Thursday Thoughts…

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Thought #1 – Maybe my grandbabies will come over in the next few weeks, so we can make homemade waffles with fresh strawberries and real whipping cream.

Thought #2 – I wonder if being ticklish is hereditary? There was never any opportunity to ask my mom if she was ticklish. I know that I am terribly ticklish, especially on my feet. Maisie is also ticklish on her feet. I know it’s only me, but I want to think that maybe I passed that to my girls, and now my daughter has passed it to my grandbaby. I just wonder about it, that’s all.

Thought #3 – Can a person get an ear infection by listening to dirty music?

Thought #4 – I’m so glad somebody invented toothpaste! At least we don’t have to use body wash or good ole Irish spring. Ughhht… I just almost threw up in my mouth, gross!

Thought #5 – What if fresh air always smelled like watermelon, on a rainy day?

Thought #6 – What ever happened to the people that Jesus encountered during his time on earth? Where did they go? How did their lives change? What did they ever make of their lives, once changed by the Son of God?

Thought #7 – How fast would the world tilt off its own axis, after all manner of phones vanished overnight? Would we simply go back to writing letters and employing the Pony Express?

Thought #8 – What is the price of a smile… or the cost of physical touch?

Thought #9 – A human soul isn’t born filled with hatred, being that it’s a learned behavior. On the contrary, it’s rather interesting that each of us are born with an innate sense of love, without ever having to be taught.

Thought #9 – Why is it then so very hard to give love sometimes, but hatred enters the room by such a minute effort.

Thought #10 – It’s kind of funny how minute has two differing definitions. We all know that a minute is 60 seconds, and yet if we change the way we pronounce it, the definition is completely different. According to Mr. McGoogle, minute (pronounced my-NOOT) means very small, tiny, or insignificant, while the time measurement (MIN-it) comes from the same Latin root but refers to a “small part” of an hour, and can also mean detailed or precise.

See? We can learn something new every day! I knew that old adage would ring true, at least in this particular instance it does. Just sayin!

Friday’s almost here, folks, so that aught to give us all some things to have thoughts about, right?!

Hugs

I know you’re gonna start tapping your foot…

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Daily writing prompt
Are you superstitious?
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I leave all of that which I don’t understand to God! Superstitious? Bah!

Cookie?

Wednesday Words…

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While a friend can’t fix what’s broken, sometimes it’s more important for them to simply show up!

When I can’t stand on my own, Eustace is always there to carry me… even if it’s just to watch the waves as they pass by.

(2024) It’s a Menagerie…

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Daily writing prompt
Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?
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Obviously, my first thought was of the tortoise, which I often write about when it comes to my steady forward march in life.

But then again, there is the Loud Mouth Frog…

or Chatty Cathy, but she is more of a doll than an animal…

In the past I was akin to a Wolverine, all growly and snarly, with an aggressive attitude…

Of late, however, I’ve begun to see myself surfacing in some creatures you may be familiar with… let’s see…

There’s a mouse I can sometimes relate to…

While at other times I feel a bit Squirrelly…

Anywhere in between, you may find me looking a bit more creative…

Last but not least, there are those days where I just feel more bossy and fussy…

How could I ever forget to remind you of my ability to fling commas, and the like, all, over, everything………,,,, ,,,,,””””: … Just saying! I know she is not an animal, but she is an imaginary creature of sorts… and this is my blog, so I get to put whatever I want in here!

As there are simply too many different animals for me to choose from, I am unable to pick just one. I have mentioned on multiple occasions that I am a maelstrom of emotions, so it stands to reason that I should be able to pick all of the above, just to cover all my bases. Wouldn’t you agree?

Here, have a Wookie cookie to go with my crazy answer…

I made the goggles out of Oreos, so I know it’ll taste delish!

Tuesday Tinkering…

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Well, I think last weeks tinkering session was a total success!

Not that I’ll be winning any academy awards, or anything. I just mean that I challenged myself to do a thing (creating a new character on Tuesday, and then writing a story about it by Friday), and it worked out.

So, it got me to thinking (I know, dangerous pastime)… what if I sought to write a whole series of children’s character books, only employing my tinkering sessions and a two day rest before kicking out a little story, song, or poem to accompany the images. I don’t see why I couldn’t, what with todays insta book mentality flooding across the web.

While I get my jabs in at all the ai created mumbo jumbo being printed out there, currently, I’m not being snarky when I say that I believe it’s possible to actually write imaginative content without my computer telling me how… or worse, doing the writing for me. Not on my watch!

Anyway, getting back to the tinkering plans I’ve set for us, I plan on making a habit of mixing up writing styles, as well as, continuing to expand my illustration skills. My hands on learning is all that can be afforded, at this present moment, so if I wish to become a better writer, more brain stretching work is involved.

I know your probably saying, “Great, now she’s gonna start wearing even bigger hats on her noggin.” Maybe I will, maybe I won’t, but if I do then that means my cookies will need to be bigger, as well.

Go big or go home, right?!

For today’s next challenge, I went with another water baby, but on an entirely different patch of sand…

This isn’t the finished character, by the way, but it was the first image offered by the ai. All I typed in was “a photorealistic image of an adorable baby walrus”.

While the little guy seems awful cute and chubby, we’re nowhere near satisfied. He’s got no nostrils, for one thing. So, I used the auto-enhance on the prompt…

“a photorealistic image of an adorable baby walrus, trying to learn to swim along the shore of a beautiful sandy beach”

Getting a better shot of his nose, but now his eyebrows look like they were individually stuck into his little forehead. It made him look too much like a plushie toy.

Again, I returned to the auto-enhance feature, asking it to expand the prompt even more…

“Imagine a photorealistic scene at a picturesque sandy beach where gentle waves lap against the shore. The sun casts a warm, golden glow across the landscape, illuminating the fine grains of sand and sparkling blue waters. In the foreground, an adorable baby walrus, with soft, wrinkled gray skin and big, curious eyes, awkwardly paddles in the shallow surf. Its flippers splash playfully, sending droplets gleaming in the sunlight, while a few sea gulls circle overhead, drawn by the joyous scene. The sandy beach is dotted with tufts of sea grass swaying in the light breeze, enhancing the serene atmosphere of this tender moment.”

At least he has more expression with his eyes, even if he lost his eyebrows. His facial expression seems far more realistic, though his fat rolls look rather like sweatshirt material than skin. I kept at it for nearly a half hour before, coming up with numerous images that were similar to this one, but with differing poses and expressions.

Now that we’ve come this far, let’s give the ai our best 10 images. From there, we’ll generate some possibilities for a solid Avatar.

I’ll be right back! Give me about 10 minutes, or so….

Everyone, meet our newest character…

I’ve decided to name him Booker, though I’ve ne earthly idea why! The ai decided to give him tusks, even with him only being a baby, but I think it makes him super cute.

Norbert gave me several differing shots, but I think he looks most realistic in this one…

… minus the grown up tusks, mind you.

I don’t think Booker took nearly as long to create, as it took me last week, during pumpkin’s creation.

Now that he’s here, I’ve only til Friday to create his story, so I best get moving!

See you Friday… hugs

(2023 remix) Dear 100 year old self…

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Daily writing prompt
Write a letter to your 100-year-old self.
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I’m not exactly sure where or how to start so I am just gonna roll with it, and yes, I said gonna.

 Somehow, putting thoughts or memories down on paper, I always struggled with trying to write in a way that satisfied all the learned Scholars out there.  Well, you never know, they might want to read something in the waiting room at the dentist or something.  I am at a point in our journey that I can simply write from my heart and let God do the rest. It’s been a bumpy ride, to say the least.

            Now, just because I keep mentioning the bumpy ride doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.  It means you were wide awake as we zigged and zagged like some of the best cats out there. 

God and God alone could ever manage us because we might have been small in stature, but within our vessel is a raging river of emotions, strengths, weaknesses and a love so powerful it’s a bit off putting at times.  We spent way too many years of our life trying to satisfy every other person’s requirement of us to be what they wanted, and the enemy used that to nearly destroy us.

            It is nearly the end of March 2023, and the last 4 years have brought us to what I refer to as our base line. God met us at our lowest and has begun building up a soul capable of seeing ourself and others in a loving and truthful way. We learned to see ourself and others through the Fathers eyes. 

You exhausted yourself trying to be enough for everyone around you, while often feeling empty inside.  God taught you to love You, with all your flaws and failures, and the truths of yourself that made you  the way God intended.  The Father used our truths to show us how beautiful we are. 

The only way for this to make sense is to tell you what brought you to that place where you could finally get up and walk on.  Just so that you know, you didn’t get there with any form of wisdom quickly, rather, it took you all of your 100 years to try to really let God hold you.  That is the truth of it! 

He brought you this far, for just his purpose… when you see it, I’ll be there waiting. 

Love Me.

It’s cookie time…

Eyes before ease…

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… except after seas?

No, that’s not right. I believe the English language rule states that it’s i before e, except after c’s. What I’d like to know is why? If they both sound the same, why on earth are we throwing in a complicated if and or but with these words. Didn’t anybody ever hear of the adage, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” ? I’ve heard of it!

Before I get myself in an unnecessary bother, maybe we should first ask Mr. McGoogle to try and work out the problem.

Question #1 should be to establish what the actual rule states. No one should go on here say about a thing, but should instead seek the facts. Let’s do this…

According to the AI Overview,

In the English language, a common mnemonic spelling rule is: “I before E, except after C“. 

However, the full, more accurate rhyme often includes: “…or when sounded as ‘ay’ as in neighbor or weigh”. 

Key Details Regarding the Rule: “Cie” Words: Sometimes ie follows a c anyway, such as in science, glacier, ancient, and sufficient.

The “C” Exception: When the i and e combination follows a c, the order is usually ei (e.g., receive, ceiling, deceive, conceit).

The “Ay” Exception: When the ei combination makes a long “a” sound (like “ay”), e comes before i (e.g., neighbor, weigh, vein, sleigh).

Other Exceptions: There are many words that break this rule, such as weird, seize, leisure, protein, and foreign.

So, ok, I can agree with this ruling as long as it can be clearly determined by the pronunciation of the word. That part makes sense, but what screws everything up is the fact that there are so many varying accents from differing nationalities. What then? Unless one is prepared to pull up a voice modulator every single time one of these words come up, the margin for error is incredibly wide… in my humble antsy opinion.

I suppose if we only had a handful of words that utilized this particular linguistic merry-go-round, it wouldn’t cause me such aggravation. But guess what? The English language is smothered in the ie, ei, except after c, or ay rule. Not just that but we get to also separate words like weird, seize, leisure, protein, and foreign, as these words break all the rules. What’s an ant to do, here?

Well, figure things out is what I need to do, if I’m to make a top-notch journalist! If children can learn it, then so too can an ant… this ant, to be exact!

I’m a sucker for a furry face…

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Daily writing prompt
Where would you go on a shopping spree?
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I know it’s rather childish, but what do I care… if it sells furry babies, I’m in!

Seriously, if there was an opportunity for a shopping spree of any kind, I’d pick a farm and garden store. Something like Farm and Tractor Supply, or one of those feed stores that often have kitten’s running around in the warehouse. I wouldn’t care!

But, just for the sake of being thoroughly responsible, I’d probably settle for a store that also offered vet and grooming services. This way, I’m not being too hasty in my decision to fill our home with hungry, furry creatures. I already care for a hungry, hairy husband, so I’m well prepared for feeding, snuggling, and cleaning up messes around the house. It’s a win win!

If I picked the right store for said shopping spree, I’d make short work of all their departments, from the pet food and supply section, to lawn and garden, and a full walk through of the clothing and camping section. Before taking my bounty home, there would be full memberships in a lifetime supply of pet care and grooming services. Now my fur babies would be set for life!

You know, if it was a decent size store, maybe they’d have those prebuilt little garden sheds, too… I need room for my other hobbies, as well as, my Easy-Bake Oven.

You need love too!

Cookies?

Pumpkin is her name…

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My name is Pumpkin, but don’t wear it out!

This is the story of how my name came about…

I think I was born in the water

but I’m not really sure

I simply recall waking up in a puddle

and the rest was all just a blur…

My family was gone

There was no one to be found

Just me and my little puddle

so I played and splashed around…

But the fun didn’t last very long

as the sun dried up my puddle

I’d nowhere safe to go

and no family there to cuddle…

I went to the river

and I tried to make friends

But the crocodiles only wanted to eat me

No water were they willing to lend…

So off I went to find another puddle

My tummy was growling so loud

But once I found a good resting place

All the other hungry animals crowded around…

Just as I thought I’d be somethings dinner

They all suddenly ran away

Along had come a bus filled with tourists

their noisy chatter had saved the day…

Sadly, they continued on their way

And the sun began getting hotter

But when I arrived at another puddle

The elephants stole all the water…

No water, no food, and no safe place to be

what was a hippo to do?

I waited and waited, lost and afraid

Til this man came and offered me food…

He put me in a box

and we went for a ride

They gave me my own special puddle

with yummy pumpkins on every side…

What’s smooth and round on the outside

but squishy and sweet in the middle?

If you didn’t already know my name

I think this would have made a great riddle!

Depends on whose asking the question…

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Daily writing prompt
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.
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If a fellow shooter, like myself, were the one asking, I’d say that it really gets on my nerves if they keep asking whether I brought enough bullets. Duh! I’ve three different weapons, all taking a different gauge ammunition, plus a compression bow. For the bow, I make my own poison tipped arrows. I keep a full quiver of those, at all times!

If it’s a child doing the talking, the last thing I wish to hear from the back seat is “are we there yet?” It feels somewhat like Chinese water torture, if I’m to give an actual descriptor.

If the questioner is your boss, most likely it’d be something akin to that child’s question. The adult version would be, “are you finished with that paperwork I gave you?” The difference between the two questions is that one annoys, while the other causes anxiety, or possibly visa versa. Maybe both, depending on the boss, or on which child was tormenting you from the back seat!

But, what if you’re the fellow, the child, or the boss? What about them?

I suppose if I were the fellow shooter, it’d be really aggravating to be asked why I forgot all my ammo? Trader Rect’s prices feel like Zombie highway robbery!

Gaining the perspective of a child, I’d guess that the most hated question might be, “have you finished cleaning your room?” Don’t blame the child because grown ups buy too much stuff. There’s never enough room in that bottom drawer for cramming things. While that question seems right on point, for today’s prompt, I can’t help but think on a couple good runner ups. There’s “Have you finished your homework?, Did you take out the trash yet?, or Is the dishwasher emptied?”

Considering what it’d be like as the boss, one would assume the dreaded questions would be along the lines of, “Can I take the day off?, or Can I leave early?” I imagine other questions and requests floating through the office, but as the boss, I’d be very grateful to have a decent HR department, for forwarding all those annoying questions to someone else to answer. That’s what I pay them for, right?!

Why did I write out this lengthy answer to the prompt, you may be asking yourselves?

Well, as I mostly write, study scripture, and play computer games with fictional characters, I don’t have any real questions that bother me. So I tried to assume what it’d feel like if I were in the shoes of those who do spend more time around others.

There you have it folks! A long winded answer to a question you never asked me in the first place. It’s sort of funny how we all read each others answers to a computer generated prompt. I will admit, though, sometimes creating random answers to the more ridiculous questions is fun. At least I make myself laugh, so there’s that!

Plus, you get a cookie out of the deal, so it’s not a total loss…