Life in progress

Monthly Archives: June 2014


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Thanks for the Great Turnout!

I just wanted to say thank you very much to all of you who made Stream of Consciousness Saturday this week the biggest ever! We had so many great posts from amazing bloggers, both regulars and new participants.

Just in case you missed some of the later blogs, here they are in the reverse order of when they posted:

Footfalls and Forays: http://footfallsandforays.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/910/

Jessica: http://paintedturtleshells.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/stream-of-consciousness-saturday-june-21/

The Bee: http://riverflowing572.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/socs-likes-it.html

Traces of the Soul: http://tracesofthesoul.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/like-haibun-socs/

Just something I was thinking about: http://justsomethingiwasthinkingabout.com/2014/06/21/what-i-dont-like/

Shanjeniah: http://shanjeniah.com/2014/06/21/socs-i-like-flike/

Some Kernels of Truth: http://somekernelsoftruth.com/2014/06/22/do-i-sound-like-the-goldilocks-of-the-job-world-stream-of-consciousness-saturday-like/

Rose B Fischer: http://rosebfischer.com/2014/06/21/random-post-of-randomness/

My Leaky Boat: http://myleakyboat.com/blog/?p=489

Tony Leon: http://tonyleon13.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/what-i-like-in-a-girl-stream-of-consciousness-saturday-like/

The Dragon’s Lair: http://raphsodibreece.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/ill-look-to-like-if-looking-liking-move-socs/

Irene: http://irenedesign2011.com/2014/06/21/life-quality-this-post-is-a-part-of-socs/

Me: (yes, a shameless self-promotion) https://lindaghill.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/youre-not-just-like-me-stream-of-consciousness-saturday-like/

Forty, c’est Fantastique!: http://fortyandfantastique.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/like-socs/

Jeanne Owens: http://jeanneowensauthor.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/of-music-and-writing/

Books, Music, Photography, and Movies: http://booksmusicandmovies.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/socs-about-this-and-that-likes/

Mindful Digressions: http://mindfuldigressions.com/2014/06/21/whats-not-to-like/

Youth of a Nation: Bent Not Broke: http://darcsunshine.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/when-there-are-no-words-music-will-speak-for-you/

Trying to make things right: http://mommyx4boys.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/things-i-like-for-my-husband/

Pavorisms: http://pavorisms.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/why-i-like-like/

People, Places, and Perspectives: http://minahmisteri.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/like/

Each and every one of the above posts are wonderfully written, and entertaining – I highly recommend checking them out if you haven’t already.

Thanks so much again, and I sincerely hope to see you all back next week!


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You’re Not Just Like Me – Stream of Consciousness Saturday (Like)

If I take all the things I like, and all the things I dislike and put them all, say, into a box, my box will be filled and devoid of a unique number of things. Some people in the world would need really big boxes, and others would fit all the things they like into a shoebox. I tend to try to avoid both types.

The types of people who make me suspicious, however, are the ones who tell me they like everything I like and dislike everything I dislike. How can they? Our boxes, after all, are as unique as our fingerprints. And so when I come across someone I seem to have a lot in common with, I try not to tell them I like the same things they like – at least not too many – because it kind of freaks me out. I don’t want them to get suspicious of ME.

Sometimes I think we should have a sheet that we can check off things we like and don’t like and hang them around our necks for other people to see. No wait, that’s just stupid. Can you imagine how many people would look at your sheet and not want to associate with you because you, for instance, enjoy eating peanut butter with cheese? I’d never have spoken to my best friend if I’d known that up front.

The point is, I like what I like and you like what you like. If we all liked the same things, how boring would the world be? What would we have to argue about? We’d all be one big happy world without conflict and we’d all sit around smiling all day because the things we don’t like wouldn’t even exist. I don’t think I’d like that. Would you?

This post is part of SoCS: https://lindaghill.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-2114/ Check it out and join in the fun!


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NOS4A2 by Joe Hill – A Review

NOS4A2NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was impressed with the depth of the story told within the story of this novel. At its core it is, of course, a horror novel. But it’s the tale of how Vic, the main character, grows up and becomes caught in the dark, life-sucking trap of NOS4A2 and its owner that gives the novel its humanity. I felt myself relating to many of the characters and this is what kept me reading fast and furious to reach the end.

Mr. Hill’s rich descriptiveness added to rather than weighed down the flow, and I was able to find myself right there in the story many times – whether I wanted to be or not.

It’s sick, it’s twisted, it’s frightening, and it’s touching, and it was a lot of fun to read. I would recommend this book to lovers of horror.

View all my reviews


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The Friday Reminder and Prompt for SoCS June 21/14

After my much-needed little rest, I’m back with this week’s SoCS prompt! During my couple of days off, not posting any articles myself, I found I had a little more time to wander around and read some of the blogs I enjoy. It was fun! I probably hit the “like” button more times in the past forty-eight hours than I usually do in four days. In celebration of that, I’m going to ask you bloggers out there to write your Stream of Consciousness Saturday posts based on that one word.

This week’s prompt word is “like.” Any way you want to interpret it, “like” always. 😉

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here at the prompt page in the comments so others can find it and see your awesome Stream of Consciousness post. Don’t hesitate to join in!

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” or “Begin with the word ‘The’.”

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people will come and read your post! The way to ping back, is to just copy and paste the URL of my post somewhere on your post. Then your URL will show up in my comments, for everyone to see. For example, in your post you can copy and paste the following: This post is part of SoCS: https://lindaghill.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-2114/  The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. Have fun!


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Guest Writers – Write for HarsH ReaLiTy?

Feel like blogging for an audience the size of a small city? Contact Jason at HarsH ReaLiTy and become a guest blogger! It’s fun!


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Overwhelmed and Underlively

Underlively. I just made up a new word. But it’s exactly how I feel. I have a rotten summer cold with an itch between my throat and my ear that’s driving me nuts. You know, the one that makes you want to thread a handkerchief through your skull between your earholes and give your sinuses a shoeshine.

Between that and the kids staying home soon and running around for my mother, I’m too wiped to even answer my own comments here on WordPress. So I’ve decided to take a break. I’ll be back for the Friday SoCS prompt, but until I get a break from everything, cold included, I’m afraid the best I may come up with is a disjointed story on my fiction blog.

So take care everyone. Watch for the prompt on Friday, and I’ll see you hopefully on the flipside of this bug in my head – as long as I don’t scratch my brain too hard.


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Opinions Wanted – Audio Books

My dear friend Joey, at joeyfullystated commented on my Saturday post that if I go blind, there are always audio books available so I don’t have to read. That got me thinking about audio books again, as I have contemplated trying one in the past. I passed the opportunity up however, because I can’t see myself sitting still long enough to listen to a story. Add to that that I’m easily distracted by things which catch my eye, and I think it might be a waste of money. I need something to look at. All the time. Even if I’m listening to music, I’ll read the lyrics or look at the album cover.

What’s really weird is, I tend to remember things that I hear more than things that I see. If you tell me your phone number once, I’ll remember it in five years. If you show me your phone number it’ll be gone in five seconds. But I digress.

Have you ever listened to an audio book? Did you enjoy it? Were you distracted? Were you or are you hesitant to buy one? If so, why? If it’s for the same reason I’m afraid to go for it, I especially want to know – or am I the only nut in the jar?


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Deconstructing a Dream

I must remember this next time I’m writing a dream sequence.

Just before I woke up this morning, I dreamed I was ordering breakfast. I was in a bus station, standing at a tall counter looking up at a very sparse menu. Not knowing what else to have, I asked for toast and marmalade. The curious thing was, when I asked for the marmalade I knew the person behind the counter would have a hard time with the word and I remember having the time, as I was saying the sentence I used to order the food, to change my order to make it simpler for the clerk. All those thoughts went through my mind sequentially, much like they do when I’m awake only I was hyper aware of them and they were so fast! I decided what I wanted, thought I shouldn’t say it and why, all in the space of time it took me to say “toast with jam.”

It’s amazing what the human brain is capable of. I know I have the capacity while awake to have a thought, form a sentence in my head, and think to myself I shouldn’t say it, even as I’m either saying it or changing it mid-sentence. And yet while I’m awake the process seems so sluggish… perhaps why I sometimes say things I know I shouldn’t; I don’t have the mental capacity all the time to change once I’ve started, or stop in the first place.

I wonder if a study has ever been done to see if we’re more likely to put our collective foot in our mouth if we’re tired. Food for thought… preferably not toe jam…


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Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Reading

This post isn’t about what I thought to write about today, but rather, something that has come up. It’s about reading, yes. But then again it’s about not reading. Not being able to read.

Every once in a while my vision goes wonky. It happened today and I’ve been having a hard time seeing my screen. Last night before bed I was squinting at my book. Today I’m seeing double – one image is above and to the right of the actual image. It’s very hard on the eyes.

I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t see to write, or to read. I know I wrote about losing one of my senses before (can’t think of the title of the post right now, but it was about losing either your sight or your hearing- which would you choose if you had to?) and at the time I said I didn’t know. Then again, I was sitting at the table with John this morning and he could hear a song playing in the other room and was able to name it – I couldn’t even hear a sound, let alone a recognizable song. So I suppose I’m losing both. I may not get to choose.

The things we take for granted – our senses if we were born with them being the most obvious. I sit here at the kitchen table looking out at the deck I plan to stain this summer and I wonder if I’ll always be able to see it. I wonder if we forget what colour is like when we go blind, or if we just assign another sense to it. I can imagine green would be warm to me, even though it’s not considered a warm colour (I don’t think). It represents summer, after all.

There are men outside chopping up the tree that fell in December. I can see them through the slats of the fence. It’s cold out today, so I imagine their work is comfortable.

Maybe I’ll stain the deck bright red. There goes a chainsaw – there goes my thought process.

I’m posting this without reading. I hope it makes sense.

This post is part of SoCS: https://lindaghill.wordpress.com/2014/06/13/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-1414/


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Friday the 13th – I Met the Grin Reaper at Starbucks

The Grin Reaper (typo intentional) stopped by my table at Starbucks tonight and introduced himself. Seriously – he reminded me of the childhood image I have of Beelzebub.

I was sitting at a table working on my laptop, minding my own business and drinking a grande Mocha. Channing Tatum sat two tables away, alone, (yeah, unlikely, right? Okay, so it wasn’t him, but the guy I sat beside was the spitting image) facing the same way I was, doing something on a tablet. Our backs were to the wall. Here’s how it went:

Grin Reaper: (approaches my table and smiles, saying nothing)

Me: (looks up at him and tries not to shrink back)

Grin Reaper: (finally) Hello. I think we’ve met before.

Me: I don’t think so.

Grin Reaper: (holding out his liver-spotted hand) I’m Leo. Nice to meet you.

reverendkane

 

 

 

Me: (shaking his hand and deciding not to give my name) Nice to meet you too.

Grin Reaper: (smile slips) Do you come in here often? (smiles again)

Me: No, maybe once every six months.

Grin Reaper: Hmm. I sit in the mall every day and read four newspapers. And I play the piano at nursing homes so I keep busy.

Me: (staring at his crooked yellow teeth as he grins creepily) That’s nice.

Grin Reaper: (looks down at my laptop) What are you studying?

Me: Oh, I’m just writing.

Grin Reaper: You’re a writer? I’m a writer too. I write about psychology, sociology, neurology, philosophy, religion… (and he named off about four more things)

Me: Well that’s interesting.

Grin Reaper: (stares and smiles)

p2

 

 

 

 

Me: Maybe I’ve seen you in the mall…

Grin Reaper: Yes, that’s probably it. (stares and smiles)

Me: Yyyeah…

Grin Reaper: (stares and smiles)

poltergeist2

 

 

Me: (probably 20 seconds have passed but it feels like he’s been sucking on my soul for an hour) Well, it was very nice meeting you.

Grin Reaper: Yes, nice meeting you too. (smiles and retreats)

Beside me, Channing turns to look at me, smiles and shakes his head. I look back, eyes wide, one eyebrow raised, with a frightened look on my face. Channing laughs.

I swear to God, Leo looked EXACTLY like Reverend Kane (Julian Beck) from Poltergeist 2. About 90 years old, thin, and well over six feet tall, he walked with the stoop of a man above average height. He wore a three piece suit and a hat, and had the most God-awful creepy look about him, as though he wanted to tell me how my life is going to end in grisly yet accurate detail.

Had I had my wits about me, I’d have asked Channing if that really happened. In fact, I’d have asked for his number as well – you know, just because he’s my only witness – so I could get another reality check at 2am, after the nightmare I’m sure to have tonight.

I may never go to the mall again.