Black Friday

Here we are. Less than 30 days until Christmas and people are losing their minds. At the stores before they have digested dinner. Bundled up and standing in line before they have truly reflected on those things for which we offer thanks. It is a sad circumstance that I see.

As I snuggled up to my husband last night after a wonderful time with friends and family we watched an episode of CSI. But there seemed to be an unusual amount of commercials. No previews of upcoming shows, oh no, just sales. Doors opening at 10, 11, 12, 1, 2, 3! So those that make their living off of the willingness of the rest of us to spend our hard earned money...and it is, very hard earned right now...to go into debt so that we can indulge ourselves.

I guess, for today, we will forget about the past due notices and our mortgages that we have so desperately fought with the banks over, and we will shop. Like fools on vacation. Spending money we don't have on things that we don't need because, of course, they are DISCOUNTED!!! CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP!!! And as the day draws on, we will dress our homes with colored lights and lawn ornaments, we will play Christmas caroles and drink egg nog. We will.

We will celebrate this season as if she were well earned and long awaited. And in January we will reflect on our gluttony, and be filled with remorse...I hope.

Today's Poetic Asides November PAD prompt

I made up in my mind
Who you would be
Those things that you would like
What you would say
To me
Words of wisdom
Profound
All the time
I decided for you the attitude
Most fitting
Appropriate
And adjusting to my whims
Tone and diction
Verbage and accent
I thought up the personna
The things about you that would
Best compliment
The outfits that I wore
The ways that I style my hair
The color of my shoes
I did all that
Before I realized
How to accept you

There Just Aren't Enough Hours

Seems that the more I do the more time there is to do it. I know that sounds ridiculous. But that affords me the time to procrastinate. Right? Then I run out of time... Now I find myself in the wee hours of every morning trying to do those things that I found that there just weren't enough hours for the day before... maybe, on second thought, I just need medicaiton.

Nonetheless, I have been neglecting my daily and weekly writing prompts...and Lord knows I need those in order to maintain some of my sanity. Catching up on my friend's blog (Upsidedownbee.blogspot.com), I found the 5th Grade 5 Word monologue words inspiring. Forgiveness, though most oftentimes something that is given, sometimes needs to be a gift to self. Here goes:

Brokenness, morally, careening, anarchy, and brazenness

The brazenness I felt that morning could have been the cause of my abruptness. Short and harsh. Blunt and piercing, I winced as the words danced off my lips. There was no turning back. I felt myself careening out of control as I succummed to my attitude fearing that the damage was already done. So why not just go ahead and finish speaking my mind? And when I had said my peace--when I had exhausted the battery of words that I flung forth I noticed the brokenness that was left in my midst. Spouting off in some uncontrolled anarchy I wondered at what I had done. I wondered if the wounds left by my tongue...this vipers tongue... would ever heal. Morally wounded myself, I pained at the damage, kicking about the remnants at my feet. I stooped and slowly gathered up the pieces. And with tears like glue and words of healing and repentance I offered back all that had been the result of my malady.

Craving Nonchalant Daub Admit Indignant

Craving
Nonchalant
Daub
Admit
Indignant


Using a Triolet .  I will attempt this weeks 5 word monologue.  Here's the format:

A   
      B
      a   -  Rhymes with 1st line.
      A   - Identical to 1st line.   
      a   -  Rhymes with 1st line.
      b   -  Rhymes with 2nd line.
      A   - Identical to 1st line.
      B   - Identical to 2nd line.

Southern Grits



Indignant, you attempt to walk past
A nonchalant banter across the room
The craving in your heart to make me last
Indignant, you attempt to walk past
You'd admit your loathing by moving fast
Daub of red cheeks signals impending doom

Indignant, you attempt to walk past
A nonchalant banter across the room





Whew! Okay, that form isn't hard, but doing it with the five words is. That was fun...

Covered

I must tell you that
it is the anomaly of my faith
that leads to the understanding
that leads to grateful acceptance
even though the humanity of me
driving me
and giving me
misguided purpose
leads me to confusion and loss.
I must explain that
it is the heartbeat of the
divine design
that is the covering
by the blood
that gives me hope
and life.

Baby Quilt

Oh the grief my sewing machine gave me on this one. In the end I discovered that my machine really doesn't quilt, I need special attachments. However, with agressive dilligence I finished it!

Marriage

Out of oneself
slowly
leaving behind
that something
that identifies
joining
becoming
part of
another
growing together
one mind
one body
fingers
hands
skin
heart
hope
spirit
one being
grown together

Maybe?

Maybe--
I answer the children
lifting my voice at the end
a question or an answer
depends on how they take it
more than what I mean
because
what I mean is
I really don't know
I haven't made up my mind yet
an adult's mind moves slower
or more carefully
or something
I just need a minute to mull it over
and make a wise decision
I don't want to say no
or yes
really
So, short of not answering at all
I tell them
maybe
and hope that maybe will suffice

Take Your Best Shot by Austin Gutwein - Book Review

No sooner had I put Take Your Best Shot down my, "I don't like to read," 16 year old daughter picked it up. The book is an inspiration to step up and do what God has given you the gifts to do and to make a difference, if not for the entire world, for someone's entire world. Take Your Best Shot is an easy read, with the familiar voice of a young person. But youth does not stop Austin Gutwein from sharing wisdom beyond his years. And, sharing is what this book does best. It certainly isn't a book that lectures you into submission, rather it engages the reader in conversation and interaction, deep thoughts and contemplation. There are places in the book to jot down notes, and Austin encourages his reader to mark the book up with thoughts and notes. I wanted to, but a few pages into Take Your Best Shot I knew that I was going to share this book with my two teenagers and I did not want mom's thoughts to interfere with the personal discovery and growth I know this book will inspire. I definately recommend this book to EVERYONE, of every age and every stage of life. If you have never looked at how you can impact the world, see the world through Austin's eyes and discover something wonderful about yourself!

Left

She watched the car drive away
kicking dust and gravel back
into her eyes and her skin,
her bare arms no match for limestone gravel.
She winced, but couldn't deflect--
just stood in the road
watching the cloud of dust
following the old, green Buick
grow smaller.
The grumbling sounds of the engine finallly
dissipating into the wind
and drown out by the singing of
little brown birds.

(This poem is in response to a promt from readwritepoem.org )

November Poem A Day (PAD) Challenge

So, though I haven't posted in a while, I have been writing, crocheting, and quilting. And...I just started, be it, two days late, the Poetic Asides November Chap Book Challenge. Here's my first three poems!

House Hunters

Deep in California Suburbia
combing through the pages of a well used street map
alert and adept at eyeing street signs at great distances.
A stack of floor plans and price lists stacked neatly on the seat
listings printed off the internet
and glossy cards announcing who works for whom.
Builders credentials and an uncanny ability to notice the
slightest defects in workmanship.
Wondering about rooftops and Spanish tiled floors.
From one door to the next
the scent of newness
Glue and carpet fibers, fresh paint.
Kitchenettes and Nooks beginning to melt together in the mind's eye
walls closing in and opening up
Great Rooms made stately examples of prominence and stature
Guest Rooms set aside for in-laws and boomerang children
Chasing prices through neighborhoods
as checks are written and mailed each month
The trek
only a practice run
through quiet, California Suburbia


Passengers

I hate riding in the back seat
where there is no control
over the direction, the radio, or the heat.
Leaning forward to talk into the backs
of heads and uninvited to the conversation
directed toward the winshield.
Unashamedly the place reserved for children
or bags of groceries or the family dog.
A vile place to be
when riding as a party of three 
to find oneself stuck riding in the back seat.




It's Electric

My husband
bless his heart
has begun to ground himself
before reaching over to kiss me
Saving himself
the torture of the spark
loud and persistent
that smacks his lips
and brings water to his eye
as he tries to greet me
at the end of his work day
A violent response
of a positive - negative reaction
that I argue
is my electric magnetism