Fifteen Minutes of Scrawl

Here is a story I wrote in 2018. It was based on a different image than what I use, but I don't know where the original came from and thus can't source permission. Pricks and Patches Aurora watched as a tiny bead of bright red blood bloomed on her finger for a moment before she delicately put her finger to her lips, kissing the metallic drop away. She knew she should be paying more attention to her task, but her thoughts kept fading. This is not how she had pictured spending the day before her sixteenth birthday, even though it had been at her own behest. When she’d said she’d mend the shirt, her father had stared at her with tired, red eyes, and told her it didn’t matter. “Things fall apart,” he said and a long silence fell between them. The shirt she was mending had begun to fray long ago. Its cuffs were uneven and little holes and tears appeared here and there. But it had been beloved by her grandfather, all of its failings showed that. Even though the shirt would hardly be

Where would you like to go? The Grand Canyon Denali Redwood Everglades Crater Lake Capitol Reef Arches American Samoa Congaree Glacier Joshua Tree Kenai Fjords Virgin Islands Zion Olympic (Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy) "A Grand Canyon" by Bernard Spragg. NZ

 For the record, I won't be typing about Big Ed (you can ask me why if you're curious).  A Bollywood dance class sounds for Jenny and co. Yes, Libby, you should've told your sisters in some way other than a public Instagram post Libby...I don't think you can calm Andrei down Charlie does have a punchable face Oh I'm so sorry, Kim Even Angela's swimsuit says USA Angela has long legs Ugh, don't call yourself "Mommy" Gosh Michael and Angela do love each other, don't they? (Don't get me wrong, Angela is super toxic) Does Billy have a contract to be on this show or something? What...what did we expect from this conversation? Okay so seven years is a long time, but I fully expected it to be longer based on how Yara was talking Yike, poor Yara's friend (and all Ukrainians) Well at least sometimes, you should get a babysitter, Andrei Yay for healthy choices, Kim The lawyer wasn't confusing, Kim Wait...Usman is just taking his nephew? Beers

Some of these aren't super likely and some are good things! Hiking Cooking First aid kit scenarios Wildlife encounters Navigating Down time Getting dirty Being a little uncomfortable A break from technology Natural beauty Bonding time (if you're with people) Poison ivy etc. Getting lost for a bit Fire creation and maintenance Staying hydrated (Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy) "Grizzly bear" by Yellow Stone National Park

 Here is a piece I wrote in 2018. The Call of the Crow Trying to do yoga, I strain and stretch as I lie on top of my fluffy blanket. Looking up at my painted smooth ceiling and then back further, I can see a strip of sky from the two paned window above my bed, now inverted. The wisps of clouds are nearly coalescing into something beautiful and bigger than themselves. I wait for them to become some magnificent shape, like I remember clouds being when I was young, back when they formed all the images from the stories and dreams in my head. But they remain little stringy meshes moving quickly on the wind, like if flavorless cotton candy had been pulled apart and set out on a breeze.  The caw, caw, caws of the crow float into my room, serenading me and my attention. He must be sitting in one of the trees behind the concrete wall just beyond my window. I want to see what the commotion is, but the yoga video playing softly on my laptop says I’m only half way through, so I don’t more than gla

I'm far from an expert so I'm sure I'm missing some obvious stuff! A lot of these are from Girl Scout days. Tents Sleeping bags Means to start a fire and keep it running Map of the area Solar charger for your phone Hiking shoes Components for eggs in a bag Components for dutch oven peach cobbler Sunscreen Bug spray Camera with lots of room for photos and a fully charged battery Flashlights A good book Water bottle Any and all meds you may or might need (along with a first aid kit) (Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy) "Camping on the Nebo Loop" by Mike Goad

Here is a story (or possibly story opener) I wrote in 2017. Monster She wished she could wear her heels. She loved the sound they made as they clipped down the street: an asphalt metronome. But she needed the quiet; he’d hear her otherwise. She crouched a bit lower next to the reeking dumpster. It was leaking something that would’ve made her crinkle her nose when she was younger. But not anymore. The foul liquid was nothing compared to what she’d seen. Besides, it felt like foreshadowing. She couldn’t have written it better herself. Only the dankest, darkest spot for a monstrous scene. People misunderstand the term monster , she thought idly as time ticked by. Her thighs had begun to burn from her crouch, but she needed to be ready. His scraping footsteps started approaching from the street.  You see , her thoughts continued as she tightened her grip on the thin blade she kept up her sleeve, people tend to only remember the monsters that prey on sweet virgins . One step before seeing h

Tis the season! Flowers A card Cooking a meal  Bringing by treats Doing chores Dedicating a creative work to them Verbalizing it Do something the one you thank really wants to do (even if it's not your favorite) A hug Giving a massage Buying them a gift Asking if they need help with anything Create something for them Sing them a sweet song Do something relaxing for them (Prompt by Eleanor Pratt) "Turkey" by Yanay Rosen

Here's a poem I wrote for a competition that I didn't win. Summer Camp The sun slips serenely down As we stare at the calm lake Miles away from nearest town. Here’s to the moments we make. Yet it is a fleeting thing. This memory by water Shall be tucked underneath wing Or on mind’s inky blotter. But we are here in the now Together on this low bough And I swear I’ll remember Til my last dying ember. (Prompt by a contest I can't remember, but encouraged by Emily Kleeman) "91-365" by jeannetteyvonne

Both real and ones I've made up. Shared a cadaver in med school (real!) Reading the same book in a public place Two people's dogs meeting first Being partnered up in a cooking or dance class Meeting at a kid's birthday party Being assigned seats next to each other Slipping and being caught Wearing the same costume at a costume party One person covering the small amount of change the other is short on One person pretending to be the other's date to prevent an ex and/or a creeper from approaching Sitting next to each other in a boring meeting and bonding over doodles They help a lost child find their parents together They both get scared at a haunted house Reaching for the same flower at a florist Riding a scary ride together (Prompt by Eleanor Pratt) "Mookie Meets a Horse" by ChrisGoldNY . Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) .

 For the record, I won't be typing about Big Ed (you can ask me why if you're curious).  Angela...your voice is often rough cause you smoke "She was the accident" Angela...you definitely need therapy Angela...didn't you say you wanted Michael to get jealous? Oof that is a rough therapy flashback I have to say that I agree with Libby's sister here in regards to the pregnancy announcement Wow this escalated Are Usman's pants dirty or is that the style? (I think it's the style) Usman has awards? Coronation certificate? Of course they get engaged while Kim is wearing a USB shirt Mylah is so cute (yes I will keep saying this) Jovi and Talmadge are so out of touch Go to therapy, Yara Shaeeda...Bilal is a jerk but can't you tell he doesn't want to have a baby? Bilal is lying...he could set up the studio This poor immigration lawyer of Kim and Usman's Ah so Kim and Usman did 0 research Have they considered a surrogate? Libby...you could've stil

 Always a good question! Look at books by the last author you enjoyed Go to a local bookstore and look at staff recs Go to a local bookstore and ask for a recommendation based on the last book you enjoyed Go to a local bookstore and browse covers you like (yes, you can judge a book by its cover) Ask for advice on Twitter (Penguin Random House gives out recs for example) Check out the bestseller lists in areas you enjoy (sometimes things are popular for a reason!) See if a series you enjoyed has a new installment or spinoff Check out what favorite childhood authors have written (often they've expanded their range) Think about what you want to learn about and look at books in that subject Look through  libro.fm recs Try and hunt down what books your favorite authors have rec'ed/blurbed See recommended books on your public library's app and/or website Was there a classic you always meant to read? See if you can get an audiobook of it for free ( librivox , libby , hoopla ) Dip

 Time for some more skiing! Wow I would not want to ski down that hill Ugh I don't like Seth Woo,Chicago! Why did it take three people to cut a lemon? Meredith and her sister sound alike Yikes Angie K. wants on this show I cannot remember who Danna is Oop Heather is honest This conversation going on with a choir warming up in the background is pretty funny This choir rehearsal is deteriorating Oh this is Danna The limp inflatable palm trees are pretty funny Lol screw healing I guess Jen needs to shout less This season we go to San Diego This season we get raunchy This season we pour a drink This season we talk about Lisa's company This season we find out about an informant This season we dress up like Marilyn Monroe This season Whitney goes off This season we have lots of more fights This seaon we have some scary footage This season we have a black eye?!?! (Prompt by me) The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City  Bravo Promotional image source

Some of these are more serious than others. A decomissioned hospital Any Drumpf hotel Jail or prison An asylum A by the hour motel Chernobyl The Mütter Museum The International Museum of Surgical Science The Body World exhibit A morgue A mausoleum A cornfield A haunted house A construction site A car (Prompt by Eleanor Pratt) "Haunted Hospital" by Mark Strozier . Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) .

Time for some money talk. Is a producer tryin to help get Emma and Hossein a spot? Why didn't we get to see the fight between Christine and Shaun's mom Christine isn't here for financial gain Richard and Kathleen talk 15-20 times a day??? Richard likes Harry Potter  apparently Kath 4 Sexy Wife I hate that somepeople want to sleep with Richard Hossein didn't even say Emma looks nice Pat...a motorbike is a lot of money So Sam is busy...surprise, surprise I'm glad Christine and Shaun's mom made up I can't believe that Hossein has his phone out like that and actually answers Hossein, there is loving your mother and there is talking to her several times an hour... Ew, Pat Wow Emma and Hossein is going to be the shortest marriage in 90 Day history Emma...you're still goin to apply for his visa? Shaun went to Tesco! Aw I'm rooting for Shaun and Christine How on Earth is Hossein worth it? Turkey is beautiful (Prompt by me) 90 Day Fiance UK  TLC Promotional

These vary from tiny to large scale things. Provide a good bedside manner Give talk therapy Gerrymander Hire people Be a matchmaker Direct a movie Be a supervisor Deliver bad news Program other AI Make policy Judge creative works Decorate my Christmas tree Govern Police Raise children (Prompt by Pat Walsh) "Roboter" by erdbeernaut

 For the record, I won't be typing about Big Ed (you can ask me why if you're curious).  Oh Shaeeda has a friend! Bilal, SHUSH Shaeeda...Bilal doesn't want to get you pregnant now (or possibly ever) Wow this lady Usman is meeting is pretty Usman looks so awkward She's only 18??? Of course Jenny has injured herself Sumit and Jenny are not prepared for this Yesss, an alpaca farm (for Libby and Andrei) WHAT? Chuck had cancer and almost died??? Family therapy suggestion! So Michael WILL delete his IG? I don't think you have a righ to go through you're partner's phone Wow this friend of Jovi's is tall Yeah this isn't a party trip Oop there are a lot of rings on Jenny and Sumit's table Aw yay "Ninja turtle chef"--Shaeeda Boo, Bilal This is so awkward Bilal, shush Okay, Angela, people can have friends even when they're married Michael, divorce Angela Andrei, you are not a cowboy None of Libby's family reached out? Yes, do family therap

Now all of these in one would be tough I think. Redeemable characteristic in a villain Realistic flaw in a hero Swears on the regular Has a pet Wit Puzzle-solver Curly hair Creative Sarcastic Polyglot Magic Kind Has a slowburning crush Willing to work on themselves Relatable (Prompt by Eleanor Pratt) "Works in Progress" by Robert Laliberte . Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) .

Time for some doubt. Sean...what "business"? Ho boy are they on different pages Where is Sean's money coming from? Again, why is Emma out of focus? Emma...why are you giving this man another chance? WEAR YOUR MASKS! Like I know from the previews that Emma and Hossein get married, but this is wild I get not wanting to convert, Kadie, but like can you at least have a Catholic ceremony? Yes, his parents clearly mind somewhat So Alejandro is planning the whole thing? At least Kadie and her grandma are trying Marvin's proposal was cute but it seems too soon Hossein and his mom talk two or three times in an hour? Emma, he literally called you old and fat...why are you giving him another chance? Sean is goin to propose without ever telling her what he does more money? Miso soup is great Thank goodness Victoria isn't accepting Sean's proposal There's something about this scene that is making me super uncomfortable Calum's mom is right that it is going fast Emm

These are mostly based on my experience and, to be fair, none of them work 100% of the time. Talk to a loved one Sit in a dark, quiet room for a few minutes Breathe deeply Ask yourself, how likely what you fear actually is Ask yourself what you'd tell a loved one who came to you with this anxious thought Ask yourself if something has triggered this thought Stretch Get under a weighted blanket Get a hug Scratch your head gently Give yourself a massage Put on lotion Drink either a cool or warm drink Go for a walk Listen to rain sounds (Prompt by Emily Kleeman) "Anxiety" by Kevin Dooley . Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0) .

 Time for some singing! Ah yes we gotta do public domain songs shahxposed (or however it was spelled) was bashing Lisa? Poorly named Ah yeah I'd feel awkward if I was Whitney Jen...I really don't think you're innocent Oop Heather didn't help I mean, it wasn't that many people...can't you take them all? I've said it before and I'll say it again, Angie H. wants on this show (Angie K. also does though) Oh wow they can both do the splits Did Lisa say she's "very important to God"? Coach Shah really loves Jen Lisa...you started the hand raising To be fair...how would Heather know that Justin was fired? Nooo I want Heather and Whitney to be good I'm confused about the lie too Next time we go skiing and snowboarding Next time we have a rocky choir rehearsal Next time Lisa wants to be liked Next time Angie K. continues to want to be on the show Next time we invite everyone to San Diego Looking forward to it! (Prompt by me) The Real Housewives o

These are mostly based on my experience. You'll likely get paid more after You continue your education You focus on something you love You make new friends who also love what you love You meet people (fellow students, professors, guest lecturers) who inspire you You get to call yourself a master You end up with a project you're proud of You explore new aspects of something you're fascinated by You can find a mentor (or multiple!) You (hopefully) get to be taught by people you admire You read more You think in new ways Your work improves You create work to publish You grow as a person (Prompt by Jacqui Broderick) "Graduation" by Beth V . Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0) .

Time for some tough conversations. Sean, it's really hard to trust ya buddy Did Christine do her own hair? Are Christine's kids in different places? Ah so Christine found out about Shaun's finances...he didn't exactly come clean Wait did I know that Shaun has stepped down as manager? Also, by "stepped down as" do we mean "demoted from"? SHAUN Lol Shaun is wearing a shirt that says "Forget the Mistakes" Pat has a yacht? Who would say no a holiday in Greece? Welp Marvin is saying he's thinking of proposing Chug that gin, Calum's mom Shaun, you really needed to come clean sooner Shaun and Christine really love each other This is suspiciously cute, Sean Victoria...I'm not so sure you should let it go Victoria is a better painter than me (though that's saying little) Ugh an even younger brother, Pat? "You can't have a toy boy without an age difference, can you?" Calum, calm thyself You've barely met Christine is

Original prompt: Top 10 travel destinations on Earth, written by an alien for future ET tourists Antarctica: A spot so exclusive, very few humans even go there The Great Pyramids of Giza: Some humans, oddly enough, believe we made them Studios in Hollywood: Humans place a lot of value in their "movies" and "television" so see where it gets made! Venice: Soon to be the next Atlantis (don't tell the humans about that city though) The Mariana Trench: Visit the deepest spot on this planet. Humans know so little about the ocean that this is truly a chance to be daring on a foreign planet Mount Everest: The highest point on this planet, well worth the visit. Plus it's also a graveyard if you think about it and are into that sort of thing Göbekli Tepe: This is believed to be the oldest surviving building on the planet Bingham Canyon Mine: I know, I know, this is all over the posters for Earth because we can see it from space, but it really is beautiful and worth a

 For the record, I won't be typing about Big Ed (you can ask me why if you're curious).  Does Andrei wear two crosses? I've never been to the Grand Canyon I agree, Andrei is not pregnant Wow Libby and Andrei can't even make signs without fighting So are we going to see Usman meet this young Hausa woman? Oop Angela's friend is changing her tune Angela always escalates things Shaeeda...I'm on your side, but it does seem like you've discussed the baby timeline...he just isn't on the same page as you Ew Was that a fart? Ah no...another prank Their house is so white How can she market without a location? You could've gotten the bank account set up before now... This isn't the greatest place admittedly Jovi...shush Lol this is a fail of an announcement, Libby and Andrei Yas tinsel entryway, Kim Now Kim...did  you do this or did production help you? I do appreciate a woman proposing to a man So I guess they're engaged? Of course Jovi is going to han

Original prompt: What are the personalities and uses of various art/writing implements? (e.g. crayons, pens, markers, pencils, charcoal, paint pens, etc.?) Crayons: delightfully child-like Ink pens: Business-like, but can be creative Markers: Messy, but fun Regular pencils: Says sorry for everything Charcoal: Mysterious, dark Paint pens: Bold, a little rebellious Watercolor pencils: Artsy daydreamer Colored pencils: Soft, kind Calligraphy pens: Old school, prim Oil pastels: Rich, bold Spray paint: Alternative Highlighters: Know-it-alls Acrylic paint: Confident, bold Gel pens: Thinks they're trendy, but are a bit behind the times, yet they remain charming Chalk: Studious, yet open (Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy) "art supplies" by laura redburn . Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) .

 Time for lots of Jen! Love this old-timey opener Starting a choir, eh? I would love this date, Jen So Angie's husband also wants her on the show I guess Oh Justin is actually sad So is that cringe enough of a reason to fire him though? I forgot Heather was writing a book Okay so Lisa was right but like...who cares? Yes, Lisa, you should call Heather Okay so Angie's husband is admitting it...interesting We're not...judging him for this? I love this alien theme So Angie's husband even told Jen... Uh Jen...you did crime Why were you expecting like American Idol , Jen? Next time Seth is gross Next time they audtiion Next time Angie gets into it Next time Heather walks out Looks good! (Prompt by me) The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City  Bravo Promotional image source

Original prompt: Compare/contrast the different Real Housewives series Dallas: Honestly, who even remembers that Dallas was a thing? Well, I do (somehow there were 5 seasons of it but it never gets talked about). Someone cloned someone else's phone which I maintain is one of the wilder things that has been done on the franchise. [Edit: I misremembered this. She only pretended that she cloned her phone]  New Jersey: I maintain that the brawl at the christening was the wildest thing to have happened on the franchise New York City: Ho boy do some of these housewives (*cough*Ramona*cough*) need to be cancelled Orange County: The one that started it all. It had some truly wild plotlines and delusional housewives. Gotta respect the history Beverly Hills: The richest and most famous housewives but also had some really dark moments that have turned into a meme Salt Lake City: Gotta love a series that has federal charges featured in it, but the fact that one of them also married their stepg

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Original prompt: If you could have a magical/mythical creature as a pet, what would it be? Unicorn (I could use a magic horse) Pygmy puff (so cute) Hippogriff (protector and steed) Bowtruckle (it'll help protect my plants) Jackalope (why not have a magic-y rabbit?) Hodag (honestly because it was in an episode of Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated ) Moke (a lizard that can change size sounds pretty cool) Occamy (beautiful, plus valuable egg shells) Phoenix (healing tears!) Loch Ness Monster (I love plesiosaurs) Sarimanok (said to bring good luck [at least from what I understand]) Chalkydri (has the head of a crocodile and tells birds it's time to rejoice) Griffin (can guard what I consider treasures) Baku (it eats nightmares) Carbuncle (contains riches and good luck) (Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy) "Domenichino, Giulia Farnese (?) ca. 1602" posted by vittorio vida

 For the record, I won't be typing about Big Ed (you can ask me why if you're curious).  Working six days a week is a lot Can Jenny go shopping by herself? It seems not very successfully Oh no Mylah's upset Jovi is working? That door took a while to shut Does Yara's mom's shirt say "Y'ALL"? Lol swamp water Yara...you should talk ot Jovi So Kim and Usman have made up? I was right...Libby is pregnant Jelly on the belly Omg Ellie is so cute Seven days a week is so much, Sumit Sumit...it's wild that you want to have kids just for your parents Yep Michael stayed the night Ew So Michael is taking down his Instagram... THIS IS TOO MUCH So Michael isn't taking down his Instagram... Wait where are we sticking a chili, Jenny? Just mashed potatoes for dinner? I mean I think what Sumit wants is pretty normal But Jenny does need some hobbies and friends Oop "a lie of love" is a bad line, Michael Angie's friend has a cocktail and I love it Yeah