Thank God I Don’t Have to Work in an Office Anymore.

Today’s Stream of Consciousness prompt is, “mon.”

Monday, Monday. Maybe I’ll find the old song that starts like that later. I’m so thankful I don’t have to go to a job on Monday. Monday is my husband’s day off from the mission thrift store. Most thrift stores are closed on Monday because they are open Saturdays. So I try to save Mondays for him and an occasional honey-do prompt. When he retires, the honey-dos will be on a list, clearly posted for his our convenience. I don’t really need a list for this cause it’s always in my head. For some reason, I think women tend to have easy access to that list in our heads. It’s always there.  

It’s baffling how busy I am since I “retired” from my job. “Mon” makes me think of moan. And I do want to stop moaning about that and be grateful. I just have to prioritize the things that give me soul energy, even if they drain me physically. Like Saturday (today for you, but I”m writing this Friday because I have an abundance of things to do on Saturday). Okay, today I want to go help clean up the creek down the road. If I get there early enough, I can get a kayak that the organization brings. But if I don’t get there in time for a kayak, I’ll be happy to walk along the banks to pick up trash.

In this neighborhood creek, I’ve seen beaver, egrets, lots of turtles, and an alligator. Volunteering for the environment feeds my soul.

Then in the afternoon, I’m going to a “Stop the Violence” peace rally representing “Grandmother’s for Peace.”

Our head grandmother sent out a text saying they needed face painters at the rally. I said I could do an hour. I’ve never actually done face painting in any official capacity. Maybe I should practice, but don’t know if I have time. I did look up Black Panther and wish I’d seen the move. Interesting face designs with simple dots.

I know Shuri doesn’t look very peaceful here, but in the movie clips I’ve watched, she is very smart and funny and seems like a nice young lady.  Maybe I can add a peace sign.

I can paint hearts, flowers, and probably some butterflies. I know how to paint stuff. And it’s only for an hour, so it’s okay.  Then I’ll be off to my Saturday support group.

I hope to rest Sunday afternoon for my ritual after church nap. Maybe I’ll go to the beach on Monday with my sweetheart.

I will not get back here much until Saturday night, so thanks for your patience! I hope your Saturday is exactly what you’d like it to be.

Here’s that Monday, Monday song.

The Saturday Stream of Consciousness is hosted by Linda G. Hill at:

https://lindaghill.com/2018/04/13/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-14-18/

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. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on 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 simply a single word to get your 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 everyone’s! 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 right 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!

Stream of Consciousness: Bun, Bungee, Bunch, Bungalow, and Bunk beds

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “bun.” Find a word that contains “bun” or use it as a word all by itself. Have fun!

Bun

Bungee

Bunch

Bungalow

Bunk beds

Those are some words I could use. In no particular order.

Bun – cinnamon buns. Hot cross buns – we’ll have them at church Sunday. I’d prefer them without a lot of frosting. I want to taste the cinnamon. Like dark chocolate which is good for you. Don’t want milk interfering with my chocolate.

Bungee jumping. Never did it. Don’t care if I ever do. But I did enjoy a zip line and wouldn’t mind trying that again. I’m afraid of heights. But zip lining is different, especially if you’re zooming through the trees and you have something to hold on to.

Bunch of stuff to do. Skipped church last night because #1 priority is to get rid of this sinus infection so I will be able to sing in the choir on Sunday and go to the mountains on Monday to see my son and his family. I went and got an antibiotic, something I rarely do, and I’m getting better. Drinking lots of fluids and trying to take it easy and not do any yard work.

Bungalow. That’s my house – my little urban cottage with the urban forest in the back yard. Low carbon footprint. I want to use the money I might some day get from my parents’ house to buy another bungalow in the mountains. With some land. My dream, shall I dare say it, is a healing retreat center in the mountains. Not a big fancy place, a simple, farm like atmosphere where people can come to meditate, quit smoking, relax, and be well. I’d be there more in the warmer months. It’s fun to dream. I’ve been looking at real estate in the Appalachians, though I’m no where ready to buy anything. Too much still to do on my parents’ house. But I like to dream about how I’d furnish a little mountain cabin retreat with

Bunk beds in one of the bedrooms, a futon in the living room,  and the little wooden kitchen table from my parent’s kitchen could go in a mountain retreat kitchen. The chairs don’t even have to match. As long as there are cinnamon buns for breakfast.

Dreaming is fun.

What’s your dream?

As long as I’m dreaming….

 

Compliments of Pixabay

 

For more Streams of Consciousness, visit our host, Linda G. Hill at:

https://lindaghill.com/2018/03/30/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-30-18/

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. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on 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 simply a single word to get your 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 everyone’s! 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 right 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!

Queen of My Backyard

I never really cared much for fine dining.

Well, maybe when I was  young and easily impressed.

Now, I like chips and guacamole.

Where I can be casually dressed.

I don’t care about fine wine before it’s time.

Though I seem to remember liking Gallo Rhine

Once upon a time. God knows why.

Fine china does not excite me,

But I like the blue and yellow flowered plate

I found at the mission thrift store.

The fine lines around my eyes

Have turned into creases

I’d like to be fine with that.

And the jelly in my thighs

Might go away if I exercise hard enough

But do I have that kind of time?

I’d rather make art that’s fun

And flows in blues and browns and greens

And dance with trees in my  backyard

Where I can be the queen.

…

Today’s Stream of Consciousness prompt was the word, “fine.”

To read many more Stream of Consciousness Saturday posts, visit Linda’s blog at:

https://lindaghill.com/2018/03/02/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-3-18/

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. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on 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 simply a single word to get your 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 everyone’s! 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 right 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!

Take Two on Stream of Consciousness Saturday: Being Real

I typed up a post following the prompt, starting with his and ending with her for bonus points. It was about God being beyond gender. But I just don’t know if I can post that one. My heart hurts for the 17 who were killed at the Florida high school by a shooter with an automatic weapon. My heart hurts for their families and for the world – that this keeps on happening. I’ve read the FBI knew about social media threats made by the shooter and former student. Shouldn’t that have been enough to investigate? To search his home? I go back and forth between enjoying being outside, puttering around the yard, and wanting to flee. Part of me wants to fight this evil, this sickness. And part of me wants to not think about it. I’m tired of this happening. Of course we all are. I guess I’m feeling despair. I know I will be okay, and that I’ll fight this darkness in some small ways. I’ll keep volunteering at the school and talking and writing about peace. But it seems so not enough. I’m usually hopeful. Optimistic. Just not right now.

My original post was about how I’ve been conditioned to think of God as Him, because the Bible was written during a time when males were in control and women were not valued. Are men still in control? Is it always males who do these shootings? It seems like that. I’m sorry, men. I know there are many of you out there and in my life who are good and decent and loving. But maybe it’s time for the nurturing, maternal, feminine side to bring balance and healing to the violence of this world.

Maybe I’ll refer more often to God as her. I used to think of this as rebellious. But now, I see it more as being authentic.

Here’s the picture I was going to use for my original post. I’m putting it here because I think I need some light.

I know there’s still a lot of goodness and beauty in the world. I won’t let the darkness swallow me up. I will find my light and let it shine.

For more information on the Saturday Stream of Consciousness, visit Linda at:

https://lindaghill.com/2018/02/16/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-17-18/

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. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on 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 simply a single word to get your 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 everyone’s! 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 right 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!

 

Hey!

Haystacks from Pixabay

Our prompt for today’s Stream of Consciousness is:

“psst, or any other attention-getting noise or word.” Find a word or noise that you’d use to get someone’s attention, and start your post off with it. Enjoy!

“Hey!”

“What?”

“Hey, how ya doin’?”

“My mom used to say, ‘Hay is for horses.’ ”

“Here in the south, when someone says, hey, it means hello.”

“Where I come from, Hey, is meant to get your attention. It usually means someone’s mad at you. Like, “Hey, stop playing with fire!” or “Hey, buddy, watch where you’re going.”

“Well, that’s not much fun. How about, ‘Hey, you want to go for a ride?”

“Where, to?”

“We could go on a hay ride and make hay.”

“Doesn’t making hay mean….”

(Wait, let me check.)……..

“It’s about making hay when the sun is shining. It’s hard to make hay when it’s wet.”

“I thought it had something to do with making out.”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Well, you brought it up.”

“Speaking of the sun shining, John F. Kennedy said, ‘The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.”

“You are so serious. But okay, that’s a good one. Hey, wait. You changed the subject.”

“And the sun is shining.”

“So let’s go, for the hay ride. But I’m not repairing any roofs.”

“Good. And we’re not making any hay, either.”

“Hey, don’t be so sure.”

“Well, anything is possible. It depends on the weather.”

“And whether you want to make hay.”

“You got that right.”

The Saturday Stream of Consciousness is brought to you by Linda, G. Hill.

You can find her and more streams of consciousness at:

https://lindaghill.com/2017/11/17/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-18-17/

Here are the SoCS 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. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on 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 simply a single word to get your 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 everyone’s! 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 right 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!

Thank You!

First, I want to say thank you to my followers, my supporters, my encouragers. This has been possibly the best year of my life. It’s certainly been a year of transition, and I’m grateful to have the support of so many people on WordPress and beyond. I’m grateful to be approaching 1000 WordPress followers! Officially: 927 WP followers and just over 1000 total blog followers.

When I first started blogging, I couldn’t imagine having 1000 followers, but one day at at time, one post at a a time adds up. It has been so fulfilling to grow here and get to know inspiring people – ordinary folks – I mean that in a good way – working through life’s challenges with grace and learning from each other. I appreciate each one of you, even if I don’t get over to visit as often as I’d like. You are part of my blogging support network, and I am grateful and honored to be part of this community.

2016 has been a year to remember. I took my first steps into retiring from my career as a counselor, and as the year ends, I’m ending the job of 30 years to pursue my creative dreams. And it is because of my first love who is also my last love and, as you probably know, I”m writing a book about that. Almost finished with the writing/revising part and getting ready to send it off to the line editor – one of the last steps in writing this particular book which I started about four years ago. Hard to believe I’ve been working on it so long, but I’ve heard of people taking longer, which is more than okay. It has become a labor of love.

I wish you all abundant blessings in 2017. May the stars shine upon you and may you dance with joy, rest in serenity, and sing your song. I look forward to a lasting, laughing, loving life of creating with you.

And now, my Stream of Consciousness brings us to this song which I dedicate to all those who are lonely. You never know what wonderful surprises are waiting around the corner.  In the mean time, love yourself well and know that you are deeply and profoundly loved by your creator, forever.

 

Today’s Stream of Consciousness prompt was: “first/last,” with instructions to use one or both words, or find words that mean the same. Bonus points if you start your post with “first/beginning/start” etc. and end with “last/end” etc. Enjoy!

The Saturday Stream of Consciousness is brought to you by Linda Hill at:

https://lindaghill.com/2016/12/30/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-3116

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. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on 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 simply a single word to get your 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 everyone’s! 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 right 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!

 

Anything is Possible Cooking with the Stream of Consciousness

I enjoy cooking when it’s an experiment. That means not following a recipe. With the exception of baking – cookies, pies, cakes which require specific measurements or else you could have a bunch of dog treats on your hands, or Frisbees – I think of a recipe as a general guideline or an idea generator.

My husband, on the other hand, likes to follow a recipe with precision. When I’ve made an experiment that turned out good, he says, “How will you be able to replicate it?” But following a recipe, or writing down what I did, just seems to take the fun out of it.

One exception that we can both have fun with is soup. We’ll throw all our leftovers or last chance veggies in a soup.

I’m making my traditional vegetarian lasagna for Christmas Eve, even though it will probably be just me and my husband, and even though I’m experimenting so it won’t be a traditional recipe, just the tradition of Christmas Eve lasagna. This year, I’m experimenting with vegan cheese. Yeah, it might not melt on top, but, well, we’ll see. I’m also baking ginger cookies, but I’m taking the easy way out with a mix. I’m just adding the vegan butter and one Humane Certified egg. So the cookies will be soft and chewy, a step above the store bought in a bag ginger snaps, but easier than starting from scratch.

Speaking of easy, Christmas day, we’ll go take my dad out for Chinese after church. It’s a new tradition for us since my mom died a few years ago and it works okay for me to not cook.

Here’s a cooking song my dad used to sing to my mom. It’s not my kind of music, but it’s my stream of consciousness, and the words are cute.

“Hey, good lookin’ whatcha got cookin’?”

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE, EVERYONE!

Today’s Stream of Consciousness prompt was: “cook.” Find a word that means “cook,” (or use “cook” itself) and use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

The Saturday Stream of Consciousness is brought to you by Linda Hill at:

 https://lindaghill.com/2016/12/23/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-2316/

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. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on 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 simply a single word to get your 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 everyone’s! 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 right 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!