Tag: scrap-yard

Saturday songs and scraps

I know you’ve wondered what I’ve been listening to the last few days while I wrote, so here you go. (I kid. But also, here you go.)


Lyle Lovett, 12th of June; Bob Lowery, Yellow Light; Sarah McLachlan: Afterglow; Touch; Fumbling Towards Ecstasy; Surfacing; Solace; Tara MacLean, Passenger; Christine McVie, In the Meantime.

I’ve cleaned out my phone again, and I’ll put these behind a cut because there are A LOT. If it doesn’t resonate, it’s probably not meant for you (not all of them are meant for me, but they made me think of situations in my past or in the lives of other people I know). There is no order here. Only a few are humorous–though we may not share the same humor.

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More random thoughts

The last time I was able to work on my current novel was September 25. Today, I’m going to try again, and I’m creating my own setting to help with my writing’s setting. There are only a few chapters to write before I can finally leave 1974 behind!


Water, music, encouragement from candles all in place.

Meanwhile, cleared my phone of some of the things that have struck me as I’ve perused Instagram while I’ve been down and out, and I share them with you here for your amusement or musings. The first couple made me laugh, though my characters have mostly been kind enough to leave me alone so I could rest.


Duty, grace, loyalty, steadfastness

I’ve made no secret of my Anglophile tendencies or my respect for Her Majesty. For me, as for many, she represents a time when the generations of my parents and grandparents believed in doing one’s duty, getting on with things despite adversity, and striving to build a better life for future generations. I’m aware that the past is problematic and why. But I continue to admire stoicism and optimism and try to emulate those who lived before me who hoped to be better, do better.

After hearing of her death, I started saving the cartoons with corgis because I believe her love for and care of her dogs (and not all were corgis) often showed the Queen’s softer and humorous side. I may add to these as more are published, and not all contain dogs, but they are the cartoons that resonated with me.

Saturday Scraps

It’s been a strange week, one of those filled with good things and not-okay things. It’s as good a time as any to clean out things I’ve saved on my phone. For whoever needs them, in whatever way, some Saturday scraps for your consideration.

Like this one that I can use to console myself during insomnia.

Maybe I could count whales?

This is so true:


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Mood: Monday

I spent a lot of time in 2021 taking stock. Reflecting. Assessing the past. Examining to what degree I let other people and events impact my mood. I knew that I wanted to begin 2022 being present, and if I looked in any direction, I wanted it to be forward, not backward.

When I give advice, it comes from my heart. It comes from my experience. It doesn’t matter. It has very little effect on the choices and actions of others. Even when people ask for advice, they usually hear it, heed it, only if it follows the narrative they’ve already created for a situation. I can’t write their lives as if they are characters. I can only write my own.

So I offer the below bits of wisdom knowing they are probably only for me. But I need them. Except for the one from Body Mind & Soul, they were found and published on the social media of a friend who’s moved away to embrace new beginnings in her life. I wish her the best.

I wish you the same.

Peace and love.

More odds and ends from social media

December 4 is one of the tough days for me. Instead of getting into that, I’ll do another post of scraps I’ve saved from social media over the past few weeks and want off my phone. Who can say what speaks to whom, but maybe you’ll find something funny or helpful here.


The problem for me with counting sheep if I have insomnia is that I’d start giving them all names and coming up with stories for them. It would annoy my human characters.

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Twenty things

Once again, I’ve gone through my phone to delete things I’ve saved that struck me for one reason or another at the time. I still like to keep them, thus I’m going to drop them here, and put around half of them behind a cut. You might also need some humor, beauty, or wisdom and find a few of these interesting.


This took my breath away, as it would one of my characters. Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly backstage at the 1956 Academy Awards.


Could NOT stop laughing at this. Parenthood.


A business clearly intent on getting money from me. Possibly founded by one of my characters.


THIS. This is what I want my love stories to convey.

I can’t believe October 6 marked a year since we lost Eddie Van Halen. I remember vividly where I was when I found out and the things I did afterward.

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