Writing and Reviewing on an Empty Stomach

This last Friday in January 2014 started out good. I got up and turned off the alarm after 25 minutes without going back to the love seat (I'm not sleeping on the couch anymore). I took my thyroid medication, started the virus scan on the other computer, took out some trash, made coffee, and put in a load of laundry. I then sit down at the computer to checks some websites for income opportunities. After that, I logged into writing.com, made a couple of blog entries, and reviewed one piece.

I attempted to review several piece, but found that I couldn't concentrate. Since I'd finished the coffee in the carafe, I decided that the problem was hunger. I opened a can of condensed soup (when I went to the store yesterday, I found soup soup I could eat on my low potassium diet). I opened the condensed soup, added water, and put it in the microwave. When it was hot, I poured some in a cup, and returned to the computer to review and write.

While I was in the kitchen my router decided it needed nap, so I had to manually reboot it. I then turned the computer back on and found that my trackball mouse had decided to take nap, as well. I turned the computer off, made sure the connections were tight, and then turned it back on. At this moment, my router, modem, mouse (or perhaps I should say mice), and keyboards are working properly.

After I finish this entry, I will get myself another cup of soup, and then return to writing.com to finish reviewing. I'm not sure what's going to happen the rest of the day because I'm waiting for a call from a leasing agent to sign a lease for a studio apartment. After the adventure of this morning, I'm looking forward to moving. I'd like to see if a new apartment has any effect on my router's naps, which normally happen only about once or twice a month.

Thursday Writing Thoughts: January 30, 2014

I look out my the living room window into the darkness and wonder what  it will be looking out the front window of my new apartment. I'm sure it won't be as dark because there are no trees to hide the street lights from my view. The only light I can see tonight is the porch light in the house across the street, but other then that everything in this neighborhood appears dark.

Sometimes the darkness feels comforting and sometimes it feels scary. I wonder how the darkness will feel in my new neighborhood. There are many things I wonder about, but right now, at this point in time, I wonder if I will ever move out of this house and into my new apartment.

I know moving to a studio apartment from a three-bedroom house will be difficult. I'm wondering who will help me move. I'm 67 years old. I'm alone in this house. I will be alone in  the new apartment. I'm not sure I like being along, but I don't want anyone except myself to in the studio apartment with me.

I don't want a pet because I'm not sure I'm ready to take care of one. I have five pet rocks and those don't take any effort to care for. I don't need to feed, water, walk, or change their litter box. The only thing I can do with my pet rocks is talk to them and they don't talk back. It's comforting to have something to talk to that doesn't talk back, but sometimes I would like to have someone with whom I can carry on a philosophical conversation.

Sometime I would like to have someone in my life that I could hand one of my poems or stories to read. I would like someone who can give me feedback without giving me grief. My pet rocks don't give me grief, but they don't give me feedback either. I can't give them a store to read and review while I'm sitting in the same room watching their faces. My pet rocks don't have faces, they are just ordinary rocks that for some unknown reason I have collected and keep on my computer desk.

Midweek Reflections: Can a person get too tired to write?

I'm tired, weary, and worn out, but am I too tired to write? Can I get too  tired to write? I'm not sure. I know I can get  too tired  to  think; however, sometimes I don't need to think  to write. If I'm doing a free write, I don't have to think I just have to write.

A free write is used to come up with ideas or to discover my mind's, or rather my subconscious, hidden fears. To do this I don't need to think and usually I don't want to think because thinking interferes with the flow of this type of writing.

A free write is usually a first draft, so I don't have to worry about grammar or spelling (all though I like to spell the words as accurately as possible). I have to admit that  sometimes my spelling and grammar can be atrocious or creative depending on your point of view. The problem with creative spelling is that when I'm rereading the item, I wonder what word I intended.

This afternoon, I'm tired and my back hurts. I haven't accomplished as much around  the house or on my writing project as I'd like. I do have a trash bag of stuff to carry to the garage after the garbage trucked have picked up the trash. I also finished packing the cups,  cutlery, and dishes I want to take with me, but I have to finish the living room. I also need to check some of the stuff in  the dining room so that I don't forget anything when I'm ready to move.

Right now, I'd like to go to sleep and I don't have time to do that. If I sit or lay down on  the couch for a nap then I'll sleep too long and won't get anything else accomplished today. I can't lay down, so I think I'll go take a shower and that might wake me up. Since the house is chilly, and I don't intend to turn the heat up, I should wake up fairly quickly.

Getting Old Isn't for Wimps

I'm 67 years old, so I can state with some authority the "Getting old is not for wimps!" I even wrote a poem about it a couple of years ago when I was only 65 years old. Today, I got another reminder of this statement while I cleaned off one of the computer desk I'm taking with me  to my new studio apartment.

I had planned to take all three desk with me, until I saw the apartment and realized that I might (if I'm lucky) be able to fit two desk, the television with its stand, and a love seat in without too much difficulty. I'm taking both computers and the printer with me, so I need only two desks. I suppose I could take all three and put the television on one, but I don't think the desk would fit the place where I want to put  the television (I'll be fortunate to fit the television and stand in that location.

I still have to finish cleaning the desk off, but I thought I would make this entry while I was  thinking about it. I'm also taking a short rest because of all the walking and standing I had to do while cleaning off the desk. I did, however, get most of the desk cleaned off and I will finish the rest of it before I take another short rest and do more work online.

This experience of downsizing and moving is going to go into a short story of at least, 2,000 words. I'm not going to let this horror remain unwritten. All though, by the time I start writing it (when I get to the new apartment) I may find it funny and write a comedy piece about it.

Writing on a Cloudy Afternoon in January

The clouds have rolled in again,
hiding the morning's
beautiful blue sky.

I'm not sure when the clouds began to gather, I know I didn't see any when I took the trash to the garage about 11:30 am. I looked out  my the living room window and say them reflecting white in the afternoon sun. I still have a lot of work to do and trash to take out this afternoon. I'm going hoping to move into the new apartment sometime this week. I want to get moved in, I know  that I shouldn't be impatient, but for some reason I'm antsy and feeling stressed this afternoon.

Is it God's will
this delay in moving
or is there something
I still have to do here?

I'm going to post this and then take some more trash to the garage. I'm using the small plastic bags I get with the groceries, so the t rash can isn't half full yet. I like to use those because I can fill them up quickly and take them out immediately. I don't like the big bags because I feel guilty when I don't fill them up. The large trash bags are for families and not single people living alone.

Looking forward
to a new Las Vegas address
and meeting new neighbors.

No More Afternoon Naps

This morning I logged into writing.com without difficulty, but then I got sleepy and decided to take a short afternoon nap. Now when I need to get back on, I my computer is having difficulty accessing the website. I'm not sure what's wrong because there was not problem this morning. It could be weather related, I checked weather.com and they're dealing with some extremely cold weather back east.

According to weather.com, the temperature in New York city is approximately 27 degrees, while the temperature in Las Vegas is 59 degrees Fahrenheit. I know that here in Las Vegas the cold weather will interrupt my Internet connection, so there is a good possibility that's happening with the connection between here (in Las Vegas) and the East Coast. This is, of course, my own fault because I should know better then to wait until the last minute to finish any writing project or any project for that matter.

I'll keep trying to access that website  the rest of the night, since I'm not planning to go any place tomorrow I can stay up all night (if necessary). It may be necessary because I have to finish a project and post it sometime before noon Eastern Standard Time. Every time I attempt to access the website, my browser indicates it's connecting with the website, but then it either just does nothing or gives me a problem loading.

I'm going to post this and try accessing the website on my other computer. It uses a different browser then the one I'm on now. I don' t know why the the browser would make a difference in loading the website, but there I guess there could be.

Writing After Coffee

I finished the fresh coffee I made  this morning and I'm ready to brew another carafe. I'm not sure it's a good idea, but since coffee is one of the few things I can drink without worrying about the too much about the potassium level I'll go ahead and brew another carafe.

I checked my potassium level chart, which tells me that an 8 oz. cup of coffee has 128 milligrams (mg.) of potassium in it. An 8 oz. cup of black tea has 86 mg. of potassium, so I may change over to black tea after I finish drinking the first few cups of coffee each morning. I'll have to purchase some black tea the next time I go to the store because all I have in the house is herb teas and I don't  know how much potassium each of those contain.

Writing after coffee
my muse is awake and working
her little wings off;
perhaps I should switch  to black tea:
I wonder how it tastes with chocolate?

Now that I have to watch more then just fiber in my diet, my brain is becoming more active.  It has to become more active because I have to remember to check not only the fiber content of anything purchase, but the potassium content as well. Oh well, nobody ever said getting old was easy. I think someone did say that "Getting old isn't for wimps."

Writing and Technical Difficulties

I had a few modem technical difficulties this morning, but I did learn one thing that may help me in the future. My modem has a backup battery, which keeps some of the lights on when it doesn't want to work on cloudy days. I'm not sure why, but two or three cloudy days in a row cause my modem to tiptoe of into Internet Never Never Land. Normally, I can manually reboot it without calling in technical support.

That wasn't the case this morning, after attempting to reboot it without any luck I called the tech support line.  They weren't  getting any signal from my modem, so she had me take the battery out. After I put the battery back in the modem and router worked just fine. However, the time spent talking to the tech cost me writing time and phone minutes. I haven't checked my cellphone provider's website to see how many minutes the whole thing cost me because it was worth the price to get back online and let my cable provider know where I will be moving.

I thought the apartment was cable ready, but I could be wrong. The technician I talked to couldn't find the address or the apartment number, so she put in a request to see if it was cable ready. I don't know what I'll do if it isn't, but I will deal with that situation if or when I encounter it. I have too much to do this weekend to get ready to move in by either January 28 or January 31, depending on when the money for the security and cleaning deposit arrive. Oh well, it's these little unknowns that make life interesting.

Writing with Coffee

This morning, I have a cup of hot black coffee sitting on a wooden television stand beside my computer desk. I keep a T.V. stand beside the desk because I don't dare sit coffee on the same desk as the computer. This way, if I accidentally spill coffee or any other beverage I happen to be drinking while I'm working it isn't spill on the computer.

A hot cup of coffee
awakens my muse
and encourages
my winter cold fingers
to type.

It's easier to think while I'm sipping coffee because it allows me a few minutes to contemplate what I'm going to write next. I can take a sip of the hot dark ambrosia and stare at the screen while I savor the smooth flavor of the coffee. After I place my cup back on t he stand and swallow the coffee then I can get right back to typing with any difficulties.

Writing with coffee;
 feeling the hot liquid
warming my mouth
and flowing down my throat...
Life is good!

Uncover Your Okinawa: Live Like a Local

Grant Schuman, famous Canadian you-tuber, travels around Okinawa enjoying the local Okinawa. Click on the video below to see what he finds.

Writing Before Drinking my First Cup of Coffee

I'm writing this
before brewing a fresh carafe,
before taking a sip from my first
cup of coffee.

It's Wednesday, January 22, 2014, I ignored the alarm this morning, which caused me to take my thyroid medication later then usual. Since I didn't take the Levothyroxine before 6:10 am, I can't have breakfast or drink coffee before 7:10. I attempted to put off writing before brewing the coffee, but it only takes a few minutes to put in a load of laundry. Now I have to do something while the laundry washes and this morning that something is writing or checking my e-mail boxes.

I logged into writing.com to check my e-mail and discovered this week's editions of the newsletters. After a few minutes contemplation, I decided I would rather write then get involved in a newsletter while waiting for the washing machine to go through a wash and rinse cycle. It's about 7:05, the washer just finished so I put the clothes in the dryer, while I was in the kitchen-laundry room I also put  the coffee on to brew.

I'm going to have to stop writing before I've had my first cup of coffee because my muse doesn't wake up until I take my first sip of fresh brewed Folger© Black Silk Coffee. I can smell the coffee, therefore, I'm going to post this and pour myself a cup.

Take a pen and paper journal when you go to the doctor's office

This morning, at 9:10 am, I had an appointment with a liver specialist. I was supposed to get there at 8:40 am, so that I could get the paperwork completed (I already did part of the paperwork at home, but there is always more paperwork the first time you go to a new doctor). Anyway, I arrive at 8:30 am and the receptionist took me to her desk so that I could sign papers and she could put stuff in her computer.

After the receptionist and I finished, I went into the waiting room for my appointment. I took out my pen and paper journal to make an entry because I figured it would be a while. However, the doctor's nurse got me right into the examination room (after weighing me), where she took my blood pressure. The doctor was running late (which, from my experience, is a normal occurrence in all doctor's offices). While I waited for the doctor, I finished the entry I started in the waiting room and then read the handout about liver function (quite an educational and fascinating piece of information).

I discussed my liver function with the doctor and found out its functioning at about 50% of normal. I found out that there isn't anything that can be done to restore the lost function, but that, with exercise and the proper diet, I can take some action to assist its function. I have to go back to his office in February for a blood test and then a followup in March. I also have to have an ultrasound (which I'm looking forward to receiving since it's a new experience).

I always carry a pen and paper journal with me to a doctor's appointment because it helps pass the time, especially since when none of the magazines in the offices interest me. I prefer to read things that have nothing to do with sports, entertainment, or anything else that's normally in doctor's waiting rooms. I also carry a book to read in case I can't think of anything to write in my journal.

Sunday Morning Senryu

Stand in the sunshine
feel the rays of God's beauty
penetrate your soul.

Moving Forward

I'm not sure how I feel this morning. I want to move forward. I want to move out of this house into a smaller place, but I'm having second thoughts about the studio apartment. It's small and there isn't enough room for everything I want to take. I don't think I'll be able to take the bookcase or very many of my books, so I'm either going to have  to put them in storage or give them away.

one day at a time
I move forward but look back
I need to focus

I'm planning on remaining in the apartment for at least six months, which means a complete change in my routine. Since  there is no washer or dryer in the apartment or the apartment building, I'll have to stop doing laundry every day and decide on a laundry day and go to the laundromat. This is another expense to my already tight budget, I'm worried, but I don't think it's anything I can't handle with a little creativity and ingenuity.

one day at a time
I move into tomorrow
yesterday is past

Right now I feel as if I'm stuck and not moving forward. It's as if I'm in the calm eye of a story waiting for the winds to pick up and carry me off into the unknown. I'm nervous (which is normal) and I can't see beyond the darkness of  the surrounding clouds. The problems is, that I didn't think moving forward and getting on with my life after Mom died would be so difficulty or take so long.

one day at a time
I move into the unknown
a new adventure

Earth Day 2014 is Tuesday, April 22

When I checked my inbox this morning, I found the Earth Day Network newsletter waiting for me. It contained information about the Earth Day 2014 theme, which is Green Cities. According to the newsletter, over half of Earth's population lives in cities. This means that the urban areas are growing and the side effect of this growth is that climate change worsens.That is why we need to make it a priority to power our cities with renewable energy.

We can no longer put off the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. We have to start looking at the way we power our homes and business because the future of humanity, of our children and their lively-hood are at stake. We need to begin implementing "green practices" in our lives and in our building codes. As an individual, I am not sure how I can do this, but I intend to find out.

One of the things I plan to do very the next three months is to write poems and stories concerning the subject of climate change, renewable energy, and "green cities". I know that there are other things I can do and I have to find out what "other things" I can do. If you would like more information on the Earth Day Network's Green Cities campaign, please click on the above links.

Thoughts about a Lost Writing day

Yesterday, January 15, was a lost writing day. I wrote only 100 words  toward my daily writing goal of 2,000 words. I didn't get started writing on Wednesday morning and, as a results, I didn't  get  much of any thing written. I didn't get any work accomplished in the house either, which means I have a lot  to catchup today and tomorrow. I would like to catchup because on Saturday, I have to get my car tag renewed, which will probably take all day (if I'm unlucky).

a lost writing day
very little accomplished
I could kick myself

All right, it's impossible for me to literally kick myself; especially with the osteoarthritis in my knees. However, I feel like kicking myself because I have so much work to do today. I'm going to see what I can accomplish t his morning both with writing and housework. I just  finished drying some clothes, so now I have to go see what I can fix myself  to eat. I'm hunger, but I don't know what I want eat. I have two chocolate chip cookies to eat , so I'll get  myself another cup of coffee to go with those and then decided between oatmeal or a chicken sandwich.

a lost writing day
throws off the rest  of the week
throws off my housework

Tuesday Morning Thoughts: There is Something about Mondays

There's something about Mondays
that make writing difficult,
but not impossible.

I didn't make my word count goal yesterday, in fact, I fell short by 848 words. As I look back over the day, I know part or most of the reason was worry. True, I had people in the house all morning and it's difficult to write when you have company.

I also went to the grocery store on Monday afternoon to pick up my LEVOTHROXINE prescription, which was faxed to the doctor over a week ago. I had to call my doctor's office myself yesterday morning to find out  the problem. The office fax it "again" and I picked up the filled prescription in the afternoon.

I'm less worried today
and not as tired,
was weariness
and worry the cause
of writer's block.

Did being off the prescription for six or seven days cause the excess worry and weariness? I know that it caused to be hungrier then normal. I took the pill this morning at 5:10, so now I can fix me something to eat. I also think I'll set the alarm back to 4:00 am, so that I can take the table when the alarm goes off and then be able to eat about 5:00 or 6:00 instead of having to wait  until 6:00 or 7:00 am.

Writing Poetry

Sometimes
writing poetry is difficult
especially when
weariness and worry
over take my muse.

Tonight
I listen to the washing machine
going through
the spin cycle and remember
that prayer
is like the wash cycle
it cleans the worry from
my mind.

I smile
whispering a prayer of gratitude
and refocusing
my thought on trusting God
even in
the most difficult situation.

Creative Saturday: A Long Weary Morning

A long weary morning,
with lost to do,
but no energy to do it.

Waiting for a prescription,
I need,
that my doctor didn't call in;
perhaps that's why
I'm so  tired.

A long weary morning,
with clouds
decorating the partly sunny sky,
but I'm chilly,

I want to curl up under a blanket
and I don't to do that;
I need the prescription
not the blankets.

Thing I will Miss about this house and neighborhood when I move

When I move I will miss...

1. ...the sound of the neighbor's Harley as he rides it to work in the morning;

2. ...the song of the nightingale nesting in the neighbor's oak tree;

3. ...the sound of the neighbor's little dog barking when he is disturbed by something;

4. ...looking out the kitchen window and watching the neighbor's cat sunning itself on the stones of the patio.

5. ...the golden cast that dawn gives to the bark of the pine tree in the front yard;

6. ...rolling the trashcan to the curb on Wednesday and Saturday mornings;

7. ...the beauty of the neighbor's oak tree in autumn;

8. ...looking out my window and watching the neighbor's children walk to school;

9. ...the weird noises that the appliances in the house make;

10. ...the silence that seems to settle in the house each evening around 7:00 pm.

Thankful Thursday: A Writer's Gratitude

Today, Thursday, January 9, 2012, I am grateful...

1. ...for the sound of the clothes dryer as it drys my clothes. It is an old dryer, so it makes some very interesting noises as it drys the clothes.

2. ...for the native American medicine pouch an old friend made me. My friend dies three or four years ago, so this is a linking abject and I remember him each time I open it.

3. ...that I found my Mother's pink prayer beads because they are a linking object. I have been using my Mother's prayer beads when I chant.

4. ...that I can make hot chocolate with powered milk and Ovaltine©. The chocolate makes the dry milk taste better.

5. ...for my pen and paper journal because I can write in it when I cannot get on the computer. I may be using the journal a lot in the next few weeks.

6. ...that I changed my alarm from 4:00 am to 5:00 am because it's easier to get up at 5:00 am.

7. ...that I have three warm blankets and several sheet to put over me when I sleep because I've got the heat turned off to save on the power bill.

8. ...for the ability to write a poem about each of the items on this list. I just have to find a starting word, sentence, or phrase.

9. ...that I have three trashcans to put the trash in because I'm going to need them this weekend because I want to have everything packed up I'm taking with me.

10. ,,,that I still have a connection to the internet.

Midweek Reflections: Writing ideas

coffeemaker broke
stopped working in mid-cycle
no more fresh coffee

I wrote “Eulogy to My Coffeemaker” as an update to my Facebook status this morning, but I think I will expand on the poem or make it into a short story. Another idea for writing is “What do I believe: A statement of Faith”, I idea got when reading the writing.com spiritual newsletter this morning.

writing what I know
incorporated into
poems flash fiction

I wonder what else I can use for writing ides. I could write a rant about having to wash dishes by hand instead of putting them into a dishwasher. I know that washing them by hand is more eco-friendly and I know it is more enjoyable, especially in wintertime when the hot water warms your hands. However, I think that using a dishwasher if healthier because you can get the water hotter in a dishwasher. That could also be a good idea for an article.

Another good idea would be about taking a hot shower on a cold morning. I do not think it is as cold as I feel. I have not checked the temperature, but when I took some trash to the garage, it felt warmer then I thought. Maybe I will write a story or poem about the weather.

Meet the Locals in the Bar

Here is another “Meet the Locals” Video. Click on this video to see Okinawa where the locals are extra caring and friendly. This is another video showing the reactions of people in tourist cities around the world the questions and favors asked by tourist. Click on the video below and watch.

My first Breakfast on Tuesday morning

For my first breakfast (yes, I follow the Hobbit custom of two breakfasts) I fixed mashed potatoes and carrots. I peeled four potatoes and put a small bag of carrots in a medium sized casserole dish. Then I added ¾ cup of beef broth and cinnamon to taste.

After putting everything in the dish, I put the dish in the microwave and cooked it for fifteen minutes (set the timer for five minutes at a time). I don’t know why it took the potatoes and carrots so long to cook, perhaps I need to consider purchasing a new microwave when I move.

potatoes carrots
a good breakfast on Tuesday
maybe fish later

Meet the Locals on the Street

The locals, in all the tourist sites across the world, are friendly and kind. However, in Okinawa they are extra kind and friendly. In fact, they have a saying “ICHARIBA-CHO-DE” that means, “meet once and we become like family”. Check out the video below showing an experiment conducted in various tourist cities around the world. In this video local people were ask questions and for favors so watch the video to see their reactions. Click on the video below and watch the short version of the “Meet the Locals”.

Don’t Judge a Year or a Month by the way it starts out

Don’t judge a year or a month by the way it begins because it could start out good and turn sour within a week. Alternatively, it could start out bad and turn out good. Right now, all I can see is darkness and misery, but last week I thought 2014 looked like it was going to be a good year. It could still turn out to be a good year, so I shouldn’t give up.

I need to keep my hope up; however, hope doesn’t appear to be on the horizon. Things look bleak and the only thing I can do about it now is write, at least, as long as I have electricity. The way it looks right now, I will have electricity for the next ten day and after that, the power goes off because of lack of payment. I know I shouldn’t look at the worst because I’ve been fighting this same battle for over a year.

I know that the money always comes with the help of family or friends. I also know that they are probably getting tired of me asking for help with the power bill. I’m tired of having to ask for help with the power bill. I’m tired of keeping the heat turned so low that it doesn’t come on so I can keep the power bill down.

Keeping the heat off doesn’t seem to help with the power bill. The only result of keeping it turned off is me being cold. I’m tired of being cold. I’m tired of worrying about the power bill. I’m tired of ranting because of the cold and the power bill. The only thing I’m not tired off is writing. I’m going to end this entry now because the only thing I want to do is cry and I can’t cry and write at the same time.

A Bright and Beautiful Saturday in Las Vegas

The sun is shining
on the naked limbs
of the neighbors’ oak trees
and on the dying pine
in my front yard.

It’s a bright
and beautiful Saturday afternoon
in Las Vegas;
a good time to walk
in the late winter sunshine.

It’s a good time
to be happy and celebrate
the optional
of a fresh New Year.

It’s a good time to laugh,
a good time to sing,
a good time to do anything
except sit in the house
and cry.

This afternoon I want to cry and I know why I want to cry. I’m tired of wanting and waiting, but I’m not sure what to do other then wait for the call. I’m waiting for news that my name is at the top of a waiting list and an apartment is ready for me to move in.

Perhaps I’m being too impatient, but I think I’ve been patient long enough. It’s a New Year. I want a new place to live. I want to feel (even if it isn’t true) that I have a little control over my life. I don’t know what to do except write, throw or give stuff away.

It’s a beautiful Saturday in Las Vegas
and I feel
as if I’m floating
in limbo.

Changes in my writing habits in 2014

It’s three days into the New Year and I’ve decided to make some changes to the way I compose blog entries. Before my mother was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2009, I composed all my blog entries off line in a MS Word^© document. However, around the time of Mom’s diagnose I changed to composing my entries online in the blog.

I have decided to go back to composing these entries off line in a MS Word^© because the grammar and spell check catch most of the issues I have with grammar and spelling. This way I can handle the issues and learn something at the same time. It’s also easier to do a word count this way, which helps with my daily word count goal.

The last change I’m making to the way I write and do blog entries in 2014 is to write every-other-day blog entries. There, of course, will be exceptions to this because sometimes I will need to make more then one blog entry in a day or I may have to skip a day because of unforeseen circumstances. However, overall, I will stick to the every-other-day schedule for both Poet 999 Thought about Writing and Other Stuff and Poet 999 – A Butterfly Emerges from Her Cocoon.

Thankful Thursday: On the first Thankful Thursday of 2014

On the first Thankful Thursday of 2014, I am grateful...

1. ...for the blessing of Facebook because it keeps me in touch with extended family member and old friends;
2. ...for the freshly ground Kona coffee blend I am sipping this morning and the realization that I need to sit my coffee grinder to a finer grind;
3. ...for the soft pink clouds I see as I look out the living room window because they foretell the rising of the sun over Sunrise Mountain;
4. ...that I got out of bed this morning without a lot of knee pain;
5. ...for writing.com and a portfolio where I can store my written work;
6. ...for Soulpancake where I can go to look at interesting videos and find ideas for writing;
7. ...for Youtube where I can go to look at more interesting videos;
8. ...that it is a beautiful partly cloudy morning in Las Vegas;
9. ...for the delicious pacific cod and black eyed peas I ate on New Year's Day;
10. ...for the Revelation of Baha'u'llah and the inspiration I receive from reading and meditating on the Baha'i scriptures.

Midweek Reflections on Writing in the New Year

It's January 1 and the beginning of a new writing year. Last year, in 2013, I had difficulty accomplishing my word count consistently. Therefore, I kept the daily word count goal at 2,000 words per day for the first quarter of 2014.  If I am consistent in accomplishing that goal, I will raise it to 2,500 word per day on or around March 21.

So far this week, I have accomplished that goal for the previous three day. It's still a little early in the day to say whether or not I've accomplished the goal. It was not easy accomplishing it for the past three day, so I may not have an easy time of it today. However, I'm determined to do it.

Lately, I seem to have difficulty finding subjects to write about, but it's too early in the year to say if this is a chronic problem or just a passing hiccup. I should know that by the end of January or the middle of February. If I do have problems finding themes or subjects then I have to websites that I can check for subjects.

The first is writing.com where my portfolio is stored. The second is Soulpancake where I can find numerous ideas for essays, poems, or even short stories. I'm looking forward to looking at both those website more this year then every before. Please check those website and join or subscribe.