From the House of Marvin Martian: Greetings, Dear Blogophilians! Welcome to Week 10 of Year 17! We want to thank you for joining in our weekly challenges! We greatly appreciate your participation, as we do want to continue – as long as we have enough writers contributing each week. So keep up the wonderful writing, all!!! As always, we at Marvin house look forward to reading your amazing writes this week. Join us at Blogophilia, the place for blogging, fun and friendship for 17 years!
Blogophilia group on Facebook HERE. Blog topic parameters & how it works on WordPress HERE
Hard Bonus: Incorporate a favorite motivational quote or saying
Easy Bonus: Include tired eyes
On the rocks
Bad knees can make 3 stairs feel like a Climb Any Mountain. A good friend of mine had to be out of her house by the end of today. While she has a place to go, she’s technically homeless. As many pain issues as I have, and my husband’s & son’s issues, my family has helped out the best we can. I know I’m going to feel this tomorrow… I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done (Lucille Ball) – with tired eyes & a weary body, I bid you good night. Edelweiss (surprise bonus).
Words from Marvin Martian: We are putting a call out for some new prompts from Blogophilia participants. We’re having to dig way back into the archives, and we are rapidly using up all the prompts (in some cases probably duplicating some – if you feel like you’ve seen it before, it’s very possible.) Please Direct Message the following to Martian Ecrits:
* Topics – get creative! * Bonus Prompts – lyrics, song titles, phrases, quotes, movie titles, using specific words, items, situations, names of specific things or places, etc. Use our past prompts as a guideline for what works best! * Pictures – Only send photos that are NOT copyrighted and are Royalty Free. This would include your original photos, public domain images, or downloadable, royalty-free pics from sites like Pexels, Pixabay, Dreamstimes, Canva, etc. Please send only jpg or png format.
Blogophilia Facebook group HERE & blog topic parameters/how it works on WordPress HERE
Hard Bonus: Incorporate the phrase “I can’t believe…” Easy Bonus: Include something that sparkles
Real Time Aquarium
Being healthier with more energy is an idea that’s Too Good To Be True. I can’t believe I used to work, be a mom, take my son on field trips, volunteer at multiple places, and still have energy to do things… It seems like that was yesterday & a lifetime ago. Stage lights still sparkle my soul. But I guess I should go easy on myself, I am actually working full-time during the day, so I have evenings & weekends to do music as well as to be an advocate with BeLeaf Survivors. There are a lot of other things I don’t do anymore, and hopefully will be able to start having enough money to hang out with my son more often, even though he’s grown. Not that I have energy, but it would be nice to see more of him.
100th anniversary of the Kenosha County Courthouse today, 8/24/25 – music brought to you by the Kenosha Pops at 4pm. I’m getting ready to head down there for a photo op & more, so off I go.
From the House of Marvin Martian: Greetings, Dear Earthlings and Fellow Blogophilians!!This is Week 8 in Year 17 Blogophilia! Summer is quickly drawing to an end, with many students returning to college and school this month. We hope your summer has been filled with great memories and vacations! Thank you all for your participation in our weekly blogs – we at the Marvin House appreciate you! We will continue the weekly challenges into Year 17. As you can imagine, there’s a lot of work that goes into curating, creating and maintaining each weekly blog, commenting, linking, etc – so please keep those writes coming! Our continuation in the future depends on you, our loyal followers and fellow writers!
Blogophilia group on Facebook. Blog topic parameters, as well as how it works here on WordPress. Please consider entering your entries to ensure the continuation of this creative writing group.
Hard Bonus: Incorporate a lyric from the rock group Bush Easy Bonus: Mention the name of a famous river in the world
All Terrain Fishing Vehicle
Aargh, I was hoping for a creative streak. I got put on a new med that I’m stopping already because it’s just messing with me too much. Didn’t really need that, especially with rainy Saturdays two weeks in a row… I swear, American Family Field (formerly Miller Stadium) had The Raging River right in their parking lot last week, to the point that our driver wasn’t allowed to come back to get us after getting the car, in the disabled drop-off section for us because they only had 2 exits people could get out of, since the rest of the lot was flooded…
With my son having lupus & energy issues due to the meds, another gal with ankle joint issues, and me with mine, we could either stand – yes, STAND – under the canopy to stay dry (which standing is more difficult than walking slowly, which is hard enough when you have joint or back problems) or we could sit out in the open rain with lightning in the lot. It was fun to see the game, but it took about half an hour for the lot to clear before she could come back to get us. She even called nonemergency police to see if they could help, and they wouldn’t. Maybe they should consider updating their drain system so it doesn’t flood again, and put in a circular drive just so people can pull up like they do at the airports.
Yesterday’s block party was rained out, practically. It was fun while it lasted. I have cool neighbors. But, this weather messes with my achiness… Bush’s song Distant Voices say “I never thought I’d get away – ‘Cause all there is is fading fast today -Maybe you sleep well in your head – Bring on the night let the cold moon burn instead” (1999) I hate being a party pooper, so I’ll flush it in the Amur River or maybe go tubing, idk.
In 3 hours, Racine Concert Band plays the last concert of the season. 7 pm at Rotary Park.
Next Sunday, Kenosha Pops plays on the courthouse steps to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the building at 4pm.
Marvin Martian says Greetings, Dear Earthlings and Fellow Blogophilians!!This is Week 7 in Year 17 Blogophilia! And it’s Writer’s Choice week – you pick your own topic and hard/easy bonuses. You can use the picture provided for inspiration or choose your own. So let your imagination and your muse run free! Thank you all for your participation in our weekly blogs – we at the Marvin House appreciate you! We will continue the weekly challenges into Year 17. As you can imagine, there’s a lot of work that goes into curating, creating and maintaining each weekly blog, commenting, linking, etc – so please keep those writes coming! Our continuation in the future depends on you, our loyal followers and fellow writers!
Facebook Blogophilia group HERE. Blog topic parameters & how it works on WordPress HERE.
Hard Bonus: WRITER’S CHOICE– Fight Club Easy Bonus: WRITER’S CHOICE – Mind & Heart
Head Strong/Intuition
Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness – what is it really? Of course, we all need money to survive in, this day and age, especially since everything is expensive. It’s crazy sometimes because we also want a work/life balance, too, where we can have the time to enjoy life. A fellow blogger, Dia Jade, stated she thinks a full-time work week ought to be a 4-day work week, and I kind of agree with her…
It seems that having enough time & energy to not only work to pay the bills, but also to come home and get everything done that needs to be done, and then enjoy some time doing what you want or love to do, is like joining Fight Club. The Clash between Heart and Mind can go in opposite directions. It would be nice if we could find that happy medium, or if both agree.
Racine Concert Band plays at Rotary Park (next to the Festival site downtown Racine) at 7 pm tonight and again next Sunday, August 17. Kenosha Pops plays at the Kenosha County Courthouse steps on Sunday, August 24th at 4 pm to celebrate. See you there.
From the House of Marvin Martian: Greetings, Dear Earthlings and Fellow Blogophilians!!This is Week 6 in Year 17 Blogophilia! Welcome August! Thank you all for your participation in our weekly blogs – we at the Marvin House appreciate you! We will continue the weekly challenges into Year 17. As you can imagine, there’s a lot of work that goes into curating, creating and maintaining each weekly blog, commenting, linking, etc – so please keep those writes coming! Our continuation in the future depends on you, our loyal followers and fellow writers!
Blogophilia group on Facebook HERE. Blog topic parameters on WordPress HERE.
Hard Bonus: Incorporate a lyric by The Cure Easy Bonus: Mention a real or imaginary sea creature
Picture perfect scene
Hmm… what is “Crossing Oceans and Dreams“? Some people seem willing to go to each corner of the earth to be wealthy, or famous, or to find love, or whatever it is they feel they’re lacking. It seems as if people chase everything except being comfortable with themselves. We need to stop saying “I’ve Never Been to Me” (Charlene) and start saying “Will we really remember how it feels to be this alive?” (The Cure, “Out Of This World, Blood Flowers album, 2000). I think that when we discover ourselves, we stop chasing the Loch Ness Monster. Follow your passions, in work and/or hobbies, and do what you think is right in life. Then you’ll always remember what it feels like to be that alive, even when you’re having downtime.
Free local music info:
Who: Racine Concert Band
What: Free music outside, or inside if weather is bad
Where: Rotary Park, adjacent to the Festival Site
When: Sundays – 8/3, 8/10 & 8/17 at 7pm
How: Drive, park, enter!
Why: Why not?
Who: Kenosha Pops Concert Band
What: Free music outside!
Where: Pennoyer Park bandshell
When: Wednesday 8/6 is the last concert of the summer season
Marvin Martian says: Greetings, Dear Earthlings and Fellow Blogophilians!!This is Week 5 in Year 17 Blogophilia! August will be here this week, and summer is just flying by! Thank you all for your participation in our weekly blogs – we at the Marvin House appreciate you! We will continue the weekly challenges into Year 17. As you can imagine, there’s a lot of work that goes into curating, creating and maintaining each weekly blog, commenting, linking, etc – so please keep those writes coming! Our continuation in the future depends on you, our loyal followers and fellow writers!
Blogophilia FB group HERE. Blog topic parameters HERE. How it works HERE.
Hard Bonus: Incorporate a quote or line from Ernest Hemingway or one of his books Easy Bonus: Mention an amusement park
Clouds of Thunder
While people tend to try to stay away from discussing politics & religion, it seems as if politics affects everything, including where you stand based on your religious beliefs. The economy (including jobs/income, price points of everything from clothes to housing to utilities), social programs, entertainment outlets, and more… I Have Bad News. It’s going to get worse before it gets better. I’m not getting into details, just that there’s too much division to make any sense of anything without writing a book, and I’m definitely not going there.
I just feel like the way things are going, it reminds me of the Ernest Hemingway novel, To Have and Have Not (1937), where you feel the suffering & distress that emerges from the unequal distribution of resources, and desperation is a result of not having access to necessities during the Great Depression. To put a face to the story, it follows a fishing boat captain who resorts to smuggling to support his family, after his wealth is stolen from him & becomes destitute. It shows the harsh realities of survival and the ethical dilemmas faced by the poverty-stricken. Hemingway gets into the realism of his depiction of class struggle & human ingenuity to survive. I just want to say don’t judge unless you’ve been there & brought yourself up.
Summertime means enjoying the warmer weather. I realize some people prefer other seasons, but I’m looking forward to taking a day trip to Six Flags Great America with a friend of mine sometime this summer. Hopefully later in the season, so it’s not nearly as hot.
Tonight at 7pm is the Racine Concert Band at Rotary Park (the festival site), rain or shine! Soloists include guest soprano, Darlene Kelsea & the band’s very own Vera Oguin on flute/piccolo. This will be great! Next Sunday, also at 7pm at Rotary Park will feature the band, for the 1535th concert, Allison Hull (mezzo soprano) and Rooted In Racine’s guest artist, Russ Johnson on trumpet. Don Rosen, a major personality on WRJN is the show’s announcer.
Wednesday, 7/30/2025, is the Kenosha Pops Band at the Pennoyer Park band shell at 7pm. Greg Berg is a radio personality on WGTD, also teaches voice at Carthage College, and is the announcer for the band. Come see us, I’m actually going to be playing the alto saxophone!
A note from the House of Marvin Martian: Thank you all for your participation in our weekly blogs – we at the Marvin House appreciate you! We will continue the weekly challenges into Year 17. As you can imagine, there’s a lot of work that goes into curating, creating and maintaining each weekly blog, commenting, linking, etc – so please keep those writes coming! Our continuation in the future depends on you, our loyal followers and fellow writers!
Facebook blogophilia group HERE. WordPress blog topic parameters HERE & how it works HERE.
Hard Bonus: Incorporate 2 Beatles song titles Easy Bonus: Include a sunflower
Dawn of Life’s Adventures
Life has so many ups & downs… And even if for good, the journeys get bumpy. It’s nice to have someone to share the journey with, Hand in Hand, whether the person is a sibling, BFF, significant other, workmate, or someone else. It’s good to have someone you can experience or move through events in conjunction with other people, regardless of whether they’re lifelong, seasonal, or temporary in your daily grind. Even a camping trip to wake up to Here Comes the Sun or in dark times to Come Together to bring light back to our existence. Maybe we should be like the China Cat Sunflower and I wonder why they’re not the grateful live, instead of dead. idk.
Racine Concert Band is playing tonight and again on Sunday, July 27, 2025 at 7pm at Festival Hall. Music will be outside, weather permitting, but will go indoors if not. There is no reason to miss these!
Kenosha Pops Concert Band is playing again on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at 7pm at the Pennoyer Park band shell.
Come support local music. Both groups are in the 103rd year of bringing quality music to the community. Be there or be square.
