal rights groups. Social justice should include animals and the earth. Trees, too. I find it easy to be social with trees. They’re such good listeners.

Not that I can’t be social with people at times. (And I can be a good listener – too good for my own good in times past.) There are people I enjoy being with. For a time. People are interesting. People are amazing. Social. Dogs are social. So are elephants, whales, dolphins, and pigs. They like being with family. They need social justice, too. What if ants are social, and bees too, in a different way?

Social justice is for everybody.

Just don’t make me be social too long.

Coincidentally, or not, I happen to be watching Steel Magnolias while I write this Friday evening.  It sure does remind me of the value of friendship and being social. It’s worth the effort for sure, both here on WP and in person.

…

For more info on Stream of Consciousness Saturday, visit Linda G. Hill at:

https://lindaghill.com/2019/06/14/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-15-19/

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!

SoCS: “Lovely Gifts” of Healing

Our prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday was “open book, point, write.”

Specific instructions:

Pick up the closest book to you when you sit down to write your post. Close your eyes, open the book, and place your finger on the page. Whatever word or phrase your finger lands on, write about it. Enjoy!”

Did I follow those instructions? Not exactly. To be honest, I picked up a few books and tried the pointing with my eyes closed. (That was earlier today – which was Friday since I’m writing this Friday night – almost Saturday.) I didn’t like any of the places my finger landed. Then, I went back to my original first thought when I read the prompt: Heidi.

I’ve been trying to figure out where to put all my books. How did I get all these books? Well, it’s taken over five decades. And books can be hard to get rid of, even if I’ve read them, or plan to read them, or started reading them – though if I didn’t finish, there must be a reason. Some of my books will go to the mountain house since that’s where I’ll see my grand children more, the children’s books will go there. Wait. I’m missing some books! I have a lot of children’s books that I haven’t seen lately! I LOVE children’s picture books. Maybe they’re still at my parent’s house which must be cleaned out by the closing on Monday. Whew, it’s taking a long time to get to that prompt.

I want to read Heidi to my granddaughter. It’s a perfect book for the mountains even if they are the old Appalachians instead of the Alps. The gentle Blue Ridge Mountains are ever so green right now. Get to the prompt! I know.

So I closed my eyes and pointed and this time, I liked the words. (A reminder to go with the first instinct or book.)  “…lovely gifts….” That’s where my finger landed. Good thing it was on the left, because the right was a picture. Here’s the passage:

“When the doctor arrived, he brought us lovely gifts from the Sesemanns. He quickly understood why I love my mountains so. He learned that the mountains could heal body and soul. Before he left, he told me that he thought a visit would be good for Klara.”

And the mountains did heal Klara.

I know the ocean can heal too. Salt water and ionized air, the sound of the waves… all healing as much as the mountains. What lovely gifts we have on this planet Earth. Trees that give us oxygen, bird songs, flowers…. and the lovely gifts of love in all its forms.

Doctors and medicine can heal us. The doctor in Heidi was wise enough to understand that other things heal also. Modern medicine is miraculous in many ways, but it’s soooo expensive in my country. What else heals? That’s my question for you if you’d like to answer. What heals your body, mind, or spirit?

Here’s a clip from a 2017 Heidi movie that has a lot of mountain scenes. Clara had been in a wheelchair until the mountains made her well.

…

For more on the Stream of Consciousness Saturday, visit Linda Hill’s blog at:

https://lindaghill.com/2019/06/07/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-8-19/

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!

Ringing Ears and Big Happenings

Here’s the prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “silent/silence.” Use one or both in your post. Have fun!

Silent nights no more

Though more silent than before

When I was young and having fun

And life had just begun

Or so I thought (back in the 70s)

Back then, silence was not something I desired.

Loud music, dancing kept the fire

Going all night was not so strange

Sometimes on too far a range

Angels watching out for me

Shook their heads. I was so free.

Now, I like the silence more

If only I could find it

Instead the ringing in my ears

keeps me company day and night.

So songs of birds and music soft

Will soothe my ears and lift aloft

Like rustling in the tops of trees

My mind – unless I need to sneeze

So to forget the ringing ears

And settle for a serenade

of steady calling cicadas.

Sometimes I can’t tell the difference.

They sound the same.

Are there bugs in my ears?

No way! It’s just the years

Echoing like the sound of silence.

Okay well that song’s a downer ending. So let me tell you something I can’t keep silent about. The month of June is a convergence of change and adventure.  Here’s what it’s looking like in the June schedule of events:

• Sell the house that was my parents’  (We have a closing date!)
• Buy a house in the mountains!  (I never imagined that would happen but we have a closing date one week after the closing of my parent’s house closing – can I use the proceeds from the parents’ house toward the mountain house? I hope so!)
• My husband is “retiring” and moving into a new creative adventure with me.
• My son is getting married!

All this is happening in the month of June! It’s kinda surreal. Maybe my astrological friends can explain it. Maybe I’m dreaming. Maybe it’s a God thing, after all these years.  Anyway, it won’t be very silent.

A few years ago, my son told me he didn’t think he’d ever find love again. But he has. There was a time when I thought I’d never get married again. I accepted that – just me and the dogs in my little house. God seemed silent. But God had a plan. The love of my life found me again when the time was perfect.  Now, time (God) is working its magic again.

You never know what surprises await. Anything is possible!

…

For more on the SoCS, visit:

https://lindaghill.com/2019/05/31/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-1-19/

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!

I’d Rather Be Cozy

The prompt for SoCS is: Find a word that rhymes with “rosy” or use the word “rosy” and base your post on it. Enjoy!

I wrote a post last night but didn’t post it, because I was very dozy, having worked all day on the house that was my parents’ trying to clean it out of the last of their possessions that seem to go on and on…. The good news is, we have a buyer! And I told the realtor I’d have the house emptied by June 1. Well, the buyer wants to get started renovating, etc, so will remove whatever we leave.  Now I’m bringing stuff to our newly renovated house an hour north and trying to make it cozy without being cluttered. It’s a challenging task. But I know this is first world problems – having too much stuff. I’m still donating. I think I’ll always be donating.

So this morning, having slept well, I’m writing about creating cozy. But first I’ll report on something that was the opposite of cozy. I finished my RAD self-defense class at the Sheriff’s Department Thursday night. I didn’t do as well as I would have liked and can think of all kinds of moves and techniques I could have used during simulation #2 when I sort of panicked and gave the “stop” command to end the simulation. In the first simulation, when the “attacker” grabbed me, I fell HARD on my butt. It still hurts two days later, and so do my arms and legs. I restarted simulation #2 and completed it. The simulation scenarios get harder as they go, so I took good care of myself and decided to not do simulation/scenario # 3. I’m cultivating feelings of self-esteem about this taking care of myself by declining the final simulation. What I’ve learned or been reminded of during these simulations is that I do not like conflict at all, and I have too much imagination. (I knew they were pretend, but it felt real to me.) I’ve also decided that if I’m in a situation like this again and feel trapped with no way out, I will pray out loud and sing “Amazing Grace.” I will pray for my attacker. I wish I’d thought of that Thursday night, but I was so far the opposite of cozy, I sort of turned into a marshmallow for a minute or two. But I did get back on the horse so to speak. I did okay for a 63 year old grandma. The simulations were very realistic with the “attackers” talking trash.  Yep, if I’m ever in this situation, I’m gonna pray for them and me. But first, I’ll do the knee to the groin and the hammer fist and any other moves I can. But the main goal is to prevent the violence.

Today, I hope and plan to have a peaceful day, cozying up my house with my mom’s angels and things. The house is cluttered right now, but Mom’s hutch fits nicely into the hallway alcove.

(I was going to give you a photo but my phone and computer are not cooperating and I don’t want to mess up my peaceful day. Ommmmm.

Here’s a picture of some of Mom’s angels and her angel shelf I brought to my home.

Here’s wishing your Saturday is all you want it to be!

…

SoCS is all about going with the flow. For more information, visit Linda Hill’s blog:

https://lindaghill.com/category/stream-of-consciousness-saturday/

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!

Expectations and Gratitude

Today’s prompt is xp. We’re to use it as a word. ???? Wait. I don’t know what xp means as a word. I asked my hubby and he doesn’t know either, so I’m going to use it in a word or two since that is also an option.

I’ve been SOOOO busy moving back in to the renovated house. The bathroom door is still not here. We could put up the old bathroom door, but it wouldn’t look right. And I EXPECTED they would’ve had it – the new door – put in a long time ago. The excuse was something about it being a special door to match the other doors in the hallway.  This project was started back in SEPTEMBER! Anyway, not having a bathroom door has been interesting. When they were still working on the house, my friend had to stand guard. Crazy stuff. And when it’s just me and my hubby… I don’t know if I like the word hubby. When it’s just the two of us (and the dogs) there is a new level of intimacy with not having a bathroom door.  Not with the dogs. They don’t care.

Tomorrow, which is Saturday, since I’m typing this Friday night, I’ll be priming the walls in the spare bedroom. Then Sunday, I hope to add color – elfin sage – like the bathroom. Poor door-less bathroom. The door is finally in (somewhere in this city), but the guy who puts in these special doors isn’t going to do it until Monday or Tuesday.  Well, we’ve been this long…. Oh the things we take for granted. I won’t take this new bathroom door for granted for a long time.

Experience tells me things will eventually get back to something like normal. A lot of our stuff is still at my parents’ house. Why do I have so many books?! Books, books, and more books. I’ve gotten rid of some – donated mostly – but there are still so many. I love them. But where will they go? I will figure it out.  Maybe by the end of the year, things will be organized, and I will have sold my parents’ house. That is what I expect.

Expect a miracle. That’s on a T shirt I inherited from my mom. I’m expecting a miracle in a nice way. Not in a “You better give me a miracle, God,” way.  Gratitude. That will help. Gratitude always helps. I bet there are  a lot of people in the world who don’t even have a bathroom.  Probably more than we might think. So I will not complain that I only have one bathroom. That has been the case for most of my 63 years. I am thankful for my one elfin sage bathroom (with its earthy tiles) which will soon have a door.  I’m also thankful for toilet paper.

An earlier stage, before the shower curtain, etc.

PS. I regret being absent for Thursday Tree Love and WATWB, and being slow to read and respond. But I’ve had to put some things on hold or just skip a few things to work on the house. I do appreciate your patience and friendship here in Bloglandia. I expect to be back more regularly in the future.  May your Saturday be full of peace, joy, and wonderful things!

…

To learn more about SoCS, visit Linda Hill’s blog:

https://lindaghill.com/2019/04/26/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-27-19/

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!

Feeling the Earth

Today’s SoCS prompt is: rib

Our ribs protect our heart and lungs. Have you noticed that the branches that take air to our body through our lungs, look like tree branches? The earth’s atmosphere protects all life on our planet – the planet we share with all other life on earth. Who protects the earth?

Back home in my own backyard, I am gifted with little clover flowers flourishing along with the “weeds.” Nothing is a weed if it has a flower.

And here is my amaryllis saying, Hello!

The earth is breathing hard today as I write this on Friday afternoon. High winds blow in the treetops. Where are my wind chimes? Still packed in a box somewhere. The leaves make music that sounds like waves in the ocean. This is a wondrous planet! As Earth Day approaches, celebrate the planet that gives us life. Celebrate every day you take a breath.

Please take a look at this post from Sue Dreamwalker. The song “Mother Earth” is powerful.

https://suedreamwalker.wordpress.com/2019/04/03/wake-up-to-nature-and-to-ourselves/

Can you feel her heartbeat beneath your feet?

Oh, and Happy Easter! I believe Jesus wants us to take care of these marvelous gifts from the Creator, including the gift of our own lives and each other.

For more on the Stream of Consciousness Saturday,  visit Linda G. Hill at:

https://lindaghill.com/2019/04/19/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-20-19/

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing (typos can be fixed), and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. I will post the prompt here on my blog every Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The,’” or will simply be a single word to get you started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read all of them! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later or go to the previous week by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!