Need Help with Writing

I’m working on a story and I’m trying to describe a bar scene. The setting is a hole in the wall pool hall in South Florida. I am wanting to describe some of the patrons, but I am drawing a blank. I’d love some suggestions, or help!

Just Sayin’

These days, I am only cooking on 1/2 brain cell, and its batteries are low.

When I was a child, I called the Harbor Tunnel (of Baltimore) the ‘Horrible Tunnel’. I thought that’s what my parents were saying.

I fractured my wrist trying to learn to skate when I was 30 something.

Root canals are in my top 10 list of favorite things to do.

I believe in God….the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

My daughter is allergic to milk.

If a doctor tells you your heart is as healthy as his, do you think he ought to tell you how healthy his heart is?

I like Gunsmoke.

I used to love Robert Ludlum novels.

Have you ever heard of Howard the Hyena, or the Giant Pipe Monster?

I’ve read ‘The Ezekiel Option’, by Joel Rosenberg. I have ‘Dead Heat’ (my son gave it to me for Christmas), but I haven’t read it yet.

My sister is an artist.

Chuck Norris for president! Yes, I know I already said that.

My car was totaled back in 1990. Someone rear ended me, and my ten month old and I ended up upside down in a gully.

I’m writing a romance story. There! I said it.

I have a headache.

I used to have regular dreams of air planes falling out of the sky. Maybe it’s because I lived near an air base when I was a kid.

My favorite teacher from elementary school just died.

And that’s all she wrote.

My Random Thoughts, Not Yours

It’s 12:25 AM and pouring down rain outside.

My daughter turned seven yesterday.

I called my 19 year old son tonight and told him I loved him, and I missed him.

I hate when I spend all day waiting for a chance to write on my story, then feel uninspired.

I’ve listened to ‘Losing My Religion’ (REM), ‘One Headlight’ (Green Day), and ‘Torn’ (Natalie Imbruglia) tonight.

There’s a widely scattered patch of long stemmed, yellow flowers blooming in my woods. It’s a wonderful thing to run up on something like that, such as the violets that bloom in early spring.

My crepe myrtle tree limped along with its blooms this summer. It bloomed fully last summer.

I got a call from an old friend today.

My husband built my daughter a tree house. It’s really cool.

Depression is such a bummer. It kills the spirit.

I need glasses!

God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16

I just saw a flash of lightening in my window.

My brother bought me a book, ‘No One to Trust’, by Iris Johansen. I haven’t read it yet.

I used to work for a Poulan chain saw distributorship. It was my first job.

When I was 19, I found a perfect star fish on the beach.

Artwork of a Six Year Old

Writing for Who?

I’m struggling with writer’s block again with my story. I think part of the problem is that I stopped writing it for me, and started thinking I was supposed to write it in such a way that it would be ‘acceptable’ to others. Of course, we want other people to read what we write, but if we start writing to fit their preferences rather than from our own heart, I think we can get lost; at least I have.

What do you think? What if everyone loves a sunny day, so that’s what they want a book to be written about, but the writer prefers the storm?

Backyard Rooster

My grandparents lived on an hundred acre farm in the country, and it was a treat to me as a child to visit. But my visits were often fraught with peril. LOL

One such perilous situation came in the form of the backyard rooster. I like to call him Backyard Rooster. I just came up with that. Haha

So, anyway, the chicken coop was kept behind my grandparents’ house, and the chickens were let out in the daytime to scratch around in the dirt backyard. One weekend visit, I wanted to go play in the backyard, but I was afraid to because of Backyard Rooster. Grandmama told me to just grab a big stick and go. She assured me Backyard Rooster had much respect for ‘the stick’, and would leave me alone, so me and my stick sauntered on to the backyard. Upon my arrival, I spotted B.R., and he spotted me. I froze in terror, holding my stick by my side. B.R. froze, too, but there was no terror in those beady eyes. I took one look at that challenging piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken, dropped ‘the stick’, and took off running for dear life! Backyard Rooster took off right behind me. I ran as fast as my little legs could go toward the family car, with every intention of jumping up on the back end, and had just about made it when I got ‘the spur’.

So, I guess the moral of this story is, it isn’t about the size of the stick, but rather, who carries it.

My Resident Gopher Tortoise

photo courtesy http://rwrightphotography.blogspot.com/

Time for More Random Thoughts

Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls reminds me of my ex-husband (with the tattoos, tank tops, and hair). No, I don’t hold it against J.R. I think it’s kinda cool he’s heading toward the golden years just like I am. LOLOL Plus, I like ‘Name’ and ‘Iris’.

My son is the one who introduced me to the Goo Goo Dolls (well, their music). He forced me to watch some of the ‘Live in Buffalo’ concert on DVD. Now my son is liking some of the music I used to listen to, such as ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, by Queen. I pulled up some Dan Fogelberg on YouTube for my son to hear, and he liked him.

I listened to ‘Blaze of Glory’, by Bon Jovi last night.

The music that is most pleasing to my soul, though, is the old Christian hymns. I can get on a spiritual high singing those songs at the top of my lungs with the Cyber Hymnal. I also have a Tennessee Ernie Ford and Andy Griffith gospel cd.

I’m not much for contemporary Christian music. It just doesn’t inspire me. I do, however, love ‘He’s Alive’, by Don Francisco. My six year old loves that song, too. She has all of the words memorized and can sing it much better than I can.

I love paths. All kinds of paths; man man trails, deer paths, paths made by water run-off. If I see a path, I have to take it. It just beckons to me.

Maybe I’m the one who needs a life, but it really annoys me that my brothers and sisters are too busy to answer my phone calls…ever. Okay, maybe they do answer once a year.

I sincerely believe that someone has spun the earth up on its axis. Spring was just a week ago…wasn’t it?

On a serious note, I read an article about a murder of 8 in a trailer park in Georgia, then about three that were shot down in a home in Florida. Now I’ve received an email from a distant relative who informed me that his sister-in-law was shot and killed by someone breaking into the home. His brother was also shot in the face, but is apparently going to be okay. Some say the news is just reporting more, with 24 hour coverage. I say it is much worse.

Some Serious Random Thoughts

It is beyond evil, and egotistical, when any human being takes it on himself to decide the value of someone else’s life. No one has that right. God grants life and everyone is valuable, whether they are sick, disabled, elderly, etc. Who are you to decide someone’s life is worthless?

My local news reported of an elderly couple who were attacked and killed by a pack of dogs, of which there were about a dozen. The woman had taken a walk up a dirt road near her home when she was attacked. Her 77 year old husband went up the road to find her later, and was attacked and killed. I cannot imagine the terror they must have felt. This is just horrible.

My children are a blessing from God, and my heart is that they find salvation in the Lord; that they be healthy, safe, make godly choices in their lives, and find joy.

Treat others as you would like to be treated. Such a simple concept. If you would not like to be mocked and laughed at, don’t mock and laugh at someone else. They hurt just like you.
And no, there is no excuse. It doesn’t matter if they are different from you, or dress differently, or have different beliefs. That doesn’t give you carte blanche right to be hateful. You don’t have to agree with them, but treat them with dignity and respect, as you would wish to be treated.

Do a kind deed today.

Please have peace in your heart, and as much as you are able, strive peacefully with your neighbor. We all share in common. Each one hurts, and has joy. We all have our hopes and dreams. Everyone wants to be loved.

There is no ‘trailer trash’. People are not ‘trash’. Living in a trailer doesn’t make you ‘trash’. It often means you’re poor. Poor people are not ‘trash’, either. Some people, whether they live in a trailer or a fine mansion, may choose to live rather trashy lives, but no human being is ‘trash’. Stop the name calling.

46 and Traumatized

I’m feeling really down about my age. I’m 46. I wasn’t feeling this way until after my son moved out. Nature abhors a vacuum. My son’s leaving left an empty spot inside me, and now forgotten ambitions and desires have moved in its place.

I did an Internet search to try to find some encouraging articles geared toward 40 somethings. Well, the first ‘encouraging’ article I clicked on informed me that I’m even older than I think I am.

The article told me how that at my age, I am now seeing my friends drop around me like flies. My co-worker has just died of a heart attack; my neighbor diagnosed with cancer, according to the article. (My mother asked me if I am seeing my friends drop around me like flies. I said I didn’t know I was until the article told me so.)

It went on to inform me of how I am sitting around waiting for my crisis to come, and that it will, indeed, come. My husband of 20 years will suddenly announce he’s divorcing me. I’ll be laid off from my job, or I will face my own diagnosis of terminal illness.

Then the author told the story of how his own mother had died relatively young, alone, and penniless.

Wow. I must say I feel better now (sarcasm on). I’m still so traumatized by the introductory part of the article, I couldn’t quite get to the ‘encouraging’ part.