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 One writer's journey |
 She sat down at her old wooden desk, pen at the ready. Her thoughts raced. What shall I write today? Tilting her head to the side, a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth before enveloping her delicate face. The purple ink began to fill the once blank sheet, each stroke a labor of pure joy as the words flowed from her mind, her heart, her very soul.  My Dreams... to write of romance and endless love to love without boundaries to learn from past mistakes to laugh with all my heart to be the woman I am meant to be  TODAY... I will reach for the stars Will not give up Will give all that I have Dare to dream the impossible dream For anything in this life is possible     <---I am blown away by this    |
With a ligament tear at the knuckle of my ring finger of my right hand, typing has become a right pain in my ass. I am trying to be creative, but damn if I don't keep forgetting about the buddy bands strapped to my pinky and ring finger, and just try typing like normal.  I have never been good at halfway, or hunting and pecking. If I thought my finger looked deformed before wearing these things, it looks worse now. There are definitely indentions where the straps sit, and my knuckle is swollen, but I won't lie—it does feel better having the support. Here's hoping I can keep it up for the next seven weeks  . I've been on an 80s listening kick lately. I long for the past, when the world made sense to me. As far as I can see, every day is a new what in the actual F did he just say? Brain freeze. Who elected this deranged lunatic anyway? |
| It's been hell these past ten days. The good note: I finally saw the hand surgeon today. I tore the ligament in my ring finger on my right hand. Luckily, it will heal and is splinted to my pinky finger for the next 8 weeks. I hate doing reviews and such from my phone, but since I type and text with my index finger, it's probably easier than the laptop. I'm going to test that theory out tomorrow. 2nd injury: Last Monday I was walking out of the kitchen, remembered I forgot to grab something, turned around to head back, and my right leg firmly stayed planted on the floor. Tuesday I was sore, Wednesday too, but not horribly bad. By Friday morning I could hardly walk and the pain was unbearable. I stupidly went into work and only lasted 2 hours. My son had to help me into the house. I started icing my leg, took meds and forced myself to stay off the leg. It was a little better Saturday morning. I decided I had to go to Urgent Care. Before I could do that, I was walking to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee, and SNAP. Something, a ligament, hell if I know for sure, but it managed to move into place and I could walk pretty well and the pain was gone. It was sore, but I swear it was a miracle. I'm still babying the leg. I'm paranoid, I admit it. But man I feel like I'm injury prone lately. So for anyone I owe a review to, know that I will get there. It's just a slow go for me. Be careful out there, you never know when daily activities will take a negative turn  |
| Prompt: On this day in 1973 the first handheld mobile telephone call was made by an employee of Motorola, who called AT&T's Bell Laboratories. How important is a cell-phone to you? Do you still have a landline phone (telephone wired into your home)? Do you use your phone for more than making phone calls like playing games, taking pictures etc.? I wish I could say my cell phone is unimportant, but I'd be lying through my teeth. Because I run around and get parts, or up to the grocery store or whole sale to grab things at the last minute for the gas station and garage, I have a wallet phone case to carry my driver's license and a credit card so I don't have to drag my purse along with me. It's gotten to the point that if I leave home without my phone, I freak out. It's pretty sad, but that's how it is now. I use my phone for everything—games, texting, WDC, social media, and YouTube. The best part of my cellphone is that WhatsApp lets me talk to my husband's family daily overseas in Lebanon. When I was first married, we could only afford to call once a month for 30 minutes at $150. Now we can send voice notes, video chat, text, and share pictures and videos daily for free. How incredible is that? With one granddaughter and another one on the way, pictures and videos fill up the space on my phone quickly. Because of the added benefit of apps, I can order things for the gas station, like Frito Lay, Cigarettes/Tobacco, water, you name it. I like that I can have my phone in my hand and walk around the store adding things I need instead of making lists, going to my computer, which is in the garage, and ordering that way. It's so convenient. I bank from the phone and deposit checks with the banking app, though I do have to hit the bank for cash deposits still. The one thing I hate most about my cell phone is that it tells me how much time I spend on it weekly. Seriously, I'm well aware and don't need the reminder! Yes, I still have a landline, and I'd love to finally get rid of it, but with the weather the way it is, I think I should keep it. I mean, who else can say they have a rotary telephone in aqua hanging on a wall in their sunroom? It's totally vintage. |
| I am so behind. And my finger is killing me, making it hard to type. But I have to give a shout-out to 💙 Carly: poems & novel  for this fantastic read!I wanted to say more in my review, but like I said, my finger is swollen and painful today, so let my little blog post express my appreciation for your creative flash fiction, which kept me on the edge of my seat today. If you haven't read this, I promise it's worth it!
How to craft a quick read in 300 words or less? Ask Carly  She certainly made EVERY WORD COUNT! |
| Prompt: Write about the Ides of March Ah, I was always fascinated with the Ides of March. Maybe it was because it fell the day after my birthday. I like that it was initially associated with something positive, like the full moon. I've always been a stargazer and fascinated with the moon cycle, so I never saw a full moon as a reason to be wary. At one point, I did have a decent telescope and watched the stars, constellations, and moon's progression. Once Shakespeare added the line Beware of the Ides of March in Julius Caesar, the meaning shifted toward doom and gloom. It seems as if most associate the Ides with Ceasar. I get it; Shakespeare is well-known, and we all know how life turned out for Ceasar, poor dude. Since the Ides fall on Saturday, I will still be riding the birthday high and choosing to stay positive rather than let in all that negativity the Ides have turned into. So from me, a soon to be 57 year old Be Dancing on the Ides of March |
| {Size:} Every month I receive my commission statement from the oil company letting me know what I'll be getting from our 70/30 split. All I can say is that February was quite disappointing, and so far March isn't looking that great. My 8 hour shift today barely made $1000. I know some will think that's a good shift, but a normal day is usually between $4,000-5,000. I don't know if it's the fear that the economy will tank, or the mass firings going on, or everyone is broke from Christmas, or perhaps the gloomy weather as we slide into spring. I've been over buying products, and realized today I need to stop until business picks up. It's insane trying to figure out what is going to sell. Cigarette prices are out of control and the dismal sales are reflecting that. I seriously want to sell it all and get out now, but the husband has decided to rent it out instead when we are ready. I hate that idea. I realize the property will be paid off in August 2027. Our house June 2026, but I'm just plain tired. I admit it. Maybe I'm just crazy, who knows. |
| I've been good all week, so I suppose it's time for a good old-fashioned T rant I survived the first week of Ramadan reasonably well. I haven't had headaches from a lack of caffeine since I've been waking up at 4:30 to get two cups of coffee in me, but man, the exhaustion is crazy. I can barely stay awake. And being cold all the time doesn't help. I am eating a lot less and filling up quickly during dinner. Desserts are a passion right now. We have plenty, but not a lot of room to actually enjoy them. I spent one entire day last week telling myself I would break my fast when I got home from work and binge on ice cream and hot fudge. But by the time I made it come, cut up all of the items for fattouche, and started dinner, it was a moot point. After dinner, yep, I went for it. I was so craving hot fudge. However, they didn't have the brand I usually buy, so I got the store brand. Let me tell you, it was a complete disappointment. The fudgy goodness was lacking, ruining the good ice cream I bought. What a pain in the ass to wait it out all day and be stuck with a crappy dessert. Oh well, I know never to buy that store brand again. Here it is Sunday, and where am I? At work  My day worker just sucks. I admit it. She shows up and doesn't steal from me, which I have to keep reminding myself, but as a worker, she SUCKS ASS! Getting her off her phone from her daily family dramas is a hardship. Getting her up off her ass is another hardship. Today, someone drove off with the nozzle still in the car. How many people do this still amazes me. The video glitches out three times. I see him drive off and stop, get out, then it jumps to him back at his car, and somehow the hose is reattached, then it jumps, and my lazy employee is outside smoking. I cannot say if she was aware of what he did since she didn't bother to contact me. But there's a gas receipt here from that time of day.Like Fuck, seriously. What must I do to get people to understand this costs me money? Everyone is aware I have to pay for this shit, that they are required to get license plate numbers and make the brain-fogged idiots pay for this so it's not coming out of my pocket. What good does a damn receipt where she returned $5 to them do me? She's so fucking incompetent it makes me want to rip my damn hair out. And here I am, on Sunday. I'm sitting here watching as hubby tries to fix it, but it's a two-person job, which means my busiest pump is down until Monday morning, after the rush, and that's if they can change out the breakaway. I have one left in my stash, but I hate them because they are one-and-done. One drive off, the breakaway is garbage. I liked the one we used to have because it can be reattached, but the dude drove off so damn fast that he broke it. Dumbass. I hate this business, which is probably why it's a failure, making me feel like a complete failure. Now he's working on a car with an electrical issue. And I'm blogging just in the hopes of keeping up and earning that 7 day achievement blogging badge. I'll make it if it kills me . This is day four afterall. |
| Prompt: "Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that a gardener seems to be only one of his instruments, not the composer.” ― Geoffrey Charlesworth What's your favorite part of spring? Sunshine! Winters here are so drab. The warmer temperatures I never complain about, but for me it's seeing the sun regularly. I'm one of those people whose moods can change with the weather. It always amazes me how how a little sunlight can lift my spirits. Plus, the sunshine can push the chills out of your body on a cold day. It's a win win! "If you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm." -- I think I've weathered enough storms for 2025. Bring on the Spring |
| Prompt: March is noted for its good luck quotes because of St. Patrick's day. What good luck quote makes you smile? Did someone special in your life say it to you? "The only sure thing about luck is that it will change." Why this may not necessarily be a quote wishing good luck, this one always rouses a smile. I mean, how true is this? You're having a bad day, and luck is definitely not on your side, but suddenly, when you haven't realized it, the bad luck fades, and things go well again. It's the same with being on a good luck streak; it's bound to change and hard to predict. I am one of those people who believe in karma—do good things, good things happen; do bad things, bad things happen. Karma always catches up with you, so I equate Luck with Karma. It's the same principle as far as I'm concerned. I grew up in an Irish household, so Irish quotes were always at the ready. This one always makes me laugh because it's like telling me to be patient when I am clearly not patient. I want what I want when I want it. I admit it.Shout out to my Grandfather Irish, and all of the sayings he instilled in me as a child. May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. I miss you, Irish!  |
| Prompt: How are the newly imposed tariffs affecting you? Did you realize how many products we use everyday aren't grown or created in the states or in Canada or Mexico ? I'm a day late and $1 short. I meant to do this last night, but time escapes me during Ramadan. As a struggling small business owner, I'm terrified. It's honestly appalling how we are treating our neighboring countries who've always supported us. Mexico and Canada sent firefighters to California, and this is their thank you.  I had the news on, and I saw his little "if they impose tariffs on us, we will tariff them the same." Hello! You started this. Now he's acting like it's tit for tat, but he's the victim. I realize that candy, pop, water, and cigarettes come from inside the US, but who's to say that the materials used in manufacturing these products aren't imported from elsewhere? Aluminum, glass, etc. The US has outsourced so many things that it's impossible to keep up with the items we import that go into manufacturing our essential goods. I live in Michigan, and with Canada fighting back [yes, that's how I see it], I keep waiting to hear that my electricity will be shut off. I do know that the avocados are coming in from Mexico, and the tariff on that will be felt. I already know the auto parts cost and markup for our customers. These tariffs will affect car parts imported from Germany, Canada, Mexico, and other regions. It's unavoidable unless someone comes to their senses. Brace yourselves. It's going to get bad unless the stock market crashes and he's held to account. |
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