Category: Review

“A Rainy Night In Georgia”

It’s raining; it seems like it rains all the time. I tend to believe, partially facetiously, that Georgia is now part of the Tropics. We have a dry season, and then we have a rainy season. It was not this way when I grew up. I seem to remember, though my memory has compartments, that there used to be dew on the grass every morning. Mostly rain was at night. Understand the assumption might be fanciful. I have notions. At any rate, this drift into tropical seasons has escalated over the years.

Alex lived in Nevada for a while, near or in the desert. It rarely rains. We both tend to think and imagine better in motion, walking. He told me, “Thanks so much,” for bequeathing that anomaly to him. This evening, Alex went out in the pouring rain to listen to the novel Armada, and his writing block broke, so he began listening to music and continued walking.

He is moving back to Georgia after traveling the world since he graduated from Alexander High School in 2006. I assure you all his adventuring was not for pleasure. He has been far from a vagabond. Since he has been home, the rain has been pervasive. Rain in Georgia tends to be cold, and there is always high humidity, even when it is dry.

I walk, it is how I lost a significant amount of weight, which I have begun to regain to my chagrin. I do it mostly indoors.

Alex came back in totally soaked, and shivery. He brewed coffee, which we got at Kroger, and has been working on his novel with his headphones on.

Every time I tried to work with “The Dell from Hell” (pardon me, this is the only accurate description of the computer), it was slow as a sloth. I intended to do this post on it, but found, as I suspected that it wanted to update, so I pulled out the keyboard for my tablet and am finishing this on it. I have my headphones on and am listening to YouTube. The tablet/keyboard combination works reasonably well, but I keep wanting a mouse.

You should listen to the song, “A Rainy Night In Georgia.” Had things not become obnoxious with The Dell, I would have linked it. I do not trust myself to do it on this sweet tablet. I have never even used the keyboard with it before, but desperation breeds courage.

Many are the times I have wanted to chunk the Dell against a wall, or shoot it, (I have no gun for secret reasons), but the money invested in the piece of junk does not permit it. When it ate all my files made over two years, I had to talk to Jesus for a while to ameliorate my rage. I still do not have those files, that is why it has the unusual sobriquet.

I have been drinking coffee, even though I got up on Thursday morning and have not slept since, I am probably up as long as Alex is, and he is drinking coffee too. I finally left that lethargic state behind.

I am currently reading, The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow, and am enjoying it immensely. The cover is gorgeous, and covers can get me every time. This book is about Words, and I adore words.

I would write a poem, but it seems Shift+Enter does not make single line spaces on this device combination, so that will wait.

It looks as though I am rambling a bit. Often happens when under coffee’s influence. So I shall bid you adieu and find something else to entertain me.

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© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan

Reading List, So Far, 2020

I am doing this because I do not do on-site reviews for retailers or GoodReads anymore, well, almost exclusively. I will note how I read each, the media, at the beginning. I am including Amazon links. I do not long retain enough because I ingest so much print, to give you more than a brief overview. If I have that much memory, I am lucky. Something in my disease affects all that, but it is to your advantage, I cannot go on forever about books I loved.

Kindle – The Powers by Mark W. Erwin, 204 pages – 5 stars: Reminded me of The Secret, but had a more God-centered focus. It should be said that those who are non-Christians should find no offense, and the advice appears sound.

Kindle – Somewhere In Time by Richard Matheson, 321 pages – 5 stars: I am a time-travel buff, love to read about it, write about it, look at the science, so I loved this book. It is flawlessly written, it contains mystery, and though I avoid romance, it has a love story. You cannot go wrong with this one. It is a timeless classic.

Kindle –  The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie, 465 pages – 5stars: First, I will tell you I got 25 pages in and was so disgusted, I quit. I dislike doing that, but the book was primarily written in the second person, and I abhorred reading it. Give me a few days with my conscience, and well, I went back. I am a sucker for stories with gods, goddesses, and mankind all meddling in one another’s affairs. So I read, read, and read until I finished. Mythology and Egyptology were some of my favorite subjects back in the day. It is not so strange that I still enjoy such entertainments.

Kindle – Tell The Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt, 367 pages  – 5 stars: This book could wrench the gut and bring on tears in ways that run deep. There is art, family dynamics, misunderstood relationships, blame, and AIDS, plus two pre-teens to teens growing up. I think you should read it, but hey, I could be wrong.

Kindle Unlimited – Why Poetry by Matthew Zapruder, 256 pages – 5stars, but truthfully, 10 stars: I read a lot of writing craft books. I try to learn all I can. What was unusual about this book was just a few words, maybe a page could set my mind off to the point I had to write. I am not sure I learned a lot, it was just motivating. The author is so gifted and writes so well. If you create poetry, do not miss this one.

I have several books underway, and if there is interest, I can make a list from 2019. I am reading things I own now. 2019 was primarily library books.

I hope you found something to spark your interest.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan

 

Gotta Be Quick

Day 16 – 2020 Creativity Project

Today is one of the days I work as a Copy Editor. It is a limited engagement with a few hours, but when I am on, it is demanding. So this is rushed.

I finished the poem in the wee hours to read at the memorial service, and it was approved without change. Got the awe-inspiring stamp!

I have thought for a while that I could do poems on demand, and this proved my hypothesis. There is this raw idea I have been noodling – but I am a coward.

I have been faulted as not living up to my potential, if I could believe I had any, maybe I could achieve it.

I need to color my hair, pick out clothes, finish proofing the magazine, so this is a done deal. If the person who requested the poem approves, I will post it sometime soon.

I just hope while I am reading tomorrow at the service that I do not stumble over my own words too severely. The other poets who will be read are superstars from times ago.

Yeah, you all take care. God Bless.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan

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Site Blunders, Mistaken Communication

I was checking in on the tablet because I turned the computer off. Scrolling through themes, I found one more attractive to my sensitivities. So, sorry, but we are now revamped. This theme is Publication 2. It has my sidebars and widgets, which were sadly missing in SAGA. I am old school, having blogged since 2005. (See Chronicles should you be interested in that history. It has lots on it.) I like as much detail on pages as artificial intelligence can afford me. I am still not paying for the website, though I did keep my domain. (It will happen, just at the appropriate time.)

School has begun in a lot of places. Those of you with kids, (and our crowd of creatives), I recommend you institute a period of gratitude each day. I find this gives a perspective that sometimes slips into the busy oblivion of day following day. Just have a few minutes to write or simply verbally share some things that went well during your limit of hours.

I am thankful:

  1.  The Wookie (Marbles) did not injure me while we walked. This being an ongoing problem I am praying about, I would much appreciate an improvement.
  2. My stomach seems to be recovering, I, unfortunately, forgot I cannot eat foods with heavy concentrations of MSG. Mongolian Chicken should be prohibited.
  3.  I found a much more appropriate and loveable theme.
  4.  I completed reading Ink and Bone by Lisa Unger. An excellent book with some paranormal emphasis and well-developed characters. Missing it. Somewhat adrift trying to find something new. Oh, it was 5 stars, highly recommend it.
  5.  Music; brings me through the days when I am straying and finding the way hard to navigate. (We Believe – Newsboys) (Time Waits For Noone – Freddie Mercury)             (Anything by the most esteemed Dr. Brian May) (Gangsters Are Running the World – Roger Taylor) ( Hide Away – What can I say, Mick Jagger)

If you can, pull your youngsters (and yourselves) away from screens long enough to do a minimum of ten minutes of creative work, whether art, writing, photography or whatever the penchant. These things will enrich your days and add joy to your lives.

I know many of you are more successful social media mavens than I am. Should you feel inclined and you find my communications of efficacy, please share as you may. I thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative today. I hope you will explore and wander about a bit. There is a follow button, or you may simply return as appeals to you. I think my links are now available again without having to search as much.

As a prompt, if you have a blog or site, which you have not refreshed in some time. Consider what a change might do. I know it takes some investment of time and effort, but the payoffs are sometimes higher than we expect.

Had to share the Tribble, just for the cuteness factor. My buddy.

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© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan

Love, it may come late, but when it shows up, the world rocks…

Hands touching across
A divide longstanding wide,
Could grow side by side.

No Country of Cowards

Imagine, if you will, a malaise our forefathers believed would never exist within our nation’s borders. May I welcome you to the Twilight of America and its freedoms should we, the people, not enact and undertake far-reaching changes.

Rather than caring for and supporting our military veterans, we may stand mutely by while 22 of them die by suicide each day. Where essential services for those vets with needs may take months, sometimes years, and more often than our government wishes to admit, are never given at all.

Young men may face danger when stopped for minor traffic violations, or simply because they were in an unexpected place.

A badly beaten person may not be afforded justice because of their appearance, orientation, affiliation, sex, or because their attacker is of a sort more highly esteemed.

A pregnant woman and her children may come under threat of bodily harm at gunpoint when they have committed no crime.

A senior couple may be forced to adopt a grandchild, because both her parents are mentally ill and cannot obtain treatment or medication because they are indigent.

A mother with two degrees who works excessive exhaustive hours in healthcare may only make $10 an hour while her disabled son makes $13 an hour at a home improvement warehouse.

Children may die at school when some unauthorized shooter invades the campus — a shooter who may be an untreated mentally ill person.

Many buildings sit vacant for numerous years when they may be better used to provide shelter to the homeless.

Prescriptions may be so expensive; they deplete a family’s resources to such a degree they cannot afford other necessities.

Desperately needed medical procedures that sustain life may bankrupt those who believed their insurance and their savings would carry them through any crisis.

Many may deal with gnawing grumbling bellies because there is no sustenance to be procured. Some of these are children, starving children.

Politicians may not care about the people they are meant to serve but only focus on sowing divisive seeds that will cause unrest and destroy compassion.

Teachers may be poorly paid, overburdened in crowded classrooms, lack needed materials and supplies, and be continually expected to produce students who excel.

 

These are only a few examples: injustice and inequality are widespread. The corporations and governments over us have become callous, disregarding the rights and needs of citizens.

If we do not put aside our differences and join forces to bring change in our society, the demise of much of what we hold dear about America may occur sooner than we imagine. We have come to the edge of a precipice where our choices and actions may save us or send our beautiful 243-year experiment into the obscurity of those dreams which die.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Sunday, June 16, 2019

This is a bit dark, but if we do not speak, we cannot improve. Some of these examples are from people who opened up to me without any request, people talk to me.