Life in progress


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#SoCS – Kringle Ingle

What day is it today? Okay, technically it’s Sunday where I am. But all day Saturday I was confused. Of course, having a kid home on a Friday because there’s no school will do that to a parent.

It’s almost time for Kris Kringle, as a matter of fact.

Kris Kringle to leave footprints on my shingles.

And slip down the chimney into my ingle. (Which I just found out is a fire in a fire place.)

Ouch.

Sing it with me …

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire …

Maybe that’s why his suit is red.

To symbolize the many times he’s been set alight.

Kringle crackling on an open fire …

That works.

Poor guy.

Speaking of Christmas, I think I’ve got almost all my shopping done. Already! I’m early this year. Normally I’m closing the stores at 5pm on Christmas Eve.

I had a salted caramel mocha at Starbucks today. Only they didn’t have the salt. So it was just a caramel mocha. Very disappointing. Especially since I had to practically mortgage my house to buy it.

I could say that it just didn’t make me tingle …

Ugh. That was a stretch.

What I will say in closing is I’ll have a Christmas present for you all soon. If you like paranormal romance, that is …

😉

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.com/

This post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday! Click the following link to find all the other awesome posts in the comments and see how you, too, can join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/12/20/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-21-19/


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The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Dec. 21/19

It’s Friday! And that means it’s time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. Last week I asked if you were ready for Christmas. I need inspiration! I’m not even close to being ready. Here’s your prompt for this week:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “ingle.” Find a word that contains “ingle” and use it any way you’d like in your post. 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 beautiful 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!!

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.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!


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One-Liner Wednesday – Mugshot

One mug holds twelve ounces and the other holds eight. Can you guess which one cost $1.25 from the dollar store and which cost $36.00 with shipping?

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 lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com


by 14 Comments

#SoCS – Loudness

I love loud music. I always have. I remember doing everything in my power as a teenager to simulate quadraphonics. My parents had one of those stereos that was a piece of furniture–a turntable, radio and 8-track built into a cabinet. It allowed an extra pair of speakers to be plugged into it, so I’d do that, then arrange them around the level of my waist somewhere when I was laying on my back on the floor with my head as close to the middle of the stereo as possible and I’d be surrounded by sound.

What sound, you ask? If you’ve never listened to the album “Equinox” by Styx with a pair of headphones, you need to do that. ASAP. Or, better yet, find a stereo that’s a piece of furniture with a turntable(!!!) and do what I did. There’s nothing that can compare to vinyl. NOTHING!

Okay, there is one thing. And it’s actually even better. And louder. A live concert. I luuurve concerts.

Lately, they’re the only time I get to listen to loud music anymore, because I never get time alone in my house. I made a new year’s resolution to spend a weekend alone in my house, ohhh … three years ago. (I checked on my blog because everything is on my blog. Except it feels longer than that. Like, two years longer than that. It still hasn’t happened.)

I attribute the lack of loud music to my sleep apnea.

How is that, you ask?

Well, let me tell you.

When I listen to loud music, I sing loud. It used to be that even if I couldn’t do so in my house, I could listen and sing in the car. Except I haven’t had a stereo in my car (that plays CDs or anything else) since the end of 2015 when I traded in my minivan for a 2000 Toyota.

Singing, I believe, strengthened the muscles in my throat. Since they’ve gone to the dogs, I stop breathing when I sleep on my back.

So yeah.

Rock on, dudes.

With headphones!!

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.com/

This rocking post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday! Click the following link to find all the other loud posts in the comments, and join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/12/13/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-14-19/


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The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Dec. 14/19

Friday’s here and that means it’s time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. Christmas is getting closer. Are you ready? Here’s your prompt for this week:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “loud.” Find any word that means “loud,” and use it any way you’d like in your post. 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 beautiful 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!!

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.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 46 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – You know you’re a nerd when …

I’m happy as a clam! My box of paper was delivered–5,000 Christmas presents from me to me.

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 lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com


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Festive Fairytale & Fantasy Book Fair |AFTER THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER December Sale

The AFTER THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER Anthology includes my twisted fairy tale, Alice on the Analyst’s Couch. Get it on sale and enter to win!


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#SoCS – The Key

I’ve finally figured out that the key to getting stuff done is being organized. Who knew?

All week I’ve been trying to organize my time into blocks–from this point to then, I do that. From then to then, I do this. And so on. And I’ve actually been productive!

I call it the productivity key.

Yes, I just came up with that.

So now that I have my productivity key, what do I need next?

Oh yes, my endless riches key.

Somehow I think that one might take a bit more work. But hey, productivity is probably the first step. Right?

But what would I do with endless riches? End world hunger for a start. Then maybe get a haircut. I haven’t had one of those in four years. Because it’s been, like, really? What’s the point? It only grows back. And it’s not like anyone ever sees me.

I really need a key to getting out of the house.

Which is weird, because most people want a key to get into the house.

But I think a key to getting out is almost as important.

Of course you want to get in … especially when it’s raining or snowing. But getting out? That can be priceless.

I went Christmas shopping with Alex today. He’s decided he’s not afraid of Santa anymore, so this is the first time he’s been in a mall at the same time as Santa. And it was great!

My point (read: where I was going with this) is that I actually got to do some people watching today, and I realized it’s been a REALLY long time since I did that. I forgot what people looked like!

Okay, not really. But it was like a refresher course in society living. There’s not much society in my house.

Just family.

And family’s not really society.

Are they?

So the key to society?

Running away from home.

Yeah, that’s the ticket.

Productivity, endless riches, and running away from home.

Not necessarily in that order.

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.com/

This escape-artist post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the following link to find all the other posts in the comments and join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/12/06/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-7-19/


by 55 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Dec. 7/19

It’s Friday … and it’s December already! The Friday part in particular means it’s time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. We’re getting a load of snow today, but the bus still took Alex to school. Let’s hear it for no snow days! Woohoo! Here’s your prompt for this week:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “key.” 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 beautiful 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!!

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.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 81 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – Would you look at that!

Eight copies of my book right there on the shelf in Chapters, facing outward, between Lawrence Hill and Joe Hill!! I may have accidentally moved one copy over to the bestseller table. I hope there aren’t any cameras in the store … (heehee!)

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 lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com