The exercise:
Write two haiku about: dreams.
They're in. All it took was the second worst team in the NHL beating the defending Stanley Cup Champions and the Canucks are back in the playoffs. Only two things remain to be determined before the regular season concludes: whether or nor they'll have home-ice advantage in their first round best of seven series, and who their opponent will be.
It'll either be Calgary or Los Angeles (the previously mentioned defending champs, who Vancouver narrowly defeated last night). They play each other Thursday night, and a Calgary win would get them a date with Vancouver and eliminate LA.
So glad it didn't go down to the final game of the season. The playoffs will be stressful enough on their own, thanks very much.
Mine:
Chasing after your
dreams is hard, like trying to
catch smoke with your hands
* * *
Much is sacrificed
pursuing dreams, but more is
lost if you don't try
Monday April 6th, 2015
The exercise:
Write about: the homestretch.
I know I haven't mentioned the Vancouver Canucks recently, but that's probably because they've had me holding my breath a whole lot. They played their third to last game of the regular season tonight and came away with a win, meaning they've got a very good chance of making the playoffs. A loss would not have been disastrous but... it would have been in that neighborhood.
Anyway. Going into tonight there were 11 teams fighting for 8 playoff spots in the Western Conference - now there are 9. Any of the bottom 5 teams could wind up on the outside looking in at this point. If the Canucks win either of their remaining games, they're in. If they lose both... they're going to need a little help.
They missed out on the playoffs last year, so it would be great if they force their way in this go around. All 4 of the other teams play tomorrow night so the situation might be a little clearer by the time Tuesday's post goes up.
Or just even more tense.
Mine:
Almost there,
The end is in sight!
Can't you see?
You can trust that I'm right.
One more push
To reach the finish line;
Just that and
Then you will be mine...
Write about: the homestretch.
I know I haven't mentioned the Vancouver Canucks recently, but that's probably because they've had me holding my breath a whole lot. They played their third to last game of the regular season tonight and came away with a win, meaning they've got a very good chance of making the playoffs. A loss would not have been disastrous but... it would have been in that neighborhood.
Anyway. Going into tonight there were 11 teams fighting for 8 playoff spots in the Western Conference - now there are 9. Any of the bottom 5 teams could wind up on the outside looking in at this point. If the Canucks win either of their remaining games, they're in. If they lose both... they're going to need a little help.
They missed out on the playoffs last year, so it would be great if they force their way in this go around. All 4 of the other teams play tomorrow night so the situation might be a little clearer by the time Tuesday's post goes up.
Or just even more tense.
Mine:
Almost there,
The end is in sight!
Can't you see?
You can trust that I'm right.
One more push
To reach the finish line;
Just that and
Then you will be mine...
Sunday April 5th, 2015
The exercise:
It's time for April's visit to The Colony.
Went up to Kat's parents place for dinner tonight, a combination Easter and belated birthday for Kat get together. Kat's dad did up a delicious turkey, and for dessert he baked a tasty birthday cake. Max didn't have too much to eat, as he seemed to still be recovering from throwing up twice this morning.
Poor little guy has a lot going on these days.
He seemed back to normal afterward though, and rediscovered his appetite just before bedtime. So hopefully that was just a blip on the radar and there are no major issues to deal with tomorrow.
Mine:
Okay. I just left a very tense all-hands meeting and I want to write down what was said before I forget any details.
I don't know, maybe this will be important later on. Even if it's not, I think it'll do me some good. Help me sort my thoughts out.
* * *
Commander Vassily (CV): By now you are all aware of our... situation. All six of the supply drops that preceded our arrival are empty. There will not be another drop until two and one half weeks from now. What we have with us, right now, is all we have to survive on until then. It will be enough.
Demi: Will the missing supplies be replaced?
CV: Not for a month, at least. It is no matter. Merely a delay in our expected schedule, and we have more than enough time here to do all that we have been assigned to do.
Robbie: Yeah, just the rest of our lives, right?
CV: For now our focus must be on determining what went wrong... and how to prevent it from happening again.
(I've always admired Vassily's ability to carry on as though Robbie wasn't in the room)
Aditya: Drops Epsilon and Zeta were nearly destroyed by the storm before we could reach them. It is impossible to say what condition they were in prior to that. We do know that nothing of this magnitude had swept through this area since the drops landed. Until now, of course.
CV: Indeed. Only Alpha and Beta were examined before further damage was done and those observations were... lacking.
Patrick: Hey, we just spent two and a half days out there in the middle of that miserable storm while you lot were comfy and cozy in here! So maybe you can cut us a little slack?
CV: We are on Mars, Patrick. There is no slack here.
Me: As we outlined in our report, Alpha looked as though it may have hit a rock on landing. Perhaps the parachute failed shortly before impact, allowing the crate to impact with enough force to make the crack we saw.
CV: May have. Perhaps. Did you see a rock? Did you find the snapped parachute cords? No. You did not. So this is all speculation.
Patrick: Great, you got us there. Okay? But that doesn't brush aside what I saw at Beta.
CV: An all too brief look before you had to run for cover.
Demi: Wait, what did he see? What did you see Patrick?
CV: Without a proper examination there is no need to discuss it. Likely, he was mistaken.
Patrick: Mistaken? That lock was opened by force, pal. And not by some passing asteroid or gust of wind or nothing, okay?
Demi: How can you be so sure?
Patrick: I spent some time on the force back ho... back there. Saw plenty of break and entries. So trust me when I say this, okay? Somebody took a crowbar to that thing.
* * *
The meeting dissolved into chaos at that point. Vassily sent us to our rooms, as though we are children under his fatherly rule. We're not supposed to reassemble until everyone calms down.
I'm not sure how long that's going to take.
It's time for April's visit to The Colony.
Went up to Kat's parents place for dinner tonight, a combination Easter and belated birthday for Kat get together. Kat's dad did up a delicious turkey, and for dessert he baked a tasty birthday cake. Max didn't have too much to eat, as he seemed to still be recovering from throwing up twice this morning.
Poor little guy has a lot going on these days.
He seemed back to normal afterward though, and rediscovered his appetite just before bedtime. So hopefully that was just a blip on the radar and there are no major issues to deal with tomorrow.
Mine:
Okay. I just left a very tense all-hands meeting and I want to write down what was said before I forget any details.
I don't know, maybe this will be important later on. Even if it's not, I think it'll do me some good. Help me sort my thoughts out.
* * *
Commander Vassily (CV): By now you are all aware of our... situation. All six of the supply drops that preceded our arrival are empty. There will not be another drop until two and one half weeks from now. What we have with us, right now, is all we have to survive on until then. It will be enough.
Demi: Will the missing supplies be replaced?
CV: Not for a month, at least. It is no matter. Merely a delay in our expected schedule, and we have more than enough time here to do all that we have been assigned to do.
Robbie: Yeah, just the rest of our lives, right?
CV: For now our focus must be on determining what went wrong... and how to prevent it from happening again.
(I've always admired Vassily's ability to carry on as though Robbie wasn't in the room)
Aditya: Drops Epsilon and Zeta were nearly destroyed by the storm before we could reach them. It is impossible to say what condition they were in prior to that. We do know that nothing of this magnitude had swept through this area since the drops landed. Until now, of course.
CV: Indeed. Only Alpha and Beta were examined before further damage was done and those observations were... lacking.
Patrick: Hey, we just spent two and a half days out there in the middle of that miserable storm while you lot were comfy and cozy in here! So maybe you can cut us a little slack?
CV: We are on Mars, Patrick. There is no slack here.
Me: As we outlined in our report, Alpha looked as though it may have hit a rock on landing. Perhaps the parachute failed shortly before impact, allowing the crate to impact with enough force to make the crack we saw.
CV: May have. Perhaps. Did you see a rock? Did you find the snapped parachute cords? No. You did not. So this is all speculation.
Patrick: Great, you got us there. Okay? But that doesn't brush aside what I saw at Beta.
CV: An all too brief look before you had to run for cover.
Demi: Wait, what did he see? What did you see Patrick?
CV: Without a proper examination there is no need to discuss it. Likely, he was mistaken.
Patrick: Mistaken? That lock was opened by force, pal. And not by some passing asteroid or gust of wind or nothing, okay?
Demi: How can you be so sure?
Patrick: I spent some time on the force back ho... back there. Saw plenty of break and entries. So trust me when I say this, okay? Somebody took a crowbar to that thing.
* * *
The meeting dissolved into chaos at that point. Vassily sent us to our rooms, as though we are children under his fatherly rule. We're not supposed to reassemble until everyone calms down.
I'm not sure how long that's going to take.
Saturday April 4th, 2015
The exercise:
Write a four line poem about: the skeptic.
Apparently Kat and I were the only ones keen on having Easter fun in town this morning. You'd think a two to one vote would be the winner.
But then you'd be forgetting Max's power of veto via tantrum.
So we spent some time in the garden instead, finishing off the weeding and mulching of the garlic and then seeding peas, radishes, and greens. Max mostly played in the dirt but did attempt to help with sowing seeds a couple times - and he definitely helped me shovel mulch into the wheelbarrow as well.
One day he's going to be such a big help out there. Until then, he's pretty entertaining.
Mine:
He believes in nothing,
At least that's what they say.
I heard he even claims
He's happier that way...
Write a four line poem about: the skeptic.
Apparently Kat and I were the only ones keen on having Easter fun in town this morning. You'd think a two to one vote would be the winner.
But then you'd be forgetting Max's power of veto via tantrum.
So we spent some time in the garden instead, finishing off the weeding and mulching of the garlic and then seeding peas, radishes, and greens. Max mostly played in the dirt but did attempt to help with sowing seeds a couple times - and he definitely helped me shovel mulch into the wheelbarrow as well.
One day he's going to be such a big help out there. Until then, he's pretty entertaining.
Mine:
He believes in nothing,
At least that's what they say.
I heard he even claims
He's happier that way...
Friday April 3rd, 2015
The exercise:
Write four lines of prose about something that is: shattered.
Because life can be strange and uncooperative at times, the thing I mentioned that I was anticipating didn't happen today. It might still happen, just no longer sure when.
Don't worry, it has nothing to do with the blog or my writing or anything like that. It'll all be much clearer once I can talk about it in detail. Until then... as you were.
Did some more work in the garlic this morning, with a little bit of help from Kat and Max (mostly Kat) when they came out to the garden for a visit. Hopefully one more session will get that finished off.
Looking forward to doing Easter-y things with Max this weekend.
Mine:
She gathers the wreckage in her hands, counting the pieces as she goes. There's really no reason to number them, but she does it anyway. It is soothing, somehow.
And anything that helps to ease the pain of losing her grandmother's snow globe is more than welcome.
Write four lines of prose about something that is: shattered.
Because life can be strange and uncooperative at times, the thing I mentioned that I was anticipating didn't happen today. It might still happen, just no longer sure when.
Don't worry, it has nothing to do with the blog or my writing or anything like that. It'll all be much clearer once I can talk about it in detail. Until then... as you were.
Did some more work in the garlic this morning, with a little bit of help from Kat and Max (mostly Kat) when they came out to the garden for a visit. Hopefully one more session will get that finished off.
Looking forward to doing Easter-y things with Max this weekend.
Mine:
She gathers the wreckage in her hands, counting the pieces as she goes. There's really no reason to number them, but she does it anyway. It is soothing, somehow.
And anything that helps to ease the pain of losing her grandmother's snow globe is more than welcome.
Thursday April 2nd, 2015
The exercise:
Write something that has to do with: the squeeze.
After spending the morning with Max in town, I got our peppers (and eggplants) started in the greenhouse this afternoon. Then I finally got out to the garden and managed to weed and mulch the first two rows of garlic. There's only seven rows this year, so that's a reasonable chunk of work done.
Just a heads up for those interested in the yearlong prompt: I'm planning this month's visit to The Colony for Sunday. So if you haven't had a chance to write something for last month's entry, please do so in the next couple of days so I can incorporate your writing into my next addition.
Looking forward to tomorrow for reasons I shall explain tomorrow night.
Mine:
"Maurice has to go."
"I'm sorry, what now?"
"Maurice. Go. Now. Got it?"
"He just moved in with us two days ago!"
"Right. So he's been living here for approximately two days too long then."
"But we finally managed to replace Edith - without even getting rid of the smell of wet cats in her bedroom!"
"Well, that should have been a warning sign for Maurice, shouldn't it? That he'd agree to sleeping in that... place?"
"Well... how about you tell me why you want him out. Maybe then we can have a reasonable conv-"
"I don't like the way he handles the squeezable honey."
Write something that has to do with: the squeeze.
After spending the morning with Max in town, I got our peppers (and eggplants) started in the greenhouse this afternoon. Then I finally got out to the garden and managed to weed and mulch the first two rows of garlic. There's only seven rows this year, so that's a reasonable chunk of work done.
Just a heads up for those interested in the yearlong prompt: I'm planning this month's visit to The Colony for Sunday. So if you haven't had a chance to write something for last month's entry, please do so in the next couple of days so I can incorporate your writing into my next addition.
Looking forward to tomorrow for reasons I shall explain tomorrow night.
Mine:
"Maurice has to go."
"I'm sorry, what now?"
"Maurice. Go. Now. Got it?"
"He just moved in with us two days ago!"
"Right. So he's been living here for approximately two days too long then."
"But we finally managed to replace Edith - without even getting rid of the smell of wet cats in her bedroom!"
"Well, that should have been a warning sign for Maurice, shouldn't it? That he'd agree to sleeping in that... place?"
"Well... how about you tell me why you want him out. Maybe then we can have a reasonable conv-"
"I don't like the way he handles the squeezable honey."
Wednesday April 1st, 2015
The exercise:
Write about: the mole.
As I've mentioned in previous years, I don't care for April Fools jokes in the least, so you won't be finding any of that nonsense here.
Greenhouse work took longer than expected (because of course it did), but I did manage to get all of our tomatoes started. Which says a lot about how much we've scaled back veggie production this year, considering it would have been a multiple day effort in previous seasons.
Anyway, I should be able to get the peppers going fairly quickly tomorrow afternoon and then I shall have a look at the garlic patch.
Mine:
Within our ranks
An enemy lurks,
Hidden behind
False smiles
And empty words.
He must be found -
Or she, I suppose.
Let us not narrow
Our search so soon,
For we are all suspect.
Keep your eyes open,
Your ears to the walls,
Your guns close to hand,
And let us put an end to this
Before even more damage is done.
Write about: the mole.
As I've mentioned in previous years, I don't care for April Fools jokes in the least, so you won't be finding any of that nonsense here.
Greenhouse work took longer than expected (because of course it did), but I did manage to get all of our tomatoes started. Which says a lot about how much we've scaled back veggie production this year, considering it would have been a multiple day effort in previous seasons.
Anyway, I should be able to get the peppers going fairly quickly tomorrow afternoon and then I shall have a look at the garlic patch.
Mine:
Within our ranks
An enemy lurks,
Hidden behind
False smiles
And empty words.
He must be found -
Or she, I suppose.
Let us not narrow
Our search so soon,
For we are all suspect.
Keep your eyes open,
Your ears to the walls,
Your guns close to hand,
And let us put an end to this
Before even more damage is done.
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