Saturday Centus - Birthday Candles

Welcome to my little contribution to Saturday Centus, sponsored by Jenny Matlock - Off On My Tangent. She posts several memes during the week with which we can play along. On Saturdays, she gives a prompt and challenges us to write a short story, 100 words or less, using the prompt as the topic. AFTER you read my entry, and, give me a thumbs up or thumbs down, please click on the logo below and go visit Jenny. There are others there, just like me, with short stories that are quick reads, and very entertaining

The prompt is in bold.

Jack was so happy to be coming home from the hospital. How he hated sleeping in such an uncomfortable bed, with people poking him and giving him pills to swallow. More importantly, his 30th birthday occurred while he was in the hospital. His wife, Kathy, said that there was a cake waiting for him at home.

They walked into the dark kitchen. He could barely see the cake on the table. Kathy lit the candles with a lighter and told Jack to make a wish.

He never dreamed when he blew out the candles on his cake... that every person he had ever known would be standing around the table clapping loudly.


Please click on the logo and see how creative Jenny's friends are today!

The Perfection Disease

You must read this outstanding post. Please click on the above logo and make sure you have some tissues handy. I think that many of us can relate.

Writer's Workshop - I Love My Job!

Ten Reasons Why I Love My Job


1. I love the fact that I live only two minutes by car; 10 minutes by foot.

2. I clock in at 7:00am, but I get to clock out at 2:30pm each day.

3. I get to come home for lunch, walk the dog, read a few blogs, and return to work, all within a half-hour.

4. I get to work with some amazing adults, who teach me something about kids almost every day. I even learn ways to handle my own children at times.


5. I also get to work with some amazing women who tell me daily that “they have my back.”

6. I get to try out my corny jokes and quirky writing skills in an email every day that publicizes lost and found items in the school.

7. I get to walk about a mile every day while at work. I deliver notes to the kids about items brought up to them, when they are getting signed out for an orthodontic appointment, or need to visit the principal’s office…

8. I get to take classes that help me perform better at my job. I get to take these classes during working hours, and usually with a lunch squeezed in at some fun restaurant.

9. I get to meet people from many different walks of life, and learn to appreciate our differences.

10. I get to be around some really amazing kids, who are learning to cross that bridge from elementary school life to future high school adventures. I learn a great deal from these kids every single day.


Thanks for the visit! I feel so very lucky to love the place that I drag my sorry butt to five days a week! This post is brought to you by Writer's Workshop and Mama Kat over at Mama's Losin' It. Click on the logo and get some great reads in!

Wednesday Wickedness - "Beam Me Up, Scotty!"

Welcome to Wednesday Wickedness, a weekly meme that I love to post. It is a great meme sponsored by a very clever woman who calls herself Janera. Each week, she posts quotes from a well-known celebrity, and then poses questions to the reader following the quotes. This week's guest is William Shatner! I hope you enjoy his quotes and my slightly annoying responses!

Here we go!


1. “Captain Kirk has been a source of pleasure and income a long time now.” Who is your favorite Star Trek character of all time including all the shows and movies? Why?

It would be Kirk. He was the show. I loved the movies that were made with members of the original cast. Special effects had come a long way since the 60's.


2. “But if you want to know the truth, the weirdest thing that has happened has been my discovery that people who attend conventions are filled with love.” What was the last public gathering that you attended where you “felt the love“?

The Bill O'Reilly/Glen Beck Tour. No, not really. Race for the Cure.


3. “How do I stay so healthy and boyishly handsome? It’s simple. I drink the blood of young runaways.” What do you do to stay youthful?

Hang out with middle school kids. (That's where I work!)


4. “I think acting satisfies the need and desire for approval.” What in life gives you a feeling of approval?

Not a damn thing! I have learned never to depend on anyone or anything but myself for approval. Now, appreciation is another thing! I always desire and need to be appreciated. I usually suck up royally when I want that!


5. “No I don’t regret anything at this point. That may change on the next phone call, but at the moment I don’t regret anything.” What is a decision that you have made that others thought you’d regret, but you haven’t?


Those close to me, way, way back in the day, thought I'd regret wasting my time pursuing an acting career. I have never regretted those two long, lonely years. I learned that I'd never do Broadway because I couldn't sing, and I always got stage fright. I learned in my twenties that I was too old to be an ingenue, and too innocent to play a hooker. If I had never tried, I would never have been enlightened!


6. “If you make a fool of yourself, you can do it with dignity, without taking your pants down. And if you do take your pants down, you can still do it with dignity.” When did you last get asked when you made a fool of yourself? (Extra points if you guess the correct meme.)

I was asked this question in the Angelina Jolie Wednesday Wickedness. Pulling my pants down would be the ultimate foolish act by me. If there was any doubt about my "foolery" this would confirm it once and for all!


7. “One of the advantages of being a captain is being able to ask for advice without necessarily having to take it.” What is the best advice that you’ve ignored?

Finish my undergraduate degree before having children; losing the baby fat after having children!


8. “I’ve never had green alien sex, although I’m sure it will be quite an evening!” What did you do the last time that you had “quite an evening”?

Well, Bill, I've never had green alien sex either. Let me know if you'd like to give it a try. My "quite an evening" would be 1) the old ball and chain is out of town; 2) pancakes, quiche and strawberries for dinner; and 3) all three Bourne movies on TV the same night!


9. “Don’t just shove food into your mouth. Taste the flavor exploding in your mouth. Appreciate the texture. Honor your food with the time you take.” Describe your perfect meal.

See answer to #8 above.


10. “For commercial reasons, we stayed away from advancing the theory of God.” Are there topics that you stay away from on your blog to remain non-controversial?

I make a point of staying away from politics. I did slip once when answering a meme question, but fortunately, at the time, I only had two subscribers, and they didn't comment. I have very strong feelings about this issue, but I'm just not up for the fights that ensue when others, just as opinionated as myself, express their feelings!


Thanks for stopping by today! Please pop over to Wicked and say hello! Just click on the logo for Wednesday Wickedness below! You will love to read the responses of some of Janera's friends!

Friday Fragments - 46 Mommas

As my Friday Fragments post, I would instead really love to share this You Tube made by a photographer who shot the event on Tuesday of this week. This amazing group of women came from all over the country to shave their heads for Childhood Cancer. The video tells more about them. It is very moving and inspiring. Tonight is "Stand Up 2 Cancer" and will be a very powerful event. These ladies will be on at the beginning of the program. I have the incredible privilege of being online buddies with two of the moms who I followed through much of their journeys and fight through Care Pages.

If you can't watch tonight, please take a few minutes and watch now. Thank you and God Bless you.




"Neva Div Up"

Liz

Thank you to the wonderful Mrs4444 for hosting this great Friday forum where we can talk about anything that might not make a whole post! Just click on the logo below and you will be swiftly transported to her blog!

Sundays in My City - Mud Mania

When the kids were younger, our parks and recreation would hold an event called "Mud Mania." It was an obstacle course in dirt ditches filled with water. As kids worked their way through the tires, large plastic drain pieces and climbing structures, they slowly took on about ten pounds of mud each!



There was a lot of supervision! We were warned ahead of time not to send kids in "nice" clothes! At the end of the course, everyone stood under the showers for as long as they wanted. Most of the clothes and shoes were done for, and if you forgot to lay plastic everywhere in the car, your may be done for, but the smiles made up for everything!



My girls were mad because I didn't let them anywhere near the mud. They, however, got to play on the "bouncy" toys!



Have you heard of Unknown Mami? She has a delightful blog where she shares photos of her city on Sundays. She invites the rest of us to link up with her and share some of our own city's photos. Click on the logo to visit Sundays in My City!

I live in St. Louis, Missouri! Welcome to my city!

Saturday Centus - Stormy Night

I have become addicted to this wonderful writing blog sponsored by Jenny Matlock - Off On My Tangent. She posts three memes during the week with which we can play along. On Saturdays, she gives a prompt and challenges us to write a short story, 100 words or less, using the prompt as the topic. AFTER you read my entry, and, give me a thumbs up or thumbs down, please click on the logo below and go visit Jenny. There are others there, just like me, with short stories that are quick reads, and very entertaining.

My story is about an activity I used to do with my children when they were young. The prompt is listed in bold.

It was a dark and stormy night…..

Shrieks and laughter could be heard throughout the house as we huddled together on the couch by the front room window. The next bolt lit up the entire sky and Eddie began to count…

“One thousand and one, one thousand and two…” and before she could get the next word out the crashing boom of thunder shook the windows and the vase on the end table.

Oh, how we loved a good thunderstorm! It brought us together and we left the world behind as we screamed our heads off! Sheer delightful insanity!

Now, go and read to your heart's delight!