Geekstress Wonders

WRITERS!  Why aren't you using Instagram yet?  Use Instagram as a writing resource and to share your writing! 1 st Way - Hashtags to find the writing community on Instagram (1) #writersofinstagram (2) #writerscommunity (3) #writingprompts (4) #writinginspiration (5) #writerlife (6) #amwriting (7) #amediting (8) #bookstagram (9) #nanowrimo (10) #askagent (11) the name of your city or state + writers (12) your genre + writers, writing, or books (13) the name of an author 2 nd Way - Search ideas for visual research on Instagram (1) Where your story is such as City, State, or Country. (2) Search for people who look like your characters. (3) A Noun you are writing about. (4) Looking for inspiration? Search for the topic of your story. (5) More inspiration? Search the topic you blog about! (6) Discover quotes by people relevant/important to your topic.  (7) The look of your story. Is it Victorian times? Search for a Victorian ho

My dog is old. I hold my breath for the day she goes downhill. My best friend, Lilly, is comparable to an 80-year-old woman. Her hearing has worsened this past year. She no longer hears when I arrive home, nor when I rattle her leash to signal it's time for a walk. Her mobility is possible because of medications and a special diet. She will notice I have moved to another room and follow me. I thought this meant she didn't feel well. She didn't use to stick close by my side. I took her to the vet. Discovered following mamma is a good sign! Instead, I need to worry when she hides. She now makes weird noises, not only snoring. Vet assured me this was part of the cognitive changes with age. I try not to be a helicopter mom but know my beloved canine rarely complains, even when she is in pain. This knowledge keeps me vigilant to any changes with her. My heart will break when she passes. I've lost other dogs because of aging and sickness, and it hurts. Yet, Lilly is the

“Hell no, I won’t go!” is all I could think of as she blew her top, sending the mushroom cloud of ash and gases over 15 miles high into the atmosphere and 40 miles wide. Harry R. Truman was on everyone’s mind on May 18 th , 1980, when Mount St. Helen erupted. Our local legend and folk hero refused to leave his home, Mount St. Helens Lodge. He chanted that phrase repeatedly to the media and anyone who would listen. Harry was beloved by not only his friends and family, but by the entire Pacific Northwest. Before his death, he was already a celebrity and caused a media flurry. He attracted the attention of National Geographic, United Press International, and The Today Show. He appeared on the front pages of The San Francisco Examiner and The New York Times. Many other major magazines did profiles on him such as Newsweek, Life, Time, Field & Stream and Reader’s Digest. They continued to pay tribute to him after his death. Oscar-winning actor, Art Carney, portrayed Harry Truman in t

I feel like one of the hardest things in my life is to find female friends who lift me up. My family history may have made me jaded. Still, I doubt my struggle is unique. I appreciate honesty and directness saturated with sincerity, genuine kindness, and integrity. Male friends are not perfect, but they are much easier to connect with. I do not find as many enjoy the mind games that women enjoy. Not for friendships. I run a local craft (knitting and crochet) group in my area. Technically, we have about 85 members. Realistically, about only 20 show up for gatherings and usually the groups are no bigger than 8 at a time, depending on their schedules. It all works out. We chat mostly on Facebook and many enjoy the connections on Facebook enough without connecting in person. Jackie is a fellow knitter in our local yarn knit/crochet group. She and I immediately clicked. Same sense of humor, but more than that. Sounds cheesy to say same wavelength but I have no other words. We “