Friday, November 29, 2013

Flash 55 - let xmas begin


we’re always in such a hurry
running here and there
don’t stop to smell the turkey
quick, fast, make haste, scurry

so let’s make it an official rule
do only one holiday at a time
pause, savor, appreciate
our time before the yule

but now that thanksgiving is done
we can enjoy our Christmas fun



Friday, November 22, 2013

Flash 55 - Trees


~ the trees below Hogwarts Castle ~

I think that for little old me
there’s nothing better than a tree:
it cools me off for free
when the temp is a hundred and three
which fills me with glee;
it can hide you when you need to pee
which none of us want to see
as I’m sure you will all agree.



I like trees. Do you like trees? Trees do wonderful things. 

They clean up the air, among other things, 
like they give us shade, 
perform the duty of a natural umbrella and 
provide monkey bars for squirrels.

According to some research, 
this blog contributes to 8 pounds of CO2 emissions per year 
but one tree can obsorb 11 pounds per year. 
Good deal. 
You can read all about it at GREEN GESTURES
If you have a blog and post about this, 
they'll plant a tree in your blog's honor. 
Shiny!

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

My Book Shelf - Self Analysis




Like 20 years ago, I read L. Ron Hubbard's science-fiction series Mission Earth. The books were sarcastic, wack-o and totally bizarre. Then, I heard this writer made up his own religion and people bought into it, so I had to know more. 

I read Dianetics. You NEED someone else to get you to clear. Um, no, thanks. I had no intentions of letting cult auditors get their hands on me. And lo and behold, Self Analysis showed up. Of course, you can't get perfection on your own, but you can get close. 

I still have this book on my shelf because it's great for prompts. There are pages of lists of things to think about in various ways. 

Monday, September 23, 2013

Comfort is an Illusion

vanessa v kilmer (c) 199504

mindlovemisery wants us to step out of our comfort zones this week 
and do something we haven't done before. 
I don't sing. When I was in fifth grade,
my choir teacher threw me out of our school's singing group 
because I laughed during rehearsals 
and I've never been the same since. 
So, if you want to chance bleeding ears, 
you can hear me sing my favorite song "Amazing Grace."







Thursday, September 19, 2013

Flash 55 - Round Red Robin 0001


Round Red Robin watched the clock flip to O-two-hundred hours then his forehead struck the top of the sticky bar. Every year, he wanted to drink enough to help him forget Juli’s death but he never did.


The bartender rousted him. Robin mouthed off, got punched in the teeth and thrown out on his ass.


Arrr!

so Purdie Pyrate had to get involved.

~ click image to make biggerer ~

Monday, September 16, 2013

Confusion

The Codes

This post is for prompt 21 at mindlovemisery. The subject is My Story and we are to answer a question of our choosing. I’m asking, “From where does my love/hate response come?”

READER WARNING - The link at the end of this piece does not go to a happy place so beware.

My Story 

I had a dog. I’m not referring to the dog I have now; not the dog in the picture above. I’m talking about a dog I had as a young child when we lived in Fayetteville, North Carolina where my brother was born. This was during the time when I was still unbroken, still whole, still my genuine self.

I don’t remember this dog. I don’t know her name. What I know of her comes from brief stories my parents told me about her. She was a Cocker Spaniel. I’m guessing this is why I think this breed is so cute and happy. When I see one of these dogs, I get a warm and fuzzy feeling that I find disproportionate to the current moment and quite disconcerting.

At four, I would burst through the front door, knocking into my dog so that she would tumble away from me across the floor. Laughing, I’d chase her, scoop her close to my little body and hug her tight. We’d sit together in mutual, innocent joy.

Most dogs make me uncomfortable. During this same time period, one of our neighbors had a German Sheppard. I remember it being so much bigger than me. It looms in my memory as an all consuming monster; a Cerberus in my nightmares. It rose up, put a paw on each of my shoulders, sniffed my face then bit me on the cheek. Large dogs always get my blood pumping and my adrenaline flowing from fear.

So, like most things for me, dogs are part of the ongoing push-me-pull-me relationship I have life’s experiences.

My parents got rid of my dog when my father’s orders sent him to Germany. My mother, brother and I followed him to Frankfurt where I lost myself.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Flash 55 - τρεισκαίδεκα

"13" sketch mechanical pencil on printer paper ~ vanessa v kilmer (c) 20130913

It’s hard to find shoes that fit when you have thirteen toes: six on the left, seven on the right. Cinderella’s stepsisters had it good compared to me. They cut off their heels and toes to get a prince; to move up in the world. I had to cut off three toes to comfortably move.




Friday, September 06, 2013

Flash 55 - Where Do We Go From Here?

~uniball VISION pen with blue ink on copy paper in ZENTANGLE style~
~"The SPOT" by vanessa v kilmer (c) 20130905~


She drew in her sword, scraping the wooden floor.

The sirens were getting louder.

I led her around the bloody body and up to the roof.

Her damaged wings healed as she unfurled them and lifted her into the night sky. She glanced back, tears in her eyes as she disappeared into the clouds. Angels...

Time to play with the G-Man folks.

Thursday, September 05, 2013

Thursday 13 - excerpt

 Himalayan salt crystal


“Do you like it when I hit you?” he screamed in Mary’s face.



~ Thirteen words I wrote yesterday for The Salt Lovers' Book of Magic



Sunday, September 01, 2013

"F" Food

"Cornucopia"
opaque watercolor on pressboard
July, 2009

“F” Food


Food is fuel.
Food is fun.
Food is flavorful.
Food can be fattening.
Food can be fatal.
Food can be frightening.
Food is family.
Food is a fiesta.
Food is fabulous.
Food is filling.
Food is feeling.
Food is fault.
Food is faithless.
Food is familiar.
Food can be a fad.
Lack of food can make you fade.
Too much food can make you fade.
Food can be a friend.
Food can be a fiend.
Food finds me feverishly looking for freedom.
Food is fuel.






Oopsy!


a woman tried to do her wifely deed
by making a fresh batch of mead
she made it quite strong
which might have been wrong
since her hubby fell from his steed

You Can Play Limerick-Off Monday Here

Rabbit, Rabbit - September

~click to make image biggerer~

Don't be too hard on yourself 
if you need some 
artificial courage this month. 

Courage doesn't always roar.  Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow. ~ Mary Anne Radmacher

Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow. ~ Dan Rather

Have the courage to live.  ~ Robert Cody

Friday, August 30, 2013

flash 55 - cleanliness

~click to make biggerer~

How neat and clean are your home and house?
Have you rid yourself of every villainous louse?

If someone has infected your heart with a germ,
leaving your soul sick and your mind infirm;

if your days are rife with unending strife:

you must purge anything evil and demonic
with an immeasurable gin and tonic.



Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Monday, August 26, 2013

Devour or Despair



Devour or Despair

a broken blade lies buried in my heart
twisted, torn and raw
tearing my love from me apart

so being not leastwise smart
I unveil my ugly flaw
and seek demonic revenge

with sharpened claw and reeking maw
my angel I avenge
while on my enemies’ bones I gnaw

* * *

It’s hard not to lash out when hurt or angry. Most times I keep myself in check. I’ve caused bloody jagged rips in the hearts of others in the past, but the pain to my own psyche seems to suggest that the deeds were not the balm I needed. Still, I wonder if the calm is a worthy goal.


* * *

Moaning Maid

a woman lamented alone
her king’s heart made of stone
he left her to cry
and eventually die
so she haunted him from his throne


* * *

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

by Robert Frost