April 29, 2024
Zig or Zag?
A - Adapt to change or Fight like hell to remind unchanged?
B - Brunch with talkative people or Brunch with quiet people?
C - Cook or Eat out?
D - Drive or Take public transportation?
E - Eat ice cream in winter or Drink hot chocolate in summer?
F - Forget your name or Forget your age?
G - Golf or Baseball?
H - Heaven or Reincarnation?
I - Idle alone or Idle with people?
J - Jeans or Sweatpants?
K - Kiss a dog or Kiss a cat?
L - Live in a tiny house for free or Live in a large house for rent?
M - Multitasker or Unitasker?
N - New books or Worn books?
O - Onion rings or French fries?
P - Peel one onion or Peel a dozen potatoes?
Q - Queue for a concert or Queue for food?
R - Rain or Sunshine?
S - Sweet or Sour?
T - Travel to the past or Travel to the future?
U - Untidy at home or Untidy at work?
V - Vocal about everything or Vocal about one thing?
W - Wear a terrible hair cut for a week or Wear an awesome outfit for a week?
X - Xerox yourself or Xerox your pet?
Y - Yesterday or Tomorrow?
Z - Zinnias or Zebras?
April 28, 2024
Yes to these things
01 - Strawberries - I love strawberries and anything with them or anything strawberry-favored.
02 - Roast pork buns - This has always been a favorite for as long as I can remember, I like to eat them while they are still hot.
03 - Egg custard tarts - I don't remember when I first tasted egg tarts but it have always been one of my favorite sweet treats.
04 - Egg drop soup - I don't get many chance to eat egg drop soup but I've always liked it.
05 - Chicken Congee - Almost anything congee I like but especially chicken congee.
06 - French fries with ketchup - Can't eat one without the other.
07 - Pizza - mostly plain but sometimes I like some toppings, like green or red peppers or chicken though I have never tried pineapple toppings.
What are you some of the things you say yes to?
April 27, 2024
Xany Acronyms
Xtra Adorable Neurotic Yabber
02 - Z.I.P.P.Y.
Zealously Illustrating Piles of Purple Yo-yos
03 - N.U.T.S.
Never Use Timid Staples
04 - A.L.I.E.N.
Artfully Languid but Inquisitive Elderly Ninja
05 - W.I.L.D.
Walking In Lost Deserts
April 26, 2024
Whimsical Long-Titled Books
02 - Dogs committing traffic crimes, chickens crossing roads without looking both ways & other almost true stories by Samual Hidrant
03 - Crocheting adventures with my two cats, a giraffe and an RV by Edith Knitheart
04 - The girl who ran away from home but returned later with a case of beer, two starships and a dozen cats with the power to control minds by Soso Knots
05 - The night we forgot to put on seatbelts and came home with two unicorns by Travis Broke
06 - Unsuitable pastimes of an artificially created janitor and her minions and how they took over the world with just cleaning supplies and a library card by Squeaky Spot
07 - The imagined secret government nicknames for citizens handbook you didn't read by Nobody Here
Do you have any real favorite long-titled books?
April 25, 2024
Fiction: The Veil
The Veiled Cloud by Charles Courtney Curran |
But she could never go back to the Veil. Time might waited but no one could wait for time. The Veil only opened every three thousand years. Even if she could live that long, things would have changed way beyond her memory as everything that happened in the Veil happened in milliseconds compared to the decades here.
Her mother had insisted life would be better here. But had it been better? She had friends, she had a home, she had a life full of many splendid things but were they enough?
Today, she stood watching the clouds for some time. She and her family had made a pact that each must continued to enjoy life no matter which side they are on. It made her sad she wasn't there with them and yet, she was enjoying a life without them. Which one of them should be the sad one?
Today, she turned away from those clouds and faced her friend who wanted to take a photo of her with the clouds. Her friend didn't know about her other life and she chose not to tell him. There was no going back and the only thing she could do was go forward.
April 24, 2024
Unspoken
01 - Lady: "You'll never work in this town again!"
What I wished I had said: "Listen, lady, tell that minion of yours (who was a man) to schedule you a spa day or somewhere to relax before you have a heart attack."
Situation: I just cancelled an appointment for a job interview over the phone and she just started threatening me and cursing me out. She was a bit hysterical for reasons I'll never know. I erased her info and I never met her.
02 - Teacher: "You know, you're the most boring student I have ever had."
What I wished I had said: "You're boring too. Maybe you should quit teaching before you put the entire school to sleep."
Situation: We were just having one of those mindless conversations and that's what he said. I was a quiet student. I don't remember the subject but I might have fallen asleep in his class a few times. He had a right to his opinion but if he was a better teacher, his student wouldn't be as bored as I was.
03 - Professor: "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
What I wished I had said: "I'm not sure but I'm certain I don't want to be you."
Situation: That was a joke referring to me being short which I don't appreciate and it's not funny. He was a sort of stand-in guidance counselor so I didn't take his advice. I don't recall why I even met the man because he wasn't helpful at all.
Did you wish you have some comeback for some rude or insulting remarks?
April 23, 2024
This is not a test
Please go outside and check the sky. If you see gray clouds hovering above and all around you appears dark and gloomy, then run back inside and down to the lowest level of your house. From there, just prepare to have a long nap or if you don't like naps, read a book, daydream or do nothing. After 2 hours, if you don't wake up refreshed or if you don't hear any noise from the outside, then you are doomed for a lifetime of naps and slow days, otherwise known as a normal day.
If you're reading this already inside the lowest level of your house but you've got magic beans, then you're safe from the system. Eat those beans and wait 10 minutes before going outside. If once outside and you see a clear sky, then stay out.
If you still see dark clouds appearing, then you are doomed. But do not despair, your doom will only last 2 minutes, 17 seconds and some moments of disbelief. Then a wormhole will appear nearby. Walk through it and you will be transported to another universe where the sky is always a clear blue and the weather is a pleasant 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you're reading this somewhere in another universe through a magic mirror, then ignore this message, this is not for you.
If you have done the magic bean and wormhole thing, then congratulation! You're saved! If you're still reading this, prepare to be doomed...
April 22, 2024
Societies I would join
01 - The Society of Obstinate Folks Seriously Displeasing People
02 - We !%#$!! Hate It! Enthusiasts
03 - League of Badass Couch Potatoes
04 - Anti-Do-Stuff Society
April 20, 2024
Ramblings of a blog addict
01 - I'm not a daily blogger except when I do this challenge (blogging from a-z) you're reading. I don't think I can post every day as I don't prepare posts but I do write tons of drafts. I don't think anyone should blog every day because it's exhausting for one and two, it's a lot work. But I think if you have a lot to say, then yes, if not, then no.
02 - It's refreshing that bloggers change their templates now and then but every time one of them does it, they stop blogging. I know it's not true but the blogs I visited or happened to discover after they had changed their template, they just stopped blogging. They must not like their new template or perhaps changing templates make them realize they have better things to do than to blog.
03 - I know hashtags or emojis are useful somehow but they just making reading post titles annoying especially if they use a lot of them at once. And posts with no titles - I'm not a fan either. Titles make it easy for people to click on them and find the link if they want to link directly to a certain post. With no title, you have to click something else like the comment link which doesn't work if they use pop-up comments because you get the comment box and no link. (This is referring to Blogger blogs, I don't how wordpress works with no-title posts.)
04 - There's a one commentor who keeps leaving comments with Great blog followed by another comment Please read my post and I just think they are spam. Google's Blogger marked them as spam (as well as one word comments) and I don't know. They sound like they are pleading for a visit but at the same time, they sound generic and kind of fake. I had these comments before on my previous blogs and I had ignored them and they went away but I guess these commentors just go about finding new blogs to haunt because I see them in other blogs too. I'm going ignore these comments because I don't want to encourage this type of commenting. If you really want people to visit your blog, then leave a legitimate comment and don't beg people to visit you.
05 - Whenever I discovered a new, favorite blog, they stopped blogging. This phenomenon happens all the time. Even though I have a long reading list (see bookmark above), half those bloggers on the list aren't even blogging. I keep them there hoping they would start again but eventually when I get around to updating the list, I will remove them. But it's harder to discover new blogs these days as almost no bloggers have blogrolls and if they have, they aren't being updated. I'm not saying there are fewer bloggers now because there are tons and tons of blogs out there but nobody's updating them.
Do you have any thoughts on blogging lately?
April 19, 2024
Fiction: Queuing for waffles
Six hours ago, time didn't matter to Duncan. He was home enjoying a day of rest from his stressful job as a teacher when Angela, his gorgeous neighbor, came over and asked him if he would like to get some waffles at a vendor she knew made the most amazing waffles. He immediately agreed and now he was standing in line, alone. Angela's boyfriend had appeared and took her away to see some antique jewelry. Angela had asked Duncan to wait and that she would be back.
As Duncan kneaded his legs, stretched his arms, rolled his head, he started to have a different thought. He could see the truck, Charlie's Waffles, not far off. He was the seventh to last in line. The man ahead of him appeared not to have washed his unruly hair for days. The woman behind Duncan kept making calls and talking loudly.
April 18, 2024
(Signs for) Procrastinators
02 - Procrastinate now and keep calm later
03 - Procrastinator = Serial Thinker
04 - Procrastination: The fear of doing things on time
April 17, 2024
Opinion: an essay with an opinion
I have often thought having opinions means you have a mind and having a mind means you can think for yourself but that's not entirely true. Sometimes we follow other people's opinion because we are docile in that human way where we try to conform for fear of ostracization, fear of being different, etc.
Everyone have opinions and we must respect that even if they might have opinions that are best kept locked up. But once something is said, it cannot be unsaid because someone will have already make a big deal out of it and maybe a mob of people will try to wrestle the originator to change their minds.
I think we must say what we want without trying to please others. We shouldn't indulge people who sob every time they hear something they don't like. But one must know when to shut up and when to speak, right?
This rambling is brought to you by the food/alcohol we will consume when our opinions get ignored or demeaned.
What's your opinion about opinions? Should you share them or keep them to yourself?
April 16, 2024
No to these things
01 - Sushi - just don't like them especially if it's raw fish
02 - Avocados – there was this cafe where almost every item has avocados as one of the ingredient but the place is not called Avocado City or anything
03 - Brussels sprout - I don't think there is a way to make these taste better
04 - Food with faces on them - food that are shaped into faces or human body parts - just nope
05 - Oysters/lobsters/seafood in general - I've never gotten into the taste of most sea food
What are some of the things you say no to?
April 15, 2024
(Your) Mode Today Is...
Not Russian dolls, 2024 |
(A) Actively seeking ways not to think
(B) Bitching about not having enough time
(C) Circling around things and not do them
(D) Dusting off thoughts about doing chores
(E) Exercising my rights not to work out
(F) Forgetting about something that I should remember but forgot
(G) Gathering thoughts & throwing them away
(H) Having more coffee than usual
(I) Idling but itching to do something
(J) Juggling multiple tasks & hoping for a vacation
(K) Keeping calm about keeping calm
(L) Loitering & hoping not be spotted
(M) Moping around
(N) Not listed here
(O) Operating heavy machinery
(P) Practicing how to be a better procrastinator
(Q) Queuing for waffles
(R) Reading books and forgetting the world
(S) Sleepy & ready for a nap
(T) Trying not to talk too much
(U) Unusually silent
(V) Venting about not being a better ventriloquist
(W) Wandering around a bookstore & doing some wondering
(X) X-raying my brain for signs of insanity
(Y) Yearning to yawn
(Z) Zealously eating sweets
April 13, 2024
Length
How long is too long a post? With social media, supposedly, you write shorter posts but with blogs, it can be any length. Not that I tested it much but I do know less than 3,000 words is possible for a blog posts (at least on Blogger).
There was an article/post I read where in the beginning, it tells you how long it takes to read that post and I'm sure that's useful to some people but for me, it just add to the length of the post. Are we so lacking in time that we need to time our reading even of a single article/post? But I don't think such things are accurate anyway because there are readers who are slower at reading or maybe they need to look up words or they find reading on a screen harder than most.
I think my posts (I don't always check the length) are pretty decent length, perhaps under 800 words but my fiction posts are longer but I always try to keep it under 2,000 words because any longer, it would feel like you're reading a book. For long posts, I use the Read more feature (my says Continue reading) so readers can just see a snippets of those posts when they browse my blog.
Of course, this does not include photos/images. Photos/images can add to the length visually. It really helps to have some sort of division between posts so people will know where a post ends. Sometimes I find this unclear.
I don't mind reading long posts but I sometimes skim if it is boring because I have short attention span. But I always read every word if I'm really interested.
As a blogger, do you set your posts length? As a reader, do you care if a blogger's post is long?
P.S. This post is 337 words including the title, at least, according to my text app. According this calculator, it takes 1 minute and 41 seconds to read this.
April 12, 2024
Kaffeeklatsches
I'm not a coffee drinker. I don't like coffee. And I definitely do not like to go to Starbucks to buy them even if I like them. I don't like the idea of giving my name and having put it on a cup and being called out to get the drink. Other places besides Starbucks does it too and I hate it. What is the point of that except to embarrass people who have odd names or having their names butchered or being called out when they really didn't want to be noticed? I prefer numbers. Just give me a number and I'll answer to that instead.
Got something to say? Share them in the comments.
April 11, 2024
Fiction: Jingle All the Dogs
Effy picked up a piece of crumbled paper off the sidewalk. Inside the shop, she dropped the crumbled paper into the trash bin behind the counter and began her morning routine. As she straightened and dusted the merchandises, she wondered where Jingle was. That dog kept disappearing. If he wasn't her mother's dog and if Effy hadn't promised to take care of Jingle when her mother died, she would have sent him to the pound ages ago.
After everything was done, Effy sat down on the stool behind the counter and watched the world go by. It might had been a bad idea to start a business when you had just gotten divorced and turned forty-nine but Effy took the chance a few months ago when she purchased the two-story building. Next door was a bookstore Effy had hoped to visit often but they kept such short hours.
There was not much business in dog toys and accessories but Effy knew dog owners couldn't resist buying things for their dogs. Her mother had been the same way, always getting this or that for Jingle even though he had already enough.
So far, she wasn't comfortably off but she made enough money to keep the shop running and a few extras for rainy days. Then there was the occasion large orders that helped but she had to deliver them since she was the only employer.
Hello. Jingle wandered in and went to his corner where his bed was. Effy had already filled the dish with water. Jingle lapped away the liquid without a glance at Effy. Then he wandered back out the door.
"Nice to see you too!" said Effy but she wasn't mad. Jingle just liked doing things alone now that her mother's gone. But at least, he said hello though she was the only one who heard him.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Late in the afternoon, a group of dogs and their owner entered Jingle All the Dogs. The exquisite woman with the ostrich feather in her black, fedora hat and perfectly make-up, heart-shaped face, smiled. "Hi, do you wash dogs?" said the woman.
April 10, 2024
(Signs for) Introverts
02 - Introverts unite: separately in your own email box
03 - Solitude: It's our attitude
04 - Introvert: Master of silence & awkward stares
05 - Clubs I'm willing to join: Anti-Introvert Introverts Club
April 09, 2024
How-To books I might read
02 - 1001 ways to not offend your boss by The guy who used to be boss but now has to earn a living writing these books
03 - Throw Stuff: A guide to living with your emotions by Emoji Smilie
04 - Sleep is futile, try naps instead by Mory, a guy who might be a figment of someone's imagination
05 - Energize your mind: an idiot's guide to living without electrocuting yourself by The Energizer Bunny's second cousin
06 - Marie Condo's guide to having the perfect home without living at home by Marie Condo's cousin a few times removed
07 - The self-discipline manual: How to achieve every goal by doing nothing by Self Efficient
08 - The art of reading self-help books by Ohmind Bunions
09 - How to get free pizza at work by D. Livery
10 - Ambition: You don't need it! by Mory MindyourownbusinesswhoIam
April 08, 2024
Good News From the Weird Wide World
01 - A Little Girl's Sock Puppet Became a Hero When He Landed A Plane
Humphrey 'Huggie' Bubblebumper became sentient some nine years ago when he was first given to his owner, Lydia Bubblebumper, by her aunt.
On that fateful day, Miss Bubblebumper, 9, as usual, had Huggie with her. She and her parents were on their way home to Happyville, AZ after visiting Miss Bubblebumper's Aunt Jillian. When Miss Bubblebumper stepped out of the restroom which just happened to be right next to the cockpit, the plane suddenly dipped sideways and the door to the cockpit flipped opened by one of the pilots who quickly fell unconscious.
Huggie jumped out of Miss Bubblebumper's arm and raced toward the cockpit. In a matter of seconds, he accessed the situation and jumped on the other pilot's lap and took hold of the yoke. As most of the instruments showed they were ready to land, Huggie landed the plane to safety with a little help from Miss Bubblebumper as he needed someone to add strength to control the yoke.
As to why the pilots were unconscious, it is revealed they had drank coffee with sleeping medicines that were meant for two passengers. Exactly 103 people were saved including 10 stewards and the two pilots. The mayor of Happyville award Huggie with a certificate of bravery and a lifetime supply of his favorite snack - Hershey's chocolate bar, which sadly, he cannot eat but Miss Bubblebumper can. When asked how he knew to fly a plane, Huggie replied that Miss Bubblebumper was reading How to fly a plane for dummies.
02 - Roberta Hood Struck Again
Citizens of Sherwood, TX, once again, was graced with the presence of Roberta Hood, also known as the modern Robin Hood.
On Tuesday night, while the Little family was at the hospital, thieves broke into their house and stole all their valuables and the cash in the safe. Mr. Little had fears of banks and kept his money in cash in a safe which had the upmost security locks. Mr. Little called the police but they had little chance of getting the money back. The family of ten did not fear losing their valuables but they needed the money for Anna, their youngest, for her heart surgery.
A week after the robbery, Roberta Hood struck. She returned all the stolen goods and all the cash. As we go to press, Anna Little had her surgery and is doing well. And the thieves are found outside the police station, tied and unconscious with a note stating their crimes plus the evidence to convict them.
It is unknown how Roberta Hood got into the house as the Little's locks were changed and security was tightened. But Hood got in and got out without any trouble. Mr. Little, his three sons and four daughters were home when it happened but they neither heard nor saw anything of Hood. They didn't know anything had happened until they woke up the next morning.
This counts as the 14th time Hood had struck but no one has yet know who she is. But we do know a few things: (1) Hood is a woman of considerable height, about six feet or more; (2) She likes chocolate as there are signs of chocolate stains wherever she had entered a facility; (3) She only returns goods or money to families who are in need; and (4) She never robs anyone. It is speculated Hood is a rich heiress but no one knows for certain. But, we at Good News, knows, wherever Roberta Hood strikes, good things happen.
03 - 90-Year-Old Woman Became The Second Woman To Finish A 10-Mile Race
10 miles is easy for most people but if you're over 90 years old and had two hip replacements, arthritis in both hands and is blind in one eye, then you know what Millicent Goodman has to go through. Goodman who preferred to go by Millie, never thought she would finish the race as it was always too exhausting for her but this year, she finished the race in 21 hours, 3 minutes and 51 seconds.
To celebrate her win, Millie held a party at her house along with her caretaker, two doctors, a nurse and her twenty or so children, grand and great-grand children. She invited everyone who can show up. Hundreds of people came with most being stuck outside as there was no room but drinks were handed out and everyone went home happy.
The Still Kicking & Quietly Screaming (SKQS) 10-Mile Race is held every year since 1950 and is sponsored by the SKQS Club in partnership with United for Unfussy Living (UUL). The SKQS race is for elderly folks over 65 or more years. Most folks who entered the race dropped out before the 5 miles. But last year, Jaclyn Nice, age 89, became the first to finish the race in 20 hours, 19 minutes and 3 seconds. Since then, Nice had succumbed to a heart attack.
Nice and Millie have been lifelong friends ever since they fought over a pencil in kindergarten. They had raced each other for every SKQS Race ever since they both became eligible some 25 years ago. When receiving her medal, Millie, said, "I wish Jacky is here with me. This would have been hers." Millie also received a check for 25,000 dollars tax-free which she said, half will go to charity and half to "spent however I like."
April 06, 2024
Frivolous & Awkward Queries (FAQ) Tag
01 - Do you use the 12-hour or the 24-hour system?
02 - To your knowledge, have you ever stolen candy from a baby?
03 - What would you have been named if you were born the opposite gender?
04 - Do you use your phone for phone calls?
05 - If your best friend is a dog, what are you?
06 - Is there a book you cannot forget reading?
07 - Have you attempted to eat glue or anything that smells good?
08 - Do rainbows make you smile?
09 - How many things are you overthinking about today?
10 - Do you eat fish with your tuna?
April 05, 2024
Excuse me while I pretend to blog
Not that I need an excuse not to blog but sometimes it seems I reason myself out of posting this or that for reasons that may be considered dumb when I really think about it. Maybe I think too much about a post before posting and maybe I don't think enough. Whatever excuse not to post, it's probably not as dumb as I think or maybe it is. I still have more excuses not to post than to post.
If you're a blogger, do you need excuses not to post something or are you the type who are willing to share just about everything with your readers?
April 04, 2024
Decipher these future messages
01 - To master nirvana, listen to the unicorn with a mole in the shape of a chicken on its muzzle
02 - Sing show tunes if you want humanity to keep going
03 - The cure for the common cold will be discovered by a woman with one leg and a bunch of used sweaters
04 - Birds will become people, people will become birds
05 - Five words: smell, play, snoop, tuna, nap
06 - You must eat z bagel before midnight
07 - Pie answers every unanswerable question
08 - When rain falls upward, is when you know you have won a puppy
09 - The long sky sleeps with short shadows
10 - To save the world, just add soy sauce