Happy Thursday to all my friends out there in the online world.
I am hopelessly behind, and that inspires a very brief blog posting today.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Josh Billings
I’m not entirely certain what that quote means, but I howled when I read it.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
My new expanded blog format just went up in smoke this week, as did my new schedule. For those of you taking notes, it took exactly two days for me to get hopelessly behind in my writing.
Having said that, I am humming “Mellow Yellow” by Donovan as I write this. Would you like to listen? Follow this link for some good 60s music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64mb_hUOb4g
So here’s the thing: I can either fret about this little hiccup, or I can drop to my knees and thank the gods that I am lucky enough to be a writer.
My old man worked a manual labor job for twenty years, and he hated that job. I’ve worked some pretty miserable jobs myself. Today, I’m a writer. I am lucky enough to get up every single day and create something that is hopefully beautiful and will last decades. What do I really have to fret about?
So I move on to Plan C. I have no clue what that plan is yet, but it will come to me, and I will try it, and if that doesn’t work I’ll try something else….and it will be okay.
I’ll let you go early today, class. Have a great day and thank you from the bottom of this old heart for always being here.
Bill
“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”
Billybuc
Artistry With Words 
I think that fermenting and rotting is the biggest fear we have of getting old! I think I’ll write a hub about that…..
Great topic, Denise. I look forward to that hub, and thanks for always being here.
Good morning Bill! I am in one of those periods in which I might write one decent piece a week–and everyday I fill my notebook with garbage –maybe that is like the schedule hiccup–needed in the process?? Don’t know really–but there it is–Happy Thursday!
Audrey, good morning, and I’m a big believer in the process. It’s all good my friend. A challenge is just a chance to grow.
Bill, life has a habit of getting in the way and throwing kinks in the best laid plans of mice and men. So do computer problems! Sheesh! All we can do is pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and carry on. Fretting over it never gets us anywhere but stressed and distracted. So I’ve learned – and I know you have, too – not to sweat the small stuff.
Have a great day my friend. I’m behind myself. Had to go buy cat food this morning or I’ll never hear the end of it when my cats tell me it’s time for dinner. And believe me, they tell me every day! 🙂
Sha, it is what it is. I’ll figure it out. I had to laugh at how quickly it all blew up in my face. LOL I’m not nearly as smart as I think I am.
Hmmm…i read that stupid quote 3 times trying to understand it before i moved on only to find out that – YOU didn’t get it either..
sigh..
i’m exhausted..lol
hugs Bill-bro – now get off your knees – there’s work to be done!
lol
Sis, that is way too funny. I read it at least that many times and never understood it, but I laughed each time. I don’t know why it struck me as funny but it did.
Knees are dusted off and I’m up. What a nag you can be. 🙂
Bill, perfect title today and truly ironic, because I am sitting hearing this song in my head, because it has been one of those days for me too and have no one to blame but myself. See wearing the badge of worst mother of the year. I screwed up the dates somehow and thought Emma’s kindergarten orientation was today when it was 2 whole days ago on Tuesday! The principal took pity on me and gave her a private tour but I still feel awful right now to be honest.
It happens, Janine. What can I say? I was a single parent, and my son attended the school I taught at, and I still managed to forget things like that. You love your kids. That’s the only bottom line that counts.
I agree there have been days when I have slackened but then the next day is always full of ideas 🙂
good luck Bill
Hi Billy buc…I’ve had a ball reading this as well as the comments. I think, perhaps, the quote means we are Lights of the world, bearing fruit…and, in my opinion, we can CHOOSE to ripen, remain mellow, OR sit around feeling sorry for ourselves, no exercise, no appreciation of life, and the result being fermenting, rotting and dying without serving our purpose for why God put us here. For me, the greatest tragedy is to allow our bodies to atrophy.
We can either live until God takes us, or allow ourselves to deteriorate by sitting around and doing nothing…then we WILL fall and become squash.
Think Betty White! She is 92 and going like the energizer rabbit. Look at her closely, sparkly colorful lounging suits, pristine red nail polish, makeup, every hair in place. SHE is my role model for later years.
And never mind the hiccups! we are ALL hiccuppers! Blessings, Lea Tartanian aka Sparklea
Lea, I love it. Betty White is a great example of living this life to the fullest. I’ve always said I’m going to go out kicking and screaming, just like I did when I came into this life. I want it all, and I want to feel it all…that’s living my friend.
blessings always, Lea
bill
Sunday 8/31/14: Hi Billybuc, I tried to send you a note yesterday from my i phone but I think it landed in an abyss somewhere…if you got it, this is a repeat; yesterday Dave and I were on our way to the NY State Fair, and the song “Mellow Yellow” came on the Sirius radio! I started laughing, and told Dave about your ‘Mellow Yellow’ mention…I haven’t heard the song in YEARS, and here, 2 days after your entry, it pops up! Now I’ve been humming the darn thing! Who would have thought??? Blessings, Sparklea/Lea T. 🙂
Somehow, Lea, I missed that message, but that is hilarious. How odd that the song would come up. I hope you had a wonderful time at the fair. We are going next weekend and really looking forward to it.
blessings on this Sunday my friend.
bill
Good evening Bill,
Actually it is not bad at all: the trees are getting old, not so we the people ( if anything we get older , or old age which comes after five hundreds…) We get more mature and wiser. Who cares when those plans do not cooperate and want us under conviction that we are hopelessly behind. I have close to 1000 unanswered e-mails, tomorrow again at 5:35 my alarm will remind me – if still asleep, then program as usual. Thirteen hour later after committed production in wood-working – artistry my body gives orders for more rest then usually.
This challenge I couldn’t let go unnoticed, ” ripening ” is correct word in our pursue of happiness. Just red – and hope you will like it too ” But the godly ( or righteous, meaning doing right ) will flourish like palm tress and grow strong like the cedar of Lebanon. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green…”
As this will come by the grace of the Creator we’ll reach point of living long, it still will be a success.
May your Labor Day weekend be filled with blessing and a fruitful ‘ labor’.
Good night my friend.
Michael my friend, your words continue to be filled with wisdom. Oh, if I knew then what I know now, but there is joy in the later years, and there is peace of mind and heart, and that is a gift worth its weight in gold. Peace be with you my friend, and blessings on this Labor Day Weekend to you and yours.
You brought back good memories with the Mellow Yellow tune. Your work will carry on for decades, Bill. You have touched the lives of so many through your writing. I’ve had times when I chalked off Plan A, B, C, D, etc., Wishing you a wonderful Holiday.
Thank you Dianna, and isn’t that a remarkable thing, the fact that our words will be read long after we are gone? Gives me goosebumps. Have a great weekend my friend.
Haha, I had one of those starts today. The internet only came on at 9.30am so my whole day is now out of whack and I’m lazy and demotivated beyond belief. But funnily enough, I think I took it pretty well this time round. Just gave into a day of not being productive instead of fighting the impossible. Not like it’s every day. I like your attitude about going on to Plan C! I think that’s where we are blessed as freelance writers. We get to try and experiment with new ways of doing things all the time. We’ve got that luxury. The setback… when things don’t go as planned and getting back into the swing of things. I hope you found your rhythm again my friend and had a great weekend to chill. I for one am getting back on the saddle again tomorrow 😛
Mel, you just gave this a positive twist…we are lucky, as writers, to find a new way of doing things. I had a great weekend and I am refreshed and ready to go. Thank you my friend, and have a great week.