Author Connection Series

Day 6 of 366 The Crazy isn’t over yet.

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FAA orders temporary grounding of the Boeing 737 Max 9 after a flight from Oregon to California had to make an emergency landing because a chunk of the wall detached midair. I drove school bus 31 years and we had to do circle checks every day on our bus before our departure. Obviously, the precheck on the plane differs but it should have been noticeable before takeoff.

“First, there was a pop. And then a big bang.

Air whooshed out of the side of the airplane, which was flying at 16,000 feet with an emergency exit-size gash. A cellphone, a giant teddy bear and a passenger’s shirt were sucked out the hole in the cabin. Oxygen masks dropped from overhead compartments. Passengers on Alaska Airlines flight 1282—which on Friday afternoon was en route to Ontario, Calif., from Portland International Airport—were fearful for their lives. The flight, however, landed back at the Portland airport less than 30 minutes after takeoff, with 171 passengers and six crew members aboard, all of them alive. “~ MSN

I can’t help wondering how often the outside structure is checked. I wonder if after this, it will be done on a regular basis.

All of Central Florida is under a tornado watch Saturday through 10 p.m.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch that stretches from Tampa and the Gulf Coast through Orlando to Daytona Beach and the Treasure Coast on the Atlantic. Florida has seen a lot of severe weather this week.  Hail pummeled West Melbourne and Palm Bay in Brevard County. A weak tornado touched down in Boynton Beach Friday night.

Trump says,” The Civil War could have been negotiated.” Historians are shaking their heads wondering where he comes up with these outlandish thoughts. “The declarations of secession explicitly state that the seceding states were leaving the Union to maintain that system. … This could not be ‘negotiated, says James Grossman (Director of the Historical Association)

There’s a fascinating series on Netflix I recommend watching called “You Are What You Eat, the Twin Experiment. https://www.netflix.com/title/81133260 Identical twins change their diets and lifestyles for eight weeks in a unique scientific experiment designed to explore how certain foods impact the body. It will definitely make you think twice about the American diet and our meat consumption. 

A 90-year old woman was rescued five days after the 7.6 magnitude hit Japan. She was trapped 124 hours under her house. Sadly, more than 200 people are still unaccounted-for, although the number varies.

I’ve discussed my enjoyment with embroidery and the project I’m doing for my doctor who loves airplanes. I’ve completed the Kittyhawk and the Curtiss Jenny. What I learned when I looked up what colors to use when I stitched them. The Kittyhawk built by the Wright’s in 1903. They used spruce for straight members of the airframe (such as wing spars) and ash wood for curved components (wing ribs). The wings were designed with a 1-in-20 camber. The wing fabric used was a 100% cotton muslin called “Pride of the West“, commonly used for women’s underwear. It had a warp of 107 threads per inch and a weft of 102 from a total thread count of 209. The muslin fabric was on the lower left wing panel of the Wright Flyer on December 17, 1903, when the airplane made its historic first flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Muslin squares are what I’m embroidering the planes to put in the quilt. I love the durability of muslin when used in quilts but there are disadvantages too. Pulls can be expected and occasionally there are slight color and intensity variances. What I love is it is lightweight and breathable because it is a loose plain weave. Muslin dates back to Ancient India.

The Curtiss JN “Jenny” was a series of biplanes built by the Glenn Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. The Jenny is made from  a combination of steel and aluminum tubing with some wooden parts and a doped aircraft fabric. Its 27.50 ft (8.4 m) span wing has a wing area of 175.0 sq ft (16.26 m2) and the cockpit width is 24 in (61 cm). Aircraft dope is a plasticized lacquer that is applied to fabric covered aircraft.  It tightens and stiffens fabric stretched over airframes, which renders them airtight and weatherproof, increasing their durability and lifespan. The technique has been commonly applied to both full-size and flying models of aircraft.

What I learned that the Kittyhawk and Curtiss Jenny both benefitted from the doping techniques. These techniques have been employed in aircraft construction since the dawn of heavier-than-air flight. Without the application of dope, the fabric coverings lacked durability and were highly flammable. Both factors rendered them far less viable.

Day 4 of 366

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And the crazy continues at Perry Community School in Iowa at 7:37 am. The shooter, 17 yr. old Dylan Butler has died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A sixth grader was killed. Five other people were wounded by the shooter. Four victims were students, and the other victim was an administrator. Children should be safe in their schools not seeking places to hide so they don’t die. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first incidence of violence in schools. We’ve talked about changes, and some have been made but apparently not enough because children still have access to guns.

Which brings me to the topic I wanted to discuss. Lidia Yuknavitch challenges writers to be the fire in our society. We can’t continue with our American exceptionalism mentality. The more we tell stories, the more awareness we raise for the voices not heard like children that have died from senseless violence. In power displacements where children are ripped from their families and transported into situations where they are later objects for barter. Women and men are involved in sex trafficking of minors. There’s still uneasiness among the LGBTQ communities because people have homophobic fears. Women and children are still abused by their loved ones.

Poets and Writers January/February 2024 Pw.org pages 34-35 if you want to read more of the article.

Storytelling may not save lives but it will keep the fire burning for those faced with contradictions between the brutality of our society and the fissures of hope that occasionally surface. As a storyteller we bear witness to it all and hopefully find ways to ease suffering.

In Lake Luzerne, New York (one hour north of Albany) a library was adding a one-time event to their monthly line-up Drag Queen Story hour. Amanda Hoffman knew it was a controversial topic but had no idea what the repercussions would be. A bomb threat, board meeting that erupted into a fist fight, people calling each other fascists, predators and queers all took place which unfortunately forced the closing of the only library in town after 53 years of operation. This community became a battle ground for issues of inclusion, free speech and what exactly is the role of a tax-funded institution. The minister in this community took the situation further by pushing to keep perverted books away from children. Banning books have become a social norm.

Ursula K LeGuin says “You cannot buy the revolution. You cannot make the revolution. But you can be the revolution.” Yuknavitch and LeGuin aren’t suggesting we become perfect humans. We’re flawed because we will say the wrong thing or do the wrong time. It’s in our nature. But there’s nothing stopping us from trying again the next day to be a better human, a better co-existent because we’re not the only creatures on this planet. We’ve been the ethos of death and destruction too long.

In the conclusion of her article written in Poets and Writers she offers a writing exercise that I found thought provoking. “Draw courage From the Fire. Name one kind of fire within us, one that keeps us from despair and moves us toward courage in the world. Where did it come from, this internal fire? What experiences brought us to this fire? What shapes does the fire take? Where does this fire live in our body? What story is held there?” ~ Lidia Yuknavitch

My fire is domestic violence. Did I choose this fire? No, my first husband chose it for me with his physical and verbal assaults. What moved me forward was my children initially. Their safety was my primary concern until I could make the changes for us. There is truth in the saying always know where the devil is because the unknown will be your undoing.

I’ve written poetry for contests and published a book to raise awareness. But the fire didn’t just begin with my marital situation, unfortunately it was very much a part of childhood as well. I married not knowing this wasn’t a social norm. Sadly, there wasn’t the media coverage or the resources we have now. But unfortunately, even with the resources, the problem still exists for many women. Yes, it’s crazy that domestic violence exists in this country like it does in third world countries where women have less rights than here.

Harmonium by Lyn Crain

Tasting of bloodied blue interlude, she trembled
Caught in an eternal plot of frenzied cadence arouse.
Her treasured hot peace lyre symbol necklace
Baroque ripped, his alleged rights of the spouse.
His frozen touch, firm on her hymn alabaster neck
Gregorian chants the parody of marital vows.
Her classical breath screamed to simply die, ending it,
But his ballad rage wasn’t done, he only let her drowse.

I chose a musical twist for one of his assaults to encourage thought.

I wish I could say it’s a thing of my past but it’s not because it still impacts my thinking, my reactions to certain comments even a sudden movement. My brain and body are always aware of my surroundings. Sadly, that tool that helps me in other social situations. We live in a violent society, awareness is crucial. We’re never too old to change our thinking.

Like this morning, there were many police sirens near us. The pitches were different, so I knew it was more than one police car. I immediately locked the front door my daughter had recently exited, checked the other doors and then called her to make sure she was safe on the road going to work. I wouldn’t have called her a month ago but after a friend killed in a carjacking incident just over a mile away, I feel less secure than I did. I had become lax in my awareness of my surroundings. I won’t be less guarded again because the crime rate in this country is escalating as poverty and ignorance rises.

On a closing note, for today’s reminder of the craziness we live in. Where ever or whenever culture wars exist, there’s voices that want to fight it out to the death or destroy anything that might possibly offend someone. Unfortunately, once the fighting begins, we all lose.

Day 3 of 366 in this year of the dragon.

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Are we to believe the dragon’s symbol of power, prosperity and good fortune, honor, and success will be an indication of the future for all of us. The dragon is generally agreed to be the most famous of the animals representing a year. Will that energy be enough for change? Or will 2024 remain the same economic divide as 2023, 2022 and 2021 were for the majority of us. I’m not including 2020 or 2019 because Covid19 equalized our societies. Income levels didn’t matter as much as the wealthy hoped, many people still died like previous times with the plague. Death comes for everyone at some point.

In the news today, it says Russia and Ukraine are exchanging prisoners but haven’t resolved anything. Nor has Israel and Palestine resolved their issues. I wonder how these leaders sleep at night knowing their desires have cost so many lives. Are we that accustomed to death, it no longer fazes us? Where’s the honor and good fortune for those men and women who have died? All I see is the desire for POWER regardless of life losses.

And the crazy continues:

El Nino is threatening more crazy storms to hit the west coast like the 25 foot wave swells. According to MSN, “Huge waves are expected in the Gulf of Alaska, where the second storm was predicted to cause peak seas of approximately 51 feet on Tuesday night. Following this event, another system is poised to target Hawaii, with seas peaking at 42.8 feet on Saturday night.” If the models remain, the west coast areas are in for some crazy water damage.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/el-ni%C3%B1o-super-swell-hits-california-with-25ft-waves-and-forecaster-predicts-worse-to-come/ar-AA1mq5pv?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=99ebf22f8ba740508c21dfea7dfb282e&ei=37

Five state capitals were evaluated because of bomb threats. The states affected were Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, and Connecticut. Thankfully, they were hoaxes, but rescue resources and time were wasted. For what, 15 minutes of fame?

Then we have Alabama and its controversial execution. The inmate scheduled to be executed this way in Alabama is Kenneth Eugene Smith, who was convicted in the 1998 killing of a preacher’s wife as part of a murder-for-hire plot. Smith is scheduled to be put to death later this month (January 25th) using nitrogen hypoxia because his previous scheduled execution didn’t happen because of a lethal injection shortage. This controversial method is deemed by international human rights expert to cause severe and unnecessary suffering. Did you know Alabama, Oklahoma and Mississippi are the three states that have chosen to use nitrogen hypoxia but thus far the only execution scheduled is Alabama’s. Who would consider this a reasonable solution?

The reason nitrogen hypoxia was chosen is because of a shortage of lethal injection drugs. Why are there shortages? Hey Big Pharma, did you drop another ball? Here’s what the experts say about nitrogen hypoxia, yet they still intend for it to be acceptable for executions. “The method is designed to asphyxiate the condemned inmate by forcing them to breathe pure nitrogen, or toxically high concentrations of nitrogen, through a gas mask. It is untested, and critics have noted that setting off a stream of nitrogen gas in the death chamber could even threaten the health of other people in the room.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/first-nitrogen-gas-execution-alabama-painful-humiliating-death-experts-warn/ Interestingly enough the 8th amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment but doesn’t include inmates scheduled for execution. WTF? “Compassion is the basis of morality.” ― Arthur Schopenhauer

Some of you will remember my earlier posts about my brother’s lack of medical treatment in the prison system. What I hear too often, inmates got it good, three-square meals a day, tv., internet and a roof over their heads. The majority of the food served inmates you wouldn’t feed your pets. The tv and the internet are nothing like what we have at home. Inmates sleep in a twin bed with a four-inch foam mattress that you can feel the frame and they share that small space with another with a toilet right next to their sleeping space. Sounds like ideal living conditions, doesn’t it? The medical care they receive is a joke, but I’ll save that for another post.

Crazy… that we subject anyone to these conditions to exist. And those inmates that face death row are denied a humane death with a spiritual advisor.

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive,” the Dalai Lama 

The cost of freedom

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An unusual prompt, it suggested living in the apartment of my dreams rent free but it came with one stipulation which was living with my worst enemy. Could I do it? What rules or stipulations would I need in place?

I read the prompt and laughed. Not in this life time is my initial response.

One, it would have to be quite the spectacular apartment for that to briefly be a consideration because of the key stipulation. Worst enemy?

I’m sure you’re thinking how bad can her worst enemy be.

Even pausing to consider the interesting addition to the prompt with the possible rules or stipulations my reluctance would continue because we all know how well good intentions work and let alone the rules. Every rule has a gray area and naturally that leaves the temptation to break them wide open for interpretation. What I see as unacceptable another might see as what’s the big deal. Trusting my instincts matters more than any assurance from my worst enemy.

I’ve lived with alcoholic parents that were abusive alcoholics and then naively married an abusive man so living in stressful situations is something I’m familiar with already. I’ve learned as I aged, don’t put myself in situations that have potential risk. Don’t invite trouble.

Which is why regardless how tempting the apartment might be, the price tag is too high.

*************************

Unexpected hesitation @Lyn Crain

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Her soul begs to escape the waking hours

That invites every harshly spoken word

So many, they have become blurred

Tears shed randomly like spring showers

Glistening upon a bosom thrust skyward

Burdened until she feels discarded

Or tis maybe she should be less guarded

But what soul offers mere words

Pain depicted with every unturned page

Defying impulses of unexpressed hopes

Bewildered by unknown expectations

Does she sigh or rage

Defined by this society’s tropes

before her soul creates a foundation.

Through a child’s eye

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I’ve often wondered what life would be like if the rules of our society were based on my nine year old’s perspective. What would be important to me and what wouldn’t?

Would I eat two breakfasts instead of one? Would either of them be healthy? The adult me still loves Poptarts like her nine year self. Though, I don’t feel the need to hide what I’m choosing as I did back then. My grandmother let me have Poptarts at her house with a half of grapefruit and a cup of coffee but my mother said not in her house. My mother insisted cereal for breakfast like what she bought was healthier than a Poptart… Lucky Charms, Sugar Pops, or Trix really was so much better.

Nine year old me would have preferred having either one without all the squawking and finger pointing that I was being spoiled by my grandmother. I didn’t need special breakfasts with fruit and coffee.

But that’s just a narrow focus now when even back then I was aware of so many social injustices that needed change. My friends shouldn’t have to drink at a different water fountain than me. Nor should they have to sit in the back at Woolworths. Why couldn’t we all sit together. A child doesn’t see skin color. A child only sees the actions in the moment. A child is taught to judge. A child is taught hatred. A child is forced to choose.

“All the things one has forgotten scream for help in dreams.”- Elias Canetti

My world would eliminate all prejudice. My world everyone would love one another. Heck, I would give us all rainbow colors and we’d all be playing at the park together. School wouldn’t be required.

Just to be safe I would make every adult unable to speak or to act in a mean manner. There wouldn’t be guns. or any way to hurt another. Yup, my nine year self needed a safe place. Unfortunately, I didn’t have that so it’s fun to imagine a sweet place to exist before my childhood was stolen.

“The best thing about dreams is that fleeting moment, when you are between asleep and awake, when you don’t know the difference between reality and fantasy, when for just that one moment you feel with your entire soul that the dream is reality, and it really happened.”- James Arthur Baldwin

Story-a-day 18

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Day 18 – Rin Chupeco Talks to Llamas
“Coffee sure tastes good to me today.”

I turned my head to see who was speaking. There wasn’t anyone near me except the llama. I shook my head and took another sip of my coffee. I sighed as I savored the delectable brew.

“I put coffee in my coffee, today. So what are your plans for the day,” asked the llama chuckling at his wittiness.

“I’m going to…. ” I sprang up from the bench. There’s no way a llama could talk. “Who’s playing practical jokes?” I looked under the bench for a speaker, or a microphone. Anything to explain the voice but I discovered nothing or no one. This is bonkers. I must be losing my mind.

“You’re going where? Is it somewhere fun?”

“No, it’s not fun. I’m going to the hospital to get my Botox injections.”

“Oh, are there a lot of needles involved?”

” How are you talking? Llamas don’t talk.”

“Who says llamas don’t talk. We talk all the time. I believe you’re misinformed. “

I slugged back my coffee. ” I need to leave or I’ll be late. Have a good day.”

“Hey could you answer one question before you leave. Do you think someone will look at me the same way I look at coffee?”

I scurried away but not without turning back several times. The llama continued to sip his coffee on the bench. I couldn’t help but wonder what was in my coffee.

Story-a-day day 17

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Day 17 – Robin Stein Helps Your Character Escape

Having migraines with aura’s makes writing and reading challenging. Unfortunately, this past three days have been even more so difficult with an earache on top of the migraine for the last four days. Yesterday, I tried Hyland’s earache drops. Day one was still painful as all get out but I’m happy to say day two is much better. I still have the migraine but tomorrow relief is in sight, I get my shots.

https://poets.org/poem/travel

@ Edna St. Vincent Millay

The railroad track is miles away, 
    And the day is loud with voices speaking, 
Yet there isn't a train goes by all day 
    But I hear its whistle shrieking.

All night there isn't a train goes by, 
    Though the night is still for sleep and dreaming, 
But I see its cinders red on the sky, 
    And hear its engine steaming.

My heart is warm with the friends I make, 
    And better friends I'll not be knowing; 
Yet there isn't a train I wouldn't take, 
    No matter where it's going.

****************************************************

Lily stood watching the train disappear on the horizon and vowed that one of the times when the train left she would be on it. Her good friend, Sally, laughed and shoved her shoulder before sauntering off. “Get real, Lily.”

Lily shrugged her friend’s negativity aside. No way was she going to let anyone keep her in this no-where town one second longer. She hated living in Trenton. It sucked the life out of everyone that lived there. Just look at her friend, Sally knocked up with her second child. That worthless boyfriend of hers doesn’t keep a job for longer than to get another fix. Sally has more excuses than the dictionary has definitions. But it doesn’t matter, she’s living at her parent’s home, taking care of a toddler with another child on the way.

Lily glanced at her phone, noting the time. She scurried home to get into her uniform. She hated the smell of grease, french fries and onions. The smells had soaked into her clothing no matter how many times she washed them , Lily ‘s room even with clean uniforms reeked of fast food.

She glanced under her mattress to check her stash. The crumpled bills totaled sixteen hundred dollars. She needed two more paydays to have enough but she wasn’t sure her sanity would last that long or that the girl would hold the room for her. Lily was scared that Judy would find another taker before she could scrap the required funds. There had to be a way she could get the money sooner but how. Lily made another vow, she was never going to be poor again after this.

Lily drudged through another shift at grease central. It was all she could do not to tell her boss where the sun shone but she didn’t. She dodged groping hands on her way home from the neighborhood homies before collapsing on her bed. She reached under the mattress to reassure herself the stash was still there before falling asleep.

*****

Clenching her exhausted eyes shut from the sun’s daggers Lily pondered every angle of her plan. The train ride was one hundred dollars, and the apartment was twelve hundred leaving her a measly three hundred to live on until she got a job. What if she didn’t get one. She didn’t have enough to cover month number two. But, if she waited the room could disappear, and then she wouldn’t have a place to stay while she got a job. Lily knew she was running on fumes. Go or stay?

Go. Nothing was going to stop her from chasing her dream. She threw her clothes into a bag. Lily grabbed a couple of bracelets, her teddy bear and her toiletries. She decided to leave her Mom, a lipstick heart on the mirror before leaving the room. She closed the door but then realized that she hadn’t grabbed her stash from under the mattress. She took a deep breath and closed the door on this life.

Lily walked to the train station. She purchased a one way ticket to Manhattan. She smiled thinking the city that never sleeps will soon be home. She looked back at Trenton’s skyline, her Momma was going to be heartbroken. The train whistle snapped her back into the moment. It’s now or never.

“All aboard.”

“Letting go of the past means opening up to the future, and sometimes the unknown is scarier than the past.”― Tamara Lechner

Story-a-day with Julie Duffy-Day 11

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Day 11 – Write a Story in 100 Words

The mice scattered across the IPad screen and Macavity’s attention was captured. His head bobbled with the mice’s movement until one mouse touched another and squeaked. He jumped back like he had been bitten. He glanced everywhere for the assailant before moving closer again. His hunched body ready for whatever the mice did next. Macavity inched closer to analyze the situation. Another shriek from a mouse. He had to know where the mice were. He pawed the IPad edge in search of the mice before gingerly placing his paw upon the screen. He captured a mouse. Yay, his mission accomplished.

100 w/c.

Hi, I’m Macavity

Story-a-day with Julie Duffy

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Day 10 – Deesha Philyaw Encourages Letter-Writing

Dear Me,

Let’s discuss your biggest concern first and then get to the others.

Your new friend Jimmy, he’s insecure like you are in the ever- changing world of the early 70’s. I know you didn’t consider how fragile male egos are when you stepped into the fiasco that changed the dynamics of your friendship. Insecure white boys bullying the only black boy in a predominantly white school. You couldn’t let three of them hurt your friend, that’s not your nature. In retrospect, you should haven’t gotten help from an adult. But that’s also your nature since the adults you know are unreliable.

It was difficult for Jimmy to have his ego bruised like that. Pretend for a few minutes that you were him, having a white girl jump right into a fight and beat the boys up that you were losing too. You would’ve been embarrassed as all get out too. I’m sure when you weren’t around them tormented him more about having a white girl fight his battles.

Jimmy felt victimized by the bullies and unfortunately you added to the picture. It’s hard for a boy even a man to be rescued by a girl. Sometimes, girl instead of jumping head first into the mess you need to look at the bigger picture. I was and still am very proud of your loyalty to your friends. You’re a fierce warrior.

But then that also was the same thing with that guy Richie, deep down I think you knew he wasn’t going to be there for the long run. He said all the things you needed to hear because he played on your vulnerabilities. He knew about your home situation with abusive alcoholic parents so it was easy for him to seduce you. I know it’s hard to look at things cynically when you’re young but making a pros and cons list has served the adult you very well. Look at the bigger picture and what every angle really is before letting your heart and body get involved.

Older Me.

327w/c