Success Saturday: Look back over the week

Success Saturday
I wrote something everyday
Reviewed everyday

That senryu explains the writing  part of my week.  I washed my new storage containers, so now I can use them and I do not have to worry what I am going to do with leftovers. I am single and I live alone, however, I never learned how to cook for one. In addition, it is difficult to purchase food in a grocery store for one because everything is focused toward families.

Thoughtful Thursday: Reviewing

It is Thursday, May 29, and there are two more day remaining in this month. I am at home today, reviewing stories, articles, and essays on writing.com. Despite the fact that I have laundry to do, I may stay home tomorrow and review more items on writing.com because I am participating in a contest that requires reviews of 1,000 plus characters.

I am used to writing reviews of 250 to 500 characters, so this contest is a stretch for me. I had a bit of trouble the fist seven days in May because I was not used to writing long reviews. However, now that I have gotten used to the process and know how to go about it I am enjoying writing the long reviews. Of course, I have not written a long review for a poem yet because it is easier to write long reviews for longer items.

This contest ends on Saturday, May 31, so I can go to the laundromat on Sunday. Normally, I would go during the week, but I have decided to use the reviews and the triple digit temperatures in Las Vegas as an excuse not to get out in the heat.  I know I will eventually have to do both, but right now I am going to review until Sunday and then I will decide whether to go to the laundromat or to the Mall. I may just put the laundry off until Monday and go to a nice cool Mall on Sunday. In the mean time, I will continue reviewing as much as I can.

Time-Out Tuesday: No Time-Out for Me this Week

It is Tuesday afternoon and it is too warm outside to do anything except remain indoors in a cool area. Monday was the first triple digit day this year, I believe the temperature got up to 103 degrees. Yesterday, morning was not too warm, so instead of going to a Memorial Day service I went grocery shopping. I had to purchase a few things to put in the fridge before it got too warm to go shopping.

According to the weather report on the News 3 website it is about 100 degrees now and it is supposed to get up to 103 by 3:00 pm. Therefore, I am not taking time-out to do anything that requires me to be outside for long  periods of time. I still have to do the laundry, but I think I will do that early Wednesday or Thursday morning about 7:00 pr 7:00 am because I do not want to get out in the heat of the day.

I have plenty to eat, but I think I will use the microwave so I do not have to use the stove or the electric fry pan. At least those are my plans at this moment, I could always change my mind, which I have been doing a lot lately. I decide to do one thing and then when it comes time to do it, I do something else instead.

The problem with taking time-out inside my apartment is housework. If I take time off of writing then I have to do housework or visa versa. I think as soon as I get used to the idea of the triple digit temperatures then I will be all right, as long as I avoid going out in the heat of the day as much as possible.

Sunday Review: Super Summer Theatre

It is summer in Las Vegas and time for the Super Summer Theatre to begin performances. The shows this year are Monty Pythons Spamalot,  June 11-28, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, July 9-26,  Shrek the Musical, August 6-23, and Arsenic & Old Lace, September 4-20.

The Super Summer Theatre performances take place at the Spring Mountain Ranch, 6375 Highway 159, which is ten miles west of 1-215 on Charleston. For more information visit the Super Summer Theatre website.

Fiction Friday: Since I Cannot Focus on a Story I Will Write a Poem for Luck Penny Day

It is Fiction Friday, which means this entry should contain a story. Unfortunately, my muse or my mind cannot focus because my thinking is slow this morning. I suspect this comes form the fact that I did not get to sleep until 1:30 or 2:00 am. The only explanation I can deduce is that I had too many sweets when I went to the Holy Day celebration at the Baha'i Center last night. Either that or I was too excited  to sleep because a friend gave me the book Harley-Davidson 100 Years. It really does not matter why I could not sleep just that I was unable to sleep.

Lucky Penny Day
pick up the next penny
with heads up for luck.

All right, that probably is not the greatest senyru, but it just came off the top of my head so I probably needs a bit of rewriting. Maybe I should write a Harley-Davidson poem instead. Unfortunately, I just seem to stare at the screen without any idea about how to start. Perhaps I need a little more caffeine or something more to eat then Hostess Twinkies for breakfast.

Thoughtful Thursday: Iced Teatime

In late spring or early summer I begin thinking about making iced tea. I remember my Grandma Mary made iced tea by boiling water in a teakettle, pouring it over several teabags and waiting for it to steep. Then she would put it in a glass pitcher,  then add water, lemon, and sugar before placing it in the refrigerator to get cold. When she thought the tea was cold enough, she would put ice cubes in a tall glass and pour the tea over it.

I make iced tea by placing five small round teabags either in the carafe or the basket of my coffeemaker. Next I put water in the reservoir, plug the coffeemaker's electrical cord into the socket, and turn the machine on. and wait for the water to run through. I then put ice cubes in my tall portable coffee container and pour the tea over the ice cubes. I sometimes add lemon, but never sugar because if I want sweet tea I prefer honey.

Summer iced teatime
when the cold unsweetened tea
makes a pleasant day

Monday Matters: Monday Morning in Las Vegas

I woke up, set up on the love seat, checked the time on my cellphone (2:50 am), pulled my security blanket over my head, recited my morning prayer, and mediated. I got off the love seat at 3:25, took my thyroid medication, brewed a fresh carafe of coffee, and turned off the alarm on my cellphone at 4:00. I then turned on the computer, opened Google and found that today is the fortieth anniversary  of the Rubik's Cube. After that I logged into writing.com to check the e-mail and respond to whatever needed a response. I then checked my Facebook account and updated my status for today.

As I set here, sipping a cup of iced coffee, my mind goes back to the first Rubik's Cube I got. I received this toy sometime between 1974 (when it was invented) and 1980 (when it was named toy of the year). I enjoyed playing with it in my spare time because it kept my hands and mind busy, something I have to do otherwise I fantasize. I do not know what happened to my Rubik's Cube, it got lost in one of my many moves. It could still be somewhere in Oklahoma waiting for me or someone else to find and play with it.

Maybe my Rubik's Cube is on the Island of Lost Toys patiently or impatiently waiting for someone to find it. That would make a good plot for a short story. I think a good title would be Where in the Word is My Rubik's Cube? Next time I go to the mall, I need to stop at a toy or game store and see if I can find a Rubik's Cube.

Success Saturday: What Did I Accomplish during the Week of May 11 to May 17, 2014?

What did I accomplish during the week of May 11 to May 17, 2014? My negative thoughts want me to writing Nothing Accomplished, however, that is not true because I entered one contest on writing.com and created several blog entries. I did not work on any stories last week except one I put in my writing.com blog, so I have to change that next week.

I achieved my review goal on writing.com. I also managed to achieve my word count goal five days out of seven. This coming week I will change my focus to writing and editing rather then simply word count because I have a tendency to get lazy by responding only to blog prompts and some of the prompts have nothing to do with stories. Most of the prompts are daily slice-of-life writing, which I need to do, but in essays rather then blog prompts.

Another thing I accomplished was setting a schedule for making entries in this blog. At this point, the schedule is every-other-day unless I get an ad or video opportunity. In which case, I may write an entry everyday. I also succeeded in writing down the daily themes and the schedule for entries rather then relying on my memory. Memory, like technology, is wonderful when it works properly.

LG: The world’s first 34-inch IPS UltraWide QHD Monitor

Click on the video below to learn more about the LG 34-inch IPS UltraWide QHD Monitor and find out how this monitor can increase productivity.

Another Double Digit Day in Las Vegas

I am looking forward to
another double digit day in Las Vegas;
a beautiful cloudless day
without summer's triple digit temperatures
I wonder how long this will last.

I am looking forward to
enjoying another double digit day
without worrying about
turning on the cool air until
later this afternoon.

LG releases world’s first 34-inch IPS UltraWide QHD Monitor

For me more desktop real estate is a recurring dream. My monitor is not big enough to let me view documents side-by-side, so I have to switch between windows when I need to work on more then two or three documents at the same time, which decreases my productivity. The new LG 34-inch IPS UltraWide QHD Monitor helps increase productivity because it allows you to look a documents side-by-side. Click on the video below to learn more about this monitor.

Thoughtful Thursday: On a Beautiful Thursday Morning in Las Vegas

On a beautiful Thursday morning in Las Vegas,
the sun cast dark shadows across neighborhood streets,
while I contemplate my day's activities.

On a beautiful Thursday morning in Las Vegas, I considered my options and decided not to go grocery shopping. Instead I have see what canned goods I have, so that I can figure out my menu for next week. I also have to finish a newsletter while completing a couple of other projects. I also have to call a prescription into the pharmacy because the pharmacist has to fax my doctor about the prescription. I have enough for a couple of days, so I hope I can pick it up either Friday or Saturday. In the meantime, I will make the grocery list and check the store's website for coupons I can download to my shopper's card.

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Time-Out Tuesday: Today I took time out to

Today I took time out to...

1. ...carry the trash to the alley and then stand under the oak tree in the courtyard, so that I could watch the wind blow through its leaves.

2. ...write in my Pen and Paper journal. I wrote a letter to my inspiration Baha'u'llah.

3. ...begin a Rondeau, which is a French poetry form, that address Mother Earth. I am not sure, as yet, what I am going to name the poem.

4. ...enjoy a large mug of iced coffee. Since I do not have any iced tea glasses, I have to drink my iced coffee out of a hot chocolate mug.

5. ...say a prayer of detachment which was revealed by the Bab.

6. ...post a haiku on Facebook.

7. ...stand in the sun and inhale the fresh air of Las Vegas.

8. ...wear my Harley-Davidson leather cap.

9. ...listen to the birds singing in the pine, elm, and palm trees.

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Sunday Review: My Memories of Mother's Day

I look back across the years
of memories
that bring joy and tears:
Mama is now in paradise
sitting beside the Tree of Life,
where she is celebrating Mother's Day
with those who proceeded her.

I look back across the years
of memories
that bring joy and tears:
I smile
remembering the things we used to do
on Mother's Day
and then I cry.

I look back across the years
of memories
that bring joy and tears:
I miss Mama so much,
and yet,
I cannot  cry
when I remember her gentle touch
as she wiped the tears
from my eyes
or her melodic voice
singing me to sleep with lullabies.

One Word Wednesday: Coupons

I received my springtime savings packed today from Smith's Food & Drug Store. The coupons in the packet are items I purchase on a regular basis, so I know I will use most or all of the coupons. I have to make sure I use them before July 20, 2014, which is sometimes difficulty to do because I do not carry the coupons with me all the time. Perhaps I should keep them in my purse or in the glove compartment of the car and that way I will always have them with me.

I also have Farmer's Market coupons which I have to use before June 30, 2014. I think I will go to that market on Monday. I have to be in that section of town to pick up my senior commodities allotment anyway, so I will not have to make a special trip and use extra gas. Living on a fixed income is difficult, but the coupons help. I just do not know what types of vegetables I want to get when I go, I suppose I should make a list, but when I go to a Farmer's Market I like to get things I normally do not purchase in the grocery store.

Cents and dollars off
On my favorite foods
Used to create recipes or make
Peanut butter sandwiches.
On Friday I go to the grocery store; I
Need eggs, salad dress, tea bags, and
Some baby whole carrots.

International Press Freedom Day Video

HUMO, an independent weekly, encourages and supports freedom of the press across the world. In this video, they take an article that was censored in China and found a way to get it to the people. Click on the video below to learn more about this.

Monday Matters: Maybe I should title This post Weird Monday

This is the second post,  for this blog, I have composed today. I created a post early this morning and published it, at least I thought I published it at the time. However, when I got back on-line to create this post, I found out I saved it as a draft. I do not know how I manged to do that and I am not sure I want to know. Sometimes it is better to let sleeping dragons lie  and get on with the process of writing.

This is not the post I intended to compose today. This morning I received another phone call from a telemarketer about health insurance. The woman gave me the same poppycock that the last  woman who called from that telemarketer gave me about not trying to sell me anything. She was trying to sell me heath insurance, which I do not qualify to purchase.

I am 67 years old, living on Social Security, and participating in Medicare. Even if I did qualify for whatever type of insurance she was trying to sell me, I probably could not afford it  without going into starvation mode. I got belligerent because she refused to let  me have a word in edgewise and then proceeded to explain why I knew I was not qualified.

She apologized and said "We will take your name off the list." I doubt that my name will get off any health insurance list because that is not how telemarketers work. More then likely what will happen is that this group will sell my name to someone else attempting to sell health insurance. I admit that does sound a bit weird and somewhat paranoid, but this is weird Monday and, not matter what day it is, one cannot be too paranoid when it comes to telemarketers.

As soon as I use "We will take your name off the list" in a story or poem I will be back to my normal, cheerful, and unbelligerent self. In the meantime, have a happy Weird Monday.

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Success Saturday: May 3, 2014

I successfully completed eight 1,000 character (letters) reviews on writing.com this week. I did those reviews over a two day period, but it put me behind on my reviewing goal because it is much harder to do the long reviews as opposed to shorter reviews.

I accomplished or exceeded my word count goal six days out of seven. I exceeded my submission goals to contests.

I do not have to do any more long reviews until May 9, so I am catching up on the journal prompts I did not respond to this week.

Thoughtful Thursday: The First Thankful Thursday in May 2014

What am I thinking today? It is the first day of May 2014 and I am remembering a game I played as a child in Vacation Bible School. This game consisted in everyone dancing around a Maypole, which was a tall post or poll put in the ground with long crepe paper ribbons. Each child took a ribbon and we went around the Maypole winding the ribbon around it. I am not sure what the reason for it was except to give us something to do during recess or to teach us about the different customs across Europe.

What am I thinking today? It is the first Thankful Thursday in May and I am thinking about writing a poem of gratitude for all the blessings I have received this year. I have so many things to put in this poem. One of the things I want to put in the poem is my gratitude for the Revelation of Baha'u'llah.

Gratitude is an attitude

Prayer in action

What am I thinking about today? It is the Eleventh Day of Ridvan and I am thinking about renewal. The theme of the Twelve Days of Ridvan is renewal. It is spring and nature is in the process of renewal. It is Ridvan and my faith is being renewed. This is the time of celebration and renewal. I am grateful for the chance to renew my faith.