1963 - A Writing Exercise

Written just a few minutes ago, only edited by myself.
Inspired by the Birmingham children's march.

If You Change Your Life, You Might Exchange Some Friends

As a person evolves over the years, they can't keep all of the exact same friends. Some friends drift away when you no longer have anything in common; maybe those commonalities were flimsy. Some friends can't be kept due to either the other person's issues, yours, or both. Over time, I hope that you can look at your own life and see some patterns. Certain personality traits in others are very attractive to you and serve as magnets. That is sometimes good, sometimes bad, but in the cases I'm referring to here, it’s not only good but kind of a relief.

Not long ago, I found myself looking at just two or three personality traits belonging to some of my friends, specifically two work acquaintances and my longtime pal we’ll call Georgette.

Grandpa and I touched for the first time in 11 years (AKA My First Class in Intuitive Development).

I went to an intuitive development class on Tuesday, September 25, a class held at a spiritual center that I learned about due to being guided there by spirit. 

Those two hours were a good experience, starting with the initial meditation, during which I battled nerves by vividly imagining myself in my grandparents’ backyard. When opening myself up energetically, I did my usual by mentally calling out to my higher self, my grandfather and my spirit guides, though this time I chose to picture myself in a safe place: on Grandma and Puppa’s back deck, sitting near my grandfather.

Adaptation (Fantasy Exit Strategy Creative Writing Exercise)

On 11/19/12, I wrote something inspired by a Thought Catalog piece. Here's my take:

1.    1.   Run away to Brooklyn for two months. Eat the best food while standing between redheaded sisters and a family of chic, noisy Muslim women. The man in front of you calls home to “Mama” in N’ Orl’ns, talking with his mouth full. Watch a diverse group of loud, confident neighborhood kids argue and tease each other and play basketball with the unspoken knowledge that all their families suffered from the hurricane, and took it in fierce New York stride that you will never really relate to. Crash at a friend of a friend’s tiny apartment, falling asleep on the couch to the sound of a car chase. Try white peach bean paste bon bons. Take countless pictures. Go to a dance battle. Try not to feel too overwhelmed. Do shots with the bartender of the theme bar you like. Go on a few dates with a hardcore Yankees fan with gentle eyes and, as he’s taking you home on the 4, give a subtle nod of understanding to the girl at the other end of the train car – the one who just kissed the back of her boyfriend’s hand. New York has its own magic, and you two, as outsiders and mere mortals, are powerless against it.

2.    2. Two years later, you visit San Francisco.

Tectonic Plates (AKA Goldie Reunion)

So on July 20th, I had my reunion with Goldie. It was predictably anticlimactic. Prepare yourself.

About This Dream I Had (the Melting Man)

On May 5th, I had an odd dream that included Snoop Dogg on a talk show.

About This Dream I Had (Ice Cream)

In February of this year, I had the following dreams:
Using topping guns in an ice cream shop and later watching Matthew Perry entertain in costume.

So Friday Happened...

Friday night was not fun. That said, a story came out that was really interesting from a compassionate standpoint. The plan was to joke around with a couple of friends and have some wine. We ate dinner and put on a movie, then the night was out of control for a while, with discussion careening into the topic of race. 

Why a World Without Bogs is Terrifying

First off, I think ‘bog’ is a fun word.

Second, bogs have multiple uses for us humans (some of which are very important to our survival!!!) and are not difficult to keep. Online magazine called Stuff amusingly refers to wetlands as “the kidneys of the planet’”.

Third, they are in weak, weak numbers.

Without bogs, life is a great deal harder, less healthy. Global warming would be even worse, which'll be so much fun, considering how, as Eric Holthaus put it in a recent Grist article, 2017 became the year when "humanity emitted the highest level of greenhouse gas emissions in history". Without bogs, there'd be less clean air and water for future generations, and there would be more irresponsibly rezoned areas that would flood more often and more easily. If we were to completely wipe out the few wetlands and bogs we have left, the human race would continue to frack and pipeline and cow fart our way to a lot more death and depletion.

In addition to having a great name, bogs are a type of wetland that is useful for, among other things, filtering toxins, and to again quote that Stuff article, when a New Zealand farmer changed his mind about getting rid of the wetland on his property, he found previously missed benefits:

           

About This Dream I Had (Small Town)

So I was in a small town that reminded me of the ones in movies about the Old West. At one point, I put my current favorite belt on a man's pet as it roamed town. I believed that would help the animal, and, of course, I now can't remember how. 

About This Dream I Had (Mansion)

   First, a mansion, and later, a man in women's clothing.

‘Friends Without Benefits’ by Penny Reid, a Book Review

This is my fourth Penny Reid novel, and I appreciate how she adds depth to storylines and to main characters. Her books do not settle for having either of those key story elements be dumb and two-dimensional.

               

                Elizabeth, our protagonist, is fulfilling her residency as an ER doctor, working her butt off, spending one wine glass-clutching night a week with her knitting group, occasionally “using” guys in casual relationships from which she simply wanted sex for just a couple of months at a time.