Monthly Archives: February 2016

Sunday’s Week in Re-Verse – 6 February 2016

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Photo by Kat Myrman – Summer 2013

 

Mad Hatter: Have I gone mad?

Alice: I’m afraid so. You’re entirely bonkers. But I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.

…from Alice in Wonderland

Welcome to the beginning of the long days of winter. No holidays to speak of. Spring is coming, but it will be a bit more of a wait for most of us. It’s still entirely too dark too soon in the evening. And several loony poems and a few dark stories later, except for my girls the bovine fashionistas, can’t forget them, or the whistle pig for that matter…oh and I think it all started with the ducklings. But then what do I know. I am just the words on this page plunked from the keyboard by the fingers connected to some silly brain full of more words. It’s like bingo balls spinning round and round until one falls out the shoot. B-16. Don’t ask me how I came up with that number. It plopped out.

And this my friends is how the week that was went. Thank goodness I do these weekly summaries so I can spill them out for one more look and then tuck them away! One of our friends here, Kathryn (from Another Foodie Blogger) asked me after a few stories…”do you think Sunday’s review will be a dark one this week?” I winked and replied (she didn’t see me wink, but I assure you I did), “it’s all in the editing.” And to another friend, Lynn (from Lynz Real Cooking) I replied at one point, “I can pull happy out of just about anything”…or something to that effect. Have a look at this week’s “re-verse” and see for yourself. Once again I am amazed and delighted.

There were a number of dark prompt photos and prompt words, but hidden in each verse or prose, some of my favorite lines always happened to possess a bit of light.

That, I have come to realize after many years, is no accident. No matter how dark things may appear, there is light somewhere waiting to spill out. And that includes from the very center of my heart and soul as well. That happy spark does make me feel a bit mad sometimes when I am beset with drama, but it is that touch of madness that keeps me sane! 🙂

And so, my dearies, another week has come and gone. The dread of the blank page that I feel as each week begins has been overcome again and then some. And I will overcome, come Monday, because there is no lack of words swirling around in my brain. Someone give the bingo balls a whirl. Here we go! 🙂

Oh…I’m posting Sunday’s Re-View early because I got a new mattress today and I plan to sleep in a bit.  And…because I can. Isn’t that a lovely thought? You can do whatever you want to do…be you…because…you…can! 🙂

Sunday’s Week in Re-Verse – 6 February 2016

Sometimes being late isn’t the worst thing that can happen
the darkest nights are fading now
moving on was her ultimate aim
but it’s a fuzzy science at best
stars taunt us with hope

“Exactly! Just what I was thinking!”

You’ll likely arrive too soon
the mem’ry of that autumn night
but a girl can dream!
That night I became acquainted with death and the fragility of life.
nobody listened
scorned like the dodo.
it’s nugatory
striking a pose, dazzling in gold!
to cover more ground…

“Well, you’re here just in time you know.”

~ kat

If you’re new to this blog, a bit of background to explain the verse above. It is a line from each poem or prose from the previous week. Lifted and placed in the order written. A snapshot review of the week. It helps me to prepare for the upcoming week with a clean slate.


Swan Song – Part Two

This story is in response to Friday Fiction with Ronovan Writes:

PROMPT FOR CHALLENGE

February 5th is National Wear Red Day or Shower With a Friend Day. There are much more serious International Days the 5th is set aside for, but the challenge at this point in its growth is not a place to explore those quite yet. Although I’m not stopping anyone. If you know of another National/International Day you want to write about this week, go for it.

  • Word Count of 500. (SUGGESTED)
  • Some great stories were written last week. Continue those stories this week! (SUGGESTED)

This is part two then, to last week’s story. If you would like to read that first, you can click HERE for the link.

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Photo Credit: Pixabay Stock

“I’m getting too damn old for this,” Leonard muttered, tossing the Kevlar vest into his locker, glancing for a second at her picture taped inside the door.

How many more times would the odds let him win? That whole “Save the World” crap was pretty exciting seventeen years ago when he was young, invincible and single. But now there was Jen to consider. This last assignment was the closest he had ever come to losing.

Leonard met Jen three years earlier in a grocery store parking lot. She had dropped her phone. When she turned to retrieve it she let go of the shopping cart. Leonard, of course, sprung into action, grabbing the run-a-way cart just seconds before it rammed into a parked squad car! She was impressed and he was smitten by her sparkling blue eyes and fiery red hair. When she agreed to have coffee with him he never looked back.

But there would always be this secret between them; the truth that he wasn’t an analyst in an engineering firm. He hated lying to her. Hell, he was just lying to himself thinking he could have a normal life.

He and Tom finished their debrief as the sun was rising.

“It’s been real Tom! See you next time I need a serenade!

Tom smiled, tipping his Yankee’s cap, “See you on the flip-side Leonard!”

Leonard hoped he’d never see him again.


 

The house was dark when he arrived, a hint of cinnamon in the air. “Jen’s been baking again,” Leonard smiled. He loved that about her.

The click-clack of Chauncey’s nails on the hardwood floor greeted him. “Hey there buddy,” Leonard scratched the pup behind the ears. “Shhhhhh, you’ll wake your mama.”

Leonard left his shoes at the door and slipped into the bedroom. Jen’s soft breathing warmed the darkness. Her long red hair cascaded over her face and draped across his pillow.

She stirred as Leonard sat on the edge of the bed. “Hi Lenny. I didn’t hear you come in. What time is it?”

Leonard glanced at the clock on the dresser, LED lights flashing. He winced, “Did we have another power outage?”

“Just a surge. But you know me and electronic thingies.” He knew. He loved that about her too.

“It’s about 7 am.” He leaned in dusting her forehead with a soft kiss.

“Well, you’re here just in time you know.”

“I am?”

“Yes! You do know what day it is…” Jen’s eyes flashed, her mouth curling into a playful grin.

“I do?” Crap! Leonard panicked. What did I forget? A birthday…an anniversary?

Sensing his discomfort, Jen giggled and blurted, “It’s National Shower With a Friend Day silly! We must celebrate!”

Leonard beamed, leaning in deeper slipping his arm underneath her, pulling her close. “Yes ma’am! We definitely must…celebrate!”

He gazed into Jen’s eyes. As they softly closed, her lips pursing in anticipation of his kisses, he thought. “Maybe it’s time to consider that desk job.”

kat ~ 6 February 2016


Savage – A Limerick

Savage

Discovering the chicken coop damaged,
said the farmer, “I must find this savage!”
He sent out the hounds
to cover more ground…
While away, all the chickens were ravaged!

kat ~ 5 February 2016

Disclaimer: No wolves or chickens were harmed in the writing of this limerick! 🙂

A limerick based on this week’s prompt word, “Feral” (I used a synonym for my limerick: “Savage”). If you would like to participate in this challenge hosted by Rashmi at Mind and Life Matters Limerick Challenge, please click HERE.


Bovine Fashionistas

 

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Photo Credit: Annie Spratt

 

Modeling the latest in bovine ear fashion
Bessie, Clarabelle and Henrietta
striking a pose, dazzling in gold!

~kat – 5 February 2016

A new challenge, from Sonya from Only 100 Words…to write a 3-line tale inspired by the photo you see above! 🙂 If you’d like to join in click HERE for the details.

 


Nugatory – Friday’s Word of the Day Haiku

Happy Friday to you! Today’s Word of the Day from dictionary.com is another one of those dinosaur words. It is a word that appeared in the early 17th century and had a fairly good run of it until the 20th century. One might even say that “Nugatory” is a nugatory word.

So why am I spending an entire post on this nugatory word? Why do I spend any Friday, for that matter, on a nugatory quest in pursuit of interesting anecdotes for nugatory words? (I’m not sure I like this word…it doesn’t roll off the tongue like some words do…perhaps this is why it has gone the way of the dodo!)

And yet here we are. One might say, I pursue these words on a dare. And this is true. I am determined to see it through, this challenge I set for myself to write a haiku based on dictionary.com’s word of the day. Or you might say it is because I have a haiku to write. But I certainly don’t need the added aggravation of trying to fit a long-in-syllable, obsolete word into a haiku when there are plenty of reasonable prompts available to me.

The thing is, when Thursday evening comes, my excitement grows in anticipation of Friday’s word drop. Sometimes I even wait up until midnight to have a look. (Note: the Word of the Day doesn’t post at 00:00:01…just an FYI if you’re interested. Sometimes it doesn’t post for HOURS after midnight.) But it is the surprise of it and the challenge of it that gives me joy! It matters not to me how nugatory a word may be…even if the nugatory word is in fact “nugatory”!

Because words…beautiful words in all their forms, quirks and origins have value in the role that they have played in defining how we have evolved over time. If you don’t believe me, consult the Urban Dictionary to be enlightened.

I admit, I do love reading dictionaries for FUN! And I also love writing Haiku. So what’s not to love about this nugatory weekly practice?! I can’t think of anything! 🙂

Have a great weekend! And if you dare, snuggle up with a good book, like um…a dictionary or an encyclopedia if you’re really looking for something deep! 🙂

From a simple Google Search I found this definition:

nu·ga·to·ry ˈn(y)o͞oɡəˌtôrē/adjective

adjective: nugatory
1-of no value or importance. “a nugatory and pointless observation”
synonyms: worthless, unimportant, inconsequential, valueless, trifling, trivial,
insignificant, meaningless “a nugatory observation”

2-useless; futile.”the teacher shortages will render nugatory the hopes of
implementing the new curriculum” synonyms: futile, useless, vain, unavailing,
null, invalid “the shortages will render our hopes nugatory”

Origin
early 17th century: from Latin nugatorius, from nugari ‘to trifle,’ from nugae ‘jests.’

Nugatory Haiku

nobody listened
her thoughts were nugatory
they assumed…what fools!

we dismiss cursive
as a nugatory form
scorned like the dodo.

it’s nugatory
the way some candidates stump
as if they will win.

kat ~ 5 February 2016