Deep In The Forrest

I DON'T GOT my Mojo workin... I'm looking at my recent posts, and I'm not very happy with how lazy I am at writing these days. Given the state of the world and everyone stuck at home, I should be diving deep into my creative endeavors. This is the way it goes with me, back and forth. I need a muse, or some vibes that get me back into being the creative and magical child I once was. I need to be around creative types, artists again... It's tough because as things still stand, even now as July is coming to a close and we are looking down the barrel at August already (seems like we just turned the New Year), we're still isolating, keeping 'social distances' and staying away from crowds as much as possible. So we all have to push ourselves more, or self-motivate. It's not easy sometimes. Keeping this short, really... Not much to say. I have a lot of work to get done really, and things to get accomplished around here, but I miss hearing from readers. Is anyb...

The following quote, which I first ran across some time ago is one that merits daily reminder, but we get so caught up in our day-to-day grind and are so busy 'white knuckle gripping' the things we are so hellbent on worrying and stressing over that we allow it to fall to the wayside. "Until Further Notice... Celebrate Everything!" Now I am not certain the origin of this quote, though I have seen it repeated many places, and also seen it as the title of published materials. No matter, the concept is one of the best pieces of advice we could receive. As most of us have experienced, or will realize soon enough in life, nothing is certain, nothing lasts forever, time flies and as Stephen King said it best in his novel '11/22/63' (which I highly recommend reading, by the way), "Life turns on a dime. Sometimes towards us, but more often it spins away, flirting and flashing as it goes: so long, honey, it was good while it lasted, wasn’t it?" So ce...

Well I have had a little gap, as my schedule changed up a good bit when my last contract position ended, and I've been doing a lot of work on the house, and of course trying like heck to find my next position and hopefully a long-term to permanent position. So a bit busy, and at times, lazy, but with the transitions of things in the house, I haven't had a good "computer spot" set-up which is comfortable for me to sit for long period of time so that I could spend much time on my writing and blogging. I need a new laptop or something to be honest, that way I'd be able to set myself up pretty much anywhere and write more conveniently. Yes, I used to have one, but it broke some time ago, and without my former roommate, I have no access to one. So, once I get settled into my new job (which I have faith is coming soon), I'll safe up and get me a small, cool little notebook or something. My Cat Has This Attitude I was happy with myself for getting posts up pret...

I meant to post a little something for Easter Sunday, and I jarred my back while riding my motorcycle over the weekend, so I was mostly resting with heat and meds. My childhood years were spent being spoiled to so many family traditions that I guess I thought would never end, and as we grow up, we are forced to realize that "Nothing Gold Can Stay" (just as Robert Frost  tried to tell us). In those early years though, dying Easter eggs with my father on Saturday night (ahh the newspaper, the smell of vinegar, using Mom's cups, those little wire thingys, and mainly just Dad showing me how to do all this), helping with the cooking, and waking up to those baskets full of pretty eggs, candy and goodies was magic. We were always so distraught when we were dragged away from our Easter morning fun to attend the church service (which to us as kids seemed to drag on for hours). Once back home, it was time for the family to all meet there at my childhood home and eat dinner toge...

Life is uncertain, so let's continue finding something to celebrate every day. Now, I am not the most consistent person when it comes to my trends, or my writing. I am trying hard to make the effort. You can keep encouraging me. I have included today's list below, and out of these, I chose "National Crayola Crayon Day" as it peaks my inner child's artistic enthusiasm, as well as reminds me of a funny story about myself and my heart-thumping 5th/6th grade crush, Ken. Oh lord, Ken... He and his family were from deep in the heart of Texas. Ken was the middle son of three boys, and six years my senior. With that rich, Texan drawl, and his sky blue eyes and sandy hair, he was the wild child star of my middle school dreams (insert hilarious giggle there). His parents and my parents were best friends, they hung out and visited one another, had dinners, coffee, played dominoes, all that.  Funny how you think at that age, but I was convinced that if I could just have one...

Yes, you read that right. As Chris Brown might say, "Grass Ain't Greener". Most times, we learn this in life the hard way. We live in a day and age where people treat everything as disposable. You don't like your job? You quit. You don't like your house or car? You sell it, even though you might go upside down financially. Hate your job? You quit... Hate your husband or wife? "Hey, it's been fun!! I'm outty." Then you pack a bag and go off to spend the night somewhere else, and never come back. Wait, I'm getting a little personal there. Back in the old days, people worked through hard times, made a steel commitment to things in their lives, not a plastic one. So in my recent interest in these 'interesting' obscure holidays, I decided to place focus on "Grass is Always Browner on the Other Side of the Fence Day", celebrated annually on March 30th. Origins: This holiday was created to honor the people who never left their ...

Everyone loves a holiday. I happen to prefer the type of holiday that gets you a paid day off from work. However, any cause for celebration can be fun. If you're a regular on Facebook, or any other social media tool, you've likely seen people post up trivial "national  (    fill in the blank     ) day" at some point. I've seen some interesting ones lately. Yesterday, evidently I missed "National Puppy Day". There's always some interesting, crazy, or funny holiday that someone has tagged up, and I'm not saying they're not legitimate, but pretty odd at times, you have to wonder. So after googling it... Today, March 24th is apparently recognized for the following: -National Cocktail Day -National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day (yum!) -International Day for Achievers --and last but not least-- World Tuberculosis Day So interestingly enough, today in history reflects the following amazing and wonderful fact: 1882  Robert Koch...

http://marielliott.deviantart.com/ Spring is in the air here in the River City. Although I fancy myself a fall maiden, something about the springtime gives way to so many mixed emotions. I feel hopeful, elated, sentimental, a bit empty and depressed sometimes, excited, yet sad. On one hand, as the weather evens out to warmer temperatures (depending on rain), I get more opportunities for motorcycle fun. However, I still pine for the fall chill and pine a bit for the holidays past (memories-sigh). Maybe it's a perfect time to recall some of my warmest memories of the season. Flow with me as I wax poetic, won't you? Growing up, Easter was a big part of spring and a time when we still got excited for that holiday, since we would gather as a family (dinner like Thanksgiving and Christmas), and of course get our Easter Baskets and usually we looked forward to a new Easter dress (sometimes shoes and a purse to match). So there was a special feeling for the time of year and every...

Moving forward, looking to the future with positive thoughts, yet "living in the present", you know, staying in the NOW, that's all people preach. Don't get stuck in your past, it can only hold you back and keep you from living your life and achieving success... blab blab blab. I mean, there is truth to the fact that we need to always "live in the moment" because it is all we have in the palm of our hand, and of course have some aspirations of future dreams to work for as we do so. However, PISH POSH to the idea that reveling in our wonderful memories and keeping them close, thinking of them anytime we need to feel those feelings and remind ourselves of a thing because we need it badly, I don't think that is a bad thing, and I won't apologize for it. Do you ever panic, though, for just a quick moment while trying to remember something... something they said, a joke they told, or some significant piece if information that they shared once in a dista...

This morning I popped over here to the blog with intentions of writing some little sentimental post about "Him" (Z) but I looked down and I spewed too much word vomit in the other post from February entitled   Time, That Slippery Bastard . So how can I, in good conscience, do another damn post with him as my main focal point?  I really can't. However, as I have once again gotten frustrated and depressed, I have really felt a horrible urge to jump in my time machine and escape back to that time once again... the time where he acted crazy and did stupid things just to get to me and spend time with me. The time when he, turning flush red with want, shyly approached me to tell me just how enchanted he was with me. A moment that charged with electricity affects a woman seriously. Gentlemen, it sticks with us... for life. May never see his face again in this lifetime, but not a day goes by that I don't think of him. I was an adult female, but I became a grown woman in ...

Well, I am at it once more, wallowing in a pool of sexy, romantic, memory inducing music. I have been doing this for a couple of days now. When this happens, sometimes it is with a certain person from my past on my mind ( Z ). Sometimes it is just a melted together memory storm of everyone and everything I've been through, as the years have zoomed by. Time gets away from me, time causes me pain with the passing of it and with all that comes and goes with it. The dirty bastard will take your loved ones, steal your lovers, sit up with you on long, lonely nights and remind you the exact moment you took that dastardly turn and your whole world went wrong. He is a truly heartless scumbag at times. Hey no worries, I'm not in a bad mood, so don't come at me with any lectures about keeping on the sunny side of life, please. I'm just running off at the mouth. That's what this is for, I can vent, I can wax poetic, I can simply entertain, whatever I feel... my blog right? ...

Today I looked down into the small deep eyes of an innocent puppy, and she only reminded me of all the spirit and soul that truly exists in the world. As small as her little canine eyes appeared, they were a vast universe of wonder and love. She looked directly into mine, unfaltering, as I sat still and stared into hers for a silent moment. It was as if they were a portal to an entirely bigger better world... perhaps they are. Yes my weekend has been o.k. so far, I visited my mother and I managed some time to myself to breathe. My mind has been quite tangled up in a fantasy world the last few days, and I cannot lie, I am not upset with that fact. Some might think that staying in a fantasy world, and not "growing up" would impede your adult life and cause you not to fit into your 'adult costume'. But you see, I can take care of business, do whatever 'big kid' things I need to do, and still revert back to my flights of fancy and my world of dreaminess. It's ...

Stand by for what you might deduce as psychotic ramblings by AJ ;) Reality is a funny thing. That needn't be some hugely astounding, Nobel-prize winning statement of the century, it's just a string of characters, a few short words. What are words anyway if not all-too-commonly misused gifts of our language? Photo caption: "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." ~Einstein Just throw your Ego out the window for a moment and examine the phrase. " Reality is a funny thing ." (Now I'm not talking about Reality Television, which is indeed its own animal, and not much of one at that-can you taste my disdain?) Oh yes, this might leave you thinking, "Oh how can you say that? Reality is very serious indeed. Reality is dire to our existence and everyone needs to wake up and smell the coffee! We all need to be slapped in the face by this Reality , people need to grow up and learn the seriousness of how things really are in this life!!...

I woke up feeling so groggy this morning. A day after if you will. I'm so tired. I Feel Like Singing... With your feet in the air and your head on the ground Try this trick and spin it, yeah Your head will collapse But there's nothing in it And you'll ask yourself Where is my mind? Way out in the water See it swimmin I was swimmin in the carribean Animals were hiding behind the rock Except the little fish But they told me, he swears Tryin to talk to me koi koy Where is my mind? You see, yesterday was my Dad's birthday. He would have been 82 years old. It was the first time in my entire life that we did not go home and celebrate Daddy's birthday. Daddy loved his birthdays and his Fathers Days... and every day that he got to spend "looting up" on gifts and enjoying time with the love of his life (Mom) and his children. We always looked forward to the same with them. My cousin Gary also shares a birthday with my Father... August 29th. There hav...

Yesterday was a bit of a fog, and I was unable to execute the photos for the Weekly Words Challenge (by Tink) . The words were "Arch" and "Purple". Sorry I didn't get to join in the fun this week, doesn't mean you can't Run by and see everyone else's talents! Speaking of "Skipping", and since it is Springing into Summer pretty much around here, I am reminded of that famous phenomenon, Senior Skip Day (wiki) . Now, in the time leading up to my very own graduation, I have to go ahead and admit that I never did anything very interesting. It's quite sad honestly. I wasn't much of a class 'skipper' really, that is until I reached college. By then the rebel factor was no longer in effect, it was just go to class, don't go to class. There were no ringing bells, no tardy slips. It was a whole different ball game. Yes well when the time came for our very own Senior Skip Day, I even contemplated whether it would be worth my part...

I am in the midst of changing the look of this blog, it is completely drab and I am determined to give it an overhaul. It may take a few days to get through this transformation but I want it to be much different than any of the changes I have put in before. This will not be "yet another" new header design with a switch in background color, but a complete overhaul. I must admit I have been leery of going with such a big change, but it's time. Maybe if I start with a blog make-over, then it could possibly be a lead in to helping me get started doing all the other things I've been putting off. Who knows, it is a start anyways. Therefore, bare with me while I begin this magic face lift. Change is coming!

Am I still caught up in some whirlwind? It seems like my energy just waxes and wanes. I know it's been a few weeks now, and my family has good days and bad days, but we are still all in quite a bit of grief and emptiness without my father. Things are just very hard. My mother, of course, has it the worst because she was there with him day in and day out for 48 years, my other sisters had him longer than I did, but still there is a huge empty well that used to be filled with his laughter, spirit and love. Lately, it seems that I can't do anything without thinking about Daddy. Washing my motorcycle, I was reminded of how often we would wash cars together or when he would do his part to try and teach me about automotive things. I can't ride my bike either without remembering him teaching me how to drive everything, since I was just 2 years old, teaching me to shift and always allowing me something to drive. Certain television programs only echo his laughter. The house is blue ...