Tag: #blogging

Goodbye Daily Post

Published on by Wanda3 Comments

Daily Prompt:  Retrospective

The day has come to say goodbye to the Daily Post. It was inevitable. In todays world, the bottom line to everything is the almighty dollar. Let’s face it, the Daily Post wasn’t making any money for WordPress. They looked at it as a gift for joining the blogosphere through them. So, even though many of us who pay for a blog site are unhappy with their decision, they made this change anyway.

WordPress has begun the process of having a site which only caters to businesses. The Daily Post staff can now concentrate on more business driven products. Don’t misunderstand me, I realize that they are in business to make money. But if bloggers leave how does that improve the bottom line? Isn’t word of mouth recommendation from happy bloggers valuable too?

I moved my blog from Blogger to WordPress because I liked the community-based challenges.  The Daily Prompt especially gave me a way to unlock my writing potential. I have met many wonderful bloggers here and I am sure we will carry on without the Daily Post.  But it is a shame we have to.   I am sorry to see the Daily Post go into the ranks of not worth the time, money, or effort.

“All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.” – Ellen Glasgow

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New Day

Published on by WandaLeave a comment

Three Line Tales is hosted by Sonya at Three Line Tales.  If you would like to join us follow the link.   Three Line Tales, Week 122

three line tales, week 122: a canal, boats and colourful houses

photo by Fabio Mangione via Unsplash

Bright colored buildings bask in the wakening sun, a new day has arrived.
Serenity fills me as I get lost in the beauty as I walk toward the sunrise. I am thankful for this day’s wondrous potential, excited to see the gifts that it brings.

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Flash Fiction For The Purposeful Practioner- Week 22 2018

Published on by Wanda7 Comments
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As I strolled along this narrow street, I began hearing sirens coming closer to me.  A large ambulance drove up beside me.  Three men jumped out of the ambulance and rushed into one of the buildings.  I heard shouting.  I couldn’t tell what was said. My curiosity peaked and I was glued to the spot waiting to see what had happened.

The men appeared with an old woman on a stretcher.  She was tiny and frail, with a kind face.  She took my hand as they walked past me. The men had to stop because she would not let go.  My heart was breaking for her.  She was frightened and alone.  There was no family member with her. The men argued with her to let go to no avail.

I did what any nurse would do, I climbed into the ambulance with her. She gave me a beautiful smile, pointed to herself and said Bella,  then closed her eyes. After the short ride through very narrow streets, we arrived at the hospital.  After seeing that Bella was settled in the ER, I said my goodbye.   It was hard for me to leave, but knew she was in good hands.

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Broken

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Daily Prompt:  Broken

Picture credit.

Toys in pieces
Books ripped apart
Dolls with torn dresses
A life spent in tears.

Hope comes slowly
But steadily infuses
The soul of this child
From teachers at school.

Left by her mother
To fend for herself
Grandmother takes over
Mother’s role now filled.

She learns to forgive
The flaws of her mother
Finally believing
It wasn’t her fault.

Love from this woman
Heals the broken heart
And she grows up thankful
For Grandmother’s part.

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Memorial Day

Published on by Wanda1 Comment

Daily Prompt:  Ceremony, Famous

In the United States, May 28th is Memorial Day.  Many years ago, all holidays that fell on days other than a weekend, were moved to a Monday which created a long weekend for those celebrating.  The exceptions being Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Good Friday.

Memorial Day is a famous holiday because it calls to mind those people who have given their lives for our freedom.  It is celebrated with parades, picnics, visits to cemeteries, and visits to veterans who fought side by side of the fallen.

Sporting events like the Cocoa Cola 600 NASCAR race in Charlotte, NC honors our military and those fallen with a huge ceremony.  Every branch of our military is represented to honor their fallen brethren.

We owe so much to the men and women who have given their lives to defend us and keep us safe.  Thank you for having our backs in a world where safety can no longer be taken for granted, and to the fallen thank you for giving the ultimate to keep us free.

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Comparisons

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Daily Prompt:  Juxtapose

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Picture credit.

Juxtaposed items
create a unique picture
with many bright colors
and a variety of shapes.

Like apples and oranges
bananas and mangos
they are the same
but also different.

They are all fruit
delicious and colorful
but each has its own flavor
that sets them apart

Art in its best form is
filled with juxtaposition
with little hints
they are the same.

Like apples and oranges
you can compare them
but watch for the differences
hidden within.

©Wanda M. Williams

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On My Soap Box

Published on by Wanda1 Comment

Daily Prompt:  Archaic

As many of you may know I am a huge NASCAR fan.  Beginning in 2017 Monster Energy became the sponsor for the Cup Series.  I didn’t really think much about it, other than one of the drivers they had sponsored had some behavior problems which were quite distasteful.

However, when Monster took over, lo and behold the women reappeared in Victory Lane with their sexy outfits and bare midriffs.   I cannot believe that after promoting Danica Patrick as one who opened doors for women to become race car drivers, NASCAR would go back years to objectifying women.

Make no mistake I am not a Danica Patrick fan.  I do recognize that she was an asset to NASCAR by being the first woman to compete in their premier series.  But, if you remember, Go Daddy was her sponsor and in the beginning, she also participated in commercials that objectified women.  I was happy to see that campaign end.

We teach our children that ideas such as these are archaic and not to be entertained.  We teach our children to have self-respect.  To strive to do more than put on tight clothes and strut your stuff in front of the masses.  During the introductions at the All-Star Race in Charlotte this year, I was embarrassed at how these women walked out with the drivers’ names held high above them as they seductively led them to the stage.

NASCAR has always been promoted as a family sport.  What do I tell my grandson when he asks me why those ladies are walking so funny?  Isn’t this just showing our children that seduction is to be celebrated?

I know there are those who feel that everyone has the right to choose how they want to live their lives and if there are women who don’t care about being thought of as a piece of meat it is there right.  But, can you honestly say that what they are doing for a living is actually contributing to society?  I was taught that it is my responsibility to contribute to society and have taught my children the same thing.

All of the work NASCAR and Danica Patric did to attract women into motorsports has been lost in this archaic, male-dominated, advertising campaign.  I would never purchase a Monster product.  How good could it be if they need sex to sell it?

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Do You Ever Lose the Guilt?

Published on by WandaLeave a comment

Daily Prompt:  Guilty

I was raised by my grandmother from the time I was about 11 years old.  So you can imagine what kind of reactions she had to what was going on in the 1960’s.  I don’t know how many times I heard “they didn’t do that in my day”.  

Couple that with the guilt I developed from my Catholic education.  Don’t misunderstand, I loved going to Catholic school, it’s just there was always a lot of discussion of consequences to doing something wrong.  And it usually had to do with hurting someone’s feelings.  So if I had done something she would not have approved of, I felt her wrath.  Mom had a way about her.  She didn’t yell or scream at you, she just got real quiet.  Believe me, I would rather have had her yelling at me.  

We were always close.  I actually always loved spending time with her.  She was wonderful to me.  I was blessed to have had her come into my life to raise me.  But that being said, I was a normal teenager and pushed the limits like we all do at times.  Needless to say,  when I was grown we had a few laughs over all of it.  Just like I am sure she had with her mom.  

The funniest thing is, the one thing I still feel guilty about is when I wear a dress and don’t have a slip on.  I can hear my mom saying “a lady always wears a slip!”  I still own slips and my girls laugh at me because I wear them.  And my response is simply my mom would be spinning in her grave if I didn’t wear a slip!

Mom had a wonderful sense of humor.  I lost her way too soon.  She died of cancer in 1977 the day before my 26th birthday.  Love you mom. ♥

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