More Games

Okay, I admit it, I've been lazy this week. Chalk it up to having company and too much work from my office job, but I've been diddling around online instead of doing any serious writing. Besides the book-blog haiku contest and the word cloud thing yesterday, I also found this site where you can play with magnetic words to create poetry. How addictive! I've never been one for computer games of any kind, but this one is just too much fun. Check out Passionate Soul, and Sacred Sisters, my fabulous creations! And go play yourself -it's much more fun than computer Solitaire, and you can at least feel like you're doing something creative!

My Word Cloud

This is my "word cloud," a neat design formed from some of the most often used words in my blog. I got this here, and this company prints up all manner of things with your word cloud on it, like T-Shirts, mugs, mouse pads, etc. I didn't buy anything (I'm tempted, though!) but it was fun to look at the words which appear the most, and they do jump out as some of the most meaningful ones. I was suprised that "coffee" wasn't really big, although since it's followed by the words "complete content," I think that gets the meaning across. "Life like little love"makes an interesting phrase of it's own. The "time traveling two" must be my husband and I (although the word "husband" appears in such small letters, I'm concerned that he's fading from the picture!) And it all finishes up with "years (big blank) young" at the end.

But my favorite message comes right in the first line, in a crescendo of word sizes. I'm taking this as my word cloud motto - "beautiful becca begin!"

The Power of Prose

Francine Prose's new book, Reading Like a Writer, is based on her theory that "the trick to writing is reading, carefully, deliberately, and slowly." Over at book-blog.com, Deborah Hamel has posted a haiku contest in which you must use the word "prose." The prize is - what else? - a copy of Prose's book! Anyway, here's my entry.

Study Prose -

edify writer's imagination

there are no cons

Now, I'm off to do some reading...

Sunday Scribbblings-Who Else Might I Still Be?

In March of this year, I celebrated my 50th birthday, although in the time leading up to that date, I didn't feel as if there were much to celebrate. Until I reached this milestone year, I used to see time strecthing before me like an endless road, so I didn't worry about postponing my plans to write, or travel, or make music, or see friends that lived far away. I figured I could always do that "later." But when I became 50, it seemed as if that endless road of time was being gobbled up, and I was traveling down it at warp speed. I started this blog on my birthday, and I described myself as an "American woman, newly embarking on the second half of her century here on earth." So, if that description is right, and I'm to have another 50 years here, who else might I still be?

I might still be an author, who writes books that speak to the deepest feelings and concerns of other women.

I might still be a musician that plays music people all over the world would love to hear.

I might still be a grandmother, who can provide love, and encouragement to another child in her life, and provide a little wisdom along the way.

I hope to be a better wife and partner, one who is more encouraging, more understanding, more creative about life and loving.

I hope to continue being a fun, loving, mother, and never become a burden or drain on my children's time, energy, or patience!

I hope to be a patient and supportive daughter to my parents as they struggle with old age, and I hope I can find the strength and fortitude necessary to do what needs to be done to ease their passage through this stage of life.

I hope I can remain young in mind and in spirit (well, body would be nice, too!), and not become so deeply grounded in my beliefs and habits that I don't allow myself the opportunity to experience new things in the world around me.

I hope I can be loving and forgiving of myself, when my careful plans for life go awry. I hope that gray hairs, stiff limbs, and a few extra pounds don't cost me my self-esteem or my hard won self-confidence.

Most of all, I hope I'm always willing to learn something new, step outside whatever box I'm in at the moment, and love with all my heart.

To read other's musing about their future selves, go here

Grateful Saturday

I've been inspired by M's lovely Grateful Friday posts, and decided to end Friday/begin Saturday with one of my own. I'm grateful for:

• Having my son and daughter in law here for a good long visit;
• Everybody in my family (doggies included!) being healthy right now;
• The past several days of cool, clear weather, truly Michigan summer on its best behavior;
• A stack of fresh new books from the library;
• Tomatoes in the garden;
• Grilled salmon dinner from Mitchell's Fish Market last night;
• The promise of my mom's honest-to-goodness Kentucky fried chicken for Sunday dinner - (does it seem like I'm hungry here???);
• My laptop, which allows me to work outside on the patio instead of being cooped up in the house all day;
• The work of UK Intelligence, which thwarted a horrible terroist plot - brilliant job!
• This community of brave writing women across the globe who continually inspire me to explore my thoughts, expand my horizons, and expound on life in general!