A weekly peek backwards and a look ahead, from my little corner of the blogosphere…are you ready?
Life Stuff:
Last Week’s Edition: The Omega and the Alpha.
- Click the link for my recent posting history!
Today, as the title of this post suggests, is a slippery slope kind of day, for me. You see, here in the U.S., it’s Mother’s Day – and, while card, jewelry, and floral businesses might want us to believe that motherhood is always a beautiful, joyous journey –
It isn’t.
It can’t be, for me. Or for any other mother of a deceased child…or the child of a deceased mother…or people, who, like me, for whatever reason, are estranged from their mothers…
Or even mothers who work, or whose partners do, thereby eliminating or seriously limiting the level of pampering advertisers would have us believe is our due. Impoverished mothers, mothers in war zones, mothers who are ill or single, or dealing with issues that aren’t always apparent from the outside…
Yes, there is sunlight in my life – two thriving children who delight me even more, as they each make their unique way toward adulthood. We live in a country that is prosperous; we’re relatively safe and have more than most people in the world possess. I have a loving, long-time Accomplice who still makes my heart leap…and who understands me in all my complexity, and loves me still…
And yet, there is the sorrow, and the shadow it casts. It’s the contrast that makes the warmth of the sun more precious…
Sunshine! Annalise, 10, and Jeremiah, 13, on the South Jetty; Florence, OR, February 2015. Photo by Shan Jeniah Burton.
It’s not a greeting card day, for me.
It’s real life – happy, and mournful. It’s embracing them both, knowing that neither is wrong, or right.
They just are.
Do you know what I mean? Are there holidays that don’t follow traditional paths, or mean expected things, to you? I’d love to hear about it, and share a bit of reality with you.
Last week’s features:
ROW80: The Writing Challenge That Knows You Have A Life.
- Story Blossoms: Things are blooming, in my yard, my writing, and my soul!
- Fluid Growth: Sometimes growth and progress are a bit of a muddle, like a wild river…
- Organic Growth: Round Two April Update: An accounting of my second quarter progress, thus far.
Eight Sentence Sunday:
- “Too Fast”: Sometimes, things happen too swiftly to stop, and have powerful impact. So it is with Gladys, Iris, and Howard.
- Where’s Your Playground? Where, when, how, and why do you play? I share a bit about some of my wordplay…
- Adrian’s Sticky Note and Other Little Things: As they grieve, Trip and T’Pol grow closer…
SoCS (Stream of Consciousness Saturday):
- Trip Trips, but doesn’t T’Pol:A Stream of Consciousness excerpt from Story a Day May, as I combine challenges with The IDIC Romance. Trip lost a sparring match; the ‘other guy’ was a certain pointed-eared lady who packs a powerful punch…
Story a Day May:
- “You, Me, and Her”: / Can a newly forged family survive the madman intent on destroying it?
- Hero of the Catwalk: When presented with a problem she can’t solve alone, T’Pol seeks assistance from a real hero…
- “It’s The Little Things…”: In a time of mutual grief, small items and tiny gestures open new possibilities…
- Apples and Peanut Butter: Just a sweet little piece about pregnancy cravings and graphic novels….
- Unsettled: When reality defies logic, unsettled emotions can overrule even Vulcan discipline.
- Phoenix Time: Something very strange is happening with Trip and T’Pol…
- Something…: Trip knows there’s something very wrong with T’Pol, and he searches for clues in her quarters.
Variety’s Spice (something extra!):
- Traveling Through the Alphabet: Reflections on the Blogging From A-Z Challenge April 2015: Looking back on a challenge scrambled through, and looking forward to next year…
The sweetest of sorrows, forever cherished. Elijah James, July 13-25, 2003. Photo and poetry by his mama.
May Focuses:
- Complete the Story A Day May Challenge.
- Complete revisions and submit “Slow Jazz Awakening”
- Resume revisions on “Peach Liqueur Love”
- Plot Sea Changes: Kifo Island Chronicles #3.
- Update blog sidebar.
This week, on the blog:
- For Coffee and Conversation: C and C is back from April hiatus – and is moving to Thursdays! This week, I finally talk about a naked challenge where I bared myself in a whole new way!
- For WIPpet Wednesday: New stuff for April – July. I’ll be sharing whatever I’m writing, when I get to Wednesday. This week….another snippet from The IDIC Romance….
- Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS):A post based on the weekly prompt, TBA Friday. Most likely fiction, this month!
- Eight Sentence Sunday: Eight sentences from the same story as my WIPpet Wednesday post, but probably a little further on…
- ROW80 Updates: My progress on my current and/or long term goals for A Round of Words in 80 Days, posted on or near Sunday and Wednesday.
In the Wilds of Internet-Land:
- Adversity is Our Strong Suit: When love and family aren’t storybook-perfect, wondrous connections can emerge from the struggle.
- Need a little sweetness and laughter in your life? Who doesn’t? This little treat might help!
- And a video clip that has turned into a story spark, and maybe more…
