5 Line Prose - Tied Up in Knots

My offering for Mark's Friday 4 Line Prose....

Having pressed the doorbell Jim stood on the porch, hands trembling, causing the corsage held between his two sweaty palms to shake. A dog began to bark inside the house and as the door began to open, his eyes moved from the knob to the classic beauty standing before him. His stomach felt tied up in knots and when he swallowed he wasn’t sure if it was his lunch coming back up or his Adams apple getting stuck in his throat. There must be some mistake, he thought. Her SeniorsDatingNet.com profile said she was seventy-two but she certainly didn't look a day over sixty-five.

Salynne ©2009

*Some Names Have Been Changed - The Phone Call

Salynne was wiping a thin film of drywall dust off of her kitchen cupboards.
"Infernal crap" she said under her breath.

The fine powder had been settling every day since the mud & tape workmen had sanded the walls in the basement and she had dutifully wiped down most surfaces when it became noticeable. Salynne, her husband David and daughter Eliza had been feverishly working on their home trying to get it ready for sale. David had applied for a transfer to Kamloops but there had been political posturing going on between the company and the union so the decision had been delayed. It had been over a month since anyone had returned David's calls and the entire family had come to the conclusion that perhaps the time wasn't right for the move after all.

The phone rang and Salynne reached to pick up the handset. "Hello".

"Hi Hon," said David. "The union rep called me a few minutes ago and they are still considering our case. They understand that we have a difficult situation and that my parents both have health conditions. The issue is the original Doctor's letter; it wasn't strong enough and therefore we have to get my Dad into another specialist and the letter has to be specific in diagnosis along with a timeline for his condition."

"It's too bad its taken such a long time for us to know that. It often takes months to get into see a specialist."

"Well, I think there are ways to work around that so I'll call my parents & see what we can do. The best part is that both the company and union are sympathetic to our case, they just need further documentation."

"So our case is not dead." Salynne sighed, "It's not dead then. So we go forward."

"Yup. It looks like Eliza will be starting school here unless I can work some kind of a miracle and get my Dad an appointment & the letter to the company next week. Still we may not be able to do something overnight-it might take months."

"I'd like to think that if this is supposed to work out it will happen quickly; we have to consider that this is the best time of the year to sell the house so the sooner we can get something in writing the better. I'll talk to Eliza, you call your parents and I guess we'll see where things go from here."

They said their goodbyes and Salynne sat down on one of the kitchen breakfast bar stools. She put her head into her hands and massaged her scalp. "At last", she said out loud and then continued in her thoughts, "something is happening, something will happen." She knew she would sleep better that night.

"Eliza, are you in your room?", Salynne yelled. "I need to talk to you."

She opened the laptop that sat on the counter. As soon as she'd told her daughter what was going on, she decided, she would leave the dust to its own devices and write a blog to let all of her friends know what was happening. It was rather bad timing as she had just posted to her blog before she started the housework and she really didn't want to publish a second post. Thankfully, the blog site allowed her to schedule her postings.

"Hmmm....Saturday, August 29th. 8:33 am. That sounds like as good a time as any. At least I know what I'll be posting tomorrow." Salynne looked up from the screen and smiled as Eliza came down the stairs.

Salynne ©2009

Writing Environments

I attended my writers group at work on Wednesday and was inspired. It was one of those occasions when I wish my little digital recorder was working because I had to stop several times on the way home to write down the flurry of thoughts that were making their way into my consciousness.

Once I returned home however that inspiration fled. As I stood surveying my dusty kingdom from the front entrance my heart sank. The fine layer of drywall dust that is still settling over everything grated on not only the soles of my bare feet but on my nerves and the writing muse in my head & heart tucked herself away. Putting my shoes back on and walking into the kitchen I turned to look back at the footprints I left on the dark hardwood floor. It is unbelievable how much dust can settle in just a few hours even when you keep damp mopping and cleaning several times a day.

My feet itched to be free from their prison but I knew that taking my shoes off would only result in pure frustration and disgust. It was then that I began to realize the very strong connection between my environment and my ability to focus and write. Particularly in the last two weeks my home has been in chaos and covered in powder and I have not wanted to write or sit at the computer in my office. I've been writing with pen and ink and in various spots but not at home and not on my "no matter how many times I wipe" dusty home computer & desk.

Having a clutter-free work space and environment has become more important to me than I realized. Over the past years some of my favorite TV shows have been those on a decluttering & home organization such as Neat, Mission: Organization, & Clean Sweep. The show Hoarders is available to watch on line and there is nothing more inspirational or able to get me off my butt to clean house than the terror that one day I'll end up like one of those out of control people profiled. Now I realize that I also have to have some semblance of order and a clean house in order to sit down and have the mental space to write.
There's lots of advice out there on creating the perfect writing mecca but I haven't really paid attention to it. Jane Austen sat at a small table by a window in her room, Rudyard Kipling had a whole room of books and a writing desk. It's not that I think I need to read decorating articles or tips; the most important thing is paying attention to what makes me feel like writing which would also include the habits and rituals that we do that put us in the right mind space to be creative. What I know so far:

• Solitude; although being around activity so that I can people watch is very important therefore sitting at Starbucks is a prime spot.
• Being with the members of our writing group; although I find much more inspiration in the meeting room we've used that has windows and a tree view instead of another enclosed dead air enclave with a ceiling fan that threatens to separate from its moorings and decapitate all of us.
• Sitting at home on my couch with clean hardwood floors and a quiet relatively dust-free house.
• Sitting at the beach or the banks of the river alone.
• Driving in the car listening to Jazz or Classical music.

Most of the time it appears that being alone is the key or at least alone with my thoughts. What else inspires me needs to be part of my self exploration in the next couple of weeks & months.

Salynne ©2009

One Minute Writer Prompt: Odd Tree

http://oneminutewriter.blogspot.com/

Today's Writing Prompt: Odd plant

If you could plant something non-living and make it grow (such as planting a dollar and growing a money tree), what would you plant?

Even before I read the other comments I knew my answer and then Jeff said what I was thinking.

Jeff D'Antonio said...
Love. I know that's corny and obvious, but if there's one thing this world needs more of, it's love. If we could plant some in the ground, add a little water and make it grow, just think about what a beautiful world this could be.

Salynne said.....
I'm with Jeff. If we could eat the fruit of Love and have that emotion become an integral part of our being what a different earth we would live on and what better people we would all be.

Salynne ©2009

Blogger Block Rears its Ugly Head

Blogger Block seems to have reared its ugly head; its been one week since I've posted.
Don't get me wrong, its not writers block. I've been writing other things, in fact I've been working on and editing several pieces that I intend to submit for publication. My most intersting project this past week has been my work on a Round Robin created by our writing group. The story has become rather unweildy and so I'm working on a summary of events & character descriptions. Once that is done we will then have to decide how it ends and what we are going to do with it.
I haven't however been inspired by the computer screen. Today on my way home from work I had a brillant flash of something I should write. Of course, since I was in the middle of traffic and couldn't find a pen I didn't make a note of it and then life took over when I got home and now I have absolutely no idea what that fabulous topic was all about.
It will probably come to me at 2am this morning and I will keep a pen & paper beside the bed; then there should be a flurry of blogging over the next few days. At least let's hope that happens....

Salynne ©2009

Getting Ready for School

I cannot quite believe that it's that time again; school supplies are everywhere and it seems that every second commercial on TV shows happy parents and downhearted kids realizing their summer is over. I'm afraid I'm not one of those parents who wants the summer to be over and I'm not looking forward to sharing my daughter with her classmates and teachers.

However, there is one aspect of her returning to school that I am looking forward to and I can guarantee my daughter is totally dreading. After having to create a last minute note out of a folded 8 1/2 x 11 piece of computer paper when she was in Grade 6 I realized that I could create note cards that were interesting and unique while at the same time satisfying my creative urges.

At first I would print out some clip art for the cover that matched whatever topic was inside the note but then I moved on to drawing an interesting design myself. Much to my daughter's chagrin and embarrassment she's had to take notes with pictures of everything from a sporty little car to let the teacher know she'd be away on a road trip, a bottle of medication & thermometer to a design which featured a melting snow man. I tell her not to worry so much, it's a parent's job to embarrass their children at least once a day.

Despite my daughters lack of enthusiasm for this particular creative outlet of mine her teachers indicate that they enjoy the cards and even sit them on their desks from time to time. At least there is no doubt who they come from and they are not easily copied should my darling decide she wants to forge one.

One teacher though provided me with a challenge a couple of years ago. He said that my cards were almost as interesting as another parent who had written notes in haiku or some form of poetry. It was comforting to know I was not the only crazy parent out there but I knew I had to rise to the challenge of providing not only a good looking card but a poetical one too. When my daughter could not attend a skating field trip the following week this is what I wrote:

Keeley has told me you enjoyed my cards
Saying mine were second best to those of a haiku bard
For years that type of poetry I have not done
But I love a challenge and so this poem I have spun

I decided that for this one rainy day
With poetry this message I will convey
It’s a message that is true and clear
That Keeley will at noon break just disappear

She will not join you on the skating trip
I’ll pick her up and so she will have to skip
Whatever fun you and the class will find
On this great excursion of your design.

There is a tale that you should know
Our family went skating just three weeks ago
Down I fell, I was the first
Keeley followed but her fall was the worst.

Her tailbone and leg she did make very sore
And the doctor just had to explore
The possibility that her bones she did break
And that was the cause for all of her ache

It turned out Keeley was feeling this bad pain
From a bruise and a slightly more serious sprain
She has mended over time it is true
But oh so much, she has been through

Although skating is a really fun and neat sport
We'vedecided that we just don’t want to court
A repeat of her fall on the ice those weeks ago
And the pain that event most certainly did bestow

So there you have it, my tale is done
My goal today was for both of us to have fun.
I may not be Shakespeare, Shelley or Wilde (how ironic I chose Wilde as a pen name!)
But I hope I have reached my goal—your smile!

It was very silly and my daughter nearly died when he read it out to the class. Still as she told me the story I detected a small amount of pride that her crazy mother was recognized. I'm not planning on too many more poetry notes this year for which I'm sure she will thank me but I have decided that I will definitely continue with my signature drawing and designs.

Poetry has never been my forte although when going through some of my old work I find bits and pieces that at least get the point across and since starting this blog I have enjoyed dabbling in haiku. When I do decide to write a poem that rhymes I have found a couple of websites handy:

Rhymezone allows you to put in any word & it will come up with everything from rhymes, to words that sound similar, synonyms, antonyms and much more.
http://www.rhymezone.com/

WriteExpress-Unblocking Writers Block
http://www.rhymer.com/

Lulu Poetry also has a rhyming dictionary and is a great resource.
http://www.poetry.com/

So it's appropriate to end this blog
while I'm still in something of a poetical fog
A great poet I realize I will never make
But I hope you've been entertained enough to stay awake

Until the next time I type out my words
My wish is that you may continue undeterred
in your very own creative quests
to write poetry, prose or whatever is your best.

Salynne ©2009

The Purple Triangle - A Symbol of Bravery

Pictures, Poetry and Prose suggested the following prompt: Write about someone brave today.
http://picturespoetryprose.blogspot.com/2009/08/brave-men.html

The Purple Triangle-A symbol of Bravery


Wolfgang Kusserow was beheaded by guillotine in Brandenburg Prison on March 28, 1942. He was 20 years old.
On December 7, 1939, father of six, Gregor Whohlfahrt was executed by guillotine in Berlin's Ploetzensee Prison.
Thirty-four year old Johann Stossier was executed on May 7, 1944, in Sachsenhausen.
Helene Gotthold, 48 years old, wife and mother of two was executed by guillotine in Berlin's Ploetzensee Prison on December 8, 1944.

Each one of these individuals wore an inverted purple triangle on their concentration camp uniform and each one could have made a choice to walk out of the camp they were in; they did not. The word Brave is defined in each one of them and in their stories.

During the holocaust over 10,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses were thrown into concentration camps because they refused to join the German army and spoke out against Hitler. It is estimated that between two thousand and five thousand members died because they would not compromise their obedience or their faith to God Jehovah. Many were tortured and given the opportunity to walk out of the camps if they signed a paper renouncing their faith and supporting Nazi ideology; few capitulated.

Film Producer James Pellechia said: “Holocaust scholars are well aware of the danger of showing only the horrors of this era. If we ignore the stories of the resisters, we send the unspoken message that nothing could have been done, that the history could not have been different. The story of Jehovah's Witnesses shows that the Holocaust didn't have to happen. Humanity does have the capacity to stand up and speak out for what is right."

Brave is standing up for what you believe in.
Brave is not compromising.
Brave is courageous endurance.
Brave is all those who wore the Purple Triangle.

Salynne ©2009

The Zen of Doing Laundry

As you know we've been in the throes of home renovations-in particular our laundry area. My washer and dryer have been unhooked for periods over two weeks so if was off to the Ticky-Poo Laundromat yesterday. The only experience I've had with these types of establishments was going with a friend of mine in my early twenties and sitting there bored.

Laundry has never been one of my favorite activities. Years ago when our older daughter was alive and she needed 24 hour care my husband and I made a deal that he would do the laundry and household duties and I would care for her. Laundry was not a domestic chore that I enjoyed and we have continued with that arrangement to this day. If I do a load of laundry it is something that I fit into my already busy day; its a case of throw in a load or fold a load and then run back to whatever life activity I'm involved in. However, going to the laundromat yesterday was a very important learning experience which gave me a new perspective on this rather domestic chore.

My daughter and I prepared ourselves by bringing our laptop and a rented movie; I thought that we should make the best of what I expected to be a very tedious experience. We even stopped at the store ahead of time for some snacks and bottles of water. Surprisingly, over the next two hours we didn't have time for the movie or the snacks as we were kept busy filling washing machines and dryers with the 20 loads of laundry that we'd brought with us. The constant hum of the washing machines and dryers going made it difficult to talk unless you yelled so neither my daughter or I said much; and that is when the "zen" happened.

We were each alone with our own thoughts and I found there was something extremely soothing and restful as I picked up each piece of warm, fresh smelling laundry. Being "alone" in my own world, touching our softened clothes, smoothing out wrinkles and folding things neatly became a quiet almost meditative process. By the time we finished and we were leaving the laundromat I felt like I had just come from the spa where I'd indulged in several hours of pampering soul-enriching solitude.

It was suprising but makes sense. Our lives are constantly busy and we are constantly on the run. Going to the Laundromat forced both my mind and body to settle because I was in one place and focused only on the repetitive movements and actions of loading the machines and folding laundry. Now that I've had the experience I've talked with several friends and they too have experienced the "zen" of doing domestic duties. One loves ironing and another loves cleaning bathroom tiles with a toothbrush; both say that it brings a sense of quietness into their day, it brings order into chaos and part of the good feeling is that you are doing something for your family that is nurturing.

Regardless of why it feels good I know I'm going to look a whole lot differently at that next pile of laundry that needs to be folded and just for my sanity I may even decide to schedule a monthly trip to my local laundrette or washateria. It's not quite as therapeutic as a spa manicure or pedicure but it certainly was cheaper, I had clean clothes, fresh towels and a happy family!


Salynne ©2009

Who Knew? Free Books Online!

You don't have to go to the library anymore to help you find those books on your "To Read" list. My daughter has downloaded books such as Pride and Prejudice onto her mp3 and now always has something to read no matter where she goes. Who knew?

http://www.readprint.com/
This is a free online library with authors like Jane Austen, Emily Bronte, Lewis Carroll, Victor Hugo, Keats, Kipling, Shakespeare, Tennyson, and Wordsworth.

http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
Project Gutenberg-over 28,000 online books for free

Books-On-Line
Over 32,000 completely free online books.

Classical Literature Library
1,258 classical fiction and nonfiction e-books.

Great Books Index
Books from mankind's greatest minds.

The Internet Public Library
Online texts collection contains over 20,000 titles.

The On-Line Books Page
Searchable database of over 20,000 online books.

Open Directory Project
A directory of online books-somehow I don't think you'll find classics here.

Modern English Collection
2,722 titles from AD 1500-present.

http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/index.html
The British Library Online Gallery-this is the most exciting one as far as I'm concerned. You can actually see the books, turn the pages, and magnify details. Books include: A selection of Leonardo DaVinci's sketches, the Codex Sinaiticus, Alice's Adventures Underground, Mozart's Musical Diary and Jane Austen's Early Works among many, many others. What a fabulous way to have access to rare publications!

Since I now have my daughter's old mp3 player I'm going to give "virtual" book reading a try. I'm hestitant and not sure whether I'm going to enjoy reading this way--there is something to be said for turning crisp pages, the smell of the ink on the page and pondering illustrations but I can see the advantages when you're forced to wait somewhere & don't have a book with you.

I'll let you know how it goes.



Salynne ©2009