Friday Firsts

This is my first time for Friday Firsts at We Read, so wish me luck! And by the way, these answers are really going to date me!


First Book I Remember Reading: "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by Frank L. Baum

First Job: Babysitter for my next door neighbor

First Real Job: Cashier at Mr. Kwik mini mart

First Favorite Politician: Jimmy Carter

First Car: 1968 candy apple red Mustang - oh how I miss that car!

First Record/CD: Rocky Mountain High by John Denver (vinyl LP)

First Sport Played: Am not a sports fan

First Concert: Pink Floyd, Rupp Arena 1987 - awesome concert!!

First Foreign Country Visited: Canada - this is the only one I have visited

First Favorite TV Show: Land of the Lost (Saturday morning cartoon from 1974 - 1976)

First Favorite Actor: David Cassidy (The Partridge Family)

First Favorite Actress: Kathy Coleman (Holly from Land of the Lost)

First Girlfriend/Boyfriend: Mike Grubbs - I was 13, he was 14

First Encounter with a Famous Person: Patricia Cornwell (at a book signing)

First Brush With Death: Was hit head-on by a teenage driver who had only had his solo license for one week - this was 16 years ago when my youngest was just a baby

First House/Condo Owned: My present home (17 years)

First Film Seen: 101 Dalmations

First Favorite Recording Artist: tie between John Denver, America, and the Jackson 5

First Favorite Radio Station: WKQQ

First Meme You Answered on Your Blog: Write on Wednesday

Jade Hears

One-Minute Writer Fiction Friday prompt:

Write a brief bit of fiction. Focus especially on the sense of sound, trying to help the reader "hear" what your character(s) hear.




JADE HEARS

Crunch, crunch, crunch ... Jade lay perfectly still, almost as if a statue. She had come upon the beautiful meadow while hiking from the mountains, heading toward the nearest town. She was very tired from her journey and had decided to take a nap in the cool green grass.

Of course, letting down her guard to rest meant that her glamour was not working, but in this case, it didn't matter. Her luminous, pale green skin blended in with the grass of the meadow, making her virtually invisible.

Crunch, crunch, crunch ... Jade slowly raised up on her thin elbows and looked in the direction of the strange noise. There, almost 20 yards from where she lay was a tiny creature eating some green clover. Searching the vast database in her brain, she decided this must be what the Earthlings called a rabbit - "Any of various long-eared, short-tailed, burrowing mammals of the family Leporidae."

As if the rabbit could hear her thinking, it stopped chewing and stood perfectly still with the exception of the pink twitching nose. After a few minutes of immobility, the rabbit suddenly bolted into the neighboring woods.

Jade sighed, then lay back down in the cool grass. Trying to empty her mind, she became to earnestly listen to the other noises surrounding her.

Buzz, buzz, buzz ... a honeybee collecting pollen - "Any of several social bees of the genus Apis that produce honey."

Caw ca, Caw ca, Caw ca ... a raven flying overhead - "A large bird, Corvus corax, having black plumage and a croaking cry."

Trickle, trickle, trickle ... she knew this sound instinctively - there must be a creek or small waterfall nearby. This was good, now she knew there was a convenient place to get fresh water.

Swish, swish, swish ... the rapidly flipping tail of a red fox - "A fox of the genus Vulpes, characteristically having reddish fur."

Coo coo, Coo coo, Coo coo ... the lonely call of the mourning dove - "A grayish-brown, swift-flying wild dove, Zenaidura macroura, of North America, noted for its mournful call."

Rooooaaaaarrrr ... Jade sat up again, startled. This noise was not an animal! Looking overhead, she saw streaks of white flying through the sky, too high to be any type of Earth bird. Riffling through the database again, she realized this was an airplane - "Any of various winged vehicles capable of flight, generally heavier than air and driven by jet engines or propellers." Although she has learned about these "unnatural birds," Jade had no desire to see one of these face-to-face.

Finally feeling refreshed, Jade stood up and began the last leg of her journey toward the nearest town. She knew this was the beginning of the next 10 years of her life.

Pick Up the Phone

(Photo by C. John Edwards - *his blogs are listed at bottom of post)

Suggested prompt...The phone is ringing... answer it and tell the story with one side of the conversation.

"Hello."

"Oh, hi ... I wondered when I'd be hearing from you."

"Uh huh ... no, I told you it had to be this Saturday."

"It's too late to back out now - everything else is already in place."

"No, you promised it would be this Saturday."

"I don't care what's happened! No! I'm standing in this godforsaken phone booth out in the middle of nowhere just because you didn't want me using my cell. It has to be this weekend!"

"You are an idiot ... ... do you talk to your mother with that mouth?"

"... ... Quit screaming at me like a little girl! Yes, you're acting just like a little girl."

"Okay, I stand corrected - my girls have more decency than to act like you are right now."

"Yeah, yeah, give me a break ... you're not the only one with a full time job."

"Yes, I still want to do this, but it has to be Saturday - not next Saturday or a month from Saturday - this Saturday. Understand?"

"Gee whiz - you are such a baby! This was your idea in the first place."

"No, you were the one complaining because you were afraid to turn 50."

"Yeah, well I've got a few more years before 50 - I was just going to do this to support you."

"Linda, if you aren't at the airport by 10 on Saturday morning, I know people I can get to track you down and if I have to do that I'll throw you out of the plane without the parachute!"

"Okay, that's better. I'll see you Saturday."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Of course the first thing I thought of when I saw and read the prompt was the 1976 song by England Dan and John Ford Coley, "I'd Really Like to See You Tonight."

"Hello, yeah, it's been a while."

"Not much, how 'bout you."

"I'm not sure why I called, I guess I really just wanted to talk to you. And I was thinking maybe later on we could get together for a while - it's been such a long time and I really do miss your smile."

"I'm not talking 'bout movin' in and I don't want to change your life, but there's a warm wind blowin' the stars around and I'd really love to see you tonight."

"We could go walking through a windy park or take a drive along the beach or stay at home and watch TV, you see it really doesn't matter much to me."

"I won't ask for promises oo you don't have to lie, we've both played that game before say I love you then say goodbye."

"I'm not talking 'bout movin' in and I don't want to change your life, but there's a warm wind blowin' the stars around and I'd really love to see you tonight."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Rambles From My Chair
CJE In Exeter
My Hebridean Blog
Pensby et al
The Photo Gallery of C John Edwards

One-Minute Writer - Twice, Half

Today's One-Minute Writing Prompt: Twice, half

Fill in the blanks: "In my life, I'd like twice as much _____, and half as much _____, as I currently have."


In my life, I'd like twice as much self-esteem, and half as much debt as I currently have.

The biggest problem I currently have is my low self-esteem. Most days I feel like I'm down in a hole drowning and no one is throwing me a life preserver. I have a loving family and a wonderful hubby, but I just can't keep my head from going to the dark places.

.

I Knew Him When

Congratulations Earl P. Dean on the publication of your first novel! Earl is a friend and a member of my writing group - The Community of Mercer County Writers. Now I'll be able to say, "I knew him when!"

Mayfest 2009 Book Signing
Saturday, May 9th from noon - 4pm
Gratz Park in Lexington, Kentucky

Earl will be signing his new book, A TAILOR MAIDEN'S SECRET and you will be able to buy a copy of the book on Saturday, or you can order from Wasteland Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

To learn more about the Mayfest events, click here.

A TAILOR MAIDEN'S SECRET

"Arliane Donestica attends mid-school on a planet called Pooda, a forbidding world of the future so far removed from Earth in space and time that the old world exists as a mythical origin for the poodan progenitors.

The Poodan Youth for Unity, sponsored by Pooda's Elders, are chasing Arliane through her snowbound city at the request of the Elders, pressuring her about unspoken activities that might tie her to rebellion similar to her mother's. Activist and wife as well, Arliane's mother had died in a protest by explosion.

Were the Elders behind it? Read of a biological mystery, political strife and forbidden action to discover the answer in A TAILOR MAIDEN’S SECRET."

Earl Patrick Dean is a computer programmer working in Kentucky. He holds a BA degree from Transylvania University and graduate certificates from The Institute of Children’s Literature, and has attended the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning workshops on Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror and Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. He loves reading and collecting books, and writes mostly science fiction and fantasy stories.

Earl has published stories in SAY...WHAT’S THE COMBINATION?, MORNINGSTAR ANTHOLOGY and KENTUCKY BLUE.

Gentle Mountains

(Photo by Jessica
of 365 Day Photo Project Blog)

Suggested Prompt...Offer a poem for this view.

GENTLE MOUNTAINS

Gentle sways and upward sweeps
The glorious mountains call
Sending messages upon the wind
So different from Kentucky knobs

The peaceful valley awaits below
Nestled into restful comfort
Dreaming of all the wistful times
Whispering to my heart - "come away"

Crisp clean air and tall stately trees
Green, green grass both high and low
A hint of autumn in the air
Eons of memories gone by

A sleepy time from long ago
Almost as if a story
But fairy tales do come true
And mountains are alive

One-Minute Writer - Door

Today's One-Minute Writing Prompt: Door

What door would you unhesitatingly walk through, if it opened?

NANAHOOD

Now that my daughters are grown, I am totally looking forward to being a grandmother, so when the door to "Nanahood" opens, I'll be the first one rushing forward!

I enjoyed raising my daughters, but with going to college and trying to earn a living to support us all, I feel like I missed lots of things during their childhood. My life is now more stable, so I want to be able to enjoy spoiling my grandbabies rotten.

The Long Shadows

(Photograph by Highlander)

Suggested prompt...Shadows from the rising/setting sun.

THE LONG SHADOWS

The long shadows are settling across the meadow floor
Whispering the promises for the end of the day
Dodging and weaving over shrubbery and trees
As one last glance of vivid green grass is seen

What does the night hold when the shadows let go
And the darkness creeps upon the land
What undying pledge do the shadows now make
To get us through till the end

One-Minute Writer - Talk Show

Today's One-Minute Writing Prompt: Talk show

If you were to host a radio talk show, what would the title and subject matter be?

I think I would name it after one of my blogs - RIGHTMYER RANTS. It would be a talk show where you could rant about anything on your mind - pet peeves, ex husbands, in-laws, families, bad drivers, the economy, etc.

It would kinda be a combination between the HOWARD STERN show and WHATEVER with Alexis and Jennifer (Alexis is Martha Stewart's daughter). No topic would be off limits - but then again, no advice would be given either. RIGHTMYER RANTS would just be a sounding board to get things off your chest.

(Oh, and the kitty picture - has nothing to do with this topic, I just couldn't resist using it!)

SHADOWS

Photo by Sabrina of Nouns Make Verbs)

Suggested prompt...Use this photo for a bit of writing creativity today.

SHADOWS

Shadows come and shadows go
On a sunny day
Dancing, jumping, twirling, skipping
Happy all the way

You always have a friend close by
When the sun is shining
A shadow makes the perfect pal
You never hear no whining

Some may say that shadows are
For the young at heart
But take it from me, tho' I may be old
My shadow is my precious part

Musing Monday

Today's Musing Monday prompt:

How many books (roughly) are in your tbr pile? Is this in increasing number or does it stay stable? Do you ever experience tbr anxiety in the face of this pile? (question courtesy of Wendy)

Oh man, the question I have been dreading! My To Be Read (TBR) pile - or actually piles in my case - is so huge, I'm afraid to try and count them. I have a pile in my living room, one in the kitchen, one in the bedroom - and believe it or not, one in the bathroom. Hey, don't fault me, it's a great place to read!

Since I retired from my RN job, I have been more frugal about buying books, usually opting to only buy from my favorite authors, or books I've read from the library that I enjoyed. However, the number of review copies of books I have received over the past year is HUGE!! In addition to reduced reading time, I'm totally behind on book reviews.

Probably the largest of my TBR piles is the used chair in my living room. Of course, the reason it is unused is because it's full of books, but that's besides the point. For some reason, I'm one of those people who likes to have my books in sight, or at least at my fingertips, so my TBR "chair" is right next to where I normally sit, so current books are within easy reach.

Of course, my love of reading has rubbed off on my youngest daughter, and the TBR pile in her room is growing by leaps and bounds. She works a weekend job just to be able to support her book habit. Oh my, I've created a mini-me - and I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing!

Positive

Today's One-Minute Writing Prompt: Positive

Think about someone who annoys you, and write something positive about them.

I think the person that annoys me the most would be my ex-husband and his mother, so it is going to be very hard to say something positive, but here goes.

They are both very supportive of my oldest daughter, who is getting married in just over 6 weeks. From wedding plans to bridal showers, they have stepped up to the plate.

Okay, I'm biting my tongue not to add a ... but ...

I'd Like a Break

Today's One-Minute Writing Prompt: Break

What responsibility do you have that you'd really like a break from?



I'D LIKE A BREAK

I'd like a break from being an adult
All the work and struggles of life
Dirty dishes, cooking meals, endless paperwork and calls
Trying to make things run smooth and be the supportive one

I want to be a kid again
Happy, joyous and free
With not a worry in the world
My future shining before me

I'd like a break from people depending on me
Or saying I'm strong, or I know best
Deep down I want to depend on someone else
More content to follow 'cause I'm definitely not a leader

I want to be a kid again
Hiding behind Momma's skirt
Depending on Daddy to make it right
My future shining before me

I'd like a break from worry and stress
Wondering if all the problems big and small
Will work themselves out in the end
Or if chaos and havoc will sink their roots in deep

I want to be a kid again
No worry, no stress, no grief
Daydreaming all my problems away
My future shining before me

I'd like a break from my constant complaining
I know I can't go back
So I'll be content with the life I lead
'Cause it's the one one I've got

Happy May Day

Happy May Day!!

"See our Maypole filled with flowers,
From above, the blossoms tower,
Fragrance rich, and perfume rare,
Pretty scents that fill the air.
Violets blue and daisies white,
You are here for our delight;
Daffodils and roses, too,
Pretty flow'rs for me and you!
Tell us what the flowers say,
As we sing and dance and play.
Tell us what the flowers say,
On this special day!
This is what the flowers say,
As we sing and dance and play.
This is what the flowers say:
It is bright May day!"

(Copyright Clara Beeson Hubbard)

As a child, this was the day I would pick flowers from my Mom’s garden and give them to my neighbors. I always saved strawberry containers and weaved colorful ribbons through the holes in each container to make pretty baskets for the flowers. I would then put a baby food jar in each basket and pack it in with newspaper to keep the jar from moving around.

Then I would raid Mom’s early flowers: Iris’, peonies, daisies, tulips, roses – whatever happened to be blooming. Cutting the stems to fit the basket, I would fill the jars with water and arrange my flowers.

I would take these little baskets to several neighbors’ homes, hang them on the doorknob and then ring the doorbell and run away. I always got the biggest kick out of watching my neighbors open their door to a small basket of flowers.

When my middle daughter was 6 years old, she participated in the May Queen pageant at Old Fort Harrod. This used to be an annual event in the 1980s and early 90s, but sadly it is no longer held. Anyway, all the contestants were first graders and they usually wore their Easter Sunday dresses. What made this contest so unusual was, the girls were judged on their flower arrangements – not on their looks.

Each girl was given instructions on making an unusual flower basket and they could have help from parents to make them. Then the baskets were filled with flowers. The basket Marie made was similar to a paper Japanese lantern. We used a paper cup inside to hold the water and flowers. My best friend owned a florist in Danville, so she supplied up with daisies to supplement the flowers from my garden. She also made Marie a flower wreath for her head.

Marie was adorable – but then so were the other 8 girls that year. Marie ended up being first runner-up and was proclaimed the May Day Princess. It still makes me smile looking back on all the photos we took.

Today, my May Day is a little more subdued. I always pick fresh flowers for the house, but I no longer make baskets for my neighbors. Recent May Days have found the girls and me home alone because my hubby has to work the Derby every year.

So, make someone’s day today – give him or her the joy of May Day flowers.