Sunday Review on June 30, 2013

Here is a list of accomplishments beginning June 28 and ending June 30, 2013.

1. I earned enough gift points to extend my writing.com premium membership to July 31, 2013
2. I found my copy of Essential Oils pocket reference.
3. I found my copy of The Gregg Reference Manual Sixth Edition.
4. I found my copy of The Little Brown Compact Revised Custom Fourth Edition by Jane E. Aaron.
5. I took two recyclable bins and the trashcan to the curb on Saturday morning.
6. I finished eating the individual watermelon on Saturday afternoon (I purchased the melon on Thursday).
7. I survived the 115 degree Fahrenheit temperatures of June 28 and 29.
8. I decided to research the topic automatic thoughts for a story.
9. I realized it is difficult to get up at 4:00 am when I go to bed at 12:30 am.

I Am Tired: A Poem

I am tired!

What caused this soporific feeling?
Why am I yawning?
Where does this lethargy originate?

I am tired!
Is the problem lack of sleep,
triple digit temperature,
or too much caffeine?

Room 8: From a script by Geoffrey Fletcher

Room 8, made as part of the Bombay Sapphire's Imagination Series, is from a script by Geoffrey Fletcher. This is one of five films created from the same script. The other films are Concrete, Crab, The Mrs, and Water Song. Click the video below to see how Room 8 differs from the other films.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich: A Poem

The aroma of fresh bread,
one slice spread
with peanut butter
and the other slice
with grape jelly.

Heavenly!

Water Song: One of five films created from the same script for the Bombay Sapphire's Imagination Series

Water Song, from script was written by Oscar winner Goeffrey Fletcher, is one of five films created from the same script. Water Song is part of the Bombay Sapphire's Imagination Series. Other films from this script are Concrete, Crab, and The Mrs. Please click on the video below to watch this film.

Ghost Moon: A Poem

Bright morning sun,
blue sky,
and full moon waning;
the super moon passes into history
leaving behind
a pale ghost.

The Mrs: One of five films created from a script by Geoffrey Fletcher

The Mrs, made as part of the Bombay Imagination Series, is from a script written by Oscar winner Geoffrey Fletcher. This film used the same script as Concrete and Crab. Click on the video below to watch.

Iced Coffee: A Poem

Iced coffee
a new summer sensation,
at least for me.

Is it age
living in Las Vegas,
the triple digit temperatures,
or keeping the thermostat set
at 83 degrees?

Whatever it is
hot coffee is too much warmth
on a summer day.

Crab: One of five different film created from the same script

Crab is another one of the films made from a script by Oscar winner Geoffrey Fletcher. This is the same script used for Concrete and was created as a part of the Bombay Sapphire's Imagination Series. Click on the video below to watch.

Noises: A Poem

Noises
things that go bump in the day
or boom in the night
send chills up my spine
and give my mind a fright.

Concrete one of five flims form the same script

This film is from a script written by Goeffrey Fletcher. Instead of including stage directions, Mr. Fletcher as different people to imagine their own film. Concrete is one of those five films. This film was created from Mr. Fletcher's script, as part of the Bombay Sapphire's Imagination Series. Click on the video below to watch.

Iced Coffee in Triple Digit Temperatures

Triple digit temperatures
Requires me to drink cold liquids
To cool down

It is summer and my morning pick me up has changed from a hot cup of coffee to a cold glass of iced coffee. I prefer to drink anything with ice in a glass rather then a plastic or cardboard cup. If I go to a fast food place of a specialty coffee shop, I will drink my coffee or other cold liquid out of the container they put it in; however, at home I want my iced liquids in a glass.

I felt warm this morning, so I decided it was time I changed from hot coffee to iced coffee. When I make iced coffee at home, I use coffee ice cubes because the water ice cubes dilute the strength of the coffee. I, like my Grandpa Newland, prefer strong coffee. I have drink strong coffee all my life and I do not intend to change simply because summer temperatures force me to change from hot coffee to iced coffee.

I normally drink my coffee black, except when I go to a specialty coffee house. When I purchase a tall container of iced or hot coffee there, I usually purchase café mocha because I like the taste of chocolate combined with the taste of the caffeine.

Triple digit temperatures
Encourages me
To make my morning coffee iced

Remembering the Definition and Forgetting the Word

I had a scary experience this morning. I was finishing a poem for a contest on writing.com and I needed a specific word. I could not remember the word, I knew the word’s definition, but the word itself escaped me. The harder I tried to remember the word the more difficult it became.

The word I was looking for was apprentice. I knew that its simplest definition was someone learning a trade, which was the problem. Dictionaries will give you definitions, but you have to know the word before you can find what it means and I could not remember the word.

The poem I was writing required a synonym for apprentice. After several minutes of frustration, I decided to go to an online dictionary and look up beginner. The dictionary showed apprentice as a synonym of beginner, so I had the word I was looking for. It took me several more minutes to find the specific word I wanted. I finished the poem and submitted it.

I now have to decide if this morning’s memory problem is an issue, I need to worry about. I am now wondering if it is an indication of Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia or just the ordinary results of stress. When I was younger, I did not worry about these things. I am 66 and my mother had Alzheimer’s disease, so that may be why I am worried about forgetting a word, but not the definition.

Writing a poem about the Super Moon of 2013

I saw the super moon
Shining down on Earth
Its brightness made me swoon

I think swoon is an exaggeration, but when I wrote that poem, I was planning to write a form poem. I still may use those lines as they are or I could change the form and write a free verse poem.

I saw the supper moon,
breathtakingly bright
casting its reflected light
across the desert night.

Those lines are a little better and sound a little more natural or perhaps the word I want is less archaic. Swoon sounds like something my grandmother did when my grandfather was courting her. If I used the first three lines, I could change swoon to faint or pass out, but those words do no rhyme with moon.

Of the two poetic starts, I like the second one better. I think I like it because it expresses the way I felt looking up at the moon. I could change “across the desert night” to “across the city night” because I was standing in my front yard when I looked up at the moon.

I did not think I would get to see it because of the nighttime clouds. Here in Las Vegas, we have dealt with cloud cover off and on for several days. It is a bit frustrating when you want to look at the moon, which is bright enough to penetrate the city’s light pollution.

I saw the super moon of 2013, so that is something I can give thanks for and write about. Now the only thing for me to do is figure out how I can salvage the first three lines and use them in a poem.

Check out my port at writing.com

Summer Solstice Memories

Midsummer, summer solstice, the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere, this is the day my Grandmother begin making sun tea. She would fill a huge glass jar full of water, put teabags in the water, put the lid back on the jar and place it out in the sun. After a few hours outside in the hot sun, she would bring the jar into the house and make iced tea. If summer solstice fell on a Saturday, we would be at the Lake and she would make sun tea there.

summer solstice joy

iced tea and homemade ice cream

childhood memories

Grandpa would make ice cream and we would cook hot dogs outside on the grill. We would go swimming, water skiing, and fishing. Summer visiting with my Grandparents was a wonderful time of year. Grandpa planted a garden with watermelon and other delicious items. When the watermelons were ripe we would put them in the refrigerator and eat them cold.

summer solstice joy

looking forward to eating

cold watermelon

I think the next time I go to the grocery store, I will purchase and individual watermelon. Eating watermelon always brings back wonderful memories of my childhood and times my siblings and I spent at the Lake.

Midweek Reflections: Acceptance

Acceptance is the subject of this week’s writing.com newsletter. The editor of the newsletter suggests that the first step toward inner peace is acceptance of self. This got me to thinking about my own life and how it has descended into chaos since my mother’s death. As I was meditating on the subject, I realized that I have had issues all my life concerning accepting myself.

In the past, I have pushed those issues to the side, but I cannot do that any more. I need to learn to accept myself the way I am and move forward from there. My situation and method of working is different from those of my family. I eventually accomplish what I need to do; however, it takes me longer to do some housekeeping tasks then it does others. When this happens, I get discouraged because I have to divide a housekeeping job up in order to complete it.

I have to accept this and work from there. Once I accept my weaknesses and my strengths, then I can begin climbing out of the chaos that is my life and focus on writing. I know my biggest issues are housekeeping chores and making decisions on the things I want to take with me to my new apartment.

What do you do with an old and unused cell phone?

My old cell phone, with its charging cord, still lays on the stand next to the surge protector I used to recharge it the phone. The phone is of no use to me. It just lays on the stand its dark screen facing the ceiling. I almost said staring at the ceiling, but the phone is an inanimate, nonliving item. It is a product of modern civilization and not a living creature.

I do not like the idea of throwing the phone away. I do not think it is a good idea for the phone, its battery, and charging cord to go into a landfill. I think that would eventually make the pollution problem worse then it is now, but I do not know what else to do with the phone.

I can write a story or poem about the phone, but that does not help me dispose of the thing. I do not need the phone to help me write about it because it is just an ordinary cell phone. It is an inanimate object without any feelings; all though, I could give it feelings in a story. Even if I write a story about it, I still need to find a way to dispose of it. What do I do with an old and unused cell phone?

Saturday Morning Writing Distractions

I encounter a multitude of distractions on Saturday morning. I think the reason is the location of my computers. One of them sits on a desk that allows me to look directly out of my living room window without difficulty. All I have to do is turn my head to the left and I am looking out the window.

The position of the desk also lets me catch movement out of the corner of my left eye. I catch a movement, I look out the window, and action until I realize I am supposed to be writing and not watching what is going on in my neighborhood.

This morning, traffic is heavier the normal. I think it is because a truck stopped in front of a house across the street. When the truck stopped, a girl run out of another house across the street with a white bag in her hand, she handed the bag to the driver and then a few minutes later the driver handed it back to her.

After he handed the bag back, she continued to stand beside the truck while they talked. Because half the street is blocked, the cars have a narrow one-way passage to go either east or west. They finally finished talking and she took the bag into the house with her.

This is one of the more unusual distractions, which I encounter on Saturday because I catch ever movement out of the corner of my left eye. The usual distractions are neighbors driving past, garbage trucks making their pick up, and people walking their dogs. Despite the distractions, I think I am going to miss this neighborhood when I move.

Thankful Thursday June 13, 2013

Today I am thankful for

1. the long shadows cast by the setting sun
2. the birds that flow back to their nest each evening
3. the beauty of a cloudless sky
4. the wind blowing through the trees
5. a sip of ice water on a hot summer day
6. the air when the air conditioner comes on
7. ice cold cherry Dr. Pepper
8. the cereal and milk I had for breakfast
9. the leftover coffee in the carafe
10. writing.com

Midweek Reflections on Printers

I swear that my printer has a mind of its own. It knows when I am desperate to print a page or need to print an attachment from my e-mail because it refuses to print and it sends messages such as “Printer cartridge stalled”. I turn the printer off and then back on. I remove and reinsert the print cartridge. I get the same message, so I turn the entire system off and back on again.

I attempt to print again. I get the message “Printer out of paper”, but there is paper in the printer. I take the paper out of the printer and put it back in. The printer attempts to print and I get the message “Printer cartridge stalled”. I go through the entire routine again and eventually the page prints.

I have managed to print a one-page Microsoft Word document. I still have to print the e-mail attachment, which I am not looking forward to doing. The e-mail attachment is more then one page and I am not sure my printer is willing to print more then a one-page document without jamming or the print cartridge stalling. I will take later this evening to print the e-mail attachment because I need to let the printer rest for a little while. I love modern technology when it works.

Daily Writing: A Poem

Write each day!
Sit down at your computer
and write
a story,
a novel chapter,
a poem,
a rant,
an essay,
an e-mail
or a letter.

Write each day.
Chose a word count goal
and write,
continue to write
until you have reached,
exceeded,
or at least came close
the word count.

Write each day.
Write without fail,
write you dreams
write your aspirations
write your desires,
if you cannot think of a subject
then write whatever comes to mind,
but write
because you are a writer
and an aspiring published author.

I can't think: A Poem

I can't think,
I can't focus on the clouds
to write a Sunday morning haiku.

I can't think,
I can't focus on the temperature
to write free verse about triple digits
or excessive heat warnings.

I can't think
about Las Vegas in summer
because I want
something to eat
and something cool
to drink.

In the light of dawn

in the light of dawn
green oak leaves appear orange
the city awakes

Thankful Thursday a Poem for June 6, 2013

Gratitude expands the joy of my soul
and dissipates the cloud
of depression.

This morning I am grateful
for the bright sunshine,
for the hazy blue sky,
for the brilliant spring blossoms blooming
in my neighbors' yards,
and for the barking of the neighbor's dog
that became part of last night's dream.

This morning I am grateful
for the aroma of fresh brewed coffee,
for the morning paper
I read while drinking my fourth cup of coffee,
for the nightingale I heard singing
when I sent outside to pick up my morning newspaper,
for the electric skillet
I use to fix my breakfast,
and for the inspiration
of a Thankful Thursday in June.

Watching videos online

watch the video,
listen to the music and
relax for a while

Part 2: Art of Craftsmanship BangOlufsen

Click the video below to hear about the art of craftsmanship from Bang and Olufsen.

Midweek Reflections on Writing and Technology

Today's lesson concerns writing and technology, specifically my web browser. I logged into my computer so that I could make some blog entries. I need to make a short entry to go with a video, but when I checked the entries I composed yesterday I found that I could not view the videos. It turns out that I needed to update my browser.

I have suspect for a will that there was a problem; however, since the only time I got an error message was when I checked one of my e-mail accounts I ignored the issue. This morning I could not ignore it anymore because I could not view the videos either those posted on my blog or those on the website that gave me access to the videos. The browser and everything that goes along with it is updated and I can get on with writing and posting.

Part 2: Sound That Comes to Life BangOlufsen

Click on the video below to hear about sound that comes to life from Bang and Olufsen.

June is inspiring

June is inspiring
haiku with its warm weather
triple digit days

Part 2: Creation of a Unique Surround Sound System BangOlufsen

Click on the video below and learn about the creation of a unique surround sound system by Bang and Olufsen.

A Warm Tuesday in Las Vegas

Tuesday's clear blue sky
suggest a warm afternoon
the wind is blowing

Part 2: The Magic Design of BangOlufsen

Click on the video below to learn about the magic design of Bang and Olufsen.

Early morning in Las Vegas

crescent smiles down
the morning shift yawns awake
inspiring morning

Part 2: Les Miserables and BangOlufsen

If you take sound seriously click on the video below to learn about the experience of sound with Bang and Olufsen. Enjoy this amazing sound experience.

Writing is a matter of focus

Writing is a matter of focus, which I am having difficulty with this morning. I am not sure what is causing the problem. I have not been eating properly for the past week, so that could be the cause. This morning, I am fixing pasta with some type of vegetables and cheese. I hope that solves the problem with my focus and wandering mind.

My thoughts are scattered, so this entry may not be coherent. I am composing the entry anyway because I seem to be able to focus a little better if I write. I have already composed entries for my writing.com blog and Poet 999 - A Butterfly Emerges from her Cocoon. The entry for Poet 999 - A Butterfly Emerges from her Cocoon was supposed to be for this blog, but my lack of focus caused me to click on the other blog and I started writing without noticing.

I have drink three or four cups of coffee this morning. The coffee helped a little, but not as much as I would have liked. My only other option is to eat something and see if that helps. I have two stories I need to finish and lack of focus is not helping me finish them. The deadlines for the stories are Wednesday and Thursday of this week, so I have to work on them focus or not. I am going to attempt to post this now and hope I do not have to edit it three times before I finally get it posted.

Wind and Birds

wind blows through tree limbs
birds fly between oaks and pines
cloudy afternoon