Milestone 2000 Views

When I was young I was a Girl Guide. I started with Brownies, got my Gold Cord in Guides, and continued on to Sea Rangers. Guiding, or Scouting, is an international organization, and at one point I had penpals from different parts of the world, a Scout in Mexico and another Guide in Germany. We exchanged letters between the three of us, and wore coins from each of our respective countries on a chain.



One of the positive elements of social media is the ease it provides in staying connected with people who live far away. It's unfortunate to have lost those connections because letter writing takes time and effort.

E-mail, Facebook, Twitter and all the rest take time, but I still think actual letter writing is more work. I have this quirk, ha ha ha, that I think letters should be long and full of news. I may start a letter and then stumble because I don't have much to say. Then there's the stamp, and going to the post office, more effort than pressing send.

Comments on social media are short and sweet, but that connection is maintained, and stays current.

I've lost those past connections and that is something I regret. Just as I regret losing touch with old friends from my childhood.

My siblings have maintained those friendships through the years, something I've always envied. Did the fact I went away to school make the difference? I think it played a part, but I think it's more I've always been a bit of a loner, a bit reclusive.

To write a blog is a commitment that requires dedication and a lot of creativity. My plan was to write something once a week, on Wednesdays, and I've managed to do that and more. Today I posted my 80th blog since I started last March and jumped right in with the A-Z Blog Challenge in April.

There is one aspect of blogging that I hadn't expected. The fascination with who my readers are, and where they live. I have kept track of all the stats on Blogger, the number of posts, comments, followers and especially the world map of viewer locations.

To date I have had over 2000 views for my 80 blogs, and have been read on all continents and in 34 different countries. That just blows me away.

I can't help but wonder who you are, what is life like in your country? I still love the international aspect of it all.

So this short blog is sent as a thank you to all my viewers. I feel this is a bit of a milestone, 80 posts and 2000 views. It's been an adventure for me, and I appreciate you taking this journey with me.

The End of October

The sun is shining but the air is brisk, a warning of what is to come. Our beautiful fall weather is almost done, for with November comes the rain and cold. The days will be shorter as the time changes and sunset comes earlier and earlier.

I wrote about autumn, in 55 words or less. This is one of the criteria for submitting flash fiction to a monthly story prompt on http://austinbriggs.com/category/flash-fiction-contest/.

It’s a challenge to write a story with one or more characters, a setting, and a conflict, let alone do it in 55 words. As I’ve been known to be wordy, I love this opportunity to use my words, no, more to choose my words carefully and succinctly.

Here are the stories I submitted for October, the theme was autumn.

A Change of Season

It was inevitable that our story would come to an end. It was called a summer romance for a reason.

Across the lake the leaves are a showcase in vibrant shades of red and gold.

Yet, as I walk to the dock; I see leaves turned crisp and brown, leaves that crumble beneath my feet.

 

 

An Autumn Affair

“Hi,” the little girl said. “My name is Autumn.”

Could her mother be any more obvious, I thought. “And when were you born?”

I was surprised when she answered July.

“Mommy says I was her fall baby,” she explained. “She sometimes calls me her little ‘Fall from Grace’, but really it’s Autumn Anne

Burning Leaves

Just once, every fall, I love to rake the dried leaves into a pile and light the match to watch it burn. Oh, the smell of burning leaves.

I feel the warmth of the sun, the fire, the brisk autumn air. As I tend the fire I let my imagination run free with possibilities.

 

 

 

 

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Mr. Briggs has formed a community of writers from around the world who meet in this forum to share their work. I look forward each month to the next challenge, and to how my fellow writers interpret that challenge. It makes for an interesting read. Check it out.

Reduce, Reuse. Recycle

A number of years ago I volunteered to dog-sit an aging Black Labrador named Molly.

When we walked about the streets I was given a much different perspective on the goings in the neighbourhood.

What follows is what I wrote at the time.

 

GOING GREEN AND SEEING BLUE

In almost everything you do and everywhere you go, you are challenged to make things better for the environment; to be Eco-friendly, to make 'green' choices. One particular way of going 'green' is to go 'blue'.

Recycling is a 'blue' thing, and is associated with the use of blue boxes or clear/clear blue garbage bags. The use of transparent bags is so collection crews can quickly see if the contents of the recycling bags are in fact recyclable.

By recycling everything possible you divert a significant amount of waste from landfill sites. In my town, cans, bottles, papers and plastic containers can be mixed together and go loose in clear/clear blue bags or the blue boxes.

When recycling is put out for collection at the end of your driveway it is to be visible and accessible for pickup. This also means it is visible and accessible for neighbourhood viewing. It is amazing what those early morning joggers or dog walkers can learn about you and your lifestyle from that 'blue view'. As I walked my dog one bright summer morning, on garbage day, I learned a lot about my neighbours.

That must have been some party on Saturday night, lots of wine bottles, liquor bottles, pop cans and plastic party cups. I hope the noise didn't wake the baby next door. Cardboard boxes from disposable diapers, baby wipe containers and empty cans of baby formula show there's a baby in the house.

I see we're going to have a new neighbour soon; the sold sign went up last week. They must be sorting and downsizing in preparation for the move. Piles of old magazines are set out, all tied in neat bundles. Oh, oh, Playboy, I didn't think men ever gave up their collection of Playboy magazines. Must have been one of those “I will if you will' situations for there's a stack of Better Home and Garden right beside the Playboys.

Those three teenage boys down the street must be bottomless pits to feed. Pizza boxes, pop and juice containers, large economy size boxes of cereal, and lots of empty milk jugs.

I swear this dog feels honour bound to pee on every tree along our morning route. We've reached the corner and cross over to head for home. I'm doing my bit for the environment too. I've picked up, and am now carrying in a bag, all solid waste my canine friend dropped along the way.

My next door neighbour is elderly and lives alone. There's really little garbage, and next to no recycling at her place. Maybe I'll make extra for dinner tonight and run a plate over to her, check that she's OK and see if she needs anything from the grocery store.

Now my dog and I are home and I look at my recycling and wonder what my neighbours would discern about me. Doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, but loves junk food. Pop bottles, cookie boxes and ice cream containers. You can't see the chocolate bar wrapper I pushed down and out of sight. Good thing I'm walking the dog twice a day to burn off all those calories.

All those pieces of recyclable waste, that are the by-products of our lifestyles, tell a story.

So, do your part, recycle, but hide your secrets down inside of that transparent blue bag. You don't want that 'see-through' bag to be a 'tell-all' bag while it sits on the curb waiting for pickup.

 

Interpersonal Communication

 

I have noticed, in the last few years, the increasing number of scenes in movies and television that take place in the men's washroom. When did men standing at a urinal become the new thing? Somehow it just seemed wrong; two men having a conversation standing side by side having a leak.

Wrong, in my female opinion, and yet this trend has given the female viewing audience a glimpse into forbidden territory...that unknown territory that is the men's room.

Years ago, when the television show Ally McBeal introduced the concept of a unisex workplace bathroom, all the rules seemed to change, on television at least. On that show, about a group of young, city lawyers, the unisex bathroom became... almost an extension of the coffee room. They pushed all the boundaries of personal space and privacy; nothing seemed to be off limits in their bathroom. Work affairs, both professional and personal were openly discussed, and experienced in this environment.

Bedroom activity, on screen, was once referred to obliquely but never seen and is now openly referred to and viewed. Going to the bathroom has taken on new importance, but not in the bodily function 'go to the bathroom' kind of way.

Through the last few years there has been a repetition, in television and movies, of particular bathroom scenes, men mistakenly going into the female bathroom, angry women chasing men into the men's room to continue their argument, and most frequently of all, men having conversation in the bathroom.

Does a scene with two male characters talking, while standing at a urinal, add something to the plot? Does it tell the viewer something about these characters, about their relationship? They break all the rules of bathroom etiquette when they stand, side by side, talking face to face. Is this supposed to be an indicator of the depth and trust in their relationship? I don't know, I just know it feels contrived, like the scene was included just for the risqué factor.

Now, the increase in scenes with men fresh from the shower, wrapped in a towel, we know that’s for the risqué factor.

Speaking of going to the bathroom, with all this openness in television and movies today; there is talk, or overt references, about sex, going to the bathroom, or the time of the month, topics once considered the 'unmentionable'.

Maybe this shift has brought about a corresponding shift in interpersonal communications. I have just realized how often people discuss the status quo of their bodily functions in general conversation. A friend recently said to me, “I've been too busy to poop.” I could relate to what she was saying and knew the underlying message. She was busy, had no time for anything but the essentials and especially had no time for herself and, more importantly, no time to take care of herself.

I have also noticed how obsessed older folk can get with their aches and pains and their bodily functions. Perhaps it's due to the fact they have more, or constant pain, have to get up frequently in the night to pee, and feel 'off' if constipated.

When I was younger general conversation might have been about who got laid the night before, or who wasn't getting any. With women at work; the talk eventually gets around to sex.

I take back what I said before...I know why older folk are into bodily functions. You talk about what's familiar, right?

 

 

New Word...Gobsmacked

Gobsmacked.

Now there’s a word that sounds just like its meaning.

Gobsmacked adj. Brit, informal utterly taken aback; overwhelmed with astonishment.

I read that word in a book I was reading and just had to look it up, to make sure it was a real word, not something made up.

There are a lot of ‘gob’ words in the dictionary. There’s gob, a shapeless or sticky lump. Which then leads to another British term, gob, meaning to spit.

Quickly moving on, we have gobble, a verb, to make the guttural sound of a male turkey. Gobble, gobble, gobble.

Gobbledygook. I love that word. Also spelled gobbledegook, it means wordy and generally unintelligible jargon. Maybe you’re thinking my blog is a bunch of gobbledegook.

Goblin n a grotesque mischievous elf. With Hallowe’en coming, I guess we’ll be seeing lots of goblins, and ghosts and other creatures of the night.

Gobshite n chiefly Irish, coarse slang a stupid or contemptible person. When I read that word I hear it in my head with a decidedly Irish accent, otherwise it doesn’t work for me.

Okay, one more, gobstopper. A large round hard sweet. That made me think of ‘jawbreaker’, those huge big bubble gums balls that practically break your jaw to bite down on, hence the term. But jawbreaker’s not made listed in my dictionary.

 

 

 This is basically how I feel today.

But the coffee's done and I'm going to pour myself a mug and take it out front, to sit and enjoy one of autumn's last days of bright sun, blue skies and bright fall colour.

Have a good day.