Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! Although, being aware of how important a healthy mental health is really an all-time gig, not just for the month of May. Just being a listening ear for someone can be a great help, too.
I hope you have a great week!
Hi all! We found ourselves in Vermont to view the solar eclipse and man, it was so worth it! We drove 700+ miles (14 hours in the car,) and I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
Let me set the scene…
At a rest stop outside of Newport, Vermont. Cars surround the little patch of rest area. The sky is blue with not a cloud in sight, and the sun beats down with such warmth that you don’t mind the lingering patches of snow on the ground or the cool breeze that smells like pine trees. Some people are there with telescopes, too, and there are a few dogs. Others spread blankets out on the grass and people sit around in chairs under trees or near their cars. A dad and a son play Frisbee while waiting. An older woman walks by. “What a day to be alive!” she says.
Across the way, someone is cooking bacon. There are a few scientists nearby, throwing words around like ‘progression’ and someone asks, “is this your first totality?” Several people are wearing black ‘2024 Solar Eclipse’ t-shirts. On the highway, cars trickle by, as well as some large trucks; the sound of plastic flapping loudly on wrapped cargo as it barrels down the hill. Some trucks honk at the people at the rest stop. In solidarity of the eclipse, perhaps, or maybe they’re annoyed there’s no room for them to stop…too rest…
A few people wander over to Michael at his telescope; curious about the equipment he’s using and at what setting…clearly he must have a camera mounted to that large telescope. (He doesn’t. He used his phone.) Someone starts to play music, but it isn’t intrusive; the light rock just feels like part of the experience; relaxing and playful.
Then, the light disappears completely, and your breath catches. The sun is gone and you’re surrounded by a three-hundred-sixty degree view of what looks like a sunset. Two planets appear in the sky suddenly. They’ve been there this whole time, but you’re so surprised…and the light that glows around the moon feels otherworldly and transformative.
There have been a few sights in my lifetime that have made me cry. Some of the landscapes in Zion, Utah, as well as seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time. This was also one of them. #10/10. #wouldrecommend.
I hope many of you were able to enjoy the eclipse, and if not…I hope you catch the next one. Happy Thursday!
having two dogs
is like
having a furry entourage
they will follow you
everywhere
except
it’s less about your support
or being an escort
and more like
how much
they need you desperately
Hi all, no poetry from me this week because I spent most of my Monday in the Emergency Room.
Everything is okay, but at the time my face and arm was going numb, so that was less okay. I have a muscle strain in my right shoulder that makes me feel like there is an icy-hot poker stabbing at me. That is, when I’m not taking pain meds. Oh, and I have been getting muscle spasms in my neck, too. Fun times.
So, nothing creative from me this week. Or, maybe there is…
Monday in the ER
shoulder hurt, stabbing
pit stop, pit crew, she dying?
safe. home with pain meds
OR
my arm and neck numb
not dying. feel kind of dumb
remember: ergonomic
Ahhh…I could go on and on with the haikus. At least the dogs cuddled me at the end of the night. Showing their love, as doggies do. One big, giant, doggy pile.
dogs tell tales
like humans do
scratch an ear
steal a shoe
a stolen slipper
means, “I missed you”
a sock in mouth
means “hello,” too
love is the language
that dogs speak
except they say it
with a toy that squeaks
or slobbery kisses,
with head on your thigh
hands in warm fur
a deep, contented sigh
and muddy paw prints
on the kitchen floor
nose prints on the window
scratching the bathroom door
a minute is an hour
when you’re gone away
because they love us
every. single. day.
If you liked what you read, considering following me on Instagram @ajmorse_writes and follow my Facebook page A. J. Morse. My poetry book Walking in Cemeteries is available on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/cAsZUxa
And…because we love our two buds…some pics below! We recently got a new golden retriever puppy. Meet Teddy! You can follow them both on instagram @kodabear_and_teddy
Went and saw Christopher Robin today, and it was fantastic. I went in expecting some childhood nostalgia, and a heartwarming story and got exactly that. The animation of our old friends to look more like the actual stuffed animals is amazing, and makes you want to pick them up and hug ’em all!
I’m feeling a little nostalgic tonight, naturally, so reading The House at Pooh Corner.
Will also probably re-read Winnie the Pooh at some point, too. If I could ever write anything as well as A.A. Milne, I would count myself very blessed indeed!
Happy writing everyone! (And reading!)
I have this story that I’ve been trying to write a draft for. But after working all day sitting at a desk for 8 hours, do I want to come home and sit at my desk to write? No. It’s so frustrating. My notes/drafts/brainstorms are all on my computer, so it’s just so much easier to type out my draft for my story. Buut…I’ve been doing everything else tonight.
Here’s some things I’ve been trying to keep motivated:
Listening to Music ~ This has been doing a great job in keeping me relaxed, and I’ve switched to the Pop/Hip Hop workout station on Pandora, which makes me want to get up and dance, of course.
Stumbleupon.com ~ Mike’s really the reason why I know about www.stumbleupon.com. You basically create an account, edit your interests and click stumble. Next thing you know you’re surfing the web based on your interests. Can be very inspiring for writers.
Looked at Vacation destinations ~ This is really because Mike and I are shopping around for a place to go this coming summer, but this might be a good way to trigger a location for a story.
Also came upon this ~ 33 Ways to Stay Motivated. This was a stumbleupon result.
I’m jamming away, relaxed (now maybe a little sleepier) and trying to get that passion for writing. So funny how when writing becomes work, I suddenly am not inspired at all. Except when it’s like 10PM on a Sunday, and then suddenly all hell breaks loose. So typical.
What are you guys up to tonight? How do you stay motivated? Any tips?
Happy Writing!
Happy New Year!!! Got any New Year’s Resolutions this year?
This New Year’s was kind of pathetic for Mike and I. It was too cold to go anywhere, so we just hung out with a friend, watched the ball drop and then went to bed. We didn’t even drink!! How lame.
Anyway, it was nice and relaxing, though. And it was kind of fun to see all the announcers on ABC, (people who we don’t really like that much anyway) freeze their asses off in the New York weather. Bahahaha!
I think New Year’s Resolutions are kind of hokey, but it is basically a list here like any other; and for us anxious types, lists are great for organizing thoughts, chores, goals, work, etc.
Here are my New Year’s Resolutions for 2018:
1. Write More
This goes without saying, really. If I’m going to get something published, I need to write. Even when I am feeling down and tired from work. No, note to self: YOU SHOULD WRITE when you are tired from work. This is where I find my purpose. When I feel like I am truly doing what I’m supposed to be doing.
2. Read More, especially some new books!
I have several books on my bookcase that I haven’t read. And yet, I will still buy something new at the bookstore. I can’t seem to help myself. I will let books fill my life until I am drowning in them. I will breathe in the pages and choke on the words and I will never be satisfied that it is enough, even when they’re piled around me and I get anxiety about deciding what to read next. Huh…do I have a problem? Maybe. Just maybe.
3. Exercise, Eat Healthy, Take Care of Yourself
Tomorrow it’ll be in the negatives. No, I will not be going outside for a jog. But still, I need to remember to drink TONS of water, I never drink enough when it’s cold outside. I’ll also bundle up like a burrito in front of the TV. But I don’t need to eat cookies every night. Even though I want them…and they want me.
4. Make New Friends
It’s hard to put yourself out there when you spend all day being customer-servicey and you just want to shut yourself away from the world for a while after work. I need to find a writer’s group.
5. Find Writer’s Group
This isn’t the last because it’s the least important. Really it’s the last because I just thought of it…but this could be what I need to keep motivated, make new friends, AND get some writing done. So, really this is an essential part of getting a few things on this list done. I think I could be brave enough? Eee…baby steps! I know I can. This would be a good thing for me.
Anyway, that’s it…what about yours? Got any New Year’s Resolutions of your own that you want to share?
Happy Writing!
I liked this episode a lot more than the last few we’ve had. There’s a lot of truth to this episode, and I don’t just mean Jamie finally coming clean about things he’s left in the dark. There’s truth for Claire, too. In that she finally seems to admit to herself that maybe this was all a mistake.
I think it goes without saying, really… beware, spoilers ahead!
Photo credit: Starz.
Jamie and Claire return to Lallybroch with young Ian. However, things aren’t at all like they used to be. Jenny and Ian’s children are grown with children of their own and Jenny is not willing to welcome Claire back with open arms.
Jamie is just about to tell Claire about his marriage to Laoghaire, when the woman of discussion barges into the room with her daughters in tow and calls Claire a whore and all these terrible things. Naturally, Claire is devastated because she had no idea Jamie was married.
She packs to leave, but Jamie stops her and the fight that ensues between them is very passionate and packed with emotion. Jamie seems almost mad that she had left him, and she is equally heartbroken: he’d told her too! He accuses her of not knowing what it is to live half a life and she fires right back at him. He didn’t really think that life with Frank was happy, did he?!
She goes to leave, and Jamie stops her once again and tries to force affection on her. She slaps him in the face. They grapple on the floor, and then their fight turns to passion and they are wrestling out of each other’s clothes and having sex on the floor. Jenny comes in and throws a bucket of water on them, and tells them to stop it because they are upsetting the rest of the household.
Claire wishes they could tell Jenny the truth about her disappearance but Jamie claims she won’t understand. The next day, Claire has packed and is going to leave, but Laoghaire shows up and threatens to shoot her. Jamie steps in the way, and gets shot instead.
Claire performs excellent surgery on him, and young Ian stands back and watches, completely in awe. Claire notes with some affection that he is the only one who calls her auntie. After Claire has him sewed up, Jamie tells her about what happened with Laoghaire. Claire gives him a shot of penicillin, because Jamie is burning up. She also asks Jenny to give her a second chance. She can’t tell her everything, but she does still love her. Jenny seems to slightly warm up to this.
Claire reunites with Ned Gowan, and he advises them both on what can be done about Laoghaire. He says that technically Claire and Jamie’s marriage is the one that is valid, because it happened first. Laoghaire wants alimony in exchange for not taking Jamie to court. Jamie comes up with a plan to get the Jewels from Silkie’s Island that he had found while in prison.
Young Ian volunteers to fetch them, because Jamie is still hurt. Claire confesses to Jamie that she thinks coming back might have been a mistake. She had a life, a career and friends. Jamie says that they are mated for life. She still seems uncertain, but they are forced to throw their uncertainties to the side when they realize that young Ian is in trouble. He is intercepted on the island and taken away on a ship.
Well, what worked?
What didn’t work?
Will they be able to move on from this? I hope so! Although, it’d be very awesome if Jamie could follow her into the future. Just a thought.
What did you guys think? Happy Sunday!
Soo…this latest Outlander episode kind of irritated me, but if you thought otherwise, or you had similar feelings, let me know below!
If you have not watched the newest episode of Outlander, beware, spoilers ahead!
Photo credit: Starz
I’m having a hard time trying to find the positive in Claire going back to 18th century Scotland, but even in spite of Sam Heughan’s muscular bod, it’s a difficult thing.
The episode starts off where episode 6 left us at a cliffhanger. A stranger is rifling through Jamie’s things, and attacks Claire. She uses a knife to defend to herself, but in evading it, the stranger trips and sustains a head injury.
Well, naturally Claire has to help him, even if he did threaten to kill her. Jamie doesn’t understand why she doesn’t just let him die, and Claire tells him it’s because she’s a doctor now, and has spent years trying to save lives. Claire runs to the apothecary to get supplies, while Jamie is trying not to get caught by Sir Percival for smuggling some extra casks of whiskey and bourbon, and creme de menthe, (of the latter, they have loads of, because Scots don’t drink creme de menthe.)
Fergus and young Ian manage to sell off the smuggled goods at a fair price, and Fergus gives Young Ian advice on how to make love to the pretty tavern maid. Yi Tien Cho helps Claire with the surgery, but her patient dies, which she is fairly upset about. She also discovers that Jamie lies to Ian and Jenny about where their son runs away to.
The dead man gets stowed away in the creme de menthe, and Claire has another patient to attend to: a man named Campbell, whose sister is mentally ill. Once again Claire gets another taste of the backward 18th century, which doesn’t really have any experience in treating such ailments, except to keep them silenced.
Meanwhile, Ian gets lucky in the back of Uncle Jamie’s print shop, only to be interrupted by a man hired by Sir Percival, who is looking for the stuff that Jamie smuggled. They fight and Sir Percival’s man discovers Jamie’s flyers, which proves that Jamie is a traitor to the crown.
During the struggle, the shop is set on fire. There is a harrowing moment where Jamie goes in to rescue him, and Claire is afraid for both of their lives. Jamie says they will return young Ian to Lallybroch, and Fergus is shocked that Claire doesn’t know about Jamie’s other wife. His what?!
My thoughts?
This whole episode just irritated me. I suppose there will be bumps along the road, (I mean, if there wasn’t, there wouldn’t be a story.) But c’mon Jamie?!
“Oh, by the way, Claire, my love…I’m already married?” Sigh. Double sigh. Why do men do such stupid things sometimes?!
The good parts of the episode?
But…sigh. What did you guys think? Think Jamie and Claire will finally work it out?
We shall see! Happy Monday everyone!
A. J. Morse 