Laurie Nichols - Plinky Answers

Momentous discovery

2013-05-24T16:37:18-05:00

What's the most significant secret you've ever discovered about someone else? Did the truth come out?

Not to be picky or catty but somone should perhaps keep track of the prompts. This one is only a few weeks old, too soon to recycle. Anyhow, secrets have no business being aired online within social media. Is their nothing sacred? I suppose that in this age of casual interaction and the false sense of anonymity, it is getting very easy to share someone else's secrets without seriously gauging the consequences and the fall out.

I prefer to use social media to keep in touch with my close friends and family who live far away, the instantaneous connection through the ether helps to erase the miles that separate us.

The reason that I started this post saying that I wasn't being picky or catty is due to the fact that even the same prompt can generate a different response from the same person who answered that prompt just a few weeks ago.

Secrets can be dangerous, they can be hurtful, they can be power, they can finally be liberating, it depends who is keeping them, who is not and the moral fiber of all those involved.

Most good drama depend heavily on secrets so for those aspiring dramatic novelists, the exploration of secrets should be a matter of fact past-time in behavioral study.

I am blessed with a horrendous memory so secrets for me can easily become a permanent secret, I couldn't remember them to spill them to anyone.

Interesting that this prompt came back around so quickly, I wonder if those who inspire the prompts are subconsciously struggling with something. I wonder if I am overthinking this or if there might be something to my little theory. Just a thought.

Who are you?

2013-05-23T15:19:14-05:00

Do you consider yourself the outgoing performer or the appreciative bystander? Why?

I am very much the appreciative bystander when given the choice. Occasionally, when I have to be the performer, it isn't really the outgoing performer. I can be the performer but it's usually subdued, I have horrible stage fright and it is so very difficult for me to perform in front of people. When I used to be the French teacher for my children's elementary school; part of the curriculum was putting on Fairy Tale plays in French for the entire school and the parents. Fortunately as director, stage manager and narrator, my time on stage was obscured with everyone's focus on the children reciting their lines in French. Since I wasn't the focus, I could easily blend in with the scenery whch suited me perfectly.

Whenever we host programs at the Historical Society, I am always much more comfortable setting up, cleaning up and baking for the guests and the Directors. I am very comfortable with small groups but once the numbers increase to a crowd that is when I find myself far out of my comfort zone.

I don't mind being the appreciative bystander, I am very good at it I'll have you know.

Unconventional Love

2013-05-22T15:23:22-05:00

Today, tell us about the most unconventional love in your life.

I am assuming that by unconventional, this means that we are not talking about my romantic love for my husband or the unconditional love that my husband and I both have for our babies or the love all four of us have for our little Jack, the famous Jack Russell of Blandford.

I can offer two examples of what might be considered unconventional loves in my life; my love for my Rubik's cube and the love I hold for my stamp collection. Both of these possessions were gifts from persons so very important to me, the Rubik's cube was a birthday present from my cousin Martine on my 13th birthday and my stamp collection given to me by my grandfather.

I suppose material possessions aren't so unconventional to love because in this world so many love their fast cars, big mansions and luxury boats more than people but I would call loving a possession unconventional because the object can't love you back.

The interview

2013-05-21T16:57:45-05:00

Interview your favorite fictional character.

This evening I have the absolute pleasure of welcoming Miss Elizabeth Bennet to our program. She is the second oldest daughter of Mister and Mrs Bennet of the Longborn Estate in Hertfordshire, England.

Ms Bennet welcome to our show in the 21st century! How are you?
Ms Bennet: "Thank you for having me, how so kind of you. I am doing well and how are you? I must admit that I am fairly overwhelmed by society in this timeline."
"Oh dear, how do you mean by being overwhelmed by our society, is it in a bad way or an exciting way? If you don't mind me asking."
Ms Bennet: What I meant was that to see all of the freedoms and choices available to young ladies is overwhelming. How to decide what to do and when to do it. In my time a woman's work was never done but to see women in this time do what women in my time do at home and also work outside of the home is almost shocking. How much more work women have accepted into their lives.
"Ms Bennet, do you think that you would choose a profession over the more traditional life? Would you even think about going into politics, it's a possibility you realize, for women like you"
"Now I really feel overwhelmed, the idea that I could go into government and affect things for myself and ladies like me. I have to say that with all of these options, I would have to take my time before I choose. My biggest concern would be to squander my time or my choices"
"Ms Bennet, your intelligent and thoughtful answers don't surprise me in the least. I think that the world would be an exciting place with you and your wonderful mind at work in it."

I want to know what love it

2013-05-19T10:13:56-05:00

Is there a single idea or definition that runs through all the varieties of "love"?

The word love is used for so many different things that sometimes I fear the meaning may well be lost at some point. You hear the phrases such as I love my iPod, I love those shoes, I love this and I love that, love, love, love. In some languages the word love retains its special place, for example Greek and French. I remember learning in one of my favorite courses of all time Greek Mythology and Anthropology that the word "love" was very special and not used lightly. I find the same thing in the French language; aimer or to love is used sparingly so that its impact still keeps its strength.

When you see the many different relationships that one associates with love; be it a place, an idea, people or animals. I suppose the common denominator is the level of importance to your happiness and well-being that the other carries in your estimation.

Does the overusage of a word diminish its meaning even if the word or the feeling that the word represents is so powerful? Can a word be immune to manipulation or better yet can a definition be kept safe? I know that language is very fluid and representational but at some point do our feelings and our communications suffer from such fluidity?

Morphing

2013-05-18T09:08:11-05:00

Language evolves. The meaning of a word can shift over time as we use it differently - think of "cool", "heavy", or even "literally". Today, give a word an evolutionary push> give a common word a new meaning.

I am cheating with this one. I was watching David Lettermen and he had Chris Pine on promoting Star Trek, Into Darkness. Chris Pine had a cute story about a common word that was pushed into a new meaning, "pine". Apparently our dear Chris Pine still needs the use of a bib when eating; J.J Abrams had Chris Pine putting on weight and in between takes when he would be feeding his face and body, he would invariably spill something on his costume. The costume crew immediately took his name Pine and gave it new meaning, every time his shirt got stained, the costume crew would say that it got "pined". So the next time you spill something on your shirt, you have just "pined" yourself. Thanks Chris Pine! I'm seeing your movie today!

Landscape

2013-05-17T13:53:13-05:00

When you gaze out your window - real or figurative - do you see the forest first, or the trees?

It most surely depends on my mood and my level of focus. When I am preoccupied, all I see is forest, forget the trees. When the reflective mood is with me, I see each tree for its individuality and its place within the forest. I much prefer it, when I am calm and centered and can spend time seeing each unique tree and its importance within the greater community of nature.

Success!

2013-05-16T13:54:40-05:00

Tell us about a time where everything you'd hoped would happen actually did.

This past summer's trip to France is a wonderful example. I had planned it in advance as much as I could and then whatever else was left such as supplemental side trips, I would do it on the road. This trip wasn't only for myself but also for my 18 year old daughter so the pressure was on. On the whole I think that our entire trip was a success, it was 36 days of French countryside and good eating. Many things that could have gone wrong, didn't. There was not a single strike which for France was pretty good, the trains were for the most part on time, the hotels were nice, the food was delicious and my family was wonderful. Our trip was indeed everything that I had hoped for and then some. We were extraordinarily blessed.

Evasive action

2013-05-15T16:21:33-05:00

What's the most significant secret you've ever kept? Did the truth ever come out?

I have been a keeper of multiple secrets for my closest friends and the truth has never come out at least from my lips. Once someone has asked me to keep a confidence, I keep that confidence no matter what and trust me I have never had to keep any crime secret, I would never go that far. I strongly believe that it has never been my place to speak someone else's truth to anyone else. That would be a betrayal and taking their secret and swearing someone else to keep it secret does not count as keeping a secret. If more than two people know something than it isn't a secret.

Actually lately my memory has gotten so bad that if anyone confided anything to me, I would most probably forget it and then your secret is definitely safe with me, I have just forgotten how to access it fro my memory banks. I'm just as safe as a confessional these days.

Moreover I hold no judgement and my friends who confide in me know that, I don't judge and I hold my tongue, that is how I roll.

Half full or half empty?

2013-05-14T13:12:40-05:00

Is the glass half-full, or half-empty?

The glass is half-full or if were to be half-empty, it is only half-empty waiting to be filled to the top. I always found it interesting that someone coined that idea to visually and symbolically explain the difference between optimism and pessimism. I must admit that I am happy and grateful to be an optimist, it makes life easier to live. I can get very dark and very sad but those days or those hours do not last for long. Those emotions and feelings are more like a wet, heavy blanket shrouding my vision and mind, the blanket isn't a permanent fixture, it gets thrown off. I'm still trying to figure out how to banish it forever but I don't know if that would be good. If you don't have occasional sadness then how will you truly appreciate happiness?

The little things

2013-05-12T19:59:56-05:00

Describe a little thing-one of the things you love that defines your world but is often overlooked.

I'm trying to think of a little thing that defines my world and is often overlooked and I am not entirely sure what it is. I know that I get giddy over the simplest of things like what I had written about the other day, the fact that I saw new green shoots on my sage and thyme that I left outside this winter that was especially harsh. Perhaps such simple things are often overlooked and under appreciated but not in my gardening world.

Mad Libs

2013-05-11T17:36:26-05:00

Turn to your co-workers, kids, Facebook friends and ask them to suggest an article, an adjective, and a noun. There's your post title! Now write.

The fast dog, that is what our little Jack Russell thinks of himself. Whenever my hubby comes home from work, our Jack greets him at the door squealing with joy at his Papa's return and then runs off to start the game of chase me and try to catch me. Jack thinks he's fast but if he senses you aren't following he waits for you around the corner. He only runs again if he is certain that you are chasing him. It's quite cute.

Outside in the back he will go tearing in a wide circle as fast as his little legs can propel him and it looks like he is dashing around the backyard on a slant, not upright but more of a an angled run. I would say that since Jack thinks that he is fast, then for him, he must be a fast dog. Personally we don't care if Jack is a fast dog, I know that I get a huge kick from watching him move his little body however it moves him; whether he is prancing, doing his weird hop/skip, his scurrying or his version of running. It's all good solid entertainment.

Personal space

2013-05-10T08:21:56-05:00

To what extent is your blog a place for your own self-expression and creativity vs. a site designed to attract readers? How do you balance that? If sticking to certain topics and types of posts meant your readership would triple, would you do it?

My blog is most definitely my place to express what I am thinking about, concerned about, passionate about and the little things that happen in my day to day life. The positive reinforcement that I get when I get comments and likes gives me a definite lift. However would I change my creative output only to get more traffic, I don't know because a strong reason for my writing is for its therapeutic value for myself. I need to write my blog in ways that make me happy and answer my need to get things out so if it doesn't get immense circulation or traffic that's fine. I appreciate whoever comes my way and joins me in my writing journey, I have developed important friendships in my two and half years of writing and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Before starting my blog, I had forgotten how immensely satisfying pen pal relationships can be, before the rise of the internet and social media. All I know is that I will keep writing and maintaining my friendships and along the way hopefully I'll make new friends. It's an evolving thing, writing and readership, it rarely remains static and that is what makes it so interesting and exciting.

Art appreciation

2013-05-09T13:29:33-05:00

Do you need to agree with an artist's lifestyle or politics to appreciate their art? To spend money on it?

I think that art is an expression of one's worldview, how one sees the world, how one wants to communicate with others so in that context, I would think that an artist informs his or her art with everything within them. I am not an art expert or connoisseur, I just know what appeals to me and what pulls at my heart strings. I adore Vincent Van Gogh, it doesn't matter that he had mental issues, his vision was one of beauty. Perhaps he fell to mental illness because unfortunately reality fell short of his inner vision of beauty. I adore Claude Monet and after having visited his home in Giverny, France, I felt closer to knowing the man and his love of gardens and light. How can you not appreciate a man who loves nature?

I think that the artist and their art are inextricably bound together so if you love one, you love the other.

Cringe-worthy

2013-05-08T15:26:15-05:00

Do you feel uncomfortable when you see someone else being embarrassed? What's most likely to make you squirm?

I seriously dislike seeing others being embarrassed or put down. It hurts me as much as it hurts them, I hate conflict of all kind, so even if the conflict isn't directed at me but at someone else, I get very uncomfortable and pained. On the other hand, I am helpless when it comes to pratfalls, I keel over in laughter. I know that it's terrible to laugh at someone else's physical mishaps such as what we see for an entire episode of America's Funniest Videos but it is too much for me. My hubby records it just to see me laugh until I cry. I know that no one gets hurt and that type of embarrassment isn't mean or purposefully hurtful. I think that I laugh so hard because I know that I am just a step or two away from falling myself so I sympathize with those poor folk. Perhaps that is why I feel so horribly when I see others being embarrassed, I empathize with them on an emotional level. There is no reason to purposefully make someone feel bad, it's very unkind and I really, really don't like it.

Your time to shine

2013-05-07T17:13:47-05:00

Early bird, or night owl?

I'm an in between, I don't go to bed too early or too late, it's usually 11:00 p.m and my eyes say Good night. I've never been one or the other and I've always had at least six hours but more along the lines of seven or eight hours of sleep a night. The only times that I slept less and I paid for it, were the times that I breastfed my two babies; boy was I stupid from sleep deprivation and do I NOT miss those sleep deprived days. I miss the baby smell, the baby soft skin and the baby cuddles but not the lack of sleep.

I have always loved sleep too much to ever be a night owl and I loved t.v too much to be an early bird, thankfully I have always been able to find the happy medium.

Wall to Wall

2013-05-06T08:50:10-05:00

What do you display on the walls of your home — photos, posters, artwork, nothing? How do you choose what to display? What mood are you trying to create?

I am married to a very visual person who also happens to have very good taste (in my opinion). My hubby is in charge of decorating our home not only because he has the talent but also because he loves and enjoys doing it. I am more than happy about this because when it comes to decorating and picking out colors and motifs, I don't have the eye and I don't really have an interest either. It took me forever to pick out drapes and curtains and finally my hubby went out and picked out the perfect shade of drapes in two seconds whereas I was still contemplating colors for weeks before.

Our walls are painted or wall papered and pictures of our babies are everywhere along with pictures of our wedding and other family events. We have my father's gilded frames hanging along with prints of Michaelangelo's works. We have a few paintings, our babies art works and other mementos throughout the house. Basically my hubby has decorated our house and transformed it into a home that reflects our love of art, color, family and tranquility. I love my home very much and it is mostly due to my hubby's work on our home that has made it such a wonderful home. I am very lucky.

Second, third, or fourth time around?

2013-05-05T08:43:24-05:00

Tell us about a book you can read again and again without getting bored — what is it that speaks to you?

Growing up, we didn't have much money so I did spend a lot of time reading my beloved books over and over again. The Black Stallion series was one that was re-read at least a dozen times, reading those moments of the Black thundering down the finish line never got old. I also loved my Camber of Culdi sci-fi/fantasy series and I spent hours re-reading Kathryn Kurtz's imaginary world where somewhere in a land far away, in medieval times, there lived a race of Deryni, humans gifted with extrasensory abilities and talents and normal, run of the mill, humans. The Deryni came to be persecuted for being and existing, like witches, and religion dominated the times. There was Agatha Christie as well, I could never get enough of her. Basically from a very young age, as long as there were words attached to a page, I read it and I never cared if I had read it before, the words were there and I had to read them.

Nowadays, I have so much to read, I don't have the time to re-read anything unless it is Greek Mythology, I know all of the stories but I never tire of reading them over and over again. It is still one of my favorite subjects.

Stranger

2013-05-03T11:35:29-05:00

Have you ever had a random encounter or fleeting moment with a stranger that stuck with you?

I'm trying to shift through years of travel filled with waiting times in various airports, train stations, bus stations; all the usual places where strangers tend to congregate. Way back when; the strangers that I had encountered rarely remained strangers, there was something about being fellow travelers that created a sort of bond.

The strangers who remained strangers during my travels are the various "celebrities" that I walked past either going back to coach or at the gate; the national weather man on Good Morning America, the soap opera star who played a dual role of twins on All My Children, Aidan Quinn who is currently on the show Elementary, all these stars remained strangers mostly because I was too shy to strike up conversation; except with Aidan Quinn, I spoke to him because I was the only one in the smoking section of the plane and he sat next to me whenever he came back to steal a smoke he used my lighter, that goes to show you how long ago that was.

I have always liked the traveling culture, groups of random people tied together through various adversities or adventures, it's hard to remain strangers in those types of circumstances; at least I think so, I like the thought of having common ground, it makes the world seem much nicer.

Flick the switch

2013-05-02T13:25:47-05:00

What's the one habit you'd change about yourself, if you could simply flick a switch and have it happen?

Is procrastination a habit? If it is, then I would love to flick the switch. I know that procrastination can be overcome from within but it is quite hard. I suppose that having it be undone as easily as a flick of the switch would make the whole process of becoming a better version of yourself, not as meaningful. I think that the difficulty of overcoming any habit that you find faulty strengthens you in the long run.

However in the interest of the prompt, procrastination would definitely be the habit that would be the first to go. In order to rid myself of my habit, I would need to explore why I have fallen easily under the spell of procrastination and I think that it has something to do with my fear of conflict. Therein leads me to the obvious question, why the fear of conflict? Perhaps that answer would clue me into other things as well. How deep can we go?

I simply can't resist

2013-05-01T15:41:47-05:00

What is your greatest weakness?

Let's unpack the list: I can be a procrastinator, I am lacking in self-confidence, I am not a good manager, I keep things bottled up, I dislike confrontation so much that I do a lot to avoid it at all costs, I am a loner and I think that this list pretty much says a lot. I can't think which is the greater weakness so that is why I listed a bunch.

Everyone is a work in progress and I am still under construction and renovation, I don't think that the word rehabilitation is necessary. Every year that passes, I hope to become a better person, more specifically a better version of myself.

I know my weaknesses and I don't mind working on them, I can't promise that I will cease procrastinating but being mindful of this flaw pushes me to do better.

Earworm

2013-04-30T10:10:09-05:00

What song is stuck in your head (or on permanent rotation in your CD or MP3 player) these days? Why does it speak to you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=SmVAWKfJ4Go
I have always liked Johnny Cash as a recording artist, his songs and his voice pull at me, I suppose because they are so raw. My hubby and I became even bigger fans they day that my hubby went inot a chocolate shop called Teuscher's on 61st Street and Madison Avenue and met Johnny Cash who asked if he could get our baby boy, who actually was just a baby back then, he was all of five months old, a piece of chocolate and said that he was one of the most beautiful babies that he had ever seen. That is all that you have to do for a parent to get them to be your fan, compliment their baby, they will love forever.

When I first heard the song Hurt sung by Johnny Cash. I was convinced that it had to be his original, I was floored when I subsequently learned that it was actually a cover originally written by the Nine Inch Nails, who I happen to like as well. Johnny Cash could take any song and make it his own.

On the move

2013-04-28T10:44:31-05:00

If you could move to any location on the planet, where would you go and why?

I have written about this location before, Le Canon, France. I know that it is the ultimate location for me because it has continued to be my number one choice for years. There isn't any other place in the world where I would rather be; Le Canon a small sleepy village on the almost island near Bordeaux France is, in my view, an ideal location. Le Canon lies right on the bay and just a few kilometers on the other side, is the Atlantic Ocean. This small village is only 45 minutes away from one of the four major cities of France, Bordeaux. Simply imagine bright blue skies, shining sunlight, a warm wind carrying the smells of clean ocean scrubbed sand, pine trees and that hint of heat that gives it the singular aroma of paradise. The quality of life here is primordial, time slows down so that you can relish every one of your senses. Why live quickly if you are going to miss something beautiful? This is where I want to live the rest of my days. I would love to sit out on my terrase with a bowl of coffee and a pain aux raisins and just be one with my personal environment.

Person, place, thing

2013-04-27T08:41:47-05:00

Get to a nearby cafe: write about a person, place, and thing in as great detail as you can muster.

Oh so now we are doing the Parisian thing, sitting in a cafe a la Earnest Hemingway, seeking and writing about the one thing in the truest way possible. Well, I'm at the Nichols cafe and I have just written my little comment on an article in the Huffington Post and cross posted onto my political blog A progressive's thoughts.

This morning is all about reading and writing and then afterwards, I haven't a clue. Today being Saturday, the whole day is open and ripe for adventure. By this evening I will have done something that will give me material for a second post. If not then in my second post I will be commenting on the lack of adventure or how restful a day can be when there is nothing to do but be with the one that you love. Either way, later on today my imagination will produce something for someone to read, I hope. I'm sure that my little Jack, our Jack Russell, will do something comical, he tends to do that, so I can always write about him.

Where was I? Oh yes, I am writing about something in great detail. I think that I just sort of did that, I wrote about the possible prospects of today. It is nice when you haven't any idea of what a day can bring. I used to feel that way often when I was in college and it was most exciting, I started my days wondering who was I going to meet, what was I going to learn and what, if anything, was going to happen that was going to change my life. That is when you are young and fancy free and the road of your life is like an open highway. I hope that my two babies see it that way, it helps to diminish the scariness of uncertainty. I think that it changes the stress of what am I going to do with my life? into what opportunities are going to come my way today? Uncertainty is fretful, but adventure is fun.

The ultimate companion

2013-04-26T16:28:00-05:00

Head to one of your favorite blogs. Write a companion piece to their penultimate post.

One of the first blogs that caught my eye and heart when I began blogging two and a half years ago is the wonderful http://www.weescoops.wordpress.com/. Today she wrote a fantastic post calling Finding the Path to Beauty, I hope the link here will bring you to her insightful post http://www.weescoops.wordpress.com/findingthepathtobeauty/

Education is such an important part of our society and our lives. What gets lost, I think in the huge subject that is education, is just how subjective it is; for every different ideology there is a a different expectation in educational results and methodologies. Personally, I believe that the best education and the best educators are the ones that help fan the sparks of creative and analytical thinking. Having the responsibility and the ability to instill and pass on the tools that allow students to take facts and resources and distill them through the prism of their own critical thinking filters gives them more than just knowledge, it arms them with flexible and perceptive logical reasoning, something so vastly important in this digital age. We don't want to educate parrots, we want to educate independent thinkers and hopefully a few philosophers along the way.

In terms of beauty, I think that there is nothing more beautiful than a pair of wise, empathetic and soulful eyes. Eyes that are wide awake and ready for the world and everything in it.

Just for one day

2013-04-25T15:34:33-05:00

Who would you like to have spend a day as you and what do you hope they'd learn from the experience?

I don't quite know who to pick for this exercise in life experience swapping. The show Wife Swap has more or less soured me on the concept. It seems to me that the original idea of walking in another's shoes was to deal with racism and prejudice. How else can someone plagued with bigotry and prejudice learn? If not for understanding that regardless of the cultural, physical and religious differences, we are all still human and more similar than not. I don't have these problems so I am not quite sure what a person would take away from living my life for a day. They might enjoy playing with Jack, playing in my kitchen, reading my books and tending my reawakened garden. I suppose that wouldn't be so bad, for a day.

Unknown caller

2013-04-24T13:23:22-05:00

You receive a call from an unexpected person. Who is it, and what is the conversation about? Go!

This is former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, may I please speak with Laurie. Oh this IS Laurie. Hi how are you? The reason why I am calling is because I have finally had the time to catch up on all of my correspondence and I read your letter of introduction along with your resume. I have to say that your letter was so charming, I really got a good sense of what you are all about. Your resume while short is quite varied, what I most enjoyed about your resume as well as your letter, is how much you enjoyed your time teaching, as you put it, "the little ones". So in honor of that, I am happy to be offering you a position within my foundation for children. You mentioned how much you enjoyed my book It Takes A Village and that is pretty much representative of what my foundation is all about and I honestly feel that you would fit in very nicely and bring a lot to the foundation as well. So what do you think Laurie? Do you need some time to think it over and discuss it with your family? Can you come to New York and meet with me? Laurie.. Laurie..did I lose you.. hello? hello..

I am lying on the floor passed out from the shock of hearing Hillary Clinton ask for me.

Laurie..Laurie.. oh dear I should call back..hello

Million dollar question

2013-04-23T09:46:12-05:00

Why do you blog?

I started my blog on December 31st 2010. It happened accidentally, I was reading my e-mails and I happened onto a link that took me to a WordPress blog called blackwaterdog. It was a political blog that immediately drew me in and I started following it. It was through that one moment that I became aware and interested in WordPress and I started my own blog.
The next day when I went on WordPress, I discovered postaday2011, a daily prompt to help those who needed a push to write everyday and that was all that I needed, I answered each and every prompt for the entire year and the year after.

I then found another source of inspiration, Plinky.com which is a sister site of WordPress, and when the daily post from WordPress ended in 2012, Plinky came to my rescue. It however pushed me to find my own driving force to initiate my own reasons to write. I don't have a message and I don't really have a reason to blog, I simply find something to do and say that keeps me writing everyday.

I started a political blog last year and similarly, everyday I read through the Huffington Post and comment on various articles that are then cross-posted onto my political blog Aprogressive'sthoughts and that feeds my sense of getting heard and putting my thoughts out into the public for whomever is interested to read and think on.

I have found great value in writing everyday; it gives me solace, purpose and it centers me. This is something that I never thought to do simply because I had always believed that I wouldn't be good at it. I still don't know if I am good at it, I just write because it makes me feel good.

You're the producer

2013-04-22T12:12:21-05:00

You get to produce your own television show. What's it about? Who's starring in it? Describe it in detail.

I would be producing a show based on your typical mid-forty year old housewife/mother who has finally found the courage to start her own bakery. She thinks that the children and the husband don't need her as they used to, so she will have all the time in the world to make a go of her endeavor. Little does she realize. Let the hijinks ensue!

I love Julia Louis Dreyfuss as a comedic actress and I think that she would be perfect to show how everyday life can be very funny and still mean something that is deep and poignant. The children of course need to be young adults, I would be casting young 19 and 22 year old's for the parts. They would of course need the right amount of sarcasm and vulnerability with a touch of cluelessness to make them endearing. My husband would be, the opposite of all the other t.v husbands, on the ball. He would be the safe place for the hero of the story, the mom/wife/entrepreneur/woman. The other character would of course be all the delectable pastries that our lovely star of the show would be creating, the orders may be late or get lost but who ever finally gets to taste them, more like devour them, will become an instant fan. The hijinks come from every real dilemma that all small business owners come across; finding seed money, finding space, finding customers, transport, delivery and everything else in between; the house, the dog, cooking dinner and doing laundry.

It would be funny, poignant and uplifting most of the time. Like life, you wouldn't necessarily know if the end will be a good one or a messy one, you would have to stay tuned to find out.

The history of language

2013-04-21T09:04:53-05:00

Write a piece of fiction describing the incident that gave rise to the phrase, “third time’s the charm.”

It was a day like any other day; the sun was shining in all of its glory, not a cloud in the sky. The blue was deeper than the usual sky blue that day, it looked like a painting it was so perfect. I was on my way home, trying to ignore the persistent pressure on my bladder that was interrupting my appreciation of the beauteous perfection all around me. The birds were out in force singing their songs, the air was full of lavender and lilac scent wafting through on a gentle summer breeze and all that I could think of was the stringent need to find my commode. I finally got to the front door.

My keys had been in hand ever since my pressing need arose, a mile back or so. My hands were trembling and the keys were not cooperating. The first attempt at putting key to key hole resulted in the keys falling to the floor. I had to painfully bend over to pick them up.

By this time, my forehead was wet with perspiration at the dire need to get in my house. Once again putting key to key hole, it won't go in. Why isn't the key WORKING?!

My brain is shutting down away from any cognitive ability, it is all primal now. Must get key into hole and get in door. Wrong key, WHERE IS THE RIGHT KEY?!

One last time, key into hole and click. IT WORKED! I run scrambling to the commode and the bliss allows my brain to understand that the third time is indeed the charm.