SOLSC21 - Day 31 - Reflecting On March 2021...And On To The Future!

 

Slice of Life Story Challenge 2021 -- Day 31

March 31, 2021

"Reflecting On March 2021...And On To The Future!"

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Here we are on the last day of the 2021 Slice Of Life Story Challenge --- 31 days of writing, reading, sharing, commenting, and learning in March. It has been a fun, inspiring month, and I am so thankful to Two Writing Teachers and to all those who helped make this challenge happen this year. It has been such a pleasure to take part in this event -- the 5th year in a row for me! I enjoy reading the writings of so many wonderful people, and I am in awe of the talents that the members of the Slice Of Life writing community possess!

For the past few years of the March challenge, I have ended the last day by making a list of the titles from my slices throughout the month, forming them into a sort of poem. (Thank you to Diane Anderson [newtreemom], where I originally got the idea!)  It's always interesting to me to see the progression of my thoughts and my writing during the month, and what story the titles tell when put together.

One thing I noticed, when looking at all my titles this March, is that many of my slices this year consisted of poems and six-word memoirs. <insert light bulb flashing on over my head here>  I am realizing now that I can express myself a little more easily when I write in short spurts, phrases, or lines, rather than in long sentences and paragraphs. I've always struggled with organizing my writing; rearranging short phrases or lines is much easier for me -- and a lot less stressful -- than trying to rearrange sentences and paragraphs. Hmmmm....Even after five March challenges with Two Writing Teachers, I'm still learning a lot about myself as a writer!

I've also noticed a few themes with this March's writing. I definitely enjoy noticing and writing about the beauty of nature. I like to write about positive things, happy things, and being thankful. And, as evidenced by many of my Slice titles, I DO love to play around with words. My titles, while usually giving a hint -- or outright statement -- of my topic, are sometimes more mysterious and make you wonder until you read them. Ha! It seems that I enjoy being mischievous with my writing. 

With all that being said, here is the journey I made this March:

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March 2021's Story

An Otomatopoeia Apology

What Is Your Favorite Song?

Cause and Effect Six-Word Stories

Six-Word Story Sequel

Sunset

Contemplating....

Ten

I'd Rather Be Lingering

Future Artifacts

Tonight's Sunset

Before 2020, 'Zoom" Was Something a Car Did

The Invader

Reading Old Posts Can Be Eye-Opening

Currently (2021 Edition)

Beauty in the Morning

Sloth-Cheetah: A Diamonte Poem

Tiny Purple Beauties

Another Six-Word Memoir

Trek Around Wal-Mart

Vernal Equinox 2021: A Haiku

That Kind of Day: A Six-Word Memoir

The Extra-Long Monday

My Preoccupied Mind: A Poem

24 Things That Make Me Happy

Depending On When You Met Me

Thankful Tonight

A Productive Spring Saturday

Invitation to the Future

Kacie's Monday Adventure

5-4-3-2-1 Enjoying Spring

Reflecting on March 2021...And On To The Future!

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Thank you to Two Writing Teachers and everyone in the Slice Of Life writing community! I'll see you again in the future!

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JudyK :-)  March 31, 2021

😘 Happy birthday in Heaven, Susan! We love you! 💗

SOLSC21 - Day 30 - 5-4-3-2-1 Enjoying Spring

 

Slice of Life Story Challenge 2021 -- Day 30

March 30, 2021

"5-4-3-2-1 Enjoying Spring"

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I've seen slicers use the 5-4-3-2-1 format for writing before, and thought today might be a good day for me to try it, since it's warm enough for me to sit outside (enjoying Spring!) to write this afternoon.

With the 5-4-3-2-1 format, you write about:

5 things that you can see.

4 things that you can hear.

3 things that you can feel.

2 things that you can smell.

1 thing that you can taste.

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"Enjoying Spring"

I see grass that is starting to green up, some spots more successfully than others.

I see hazy, blue skies broken up by wispy, white clouds.

I see my neighbor's spring flowers blossoming at the side of their house, small purple wildflowers amongst yellow daffodils and gorgeous salmon-colored tulips.

I see blue chionoxa (Glory of the Snow) --- their tiny bulbs having been carried far from their flower bed by the wind --- blooming in my yard.

I see my dog Kacie lying on her side in a sunny spot in the yard, soaking up the sunshine, a temporarily ignored chew toy on the ground by her paws.

***

I hear a vehicle driving by on the street next to my house, the sound of the engine fading away into the distance.

I hear the wind gusting through the tree branches above my head.

I hear a dog barking somewhere in the neighborhood. (Kacie is too drowsy to stir).

I hear birds of all kinds ---some near, some far --- chirping and singing in trees and from other high perches.

***

I feel the coolness of the strong wind blowing on me, while at the same time the sun warms me.

I feel the hard wooden swing beneath me, making me stiff and telling me that I must change position soon.

I feel the soft golden fur and the cool wet nose of Kacie as she comes by the swing to check on me.

***

I smell the clean, fresh outdoor air.

I smell the slightly damp earth under my swing.

***

I taste the cool spring water from the bottle I brought outside with me.

*~*~*~*

Ahhh, what a wonderful way to enjoy Spring!

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JudyK  :-)  March 30, 2021

SOLSC21 - Day 29 - Kacie's Monday Adventure

 

Slice of Life Story Challenge 2021 -- Day 29

March 29, 2021

"Kacie's Monday Adventure"

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Hi! My name is Kacie! I am almost 4 years old, and I live in a house with my people: Judy, Maggie David, and Ed. We have a big back yard that I like to run around in, especially when one of my people is playing with me. (I can run very fast!) My back yard is on a corner, so sometimes I get to see people walk their dogs by, on two different sides of the house. I really like to bark at the other dogs that I see, but I don't bark too much. Usually.

I also like to chew on things. Sometimes that gets me into trouble. I'm not exactly sure why, but my people don't like it when I chew on things. Once, when I was still a puppy, I chewed a toy and ate part of it, and then I got sick. I had to go to a vet hospital and have surgery to get the toy out of me. Maybe that's why my people don't like me to chew things? 

This is a picture of me and my brothers and sisters when I was a tiny puppy, just 5 days old:

And this is what I looked like when I was almost 2 weeks old:

I've grown up a lot since then. Now I weigh 38 pounds!

Sometimes I go for rides in the car with my people. I like it, as long as my people are in the car, too. Sometimes Ed gets out of the car and goes into a building that he calls "work" and he doesn't come back out, and then we leave without him! I don't like when that happens! At all.

Today after Ed left the car, Maggie David took me to another place where I've been before. It was the vet's office. I don't mind going there, because the people there are very nice and I like them. While I was waiting for my turn to go into the office, I had a good time looking at things out the car windows. There are always interesting things to see.

   

 

When it was my turn to go into the office, Maggie David waited in the car while I went in with a nice lady. I got a shot, but I didn't mind. And then I went back outside and got back in the car with Maggie David. I was happy. 

I like when I get to go on adventures. I had a fun afternoon!

Kacie

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JudyK (Kacie's person) :-)   March 29, 2021

SOLSC21 - Day 28 - Invitation to the Future

 

Slice of Life Story Challenge 2021 -- Day 28

March 28, 2021

"Invitation to the Future"

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Several years ago, I found an invented form of poetry, the Oddquain, on a website called Shadow Poetry. According to that website: "Oddquain is a short, usually unrhymed poem consisting of seventeen syllables distributed 1, 3, 5, 7, 1 in five lines, developed by Glenda L. Hand." I tried writing some poetry in that form, and liked it. Today, I happened upon the oddquain poems that I wrote then, and  suddenly found myself wanting to try it again.

Here is today's effort:

Invitation to the Future

 

Door

Opening

Beckoning to you

Inviting you to walk through.

Go.

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JudyK :-)  March 28, 2021

SOLSC21 - Day 27 - A Productive Spring Saturday

Slice of Life Story Challenge 2021 -- Day 27

March 27, 2021

"A Productive Spring Saturday"

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Spring Break has begun well, with a nicely productive Saturday!

1. Sleeping in -- My first goal of the day was accomplished by allowing myself to sleep late. I had set no alarm so that I could wake up when I was ready. It was 1PM when I rolled out of bed! I think I was just a tad tired.

2. Outdoor Christmas lights -- Another goal of the day was getting the outdoor Christmas lights down and put away. Maggie David and I accomplished that by late afternoon. While I was out in the front yard, I took a picture of some chiondoxa which were growing in my yard. I call these my Little Blue Star flowers, and I look forward to seeing them bloom every spring

3. Mini road trip -- Maggie David and I went for a mini road trip in the evening, driving in southern Ohio. The sun was shining, and we enjoyed the scenery. This was a picture we took from a hill overlooking Chillicothe, Ohio:

We caught the sunset on the drive home:

as we saw the moon rising in the eastern sky:

We arrived home after dark, and now I'm trying to get my writing finished in time to post it before midnight.

It's been a fun, productive, and scenic day! A wonderful start to Spring Break!

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JudyK  :-)  March 27, 2021

SOLSC21 - Day 26 - Thankful Tonight

 

Slice of Life Story Challenge 2021 -- Day 26

March 26, 2021

"Thankful Tonight"

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I'm sitting in my bedroom, contemplating the events of the day today, and I'm realizing that there is much to be thankful for, from just today. I'm not referring to wonderful things that happened on other days. I'm talking about ordinary things that occurred today, that deserve to be appreciated and celebrated. So here are some of them:

Things About March 26, 2021 For Which I Am Thankful:

A gorgeous sunrise observed on my drive to school this morning

The opportunity to work in-depth today with two students in-person, and several students remotely

Friendly conversations with co-workers

Quiet school hallways and a more relaxed workplace, since most students were working independently at home today

A principal who is understanding, reasonable, and genuinely kind

The beginning of Spring Break, as of 3:00 PM

Blooming daffodils and forsythia spotted on the drive home

The crocuses still blooming, though with less gusto, in my flower bed

Music to listen to, just by asking Alexa to play a tune

Texting and sharing pictures with my siblings

The hot, delicious mushroom pizza which I am eating at this very moment

Okay, so it's time to stop typing so that I can fully appreciate, enjoy, and be thankful for this pizza.

I AM thankful tonight.

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JudyK 😋  March 26, 2021