Tag: fiction

Tuesday Tinkering…

WiwohkaLeave a comment

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

Tuesday Tinkering…

Wiwohka6 Comments

Perhaps you’ve asked yourselves how I get from an idea, all the way to producing an actual story, here on WordPress. Well, I doubt you were actually wondering that exact thought, but for all intents and purposes, I’m going to act as if you asked. Humor me, if you would.

We will just call today’s tinkering, a tutorial on how to create a brand new story character from scratch. Did you know that I usually develop the character, or Avatar, if you will, before I even create the story that goes with them? While there are some stories that are born in my imagination first, most of the children’s stories are born upon the visual produced for the main character… that first few, rough around the edge images that are produced by Norbert, the OpenArt ai assistant.

So, today I want to create a brand new character, build up a supply of appropriate images, and then on Friday, I’ll hopefully have a cute little story to post. I’m by no means expecting you to anticipate an academy award winning performance, or anything.

I suppose that one could say, it’s an exercise in story development. Hopefully, I will learn a good many things about my own writing style, how accommodating Norbert can be, and how flexible I’m willing to be, when it comes to my own content. While I might need Norbert for producing the right images, I don’t need any assistance in the imagination process, nor in my ability to write a decent story.

For this particular act of literary science and exploration, I randomly selected a baby hippo, as our story subject.

My first query was simply asking for a photorealistic image of an adorable baby hippo, but before finishing the prompt, I selected the auto enhance option for a more complete description. This was my first full query…

A photorealistic image of a baby hippopotamus joyfully playing in a sun-drenched meadow, surrounded by vibrant wildflowers swaying gently in the breeze. The lush green grass glistens with dew drops, catching the soft, warm sunlight that filters through a few wispy clouds in the azure sky. The baby hippo, with its round, cherubic face and big, glistening eyes, frolics playfully, splashing water as it leaps into a small, shimmering puddle. Its skin glistens with a hint of mud, adding a touch of earthy charm to its playful antics. In the background, a gentle stream sparkles, reflecting the peaceful atmosphere of this idyllic setting. This photorealistic scene captures the essence of childhood joy in nature, filled with colors and a warmth that embodies happiness.

These were the first images offered…

So far, so good, though I notice that Norbert wasn’t willing to actually put the hippo in the water, for some odd reason.

Without overthinking it, which I have a tendency to do sometimes, I took the very first three images offered, and then I went straight to character creation.

After only a few moments, Norbert gave us our newest character, and I’ve named her Pumpkin…

She even has a little tuft of hair on her head, like little bangs. I think it will be so fun to put a bow in her hair, and I can even change the color of the ribbon, depending on the day. Don’t ask me why I opted to name her Pumpkin. It just sounded like a sweet term of endearment, I guess.

Anyway, throughout this whole creation process, Norbert did fairly well, and only had to remove an object from one of the images. For some reason, the ai thought a hippo should wear a crown on their head. I’ve no earthly idea where a crown was mentioned in my query…

I told Norbert to get rid of the crown, and he actually did it without changing too much else in the image…

Unfortunately, her bangs disappeared, which I really wanted to keep.

For that reason, I asked for a different image, all together. But, still not enough hair on her head…

I spent nearly fifteen minutes arguing with Norbert over the stack of ridiculous selections I was given…

I even tried putting bows in her hair, to see if that would improve things.

Nope!

Sometimes, you just have to go back to the drawing board, as they say. You simply have to query a new background, and/or positioning of the character, in order to produce a workable image…

See what I mean? Change the background and her hair returns, just as I hoped it would.

Now that we’ve a loveable image to work with, the task at hand is to gather a decent supply of differing images that will aid in the building of her story.

By Friday, I should hopefully have a wonderful tale to share with you about our newest guest, here in the Barnyard.

Yikes! Friday’s only a few days away, so I should probably get started.

Hugs

(2024) Just for a Day…

Wiwohka2 Comments

Daily writing prompt
If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be, and why?
View all responses

Mary Poppins… Definitely!

I don’t desire to actually look like Mary Poppins, nor am I dreaming of being a Nanny to any child in particular.

To be the woman who could travel by umbrella, I could go anywhere… but that’s not it!

To be able to pop in and out of paintings, allowing me to travel through space and time to visit places I would otherwise never visit… nope, not that either!

For just one day, I would absolutely love to be Mary Poppins, in order to use her magical bag! You know, that carpet bag that could pull out any sort of useful or magical item I might need at the moment. The things I could do with that bag, even if it were only for the time stipulated by the daily prompt.

Just within walking distance of my RV, there are so many things I could use that bag for… like feeding the homeless I see walking around, or going door to door looking for things to hand people, hoping to lighten their burdens and brighten their day. The bag could house money, food, clothes, toys, tools, and/or vitamins and medicines they might not be able to locate.

But it’s more than just using the bag for things… no no… it is the freedom to give, that the bag offers! You see, Mary Poppins took the bag with her everywhere she went. Whatever was inside the bag needed to be taken to where it belonged. Mary Poppins never sent things in her bag through the mail… she always did the foot work herself… or the umbrella travel… or the horse racing… or the tea time on the ceiling… see?

I don’t need Mary Poppins magical loving heart, as I’ve got a real one that offers its own sort of magic… I just need the bag for the day.

Here, have some Mary Poppins style treats…

The Barnyard is changing…

Wiwohka1 Comment

I can hardly believe that it’s been over two years since Barnyard Business began. So many changes have occurred in the lives of our little babes, with some changes being bigger than others.

Time waits for no man, as they say, and in terms of barnyard life, it couldn’t be more apparent! I wanted to share a big change that’s coming to the barn, but while looking through the old photo albums, I found myself lost down memory lane… in a good way.

Sometimes it just feels good to look back.

I’ll admit that it’s a mixture of bitter and sweet, realizing how much all the babes have grown, and reminding myself that they can’t remain the same forever. I know that I’m certainly not who I was two years ago. I cant expect them to stay babies, nor can I treat them as such.

You try bossing a two ton dragon around. Let’s see how far you get!

Remember when Brutus was just a baby?

He’s far from a baby now…

I could spend hours looking back over their baby photos! Why can’t they stay babies forever, though?

I do actually have an answer to that last question. The babes have grown and changed because I have, as well. Within my imagination and dreams, the babes don’t stay the same… they can’t. With each and every adventure I write about, all the creatures within the barnyard grow a bit, depending on the lessons learned, if that makes any sense.

I never expected to become so attached to these wonderful creatures, nor did I plan their paths out for them, as you may have thought. What I see in them, and write of them, is fully dependent on the way my journey affects my perspective. I shouldn’t feel so surprised when I compare their mature images with their baby ones. I still recognize the baby in them, though they appear far different on the surface.

If I hadn’t have had those dark days of struggle, I may never have imagined Nugget. Remember our little guy from my bedside table drawer?

He’s still in residence, but doesn’t sleep in the drawer much. He prefers to sleep on my pillow, just behind my head. Fortunately for me, this little guy seems immune to aging, in much the same way as our little Dinky Do.

I think characters like Dinky, Boomer, and all those Twilight Dreamers will always be my safe space, my comfort zone. Maybe my anxiety is just a bit more manageable with these little ones. Who knows, right?!

Now Eustace… he’s quite a camel!

But, as much as I loved looking back at his baby pics…

I simply adore the adult camel that he’s become, don’t you?

You’re probably wondering what’s got me all nostalgic and melancholy, so I’ll fill you in on the changes occurring at the Barnyard, and those to come.

It’s been a difficult winter for most of the residents in the barn, as miss Tilly has moved down to the church, where Henry has taken on the roll of pastor. His father was quite aged, and far too old to perform his pastoral duties any longer.

While I realize that she’s got a whole new life ahead of her with young Henry, it hasn’t been so easy explaining things to the babes, if I can still even call them that. Tilly was like a favored auntie, always caring for them, feeding them, and tucking them in each night… I try to do it, but I’m just not her!

Slowly, but surely, they’re coming to accept her absence. Both Boomer and Brutus have helped immensely, in this regard. While Dinky remains small, with only the mind of a child, her brother has begun to grow, and has taken up the roll of caregiver for the others. While Boomer cares for the babes food and bedtime routines, Brutus has been frequently taking them to visit Henry and Tilly, down at the church.

Things are about to change, once more.

Our Miss Tilly, or more aptly referred to as Mrs. Tilly Munster, is expecting her first baby, or possibly babies.

We won’t know how many babies, til the big day arrives. Tilly isn’t due til the end of March, but her belly looks as if she could deliver next week!

We’re all very excited about the newest change, as the babes are now all practicing the art of babysitting, in hopes that Tilly will call on us to help out.

I must admit that the excitement is very contagious! I’ve already added a crib to SugarPlum’s bedroom, just in case. I can’t help but get excited along with all the babes, but it’s so hard to imagine our Tilly having a baby of her own.

I still see the wee little thing that Santa dropped in my Christmas satchel, two years ago. It seems like only yesterday…

From that tiny little ball of love, came the Tilly that we’ve watched grow up…

Time for a bath…

She began changing overnight, it seemed…

Then love found our young mouse maid, in the form of young Henry…

The beautiful thing about our small ones growing up and finding their own way is that we must have done something right. While I can’t take credit for how wonderful Tilly turned out to be, I would like to think that I played some small part in who she is now. Who knows?

So here’s the fun part! We get to throw Tilly her first baby shower, and I want to make it something special. For that, I’ll need some help with ideas for gifts and decorations.

If anyone wants to suggest some things, I’ll bake virtual cookies, in trade.

No worries about thinking things up right this second, as the shower is still several weeks away. I don’t want to wait too long, however, as she might deliver early. You know how babies can be. They seldom operate during normal people hours…

See ya next week..

Tuesday Tinkering…

Wiwohka4 Comments

You know, it’s much harder than you’d think to create images of myself in miniature… and even harder to make them look anything like me, at all!

I don’t know why it’s such a big deal to me, anyway, but it is.

For some reason, whenever I work with this program to generate images of the little model I’d created, it still requires me to go back and alter not only her eye color, but her hair color and style, as well. I get very irritated by this little daily detour the ai tries to take me on, so it’s time to make an actual avatar, or character, if you will.

I got to thinking about it yesterday, when I’d attempted to generate an image of myself for the daily prompt. Asking Norbert to create an image of myself dressed in a childish outfit, actually created a random image of me, but in small form.

It was actually kind of funny at first, but then I got to wondering if I could reproduce a similar image of myself for creating a child sized avatar. First of all, the child looks kind of mean. Secondly, I’ve no idea why it put me in that ridiculous pajama get-up!

So, I tried a different scene, with different clothing and actions, just to see if it might improve things.

Nope!

All I ended up with was a really creepy image of one of the von Trapp family singers from The Sound of Music…

Quickly, I realized that it would require an actual child in order to create a valid childlike appearance in the image’s rendered. So, going back to our little model of mini Wiwohka, I asked a similar question to the ai, and this is what it offered me…

While she is an adorable little girl, as you can see in the image, her hair goes blond and her eyes go any color but blue!

Now, OpenArt recently added in a new feature where you can chat with the ai, rather than trying to manually edit the image on the art board. In truth, it’s kind of like leading a child through an art class… very slowly.

I first asked for blue eyes and brown hair,

Now she looks like a small teacher, ewwwww, no! So, I asked Norbert to soften her hair…

Uhhh, no! Please shorten it…

What is this, Shirley Temple hour? Don’t get me wrong here, as I love that actress, but I’m not her!

So, I took the first image of the child and took it to my art board, just to adjust the eye color, which worked better for what I was looking for…

From here, I went back to Norbert for another go, but this time I chose to make mini Wiwohka her own beautiful self instead of trying to copy me! Why? Because, I’m not that little girl anymore, so of course it’s going to be an impossibility for me to duplicate the Now ME into an image of the Then ME. Hopefully, I’ve not just talked you into a giant circle. Sorry for that.

Before I finalize her into the actual avatar, I thought to ask what your take on her personality and image in this next photo…

I tweaked a few colors for comparison, but I can’t decide which is better. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Til next week, thank you in advance for any feedback, and I’ll do a whole fun photo reveal for her… hugs

Tuesday Tinkering…

Wiwohka7 Comments

Norbert is in a timeout!

I’m already having to do his job, so it’s best he be in timeout, rather than scrapping the whole project out of frustration. At this point in the game, the ai simply cannot comprehend how to create an image with more than one subject character.

Without paying to upgrade both characters, or paying to rebuild two entirely different characters with the new upgraded features, I’m still left with an editing board to copy, cut, paste, and/or delete any given image.

If nothing else, I’m stubborn, so there’s that!

I refuse to allow Tilly, nor any of my other characters, to be swapped out for differing other ai generated pictures… I’ll not stand for it!

Let me show you what the (now in timeout) ai sought to produce for my requests, and that way you cans see why I refuse to compromise with Norbert.

This is what Henry should look like,

… see what I mean? Now, this is our Henry!

And, this is our Tilly,

In my opinion, she is unmistakable, with her soft doe-like eyes, those adorable ears, and the gentleness that always shows on her face, as well as the way she carries herself. Tilly is just Tilly, ya know? I can’t think of any other way to explain it.

Now, watch what happened when I prompted Norbert to put them in the same image:

As adorable as this young couple may be, while exchanging their vows… they aren’t anything like Henry or Tilly. The ai recognizes the two characters as themselves in any given individual query I ask of it. But the moment that I ask it to combine the two, Norbert goes on some random field trip to two entirely different characters, of which I do not recognize in any fashion!

The new upgraded video creation, is still far off from being any good, unless I simply allow the ai to take over… and that AIN’T gonna happen!

Until further notice, all my tinkering will be strictly my tweaks and adjustments… NOT Norbert’s!

It may take me more effort, along with extra time at the editing board, but I’ll do whatever I must to honor each individual character’s true self, that is their visual integrity…

It’s still far from perfect, but it’s workable. We’ll get there…

Tuesday Tinkering…

WiwohkaLeave a comment

Guess what? Norbert got an upgrade!

Well, OpenArt was actually what got a facelift, but I like to refer to the AI by a fictional name, just for fun.

Anyhow, one of the changes to the program was an upgraded visual for all my characters… that means, more realism and more accuracy. I love it! Of course I’ve no intention of paying for a silly account upgrade, but they did give me a freebie, so I chose Squagon.

Our tiny flying squirrel has never been the same since the switch to this AI application, so I gambled with my freebie character upgrade, and look what we got…

SUCCESS!!!

This new upgrade made it possible to put life back into our little guy, real fur and all. Plus, no matter what I tell him to do, the program now keeps the character perfectly in tact. No more free range, off the reservation, loose AI interpretations of what I ask… at least, with the visuals. It still tries to change what I ask for it to do, in some futile hope that I’ll like it’s version instead of mine, but I enjoy telling it off. I’ll have to make all new characters for each of them, but it’s cheaper than paying for the next tier of membership.

There are also a number of improvements on the beta version of putting two characters into the same scene. It’s still not good, but it is better than before…

They’ve even made improvements to the storyline side of things, like the short videos…

I didn’t like how the AI opted to change faces by the end of the video, but it still felt like somewhat of a success, in and of itself. Don’t think for one moment that I’ll settle for anything less than a true Tilly and Henry. This was just the first of many tests and trial runs, but I don’t mind, really. It gives me time to improve my own skills, utilizing ai for my illustrations without letting ai change my direction, if that makes any sense.

For now, it’s back to the drawing board, or rather, back to the ai program. I intend to become quite proficient with this program, but let it be made quite clear that I am NOT an artist, but simply a writer who enjoys bringing visuals into my writing. I think it helps with introducing an atmosphere that enhances the readers ability to see and feel what I do when I write. Trust me, if I had an actual publisher with an actual illustrations department, I’d leave the graphic visuals to the pros. But, til things change in this department, OpenArt is my go to.

Tinkering is by far the best way for me to become more proficient in the editing department, as well as sharing my progress with you.

My hope is that I’ll have some better pieces of video and images to share by next week so that you, me, and Norbert, can view the improvements made. I think I want to tackle both Osrig and Peanut, as they are both a battle with Norbert’s abilities. The ai program really seems to struggle with creations that are human, vs, fictional, or animal combinations. My characters are nearly all part human or animal, mixed with a fictional imaginary type creature. That’s why I love them so! These characters each have a life of their own, which I strive to keep true to their personalities, not just what Norbert thinks.

Well, that’s it for now. Maybe next week will have some real successes, but I’ll probably show you the failures, as well. Sometimes the mistakes are better than the perfect outcomes, wouldn’t you agree?

(2023) What She Thought She Saw…

Wiwohka1 Comment

     The whole day had quite simply sucked! 

After the grocery shopping debacle that morning, her good mood had soured and gained a downward run that she knew would not improve.  Her shopping cart wheel had given out in just the right spot coming off of the curb in front of the store letting everything in it simply fly, full force, into a passing car in the parking lot. 

After completely re-shopping, off of her crumpled receipt that had a piece of old chewing gum in it, she hurried home in an attempt to unload before her youngest child awoke from a very brief fake nap.  

Driving home, the officer did not appreciate the narrative she reeled off as her excuse, giving her a speeding ticket anyway. 

Once home, groceries unpacked and children playing, she tried to find solace in a piece of chocolate cake that she had reserved on top of the microwave the night before, only to discover that the cat had peed on the front of the microwave. And yes, she had already eaten the cake when she discovered this bit of information. It had been one of those days! 

When she walked into the room to check on her children as they played, she was certain that she heard her 5-year-old say to her Barbie doll, “You #@*ch!”

In shocked horror, the stressed out young mother began to let loose with a scolding lecture regarding language.  Looking up from the dollhouse in confusion, her daughter asked, “Mommy, if I can’t call this a bench, then what am I supposed to call it?” 

Perspective!

     I so want to go back to having the perspective and imagination of a child, without all the grown-up things that derail the good stuff. 

That’s a perfect world, which this is not, but the beauty of the human soul is that it can learn, recover, forgive, and grow. 

I am growing again!

Tilly received a letter…

Wiwohka1 Comment

When I opened my eyes this morning, I found Tilly staring back at me, from across the pillow. She held something that looked like a letter, and I couldn’t see who it was from, but the look on her face was answer enough. Young Henry had written to Tilly, that much was quite clear!

But, why the long stare fest? What was in the note? At first, I honestly thought Tilly looked more frightened than happy. For a moment, I feared something unpleasant may have occurred. Only after taking the letter she offered me, did I come to understand her conflicted emotions…

The words of the letter were few, but very heartfelt, as young Henry wrote down his words of love for our young Tilly.

My Tilly
I love you
I hope you love me
Meet me at our spot by the river, if you can
I want to ask you something.

Henry

No wonder Tilly has such a strange look on her face… She is truly in love. The rush of emotions, fear of the unknown, and excitement for what’s to come, all bouncing around inside… yep! I’ve seen it before, and even though I’m seeing the backside of my fifties, I too, remember the butterflies, giddy laughter, and rush of emotions at every smile or touch… yeah, I remember them like it was yesterday.

So, it has now become my joy and honor to walk this journey with our young Tilly. Whatever she needs, we’ll be there to help and guide her along the way… that’s what family does.

Once Tilly saw how excited I was, her face relaxed into a more dreamy and confused state. She just kept twirling into things, as she wandered about looking for what to wear. I picked out several of her favorite dresses, in an effort to speed things up a little. For the next hour and a half I watched Tilly get dressed in one outfit, leave for the river, and then return to change into a different dress…

Finally, she made up her mind…

I do really love that sweater she’s wearing. Young Henry’s mother made it for Tilly while we were out to sea, presenting it to her upon their first visit, once we’d returned to the Barnyard. Tilly absolutely loves that sweater, as I think it bears a great deal of love, woven throughout the garment.

So anyways, I watched from the front porch as Tilly scampered across the grass, and down the path toward the river… I stayed there to watch til long after she’d disappeared into the trees. I could only guess as to what would come………………….

…she’s late…

… maybe she won’t come…

I think she loves me…

… what if I’m wrong, and she says no?

Well, God told me to ask her, and I did read that verse saying, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart”. I think it was Psalm 37:4…

Here, she comes…

I can do this, I can do this…

Ok…

Ahhhemmm…

Miss Tilly…

I love you with all of my heart. In fact, I’ve loved you from the moment we met. I offer you all that I have in this world. Please say that you’ll be my wife…

……… give em their moment…………………………….

(10 minutes later)

I am getting married… I am getting married! He asked… he really, really asked me to marry him…

…………………………………………………………………………………………

… she said yes… she actually said yes, God…

What am I standing here waiting for… I gotta go tell mamma! We’ve got things to do…

…………………………………………………………………………………………

… What am I doing dancing around in the woods? I can’t wait to get back to the barn and tell Ma.. Mee… oh for heavens sake, I’m callin her my Mamma cause it suits her, and she’s always been there for me…

… and I’m gonna need her now, more than ever! I hope she knows what we’re supposed to do. I don’t know the first thing about getting married…

(Archive 2023)Tales from a Parking Lot…

Wiwohka7 Comments
Photo by Yura Forrat on Pexels.com

Daily writing prompt
When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?
View all responses

The woman behind the counter smiled gently at me, as she cleaned her ear piercing tools. My heart was in my throat, it seemed. Getting my ears pierced was the most grown up thing I had ever done by my own choice.

My Nana had bought me a pair of earrings in the shape of bright red apples, but this time the jewelry wasn’t clip on… they were the real thing in the eyes of a 6 year old. My mother told me that I could get my ears done if I chose on my own… no hand holding or cajoling would be forthcoming.

I lay in bed awake the entire night before we embarked on this grown up lady stuff I wanted to take part in. I was terrified, of what I am not sure… but if they could poke me with a vaccination needle whenever they felt like it, and trade me a stupid sucker for my time, then I must be grown up enough to take the needle for a pair of gloriously beautiful red apple earrings. My mind was made up on the matter, so I just lay there and waited for the sun to come up.

I was so terrified of backing down and not being able to wear my new gift… it was in truth, the only thing that kept me on that swinging stool, there in that Bon Marche Department Store. I tucked my feet behind the bar beneath the seat, grabbed the sides of the stool with both hands in a military vice grip and tried to find my happy place.

I apparently had nothing to worry about, because it was over before it had begun! That fast… bang bang… All Done! They were kind enough to do both ears at the same moment, probably in case I backed out half way through the deal. I was so happy and proud of myself that I burst into tears, making the grown ups think I was in pain or shock. Not so!

I WAS A LADY!

So now I will explain the hilarious fall out from my Grown Up Anxiety Filled Sleepless Night… the reality of how most adults handle stress.

As exhausted as I was from no sleep and worry, over my piercing adventure, I never had a moment to catch some zzzzzz’s until that night after we got home. I was so tired that I could barely touch my dinner, and vaguely remember my mom walking me down the hallway to my bedroom……..

…. The rain fell steadily in the darkness, only illuminated by the distant street lamps, flickering occasionally. I was sitting in the passenger seat of our station wagon, while my parents were in a Parent/Teacher Conference up the street. As I waited for them to return, I saw movement not too far down the block, barely visible through the sheets of rain falling across the hood of the car.

I heard her before I saw her… this scary Witch that looked suspiciously like the lady off of the Wizard of Oz, if I am being completely honest. I could hear her laughing wickedly as she slowly materialized out of the darkness. Yup! It had to be that horrible woman who took Toto away from Dorothy. Don’t judge… I have a bucket list of different childhood memories that are triggered by different movies I had in my tiny mind.

Anyway, as the witch steadily approached my car, I frantically checked all the door locks and glanced up at the entrance of the School, hoping I would see my parents walking down the steps toward our car. Nope! As Jack Sparrow says, I was “all by me onesies”!

I crawled down under the dash where I could be hidden from view for the most part, except my feet could still be seen from the passenger door. I heard her approach the car, walk all the way around it dragging her super long witchy fingernails across the metal doors… witches always have super long curvy red nails if you needed a visual.

Then the witch stopped directly in front of the passenger side door where I was crouched down on the floor. All I could see was the tip of her hat, but I could hear what she was doing… she was picking the lock on my door with those awful fingernails. I watched in horror as the little metal door lock popped!

The next thing I knew, I was strapped onto a torture table, in the parking lot underneath the Sprouse Ritz Department Store, and that witch began to tickle me with those long fingernails…

It was torture! I began to laugh and could not stop! I fought to get away, but was strapped down so there was no escape for me… no way out! Except to wake up, but I had been so tired from the night before that it was like crawling through thick Jello to do anything. Never fear though, laughter is here… I laughed so hard that I rolled myself out of the top of our bunkbed and landed with a thump on the floor below. That did the trick!

Isn’t it funny the way we handle stress… often bottling our fears, stuffing them down and hiding them away from judging eyes. I realize that I was just a child and that the dream was probably just a way to release the tension I had been holding for several days over a perceived painful event. There was no real danger or trauma involved in ear piercing, but to a child trying to be a grown up, it most assuredly seemed like there might.

My take away from the whole affair was this… I would for sure think long and hard the next time I wanted to be a grown up!

From then to now, I still often find myself thinking long and hard every time I have to do grown up stuff… I know I should be fine with getting tickled all night in a parking lot, but this girl would rather leave the Witch back at Sprouse Reitz…