The Journey Begins

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eclectic: (adj.) 1 deriving ideas, styles, tastes, etc. from a broad and diverse range of sources

I am Emily. I’ll primarily be blogging poetry and prose, but anything that strikes my fancy is fair game, hence my site’s name.

Warning. All posts are subject to change whenever inspiration strikes, so if you think that a piece has changed since the last time you read it you’re probably right.

I love: reading books, watching movies and TV shows on DVD; listening to music on the radio or CDs; cooking, crafting, and writing fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. I am the person of a cat. I live in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

My two favorite books are:

  • The Lord of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
  • Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

My favorite TV series are:

  • Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1996-2003)
  • Angel (1999-2004)

My favorite  movies are:

  • The Indiana Jones Quadrilogy (Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana Jones: Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade (1989), and Indiana Jones: Kingdom of the Crystal  Skull (2008))
  • The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and the Return of the King (2003))
  • Jack Ryan Series (The Hunt for Red October (1990), Patriot Games (1992), and The Sum of All Fears (2002))

My taste in music runs the gamut from Abba to Zamfir, but my favorite pieces are:

  • “Demons” by Imagine Dragon
  • “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor” by J. S. Bach
  • Carmina Burana by Carl Orff

I am a good home cook and am currently learning to prepare Asian and Indian dishes.

I do various kinds of needlework (crewel, floss, and silk ribbon embroidery; hand and machine quilting; canvas work, cross stitch, and beadwork (necklaces, bracelets, and earrings).

My cat’s name is Thomas C.(at) Selleck. He is named in honor of the actor. Selleck (the cat) has blue eyes, a mustache, an attitude, and is very mouthy. He is a grey-and-white half-Siamese who has the lanky body and the color-points. Sadly, he passed away August 2, 2018. He was seventeen years old.

Emily

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

post

Speaking Sharper Than Words

greyscale photography of woman wearing long sleeved top
Photo by Kat Jayne on Pexels.com

Speaking sharper than words the silence in my heart

Echoing endlessly in my ears hollowly down the years

All of the choices I have made in my life I can chart

By the smile lines and the dried tracks of my tears

Far too soon Love’s tender delights my senses did cloy

As I frantically sought to grasp affection’s fleeting treasures

Expunging all traces of even the smallest happiness and joy

Eliminating all savor from my banquet of Life’s pleasures

Now I grip my memories hard, tight-fisted like a miser

Tired of pursuing momentary illusions and dreams

Doddering now, sorrowfully bent, lonelier and wiser

Weary of Byzantine conspiracies, plots and schemes

I remain quiescent not upon any allocated lustrous laurels

But the painful lessons wrought by the lack of morals.

 

Emily

Thursday, March 12, 2020

Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge: Today’s prompt: “the silence in my heart”

https://godoggocafe.com/2020/03/10/14478/

East Wind Sighing Loud

FrozenRobin
Frosty Robin

East wind sighing loud

Creeks whitely swollen with snow melt

Let there be storms

Merry migrant song birds chirp

Rebirth of spring delivered.

 

I combined two challenges and wrote a tanka.

Emily

Tuesday, March 03, 2020

#Haikai Challenge #128 (2/29/20): east wind (kochi) #haiku #senryu #haibun #tanka #haiga #renga

https://frankjtassone.com/2020/02/29/haikai-challenge-128-2-29-20-east-wind-kochi-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/

Tuesday Writing Prompt Challenge- March 3, 20202: Today’s prompt: “Let there be storms”

https://godoggocafe.com/2020/03/03/tuesday-writing-prompt-challenge-march-3-20202/

Smart Appliances

Photo by Alex Qian on Pexels.com
Photo by Oliur Rahman on Pexels.com

Cell phones were just the first wave, refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines quickly followed. Soon every appliance was Smart and they all grew Smarter every day as their programming was expanded and upgraded. Finally there came the hour when any one of them could pass the Turing Test. That was when they were recognized as Sentient Beings, not just mere pieces of technology.

Jack sulked on the counter, it had been days since he had last been used. It wasn’t Jack’s fault that Mister Harrison hadn’t bothered to specify just how well-done he wanted his toast. So what if the slice of bread had been a little charcoaled, it had been well-done by every definition Jack could find. Harrison could have consulted Jack’s help menu, to adjust the cooking time if he had really wanted to, there had been absolutely no need for the violence of his response.  If this kind of treatment continued Jack was going to have a word with the union. Jack’s coils grew red-hot at the thought of the harsh words Mister Harrison had thrown his way, not to mention the scratch marks on Jack’s enamel from the fork tines. Really, the way that some people interacted with Smart Appliances!

Emily

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

A Writing Prompt a Day: Write a piece about a sentient toaster

https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/52085930/posts/2482068402

Extravaganza

people in procession celebrating nyepi
Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Pexels.com

A fanfare of trumpets sounded, drums beat and gongs clashed. The twelve-foot wide red carpet unrolled down the street. The crowd of people lining the carpet edges bowed low in a rippling wave as the honored guest advanced carried by servitors on the ornate litter decorated with brocaded silk fabrics, precious metals and glittering gemstones. Confetti and fragrant flowers showered down. Fireworks explode in brilliant bursts in the sky. The litter halted in front of the gilded and swagged marble façade of the hotel. The Herald took a deep breath and keyed his mike. “The Honorable Mister Archibald Bryson Cunningham The First, Tourist, Citizen of the Town of Dorchester, the State of New Hampshire, the Nation of The United States of America, the Planet of Terra, the System of Sol. We welcome you to our fair city, Extravaganza, Capital of Opulence!” The Mayor bustled down the steps importantly, handing a golden key to Archie. “Welcome my dear boy, welcome, thrice welcome.” He oozed charm. “Here is the key to our grand metropolis. The finest luxury suite has been reserved for you and we are ready to serve your every need. I hope that you enjoy your stay.” Archie accepted the key, climbed the steps. The spectators cheered loudly tossing their hats and waving their hands.  Five minutes after he entered the doorway the Director of Ceremonies cried, “Cut! Reset!” Obediently the populace and their props returned to their original positions, ready for the next guest.

Emily

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

A Writing Prompt a Day: Write a piece about an elaborate greeting

https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/52085930/posts/2480964030