Life in progress

Author Archives: Linda G. Hill


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The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Dec. 23/17

It’s Friday again and time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here, what with the … oooh … five inches of snow on my table outside that wasn’t there yesterday. School buses are cancelled for the last day of school–not sure whether I’ll brave the roads to get him there or if we’ll just hang out. He wants to go say goodbye to his friends, I’m happy to stay in my PJs. We’ll see. Anyway, here’s your prompt for this week:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “yule/you’ll/Yul.” Start your post with one of them. Have fun!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here at this week’s prompt page and check to make sure it’s here in the comments so others can find it and see your awesome Stream of Consciousness post. Anyone can join in!

To make your post more visible, use our SoCS badge! Just paste it in your Saturday post so people browsing the reader will immediately know your post is stream of consciousness and/or pin it as a widget to your site to show you’re a participant. Wear it with pride!!

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,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in the comments below for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

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. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!


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112. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Note: Strong language

Thursday, December 21st, 3:00pm
Gina and Roxie

 

Gina: Did you get my text?

Roxie: (pulls one earphone out) What?

Gina: Did you get my text?

Roxie: (puts earphone in) No.

Gina: I’ll resend.

Roxie: (a moment later) Oh my God! Really?

Gina: Uh huh, and not just that. (texts Roxie)

Roxie: No way!

Gina: Way! And then, she said, “I don’t have to put up with this shit. LOL”

Roxie: (pulls earphone out) What?

Gina: Hang on, I’ll text it.

Roxie: (a moment later) I can’t believe she said that!

Gina: (nods) And she even LOL’ed!

Roxie: What?

Gina: Wait, she’s texting me now.

Roxie: (pulls earphone out) What did she say?

Gina: (pulls earphone out) What?

Roxie: What did she say?

Gina: Hang on, I’ll forward it.

Both put in earphones. Ad nauseum.

 

Next stop: Friday, December 22nd, 5:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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111. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Wednesday, December 20th, 8:00pm
Drommen (and Stephanie) (and Villem)

 

Drommen sits at the window. Stephanie takes the seat beside him.

Drommen: (smiling) Good evening.

Stephanie: (smiling back) Hi.

Drommen: Nice evening.

Stephanie: Yes, it … (suddenly looks nervous) Hide me.

Drommen: Hide you?

Stephanie: Yeah. (looking at his long trench coat) Under your coat or something.

Drommen: Well, you see…

Stephanie: That man over there. (pointing) He tried to flash me on the bus the other day.

Drommen: (sits up straight) Which one?

Stephanie: (points) Over there. First seat on the left.

Drommen starts to get up.

Stephanie: (grabbing his arm) No! You can’t go over there.

Drommen: Why not?

Stephanie: Because he’ll know it was me who told you about him.

Drommen: But someone has to deal with this guy. He’s giving the bus a bad name.

Stephanie: (with a tear in her eye) Please?

Drommen settles back in his seat.

Stephanie: Thank you. You’re a very decent man.

Drommen snorts.

 

Next stop: Thursday, December 21st, 3:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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One-Liner Wednesday – So, how was your evening?

This pretty much sums up my yesterday evening:

How was yours?

___________________________________________________________________________

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our very cool badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

#1linerWeds badge by Dan Antion


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110. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Tuesday, December 19th, 5:00pm
Honey and Dear

 

Dear: (whining) Honey?

Honey: (bored) Yes Dear.

Dear: Can you rub my feet when we get home?

Honey: Yes Dear.

Dear: (a minute later, whining) Honey?

Honey: (bored) Yes Dear.

Dear: Can we cook supper together?

Honey: Yes Dear.

Dear: (a minute later, whining) Honey?

Honey: Yes Dear.

Dear: (whining) Can we go to bed early? I’m tired.

Honey: Of course, Dear.

Dear: (a minute later, whining) Honey?

Honey: (getting annoyed) Yes Dear.

Dear: You’re the best wife ever.

Honey: (regards him) Thank you, Dear.

 

Next stop: Wednesday, December 20th, 8:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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109. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Monday, December 18th, 8:00am
Sherlock and Watson

 

Sherlock: … and so I said to him, “I knew it was you!”

Watson: How ever did you figure it out?

Sherlock: Well, let me tell you. I spied him sneaking into the hallway, and then when I went to put my shoes on later–after completely forgetting about the incident–there it was! A piece of poo, stuck to the bottom of my sock!

Watson: The poo was in your shoe?

Sherlock: It was!

Watson: (shakes head sadly) You really must get rid of that child.

Sherlock: Oh no, I sha’n’t do that. I’ll simply send him to school.

Watson: But, which one?

Sherlock: Why, elementary, my dear Watson.

 

Next stop: Tuesday, December 19th, 5:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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Prompts

Aside from starting Just Jot It January 2018 in a couple of weeks, I’m thinking about creating a new prompt. Yes, I know what you’re thinking–but, Linda, you can barely keep up with the ones you have! But this one’s a bit different.

The new prompt will be simple: a picture with a small explanation. I’m going to call it the The Escapist Coloring Club Prompt, and I’ll only host it on the first Monday of every month. My hope is to find volunteers to host it on their own blog every other Monday of the month.

The Escapist Coloring Club will prompt people to take pictures of the things they are coloring and share them. Whether it’s your own adult coloring project or something that your kids have done that you’re particularly proud of, it will be a chance both to showcase your work and to connect with other bloggers who share your passion for creating beautiful works of art.

So why am I looking to add to my workload? I’m not, really. In fact, I’m attempting to do the exact opposite. I need to escape from all the work I do on a daily basis, and this prompt will, I hope, encourage me to take time for myself. Even if I don’t finish what I’ve started, I will take a picture of my current project and share it, as I have a few times with my coloring calendar over the past year.

So, what do you say? Will you participate? And even better, do you think you’d like to host? I do believe we can create a lovely, nurturing community out of this: adults and parents of all descriptions.

If you’re interested in hosting, I can teach you everything you need to know about the process, and I will reblog every prompt post to help get as much exposure for you, your artwork, and your blog as is possible. Just email me at linda@lindaghill.com and we’ll get the ball rolling in the coming weeks. Let me know if you’re in it just to try it out, or if you’d like to host on a monthly basis.

I look forward to hearing from you!

My colouring project from May, 2017


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#SoCS – Optimism

Normally, I’m a very positive human being. I like to find the bright side in everything, if there’s a bright side to find. Most of the time when I find something good out of something very very bad, I keep my mouth shut, because whatever it is I’ve found would seem insensitive. I remember once making the mistake of saying to someone whose car had been damaged in an accident that at least the guy in the body shop made some money … You can see by this how far I stretch.

But, in contrast, sometimes my imagination takes me to worst-case scenarios where even I can’t find something good. And that’s actually where my stories come from.

Imagine, for instance, something terrible happening (no one dies!) that affects everyone. All the banks close just before Christmas, for example. No one can do their shopping, and only those with cash can buy groceries. No good can possibly come of this, except, maybe for a villain!

I often write dark stories, and the strangest thing about it is that they’re driven by my optimism. I’ve wondered for years where my odd tendency for writing horror comes from. I think I just figured it out.

Thanks, Stream of Consciousness Saturday Sunday. 😛

Oh, and speaking of SoCS, I did write something on my fiction blog last night, for the first time in ages. Click here to read it.

This very very late post is brought to you by SoCS. Click the link to find all the other amazing entries! https://lindaghill.com/2017/12/15/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-16-17/


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108. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Sunday, December 17th, 4:00am
Norm (and Vic)

 

Norm sits at the window. Vic takes a seat across the aisle.

Vic: Wassup?

Norm: (regards him briefly) Not much.

Vic: Why so glum, chum?

Norm: (looks at him) Why don’t you go find somewhere else to sit?

Vic: Get fired from the factory?

Norm: (stares out the window, mumbling) None of your business.

Vic: If you need some money I can help you out.

Norm: (regards him) Yeah? Doing what?

Vic: (reaches into his pocket, pulls out a small baggie) I’ve got a little business goin’.

Norm: I’m not into drugs. And anyway, what makes you think I’m not a cop?

Vic: Are you a cop.

Norm: (smiles) Yeah.

Norm escorts Vic off the bus in handcuffs.

 

 

Next stop: Monday, December 18th, 8:00am

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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107. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Note: Strong language

Saturday, December 16th, 4:00pm
Karla (and Justin)

 

Karla sits at the window. Justin takes the seat beside her.

Justin: Hey, don’t I know you from somewhere?

Karla: (glances up briefly from her cell phone) Nope.

Justin: I’m sure I do. Do you live around here?

Karla: (without looking up) Nope.

Justin: It’s Karla, right?

Karla: (without looking up) Nope.

Justin: Then why do you call yourself “Karla” on Facebook?

Karla: (looks at him) How do you know that?

Justin points at her phone.

Karla: (turning her back to the window to hide her phone, holding it in front of her face) Stop being so nosy.

Justin: You don’t get it, do you?

Karla: Don’t get what?

Justin: Everyone knows everyone.

Karla: (nose to her phone, typing madly) I don’t know you.

Justin: But all your friends will. You just took my picture.

Karla: No I didn’t.

Justin: (snatching her phone) Yes you did.

Karla: Fuck off, give it back.

Justin: Take my picture off it.

Karla: (snatches phone back) Fine!

Justin: (sits quietly for a moment, then turns to her) Friend me on Facebook?

Karla: (without looking up from her phone) Sure, what’s your name?

 

Next stop: Sunday, December 17th, 4:00am

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.