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Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #1051691

Life, Adventure, Family, Writing what else is there? Random thoughts.

WELCOME TO:

GEMINI RISING

Banner for my blog, "Gemini Rising"

*Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1*

UPDATED INTRO 30 JUNE 2025:

Just a little about me. I've been married for 33 years this past NOV and currently live in Southern California, but I grew up in New Hampshire.

I've got 2 boys who are young adults.

I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. I enjoy my job a lot. Still. If you can believe that.

I love to write. Thankfully both of my boys achieved Eagle Scout. My Scouting days are over and I'm back to focusing on my writing.

I like to get out in nature, drink coffee and watch football.

Here's a little bio about my zodiac.

GEMINI: Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory. On the one hand it produces the virtue of versatility, and on the other the vices of two-facedness and flightiness. The sign is linked with Mercury, the planet of childhood and youth, and its subjects tend to have the graces and faults of the young. When they are good, they are very attractive; when they are bad they are more the worse for being the charmers they are. Like children they are lively, and happy, if circumstances are right for them, or egocentric, imaginative and restless.

Their good qualities are attractive and come easily to them. They are affectionate, courteous, kind, generous, and thoughtful towards the poor and suffering - provided none of the activities resulting from expressing these traits interferes too greatly with their own lives and comforts.

Geminians can be successful in many walks of life though their general characteristics tend to make them unreliable. They are often skilled manipulators of language, in speech and writing, and may be: debaters, diplomats (though in politics they are more interested in theory than practice), orators, preachers (brilliant rather than profound), teachers, authors, poets, journalists, or lawyers.



BLOG ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

SEPTEMBER 2025:

FORUM
It's WDC- 25th Birthday Open in new Window. (E)
7 day Challenge to celebrate 25 years of this successful writer's haven.
#2343390 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


SEPTEMBER 2025:

FORUM
Earn the Badge - CLOSED Open in new Window. (E)
You want it? Earn it. How? Complete these simple tasks and the badge is yours!
#2133333 by Purple Pumpkin Patch Author IconMail Icon


Merit Badges collected and earned from "Earn the Badge 2025"
Merit Badge in WdC Supportive Friend
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 Thank you for participating in  [Link To Item #2133333] . Congratulations on completing the September
2nd Daily Task. Merit Badge in Earn the Badge
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Thank you for your donation to  [Link To Item #2133333]  - from Purple Princess. Merit Badge in Music
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Thank you for participating in  [Link To Item #2133333] . Congratulations on completing the September
 3rd Daily Task. Merit Badge in Contests
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 Thank you for participating in  [Link To Item #2133333] . Congratulations on completing the September 1st daily task. Merit Badge in Growth
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Good job earning the Growth Merit Badge in  [Link To Item #2133333] Merit Badge in Word Searches
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Great job participating in  [Link To Item #2133333]  and completing the September 5th task. Merit Badge in Teamwork
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 Great job for picking a teammate and completing the September 6th Task at  [Link To Item #2133333]


SUMMER 2025:


FORUM
BCoF 's Virtual 50 State Bucket List Open in new Window. (18+)
We're going to explore one unique place in each of the 50 states in alphabetical order.
#2342653 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


Merit Badges Collected from Virtual Blogging &Virtual Blogging Friends:
Merit Badge in Let Dreams Take Wing
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To my upcoming virtual traveling blog companion. Dream big and fly high! Merit Badge in Normal Is Boring
[Click For More Info]

here's to another week of creating adventures! Merit Badge in Blog Camping
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Thanks for completing  [Link To User elusive4lyn]  July 2025 blogging vacation!! Great job!! Merit Badge in Travel
[Click For More Info]

Woohoo! We’re halfway through! Merit Badge in BCoF 2
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Thank you for your participation in BCoF's 50 States Virtual Blogging adventure.

*^*Heart*^* Lyn Merit Badge in Endurance
[Click For More Info]

 51 days of blogging takes commitment, and you rocked it. 
 
*^*Heart*^* Lyn


SEPTEMBER 2024:

I participated in the
FORUM
Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Blogging event from September 1-7, 2025. CLOSED
#2277665 by WakeUpAndLive~gummy worms BOO Author IconMail Icon
which was a big challenge for me due to my schedule, but I hunkered down and got it done. There's some great entries for the contest and the blog earned the following:

Merit Badge in Nonfiction
[Click For More Info]

Congrats on your Honorable Mention in Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2024

Big thanks to WakeUpAndLive~gummy worms BOO Author IconMail Icon for hosting the contest!

OCTOBER 2024 & 2025 :

I participated in the
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon
in 2024 which honestly was a big challenge for me considering my schedule, and again I hunkered down and did it! Update October 2025: I had so much participating in the challenge last year, I did it again for 2025 and successfully completed it. There's some great spooky poetry to be found in October and the blog earned the following merit badges:

Merit Badge in Halloween
[Click For More Info]

Congratulations on completing the 13 Poetic Days of Halloween. Merit Badge in Determination
[Click For More Info]

You rose to the poetry challenges in 12 Poetic Days of Halloween in grand style. Merit Badge in Ghost
[Click For More Info]

Thank you for your successful completion of 13 Poetic Days of Halloween *^*Heart*^* Lyn

Big Thanks to A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon for hosting the contest!



Find me at:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

*Exclaim* WARNING *Exclaim*

I intend to be open, honest, and forthright. No topic is off limits from religion to you name it, I'm going there. If you think you might be offended...back up now - this blog isn't for you. For those who "dare" *Wink* check out the "Gemini Rising..."


Another Signature
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October 29, 2025 at 4:36pm
October 29, 2025 at 4:36pm
#1100418
Well heck, I had a rare Tuesday night for Wednesday off so I did 3 loads of laundry! *Laugh* Then I came to WDC to clean up a little bit.

I found out it was Wraithy WiԎchy of Woe! Author IconMail Icon National Day of Care here on the website and showered her with care. Caught up on my emails, reviews, got my 5 "gotta" does done and decided to prune my emails.

I ordered Merit Badge in Rain Witch
[Click For More Info]

*^*UmbrellaB*^*     Here's a little rain to quench the thirst of a Southern California drought! Thank you for your generous donation to the 50-50 Fundraiser benefiting  [Link To Item #raok]  &  [Link To Item #444444]  YOU rock big time! *^*Guitar*^*   from her to support her fundraiser and who knows, maybe SoCal will get some rain.

Yikes. I had like 15 unopened Merit badges from June 2021!! I felt wicked bad. I need some CARE now. I must have been busy with Scouts (as the boys were still scouting - in Fact - that summer - I took the Boy Scout troop to Emerald Bay and then Joey and I went to New Hampshire for 2 weeks) so yeah - It was really easy to miss those merit badges.

From the bottom of my heart to everyone who sent me a merit badge back in June of 2021 for helping to judge the Quills - ((Thank you)) *Heart*

Nothing too exciting going on - still editing my story "Gifts" and making some good progress on it.

I haven't been much of anywhere lately and as soon as Halloween is over the Fam will be working on Thanksgiving. I'll have an update on my Canadian Key Fob highjinks tomorrow when I go to get a replacement key from my after market guy. Crossing my fingers...


Best of the Rest needs some surveys!
IN & OUT
The Best of the Rest at the Bee Hive  Open in new Window. (E)
OCT 2025 Contest is open! Submit your Favorite Surveys!
#1134192 by SpookyBee Author IconMail Icon


Don't forget to your Veterans Challenge items in:
FORUM
Honoring Our Veterans - Challenge Open in new Window. (ASR)
Celebrating Veterans Day every day
#423698 by SpookyBee Author IconMail Icon


Bard's Hall has a great "Something Horror" contest this month
The Bard's Hall Contest Open in new Window. (13+)
October Prompt: Something Horror this way Comes!
#981150 by SpookyBee Author IconMail Icon


and if you're looking to get your spook on here's a great poem that would like some love:
 
STATIC
Pennywise Open in new Window. (ASR)
A Rondeau horror poem
#2329791 by SpookyBee Author IconMail Icon


Hubby and I have been looking on Zillow for houses in New Hampshire. It's a little early for us to buy, but I figure no harm in looking, right? I found a house in Meredith that I really liked and it's nice on the outside but a tad zig zaggy on the inside.

October 27, 2025 at 9:28pm
October 27, 2025 at 9:28pm
#1100294
Well, my husband's team is in the World Series. He's a big Dodgers baseball fan. I've always enjoyed baseball myself, being a Boston Red Sox fan. (I did grow up in New England after all!) I remember when I was 12, I put my name in a drawing at a local grocery store to get a tour of Fenway park and my name was picked! I got a great tour of the ballpark and an autographed baseball from Carney Lansford and Dave Stapleton.

My husband's family would go to Dodger games but they could only only afford the Top Deck. Mind you the top deck is very affordable if you're poor.

When I came to Los Angeles we always tried to sit on the field. The tickets were affordable about $40.00 each but now they're not affordable. I field seat might be between 80 to 120 dollars. Sigh...

I'm rooting for LA since it's my husband's team. We'll see what shakes out.

Here's a pic of my husband and boy #1 back in 2006-2007. Gotta be into sports if you're a boy mom. Go Blue!
Brent & Andrew, 28 JULY 2006

Here's a pic of my husband, Boy #1 and Boy #2 in 2019. We went and saw the Dodgers on the 4th of July.

July 2019 - The family goes to a Dodger game.

Are you rooting for the Dodgers or Blue Jays this World Series?
October 26, 2025 at 6:53pm
October 26, 2025 at 6:53pm
#1100205
Well, the 13 Poetic Days of Halloween
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon
are over and I had a great time. But again, it's all about the definition. How do you define great? For me - it great included budgeting my time so I had time to work on creating the poems. That said, I hadn't watched any of these movies (except maybe ET when I was a kid) so I had to do some research. I watched all the movie trailers and reading the Wikipedia pages so I had a "feel" for the characters. I also had to research some of the poetry forms so I made sure I was accurate with them when I wrote them. The most challenging poems for me were the Shape poem and the Limerick poem. Out of all the movie inspired poems I'd be intrigued to watch "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Trick r Treat." oh - and "Practical Magic."

I can't imagine organizing and hosting and keeping track of the posters is easy so let me give a BIG SHOUT to A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon who did a great job keeping us poets all together.

During
FORUM
Habit Heroes  Open in new Window. (13+)
A challenge to inspire positive daily habits and friendship. You can earn cool prizes too!
#2165720 by 🐱 panther pwheeler Author IconMail Icon
this month, I was able to finish one of my Dear Me 2025 Reading goals - finish my Shana Galen Romance, which I did!!

ASIN: B00A2XV158
ID #115942
Product Type: Kindle Store
Reviewer: SpookyBee Author Icon
Review Rated: E
  Setting:
  Story Plot:
  Length of :
  Usefulness:
  Overall Quality:
Amazon's Price: $ 7.99


And, because of Habit Heroes, I've been slow, but steady progress my edit for "Gifts." It's a Christmas story, and I don't know if it will be ready for Christmas, but if it wasn't for Habit Heroes, I wouldn't have made the progress I have. I'm about 3/4 done. I'm going back and doing a bit of a content edit before I work on the ending.

I do know as the holidays gear up - finding time to work on personal projects will be challenging but hey, life is what happens when you're busy doing other things.

Smiles to all
Steph
October 25, 2025 at 7:24pm
October 25, 2025 at 7:24pm
#1100128
Day 13 of
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


Today's poem is Free Verse inspired by the 1993 movie, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Enjoy!

****

Oh, spooky night when the ghouls come out
Jack Skellington finds his way,
And yet repetition a has made Halloween
A dull, dull day.

Woods and Trees and portals be
Leads Jack to a new discovery.
There’s a new town in the woods
For Jack to terrorize and scare.

A plan is hatched,
A plot devised
And poor old Sandy Claus
Finds a home in Jack’s Halloween hallow.

The night is gray, the moon is clouded
The air hints of chill and something foul
Little children open the gifts
To sights of horror and gruesome heads

Jack is stunned to discover this revulsion
And heart of hearts drives him
To make things right. Off he goes to
Find his hallow.

Slish and a slash and it all comes
Tumbling down. Sally and Sandy are
Safe at last. The ghouls have their spiders
And the children delight in presents.

Line Count: 24

October 24, 2025 at 7:05pm
October 24, 2025 at 7:05pm
#1100053
Day 12 of
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


Today's poem is an Epitaph inspired by the movie, "Ernest Scared Stupid."

An epitaph is a brief poem inscribed on a tombstone praising a deceased person, usually with rhyming lines.



Here lies Trantor the Troll
He was an ugly old cursed soul
Until Ernest P Worrell let him out of his sinkhole
But a little love and a lot of milk in his bowl
Sent the worm to his hellhole


Blogger's note: I did not realize I needed 2 epitaphs for this prompt so I'm cruising in late (10/25/25 at 402 pm PDT time to be exact.) I wanted to forfill the prompt so enjoy my Epitaph for Old Lady Hackmore:

Old Lady Hackmore lies here
They say her house was full of fear
All the townsfolk said stay clear
Trantor the troll made her family disappear
When family returned she died of cheer







October 23, 2025 at 10:52pm
October 23, 2025 at 10:52pm
#1099959
Day 11 of
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


Today's challenge is shape Poetry with inspiration from the movie, Pumpkinhead (1988). The shape to use is a pumpkin. Mind you, Shape Poetry is not my strong suit, so I hope I got my pumpkin in the "ballpark."


Night
Is rich
With troublemakers
And teenagers in a sea of leaves.
Younguns injure their own and a father is heartbroken
There must be accountability, there must be revenge and so
The father seeks out a hillbilly witch to exact his price on those who
Have wronged him. Haggis takes no gold only a corpse mixed with
Blood. Toil and curse cannot stop the Pumpkinhead, but remorse is
Here. Too late. Pumpkinhead and machete, pitchfork and chain on the
Hunt. Time exchanges pumpkin for human. Revenge is had but at a price –
Ed changes into that which he did not desire and the one
Left is an old, lonely witch waiting for the next Pumpkinhead.
October 22, 2025 at 6:57pm
October 22, 2025 at 6:57pm
#1099882
Day 10 for
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


Limerick Poetry

The Sanderson Sisters

There once was a witch named Winifred
Who owned an old spellbook lettered red
An old black cat named Binx
Proved to be a wicked Minx
And Winifred turned to stone in her bed.

Sarah was a dumb but beautiful witch
But the townspeople thought she was a bitch
She liked to flirt and sing
But, gosh it wasn’t spring
Bang bang, Sarah’s new home was a ditch

Mary’s a witch with a nose from hell
Kid, goblin, gremlin, goat, she can smell
Oh dear Salem the sun
One hour until its done
Hocus pocus look poof goes the spell


October 21, 2025 at 6:02pm
October 21, 2025 at 6:02pm
#1099817
Day 9 of
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


Quatrain Poetry

To Hunt on Halloween Night

Behind those vacant eyes
Hurt turns bitter onto the hunt
He only wants one prize
A sharp knife and a dull grunt

He only knows one place to go
He hunts yet is hunted in return
He desires, he yearns, he will know
The hunted and hunter will have their turn

The girls an easy prize
A disguise – overalls and mask
Disgust and hate fill the eyes
To stalk - to hunt- to complete the task

A victim dies by the cord
Under the darkness of night
Another victim the knife does gored
Killing and blood prove a delight

What is better than a knife
But a gun in moonlight?
The victim screams for her life -
The hunter felled in darkness of night

20 Lines

October 20, 2025 at 10:03pm
October 20, 2025 at 10:03pm
#1099746
Day 8 for
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


Fable Poetry

Trick r Treat

All Hallow’s Eve is here
And Treaters are out and about
Needless of rules or the cares
It’s all about fun – all about the scare

Rule number one never blow out
A jack-o-lantern, tisk tisk
But Emma does just that
Splick Splat, Slish Slash

Laurie finds her red cape
And dresses up nice and pretty
It’s the rule you see – you must dress up
Or else the wolves might find out

Ah, pass out treats you must, you must
But don’t let Sam find out you did not
Sam haunts the dark looking for rule breakers
Splick Splat, Slish Slash

Ah you must follow the rules
Because if you don’t
There’s always a Sam
To see you won’t

20 Lines

October 19, 2025 at 7:11pm
October 19, 2025 at 7:11pm
#1099660
Day 7 of
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


Free Verse Poetry

This is a Free Verse Poem inspired by Halloween III - Season of the Witch

Pagans danced in a circle
Twirling round and round
Surrounding Stonehenge on Samhain
Creating energy – creating

The Season of the Witch
Survived throughout the ages
Settling in northern lands
Twisting, turning, mutilating

Using disguises of all kinds
Mutating in the modern
Changing your look – jack-o-lanterns
Skeletons, green face – dangerous

What happens to fear when it’s laced
With pain dulled by the drink?
What happens to disgust when drugged
With unbelief?

Take off the mask the warning goes out
The trick is death of the innocent
The treat is a dance with the devil in
The Season of the Witch

20 Lines



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