Writing Prompt 4

How important is writing to you and what does writing do for you?

As much as I like to talk it is hard to believe but I would rather write. I express myself more clearly in writing. I especially like to write using the computer. It is clearer, neater, and gives helpful prompts and corrections. Since getting older my cursive penmanship has suffered . . . or should it be “penwomanship?”

How about you, how do you feel about writing?

“Only the hand that erases can write the true thing.” Meister Eckhart

 

Laptop Photo by Pixabay

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Writing Prompt 3

If you were going to spend a week alone away from home and could only bring three things aside from your clothes . . . what would you bring and why?

Let’s assume medication and personal items like one’s toothbrush are included in the “clothes” category above. The three items I would take are: iPhone, pen or pencil, paper.

I would expect to spend my time observing my surroundings, hopefully lots of nature, and recording my thoughts and reflections. At other times I would use the iPhone for news and music.

Your Turn, Readers!

 

 

“Good writing is like a windowpane.” George Orwell

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Cliches

Do you speak using cliches? You might think the answer is “no” but what if I told you there are as many as 681? These are things we say often without really recognizing that we are using cliches. Because we have heard them our whole lives they come so naturally in our speech that we hardly give them a thought.

A fellow blogger, Christine Goodnough, gave me a link to the article “Be a Better Blogger” that contains the long list of 681 cliches. You can check it out for yourself at https://www.be-a-better-writer.com/cliches.html According to the list maker, Pearl Luke, we should never use these cliches unless it is intentional to be funny.

I am always interested in becoming a better writer, but I’m not sure that I agree with Luke. While cliches can be lazy and boring it seems to me that we are throwing the baby out with the bathwater if we eschew them all forever. I’m not yanking your chain, in this day and age of information overload it pays to be on your toes, but you can’t believe everything you read.

The same goes for this blog.  🙂

“If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliche that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that’s his problem. Love and peace are eternal.” John Lennon

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Book Review – Thumbs Down

“Amelia’s Story: A Childhood Lost” by D. G. Torrens

This book is a true story about a child brought up in the welfare system in Great Britain. It covers the little girl’s life for sixteen years in and out of foster homes and abusive situations. While the story is heartbreaking and is told fairly well by the author it was hard for me to stay connected to this character because of the many problems with writing. Frankly, I am amazed the book went to print with so many grammatical and punctuation errors. I thought there were editors for that! These shortcomings ruined what could have been an interesting read. 

Surprisingly for me, this is the first in a book series by this writer. That makes me think the problem was me, but I’m not convinced and I’m still trying to understand how average writing, multiple repetitions, and terrible editing resulted in selling books! This is not a book I can recommend for those reasons.   

Someone asked me, if I were stranded on a desert island what book would I bring… ‘How to Build a Boat.’ Steven Wright

Mystery Blogger Award

Mystery Blogger Nomination

I am so honored to have been nominated for the Mystery Blogger Award! Thank you to Sharvi who nominated me. Please check out her blog “Tips from Sharvi.” It will make your life easier.  https://tipsfromsharvi.com/about/

Here are my answers to Sharvi’s questions to me: 

1. What motivates you to blog? Exchanging thoughts and experiences with others. 

2. Do you actually follow your set blogging schedule? I do not have a schedule. That would make it seem like work. 

3. Who inspires you the most? Other bloggers and people of courage who I learn about inspire me, but most of all I must say are my readers. 

4. Which is your favourite vacation destination? Anywhere in nature, but especially the ocean.

5. Funny one… Honestly, can you sneeze with your eyes wide open? First, try it out to see. If you can, then teach me how to!  I can say with certainty that it cannot be done!

Award Creation

The Mystery Award was created by Okoto Enigma who has a delightful blog about “Lifestyle, Beauty and Fashion.” Check it out and learn more about her and this special award.  https://www.okotoenigmasblog.com

Award Rules

1. Put the award logo/image on your blog
2. List the rules.
3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
5. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
6. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
7. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
8. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
9. Share a link to your best post(s)

Three Things About Me

1. I have been fortunate to have traveled to many different countries.
2. Other than my family the thing that brings me the most joy is nature.
3. I love to write and blogging is a wonderful way to share thoughts, doubts, questions and experiences with others. I cannot imagine being conformed by one subject.

Bloggers Who I nominate for the Mystery Award

1. Beauty Beyond Bones  https://beautybeyondbones.com
2. Life Just Happens  https://lifejusthappensweb.wordpress.com/author/debmrst/
3. Parallax  https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/46393402
4. The DIHEDRAL  https://thedihedral.com
5. Christine’s Collection https://christinegoodnough.com/about/
6. The Struggle  https://thestruggle247.wordpress.com
7. Elan Mudrow https://tricksterchase.com/about-2/
8. Tom’s Nature Up Close Photography and Mindfulness Blog  https://tom8pie.com
9. Memoire of a Writer  https://thememoirofawriter.com/2019/05/12/what-you-too-qotd/
10. Ankit Verma  https://wordpress.com/read/blogs/105525070/posts/574
11. Sandstorm Click https://sandstormclick.wordpress.com/2019/05/11/pinata-time/

Questions for My Nominees

1. What influenced you to start blogging?
2. Have you ever thought of discontinuing your blog?
3. What do you do when you are not writing?
4. What is your biggest challenge to blogging?
5. And, the “weird” one: If you were not a human what do you think you’d be?

My Ten Best Posts (in my opinion)

1. The Landing  https://crookedcreek.live/2016/09/02/jacksonville-landing/
2. The Good Wife https://crookedcreek.live/2016/09/03/the-good-wife/
3. Phillip https://crookedcreek.live/2016/09/27/little-blue-bird/
4. To Read  https://crookedcreek.live/2016/09/07/to-read/
5. Death – Decisions  https://crookedcreek.live/2017/01/25/death-decisions/
6. The Half Has Never Been Told https://crookedcreek.live/2019/02/01/book-review-2/
7. Spring  https://crookedcreek.live/2019/04/15/spring/
8. New Harmony 2  https://crookedcreek.live/2019/04/08/new-harmony-2/
9. Solar Eclipse  https://crookedcreek.live/2017/08/23/solar-eclipse/
10. The Green Book  https://crookedcreek.live/2018/12/16/movie-review-2/

I look forward to hearing from my nominees and seeing their responses. Again, thank you Sharvi for the nomination! 

Quiz Results

Reader Feedback

Thank you to the readers who responded to the quiz of August 2. Of the few I’ve heard from, the results are that there are no strong opinions regarding the seriousness or length of posts. Readers were not particular about scheduling. A positive for me, is that all readers agreed that photos and graphics add interest.  I enjoy the addition of media, too. No readers follow other blogs regularly at this time. 

Thank you again!

It isn’t too late to answer the quiz and get your opinion counted! https://crookedcreek.live/2018/08/02/anniversary-month/

“Nothing exists except atoms and empty space, everything else is opinion.” Democritus

 

Theme graphic in title by Pixabay

Milestones

Followers/Readers

Today Crooked Creek has 148 followers. That makes me very happy. What would be even better is if most of those signed up as “followers” are real readers. It stands to reason that some percentage “follow” and forget, but if some of my posts are read and cause people to think more deeply (or widely) on any subject then I feel the time spent blogging is worth it. When we look at life’s challenges and even day-to-day issues from an before unexplored angle I believe it often changes our way of doing, of living, of giving. 

Blogging

Blogging is a chore, I will not lie! It is not easy, even after attending a class for new bloggers. It turned out that the instructor was learning as she went along and that was very frustrating.  I must admit that it has continued to be frustrating after almost 100 posts. Some things don’t work as they should. Some things just don’t work at all. It takes me several hours for each post, but I’m sure that many bloggers have less difficulty and perhaps some worry less about small errors. I’m saying all this to say that that it is worth the effort. The internet affords us the opportunity to share our stories and I am grateful for that. If you think you’d like to blog, I encourage you to jump in.

I started out on the WordPress platform with a free domain. I quickly learned that it was not going to be very attractive, so after a while, I bought the “Personal” plan. I’ve never been satisfied with its bland look, so today I upgraded to a “Premium” plan and have to admit that it looks more like what I envisioned. I had planned to make the changes when Crooked Creek got to 150 followers, but today I was in the mood to move forward. So, SURPRISE! I hope you like the new look. 

Writing 

Writing is not a chore. It takes time and effort and sometimes it turns out better than others, but I enjoy writing tremendously and blogging is about the next best thing to writing that book we all have inside us (or think we do). Thank you, readers, for following, reading and commenting from time to time. 

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