Sex in the First

I was hoping to have a poem for the new moon, but it’s been a busy week.

My other writing hasn’t been going well lately either. Have you ever noticed that the more time you have on your hands the less you seem to accomplish?

Okay, I’ll admit it. Part of my problem is that I’ve reached that part of my re-write (of DIF) where my characters have their first encounter of the sexual kind. Which is why I’ve become a champion on-line Mah Jong player and have even beaten the daughter twice at bowling buddies on Facebook.

As you recall, I’m trying on the first person point of view to see how it fits. It was fitting just fine, thank you, until my characters decided to get “friendly”. Writing a sex scene (even if it is just a close encounter to sex) apparently takes me out of my comfort zone when it comes to the first person. I have no problem writing about sex in the third person. Well, maybe just a little problem. If I had no problems at all writing sex scenes I’d write erotica and start making some money. But I digress.

The way I look at it, I have two choices. I can either get over myself and just do it, or go back to writing in the third person. But not tonight, honey. I have a headache.

This 'N That

There’s nothing worse (to someone who lives vicariously through the blogging of others) than clicking on a blog you read on a regular basis and finding it hasn’t been updated. This used to annoy me a lot. Not so much anymore now that I’ve turned into one of those bloggers.

I applaud those who are able to update on a daily basis. I admire those who update more than a couple of times a week. And I understand those who are barely able to update once a week. Sometimes you just don’t have anything to say.

Still, I feel the need to post. And, for a change, I’m posting something nice that happened today (as opposed to my usual whiney complaints).

Usually when my phone comes up “unknown name” I let the machine get it because nine times out of ten it’s a telemarketer or bill collector. However, my husband’s Aunt phoned the other day and her number comes up as unknown. Unfortunately, she didn’t leave her number with her message so I’ve been waiting for her to call back. So, when the phone rang today with the message “unknown name” I picked it up.

Just my luck, it was one of my credit card companies wanting to know why I was being such a deadbeat. I explained my sorry state of financial affairs and the very nice lady took a look at my account to see what we could work out. Apparently, I have insurance on my credit card so that if I lose my job they will make my credit card payments for up to two years (or until I get another job). No wonder this one was accruing charges faster than the other one. I’ve been paying $60 a month for this for a few years now.

I’m sure this bit of good luck has nothing to do with returning the money frog to the book case (see previous post).

Superstition

How superstitious are you?

Although I love black cats and have found the number 13 to be more lucky than not, I don’t walk under ladders and when I see a penny I do pick it up to avoid the bad luck. Also, if I spill the salt I’ll throw a pinch over my shoulder, and I knock wood on a regular basis.

What brought this on (I can hear you wondering)? Well, I’ll tell you.

A while ago a friend gave me a three-footed money frog that’s supposed to bring good fortune. I had it sitting on the shelf in my bookcase, facing East, which is what I thought it was supposed to do. It didn’t seem particularly lucky to me, but neither did it seem at all unlucky.

Then this same friend was over a couple of weeks ago and told me the story behind the frog, and that for it to bring good fortune it was supposed to be hidden, but facing the front door. Dutifully I moved the frog to the appropriate spot and waited for my good fortune.

As the days passed I couldn’t help but notice that not only was good fortune not raining down on me, but I was having more than my ususal share of bad luck. After two weeks of this, on a day particularly filled with bad luck, I couldn’t take it any more. I moved the frog back to the bookcase, facing East and then I left the house before anything else bad could happen.

When I returned, it appeared my luck had changed. For the better. So, not content to leave it at that, I did my own research on the frog, and it appears that my friend had it wrong. The frog is not supposed to face the door, it’s supposed to sit near the front door and face into the room.

As soon as I’m feeling lucky enough, I may give it another try. However, until that time, you can learn more about the three-footed money frog HERE

Lemons

I have to admit I’m starting to feel a little paranoid about all the bad luck I’ve been subjected to lately.

For instance, not only have I not won the lottery, my U.I. claim has not been decided on yet so I don’t even have money to pay for any lottery tickets.

I had to pass on a trip to New Brunswick to see my sister (even free trips are not without cost).

The fight to go back to school is turning into a real fight, thanks to the company I formerly worked for (who screwed up my record of employment and refuse to fix it).

Even something as simple as taking pictures turned into a circus of bad luck. We were at a barbeque at the family cottage last night and sunset found me down on the deck over the lake to take pictures. The sun was hidden by clouds, so all I got were some colourful pictures of clouds, backlit by the setting sun.

Later, by the campfire, I could see the moon just starting to rise over the trees. I snapped a couple of pictures and then my camera went dark. The battery was dead. Only the lens is supposed to retract automatically when the camera is off, and it didn’t do that. When I got home I charged the battery and it still wouldn’t shut off properly. I can’t even get it to download the pictures onto my computer. Sigh. Just what I need. A broken camera.

So, I say, if life hand you lemons . . . take them! It’ll give you something to throw at the people who tell you to make lemonaide.

Just Under the Wire

I couldn't let another lunar phase go by without an offering. So here you go, such as it is:

It strikes without warning
like a thunderbolt
leaving shards of reality
in its wake.

Genius to insanity
like prophesies unheeded
illumination seen
with blinders on.

Fire absorbing
like wildfire rushing
the heat all consuming
burns to ash.

Hollow yet dreaming
like a faceted crystal
splintering fragments
of dreams, no regrets.

Secrets of Life

One of the things I look forward to every Sunday is reading the updated secrets on the website PostSecret.

This website's been around for a few years and I think its success is due as much to seeing that we're not the only ones who feel the way we do as having a brief glance into someone else's thoughts.

There's also a PostSecret blog on MySpace and today you're given the opportunity to write a six-word memoir and possibly have it included in a book. When I last checked there were already over a thousand replies to this post.

Could you sum up your life in six words? If so, you can find the blog post HERE .

Even if you don't want to leave a comment, check it out anyway. It makes for fascinating reading.

Adjusting

The problem with resting on one’s laurels is that it starts to become an uncomfortable seating arrangement after awhile.

Since my 4,000 words, I haven’t written a whole lot. At least not fiction. I have been working on a legal document, but that’s something I’m not able to discuss until the whole thing has been settled.

So what else have I been doing this week?

This and that. Puttering around. Adjusting to having no place to go in the morning. Lots of Mahjong and Spider Solitaire.

Have you ever noticed that it’s harder to get things done when you have a lot of time on your hands? The more time I have the less I seem to accomplish. I’m hoping this is just an adjustment period and I’ll get over it.

Now excuse me while I continue with the Fantasy Island marathon.