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: Juneteenth, Jazz Hands, Smooth Jazz, and Just Mercy

Our prompt from Linda is: “zz.” Find a word with double-z in it and use it in your post. Enjoy!

Before I forget, because sometimes I get fuzzy, I want to say THANK YOU to my followers. Sometime in the past month, I passed 3000! Just because I don’t pay a lot of attention to stats doesn’t mean I don’t care. I do appreciate all my followers and wish I had more time to visit all of you.

Funny how things happen when we’re not watching like the pot boiling. Seems to have happened in the US and around the world. The pot is boiling. I can get dizzy watching the news, so I’m on a break right now from the news. But I am watching Just Mercy, finally, as I type this on Juneteenth. June 19th is the celebration of emancipation when a union general went to Galveston, Texas to enforce and reveal that slavery had been abolished more than two years earlier. You can read more here. 

Anyway, I finally watched Black Panther. Now I’m watching Just Mercy. Powerful! I don’t stream or do netflix, so I watch what’s on TV. Have to get up early, but I had a nap, so hopefully I’ll be able to watch it all. 

I was going to write about jazz hands, but Juneteenth and Just Mercy are important, so I needed to get that in, too. Jazz hands are waving, dancing hands I learned about Thursday night watching a Braver Angels debate on zoom. Braver Angels is an organization seeking to depolarize America. I know you might be thinking, good luck with that. They do workshops on communication skills with the goal of listening and understanding people who believe differently. Thursday night’s debate was about the proposal to “defund” the police. The main thing I got from this was that “defund,” is a confusing and misleading term. A better word would be, reallocate. The other thing I got from the debate was that there was a lot of common ground in knowing that police work is hard as hell, and that most people knew we need police for some things, and that there’s a huge need for reform in policing.

I didn’t speak as this was my first debate and there were about 200 people! But I (we)  used jazz hands as the way to express agreement or appreciation. Maybe jazz hands is a regular zoom thing which works well, because multiple people talking on zoom is dizzyfying.

Smooth jazz is my favorite for dinner or cooking dinner. The smoother, the better. Like this.

Smooth jazz is merciful. Now back to Just Mercy……

PS. I did finish watching Just Mercy. Cried at least twice. The last time were tears of joy.  It’s based on a true story and memoir. If you haven’t seen it, please do.

…

For more zz streams and SoCS rules, visit Linda Hill at:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/06/19/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-20-2020/

SoCS: Skin Color

Today’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “nail.” We can use it as a noun or a verb.  Linda says, to have fun! We’ll see about that. 

Some “white” people have trouble seeing white privilege. (I intend to come back to the quotation marks.) For me, this nailed it:

Skin color.  Didn’t Crayola recently make a box of skin color crayons? Let me see if I can find it.  Well, that took a while, because I love color. Here are some of Crayola’s skin tone colors. Good for them!

The thing is, there are a lot of colors in between black and white. YES, BLACK LIVES MATTER! I’m coming to understand why saying, “all lives matter,” is offensive and hurtful. Here’s another meme that nails it for me.  I guess it’s not so much a meme as a quote. There are many examples of why ALM isn’t appropriate, right now.

 

But  And some day, I hope and pray it won’t be just about black or white, but the beauty of diversity and all colors. Because we will have justice and kindness and peace.

Coming back to the word, “white,” if I lay my hand against a white dry erase board, or a white piece of paper, it doesn’t match. I don’t think they can make a crayon for freckles, and that’s okay. It’s important to support those who are hurting and make the world safe for all colors. Black, brown, green and blue are in danger. I’m talking about people of color and planet earth.

(Yeah, maybe that was kinda weird, but SOC….. If this wasn’t SOC, I’d be editing more than typos. Sometimes I edit for clarity, but gotta draw a line and try to follow the rules.)

Speaking of green, I’m in the mountains this weekend, so might be slow getting back to #SoCS, but I’ll have some green going on.

…

For more streams of consciousness, visit Linda at:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/06/12/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-13-2020/

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!

SoCS: Changes

Here’s the prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “ch.” Find a word that starts with “ch” and use it as your prompt word. Bonus points if you start your post with that word. Enjoy!

 

Ch ch ch ch changes.

“Turn and face the strange.” __David Bowie

 

I think I spent too much money on this mask. But it is fun. There’s also one with a dog nose.  It’s rare for me to order stuff on line or impulsively, but some of the money went to animals.

But back to the prompt and changes.

To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of change. I like routine. I’m not often spontaneous. I like comfort. But I also know that some changes can be good. Even better than good!

I hope that some of the changes that have come as a result of COVID become permanent even after the virus is long gone. For example, cities have made more streets car-free permanently as I wrote about in one of my “Good News Tuesday” posts.

I hope we permanently drive our cars less to give the planet more time and space to heal.

I hope we keep taking walks around the neighborhood. Me and my guy. It’s good to know your neighbors and the lay of the land within walking distance.

I hope we keep focusing more on healing and wellness instead of fighting wars.

I hope there will be no more “live animal markets” which have contributed to illness and suffering, and we realize that in most communities meat is not essential.

I hope we keep loving each other and helping each other and our communities.

I hope we keep appreciating health care workers, teachers, trash collectors, and essential services and remember the value of these people and what they do.

What changes do you hope will stay with us after COVID is history?

 

…

For more Streams of Consciousness, visit Linda Hill at:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/05/22/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-23-2020/

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: Caves, Caverns, Glow Worms, and Heading into the Light

Today’s SoCS post is: “cave.” We can use it as a noun or a verb. And Linda says, “Enjoy!” which I will!

Caves can be mysterious and scary. They can also be shelter. One of my favorite book series starts with The Clan of the Cave Bear.  There are several books in the series by Jean Auel who writes about the woman Ayla in prehistoric times. It’s about survival, love, learning, and sacred places. The last book was titled, The Land of Painted Caves. I loved the books so much, I named my daughter Ayla almost 27 years ago after reading the fourth book. Seems like yesterday in some ways. 

Caves have always fascinated me. Though I haven’t visited many, I have been to Linville Caverns a few times. The temperature is always 60 something degrees in the caverns. You have to take an elevator down for the guided tour.  (These caverns are closed right now due to COVID 19 which makes sense for such tight spaces.)

Here are some photos inside the caverns:

               

My son and granddaughter study a stalactite 

Inside these caverns, runs a stream containing trout. They say a couple of guys died in the caverns many years ago from lack of ventilation and smoke inhalation. Too bad. That’s not what I want to write about. But it’s good to remember if you’re gonna have a fire in a cave, you have to have ventilation. A cave with a veranda would be nice. Maybe some potted plants….

Some day, I’d like to visit a big cave and just hang out in there for a while as long as I’m at a safe distance from bears or crazy people. No. I don’t want to be stuck in a cave with a crazy person, unless of course they are fun crazy – in a silly way, but they can also be quiet and still. A cave is a place to be reverent. That’s how I would be if I went to New Zealand’s glow worm caves. Take a look at this in full screen with the lights out.

 Can you imagine?! This looks alien, but it’s right here on planet earth!

Sometimes, especially lately, I think I would like to hide out in a cave, but not a cold one. A woman cave. I might even have visitors. But I would have to come out sooner or later. A long time ago, I painted a picture of coming out of a cave of darkness. It was shortly after my divorce.

Do you see someone in the upper right yelling at me to stay in the cave? I didn’t plan that in the painting, and I don’t know who it is. Maybe it’s just a rock.  Or maybe this rock face is telling me to get out of the cave. But the main focus has to be the sunlight and the trees beyond the cave. That’s where I was was headed. Into the light.

…

SoCS is brought to you by Linda G. Hill. For more info, guidelines and streams, visit:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/05/08/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-9-2020/

Directions: To Follow or Not to Follow with Tea, Baking, Driving, and Social Distancing.

Well, here’s something different!

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “directions.” Find a household cleaner/bottle of shampoo/something in the freezer/anything you can find with instructions on it, then copy down a single direction (just one) on how to use/cook/etc. your chosen thing, and make it the first line or word of your post. Then keep writing whatever comes out. Have fun!  __Linda G Hill

 

“Be sure to start with fresh cold water and bring to a boil. Pour over tea bag, steep for 4 minutes (or whatever time you like), remove bag.”

    (Directions from Ginger Peach Turmeric Tea)

I know we were only supposed to just copy down a single direction, but I’m not following that direction. Why do we need to be sure to start with fresh cold water? Fresh, okay, but cold? What happens if we start with warm water? Will the tea not work? I don’t think so. What I like about these directions is the part that goes: (or whatever time you like).

There was a time when I followed directions to the letter. It started in kindergarten and continued (with some exceptions in adolescence) for most of my life. Until now. Now, I’m retired. RETIRED. I only follow directions if I want to, if I deem it necessary, or for the good of the planet.

I’ve been making vegan banana bread without following directions or a recipe other than what’s in my head. After making banana bread for many years, I know that you mix the wet ingredients then mix the dry ingredients, then mix them all together. So I mash a couple of bananas, add a little oat milk, maybe some melted vegan butter (or regular butter because I’m not a perfect vegan). Then I mix the wet ingredients and put some flour on top, put a little baking soda and/or baking powder on top of the flour and mix that without dipping into the wet mixture. Then I mix it all together. Without eggs, it tends to be more dense and take longer to bake unless I add more flour. How long do I cook it? Until I can stick a knife or fork in and nothing comes out, or until it starts to turn brown on top. Then I turn off the oven and leave the banana bread inside the oven to cook a little more. Then I try not to eat it all in one day.

Driving is another matter entirely. I do follow directions from GPS or whatever, and I like them as detailed as possible. Give me landmarks. I will write them down even with GPS, until I know the route well, because I deem it necessary.

This is a good time to experiment with baking and creativity, but not with driving or social distancing directions. Keep your distance! Six feet apart is six feet apart, for the good of all. If the policy says, wear a mask, then wear a mask! And that’s all I have to say about that.

…

For more directions on navigating the Saturday Stream of Consciousness, visit Linda:

https://lindaghill.com/2020/05/01/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-may-2-2020/

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: