nBlog

I just read in a book: “If you were half as clever as you think you are, you’d be twice as clever as you are.”

I liked that. There are quite some people I’d like to tell that.

I have to insert a “quote of the day” which I read at work.

“Good is the enemy of great.

And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great.

We don’t have great schools, principally because we have good schools. We don’t have great government, principally because we have great government. Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life.”

Jim Collins, Business Coach.

“Down the street and up the hill came the Duke of Westminster, the Honorable Archibald Fitzhugh, and the Bishop of Bath and Wells, slipping and bounding from shadow to shadow, lean and leathery, all sinews and cartilage, wearing raggedy clothes all a-tatter, and they bounded and loped and skulked, leapfrogging over dustbins, keeping to the dark side of the hedges.”

from Neil Gaiman, The Graveyard Book

Yay. I am back.

I found out that posting with under a certain topic brings me more joy.

So for now, the topic is: Random, elating sentences, phrases, quotes or paragraphs from books I read. That all of the books I quote are highly recommendable needs not to be emphasized.

Stay tuned.

Sorry for the delay, I caught a flu. Still not fully recovered. Until I can think of something less obvious, I’ll give you one of my most beloved bands of all time. Faithful followers of this blog undoubtedly know that I love Queen, Freddie Mercury, and their songs.

Today, I chose

I’m Going Slightly Mad.

Paula

Prettiest, sweetest puppywuv in the world. She’s mine (although my son would discuss this and claim her, but truly, she’s mine!)

The 30 Days of Text project is over… and I am really proud I made it.

It was quite a task to discipline myself to write each and every single day, and what’s more, write poetry. But I did it (yay to all of us who made it through!) and I am glad I did. I went through a tough time recently, and focusing my mind on the required form of rhyme and rhythm helped me.

After all these texts, you deserve something to please the eye. I’ve got a new project.

Flora and Fauna September.

As you know, I like to take photos, and animals and nature are among my favorite subjects. I’ll give you pictures of these, not necessarily once a day, but on a regular basis, throughout September.

I hope you’ll enjoy.

word: courageous
form: Epic ballad in iambic pentameter

Fifteen they were, a gang from stories old,
The maidens fair, soft spoken, sharp and bright,
The men were daring, dashing, it is told.

Their souls, they say, were deep and dark as night.
So they set out on this stupendous quest,
Their minds were humming with utmost delight.

And so they went, the fifteen, blithe and blessed,
To do what they were meant to do, and do it right.
To dare what none had dared before, at the behest

Of Flaming Molly, Queen of Pen and Light.
For thirty days, the challenge was quite clear:
“Now go ahead, and take a word – and WRITE!”

And that they did, and now we want to hear
Their stories all. And please – give them a cheer.

word: misogynist
form: cascade

My father.

Did you ever really see me?
Petty excuses and pretty words
That was the only legacy I got from you.

So quick with mild contempt and scorn
And yet, so high your expectations.
Did you ever really see me?

My biggest failure: I was only a girl.
I found out that I’d never get anything but
Petty excuses and pretty words.

But I grew to be strong, to fight back.
I learned to shake off the chains of disdain.
That was the only legacy I got from you.

—

tomorrow’s word: courageous

Word: mindless
Form: ponderette (a new poetic form invented by me )

—

Tomorrow’s word: misogynist