Life in progress

Category Archives: Stream of Consciousness Saturday


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The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Oct. 20/18

Hey! It’s Friday–who knew? So it must be time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. Sorry I’m late today. I’m in a bit of a fog with a combination of a cold and allergies. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. Here’s your prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “can.” Use it any way you like. Bonus points if you start and/or finish your post with it. Enjoy!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here to 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 pretty 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!!

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

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. I will post the prompt here on my blog every 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 will simply be a single word to get you 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 my comments 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 all of them! 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 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!


by 14 Comments

#SoCS – Precious Words

One for the record books–the day I was a full hour and fifteen minutes late starting on my own prompt.

A few times today (yesterday) I actually sat down to write this, but I got distracted. Pulled away, or at the very least had the feeling that if I started, I wouldn’t be able to finish.

Which is my most-used excuse for not writing fiction.

So I’m sitting here now, in the wee hours of Sunday morning with my cup of peppermint tea, waiting for the Tylenol to kick in. And now, I will close my eyes and type.

How are our words precious?

They have such power. Our voices–the way we communicate, whether by voice itself or by written word–have the power to affect so much. So many others. It’s not the words themselves, but the way we choose to use them. Our expressions, our tone, our gestures … our voice.

Writers starting out are often confused over what we refer to as authorial voice. As an editor, I can see a writer’s voice as plain as day. It’s much like we speak. Because our thoughts drive both our speech and the way we write, they come out very similar in structure.

And those inner voices … Those, if we really pay attention to them, show the real us, if only to ourselves. Can you imagine if we said everything we thought? Ha! My stream of consciousness just went haywire. If only I could type as fast as I think.

But maybe I overthink things like this because I have such a passion for words. They have the potential for such beauty and such ugliness, all of which drive the human spirit–create our experiences of others and even ourselves. They can inspire us and they can scar us. Lift us up or drive us into the pit of despair.

Words are precious.

If we could all use them both wisely and with kindness and empathy, the world could be without conflict.

And I’d be out of a job.

(Because without conflict, a story is boring. 😛 )

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

This extremely late and utterly rambling post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the link to find all the entries in the comments. And join in! https://lindaghill.com/2018/10/12/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-13-18/


by 53 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Oct. 13/18

Hey there!! It’s Friday, and that means it’s time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. Well, I’m almost out from under the weight of too much work, too little time, so you might be seeing more of me soon. Yay! Here’s your prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “precious.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here to 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 pretty, new 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!!

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

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. I will post the prompt here on my blog every 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 will simply be a single word to get you 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 my comments 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 all of them! 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 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!


by 19 Comments

#SoCS – In the Cards

The concept of fate is debatable. I’ve always kind of believed in it. Especially when it suited me the most.

When something good happens, it’s luck. When something bad happens, it was bound to be. Bound as in tied up, unable to escape fate with a bow on top.

Until, of course, something good proves to have mixed results.

Was I fated to meet my ex? Of course–we had three kids. They were fated to come into existence, to change other people’s lives in their path.

Yeah, totally a mixed bag of beliefs.

Then there are the literal “in the cards” cards. I used to play around with Tarot cards a lot. I have no idea where they went when I moved eight years ago. Or maybe it was nine now … No matter. I haven’t seen them in close to a decade.

I used to wonder if I was just reading what I wanted to read in them. I mean seriously, so much interpretation!

But then once in a while I’d have a really specific question in mind and there was no doubt they were talking to me.

Happened more with the Angel cards.

I know where they are.

I still get them out once in a while.

Do they predict the future or show me what’s “in the cards,” so to speak? Again, totally up for interpretation.

They say that things you don’t believe in, won’t come true. But maybe it’s all in our heads.

Or maybe we just choose not to see it.

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

This mystical post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Sunday Saturday. Click the following link to find all the posts in the comments, and join in! https://lindaghill.com/2018/10/05/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-6-18/


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The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Oct. 6/18

Well hello there! It’s Friday once again, and time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. The weather’s been crazy here. Frost last night, and tomorrow it’s supposed to go up into the eighties again. Is it like that where you are? So weird. Here’s your prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “card.” Use it any way you like. Enjoy!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here to 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 pretty 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!!

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

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. I will post the prompt here on my blog every 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 will simply be a single word to get you 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 my comments 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 all of them! 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 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!


by 9 Comments

#SoCS – Dominated

How do you function when your mind is dominated by stress and anxiety?

How to cope when your mind is awhirl with worry?

Meh. It’s par for the course these days. Sometimes I feel like I’m being kept afloat by all that’s constantly to-do in my life. Does anyone have it easier than I do? I doubt it. Same shit, different set of circumstances.

We all have something that dominates us, I believe. Whether it comes in the form of another human being, a situation that we can’t get out of, piles of work or worry and stress …

But there can be momentary escape. For some it only comes with sleep, with alcohol, with a favorite pastime …

Problem is nothing stands still. Not even the earth.

This very late post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the following link to find all the participants’ posts linked in the comment section, and join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2018/09/28/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-sept-29-18/


by 41 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Sept. 29/18

It’s Friday once again, and time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. Been a hectic morning around here with Alex off school and broken laptops galore. Nothing’s ever easy, is it? Or at least sometimes it feels that way. Anyhoo, here’s your prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “dom.” Use it as a word, or find a word that starts or ends with it. Have fun!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here to 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 pretty, new 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!!

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

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. I will post the prompt here on my blog every 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 will simply be a single word to get you 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 my comments 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 all of them! 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 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!


by 12 Comments

#SoCS – De-floured

My mother never baked, which is likely why I never caught on to it. My mother’s best friend’s mother-in-law, who lived with us for a while, used to bake. She had me “help” her when I was a child, but I was never that much into it. All I wanted to do was read and play by myself. And write books and stories.

I took a home ec class in high school. Half of it was sewing, which was what my mother did best. She made all of our clothes (c’mon, shudder with me), but that wasn’t something I enjoyed doing either. So maybe my mother had no influence on my lack of baking either? I dunno. I enjoyed knitting more than anything.

Anyway, the second half of my home ec class was cooking. I successfully made a banana bread in that Grade 9 class. I was so proud of it. I brought some home for my mother and myself and my boyfriend at the time ate it. I never forgave him for that.

Fast forward to being married (not to the banana-bread thief) and enthusiastic about making a home. I was 19 years old. Yes, I got married young the first time. I decided to make banana bread again. I was soooo careful. I put it in the oven and checked it when it was supposed to be done. Let’s say, for the sake of argument, 45 minutes later. Then an hour. Nope. Hour and ten? Nope. I finally threw it in the garbage at more than twice the amount of time it should have taken to cook.

That was the last thing I ever tried to bake, apart from pre-packaged muffins and cookies.

The take away from this story? The day I was de-floured was the last day I baked anything worth eating.

And if that makes no sense, it must mean I need a glass of wine.

a flower

This wacky, absolutely bananas post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the link to find all the other participants’ posts in the comment section and join in yourself. It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2018/09/21/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-sept-22-18/

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/


by 49 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Sept. 22/18

Hey there! It’s Friday, which means I’m here to welcome you to the Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. It’s been a morning. Coffee is good.

Here’s your prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “flower/flour.” Use one, use both, it’s totally up to you. Enjoy!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here to 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 pretty, new 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!!

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

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. I will post the prompt here on my blog every 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 will simply be a single word to get you 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 my comments 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 all of them! 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 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!


by 15 Comments

#SoCS – Post

Now that I think of it, it’s kinda strange that we call these things we write on the Internet “posts.”

Is that like sending out Internet mail to all people who care to follow what you say, like letters without using e-mail? Or is it more like we’re sticking our fenceposts in the ground of the web and saying, Here! Don’t go any farther until you read this! Because if you do, I’ll add a horizontal board and fence you in …

Okay, that went a bit sideways on me.

Removing a blog post is far easier than digging up a fencepost, but at least when you do the latter, you know it’s definitely gone. With posts on the Internet, you can never tell. Someone takes a screenshot and bang! You’re stuck with it for life and beyond. Bang? Should that be click? Ugh, I don’t know. Stupid “no editing” rule. Who thought that up, anyway?

See? Even if I delete the rule now, someone’ll have the original to throw back at me.

Whoever said “nothing is permanent” never heard of the world wide web, obviously. Haha.

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

This post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the link and find all the other participant’s posts in the comment section! https://lindaghill.com/2018/09/14/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-sept-15-18/