Week 28: Hurricane Party

Weekly Writer’s Group on Facebook group HERE

Blog topic parameters on BlogSpot, Over Here

Subtopic 1: Have you ever dealt with a hurricane?

Subtopic 2: Do you ever wish there was background music to let you know when there’s a warning?

Autumn’s Halo

When Maria happened in Puerto Rico, I really wanted to do a Hurricane Party by making a Puerto Rican dinner party to raise funds to send, though things were so hectic, I’d never gotten to it. Living in S.E. Wisconsin, I think maybe I’m lucky, as far as the weather goes. I don’t get the snow dumps like New England, the tornadoes like the plains states, earthquakes like the west coast, bitter cold like the NorthWest, nor the hurricanes of the Gulf states. It’s not that we don’t get any, just that things are much tamer than what it is elsewhere.

The closest that I’ve come to dealing with a hurricane that I can remember is the torrential rains that are the aftermath of one, which is still nothing in comparison to those who are in the path. Even with cyclones, Lake Michigan, being a great body of water, sucks it in. I don’t really feel too much vibration from earthquakes here, it’s bigger in Japan & haven’t ever felt as if the earth was going to swallow me up. It would be cool if we could hear this warning beat in the background. Not only would we have something to cut through whatever else is going on, but it would also help calm people as well as bring those together.

I have 4 different stories I’d like to put down… Not sure how to do it, where I could get it out there but not sure on what platform. Should I do blogs, and put chapters into them, with links to previous ones? Incorporate into my weekly? Google docs (and hope I don’t croak before they get out)? Ugh… I’m sure I could do DeviantArt for the creative ones, but not sure about the real-life ones. These are my ideas:

1. The Adventures & Life of Miss Demeanor – the various things, kind of loosely my life story with my actual life adventures, crazy imagination, with 2 imaginary friends, who are compilations of real people in my life, Miss Behavior & Miss Conduct. It would be just as creative as it is based on life.
2. My healthcare story, with all of the crazy stuff that has happened… It would also include a lot regarding life leading up to things as well.
3. Kind of an autobiography, because to do both this (leading to my advocacy, which is ongoing) and relating to my healthcare journey would be too “big” to go in one, so that’s why I want to split it.
4. A recurring dream I’ve had, where I could fly, some were cool, others make up something like a Sci-Fi meets horror movie. I’m not sure if this is enough to make a whole book, but, it would be fun to see where it could go. I haven’t had these dreams in a while, but when I did, it was vivid enough to still remember now.

Week 27: Peace & Friendship

Subtopic 1: Mention a bracelet

Subtopic 2: Mention something that brings you (or your character) peace

Peace Baby! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2msh0jut2Y

This is a mean world, a beautiful world, and it’s crazy that when we are feeling up, we tend to reach out but when down, we go inward. I think it’s important to know we aren’t an island all by ourselves, and getting the support of friends, doing something fun, etc. is important. But, in reaching out, leave those toxic people alone… Peace & Friendship are important things.

Anklet

I remember in my mid/late teens, bangles were a thing. I liked the bling, but, never cared for anything on my wrist, not a watch, not even a bracelet. Being the noisy person I am, being a musician, I preferred anklets – like this one. I think being able to play an instrument really does bring peace to my soul, being & frame of mind!

Week 26: Half Way there!

Subtopic 1: Writer's Choice - mention biannual or semiyearly

Subtopic 2: Writer's Choice - incorporate a milestone

writer's block

revelation

The "new" Weekly Writer's Group has reached our 1st milestone, and being active for 6 months, now! Maybe we ought to start having a yearly biennial celebration? I think it's cool since we're literally Half Way There! The 1st-weekend write was on the 22nd anniversary of my son's due date (3/13/22) though he was induced on the 9th. We had his party that day, too.

I started off with writer's block, but, with the 2nd pic, kind of had a revelation... When I was young, I had dreams of becoming a part of the legal field somehow (it didn't have to be an attorney), as in, whether it was in the law-making, law enforcement, or law practice, it was appealing to be a part of that process, hoping to get into a legal department somewhere, and hopefully become a diplomat at some point. I also wanted to be a professional ball player or musician. Aside from topping out as a semi-professional musician, none of those panned out.

I also discovered advocacy & activism as a young adult, and I seem to be very good at it, there's just little room to get paid for the time & efforts for people to make a go of it. As a person who loves to cook, I never thought I'd be able to make a business out of it, since I've had too many obstacles, people undermining my efforts, etc. until the pandemic happened and I realized I could feed at least 150 people at a time with the right crew. Then those were kind of dashed with different health issues that still make it near impossible to run my own kitchen.

My efforts turned back to getting agency help to find employment, and here I am, going back to what I'm good at... being an advocate & taking action to try to remedy the situation. Dreams really are disappointing, whether you're asleep or awake since they rarely if ever turn out half as good as what came to you in outer space. Maybe I should take the advice that being successful doesn't have to mean that one is able to have the so-called American Dream - maybe it's the positive impact I've had, even though I have no idea if I've had that positive impact or not.

Week 25: Always Working

Subtopic 1: Mention something you do at work

Subtopic 2: Use a quote from the movie Office Space

Say what?

Whether it's at home, at the office, on the floor, wherever it is, whatever I'm doing, it feels like I am Always Working!!! It's not always easy, because 2 years after surgery to correct a very smashed nerve, I still have to work on the various therapies. I thought I'd be more consistent than this... But, the pandemic took a toll, and finally was diagnosed with autoimmune disorders. It's a mixed blessing. On one hand, I know what it is. On the other, there is no "cure". Meh: even doctors are unsure why this sorta thing happens. So, it's all about trying to figure out the best course of action to help me.

My job title is Office Manager (at a tiny office where 2 nonprofits operate under the same director, I'm hired for one of them). I know what the job title is supposed to entail, but I often feel like I'm more of a glorified receptionist who does intake applications for the other one. I'm really trying not to complain, but I normally just look up information. Nothing, in particular, just that curiosity sets in about the etymology of a word, or the name of an actor I remembered from some show but can't remember their name, how many different species of dragonflies there are, etc. Yeah, I'm strange sometimes.

In life, I feel like I definitely missed my calling. As a youngster, I wanted to be a performer - music, acting, etc. But, in realizing that you pretty much have to not only be in the top 1%, but you also have to be the cream of the crop to make any real money, at around 11 or 12, I wanted to be a ball player (I played on a girls' team as the catcher). At that point, Girls' Professional Baseball was pretty much phased out, so... next... At least I did pick up the clarinet, played in the marching band for 5 years, played in college, and still play semiprofessionally. I find it therapeutic that for now, despite my health, I still get to play, and get paid a little bit while I'm at it too! And, it's pretty cool that I live in the hometown of the Racine Belles, one of the best teams during WWII when Men's Baseball was put on hold. Our local heritage museum even pays tribute to them, and I remember my grandmother talking a little bit about it.

I wish someone had told me this when I was young... "Our High School Guidance Counselor Used To Ask Us What You Would Do If You Had A Million Dollars And Didn't Have To Work. And Invariably, Whatever You'd Say, That Was Supposed To Be Your Career." I'd pursued a BA in International Relations, due to the fact that I'm multicultural, and tend to be able to understand people (generally and even with language barriers), at a time when my local community had several international companies that were based here, so I thought I'd be good. Since then, many have either left the area or folded. The ones that are still around, would prefer to utilize temp agencies for their production work, making it difficult to "earn" your way in permanently, and even more difficult to get into the office. There's no way I could do production right now. So, maybe it wasn't meant? That still leaves me with very little in retirement, if anything at all. I just know that the last couple of years, things aside from the pandemic changed everything, so... I guess it's time, just to accept that I'll literally be a starving artist for life.

Maybe, it's just time for me to focus on me. After a lifetime of attempting to make positive impacts wherever I go, win some, lose some, draw some, I need to put those efforts onto myself... It's not easy to trust the systems at play, when as an advocate, I see so many holes, gaps, missing things, etc... but I can't necessarily fight the system when I need so much extra for myself, and have projects I'd like to get done also. What used to take up to a couple of hours could take me a couple days. I have to assess whether "the best I can" is good enough or not. In the meantime... it's looking up more info...

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