A Quiet Celebration

May 24th
I celebrate you this day!

Second Life, Webkinz & This World

A name keeps cropping up that just sort of sits out there, with a few words surrounding it that tweak the curiosity just enough for you to remember it, until finally you are curious enough that you say, hum mm, let me take a look at this. So you surf, and bingo it comes up, and you find that it is a virtual world that countless people are starting to gravitate to where they can build a fantasy life and live and be whomever they chose. That one is called Second Life.

Then, the other day, one of our local stations asked the question about how many of us knew anything about Webkinz? They thought we should because local stores could not keep them on their shelf! It seems they have become the new "to die for" toy, the must have gift, the 2007 Beanie Babies!




Well, I certainly didn't know that. I'd never heard of it, but when they started to report I realized that I'd seen a few of the cute, cuddly toys nestled tightly in the arms of little ones in our family, or little cuties strolling through the mall with their parents, but I had no idea that they, too, had a virtual world of their own! Webkinz is a virtual, social world for children! Per a parent that was interviews on our local station, her young ones are learning about the responsibilities of pet ownership, property ownership, and money management through the Webkinz website!

If there are youngsters in your life you might want to ask them about this new phenomena, find out what type of a social impact it is having in their life. You might also want to find about a bit more about social worlds as a whole. As tough as times are in the real one, it might be very tempting to opt for a virtual one where you rule, but I'm not yet convinced.

Tapped by MsJayy

Now this is a bit different for me. I'm not sure what my mindset normally is when I drift here to blog a bit, but it is usually unscripted. But I'm purposely here now because I got tagged by MsJayy. I didn't know it until I was checking my site visits and saw a host were coming from her site. My eyebrow lifted and I hurried on over to see what was up, and there, near the bottom of her eloquent offering on her obsessions, was my name as one of the next five in line to spill all. My goodness, I thought, this is not a good time for me to try to delve into my wounded psyche! So, forgive me if I come up with a lot of fluff, or, if I go all the way off the deep end on the side of melancholia. Life has recently been a very, very bumpy ride.

Obsessions
1) Listening: I listen so hard now it physically hurts, especially if someone I love deeply is talking. I want to hear them. I want to make sure I am really hearing what they are saying, what they mean, and, this is probably the most painful part, trying to hear between the lines to what they aren't saying.

2) Sleeping: Sleep is a commodity that I now value beyond my ability to say. I approach it ritualistically, having been deprived of it for a spell, and I do what I can to ensure that once I have lured it to me, I can keep it for at least four or five hours. Prescription sleep aids were against my better judgement, and over the counter sleep aids would just take me to the door of a good night's sleep and abandon me there, but, I stumbled upon a wonderful tea, made by Tazo, and rightfully named 'Calm'. So I am careful to differentiate that I am obsessed with sleep and not 'Calm', but, at least for the moment, they go hand-in-hand.

3) Direction: My direction is an obsession. Any road taking me there is no longer acceptable. I need to know where I'm headed, what mode of transportation I'm taking, I'm adamant about reading the signs posted along the way, and about what I'm supposed to do when I reach my destination.

4) Possibilities: There are possibilities that have introduced themselves to me in the lives (and deaths) of others that I resent having been opened up as possibilities. Though this may seem an odd statement: I am obsessed with limiting my possibilities. Some of you will understand.

5) Writing: Momentum as a writer stalled momentarily, but it is back in spades. The poet in me is a slave driver now! I weave poetry now as though I were at a spinning wheel with my foot cemented to the pedal. Short bursts of prose or long fiddled with premises are finding themselves hammered out into coherent synopsis, that become respectable outlines, and are turning into long overdue finished projects. I am writing ruthlessly, continuously, passionately, and authentically.

Okay? Next up is Carla, Shelia, and I'm not going to come up with anymore because my FIVE have already been tagged! Did I play fair? I hope so!

Mother's Day: Sachet L'Air du Temps

I know, I know, I've shared this before on Mother's Day, but this is for my mother - now more than ever. Her sweet spirit is ever near.




Sachet L'Air du Temps

The scent of her lingers in folds,
creases and closed boxes,
often sweet surprises stumbled upon
on the worst of days

when angry men and crude
women rip, snatch,
and seek to pry loose

my smallest joy.

The aroma, easing forth at first,
a mere suggestion, strengthens
as if steeped in

freshly warmed care. A sweet sachet
impervious to boundaries seen,
relentless in its mission,
and, when it is gone I find

I am completely whole again.

©2000 Peggy Eldridge-Love
From You Beckon

Tinkering

---

I've been tinkering with watercolor, flinging and slapping, dabbing and stroking, and it has felt good. Just something to do while I wait on something else to materialize. One of them I named 'Or Not'. I'm abstract oriented when it comes to art, but my husband picked that piece up and immediately said that it looked like a face to him. It surprised me that he zoned in on it so quickly. He saw straight through it - so I'll have to 'face it or not'. I'm not as abstract as sometimes I think I am.

I've written a few articles recently that I like. My momentum is picking back up and that is a good thing.

The Stretch

Photo: Pavel Potapov

I understand - now - so I unclench.
We no longer head in that direction
though I do not yet know another.
Senseless to resist - still - so I unfurl
from my fetal curve to stretch.
Trust? So I say. Truth? So I hope.
You did not ask this time.
I am reminded to be still.
To wait.
Now.
©2007 Peggy Eldridge-Love

Next!

It is a good thing that things change. They need to, regardless of how terrifying change and the element of the unknown tends to be. I am altering my routine on numerous different levels, from small little things like what time I shower, to actions that take much more thought and adjustment.

I'm examining my habits, too. The interesting revelation is how many habits I have that I was unaware of. I discover that my mouse has to be in an exact spot before I will click it when I'm using my desktop computer. I note the time when I post an entry into my journal, and though days may pass in between entries, it is almost always the same time within a few (wee hour) minutes of the entry before that I'm jotting out my heart. So, I flipped it. I made an entry first thing in the morning --told myself how I wanted my day to go for a change, rather than telling myself how it went. I'm tired of being so habitual.

And things I cling to. Heck, I want to uncling every where I can. I don't want to allow anything to matter too much. I'm not talking about giving away my possession or all that nonsense, I'm talking about eliminating the unnecessary wherever the unnecessary may be. If I'm having to think about it and it's not productive, it isn't bringing me joy and happiness, it's not helping someone else, and if it is a source of stress or strain, it is time for it to go!

So, it is a season of change for me, time to step away from the comfort zone and into a zone where truth and genuine peace can abide. Change is a good thing.

Blogging in Black

I was recently extended an invitation to become a regular columnist with Blogging in Black, a wonderful blog that deals with books, writers, and the writing business. As the name suggests, the emphasis is primarily on African American literary matters, but the experiences shared, addressed, discussed, lamented, exalted, and explored are universal.

Other regular columnist and guest bloggers include and have included Jewells, Monica Jackson, Carla Curtis, Angela Henry, Tee C. Royal, Linda Dominique Grovesnor, Dakota Knight, Shelia Goss, Wendy Coakley-Thompson, and Cherlyn Michaels, to name but a few. Those are definitely some names that should whet your appetite! Their various insights and prospectives are always invigorating and provocative.




So, here is a link to my first contribution, titled with great originality: Deal or No Deal! I hope you make Blogging in Black a daily part of your Internet browsing from now on.

Ah, Spring!

©Nudgies®

I've had a flurry of positive literary news the last couple of days. Projects moving forward at very respectable clips. Promises of probable new projects in the offing, both fiction and non-fiction. A few articles picked up by a new entity that has a ready checkbook that they aren't afraid to use. But, that also means work, lots and lots of work. You best believe I am happily rolling up my sleeves!