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Tag Archives: writing prompt


by 31 Comments

#SoCS – Advice needed from parents and horrible grammar

“If you let the dog out of his crate, you’re not getting your lemonade stand today.”

That’s how today’s disaster started. Over and over again I tell my mentally delayed son that if he doesn’t do as he’s told, he’ll suffer the consequences. And over and over he goes ahead and does the opposite anyway. And then we all suffer the consequences.

I’m sure he understands the “if/then” concept. But like a two-year-old (he’s 15), he enjoys pushing his boundaries. He is, in fact, caught somewhere between the terrible twos and puberty. The “what ifs” and “I can do what I want.” And it’s scary.

It’s been so long since I’ve raised a child in a normal situation, that I don’t really remember how long it usually takes a child to understand consequences. It’s normally after a few failures, isn’t it? I’m asking the parents of “normal” toddlers and young kids. If you add the deafness and the fact that Alex and I don’t speak the same language to the mental delay, my situation is hardly “normal.” I want to add to this that I am very consistent. If I say there will be a consequence, I stick to it, no matter how long the screaming, hitting, and breaking things goes on. Him, not me. But I’m tempted sometimes. 😛

To be fair, it’s not a very good day for a lemonade stand today anyway. It’s cool, cloudy, and there aren’t many people about. I promised him next week, if he can be good.

So instead he’s gone with his brother for a ride on the city bus. On the way back home I was listening to the radio in the car (from dropping them at the bus station) and the announcer said the following:

“Get your face painted or get your kids’ faces painted. It don’t matter.”

This in regards to a festival going on in the next town. Wouldn’t you think they’d hire people at a radio station with maybe not impeccable, but at least good grammar? Am I being too picky?

So anyhoo, if I’m not around too much next weekend, you’ll know I’m outside in my driveway selling lemonade. We’ll see what the weather’s like then.

SoCS badge 2015

This post is part of the fun that is Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the link to see how you can join in too! https://lindaghill.com/2016/07/15/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-july-1616/


by 58 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS July 16/16

Friday? Did someone say it’s Friday? Of course it is, and that means it’s time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. I feel an obligation to let you all know that I’m realizing I can’t keep up with post-reading. The stress is beginning to affect my health, which means everything and everyone around me is suffering. I’m happy to continue with my prompts, and when I find I have time, I’ll be by to read what you’ve written, but I must stop pretending that I have the energy to promise I’ll get there eventually. To be perfectly honest, I miss reading all the responses every week, so what I can promise is that I’ll try. I hope you can understand, and please, until I get my time/sanity back, visit each other! The success of this prompt depends on the community it builds. 🙂 Now, your prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “if/then.” Begin your post with the word “If.” For bonus points, end your post with a phrase containing the word “then.” Enjoy!

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 the 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 2015

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 my comments for everyone to see. 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. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!


by 33 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – What do you get when you cross a joke with an idiom?

I may still not know, for sure, why the chicken did it, but I suspect the geese crossed the road because the grass is always greener on the other side.

whygeesewhy

_____________________________________________________________________________

Anyone who would like to participate, 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 ping back, 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.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a ping back 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 nearlywes.com

#1linerWeds badge by nearlywes.com


by 19 Comments

#SoCS – Unconcentrated randomness

For some reason my powers of concentration are failing me at the moment. Maybe it’s because I’m in a dorm room (rented out for the summer as a motel set-up) in Kingston and I’m in room 1106. Why is the number significant, you ask? It’s because I was originally in room 1105, but when I turned the lock on the door, a woman poked her head out and asked me what I was doing. Yes, they gave me the key for an occupied room. It’s funny, because every single time I enter a hotel room I wonder if there’s someone in there (when I enter it for the first time that is). And finally, it happened. So I went back to the front desk with the woman in tow and they apologized profusely. The woman was totally shaken up though, and I can’t say I blame her. I’m sitting here wondering if someone is going to walk into my room. Before you ask, no, there’s no chain, nor is there any other kind of device that’s only accessible from the inside. It’s just the lock on the knob. The woman is going to complain to the manager on Monday. She’s here for the month. Any bets that she’ll find other accommodations?

But today hasn’t been all bad. Despite the rain…

I got an email this afternoon to inform me that a short story I wrote has been accepted into an anthology. 😀 I won’t say what it is yet – I want to wait until the contract is signed. So I’ll be self-published and traditionally published! I’m looking forward to working with the editor on it. And an editor I don’t have to pay – imagine that!

There’s something comforting to me, strangely enough, about sitting alone in a hotel room. The quiet is profound right now. I think it must have something to do with the fact that I know I won’t be disturbed. Barring the possibility of a fire alarm of course. At least here in Canada there’s not much chance of an earthquake. When I was in Japan I was constantly aware that my room could begin to sway at any given moment. The literature in the rooms all said something to the effect of “Don’t panic, get under the desk (there is always a desk) and wait for further instructions.” I could easily imagine not being able to understand them. Ah, but we could get a tornado here…

I should probably concentrate on writing my novel, eh? Yeah.

This post is part of Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Find the rules to join in  here and then do it! It’s fun!!

SoCS badge 2015


by 47 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS July 9/16

Hello, hello. ‘Tis Friday, hence the Friday reminder and prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday. The media these days has been the bane of my existence, the fly in my free-flowing ointment, the keeper of my concentrative (is that a word?) efforts. So, without further ado, nor attempts to carry forth additional ornamentation, here is your prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “concentration.” Use it any way you see fit. 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 the 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 2015

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 my comments for everyone to see. 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. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!


by 35 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – The Opposite of Feverish

First, a little explanation: I have a spring in my basement. There’s a concrete hole in my concrete floor, and into it runs a constant flow of natural spring water. So my brilliant best friend, John, has decided he’s going to use it to concoct air conditioning for my house. However, it has to be 55 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. In order to check, he needed a thermometer. So he asked me, “Do you have an old thermometer around? One you put under your tongue?”
“John, I don’t think they make them go that low.”
His temperature is above 55! He might still be alive! *rolls eyes*

 _____________________________________________________________________________

Anyone who would like to participate, 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 ping back, 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.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a ping back 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 nearlywes.com

#1linerWeds badge by nearlywes.com

 


by 66 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS July 2/16

It’s Friday today, and time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. Today has been a bit of a mess for me, not least because I have a bite on my ring finger that has my whole hand swollen to the wrist. Anti-histamines don’t seem to be making a dent. Ah well. I’m here, and so is your prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “long.” Use the word “long,” any definition. Enjoy!

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 the 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 2015

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 my comments for everyone to see. 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. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!


by 21 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday – Don’t blink

monarch

Take not life for granted, for it passes us by far too swiftly.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Anyone who would like to participate, 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 ping back, 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.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a ping back 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 nearlywes.com

#1linerWeds badge by nearlywes.com


by 26 Comments

#SoCS – Drink before bed

What am I doing here when i’m too tired to be here? I just came to say I ate so much tonight, I feel like a snake who swallowed an elephant whole. i may not move for the next three days. Also, while i was out, my son was using my laptop and now my left shift key doesn’t work. Which is why some of my “i”s aren’t capitalized.

i usually take a glass of wine up to bed with me, but tonight it will be water. I hope i’m feeling better enough by the morning that I’ll be able to drink coffee.

Here are some ducks and turtles hanging out:

ducks and turtles hanging out

ducks and turtles hanging out

Good night.

This post is part of Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the link to see how you can join in the fun! https://lindaghill.com/2016/06/24/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-june-2516/

SoCS badge 2015


by 59 Comments

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS June 25/16

Holy Workweek, Batman! It’s Friday! I’ve been so busy today, I didn’t think I’d make it in time for your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt! Whew! I think I need a coffee. But first, here’s your prompt:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “drink.” Use it as a noun or a verb. 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 the 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 2015

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 my comments for everyone to see. 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. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!