Checks and Balances, Check Book, Reality Check, Check it Out, and Rain Check

Today’s prompt for SoCS is check, cheque, or Czech. I noticed after reading the prompt that Queennandini had already posted and went to check on her post since I had no ideas yet. She had a long and lovely list from which I jotted down my favorites. This is not planning. It’s peering into someone’s stream of consciousness and fishing out a few interesting ideas.

Here are the ones I liked. Rain check, Check it out. Reality Check, check book, and something about checks and balances or was that in my head? Well, I think I’ll start with that and maybe work my way back.

“Checks and Balances” is something I heard a lot in history and civics classes in high school about how the US government is supposed to work. The administrative, legislative, and judicial branches are supposed to check and balance one another and no one branch should have too much power. Someone should remind the administrative branch about this.

I like balance. However, I do not balance my checkbook. Yes, I still use a check book and write deposits and withdrawals in it with a pen, but I don’t balance it. I do check on my balances on line and keep an eye on that which is not too far off. Close enough.

Reality check. That’s a huge topic full of possibilities. I’ve noticed if I spend a lot of time looking at news stories or something serious, like listening to a debate on systemic racism like I did a couple nights ago, that I need a break from reality. That’s when I watch Star Trek or read some fiction, or maybe paint something easy. Coloring works too. Later, I might watch a romantic comedy and paint a mermaid. That should do it.

Check it out. Here are some mermaids I’ve painted:

Mermaids by Joannaoftheforest

My husband, David, cut these out of wood, though I’ve recently learned how to do that myself. Three of these mermaids were “painted” with alcohol ink and one was painted with acrylic, all by hand. Alcohol ink is more fun if I’m willing to let go of some control which I need to do anyway to be more abstract.

Hey! I have a Redbubble shop! It’s under my other name. Here’s the link. You’ll find my mermaids, angels, and other stuff there on cups, T shirts, etc.

Rain check. It hasn’t rained here in days and days. The temps have been in the 90s. I’ve heard some thunder, so hope we’ll get some rain soon. Saying, “I’ll take a rain check” is a good way to get out of something you don’t want to do or you’re not sure if you want to do it. Though if you really don’t want to do it, I guess you should just say, no thanks. But if you really do want to do it, but can’t, then we can say, “Can I have a rain check?” Like my girlfriends reunion which we’ve rescheduled twice now. Sigh.

My stream of consciousness had brought this song. It may be wishful thinking about rain.

…

Stream of Consciousness Saturday is brought to us by Linda G. Hill. For more streams, check out:

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS July 25/2020

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: Look Before You Link

These days linking is done mostly through our computers. In bloglandia, we’re used to this type of connection. I find it comforting. Do I add a link to my new book? Not yet. We’ll see.

Some of the book is about linking with the wrong person and how to find the right person – a compatible person who is a good fit. Not someone who has fits. Now, I’m streaming. Those kinds of fits aren’t in the book. But you don’t want to be around someone who has fits, do you? Like hissy fits, or fighting fits, or even being fit to be tied. Not often anyway. Where was I going with this?

I had a list of traits I was looking for in a compatible partner. Some things were non- negotiable, like, “Must Love Dogs.” I got that one. Maybe the one about “not snoring loud” should not have been way at the bottom on the list. I did not get that one. But it’s not a deal breaker. Thank goodness.

Link with someone you trust. But how do you know? People are on their best behavior when you first meet them. It takes time to find out what someone is really like. And then if you link, and find out, oops, this person is crazy and not in a good way, you have to unlink.

If I could go back in time to the rebound from hell and tell myself something, I would tell myself around the second or third date, “GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!” But I didn’t. Due to my vulnerable state of low self worth, I was linked in there for a year. Which was 365 days too long.

I didn’t mean to write all about that. But it (the rebound from hell) gave me compassion for people who stay too long in unhealthy or abusive relationships. Maybe it can help someone avoid the mistakes I made. That’s the point of my new book. That and manifesting. What a weird word. How about making your dreams come true? That’s better.

Some links can be great. Strong. Stable, a good fit. Like when you find the puzzle piece that really does fit, and it makes the picture make sense. And you don’t have to force it. Cause if it don’t fit, don’t force it. A good link makes the whole thing work better. So look before you link. Ask a lot of questions. Or stay home and read a book, or watch TV. Learn stuff. Love yourself. Be well.

We don’t need a link to the book. You can just click on the top right picture of the cover of From Loneliness to Love if you’d like, or scroll down below the post.

But we do need a link to Linda, who gave us this prompt for SoCS. Here it is:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/07/17/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-july-18-2020/

And 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: Letting Go and Tossing it Up

Today’s prompt is simply the word, “toss,” with the encouragement to use it any way we like and to enjoy!

It’s a toss up. Will I toss and turn tonight or sleep well and deeply? I think I will lean toward the latter. I’m in the mountains this weekend, and fresh air will help me sleep. That’s what Mom always said. The grand kids are here, and we’re not as cuddly as usual because of the thing. But we did a little hike this afternoon and will go on a longer one tomorrow which will be Saturday.

I’m writing this on Friday night as usual. The sky has a pink glow beyond the abundance of trees. I’ve been wanting to find a kayak to use on the nearby lake.  Been looking on line and nothing is jumping out at me. Plus I need  would like to have it delivered – something I’ve never done with something that big. Craig’s list doesn’t have anything in the area. When things aren’t happening in my expected time frame, I have to remember that God might have a plan, even for something as minor as a kayak. So, I’m going to toss this desire up to God. It worked with my desire for a compatible partner.

Tossing a thing up to God does not relieve me of responsibility.  I still have to look around and take care of business. I just don’t need to fret over it. Or anything. So, sometimes, the fretting goes away for a little while, until it comes back. But those moments of letting go and trusting the timing do feel good. Like taking off a heavy pack and tossing it someplace for safekeeping. Or tossing our cares to the wind so we can run free, at least for a while.  When it’s time, we pick up the responsibilities that are truly ours – our actions and words, thoughts, and prayers, hopes and dreams…. perhaps for peace starting in our own minds and our own hearts.

Here’s a recent photo I took because I thought I saw angels in the sky.  By the time I took the shot, they had already started to disperse. What do you see?

Happy Freedom Day!

…

For more streams of consciousness, visit Linda Hill at this link:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/07/03/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-july-4-2020/

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: Flirty Lines, Old Songs & Giant Frogs

Today’s SoCS prompt is: “coffee, tea, or me.” Find a flirty phrase of your own or use “coffee, tea, or me” in your post. Have fun!

I’ve heard that phrase, “Coffee, tea, or me,” in the 70s. But oddly, I didn’t know where it came from, so I looked it up. No, this is not planning. It’s curiosity. What’s even more odd is that I didn’t remember it was a movie. The book was published in the 1960s and was about uninhibited stewardesses and their escapades. It was made into movie in which appeared in 1973. That was about the time when I started working at the local movie theatre. Working concessions, and later, the box office was my high school and early college job, so you’d think I would have remembered this was a movie. But alas, sometimes I knew something very well in the 70s and don’t remember now. There’s only so much room in this brain.

I was probably much more flirty in the 70s. Yet, I don’t clearly remember any flirty phrases I used then. My friend had one: “Hi guy, Wanna Try?” She didn’t usually say this to a guy, but would say it when talking about a guy and rolling her eyes in a flirtatious way.

Eyes can be very flirtatious. Probably more than we realize. There’s a wink, or a smile, and all sorts of things like pheromones’ beyond our conscious awareness. In the seventies, I would be more likely to sing a song, maybe something by Donna Summer. Or maybe I’m just making this up in my head. Seems like I almost remember singing to someone…. I was going to find a Donna Summer video, but feel free to look for yourself. My stream is rolling.

I did sing for David when we reconnected in 2011. I danced around him at night on the beach singing, “It’s a Marvelous Night for a Moondance.” I’ll go find that one later maybe. I asked David tonight (Friday which if your reading this was last night) if I have or had any flirty expressions. He said, “Not really, but you do say, ‘Hi Handsome,’ sometimes.”  I say that to him because he is handsome. It is kinda flirty. When we dated in the 70s he used to say, “If you feel froggy, JUMP!” That wasn’t exactly flirty, but it was funny in a goofy way.

I just took a slight detour to listen to “Moondance.” I don’t know all those words, so I probably didn’t sing much of it. But I do know all the words to “Blue Moon.” And I’m sure I’ve sung that one to my love. Here’s a very relaxing version:

 

And since that was soooo serious, let’s end with feeling froggy. These are giant frogs at the local aquarium. They look like they’re about to jump, don’t they?

 

“Here’s lookin’ at you, kid.”

…

Thanks for a fun prompt, Linda! For more flirty streams of consciousness, visit:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/06/26/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-27-2020/

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!

What Flames are You Fanning?

Today’s SoCS prompt is: “fan.” Use it by itself or find a word that starts or ends with it. Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

 

Fan the flames of peace.

Sing out to bring the dove.

The road might not be straight.

Let me start with my own heart.

 

Fan the flames of justice.

Not with violence, but with strength.

Be persistent.

We can’t always wait for Karma.

 

Fan the flames of love.

Speak your heart’s desire.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

Remember we all belong.

 

What do we want to speak into existence? Our thoughts and our words are powerful! Focusing on what we want, not what we don’t want, brings our heart’s desire. Yet, there are times when we must vent to release and make room for something better. Just don’t linger in the darkness. Don’t let the negativity become toxic.

Imagine the best. 

That’s the fifth step in my new book, From Loneliness to Love, Five Steps for Finding a Healthy Relationship. The e-book will be available on Amazon tomorrow! (June 7) I’m still trying to get the cover right for the paperback. It looks good digitally, but the printed proofs….. Oh well.

I will imagine that this book will help people. The principles work not just for finding a healthy relationship, but for many other goals.  Here are the steps:

1. Clarify Your Heart’s Desire
2. Request Help from the Divine
3. Love Yourself Well
4. Focus on Friendship
5. Imagine the Best

 

On another note:

Fan blades remind me of flower petals. So I’ve recycled ? upcycled a couple.

Painted with alcohol ink and soon to be a sunflower

This one spins in the wind.

 

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

https://lindaghill.com/2020/06/05/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-6-2020/

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!

 

Spay, Splay, or Spray Your Way to the Peace Train

Today’s prompt for  Stream of Consciousness Saturday:

“…spay/splay/spray.” Use one, use two, use ’em all, it’s up to you. Have fun!

There’s so much I could write about, but I’ll start with the prompt.

Spay or neuter your pet. There are so many homeless dogs and cats, so many killed because they were abandoned….   I’m feeling tense right now and sad because of the news in the US, and now, thinking of abandoned pets being killed in shelters…. I don’t want this to be a downer post, but that’s where the stream of consciousness is going for me right now. Consciousness sometimes means being sad or angry or afraid because of what’s happening….

Going back to spaying and neutering, there aren’t enough homes for them all, so I don’t understand why people would find it acceptable to breed more dogs and cats when you can adopt from a shelter and save a life. If we get another dog, when we get another dog, I’ll be looking for a shepherd mix from a shelter. But who knows who will find me.

Doodle, our Treeing Walker Coonhound, may she rest in peace, was adopted from a shelter or rescue by my husband before we got married. Her big walker feet would splay out when she got excited. It was involuntary. I wish I had a picture of her feet splaying. Here she is sleeping on our bed with her big feet.

 

Spray. The first thing I thought about with that was pepper spray. I’ve been watching news on the protests in Minneapolis over the murder of George Floyd. When I watched the video of the police officer kneeling on George’s neck for several minutes even after he became unresponsive, I was yelling, “get off him! Just put him in the car!” (He was already handcuffed!) But when I was watching the video George was already dead. Bystanders were yelling for the policeman to, “check his pulse!” and “He’s unresponsive!” Afterward, I cried. I don’t wish I hadn’t watched the video. It was important to see it. So many black men (and women) have been killed by police officers or “vigilantes.” This one was the worst I’ve seen. But they’re all horrible.

I’m usually optimistic, and I still have hope that we can do better. Sometimes things have a way of getting worse before they get better. I believe this is enough. My heart is heavy.

I know there are plenty of (?) some good cops in the world and in the US. I know at least one personally. There must be more. Police suicide in the US is very high. Some big changes need to happen. Police officers and cadets need a lot more training in de-escalation and community relations.  That’s an understatement. They need routine screening and supportive counseling.

Here’s my hope and vision for the future of my country where violence and injustice are concerned:

The US stays involved in the United Nations. We have a Department of Peace that gets just as much funding and status as the military. We have offices of peace and peace workers in every city and town that get just as much funding as law enforcement agencies. We organize for peace. We seek it diligently. We nurture peace and each other. It will not be easy. But it is possible.

I haven’t been smiling lately, but here’s some medicine:

Oh, yeah, my husband David just made a peace chair protoype. I’m going to paint some color on it. Painting is my medicine, too.

Peace Chair from Reclaimed Wood

…

For more on SoCS visit Linda’s blog:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/05/29/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-30-2020/

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!

Desire and Divine Intervention

Here’s something different for a Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt:  The word is, “want.” Make the word “want” the first, second, or third word of your post. Have fun!

I didn’t want to want a man in my life. 

The divorce had strangled my heart – figuratively, and acid reflux made me think I was having a heart attack. The rebound from hell should have made me swear off romantic relationships. Rebound number 2 was better, but still stressful. I couldn’t relax with him, even after three years. Men were too much stress. The little bit of romance and security was not worth the headaches and stomach aches.

So I asked God to take away the desire for a partner. Then, as an afterthought, I said, “or send me a good one.”

And eventually, when the time was right, God did just that. (God didn’t take away the desire, though I relaxed a bit just turning it over.) God sent me a good one.  Not perfect, but maybe perfect for me – allowing me to work on my issues and him to work on his issues, and the little bit of (normal) stress is totally worth the abundance of security and compatibility.

The long version is my memoir, Trust the Timing. But I’m also working on a short version, called From Loneliness to Love, Five Steps for Finding a Healthy Relationship.  It’s almost ready for publication. Just when I think I’ve got it all lined up, there’s a formatting issue that pops up between the uploading and the proofing. I guess I need to keep plugging away and trust the timing.

I want it to all fall into place, which happens occasionally, though not as often as I want. A friend of mine told me, “If it don’t fit, don’t force it.” If you want something really bad and it’s not happening, don’t force it.  Don’t give up, but try something a little different, take a break, take up a hobby. If it’s meant to happen, it will.

When David was 15 and moved far away,  the lady I babysat for told me, “If you are meant to be together, you will be.”  It stopped my tears and gave me hope. Life went on and on. David became a sweet but distant memory.  Then, 39 years after we said goodbye in 1972, he found me again. Now he is my life partner. The good one. Not forced, but falling into place.

We are all waiting to see what will happen in the world and in our lives. But we are not alone and never were.

Don’t force it. Trust the timing.

I’m still learning that one.

This is for all the lonely people.

…

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

https://lindaghill.com/2020/05/15/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-16-2020/

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: A Different Kind of Courage

Today’s mission is to find a word that starts with or contains, “val,” to use it any way we like, and of course to enjoy.

The first word that came to me was, valiant.

When I was still a child, probably and older child, I used to read the comic strip, Prince Valiant in the Sunday newspaper. It was a series that started maybe in the 1930s, and I think it might still be going on. Prince Valiant was around in the times of King Arthur, so there was a lot about honor and swords, chivalry and horses. I had a thing for horses in my late childhood and beyond, even to this day, so horses might have been part of the draw.

It seems I got a little bored with reading Prince Valiant as I got into my teen years and just started looking at the pictures as my attention became focused more on basketball and eventually boys. I don’t remember much about Prince Valiant, but maybe it set the stage for my love of The Lord of the Rings which I’m watching as I type this on Friday night.

The word, valiant reminds me of courage. Sometimes, especially in today’s world, we need a different understanding of courage. Being valiant isn’t always about charging in with swords drawn or guns blazing. As Yoda said, it’s not wars that make one great. We are now fighting an enemy that will not be killed with arrogance or belligerence.

 

“Courage doesn’t always roar.

Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says

I’ll try again tomorrow.”

Mary Anne Radmacher

We now need the kind of courage that helps us stay put and wait. There’s a courage in patience, the courage to face what comes up when we are still – the demons and dreads that we may have been covering up with busyness. But we can have the courage to find healthy ways to wait. The courage to try new things, to be creative, to learn who we are deep down and not run away. We are finding the courage to love ourselves and others enough to wait and be wise, to wait until the coast is clear and learn from this time of quiet waiting, to trust the timing.

And then we will have the courage to be valiant in fighting for the health of the planet and her people. But first we must live to fight another day and in a new way.

I went looking for some visuals of Prince Valiant and found this cartoon from the early 90s which I don’t remember seeing, (I was pretty busy then) but now, I want to. Watching the intro, I remembered the characters. You can see LOTR similarities. There are some interesting names in the opening credits, like Tim Curry who was the voice of Sir Gawain. You can read more about the animated series, The Legend of Prince Valiant, here.

…

For details on SoCS and more streams, visit our host, Linda G. Hill at:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/04/24/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-25-2020/

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: Practicing Imperfection with Delayed Gratitude

Today’s prompt for SOCS is; “practice/practise.” We get to use it any way we’d like and “Have fun!”

What we practice, we get better at. Whether it’s typing, dancing, thinking good thoughts, thinking negative thoughts, or not touching our faces, we get better at what we practice.

So what do you want to get better at? What do you want to practice?

I no longer like the saying, “Practice makes perfect.” I’ve let go of perfection. Mostly. Now and then, it rears its ugly head and tries to boss me around. But I’ve gotten better at telling perfection to go take a hike, because of practice.

When I was in first grade, I practiced cursive writing, because my teacher said I wasn’t good at it and needed better “penmanship.”  I remember her as a mean teacher with heavy eyebrow pencil. Maybe she was perfectionistic. But I practiced my penmanship, because I was into being obedient back then. Now I have very good penmanship when I want to.  Artistic even. My artistic skills come naturally. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m better than average at art. Not as good as I wanna be, but that’s where the practice comes in.

What if that mean teacher who criticized my cursive handwriting in first grade nudged me (unknowingly) in an artistic direction? My favorite art to do is flowy and curvy, like cursive writing. Well, I suppose I should thank her, though she’s probably long gone by now. Still, sigh, okay, Thank you, Miss Todd wherever you are. I think that was her name. Every teacher I can think of was easier than her after first grade.

My plan is to continue to practice physical social distancing even after restrictions are lifted. Oh, I’ll do some hugging, but no handshakes. I’ve always found handshakes to be awkward in varying degrees anyway. It’s weird going to the grocery store and watching people for distance, like a dance in reverse.

Plenty of lessons come from hard times. We don’t have to be perfect. We don’t have to be anything. We don’t have to practice anything we don’t want to. But we can practice what we love and what is good for all of us if we choose. Be safe, be well. Practice compassion for yourself and others. It will get better.

Here’s some of my flowy, curvy art on upcycled wood:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…

For more streams of consciousness flowing from the prompt of practice, visit Linda Hill:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/04/17/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-18-2020/

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: Affirmations and Acknowledging Feelings

Deep in the earth they waited out the winter.

Roots, seeds, and bulbs.

Now they surge up and out

Each in their own way.

 

 

Deep in our bodies

Every little cell

Is doing it’s job

Staying healthy and well.

I heard this song yesterday right before I read the prompt. It goes “happy and well.” I remembered it as healthy and well. Maybe that’s because I made up a song to the tune of “I’m so Pretty” that goes, “I’m so healthy.” But anyway, this song below is fun and easy to learn. I’m a firm believer in singing and affirmations. I also like her outfit.

 

I’m wishing all of you good thoughts of being well from deep down in my heart.

I wrote the above on Friday evening which is usually my habit with SoCS. Now it’s Saturday morning and time to publish the post. I have to be honest. Though most of my posts are positive, because that’s what I think the world needs most, I’m not always positive. Sometimes I have waves of anxiety or sadness and grief, like this morning. I’ve been tired a lot lately. I tell myself it’s allergies. Maybe it is partly. So much is blooming. But it’s important to acknowledge all of our feelings.

Wild geese are going over right now as I write this. Their honking reminding me of Mary Oliver’s song. I meant to type poem. No, song…. I’ve shared this poem before here on “Anything is Possible.” The geese tell me to share it again.

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

 Mary Oliver

Experience teaches us that the waves come and go. We learn to surf or to dive deep. The waves always pass.

…

Today’s prompt was: “deep.”

Dive deep into the Stream of consciousness with Linda Hill at:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/04/03/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-4-2020 

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!
Spread the word: