The books in my studio

Istiqlal (Independence), 4 Ayyam-i-Ha, 164 B.E. - Friday, February 29, 2008 about 5:00 PM PST

Creativity question 8: What books made you race to your studio?

The books in my studio cover
a multitude of subjects
poetry,
spirituality,
fantasy,
science fiction,
essays,
etc.

I close my eyes pick a book,
I close my eyes and open the book,
I read a passage from the book,
I am inspired.

A Writer's Thankful Thursday

This is Thankful Thursday the day to count my blessings and say Thank You for every thing I have received during the past week. Today I am thankful for all the people who read my blogs. I am thankful for the new view of the sky, I see outside my living room window since the wind blew the elm tree down.

Lose of the elm tree was a mixed blessing, but all blessing are mixed. If a few elm trees did not fall in my life I would not know what blessings I have. A person should say a prayer of gratitude every day, but I think setting aside one day a week to take special note of the blessings that come into one's life.

So today, I am thankful for the reader's of this blog.
I am also thankful for the view of the western sky, which this evening is cloudy.

Au Pair Childcare

Over half the women in the United States with children work outside the home. However, there are not enough day care providers to meet these needs. Women are going back to work sooner then ever and need Infant Specialized Care. To meet this growing need AuPairCare developed an infant specialized program, which provides au pairs who are trained in infant care and development.

This program meets the growing need for infant care by providing an alternative childcare solution for the working mother. Some of the duties of an infant specialized au pair consist in teaching the child sign language, keeping the baby's room clean, doing the infant's laundry and engaging the child in learning activities. An infant specialized au pair focuses on the care of children 0 to 12 months.





DEMAND FOR QUALITY INFANT CARE FAR OUTSTRIPS AVAILABLE RESOURCES

Despite 55% of U.S. Mothers with Infants In The Workforce, Childcare Providers Offering Specialized Infant Care Services Remain Rare


San Francisco, CA, February 26, 2008 – With over half of U.S. mothers of infants employed outside the home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, most must arrange for infant care. Experts agree that the first year in a child’s life is the most critical developmentally and requires a consistent, nurturing caretaker. With maternity leaves as short as twelve weeks, mothers are confronted with leaving their newborns in someone else’s hands. Unfortunately, with limited training for childcare providers and overcrowding in day care centers, what is a mother to do?

This month AuPairCare (www.aupaircare.com), a leading au pair agency, will begin offering Infant Specialized Care™, a program that provides families with a trained, live-in au pair who specializes in infant care and development, allowing working parents to provide their babies with consistent care in the comfort and safety of their own homes.

Demand for this service clearly exists: Based on a survey sent to 400 AuPairCare host families, almost 2/3 of families with infants currently employing au pairs said they would be interested in an infant qualified and trained au pair if the service were offered and would be willing to pay for the additional training.
Infant Specialized Care au pairs receive over 40 hours of infant care training, covering topics, such as feeding, bathing, changing, soothing techniques and safety. Additionally, they receive specialized training in infant stimulation and development, infant massage, infant sign language and certification in Infant First Aid and CPR. This training is complemented by significant hands-on experience working with infants, with each of the Infant Specialized au pairs having at least 400 documented hours of childcare experience with children under the age of two.

“Having my au pair specifically trained to care for my baby will help alleviate some of my ‘mommy guilt.’ Just knowing that my baby is being well cared for and challenged developmentally will allow me to stop worrying and focus on my work,” says Kenna Norris, back-to-work mother of a 13-week old baby.

“With so many women with infants in the workforce and a clear lack of quality providers catering to this age group, developing a tailored au pair service that offers specialized infant training and experience was a priority for AuPairCare.” said Heidi Woehl, Vice President of AuPairCare.

AuPairCare’s Infant Specialized Care program launches this month nationwide.

About AuPairCare
AuPairCare is a leading au pair agency in the United States providing affordable, live-in au pair childcare. Designated by the U.S. Department of State since 1989 as an official au pair agency, AuPairCare has successfully placed over 30,000 au pairs from 40 countries with caring American families. To learn more, please visit http://www.aupaircare.com

Contact: Karie Stern
Tel: 415-608-9195
E-mail: kjstern@comcast.net


Sponsored by AuPairCare

The feeling of an idea

Istijlal (Majesty) 3, Ayyam-i-Ha, 164 B.E. - Thursday, February 28, 2008 about 10:00 AM PST

Creativity question 7: What does it feel like when an idea comes to you--for a painting, a book, a play, a quilt, a journal entry--and you know it's terrific?

It's riding a roller coaster
down a steep slope,
it's listening to the Amazing Grace
played on bagpipes,
or seeing a bald eagle
carrying a salmon in his beak.

It's hearing a pack of wolves
howl at the moon,
it's watching a rocket rise from
its launch pad,
or riding a Harley-Davidson.

Capturing Ideas

Creativity Question 6: How can you capture them when they arrive, and what do you do with them then?

It's easy to capture ideas
when the light of morning wakes
you from the land of dreams.

Write the dream in a book,
type it into a journal
begin to write
and continue to write.

Take a pen and paper journal
with you everywhere you go
jot a note at a stoplight,
write a thought in he grocery store
just write and write and write some more.

Write the line
that comes to mind
use the song and its title
to inspire
your muse to trap the idea.

Silkfair a New Online Marketplace

I just set up my own store on SILKFAIR. It cost me nothing to set the store up, so I can sell and buy online. As a seller, I like several Silkfair features. There is the ability to sell products using video, with a unique URL for my store plus a blog and a forum. All I need to begin selling is one item and I can increase my listings, as I desire.

I can use videos to sell my products or I post pictures of the product using JPEG, JPG, GIF or PNG files. I usually use JPG files because they are easier for me to edit when I am uploading them to my computer.



As a buyer, I like the one-step cart checkout, the link to existing e-bay ratings and integrated payment gateways. The photos of each item listed make it easy to see what I am considering. I also like the idea of paying the seller within seven days, this way I know I have the money in my PayPal account before I even buy. I can shop, check my PayPal account or credit card limit and then buy without any further thought.

Silkfair is a wonderful place for both buyers and sellers.

Sponsored by silkfair.com

Where do ideas come from?

'Idal (Justice), 2 Ayyam-i-Ha, 164 B.E. - Wednesday, February 27, 2008 about 7:34 AM PST

Where do ideas come from?
They do not just pop out of thin air
they must come from somewhere.

Do ideas come from
a writer's soul or an author's mind
jus where do they come from.

My ideas come from a thousand and one sources.

I look up at the moon
and see a face smiling at me;
the logical explanation,
of course,
is craters on the moon
and from a distance they just
resemble a face
because the human mind likes patterns
and sees a face in the moon.

Logical explanations are wonderful,
but they do not satisfy
the creative element in humanity.

Ideas come from everywhere,
you find them in jars of pickles,
you find them in tubs of tooth pastes,
you find them any and everywhere,
but you must look for them,
you cannot be satisfied with the logic
of a logical explanation.

A creative spirit cannot stay within the lines,
it must be free to color its world
the way it wants.

NOTE: This is creativity question 5: Where do ideas come from?

Creativity Question 4

Why do you make what you make? Why do you create? Why does it take the particular form it takes? Why does it take the particular form it takes?

I create poetry, short stories, flash fiction and blog entries. I write science fiction, fantasy, and mystic poems. I create because I have to. I am compelled to write, I can do nothing else except write. Writing poems and flash fiction is a compulsion.

I do not know why my creativity takes this particular form. I am not sure any artist, writer or poet knows the reason he or she creates in a specific medium. I can say that I do it for the pleasure of writing. I can say I do it as a service to humanity. However, neither of those answers the question why, they are reasons created by the mind and the ego. They are not the reason I am compelled to created.

Easter Baskets and Gourmet Coffee

Easter is a few weeks away and the Easter bunny will be hopping through. My mother and I have a spring tradition. Every year we have a chocolate Easter bunny and a cup of gourmet coffee. This year we want a larger celebration, which means instead of just a chocolate Easter bunny we will have an Easter basket. I can go to online coupons to find everything Mom and I need.

I love shopping with coupons; it is nice to get the coupons and the product online. This way I do not have to depend on the Easter bunny to bring me either a chocolate bunny or a basket.

To find the Easter basket I will go to Fannie May Candies, which has a good choice of Easter baskets containing various types of Easter candy. For the gourmet coffee there is Gevalia; where I can get a sampler pack of coffee for a very reasonable price.

Sponsored by couponchief.com

Creativity Question 3

Fidal (Grace), 1 Ayyam-i-Ha, 164 B.E. - Tuesday, February 26, 2008 about 9:14 AM PST

What’s the one medium you've always wanted to try but haven't? Why not? What would it take to get you to go for it?

I always wanted to attempt drawing or painting. Creating a painting of my own, but I have not tried because I do not (or think I do not have the talent for drawing). I cannot draw a straight line with a ruler. When I attempt the line is not straight across the paper. I always get one side of the ruler higher then the other side. I know that is not a good reason, but that is my reason. However, I am 61 years old so I should attempt to paint a picture of some type, even if it is not good. I can always say I attempt it and I will not have regrets because I did not try.

What would it take for me to attempt a picture? The art supplies and a canvas is all that it would take. There is an artist supply store near my house, so I will stop there and see what the supplies cost. It sounds like fun to paint, my brother paints when he has the chance.

The Second Question about Creativity

Kamal (Perfection), 19 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Sunday, February 24, 2008 about 9:27 PM PST

Do you keep it (creativity) secret or hidden from most people? If so, why do you do that? If not, tell us about that. If you could fully integrate The Public You and The Creative You, how would you do that and what would it look like?

I do not keep my creativity hidden; I cannot keep it hidden because the tag on my car reads POET 999. Creativity is an attribute that is innate within my being. Therefore, I cannot keep it hidden.

There was a time when I tried to hide my creativity, but I was unhappy about hiding it. For me creativity is a spiritual attribute, it is one of the ways my soul expresses itself. Whether my creativity completely integrates "The Public" me and "The Creative" me I cannot say. I think that is an on going process, I am always working on improving my craft and finding new ways to express my creativity.

Diamond Engagement Rings

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Diamonds-USA has a broad range of diamond engagement rings with various shapes, cuts, colors, settings and prices. Browse the Diamonds-USA collection and select the perfect ring or design your own.

The Diamonds-USA website has rings sorted by price, style, and setting. What shape do you want the diamonds in your engagement ring? Do you want round, pear, oval, heart, princess, marquise, emerald, radiant, triangle, asscher, or cushion? If I chose one I would want an multiple shaped diamonds in the ring.

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The First Question about Creativity

Jamal (Beauty), 18 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Sunday, February 24, 2008 about 3:42 PM PST

This question, with several others, was posted to my yahoo journal writing group. This is the first in a series of nine questions that I will post in this blog over the next nine days. Do you see your creativity as being a part of yourself that is separate from the rest of you, the part of you that everyone knows and sees?

My creativity is a part of me, it is with me everyday of my life. I cannot serparate my creativity from the rest of my personality. My creativity is a part of my soul, it is a spiritual attribute and will continue with me into the next life.

I do not try to keep my creativity a secret any more. There was a time when I did, but that time is past. I let everyone know about that part of my life. I carry a pen and paper journal with me everywhere to keep ideas in.

I like to write poems and stories. I like to make journal and blog entries. These are a part of my creativity, but they are not all of it. My creativity makes me the unique individual I am. My creativity drives me and keeps me going.

I have tried to quit writing, but I cannot. Each time I attempt to quit, I am pushed back to the computer or my pen and paper journal. I am not going to attempt to quit writing any more because my creativity is a gift from God. As a gift from God I must use it and develop it.

5000 Questions Survey - Questions 176 to 200

Jalal (Glory), 17 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Saturday, February 23, 2008 about 11:12 AM PST

176. Does fear of death keep you from building a life?

The soul doesn't die

it lives on

in the worlds of God.

177. Do you like all your movies to be in wide-screen?

The wider the screen

the better

and more exciting.

178. Are you a fan of any comic books?

I like superheroes.

179. At what age did you attend your first funeral?

When I was old enough to cry.

180. What do you smell like (lotion, cologne, sweat)?

I prefer to smell like coffee.

181. What are your greatest sources for wisdom?

Life itself

182. When you were little, where did your parents tell you babies come from?

My mother's belly.

183. What is your favorite band?

Which ever band I listen to at any given time.

184. What's the best cheesy 80's song?

I have no opinion on this because in the 80's I listened to country and wester.

185. What's the best kind of movie to see on a date?

One that makes him cry.

186. Do you like to sit in the front, middle or back of the Movie Theater?

It depends on who I am with and why I went to the movie.

187. Have you ever been inside an abandoned building?

I was inside an abandoned barn once, does that count?

188. Under what circumstances would you agree to work for free?

Tell me the circumstances and my options.

189. Candles or strobe lights?

Candles because I like the way they flicker.

190. Do you think the Lord of the Rings movies are true to the books or did Hollywood change the story too much?

As true to the book as any movie can be.

The book gives you a chance to use your imagination

to see the characters.

191. When you see a stranger on the street does your first reaction lean towards thinking of this person as a potential friend or as a potential threat?

Potential friend

192. Is it natural for human beings to fear and distrust each other, or is it cultural?

Cultural

193. What do you really want to buy?

A Harley-Davidson motorcycle

194. You have to choose. Would you be happier marrying someone rich for their money or living in the streets and subway tunnels with someone you love?

Considering the guy I pick to love

rich might me better for me.

195. If someone wanted to understand you what book could they read that would help?

Alice in Wonderland

196. Do you think it’s odd that Americans have freedom of religion and yet call themselves 'one nation under god'?

No,

there is only one God

it doesn't matter what name we call him.

197. In what sense are you a minority?

I am a woman and a poet.

198. Are you anti social?

It depends on the circumstances.

199. Do you photograph well?

It depends on what I am wearing.

200. Do you think that human beings would survivor through a nuclear winter?

Yes

human beings can survive anything.

Week 2 begins Saturday, March 1

Jalal (Glory), 17 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Friday, February 22, 2008 about 5:44 PM PST

Write week two begins on Saturday, March 1. I think this time I am going to write a short story instead of a personal essay. Part of the story I will post in the write week forum. What will I write about? I have about a week to decide. It will be something new, but I do not know what just yet.

Check out The Write Week Home Page and The Write Week Forum. Come and join the fun March 1 through March 7. Write 5,000 words and post part of your work.

I Finally found it Poetic Medicine by John Fox

Istijlal (Majesty), 15 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Thursday, February 21, 2008 about 1:55 PM PST

I bought the book Poetic Medicine by John Fox a several of years ago. I started reading it and then some friends remodeled the house. When the bookcase was moved the books were put into boxes and I lost track of Poetic Medicine. I found it and now am in the process of doing the exercises in the book. I decided to start the exercises over rather begin where I left off. The first three exercise concern finding your sacred place, your poetic spirit and your poetic medicine.

This is a wonderful book for a writer, especially a poet. It is full of poetry and excercises to awaken your muse. I am looking forward to doing all the exercises this time. I enjoy reading the poems in this book and the quotes that cover the subject of each chapter.

A Writer's Mission is to Write

'Idal (Justice), 14 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Wednesday, February 20, 2008 about 11:17 AM PST

A writer's mission is to write about the darkness and the light, to describe the duality of human nature through the action of a plot. To show the good and the bad against the backdrop of a story set in the past, the present or the future.

A writer's mission is to write in prose or verse the joy or sadness of a character's life, to show humanity in all its beauty and ugliness, and to give the reader something to laugh or cry about.

A writer's mission is to write words that give a glimpse into a new or different reality. To describe worlds only the mind and soul can see.

A writer's mission is to write. To make words out of random letters of the alphabet, to put those words into phases and sentences. To create paragraphs out of those words, paragraphs that cause the reader to pause for a moment and see someone else's reality.

Staying Positive as a Write

Fidal (Grace), 13 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Tuesday, February 19, 2008 about 9:06 AM PST

The best way to stay positive as a writer is to write. I have difficulty staying positive sometimes, so I have an offline journal called Writing my Spiritual Journey, which contains letters written to Baha'u'llah. In this journal I can pour my heart out about everything that is happening in my life.

In Writing my Spiritual Journey, I usually use the free write exercise of just beginning and writing what comes to mind. If I repeat words or phrases then I repeat them. In free write the idea is to continue to write for a specific period of time or until you have written the subject out whichever comes first. The best way to do a free write is to write for a specific period, such as 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 minutes. One can always take up the subject again latter if it is not covered completely in on setting.

Writing my Spiritual Journey is to keep things in that I do not want to put in my blog. In addition to writing through the darkness letters, I use it to bring myself to account. This helps me focus on what I have accomplished and what needs done. Every blogger should have an offline journal to write in because it helps focus a person's thoughts and it reveals subjects that one might want to blog about later.

The Elm in My Front Yard

Kamal (Perfection), 12 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Monday, February 18, 2008 about 10:34 AM PST

The Elm in my yard
lays dying
blown down by the wind.

Lune poem form 1 based on a syllable count of 5/3/5; the other form has a word cound ot 3/5/3. For more information on this form of poetry see Write an instant Lune or Write a Lune.

Saturday Evening Review

Jalal (Glory), 10 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Saturday, February 16, 2008 about 4:46 PM PST

This week has been interesting. Thanking back across the week I believe my biggest success is backing my car into my garage. Now this may not seem like much, but I don't usually back a car up. In fact, when I park in parking lots I usually try to find spot that I can drive straight out when leaving.

As for backing out of my garage, that I do, but not very well; normally I back out and then turn the car facing the street so I can drive straight out. However, for the past several days I've backed my car into my garage and without hitting anything. Considering how full the garage is this is an accomplishment in itself.

I'll continue backing the into the garage until I get a cable for the battery. The loose cable caused the battery to go down. If I back into the garage it's easier to connect jumper cables incase I need them again.

The Elm Tree

The wind howled shaking the windows and pounding on the enclosed patio's tin roof. The cold late winter the wind is all anyone could hear. Every creature in the house shivered and huddled beneath layers of blanket, but that did not keep out the cold. The street lights shook and trembled in the 50 mph gust.

The neighbors dogs howled and their cat moaned. Cloths left on the line outside blew off and sailed away. In the final moments of the mighty wind, the elm tree, which had withstood other Las Vegas windstorms, crashed to the ground its upper branches catching on the cable that powered the streetlight. The tree lay on the ground blocking the sidewalk until the city came the next day and removed the branches that lay across the walk. The remaining trunk and limbs now lay in the front yard, waiting for someone to cut up for firewood.

Thankful Thursday after 50 mph winds

Istijlal (Majesty), 8 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Thursday, February 14, 2008 about 12:40 PM PST

Today I am thankful that the elm tree in my yard did not fall on the roof of the garage. I am not sure when it did fall last night because the wind made so much noise that you could not hear anything else. Now I have a tree laying in my front yard and I have no idea how I am going to get it removed. The Tree in My Front Yard sounds like a good title for a short story or a poem.

The tree in my front yard
lay there up rooted by last night's wind
50 mph gust the meteorologist said,
but it sounded like 60 mph gust to me.

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Valentines Day is for Writers

Happy Valentines Day!
May the love of you life or of the moment
send you a card with roses and chocolates attached.

Valentines Day is for writers because someone needs to write the verses, which go in the cards that the mail carriers are delivering. Last night the Las Vegas Marriage License Offices were open until midnight. Las Vegas is the place to get married because you can have themed weddings or drive through weddings. There are marriage chapels all along the Las Vegas Strip.

Happy Valentines Day!
May the today bring good memories
of love that will last into eternity.

I am not sure I would want to get married on Valentines Day, but then I would not want to get married on any holiday. I have never been the any of the wedding chapels, I have seen them from the outside and I have watched couples, dressed in wedding attire, go into them, but no one I know has ever been married in one.

Happy Valentines Day!
May the person you love, love you in return
and ask you for your hand in marriage.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Istijlal (Majesty), 8 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Wednesday, February 13, 2008 about 6:20 PM PST

I have heard complaints about bloggers using their daily activities as their blog entries. The complaints consist of rants concerning how boring those entries are, but has anyone every considered the other side of the coin. The entries we find boring today may be the very entries that archaeologist of the future might find intriguing.

OK, I have to admit that the title Wednesday, February 13, 2008 is a boring title, which says nothing about the theme or subject of this entry. It suggests that I am writing about the events and actions in my life today. In a way it is, I am in a journal contest on writing.com. In this particular contest, one of the participants makes a leading entry and the other participants respond. The leading entry for today February 13 was title February 12, 2008 and consisted in the leader's actions of yesterday.

While I was responding to the entry, I realized that the entries about a bloggers daily life might be the very things archaeologist of the future would be looking for. Archaeologists dig through ruins looking for information about how people lived in ancient times. The archaeologists a thousand or two thousand years from now will be looking for such information as well. The blogs that we write today will be some of the places they will look at to find information on twenty-first century daily life.

Writing Through the Darkness

Fidal (Grace), 6 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Tuesday, February 12, 2008 about 12:49 PM PST

The idea is to write, not matter how dark it is just write even if you cannot read what you write until the light arrives. Write and write and write some more until your mood changes or you write the solution to your problem. It does not matter what you write as long as you write. Writing focuses the mind on something else beside the situation or the problem.

The idea is to write when you cannot see the solution for the problem. Every problem has a solution just as every forest has more then one tree. When you cannot see the forest for the trees or the solution for the problem then write. Sit down with your journal and write. Turn on your computer and write. Log onto your blog and write.

The idea is to write because every problem has a solution. Write until you see the solution. It does not matter what you write. Write a poem, write a short story, write a rant, but write and continue to write until you see the solution to your problem. Write until you see the early morning light and the night become day again.

The idea is to write and the exercise is a free write. You write what comes to mind and you do not stop because of misspellings or grammar that is what rewrites are for to fix the spelling and the grammar. That is what spell checkers are for and mouse curses. If you spell the word phonetically then the spell checker can find it. If the keys on your keyboard stick and you miss a letter continue to write, the spell checker will catch the missed letter and give you a choice of words so that your blog entry is readable.

Writing in the Morning

Kamal (Perfection), 5 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Monday, February 11, 2008 about 2:21 PM PST

My muse wakes with dawn's perfume,
the scent of French roast
escorting the days first light.

Stretching into the cold morning,
she purrs
in the sun's warm rays.

Today I give thanks for Abundance

Jamal (Beauty), 4 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Sunday, February 10, 2008 about 2:50 PM PST

Today I give thanks for abundance. I had gift points in an account, so I ordered a new mouse and received it. Then yesterday another mouse came through the mail, so now I have two. This is the second time something like this has happened. Last year I ordered a clock radio and received two.

The second mouse is a bit different from the first. So I'm not sure where it came from because the first one is the mouse I ordered. However, I give thanks for abundance, even if the abundance is only in computer mice and clock radios. I'm not sure what's going on with the double orders, I know that I have all the points in every account that is should have. I do not know whether I should try ordering something else with another gift point account and see what I get.

Another week of writing has passed

Jalal (Glory), 3 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Saturday, February 9, 2008 about 8:39 AM PST

Another week of writing has passed and I completed the 5,000-word essay The Light of The World. I now have to rewrite it because I used the free write approach and just wrote my thoughts on the subject. I did put some scripture verses in to begin the thought process. That writing exercise taught me a lot about what I actually believed about the light of the world.

In doing a free write exercise, I time myself by using the clock on my computer. I give myself a time limit ranging from 5 minutes to 30 minutes to complete the writing exercise. I just write, I do not go back and correct misspellings or grammar, I just write. After the exercise is completed then I do the corrections if I feel like it, otherwise I let the piece rest a while before making any corrections.

I use Word to do the free write, but you can use any word processing program or you can write long hand in a pen and paper journal. Where the free write is done isn't important. The important thing is just to write and not think about what you are writing. It is amazing what a writer learns about him or herself when doing a free write. A person can do this exercise anywhere and anytime, as long as you have about 5 minutes to spare and a place to write.

Fiction Friday: The Stranger and the City

Istiqlal (Independence), 2 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Friday, February 8, 2008 about 4:16 PM PST

She stood on the edge of the old city, watching as the colonist removed the stones, which had made Armphor’s walls. As they removed the stones to use in their own buildings, the Earth Colonist watched her as well. Finally, after two days of watching, she approached the foreman of one of the work crews.

“Do you know what city you are destroying,” she said pointing to the city, “or do you even care?”

“We have no choice,” the foreman’s brow winkled, “our excavating equipment doesn’t work and we need shelter before the coming winter.”

“You didn’t answer my question, do you care what city you destroy?”

“Yes,” the foreman studied the stranger’s features, the woman could easily pass as the wife of any one of his own crew. “Each work crew has three artists making detailed drawing of the stones and their locations; we number the stones so that we know where they were found in the walls. If we can, we will replace the stones, in the walls. We take only what we need and no more.”

“It is good that you care, because those who built Armphor cared nothing for this planet or its past and the planet destroyed them. The stones you are taking formed the walls of an older city, higher on the mountain. When the builders of Armphor came to this planet, they destroyed the inhabitants of that city and took the stones to construct their own fortress. It did not save them from the planet’s vengeance. You and your people may be more fortunate, Earthman, but only if you respect the planet’s native inhabitants.”

“And if we don’t,” a chill ran up his spine at the look on her face.

“Then I will pray for your soul and the souls of your people, Earthman,” with those words she turned her back on the city and walked back down the mountain toward the river that flowed through the valley.

Word count = 325

Writing a Personal Mission Statement

Istijlal (Majesty), 1 Mulk (Dominion), 164 B.E. - Thursday, February 7, 2008 about 8:03 AM PST

I wrote a personal mission statement early in 2007, but on March 12, 2007 my world fell apart when I took my mother to the Emergency Room. My mother is out of the hospital, recovering, and I have found my priorities have changed. Therefore, I have decided to rewrite my personal mission statement.

It is never too late to be what you might have been. ~~George Eliot

According to I Will Change Your Life.com a personal mission statement does three things. It outlines (1) "what you want to be", (2) "what you want to do", and (3) the values you upon which you are basing this being and wanting. Founded on self-knowledge and decision-making, a personal mission statement can help a person change.

Afraid lest he be caught up in a net of words tripped up, bewildered and so defeated – thrown aside – a man hesitates to write down his innermost convictions. ~~William Carlos Williams

I did not give a lot of thought to my last mission statement, a big mistake because that statement did not help me during the stress last year. This year I am going to give more thought to it. I have set March 21, 208 to complete my mission statement; this is the first day of spring and the day I celebrate as the New Year.

I will write my personal mission statement in phrases that I can repeat several times each day. I will answer three questions

1. What do I want to be?
2. What do I want to do?
3. What do I value?

Birthday Calculator

'Idal (Justice), 19 Sultan (Sovereignty), Wednesday, February 6, 2008 about 7:55 AM PST

This Birthday Calculator is a fun exercise. I put in my birthday, December 24, 1946 and it gave me interesting statistics and information about my astrological sign. I am going to use the information to write a birthday poem. I am also going to put my mother's birthday in and use that to write a birthday poem for her.

I was conceived on Tuesday, April 2, 1946 and born on Tuesday, December 24.
My fortune cookie says: "A warm smile is testimony of a generous nature."
My life path is 11 (I am going to investigate this after I finish this post).
My golden number is 9 (Something else I am going to invesigate).
My epact number is 27 (The numberic root of this number is 9).
My astrological sign is Capricorn.
I was born in the Chinese year of the Dog.
My Native American Zodiac sign is Goose and my plant is Bramble.
I was born in the Egyptian month of Famenoth, which is the third month of the Poret season and Poret means Emergence or Fertile Soil.
Since I was born after sundown, my birthday on the Hebrew calendar is 2 Tevet 5707.
According to the Mayan calendar, I was born on 12 baktun 16 katun 13 turn 0 uinal 14 kin.
According to the Islamic calendar. I was born on 30 Muharram 1366.
Celebrities that share my birthday are

1. Kit Carson
2. Ava Gardner
3. Ryan Seacrest
4. Ricky Martin
5. Howard Hughes
6. Mary Higgins Clark
7. Johnny Greulle.

Top songs of 1946 are

1. The Gypsy by the Ink Spots
2. Rumors are Flying by Frankie Carle
3. The Old Lamplighter by Sammy Kaye
4. Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! by Vaughn Moore
5. Prisoner of Love by Perry Como
6. Oh! What it Seemed to Be by Frankie Carle
7. To Each His Own by Eddy Howard
8. For Sentimental Reasons by Nat King Cole
9. Five Minutes More by Frank Sintra
10. Old Buttermilk Sky by Kay Kyser

My birthstone is Blue Zircon with mystical qualities that help me to be more at peace with myself.
Other birthstones are Blue Topaz, Ruby, and Lapis Lazuli.
My birth tree is the Apple Tree which is the Tree of Love, which has the following attributes "Of slight build, lots of charm, appeal and attraction, pleasant aura, flirtatious, adventurous, sensitive, always in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, scientific talents, lives for today, a carefree philosopher with imagination."

This is only a bit of the information about me that the birthday calculator gave me.

Mixing and Matching the Themes

Fidal (Grace), 18 Sultan (Sovereignty), 164 B.E. - Tuesday, February 5, 2008 about 7:13 AM PST

I am going to start mixing the themes an putting them on different days. Perhaps even skipping one and putting something else in its place. I am going to use more prompts to write and demonstrate more poetry forms. Discuss different methods of writing on a prompt. All right, I got bored having a specific theme on a specific day. My muse bulked at having to work that way.

I think one thing I will do is mix and match the themes, if I am writing about a contest then I will do a short review of the web site where I found the contest. I enjoy contest because they all have something different to offer a writer. Some contests have themes, while others require specific forms. It is fun and exciting to come up with a poem or story that will be appropriate for a contest.

I Have a New Mouse

Kamal (Perfection), 17 Sultan (Sovereignty), Monday, February 4, 2008 about 4:55 PM PST

I have a new mouse
it runs across my desk as
quickly a flowing water.

Write Week Update

Jamal (Beauty), 16 Sultan 164 B.E. - 16 Sultan (Sovereignty), 164 B.E. - Sunday, February 3, 2008 about 10:41 AM PST

Title: The Light of the World
Genre: Personal Essay
Theme: Spiritual
Word Count Goal: 5,000 words
Daily Word Count Goal: 714 words
Words Written up to today: 2,410
Quotes used so far as prompts to get the writing started: 2

“I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6 ESV

“The spiritual light of the world has risen again from the eastern horizon.” (Abdu'l-Baha, Divine Philosophy, p. 80)

Notes: So far I have two sections to this essay. I use the quotes to get me started them write as much as possible. This essay is going to need rewriting, but that is alright. I have learned a great deal about the way I think and why I do things in only the first section of this essay. I chose to do prompts because I din not know how to start the essay and had no idea concerning the subject.

5000 Questions Survey - Questions 151 to 175

Jalal (Glory), 15 Sultan (Sovereignty), 164 B.E. - Saturday, February 2, 2008 about 1:17 PM PST

151. What is louder and more annoying: 200 adults talking or one four-year-old screaming? Neither a female Siamese cat in season and yowling.

152. Do you believe the stories about planes, boats and people mysteriously disappearing into the Bermuda triangle? Of course I believe the stories, it's the explanations for the disappearance I have problems believing.

153. Who are you the most jealous of? Jealousy is a waste of time and energy.

154. What is the happiest way you can start your day? Prayer and meditation on the sacred scriptures.

155. Do you ever have moments where you feel like everything is all right in the world? Of course, usually right after a prayer or meditation session.

156. Who thinks that you are offensive? People aren't offensive, but some of the things people do and say are offensive.

157. If you had to teach a class in something, what would you be able to teach people? I could demonstrate how to write a poem. You don't teach people anything, if they learn it's because they are willing and want to learn.

158. Have you ever had a spiritual experience (an experience that cannot be explained by science)? Yes, several times that's one of the reasons I believe in God and the immortality of the soul.

159. Do you believe that this experience was truly mystical or do you think there is some scientific explanation for it, only you don't know what it is? I'm not really worried about a scientific explanation. If one is found for the experience it just proves my belief in God.

160. Do you get offended easily? I usually ask myself why I find something offensive before becoming offended.

161. Would you still love and stay with your significant other if he or she had to have a breast or testicle removed? Physical attribute aren't what makes the person. Each individual is a mix of both spiritual and physical attributes. If you love someone it shouldn't matter what physical attribute they are missing because the spiritual attributes they have are more important.

162. Do you believe in fate or free will? Life is a combination of fate and free will. When you come to an intersection you have a choice of the direction, but you don't have a choice of who or what you encounter after you choose your direction.

163. Do you believe that only boring people get bored? Everyone gets bored about something. That's why we get cabin fever and have to leave the house once in a while.

164. Can life change or are we all stuck in vain? Life changes or we change depending on our point of view.

165. What changes are you afraid of? The type of change that doesn't teach me something about myself.

166. Are you a day person or nocturnal? It depends on whether or not I have difficulty sleeping.

167. What one CD could you listen to for an entire week (no mixed CD’s, it must be an album)? I don't think there is one. My definition of boring is doing the same thing over and over and over again without taking a short rest.

168. Which is worse, working in retail, food service, or an office? It depends on the circumstances and the person doing the job one is no more worse then the other.

169. What's the coolest job you ever had? Mystic.

170. What is one central idea that your thoughts seem to come back to? Spiritual transformation and the way my life encourages my transformation.

171. Have you ever wanted to be an actor/tress? Yes, but all the stars I'd want to work with have passed into the next world.

172. If you had the power to control one person and make this person do anything you wanted for a whole day, who would you pick and what would they do? I hope I would be wise enough not to accept that much power. Nobody deserves to have that much power for even a single day.

173. What star sign are you and what is your sign like? I'm a Capricorn and all Capricorns are different from each other. The only time I look at star signs is when I need characteristics for a character in a novel.


174. Did the Blair Witch Project scare you? I never saw it, but I doubt that it would scare me. Movies don't scare me anymore.

175. Are you in constant fear of death? No, why should I be afraid of something that effects only my physical body.

Write Week: Day 1

Istiqlal (Independence), 14 Sultan (Sovereignty), 164 B.E. - Friday, February 1, 2008 about 12:07 PM PST

Write Week Day 1, I have seven days to complete a new writing project of 5,000 words. The daily word count is about 714. I am going to approach this by simply starting a free write using the title of Light of the World. I am not going to worry about what I write, I am just going to write my thoughts on the subject and see if I can complete it in seven days. I may or may not post part of it in this blog that depends on how I feel when I get the days writing completed.

Now on to other stuff, yesterday I did not get a book review posted. Late Thursday afternoon I got sick and spent the rest of the evening and night trying to sleep. I slept in spurts between the pain and throwing up. Today I feel fine so I do not know what the problem was. I had nothing to do with anything I ate because my mother ate what I did and she was not sick. I probably had the stomach flue or something like that.