The beauty of a white world all around,
but I cannot see it beyond my window.
I am entombed by reality,
gestating in the womb of Mother Nature’s swollen belly.
Her raging emotions unsettle me,
her fury becomes my anger.
My sense of peace is replaced by the need to kill.
Thousands of individual victims lay in wait
and my I raise my weapon.
I lose track of how many bodies have been discarded on my property
as my shovel throws more snowflakes to their grave.
A few years ago, I made my Aunt a 60th birthday cake and thought it would be inventive to write historic things on the cake that happened on the day she was born. It was a big hit at the party, and we all gained a bit of knowledge in the process.
I thought I would make history repeat itself and take you on a journey through time (without the cake, sorry). I picked this particular day as a fun way to celebrate my best friend’s birthday on this February 4th, 2014. Since she is a lover of history, I thought this message would have more of an impact.
Happy birthday Sami Jones!!!
On this day in history – February 4th
2004 – Mark Zuckerberg, after spending countless hours creating algorithms, invents “the” Facebook and eventually becomes a billionaire. Happy 10th anniversary Facebook.
1997 – A civil jury panel in Santa Monica, CA had determined that O.J. Simpson was guilty of the death of his wife and Ronald Goldman, although he had been acquitted in 1995.
1959 – The first day of the invention of the Barbie Doll. Barbie was created by Ruth Handler and was named after her daughter. Ken would follow years later and was named after Ruth’s son. (does that seem a little incestuous to anyone else?)
1938 – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released. This legendary cartoon grossed more money than any other motion picture to that point.
1932 – The first Winter Olympic games were held in Lake Placid, New York
Several historical figures also share this birthday – Johann Bach (1677), Charles Lindbergh (1902), Byron Nelson (1912), Rosa Parks (1913), Dan Quayle (1944), Alice Cooper (1948), Natalie Imbruglia (1975)
The most significant event on this day in history, as it relates to me, was the birth of my friend Sami. True friends are not easy to find but, somewhere in the chaos of our lives, we formed a friendship and we have never looked back. Birthdays should be celebrated for what they represent, not for the number of years that person has been on this planet. We celebrate the moment they came to be and the significance they have in our lives. When you bestow your happy wishes on that person on the anniversary of their birth, truly embrace the meaning of what you are saying to them…..I celebrate the day you joined this life.
You can verbalize that message in a more creative way by celebrating the number of times the Earth has revolved around the sun since they have been on this planet. You can celebrate the number of minutes or seconds they have shared their presence but the message should always come from your heart.
Happy birthday Ms. Jones!! And may you have many, many more!! Today, I celebrate you.
(image credit: ricochet.com)
It’s that time of year again. Tomorrow is February 2nd – best known as Groundhog Day. Tomorrow is the day that the nation puts its faith in a furry, rotund, hibernating member of the squirrel family to accurately predict the coming of spring. (Currently their rate of success is posted at 39%.) The folklore behind Groundhog Day allegedly originated in the area of Europe that is now known as Germany and became a tradition in the United States when the German settlers landed in Pennsylvania. The original foreign prognosticator was a badger. I’m not sure who the enlightened historical figure was that originally thought that this was a judicious way to plan their crop planting schedule but, many decades later, we are ready to celebrate this auspicious occasion again.
Hundreds gather, some donned in period costumes, to anxiously await the report that is passed from whiskered lips to attentive ears. We must all consider ourselves fortunate to even see this furry forecaster as hibernating groundhogs will generally only leave their burrows for food and sex. (I know some men who could take over the role as the purveyors of the changing of seasons based on their similar habits!!)
Mother Nature must really enjoy this celebrated day, especially if she sees fit to part the curtain of clouds to let the sun filter through. The luck of the early spring prediction lays solely at her discretion and no member of the rodent kingdom will change that. If the sun is shining on that frightened creature, he will inevitably see his shadow and it will be broadcast that we must brave six more weeks of winter. If dear Mother Nature is moody and the sky is mottled with grey clouds, Punxsutawney Phil and Wiarton Willie will see no shadow and be said to have deemed an early spring. I can only hope that tomorrow will begin under a blanket of condensed water vapor and their shadows will be non-existent.
Although his sweet, fuzzy exterior and chocolate-brown eyes may hold a place in your heart, do not trust a groundhog to foresee the accurate coming of spring!! I may not be as hairy (thank God) or as cute (up for debate) as Wiarton Willie or Punxsutawney Phil but I, on the day prior to the 2nd of February 2014 will make my prediction. Spring will arrive on Thursday, March 20th at 7:04 am! Shadow or not, I’d put money on the fact that I’m pretty close in my estimation. Sorry Willie and Phil, you might as well stay in bed!
DJMatticus over at The Matticus Kingdom is having a Scavenger Hunt. I am having a rather quiet afternoon at work and thought ‘what fun!”, so I’m sharing this with all of you in hopes that you’ll join in the merriment!
Here is what he’s after:
Let’s do a scavenger hunt!! Doesn’t that sound awesome? I have no idea how it is going to work!! And, yes, I’m so excited about that I am using the double exclamation points on purpose!!
How about this:
Go forth, using whatever methods you like, and bring me back whatever you think best represents:
1) The Jester (he obviously had to be writing!!)
2) The Queen
You’re the best friend
that I ever had
I’ve been with you such a long time
You’re my sunshine
And I want you to know
That my feelings are true
I really love you
You’re my best friend
3) The Little Prince
4) The Kingdom (couldn’t live anywhere but a mountain top)
5) The End of the World… or, for bonus points, The World NOT Ending (it may look like the world has ended, but there is always a soft place to land.)
6) Silly
Roses are red,
violets are blue.
I f&*king hate winter.
The End.
~~~
Well, now that WAS fun…..hope you all take a minute or two to participate!!
Suffocating in the palpable tension that filled the air, she sat with her arms crossed and refused to meet their eyes. The lecture was always the same. She could repeat it verbatim and sometimes did, which angered them even more.
Their voices escalated as the barrage of insults was thrown at her like daggers. Their expectation level was unattainable. The longer she listened, the more the words slowly morphed into voiceless sound waves.
They would never know her real gift. Her body remained seated but her soul left, smiling. She found true peace within herself and took to the sky.
~~
Written for the 100 Word Song Challenge at My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog. I’ve always been fascinated by stories of people claiming to be able to leave their physical body. I didn’t know the story was going that way, but who am I to argue with my muse?
Audrey had driven by the building countless times and was always drawn to its beauty. Today she could resist the urge no longer. After parking her car across the street from the house, she made her way up the walkway to the front door. She knocked and was greeted warmly by a man with a charming smile and a slight frosting of grey hair at his temples.
She introduced herself and explained to the man how often she thought of this place. There was no plausible explanation for her longing to see the inside and she was hopeful that he would forgive her intrusion. His voice was almost ethereal as he welcomed her into his home.
The inside was just as lovely as Audrey had imagined. Hard-wood floors spanned each room and the decor was pristine. The fire was roaring in the fireplace which lent a diffused scent of acrid smoke to the air. There was another odor lingering underneath but she couldn’t readily identify its essence.
The entire house was breathtaking. Each room was decorated beautifully, boasting warm colors and tones, but even amongst those warms colors Audrey could not ignore the slight chill she felt. Following him up the winding stairway, they made their way to the top floor of the house. She was shown the door to what she anticipated to be the most quaint room in the house – the Widow’s Watch. He was behind her now and slowly pushed the door open so she could enter. The movement of the door seemed to trigger the motion light and she stared blankly at the black cavern in front of her.
His voice startled her back to reality. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
His hand found the small of her back and he shoved Audrey into the chamber. The door closed and she heard the lock engage. The other smell that had plagued her was now overwhelming enough for her to identify. It was decomposition. Audrey screamed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
328 words written for the Trifecta Challenge to use the word “quaint” and, as always, the third definition of the word.
QUAINT (adjective)
1: obsolete: EXPERT, SKILLED
2a: marked by skillful design <quaint with many a device in India
ink — Herman Melville>
b: marked by beauty or elegance
3a : unusual or different in character or appearance : ODD
b : pleasingly or strikingly old-fashioned or unfamiliar <a quaint
phrase>
Remember:
• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.
• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.
• The word itself needs to be included in your response.
• You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above.
• Only one entry per writer.
• If your post doesn’t meet our requirements, please leave your link in the comments section, not in the linkz.
• Trifecta is open to everyone. Please join us.
With the barrage of holiday movies on television and the impending calendar date of the actual Christmas celebration just around the corner, the many images of Santa Claus, old and new, are generously scattered throughout our channel selections. Animated versions of the benevolent being as well as the portrayal of Kris Kringle by well-known actors give us abundant opportunity to delve back into that childhood fantasy that all of us once had.
Each portrayal of Pere Noel allows me to travel back in time and dip into the well of innocence I had as a child. It lets me live in a simpler time when life was less complicated and everything seemed magical.
Santa Claus embodies the spirit of happiness and giving. His cherubic face symbolizes unending love and perhaps it is that feeling of love that keeps the spirit of his message alive in my heart. Santa Claus may not have a genuine physical presence, or more feasibly the cynicism of my adult life disallows me from seeing that presence, but the true message of his existence still flows through my veins.
Perhaps the North Pole is that idyllic peace of mind I am wrapped in when I allow myself the child-like happiness that I inexplicably only allow myself to feel this time of year. Sure, I’m generally a happy person throughout the rest of the year but there is a more youthful quality to my happiness during the Christmas holidays that I wish I could capture and recreate on a more frequent basis.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He lives in our hearts and will continue to exist there as long as we believe in the magic of happiness.
I may have read one too many Dean Koontz novels or perhaps have seen more than my fair share of creepy movies. Whatever the case may be, the conglomeration of macabre tales has left a lingering doubt in my mind when it comes to hitch hikers.
I have never entertained the thought of sticking my thumb in the air and hoping that a random stranger would stop and let me into their vehicle. And on that same train of thought, I have never picked up a hitch hiker that I didn’t know personally. I occasionally feel guilty about driving by and leaving them with arm extended and a thumb reaching up like a beacon of hope. I even go so far as to not look directly at them, although I know full well that they cannot see the direction in which my ocular orbs are focusing.
Scenes from movies play like a slide show in my brain and I imagine the most innocent looking person taking hours to remove my appendages and build them into a sinister piece of art nouveau. It may be a warped interpretation but one that could salvage my digits and leave my body intact.
Although there is always the nagging doubt that picking up that hitch hiker will hold some sort of malice for me, I still feel the need, in my head, to explain why I will not invite them into the sanctuary of my four-wheeled haven. I constantly feel the urge to roll down my window on the way by and tell them that my turn is only meters away and that they will have a better chance of a full ride with another driver. Regardless of any guilt I feel for not stopping, I still avert my eyes from their general direction and carry on, alone in my car, to my destination.
I am not labeling worldly travelers nor am I judging those whose means of travel relies on a digit that many animals do not possess. I am simply propagating my existence in my over-active imagination and choosing to not share the sanctity of my car with a potential serial killer.
Best wishes to all of you that have the guts to be the hitcher or the driver that stops to pick up those wayward travelers. The neurons in my brain will always fire in the same way and err on the side of caution but for those brave enough to pick up or be picked up – thumbs up to you.
The way your eyes look into mine is unfair.
You hold me in your gaze.
You see me. You see into me.
Your eyes travel the contour of my face and rest on my smile.
Your eyes know every wrinkle around my eyes.
Your eyes know the emotion in every facial expression I have.
Your eyes know me.
But it isn’t fair.
Your eyes will never be able to look outward with mine,
they will never be able to look towards a future together.
For as much as we are drawn together,
the vision in your reality keeps us apart.
But your eyes continue to speak to me,
volumes of implied feelings are expressed with each blink.
My eyes read those thoughts and answer back.
The emotion in our unspoken words is palpable.
Hold me in your gaze for a while longer.
Hold me there forever.
~~
(image credit: michellealva.com)
The basin at the bottom of the waterfall would always dazzle my reality and expand my myopic view of what beauty can truly look like. The naked man swimming there didn’t hurt either.
~~
(image credit: hunkdujour.com)
And on again to the weekend Trifextra Challenge: On to the weekend prompt. This weekend we’re asking you to add thirty of your own words to the following three words for a total of thirty-three. Good luck!
– See more at: http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/#sthash.xTpk2xs6.dpuf
polysyllabic profundities 