Poet999's Thoughts about Writing and Other Stuff

Thankful Thursday: Dystopian Fiction

2012-02-02T13:20:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for
Dystopian Fiction and
Internet research

This week I am researching dystopian fiction because I am considering using this topic in my next writing.com fantasy newsletter, which is due for distribution on Wednesday, February 29, 2012. I have to get started researching ideas after immediately after the publication of one newsletter.

Groundhog Day: Thursday, February 02, 2012

2012-02-02T09:32:00.001-08:00

Punxsutawney Phil
Saw his shadow today so
Six more winter weeks

I have to admit, I am not looking forward to six more weeks of winter. Not that winter has been that cold in Las Vegas. We have had a very mild winter, so far. During the first two weeks of December we experienced freezing temperature, but other then that the weather has been nice.

Reflections on January Writing

2012-02-01T15:29:00.000-08:00

It is Wednesday, February 01, 2012. I had a bit of trouble posting everyday. I have no excuse. True January was a stressful and busy month, but that is no excuse to stop posting daily or every other day at least.

I managed to post every day to my writing.com blog. I participated in a 30-day blogging challenge, which required that I respond to prompts. I did not have any problem responding to prompts. The issue I encountered was planned topics and those are a bit different from prompts. Therefore, I will attempt prompts in February and see if I can post consistently.

Thankful Thursday: The Sunset in Las Vegas

2012-01-26T17:40:00.000-08:00

Today I am grateful for the clouds and the sunset. Mountains surround Las Vegas and today the clouds hung low over those jagged peaks. This evening the setting sun transformed the clouds into burning embers. It looked as if the mountains themselves were on fire.

Clouds burn without heat
Embers glow embers above mountains
Las Vegas sunset

Tuesday Research Topic: Poetry Forms

2012-01-24T12:48:00.000-08:00

This week, I am working with these poetry forms.

Sunday - Pi (Archimedes’ Poem) Title: “The letter X symbolizes the Unknown” posted in my writing.com portfolio under the contest Submissions folder. Pi (Archimedes’ Poem) is a 6-line poem that uses the important mathematical constants of Pi = 3.14286. Each line’s word count correlates to the number of pi. There is no rhyme or meter requirement. So the Poem according to Archimedes is built up in this way:
line 1: 3 words
line 2: 1 word
line 3: 4 words
line 4: 2 words
line 5: 8 words
line 6: 6 words.

Monday - Traditional Go Vat Title: “A Sock Dilemma” posted in my writing.com portfolio under the folder Contest Submissions. A Traditional Go Vat Poem that has at least two stanzas that are composed of three lines each, with eight syllables per line. The 1st two lines of each stanza rhyme. The last line of each stanza is a refrain either in whole or in part (the last word in the line). The rhyme scheme is a, a, B, a, a, B.

Tuesday - Burns Stanza AKA Standard Habbie Title: “First Contact” posted in my writing.com portfolio under the fold Contest Submissions. Burns Stanza AKA Standard Habbie consists of 6-line stanzas, with no stanza limit. The rhyme scheme is a, a, a, b, a, b and the syllabic structure is 8, 8, 8, 6, 8, 6.

Wednesday – Yama (not yet written). A Yama is composed of quatrain (4-line) stanzas, without stanza limits. Each line has six syllables, with a rhyme scheme of a, b, c, b …. The subject of this poem is death, grief, sorrow or simply a poem of loss and the poem must have a title.

Thursday – Sedoka (not yet written). A Sedoka is a 2-stanza poem with 3 lines each. The syllable count is 5, 7, 7 and 5, 7, 7. This poem addresses the same subject from different perspectives and does not rhyme.

Friday – Rubliw (not yet written). A Rubliw is a poem written as a message to someone, or group, or humanity. It is a monorhymed, with all the lines having the same rhyme. Its syllable structure is 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and is centered.

Saturday – Roundeley (not yet written). A Roundeley has no stanza limits, but must have at least two stanzas. Each stanza consists of four lines, with no specific syllable count. There is no restrictions on syllable count.

Please note that the source of my research this week is “A Poem a Day” contest on writing.com. Visit My Portfolio @ Writing.Com

Free-write Friday: Friday Morning and Evening Interruptions

2012-01-20T18:43:00.000-08:00

It’s Friday evening. This entry is a free-write, which means I just start writing about anything. Normally, a free-write covers several subjects, but this evening it will probably cover my day. In addition, it may not make any sense.

This morning I started to compose an entry for my other blog, but encountered interruptions. I did not get back to the entry until this evening. I forgot most of what I intended to say. I posted the entry anyway with a partial explanation.

I think I will handle next Friday’s entry differently. I am staring at the screen and wondering what to write next. I expect to encounter an interruption any minute. Lately interruptions cause me to forget the next sentence or paragraph.

I am going to end this free-write because I hear my mother crying. I have to go see if she will tell me the problem. Mom has Alzheimer’s disease, so sometimes she cries in the middle of the night.

Thankful Thursday: Today I am Thankful for the Internet

2012-01-19T13:59:00.000-08:00

I was born in 1946, before the Internet. I grew up without the Internet; I remember my parents and grandparents paying bills by writing a check and placing it in the mail. In order to pay the mortgage on time they had to put it in the mail a week or two before it was due.

When I pay the mortgage, I go online to the website of the bank that holds the mortgage and set up the payment to come out of the checking account on a specific day. I do the same with most of our monthly bills, which helps because I do not have to drive all over town or go to the post office to mail the checks.

I am thankful for the Internet because it keeps me connected and helps when I pay bills because I do not have to use gas to drive all over town. If it were not for the Internet, I would spend most of my weekdays driving all over Las Vegas. In addition, I can increase our household income by working online.

My mother has Alzheimer’s disease and I am her caregiver. As my mother’s caregiver I do not work outside the home, if it were not for the Internet I would not be able to work or to interact with others.

Website Wednesday: My Favorite Writer’s Website

2012-01-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

My favorite website is writing.com. The reason I like this website is the helpful reviews, the contests, the challenges, and the members. This month I am participating in a 30-Day blog Challenge. Each day the participants receive a prompt, which each one responds to and post in his or her blog.

Another reason I like this website is the free online portfolio each person receives when becoming a member. In addition, there are numerous writing tools and a full e-mail service. It is easy to share your work with other members and receive reviews.

Writing.com has been encouraging writers since 2000. Come and join the fun. While you are there Visit My Portfolio @ Writing.Com

Research Topics: Notes on Las Vegas and Nevada History Part 1

2012-01-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

The Las Vegas valley

1827 Jedediah Smith travel through the valley that was full of lush meadows
1829 Rafael Rivera named the valley “Las Vegas” which means “The Meadows”
1844 John C. Fremont established a fort in the Las Vegas valley

A change in plans

2012-01-17T07:20:00.000-08:00

I have attempted several times to have entries on specific themes for each day of the week. I am going to make another attempt this year. Some of the themes were Thankful Thursday, Website Wednesday, and Sunday Comics. I am keeping Thankful Thursday and Website Wednesday. To those I am adding Free-write Friday, Mundane Monday, Tuesday Research Topics, Weekly Writer’s Quote Saturday, and Poetry form of the week Sunday.

Some of those topics are familiar, so I may have planned to use them in the past. However, going through all my past blog entries is no an option at this time. The main goal is to write at least one 200-word entry everyday. I plan to post the entry between 12:01 AM and 11:59 PM, this will give me time to research, compose, proof read, and post the entry. It will also allow time for interruptions and a slow computer both of which I encounter on a daily basis.

Themes in chronological order

Poetry form of the week Sunday
Mundane Monday
Tuesday Research Topics
Website Wednesday
Thankful Thursday
Free-write Friday
Weekly Writer’s Quote Saturday

A crisp Monday in Las Vegas

2012-01-16T22:29:00.000-08:00

The wind chill factor
Makes driving in Las Vegas
Chilly and pleasant

I had an appointment with my primary care physician this morning. I need a coat walking from the house to the car or into the doctor’s office. While inside the car, I did not need the coat. This time of year, I never know whether to wear the heavy sky jacket or a light sweater.

Saturday afternoon clouds in Las Vegas

2012-01-15T14:44:00.000-08:00

White afternoon clouds
Reflecting the slow setting sun
Imitating snow

The late afternoon clouds reflect bright white sunlight. They remind me of snow. These are not rain clouds; they are just decorations against the deep blue afternoon sky.

Sunday Comic Memories from my childhood

2012-01-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

I remember sitting on my father’s lap while he read me the Sunday Comics. We sit at the kitchen table and he would read the comics aloud between sips of coffee. At the time, we lived on College Street in Blackwell, Oklahoma.

I remember watching Dad sip his coffee and wondering if the coffee tasted as good a it smelled. One Sunday morning, I decided I wanted to taste Dad’s coffee. I reached for the cup, but instead of picking it up I pulled it off the table and spilled it in Dad’s lap and mine.

The coffee was hot enough to burn. Mom and Dad rushed me to the hospital. I think at that time, the hospital in Blackwell was on College across from a grade school. At the hospital, the doctor took care of my burns and my parents took me home. This is all I remember about this incident, it did not stop me from wanting to drink coffee.

Walgreen Prescription Savings Club

2012-01-14T13:01:00.001-08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

In 2011, Walgreens attempted to negotiate a new contract with Express Scripts, Walgreens and Express Script so that they could continue as part of its provider network. These negotiations fell through and the contract ended on December 31, 2011. On January 1, 2012, all Walgreens pharmacies were no longer a part of Express Scripts provider network. As a results, patients covered by Express Scripts had to change pharmacies and drive further to have their prescriptions filled. Naturally, customers are not happy about this since they have to drive farther to find a pharmacy with less convenient hours and locations.

Walgreens is offering a Prescription Saving Club Walgreens Prescription Savings Club with a $5.00 annual membership for individuals and a $10.00 annual membership for families. The family membership covers spouses, dependents 22 years of age and younger, as well as pet. Those individuals or families who join this club receive discounts on prescription drugs.

The benefits include flu shots, diabetic supplies, nebulizers, and pet prescriptions. This club offers savings on all generic prescriptions, as well as, more then 8,000 brand-name medications. In addition, club members receive bonuses when purchasing Walgreens brand-name items and photo finishing.

Stay updated and support Walgreens by liking them on Walgreens on Facebook Facebook and following on Walgreens on Twitter Twitter.

Weekly Writer’s Quote: The role of a writer

2012-01-14T08:13:00.000-08:00

“The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but to say what we are unable to say.” ~ Anaïs Nin

The roll of a writer
is to speak for the voiceless and downtrodden multitude,
the disenfranchised components
of humanity.

This is the beginning of a new poem, with the working title “The Roll of a Writer”. I know there must be a better word then “components” and I will find that word when I finish the poem and begin the rewrite, but for now I am keeping the work in the first stanza.

The roll of a writer
is to wage peace,
while the armies of nations
stand ready to
wage war.

I am not sure how many stanzas this poem will have when completed. I think I want more then two because I have more to say on this subject. However, I am composing this entry while fixing breakfast for my Mother and me. The microwave just sounded, so I have to see if our breakfast is hot and ready to eat.

Thankful Thursday weather in Las Vegas

2012-01-12T11:30:00.001-08:00

Blue-sky sunshine clouds
Beautiful Las Vegas day
Gratitude weather

Today I am thankful for the weather. It is not too cold, so I can go outside without a heavy coat, which makes carrying trash to the garage a pleasant experience.

The Sunday Comics with Warmed over Coffee

2012-01-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

Microwave hot cup
Waits for me to take a sip
Reading the Comics

Garfield looking good
Holding a cup of coffee
Odie yips and barks

Amusing comics
Some make me laugh while others
Give me a chuckle

Blondie, Delbert, Zits
Garfield, Cul de Sac, Fox Trot
The Comics page 1

Baby Blues, Jump Start
Classic Peanuts, Mutts, Buckles
Get Fuzzy ... page 2

Page 3 and page 4
Pickles, Drabble, Marmaduke
Mother Goose and Grimm

Read Hi and Lois
Pearls before Swine, Bizarro
Then Grand Avenue

Read Argyle Sweater
The Family Circus, For
Better or for Worse

Read Do Gone Funny
Hagar the Horrible and
Then Over the Hedge

One Big Happy, Frank
And Earnest, Freshly Squeezed now
My coffee is gone

Form: Senryu group – a group of Senryu poems. Senryu a Japanese similar to the haiku, but with a different subject or theme. The senryu is a 3-lined unrhymed poem with a syllable count of 5-7-5 and the theme concerns humanity, the individual, or community.

Weekly Writer's Quote: My Self and My Own Time

2012-01-07T18:32:00.000-08:00

“The man who writes about himself and his own time is the only man who writes about all people and all times.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

I don’t like to write about myself, most of the time. I do write about my mother. Mom has Alzheimer’s disease and short-term memory issues. One of the results of this is that she forgets she ate and therefore, she wants to eat again about ten to thirty minutes after a meal. I have to admit this does make life interesting because on Saturday and Sunday, when she is home all day, she wants to eat all the time.

There is plenty of food in the house; the problem is finding something for her to eat that is low in dietary fiber (she is on a low fiber diet) and not fattening. Mom now weighs 130 lbs. When she began going to the Adult Daycare center last year she weighed 95 lbs.

I fixed a macaroni and spaghetti sauce for us this weekend. All right, I know its probably high in calories, but its supposed to be filling. At least, that is what I thought. I added a can of green beans and heated it in the microwave. Mom still wanted to eat again ten minutes after she finished eating two bowls of the macaroni. The food either was not as filling as I thought or Mom forgot she ate and this made her hunger again. Perhaps I should put this incident in a short story.

Morning Poem (A senryu)

2012-01-06T05:40:00.001-08:00

I wrote a poem
Before dawn scattered darkness
About prayer’s light

The senryu is a Japanese form similar to the haiku, but with a different subject or theme. The senryu is a 3-lined unrhymed poem with a syllable count of 5-7-5 and the theme concerns humanity, the individual, or community.

Reassessing one of my 2012 writing goals

2012-01-02T15:44:00.000-08:00

It’s Monday, January 02, 2012 and I am reassessing some of my writing goals. The goal I am reassessing is daily blog postings. I set daily word count goal for this blog at 200 words; I think I will lower that to 100 words or posting every other day.

It has been a long day. I am tired, so I think that has to do with the reassessment. I started out the day writing and doing laundry. The morning writing worked out well. Maybe I should start the day by posting to this blog first before I get tired. Once I get tired, I have difficulty focusing on a single subject.

I can do a free-write when I am tired without thinking, but when it comes to writing on a specific subject or theme I encounter problems. Before I give up the idea of writing a 200-word daily post to this blog, I will change attempt composing a post before doing anything else. I will try that for a week or so before changing my mind about this specific goal.

Sometimes morning writing is easier then afternoon or evening writing. At other times, it is easier for me to compose a post in the afternoon or evening. I will attempt morning post for a while, in addition, I need to figure out why my muse is more active at certain times of day then others.

Sunday Comics: Happy New Year

2012-01-01T15:04:00.000-08:00

Today I read all the Sunday Comics. Normally I read only the comics I like, but this is New Year’s Day and Sunday, so most of the comics have a New Year theme. The comic Cul de Sac brought up a superstition my Grandmother always followed on New Year’s Day. Grandma would never do laundry on January 1, because of that superstition.

In Garfield, the scales were lonely because no one wanted to know their weight after all the holiday food. The last time I used a scale the doctor weighed me and I noticed I had gained weight. I need to use my bathroom scales at home, then I would know if I gained or lost weight. That sounds like a good New Year’s resolution to me.

I enjoyed reading the Sunday Comics because most of them concerned New Year’s, New Year’s Day, or New Year’s resolutions. Over the Hedge covered the Mayan Calendar and the predicted end of the world. I find the discussion of the world ending on December 21, 2012 interesting and sometime amusing, but I do not think it will end. True, I do think some changes will occur this year, but the world will not end.

Weekly Writer’s Quote: Thoughts on a Perfectly Happy Childhood

2011-12-31T09:43:00.000-08:00

"Those of us who had a perfectly happy childhood should be able to sue for deprivation of literary royalties." ~ Chris Patten

I am not convinced there is such a thing as a “perfectly happy childhood”, any more then I am convinced that a “perfectly” unhappy childhood exists. Life and growing up is a combination of events that lead to happiness and unhappiness.

Happiness depends on an individual’s definition of the word. It depends upon the individual’s perception of an event occurring in one life. A person or writer can be happy despite the occurrences in his or her life. Unhappiness works the same way.

Whatever events occurred in a writer’s childhood, whether those events led to happiness or unhappiness, the author needs to attempt to incorporate then into his or her works. It does not matter whether the person is writing slices of life, romance, science fiction or fantasy, these the events and emotions give depth to the stories, novel, and poems. Even when the reader does not realize that, the writer is basing some of the items on his or her experiences.

New Resolutions (Goals) for a New Year – Part 2

2011-12-29T18:47:00.000-08:00

Only a couple of more days left in 2011. I have to finalize my goals (resolutions) for the coming year. In my last post, I mentioned one of my goals. I did not discuss my writing goals then. I have decided to continue the 2,000 words a day goal.

New Resolutions (Goals) for a New Year – Part 1

2011-12-27T12:21:00.000-08:00

As anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis knows, I prefer the term “goals” rather then “resolutions”. Other people prefer the term “resolutions” for goals set at the beginning of a New Year. While there is a slight difference, at least, when it comes to the definitions those terms appear interchangeable. Therefore, I am using the word “resolutions” to refer to my new goals for the coming year.

On December 24, 2011, I turned 65 and I am now eligible for Medicare. I joined a Medicare advantage plan with a nationally know health care provider. One of the advantages, to the plan I joined (besides cost) is a free gym membership. The first goal on my resolutions list is to join a gym.

I spoke to a customer care representative from my health care plan and she gave me the names of four local gyms to consider. The gym I chose must be close to my house, while I do have a working car; I do not want to drive very far for a weekly or bi-monthly workout. I have only two requirements for the gym. First, it must be close to my house. Second, it must have a pool.

To state the resolution concretely, in 2012 I will join a gym within 10 miles of my home that has a pool and will exercise a maximum of once a week and a minimum of twice a month.

A beautiful winter day in Las Vegas

2011-12-26T12:45:00.001-08:00

A bright morning sun
No breeze caressing the trees
A beautiful day

A microwave baked birthday cake

2011-12-24T11:42:00.000-08:00

Today is my birthday, so I baked myself a birthday cake. When I went to the store on Thursday, I bought a package chocolate cake mix and a can of chocolate frosting. This morning I mixed the cake and baked it. The cake only took eight minutes to cook in my microwave oven.

My other oven does not work. The only way I can bake is in the microwave. I can fix anything in the microwave. I have to be careful with some things so they do not burn, but I can cook anything with the proper preparation. Tomorrow I am going to attempt to make baked sweet potatoes with marshmallows.

A chocolate caked
In the microwave oven
Takes just eight minutes

A writing routine

2011-12-23T18:14:00.000-08:00

There are advantages to having a daily writing routine. The main advantage is accomplishment. If a writer has a regular routine, even if it is only writing between midnight and 1:00 AM, then he or she is completing a manuscript.

Winter in Las Vegas

2011-12-19T13:51:00.000-08:00

Snow in the mountains
In the city bright sunshine
In the air a chill

Today the sun is shining. Clouds and rain on Saturday and Sunday. On Mount Charleston snow. It is winter in Las Vegas. Outside the temperature is either pleasant or chilly depending on who you talk to. When I go outside, I wear a ski jacket and a long sleeve blouse or sweater, which prepares me the temperature. If it is too warm for the ski jacket then I can leave it in the car and the sweater will keep my arms warm.

It is winter in Las Vegas, so I write cold weather haiku. When summer comes, I will write hot weather haiku. My favorite seasons in Nevada are spring and fall because the weather is neither too hot nor too cold. If I have a choice I prefer the hot weather because it is easier to keep cool then it is to keep warm.

A daily poetry contest

2011-12-18T15:25:00.000-08:00

There is a daily poetry contest on writing.com called “A Poem a Day”. Each week prompts are posted for six days, while one day there are no prompts. The challenge for the participants is to write a poem about at least one of the prompts. One of the prompts is a poetry form.

The forms for this week are (1) Triolet, (2) Monotetra, (3) Balassi Stanza, (4) Le Sizain Hétérométrique, and (5) Candlelight Poem. The forms are challenging enough to push the poet and short enough to finish the poem in a single day. I want to attempt to enter the contest every day. This is the third or fourth week I have attempted this challenge. Even though the poems are short, sometimes it is difficult to write a poem every day.

The poems I write for the contest I post in my writing.com portfolio under Contest Submissions. The poem I wrote for today is a Triolet titled “A Cloudy Sunday Morning”. It rained in Las Vegas last night and early this morning. When I woke up, I washed some bed linen with the intention of hanging the sheets on the line; I had to change my plans. This was the inspiration for the poem.

Visit My Portfolio @ Writing.Com

Saturday Evening a week before my birthday

2011-12-17T16:24:00.001-08:00

A silent sunset
Brings to mind my next birthday
Christmas Eve baby

My birthday is next Saturday, December 24. Tonight I am remembering the birthdays of my childhood and growing nostalgic. At the time, I did not enjoy being a Christmas Eve baby. I wanted a birthday that did not fall on a holiday. Now I miss those birthday celebrations, I suppose age brings wisdom and nostalgia.

LG DoublePlay with a dual customizable screen

2011-12-15T19:00:00.001-08:00

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of LG DoublePlay™ for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

The LG DoublePlay, which is available exclusively through T-Mobile, has two displays which can operate together or independent of each other. The main display is a 3.5 inch screen while the second screen is 2.0 inches. The DoublePlay has a complete slide-out QWERTY and the ability to multitask. This feature gives you the ability to surf the web and update your Facebook page at the same time. In addition, the DoublePlay also has a video recorder and a camera. You can take pictures or capture video and share them using e-mail, Facebook, or messaging.

LG DoublePlay™

I send dozens of text messages a month with my present phone. However, the phone I have now will not let me e-mail or update my Facebook page. The new LG DoublePlay would give me the ability to take pictures and update my Facebook page. Now I take a picture of Mom and send it to each one of my brothers individually, but with the new LG DoublePlay I could take either pictures or videos and update my Facebook page. I would not have to send the picture to each brother separately. It would save me time and make my life so much easier.

How much time do you spend texting or Social Networking on your phone? How would the LG DoublePlay change the way you Social Network or text? Please leave me a comment that answers those questions.

Midweek reflections on a hospital waiting room in Las Vegas

2011-12-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

A chilly morning
The parking lot half empty
Waiting room half full

I went to see a Wound Specialist today. I knew the hospital was not large, that is why I picked it when I made the appointment last week. It is difficult to walk with the “wound” on my left leg, so I did not want a large hospital that would require a long walk.

My appointment was at 10:30 AM. I arrived about 10:00 for the outpatient procedure. I left the hospital about 1:00 PM. I took a magazine with me to read after I finished the paperwork. I liked the waiting room because it was cozy, I know that is an odd description of a hospital waiting room, but that is how it felt.

Time to consider New Year’s Resolutions or Goals

2011-12-13T20:38:00.000-08:00

2011 is almost over and it is time for me to make New Year’s Resolutions or Goals. The first step to making new goals for the New Year is to review the goals set for this year. This means I have to look at the goals I set in January 2011 and at my accomplishments during the year.

One thing I need to do in 2012 is to review my goals every three or four months. I think I prefer reviewing them every three months. Once I have reviewed them, then I need to decide if any changes are necessary. In 2012, I will review my goals at the end of March, June, September, and December. Now that I have decided when I will review my 2012 goals, I need to decide on the goals and write them down.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will decide on the goals and write them down. Making goals for the New Year is a serious decision, therefore I will pray about the goals before I make and write them down. I will put them in my prayers because I believe serious decisions require prayer. I will write my goals down. The deadline for finalizing my 2012 goals is December 30, 2011.

A hot chocolate day in Las Vegas

2011-12-12T13:42:00.000-08:00

Dark gray cloud cover
Rain puddle in the driveway
Hot chocolate day

It is damp and chilly. The clouds completely cover the blue sky and hide the sun. It is a hot choclate day. The chocolate warms my body as I drink it and the liquid keeps me warm. The warmth will last a little while.

There is snow on Mount Charleston, but not in the Las Vegas valley. The weather in Las Vegas is not as cold as on the Mountain, but it is still chilly. I feel the dampness in my bones. It is a hot chocolate day.

Sunset in Las Vegas

2011-12-11T16:11:00.001-08:00

The sunsets behind
Snowcapped peaks and lights white clouds
A long day’s journey

It has been a long and weary day. Mom went to bed early, I cannot go to bed yet because I have to wake Mom up at 8:00 PM to give her another medication. I also have four pills to take myself, but it is too early for me to take them. I will find something to do in the mean time.

Saturday Afternoon at Home in Las Vegas

2011-12-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

Clouds conceal the sun
Birds fly between oak tress
The day slowly warms

When I took the trash to the curb this morning, it was chilly. At least, it was chilly to most people; however, to me it seemed cold. Fortunately, I have a heavy sky jacket to wear when I go outside. The day is warming up, while the sun plays hide-and-seek.

Sheets hung on the line
Drying as the sun smiled down
It plays hide-and-seek

The chill did not keep me from washing some sheets this morning. The four I washed dried when the sun came out. The sun is now behind a cloud, so I am not washing any more sheets today. I will wash the cloths that I hang on the drying rack in the house.

Secret Dressing Room (FPR 3D)

2011-12-08T13:18:00.000-08:00

In this suggestive video about FPR 3D, two girls talk in a dressing room. Then one of the girls tells about her new entertainment tool that she can use anywhere including in bed. She then invites her friend over to see the item. This is a suggestive video, that shows the advantages of FPR 3D.

The Oak Tree Next Door

2011-12-08T13:10:00.000-08:00

An arctic wind blows
The oak tree next door is naked
Its yellow scattered

I went out to get something from my car and noticed that the oak tree in my next-door neighbor’s yard is naked. I look across the street and the oak it that yard still had a few leaves remaining. It is winter in Las Vegas.

What is the difference between FPR 3D and Shutter Glasses 3D?

2011-12-08T13:00:00.000-08:00

To answer the question “What is the difference between FPR 3D and Shutter Glasses 3D?” click on the video below and watch the secret confessions of salesmen, who are selling Shutter Glasses 3D to a customer in an electronics store. Unknown to the two sales representatives someone is watching them as they work.

I feel Disconnected from the world

2011-12-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

My cell phone is not sending or receiving calls. I need a new phone or a phone cord for my landline. I feel disconnected from the world. This is one more reason I should log onto my Facebook page everyday. I still have to send e-mails to both my brothers about this, so that they do not get worried if they attempt to call. Unfortunately, I cannot send an e-mail to my sister because she does not have an online presence.

I posted to my Facebook page about this problem, so now all I have to do is send the e-mails to the appropriate people. I contacted my provider through e-mail and received a reply. It may take up to 48 hours for them to solve the problem, in the mean time I feel disconnected from the world. I am not, because my computer and television still work. I just cannot make any phone calls.

I can pick up the landline voice mail over the internet; I cannot contact anyone back until I get a working phone. This is another reason I need to get Skype. The problem is that I am not sure I have room on my computer for the software. My computer runs slow most of the time anyway, I have to solve this problem as well. I will close this post and send the e-mails.

It’s that time of year again

2011-12-05T10:48:00.000-08:00

Black Friday has past
While Cyber Monday has gone
I write Christmas odes

I do not celebrate Christmas, however, I do write Christmas poems. I started writing the poems on Sunday, December 4. The first poem is Christmas Expectation and the second, which I wrote today, is A Merry Christmas. I posted the poems in my writing.com portfolio under the folder Contest Submissions. I will continue with this theme until December 24 or 25, after that my theme will be New Year’s poems until after January 1, 2012.

Visit My Portfolio @ Writing.Com

The Wind off a Glacier

2011-12-03T14:56:00.000-08:00

A blood-freezing chill
The wind blows from snowcapped peaks
Another cold day

When I went outside this morning to roll the trashcan to the curb, the wind felt as if it were blowing off a glacier. I wore a heavy jacket, the type that skiers wear, with a sweatshirt under it; I was still cold. I have to change the way I dress when I go outside of a morning.

In addition, to the jacket and sweatshirt, I have to start wearing slacks and gloves. This morning I wore a skirt, without any gloves. I also have to start zipping the jacket up. I cannot take the cold weather any more; there was a time when the cold did not bother me, but no longer.

A chill in the air
With snow on Mount Charleston
I am sixty-five

Perhaps, age is the reason the wind felt so cold this morning. The older I get the colder winter seems to become. My mother is 90 years old and is cold all of the time. She uses two heavy blankets at night, while I use only one. During the day, she wears heavier sweatshirt then I wear. Mom wants to live to be 100.

I also want to live to be 100; however, I am not looking forward to the winters. I suppose I need to get used to wearing layers in the winter. I need to learn to like wearing layers of clothing. Mom does not like wearing layers, but there is no other choice. I wonder if there is some place warmer then Las Vegas in winter.

Raindrops and snowflakes in Las Vegas

2011-12-02T13:57:00.000-08:00

Rain in the valley
Snow covers Mount Charleston
Las Vegas winter

This morning it rained in Las Vegas. According to meteorologist, it snowed on Mount Charleston. I have not looked at Mount Charleston today because I did laundry this morning. I hung the wet clothes on a clothes rack to dry. Since I do not have an electric dryer I have to dry them, anyway I can.

This afternoon, the sun came out for a little while, but now the clouds cover the blue sky again. I hope I can hang some clothes out tomorrow because even on a cloudy day, clothes dry quicker on a clothes line in an indoor drying rack.

December 1, 2011

2011-12-01T21:01:00.000-08:00

That is not a creative title, but it is the best I can think of right now. Winter finally came to Las Vegas with high wind warnings in the valley and winter storm warning in the mountains.

Mom went to the daycare center about 8:30 AM and came home around 4:00 PM. Her mood was good when she arrived home, so I am sure she had a good day. She is not having a good night. For the last couple of hours I have gone back and forth to her room attempting to calm her enough for her to go to sleep.

It is going to be a long night. I doubt I will get any sleep, which is all right since I did not plan to leave the house on Friday. I intend to do more laundry. I did two or three loads today and hung them on the line. The clothes dried despite the cloud cover. Eventually I will catch up on the laundry.

I have a lot of writing and housework to do this weekend. I can write while the clothes are washing. There are several minutes between the wash cycle and the rinse cycle. I have to watch this close so that I can add fabric softener when the clothes rinse. At least, I am getting my exercise.

On Cyber Monday, I did laundry

2011-11-28T14:13:00.000-08:00

It is cyber Monday. According to the news most people are shopping online. I am not among the “most people” shopping online. Instead of shopping, I enjoyed doing laundry at home.

On Cyber Monday
My washing machine laughs sings
The day is cloudy

A plumber finally came and put a sleeve on the drainpipe behind my washing machine, so now I can do laundry at home. Washing cloths at home, after several months of going to the laundromat, is invigorating. I can do laundry every day if I want.

Even though it is cloudy in Las Vegas, I hung my clothes outside. I do not have a choice because the only dryer I have is a clothesline. If I were going to buy anything online today, it would buy a dryer. True, hanging clothes outside is not physically exhausting, but these short autumn days prevent me from doing more then one or two small loads at a time.

On Cyber Monday
The neighbor’s sits under
My Clothesline watching

I looked out my kitchen window and saw one of the neighborhood cats sitting under my drying clothes. He sat there for a long time watching my clothes dry. I still have to bring the clothes in, so I will close this and see if they are dry. I need an electric clothes dryer.

I am thankful I did not go shopping on Black Friday

2011-11-26T08:20:00.001-08:00

At first, I thought remaining home on Black Friday was a disadvantage. However, after watching the news this morning I realize it was a safety measure. I do not plan to shop on Black Friday in 2012 because it can only get more dangerous.

Between pepper spray incidences, someone getting shot during a Black Friday robbery and crowds pushing and shoving for bargains it is dangerous to life and limb. Today, I am thankful I did not go shopping on Black Friday. I can think of many things I would rather do then get hurt or going to the hospital because I am hunting for a bargain.

All of these incidents are good starts for stories or poems. I can write a short story about the dangers of shopping on Black Friday without going into the crowd. I have gone to stores in previous years on the Friday after Thanksgiving, so I can use those descriptions to enhance the story.

Black Friday dangers
Increase as the years go by
Stay home in safety

The Last Friday in November 2011

2011-11-25T13:05:00.000-08:00

Oak trees shed their leaves
Scatter them across brown lawns
A chill in the air

When I went outside to pick up my newspaper, I noticed that there were yellow and gold oak leaves scattered across the neighbor’s yard. A few of the leaves were falling, but most of the leaves still clung to the tree. This afternoon the wind increased and more leaves fell from the tree. In a couple of days, someone will begin raking the leaves and putting them in a trash bag for the garbage trucks to hall away.

When I was a child, people racked leaves into piles and burned them. I can remember my grandfather raking the cottonwood and elm leaves that covered his yard. After he racked the leaves into piles, he would burn them. Grandpa always had a water hose close by in case of an emergency. He never burned leaves without having a source of water incase the fire got out of hand.

Today, it is against the law the burn leaves in the city, so the leaves we put into bags or trashcans and let the garbage trucks hall them away. The leave could also be used as mulch, but since neither my neighbor nor myself plant a garden the leaves are put in the trash.

A Good Thanksgiving Day

2011-11-24T18:40:00.000-08:00

Oak trees golden leaves
Reflecting the morning sun
Dancing in the breeze

There was no wind today, just a slight breeze. The sky was partly cloudy, so we had sunshine sometimes during the day. The neighbor’s oak has turned completely gold and I expect the leaves to fall any time.

It was a nice Thanksgiving Day, not too cold or too warm. Mom and I had a traditional Thanksgiving meal with some mashed potatoes and dressing left over. I took a small steak out of the freezer and plan to fix it with the leftover dressing on Black Friday.

I do not plan to go shopping tomorrow because Mom is home for the rest of the week. Besides, I do not shop on Black Friday or any other time there are crowded stores. I feel rushed in a crowd and I do not like to shop when I am rushed.

I will do a little laundry tomorrow. I will also do some writing and maybe watch television with my mother. Mom was in a good mood today and singing Jingle Bells. It was a good Thanksgiving Day. I am looking forward to a good Black Friday at home.

I hope Mom is in a good mood tomorrow, but with an Alzheimer’s patient, you never know. I take each day as it comes and hope that tomorrow will be better then today.

Laundry and Writing

2011-11-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

Last week a plumber finally fixed the pipes behind the washer. He put a sleeve on the drainpipe to keep it from overflowing. I have washed five or six loads of laundry since. If I am careful, I can write and do laundry at the same time.

I have to watch the cycles so that I can put the fabric softener in during the rinse cycle. It just dawned on me that I may be able to put the fabric softener in the container at the beginning of the wash cycle. I will have to find the manual for the washing machine and read the directions. It has been so long since I could use the washing machine at home that I have forgotten when I put the fabric softener in the washer.

Getting up from the computer and going into the kitchen (that is where my washing machine is located) is a good way to get exercise. It also helps in writing because it helps my creativity and keeps me from being stuck in one place in a story.

The one disadvantage about doing laundry at home is hanging the cloths on the line. I do not have a dryer, so I have to hang my cloths outside. In fall and winter, this means I have to get the cloths washed in the morning so that they have the rest of the day to dry. Oh well, no situation is perfect and imperfection helps creativity and produces ideas for poems and stories.

Rethinking my goals

2011-11-22T13:52:00.000-08:00

There are approximately 39 days left in 2011, so it is time to rethink my writing goals. I changed from a nineteen-day goal achievement focus to a 30-day focus. I am going back to the nineteen-day focus because it is easier (for me) to determine where I am falling short and what I have to do to accomplish the goal.

A 30-day focus is too stressful and gives me too much time to procrastinate. By setting my goals for nineteen days at a time, I have less time to put off and I cut frustration to a minimum. I have found that the more I putt off the more frustrated I become when I do not achieve a specific step in the goal achievement process. The less time I have to procrastinate the better off, I am because I decrease the stress.

Sunday Comics with coffee

2011-11-20T17:59:00.000-08:00

There is nothing more enjoyable on Sunday morning then reading the comics while drinking a cup of coffee. When I was a child, my father read the Sunday Comics to me while I sat on his lap. As Dad read the comics, he would drink a cup of coffee. I think that is why I like drinking coffee while reading the comics. When I do this, I remember my father.

Comics and coffee
Memories from my childhood
I miss my father

Saturday in Las Vegas

2011-11-19T18:05:00.000-08:00

A beautiful day
Visit from a neighbor’s cat
Cloths dry on the line

I finally have a washing machine at home. A plumber came Thursday and put a sleeve on the drainpipe so now I can do laundry at home. The plumber did say not to use the super cycle on the washing machine, which I wouldn’t do anyway.

When I went into the backyard to bring in the cloths, a neighbor cat jumped down from a stonewall and walked across my yard. This cat walks across my yard all the time. Sometimes she walks through the front yard, but most of the time she goes through my back yard. She is gray, white, and black with strips.

A Writer’s Perspective: The Parts People Skip

2011-11-15T11:58:00.000-08:00

“I try to leave out the parts that people skip.” ~ Elmore Leonard

I am not sure which parts of a story people skip. When I reach the point in a story that I want to look ahead, to skip a part, I know I have read enough and mark my place in the book. I found out long ago, that if I skip a part then when I reach the end of the story or the book, then I have to go back and reread the parts I skipped. Therefore, to save myself time, I try not to skip a part.

TEDxAmsterdam 2011 Human Brain #1 (dress rehearsal)

2011-11-15T11:43:00.000-08:00

Rutger Hauer, The Dutch National Ballet, and Amsterdam’s creative community make a brain from people. Click on the link below to watch the dress rehearsal of “An Idea Worth Doing”. This is the first in a series of three. The live performance coming on November 25, 2011.

Autumn in Las Vegas

2011-11-15T11:33:00.000-08:00

Bright sun black shadows
Oak leaves tinged orange and yellow
Dawn of a new day

At dawn, the sun cast the dark shadows of oak trees across the black asphalt of my street. The shadows were a deeper black against the dark pavement. The neighbors’ oak trees are changing color.

TEDxAmsterdam 2011 Human Brain #1 (rehearsal)

2011-11-15T11:23:00.000-08:00

This is an “Idea Worth Doing”. Rutger Hauer, The Dutch National Ballet, along with Amsterdam’s creative community is making a brain from people. Click on the link below and watch the first rehearsal. The live performance scheduled for November 25, 2011.

The Sunday Comics: An Environmental Impact Question

2011-11-13T09:20:00.000-08:00

Cul De Sac by Richard Thompson raises an interesting environmental impact question. In today’s edition, the father is racking leaves and the daughter comes out to “romp in the leaves”. The leaf pile is small; it is not big enough for one person to enjoy romping. The girl kicks the leaves and then jumps in them. A friend asks what she is doing and she answers “romping in the leaf pile”. About this time, her brother comes out to romp, but there is no leaf pile left for him; he did not want to ramp in the leaves anyway. As the brother and sister return to the house, the sister’s friend asks, “Who knew that romping could have such an environmental impact?”

This raises the question, what is the environmental impact of romping in the leaves? I remember romping in the leaves as a child. I enjoyed scattering the cottonwood leaves all over my grandparents’ front yard. Grandpa, even though he had just raked the leaves, enjoyed watching my siblings and me scatter the leaves.

After we finished, he raked the leaves again. Eventually, he burned the leaves (it was legal to burn leaves in the city limits at that time), but for a while we had fun romping in the leaves without worrying about the environmental impact our actions had. This is a reflection of the times, then no one (individuals, business, or government) worried about the environmental impact their actions would have.

No empty pages in my life

2011-11-12T12:13:00.000-08:00

“If writers stopped writing about what happened to them, then there would be a lot of empty pages.” ~ Elaine Liner

There are certainly no empty pages in my life today. I have so much to write about I am not sure where to start. To begin with, the only phone in the house that is working is my cell phone. I still have a landline and it would work if “a family member by marriage” had not attempted to “fix” the tangled telephone cord. Anyway, the phone will not ring through because it is not connect and there are wires sticking out.

It is comforting to have a cell phone; at least I remain connected to the world. There was a time when I did not think I need a cell phone; I was wrong I do need one. I like a connection to the world. I like remaining in contact with other people.

I called the cable company that provides our phone service and they will send a tech out tomorrow morning. In the mean time, I have to check my voice mail ever ten or twenty minutes to make sure I do not miss any important calls. All though, this is Saturday and most of the people I want to talk to have my cell phone number.

If I need to buy another phone, I will have to do that Sunday or Monday because I have no one “experienced” to stay with Mom today. I will probably wait until Monday to buy of phone because I have to deposit a check then. Given the events in my life, I will never have any empty pages.

Thursday Thoughts for November 10, 2011

2011-11-10T11:32:00.000-08:00

It is Thursday. The air feels damp and therefore slightly chilly. There are clouds hiding the sky and the sun. Since I have not made an entry in a couple of days, I thought I would sit down and write something about my morning.

This morning, Mom woke up at 4:00 AM. She thought she had to go to work today. In her younger days, my mother was a food server; however, she has not worked in a restaurant or coffee shop for several years. Here in Las Vegas, she worked at the Showboat Hotel-Casino. In Blackwell, Oklahoma, she worked at Bob’s Grill.

I am not sure where Mom thought she was going to work this morning. I asked her but she would not give me an answer. Mom has Alzheimer’s disease so she does not always know where she is. Sometimes, Mom thinks she is still in Oklahoma, while at other times Mom realizes she is living in Las Vegas, Nevada.

I never know where she believes she is living. I have to be careful when I ask her those questions because she gets angry when she thinks I do not know where we live. Anyway, I finally got Mom calmed down enough to get out of bed and go into the living room.

Women in History: Marie Curie

2011-11-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

Today’s Google doodle celebrates the 144th birthday of Marie Curie. This inspiring woman was born on November 7, 1867 and died July 4, 1934. Marie Curie’s contribution to science and history was in the field of radioactivity. Happy birthday Marie Curie.

It feels like winter

2011-11-06T09:57:00.000-08:00

Clouds cover blue sky
No sunlight reaches the ground
It feels like winter

It is a chilly autumn day. My heat is acting up and it feels cold in the house. Outside clouds completely hide the sun. Inside the house, I am attempting to keep use warm without using the auxiliary heat. Whenever the auxiliary heat comes on the temperature in the house goes down.

I have stood at the thermostat and watched the process. I set the temperature and if the auxiliary heat comes on the temperature goes down and the heat does not turn off because it never reaches the sit temperature. As long as the regular heat is on the set temperature, but I cannot set the thermostat too high because the auxiliary heat will come on and the temperature will go down.

I have a technician coming in on Tuesday afternoon. In the mean time, I am going to get a space heater today so that I can warm the bathroom enough for my mother to take a shower.

Turn back the clocks

2011-11-05T14:58:00.000-07:00

It is Saturday, November 05, 2011 and tomorrow morning at 2:00 AM, we turn the clocks back. One of the headlines in today’s Las Vegas Review-Journal read “Time to Go Back in Time”, with the photo of clocks underneath. That headline should inspire a few stories or poems.

It is fall and we step back in time one hour, while in the spring, we step forward one hour. That one hour messes up my sense of time for a couple of days. I am not sure how it will affect my sleep. As it is, I wake up sometime between 2:00 and 3:00 AM on a regular basis. Sometimes, I wake up about 1:00 AM then go back to sleep for about an hour and wake up again. This cycle usually last for a couple of weeks and then I go back to my regular sleep pattern.

For the past few day, I wake up about 1:05 go back to sleep until about 2:00, when I usually get up. If this pattern continues tonight, then I can turn the clocks back then; however, I need to turn only three clocks back, which are the alarm, the coffee pot, and the microwave because the rest of the clocks are automatically set back by their programs.

Did I just hear thunder?

2011-11-04T15:20:00.000-07:00

It is a beautiful cloudy and windy day here in Las Vegas. Grayish clouds hide the blue sky. A chilly wind is blowing thought the trees. It is not a cold wind and does not require a heavy coat. When I went to my car, I wore a long sleeved blouse and long skirt. I was warm enough for the few minutes I was out there.

I did not look at the weather this morning or at noon. I do no know what the meteorologist predicted for today. Tree limbs are waving continually, so the wind is strong. The clouds are getting thicker and the sun no longer peeks through. I could have hear thunder, but that does not mean it will rain in my neighborhood.

Las Vegas covers a large area. It can rain and even flood in one section of town and not in another. I know I rolled up the windows in my car, but I suppose I should check just to make sure....

I have to close this entry now, because my mother just came home. I have to fix her something to eat and calm her down because she misses her father.

Apolo refuels with low fat chocolate milk

2011-11-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

After his workout, Apolo Ohno refuels with low fat chocolate milk. Check out the video below to find out more.

A writer’s senior moment

2011-11-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

Everyone has senior moments or brain hiccups i.e. momentary lapses of memory. You know what I am talking about those times when you cannot find your glasses, your car keys or you go into a room to get an item and then forget what you went after. These are the time you scare yourself because you think you are losing your short-term memory.

I encounter one of those today about the subject for this entry. I cannot remember if today’s entry was supposed to be a Writer’s Perceptive or something else. I will review last week’s entries to see which day I composed the first entry on that subject.

When I realized I could not remember the entry I wanted to make, I was frightened. I knew that it meant my short-term memory was walking out the door. However, after I calmed down I realized the problem was not short-term memory loss, but stress. I know the problem is stress because I can remember my login names and passwords. This brain hiccup encouraged me to write down my subjects on my to do list. In addition, just to be safe, I am writing down my logins and passwords in a notebook.

Writing on a beautiful Sunday in Las Vegas

2011-10-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas. I look out my living room window to see a clean yard. A yard without weeds and only one dying tree left. Last weeks a friend had some clean my front and backyard. The yard looks wonderful without weeds. I can see the rocks scattered across the front yard.

No distracting weeds
To hide the stone covered yard
Birds sing in the trees

I heard a bird this morning. I think it may be a sparrow because it did not sound like a nightingale. There is also a bird in my backyard, every morning he sits on the roof above my kitchen window and sings. It is fall and the birds are still singing in Las Vegas. Mornings are cool and pleasant; I think the bird must be enjoying the nice weather as much as I have. Fall in Las Vegas is nice.

I did not look at the weather report this morning, so I have no idea how much longer this nice weather will last. I hope until after Thanksgiving, but I will take what I can get. It is nice not to have temperatures that are too hot or too cold.

Pleasant temperatures
A nice day in Las Vegas
Beautiful weather

Thursday Evening Thoughts

2011-10-27T19:57:00.000-07:00

Beautiful evening
The day was wonderfully cool
No wind and no clouds

A Writer’s Perspective: Second guessing myself and stress

2011-10-25T15:24:00.000-07:00

This morning, before the chores of the day got to me. I planned to title this entry “A Writer’s Perspective: Euphuisms and Slang”. That went to the wayside (for this week anyway) after I returned home from the laundromat. I am a bit leery about writing on that subject this afternoon, perhaps because I did not start working on it this morning.

I cannot seem to start the subject. Perhaps because I am “second guessing myself” and attempting to talk myself out of writing on either euphuisms or slang. Perhaps it is because I did not write down my thoughts this morning. Which ever it is, I cannot focus on the planned subject this afternoon.

I am not giving up the idea of writing my thoughts about euphuisms or slang. I think that will be the subject for next Tuesday. Between now and then I will keep notes and attempt to remember the way I wanted to begin that entry.

This is not the first time I have talked myself out of writing on a specific subject and posting it to one of my blogs. I suppose this could be a reaction to stress. I have been under a lot of stress lately and I have not been writing about it, which may explain why I am dealing with a bad case of psoriasis. Writing about the stress always helps alleviate the stress. Even if I do not post what I write, writing helps overcome the stress.

Writing poetry and Writer’s Block

2011-10-24T15:12:00.000-07:00

Writing poetry
Line by line composing
Daily happiness

I realized last night that writing poetry makes me happy. I enjoy working with forms. The problem is that I need the information about the form in front while I am writing the poem. I decided the best way for me to remember the forms pattern is to have the explanation in front of me, so I printed off a list of the forms I am using this week.

Sometimes I can sit down and write without a form; however, when I am stressed or confronting writer’s block, I use form poems to keep me going. A form helps me focus while I am looking for the words. I do not like giving into writer’s block because it stifles creativity. I think stress encourages writer’s block, so when I am under a great deal of stress I like to use form to overcome the difficulty I have writing.

Working within the forms pattern encourages creativity. Once the process has begun, there is no stopping the poem. After the poem is completed them rewriting can start and during this process I can chose to keep the pattern or discard it. The final look of the poem depends on choosing the right words among other things.

Battle of the Hearing Aids in Las Vegas

2011-10-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

My mother thinks she does not need to wear her hearing aids, so she removes them and lays them down. Earlier today, she removed her hearing aids and put them in the dish that held her lunch. Fortunately, she had eaten everything except a few grains of rice. I do not think those few grains hurt the hearing aids.

When she removes the aids from her ears, they make a noise while she is holding them. This is good because if I am not sitting next to her, I can go to the couch to find out what is going on. I heard the noise and went to see where she was putting the hearing aids. She attempted to put one of them in her mouth, but removed it immediately. This is the first time she has done something like this. I think she did it because she found them in the cereal bowl, which contained the rice. Normally, she does not try to eat anything that is not in a food container.

Usually, when she removes her hearing aids she puts them in her purse. Her purse was not beside her, so from now on I have to make sure her purse is sitting next to her or on the arm of the couch. Anywhere she can see it and get to it easily. Because of the Alzheimer’s disease, Mom cannot help the things she does.

Mom did not get hearing aids until she was in her 80s. She believes she is a young woman and can hear as well as she could when she was 18, all though, because of the Alzheimer’s she acts as if she is much younger. After I cleaned the hearing aids off, I put them back in her ears and she has not removed them again. She may have forgotten I put them in her ears.

I traded the farm for a house in the city

2011-10-21T18:46:00.000-07:00

Today, my mother came home from the daycare center crying. She thought the driver took her to the wrong house; she had forgotten where she lived. When I opened the front door, she was surprised to see me because she thought we lived somewhere else.

I have known for some time that Mom did not think she was living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Some of her remarks caused me to realize she thought she was still live somewhere in Oklahoma. Instead of insisting that she was at home, this would have caused her to become even more upset. I told her the farm had become too much for me to handle and I traded it with the son of one of her cousins for a house in the city. I still do no know which city she thought I was talking about, but it calmed her down and made her happy.

My mother has Alzheimer’s disease. This means she has memory lose and gets angry or upset easily. I am never sure how much Mom remembers, so when she gets upset and cries, I have to figure out where she is at so that I can calm her. Sometimes this is easy and sometimes difficult.

Today, I said the first thing that popped into my mind. I knew Mom was born and raised on a farm in Oklahoma. Therefore, I worked on the premise that she thought we were living on a farm. I wish it was that easy to calm her down when she gets angry.

Another Beautiful Day in Las Vegas

2011-10-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

Just right temperatures
A slight wind caressing the trees
No clouds are in sight

This is a wonderful time of year in Las Vegas. The temperatures are not too hot or too cold. The cool air is off and the hot has not come on. The birds are singing and flying from tree to tree. Autumn in Las Vegas is pleasant, I enjoy opening the doors and windows to get a little fresh air into the house.

Temperatures in the mid eighties in Las Vegas

2011-10-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

Temperatures are supposed to get into the mid eighties for the next few days. I watch the weather report this morning and the temperatures I remember being expected were 85 degrees. Those are mild temperatures for Las Vegas. It is nice inside and outside the house.

The wind is blowing
Mild temperatures in Vegas
A nice desert day

Venus the Evening Star

2011-10-16T12:42:00.000-07:00

Venus shining bright
Near waning October moon
Beautiful evening

Last night, I went out to roll up my car windows and make sure that I locked the doors. When I looked up, I saw Venus near the waning moon; it was beautiful with Venus shining a bright diamond in the evening sky. I need to go outside in the evening more often.

Roger returns, watch three new clips and decide

2011-10-15T19:49:00.000-07:00

Watch Roger Federer’s three clips on Facebook and vote for your favorite ending. You will have a chance to meet Roger Federer this Autumn in London. Click on the video below and then go to Facebook to watch the clips.

Saturday Night at Home in Las Vegas

2011-10-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

Home Saturday night
Nothing to watch on television
I listen for Mom

It is Saturday night and there is nothing on television I want to watch. Mom went to bed about 5:30 PM and went right to sleep. I am listening for her just in case she wakes up. Sometimes Mom wakes in the middle of the night and walks through the house.

A Chance to meet Roger Federer in London

2011-10-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

Would you like to meet Roger Federer in London? Then watch the four films Credit Suisse made with him and vote for your favorite. Click on the video below and then click on the link to Facebook to watch the films and vote for your favorite.

Writing at the end of the week in Las Vegas

2011-10-15T17:03:00.000-07:00

Saturday weekend day and the week ends. I should say a frustrating weekends, but as I look back over the week, I realize that the week was not as frustrating as I thought. I did get a few thing accomplished. I wrote several hundred words. I had enough Gift Points in my writing.com Gift Points account to purchase a 3-month premium membership. My next membership is due on January 15, 2012.

Those three months will pass quickly. I may or may not be able to afford another 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month premium membership. If I cannot afford another premium membership then I will go back to an upgraded membership and download several hundred items from my portfolio to a back up drive. I will deal with that issue at the beginning of January. In the mean time, I intend to review as many items as possible on writing.com.

I will continue becoming frustrated because my computer slows down to a snails pace at certain times of day. I know part of the problem, but I think there is more to the issue then I have discovered. I will continue writing despite the fact that my system is slow and sometimes I want to throw in the towel. I will give up because I am too stubborn to give up. I will research the cost of a new system. I will back up everything on my hard drive.

I will plan to buy a new system, however, when given the choice between buying a new computer system and paying an outstanding debt I will pay the debt. I am tired and I will continue to write. I will continue to make post to my blogs. I will continue to hope because without hope life is joyless. Without hope I would stop writing all together, so I will continue to hope and I will continue to write.

Thankful Thursday in Las Vegas

2011-10-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

I am thankful that the weather has been nice in Las Vegas. It is cool enough to have the cold air off and cool enough to for the heat to remain off. The technician came last week and checked the heat to make sure it worked. I turned the heat on one day because Mom got cold. The heat is still on, but I have the thermostat set at about 73 or 74 degrees during the day and 69 degrees at night. The heat has not come on, which is good because it will make the power bill lower this month.

I still have to wash the winter blankets and I may do that next week. I think I will take the blankets to the laundromat on either Wednesday or Friday. I have decided that the best way for me to do laundry is set aside three days a week to go to the laundromat. It takes about two or three hours to wash and dry three baskets of cloths. Since I cannot physically handle more then three baskets at once, that is all I do.

While I would be much more thankful if I could do laundry at home, I am thankful that I can go to the laundromat. There are a couple of reasons for enjoying time at the laundromat. I can watch the other people and I get ideas for poems while I am waiting for my cloths to wash or dry. I am thankful for the poems that have resulted from spending time at the laundromat.

Tuesday is Laundry Day

2011-10-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

I think we should declare the second Tuesday in every month a holiday called Laundry Day. To celebrate this day, everyone who does laundry at least once a month should be exempt from doing laundry that day. In addition, people who do not do any laundry at all should have to do their own laundry and the laundry of everyone in the household who is exempt from doing laundry that day.

Now, you may ask, where did I get this idea? I did three baskets of laundry today and I still have four baskets to wash. Why did I wash only three baskets when I have seven baskets full of dirty cloths? Because three baskets of laundry in one day is my physical limit, at least it was until today. Going to the laundromat wore me out and did not have the energy to fold the sheets. I have three baskets of clean cloths waiting in the car for me to lug them into the house.

From now on, my limit is two baskets of laundry; especially when one of those baskets is sheets and I have to stop at a store either before or after I go to the laundromat. Perhaps tomorrow, instead of doing laundry and going to the grocery store I will just got to the store. I will have to see how I feel after I bring the laundry in and fold the sheets.

The Second Monday of October

2011-10-10T13:24:00.000-07:00

It is a cloudy Columbus Day afternoon in Las Vegas. The clouds moved in slowly and now they cover the entire sky. I listened to the weather report on the noon news; the meteorologist did not forecast rain, just clouds. I wonder if it was cloudy in 1492 when Columbus arrived in the New World.

When I was in school, they taught us that Columbus discovered America in 1492. I remember a song about Columbus sailing “the ocean blue”, but I do not remember all the words. I do not remember if we learned that his first landing was the Bahamas on October 12. Recently, I learned that, in 1493, Columbus brought citrus tree seeds to the West Indies.

Today is Columbus Day. Today some businesses closed for this holiday and some did not. My bank is one of those businesses closed for Columbus Day, but my auto insurance company is not. I suppose the United States Post Office closed today, which means no mail delivery and I am fine with that.

Please have a happy and safe Columbus Day. If you have the day off, enjoy yourself. I you have to work, enjoy yourself as well. I hope the weather across the country is as nice as it is here in Las Vegas. Here there are clouds, without rain, and moderate temperatures.

Nice Autumn Weather in Las Vegas

2011-10-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

No more rain this week
The wind caressing oak trees
Cools the afternoon

It is nice autumn weather. The morning is not too chilly or too warm. This afternoon wind caresses the neighbors’ trees. The birds flittered around all morning and afternoon. Today was an enjoyable day without rain or puddles in my driveway.

Laundromat Poem

2011-10-06T19:13:00.000-07:00

They wait
mouths slightly agape
for our dirty laundry.

They consume
grain by grain
the soil of our mundane
existence.

Never expecting
thanks.

Green thread holds my glasses together

2011-10-04T11:33:00.000-07:00

I know this is a good title for a poem “Green thread holds my glasses together”. Yesterday, a lens fell out of my glasses and I could not find the screw. I did find a spool of green thread and a needle. The eye of the needle was large enough for me to see to thread it with only one lens in my glasses and the needle itself was small enough to go through the screw hold in the glasses.

The repair was good enough for the lens to stay in while I picked up Mom’s hearing aids. This morning I had to repair the glasses again because the lens fell out. I sewed the glasses together again, this repair should last long enough for me to get to the store and buy an eyeglass repair kit.

Green thread holds my glasses together,
Keeps the lens so that I can drive safely,

I am not sure where this poem is going, but those two lines should give my subconscious mind something to work with while I do other things. When writing a poem, the most important thing is to keep the subconscious mind working on it.

A Beautiful Sunday in Las Vegas

2011-10-02T10:40:00.001-07:00

White feathery clouds
Float across the soft blue sky
The sun cast shadows

It is a beautiful fall day in Las Vegas. There is no breeze, but the clouds cool the late morning air. In the trees, some birds sing, while others fly from the ground to the trees. Leave still cling to the trees waiting for the first freeze to change color.

Saturday, October 01, 2011

2011-10-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

It is Saturday October 1. It is afternoon, white clouds reflect the sun, and there are areas of beautiful blue sky peeking through the clouds. It is a nice day in Las Vegas, a good end to an interesting week and a good beginning to a busy month.

Clouds reflecting light
Beautiful afternoon sky
Temperatures cool down

On Monday, October 3, I have to pick up my mother’s hearing aid replacements. On Tuesday, I have a doctor’s appointment and on Wednesday, the technician is coming to inspect the air conditioner for winter.

It is beginning to feel like autumn in Las Vegas. When I rolled the trashcan to the curb this morning, it was cool. The morning air reminded me of Oklahoma. It is warmer this afternoon, but not in the triple digits. At least, it does not feel like triple digits.

A nice afternoon
Birds flying from tree to tree
Clouds and sapphire sky

Midweek Reflections on Odes

2011-09-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

It is Wednesday. This week I am attempting to write an Ode. There are several four types of Odes: (1) English or Keatsian Ode, (2) Pindaric Ode, (3) Horatian Ode, and (4) Sapphic Ode. I am working on a English Ode and the deadline for completion is Saturday, October 1, at 9:00 PM Pacific Time.

The English (Keatsian) Ode is composed of three stanzas, with each stanza containing ten line of Iambic Pentameter. The rhyme scheme is a. b. a. b. c. d. e. c. d. e. All the stanzas have the same scheme, but each stanza has its own rhyme. I am working this ode on this week.

Mourning Dove

2011-09-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

A mourning dove walks
Across the cement driveway
Spreads her wings to fly

I took some trash to the garage and saw a mourning dove walking across my driveway. When I opened the screen door, she flew away. I have not see or heard a mourning dove in a couple of years, but it looks like they are back for a while.

Introduction to the LG Pentouch TV

2011-09-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

A television you can use to explore the Internet, draw, and play games using the LG magical Touch Pen. Encourage your kids to have fun drawing, playing games, and exploring the internet. Click on the video below to learn about the LG Pentouch TV.

Happy Sunday

2011-09-25T18:41:00.000-07:00

Beautiful morning
A Sunday newspaper waits
For me and coffee

A Sunday newspaper and a hot cup of coffee make a good Sunday morning. I subscribed to the newspaper and can now read the comics when I have coffee on Sunday morning.

I am looking for an online auction

2011-09-24T12:22:00.000-07:00

I am looking for an online auction site. I want a site where the bids go up $0.01 or $0.02 at a time. The site I am looking for has to be easy to use, with the latest technological items. I have to update my technology, but it is difficult for me to get out of the house for more then a couple of hours at a time. When I go shopping, it takes me longer then two hours. Therefore, I have to go online to do almost everything.

I am looking for an online auction site that is simple and easy to use. One that explains the step by step process of bidding and paying for the item. I also want a site where I can find the item if I loose the bid. I also want a site that has promotions, free shipping, and offers cash back.

I am looking for an online auction site like dealfun.com. I want a site that has variety of technological items like cameras, and smart phones for example. I want an online auction site that offers gift cards, jewelry, rechargeable batteries, clothing items, and camera cases.

I am looking for an online auction site that is easy to use and offers a variety of items. Because it is easier for me to shop online, I want an online auction site that is easy to use.

The first day of autumn in Las Vegas

2011-09-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

It is the first day of autumn and summer is gone. In Las Vegas, you would not know summer was gone because today was a triple digit day. It does not look like autumn here either. The leaves have not begun to change colors and are still on the trees.

The temperatures are cooling down and this may be our last triple digit day. Today I begin watching the thermostat closer and when the temperature in the house remains below 79 degrees for about a week, then I will turn the cool temperature off. However, I will not turn on the warm air until sometime in November or early December. The temperatures at night do not get cool enough to turn the heat on until then.

It is the first day of autumn in Las Vegas and across the northern hemisphere. It is time to begin getting out the winter cloths; at least this was when my Grandmother started the process of unpacking winter sweaters and coats. Grandma lived in Oklahoma so the autumn temperatures there are a little different then in Nevada.

I enjoy the autumn weather in Nevada. In fact, the only thing I miss about Oklahoma this time of year is the way the leaves change in October. Sometimes in Nevada the do not begin to change until December.

Thankful Thursday Melody in Las Vegas

2011-09-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

A nightingale sings
Its melody echoing
Morning gratitude

I took a bag of trash to the garage this morning. I heard a nightingale singing. The bird sounded like it was saying thank you to the dawn. This morning I am thankful for the songs of nightingales.

Local Farmer in Supplies Walmart with Local Produce

2011-09-20T12:29:00.000-07:00

Kim Matthews, owner of Delta Blues Farms in Arkansas, supplies sweet potatoes to Walmart and Sam’s Club. The Matthews have grown their business by working with Walmart. Check out the video below for more information.

Late Summer in Las Vegas

2011-09-20T11:45:00.001-07:00

Shorter cooler days
A light breezes caresses trees
The changing season

It is late summer in Las Vegas. The days grow shorter. The weather cools off with fewer triple digit days. The first day of Autumnal Equinox occurs on September 23 at 09:04 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). This is when daylight and night are almost equal.

Walmart’s Global Economic Initiative to empower women

2011-09-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

Walmart launched its global economic initiative to empower women. Check out the video below, with Walmart President and CEO Mike Duke. The video also contains the words of the women themselves.

A perfect Monday morning in Las Vegas

2011-09-19T07:26:00.001-07:00

Morning perfection
Cool temperatures cloudless sky
Las Vegas Monday

It is a beautiful morning, with no wind blowing, no clouds hiding the blue sky, and cool temperatures. When I took some trash to the garage, the cool air reminded me of an Oklahoma dawn. It is a perfect Monday morning temperature wise.

Optifog Video – The Butcher

2011-09-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

Are you having an embarrassing foggy moment? Check out the Optifog video to see how to clear the fog. I enjoyed watching this video.

A beautiful Sunday in Las Vegas

2011-09-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday. The sky is blue without any clouds, at least from my point of view. The birds are flying between the trees and there is a slight wind. I do not know the outdoor temperature, but the temperature in the house is about 80 degrees. I have it remains that cool inside all day because if it does the air conditioning will not come on.

A gentle wind blows
A beautiful cloudless sky
Las Vegas Sunday

Kyrielle Poetry Form

2011-09-15T12:26:00.000-07:00

To write Kyrielles you use couples, which are two-line stanzas, or quatrains, have four-line stanzas. The minimum numbers of stanzas are three for quatrains and six for couplets, with no maximum number of stanzas.

Kyrielle stanzas consist of eight syllables lines, with refrain (repeated line) at the end of each stanza. The rhyme scheme is a-a-b-refrain (b), c-c-b-refrain (b), and d-d-b-refrain (b) or a-b-a-refrain (b), c-b-c-refrain (b) and c-b-c-refrain (b).

I am working this poetry form on this week. I received this assignment on Sunday, September 11, and the deadline is Saturday, September 17. It has taken me four days to find a subject; however, I will finish it tonight and post it in my writing.com port on Friday.