Nessa’s Nettiquette – One More Time

In case you didn’t get to last time or you have more to say or you have thoughts or ideas to share – regarding this blogging life: Tomorrow one last time, Nessa’s Nettiquette.

I’m doing a list of 13 blog things.

There will be a Mr. Linky for the previous posts and for anyone new playing. Use the picture above, if you like.

Sensational Haiku Wednesday - Wet

 

big fat round rain drops

insistently tap my head

nature’s third degree

Hosted by Jenn @ You Know…that blog? 

Got something to say on “Nettiquette”? One more time on Thursday 13 this week.

New Feature and A New Test

So I switched to Disqus (thanks for the heads up Thom) and that seemed to work. What do you think?

I may have lost all of my old comments, although it does say something about queued for import.

I may need to be medicated soon.

Tales on Tuesday – Dark Shadows

Sharon closed her eyes after she climbed into bed and covered herself from toes to chin. She turned on her side, curled her knees to her chest and began her deep breathing ritual. It took so long for her exhausted body to relax and her overactive mind to slow enough for sleep to claim her.After an hour and a half, she lost consciousness and moved into the world she loved best.


The flowers bloomed in neon teal and iridescent pink. Pterodactyls with striped wings chased her to the cliff edge. She jumped into the blue-green air, landed on a cotton candy cloud and raced it over snow capped mountains, down into a valley covered in giant sunflowers with stems as thick and wide as redwood trunks. She skidded to a stop on the moss covered ground, running under pavilion like leaves. She made her escape by crawling into a cave that belched frigid air from the bowels of the earth.


Once inside the grotto, stalactites and stalagmites created temple columns that led her to an old man sitting on a throne formed by nature. Decorated in furs from snow leopards and albino giraffes the regal chair contrasted the man’s pitch black robes and sloe colored hair and beard. His skin glowed in the dim light, mother-of-pearl from the reflected colors of the gems piled around the base of his seat. A unicorn chorus sang lullabies in the background while fireflies danced above her head like thousands of stars twinkling in the night.


“I have come for wisdom and direction, sage advice on the path I should take to fulfill the purpose of my life,” said Sharon. The walls swallowed her voice like warm, liquid tar swallows pebbles. She knelt at the feet of the hermit waiting for him to grant her the knowledge that would bring her peace and comfort.


He stretched an arm, the bones creaking as he moved and pointed a white, long nailed finger at her. His eyes watered, the rims red and swollen.


“Where did you get the idea life would or should be easy, quiet, serene?” He coughed, phlegm rattling in his chest.


“I’m not sure who told me. I just sort of thought there was a secret trick to it all.”


“Nah. Quit looking for a short cut. Go back to the real world and get busy living.”


“Busy is never a problem but is that really living?”


“Who the hell knows?” The light faded, dark shadows enveloped the recluse until Sharon could no longer see him.


She opened her eyes to the indistinct shapes of her bedroom, disappointed in the advice from her spirit guide. At least she had some new images to post on Tuesday.

~ Tales on Tuesday ~

The theme for Tuesday, April 6, 2010, will be"Golden Girls." Suggested by Thom.

Did you write a Tale on Tuesday? Sign in to Mr. Linky.

We Have a Winner!

The Random Number Generator brought back the number 1, so our winner of the Bunny is Susan of Inappropriate Sue. I hope your daughter, Chloe, really enjoys this babbit. Please email me at goldennib at gmail dot com with your shipping address.

(A note about addresses: If you ever give me your address, I will never give it to anyone else.)

I like to make things and give them away, so stay tuned for future give-aways.

It seems people have more to say about blogging. If you have not done a “Netiquette” (term coined by Quilly) post yet or have more to say on blogging practices, join me on Thursday’s 13 for more thoughts on blogging. I will put up a Netiquette Mr. Linky that will include the previous posts on blogging and you can link in with your new posts. I’ll do a Netiquette button, too, that you can use for the occasion.

Don’t forget tomorrow’s Tales on Tuesday with the theme of “Dark Shadows.”

Nichols visited this weekend.

MicroFiction Monday – Bridging the Gap

 Susan’s Picture:

My Story:

Harold & Maude knew each other since birth. Nerves ate at him. At 75 he'd do what he should've done at 20. Could he still get on one knee?

Hosted by Susan @ Stony River

Write a story in 140 characters using the picture she provides as inspiration.

Tomorrow:

~ What Are Tales on Tuesday? ~

Tomorrow’s theme: “Dark Shadows”

Bunny Give Away

My grandson visited this weekend and in his honor I am doing a give away.

If you would like to win this bunny, leave a comment in this post saying, “I would like to win this bunny,” or something similar.

I will close comments tomorrow morning, 6 am Eastern Standard Time. I will use a random number generator to pick a winner. Check back tomorrow to see who won.

The winner must email me with your mailing address by 7 pm Eastern Standard Time Monday, March 29, 2010.

Bunny Pillow “Bunny 2010”

Completely hand stitched high quality anti-pilling ultra soft Fleece “Lizards.” Stuffed with 100% Premium Polyester Non-allergic Fiberfill. No small pieces, so this is suitable for small children and brave adults. Body 9 inches wide by 12 inches tall, ears another 10 inches. Only eight were made this year.

Simple on Sunday #1

The Missing Chapter – Part 2 of 3

Go to the Rose and Prince Brendan Blog for previous chapters.

This chapter belongs between the current chapters One and Two. Tom & Icy pointed out to me that Sienna mysteriously went from cow to woman. The Missing Chapter, Parts 1, 2 and 3, explains the transition from Chapter 1 to Chapter 2, for Sienna.

This is Part 2 of 3.

Sienna stood. She held a hand out to the dirty and disheveled old woman at her feet. Loviatar sprang up like a ten year old child. She walked around Sienna, looking at Sienna from head to toe, the tip of a dirty pinky in her mouth. She made sucking noises on the digit as she watched Sienna brush herself off, smooth down her dress and finger comb her hair.


“You agreed to my demand of loyalty rather fast,” said Loviatar.


“You changed me from a heifer and back to myself rather fast.” Sienna tried to reconcile the old woman’s appearance with her spry movements and refined voice. “I thought you could do more for me.”


“Perhaps we can help each other.” Loviatar stopped circling Sienna and walked off into the woods.


Sienna waited for some sort of direction from Loviatar and got nothing but the woman’s back. Sienna trotted after the woman.


They walked many hours without break or food, deep into the forest where Sienna had never been. The trees were ancient, their trunks so wide three grown men could not circle them with their hands clasp together around them.


At one and twenty years, Sienna had a hard time keeping up with Loviatar who Sienna guessed must be at least three score in age. By the time Sienna thought she would need to call out to the old woman that they must stop to rest, they reached a clearing within the trees that sheltered a well kept cottage, a pen with goats and chickens, an outbuilding and a garden.


Sienna saw a young boy of eight tending the animals while a girl who must be slightly younger than her sister, Rose, worked the gardens.


Loviatar walked up to the cottage and entered. The children outside never looked up from their chores. 


Sienna followed the old woman into the house to find her being attended by another girl about the same age as the one in the garden. The girl helped Loviatar off with her rabbit pelt cloak and the many layers of cloth that wrapped and draped her body.  She placed these items one by one in a pile on a table.


Once all of the clothes were removed, Sienna could see the body of Loviatar, now only covered by a sheath, slim and supple like that of a young woman. Loviatar sat on a stool facing the flames in the fireplace as the girl plucked leaves and small branches from Loviatar’s hair.


Since she received no instructions, Sienna sat on a chair in an opposite corner of the room and rested while the girl groomed Loviatar.


The girl brushed out Loviatar’s hair until it shone and was tangle free. She brought over a basin of water and a cloth and she wiped Loviatar’s face. She slipped a dark green, soft wool dress over Loviatar’s head. It slid down the woman’s body and pooled at her waist. The girl left the room, never once lifting her eyes in Sienna’s direction.


“So, you wish to be a queen,” said Loviatar.


Sienna startled from a light doze when Loviatar spoke. Though low, her voice carried across the room. Loviatar stood and turned towards Sienna. Sienna sat with her mouth hanging open and eyes wide.


Where once a dirty, poor, old woman sat there now stood a beautiful, black haired lady with eyes so blue they glowed, picking up every stray bit of light in the room.

Writing

Jeanie at Living Consciously did this a couple of days ago. She saw it when Cate at Show My Face posted it.

Show us your handwriting so we can read all about you.

The Rules: write the following 

1) Your name/blog name.
2) Right-handed, left-handed, or ambidextrous?
3) Favorite letters to write.
4) Least favorite letters to write.
5) Write “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
6) Write the following words in capital letters:
- CRAB
- HUMOR
- KALEIDOSCOPE
- PAJAMAS
- GAZILLION
7) Write your favorite song lyric.
8) Tag people!
9) Any special note or picture.

Tales on Tuesday for March 30, 2010 will be “Dark Shadows.”

Flash 55 – Before He Was Famous

 Edward Teach stared at the costume in the window. He’d buy the entire ensemble with his pick-pocketing money but it really wasn’t what he wanted. He preferred six shooters in leather holsters to sabers hung from belt loops. His mom said she would never let him grow up to be a cowboy. He’d teach her. Hosted by G-Man @ Mr. KnowItAll – Click Here

Write a story in exactly 55 words.

Weirsdo from Stuffed Animal Tales suggested "All In the Family" as a theme for Tales on Tuesday. (April 13, 2010) 

I learned from the comments on yesterday's post here on my blog, 

Quilly's Nessa’s Netiquette Meme , 

Barbara H's Netiquette Meme, 

Rosidah's Nessa's Blogging Practice's Meme | Etiquettes and 

Alice's Thursday Thirteen 55: Things That Can Keep Me From Reciprocating Your Comments. If you do a netiquette (coined by Quilly) post, let me know. I'd love to read what you think.

3 Word Thursday 13 – Blog Thingies

1. Anything that slows me down getting to your content - I have to do most of my blogging between other things. I rarely have a stretch of an hour or two where I can just visit blogs so many of my pet peeves have to do with the ease with which I can read a blog and comment. Don’t beat me with a cromack. These are just my opinions.


2. Automatic music – I keep my speakers off. My listening habits are very mood driven so I feel actual pain when a song pops up that is radically different than my mood. Plus, I have to be careful whose around when I’m blogging. Loud music is a dead give-a-way that I may not be wholly present when I should be.


3. Word verification – Takes extra time I don’t have and has nothing to do with my inclination towards accidie, plus I have a couple learning disabilities like dyslexia, that make it really hard for me to get the friggin’ things typed correctly. Not to mention my eyes are getting old.


4. Comment Moderation – This is where the blog host has to approve all comments before we can see them. I don’t understand this one. You have to see the comment to moderate it, so if it’s offensive the damage is already done. You can always delete a comment if for some reason you don’t like it or it is spam. Mostly, I just want to know why people do this.


5. Excessive sticky posts – Not sure if that’s what they are called but they are the permanent posts that make me have to scroll down too far to find the most current post.


6. The comment button at the top of the post and not at the bottom – Makes me have to scroll back up to comment. I finish reading at the bottom, so I should be able to comment at the bottom. Way too much exercise while sitting down.


7. The use of images or words not the blog author’s but the ownership is not clearly identified. – If a picture or a saying is not yours, you should clearly identify the source, even if it is copyright free.


8. Awards – These make me feel really bad. As Dr. John used to say, there are so many out there and they are given so freely they have no real meaning. Then I feel bad when I don’t post about them because someone has taken the time to think about me (and I really do appreciate that part.) I don’t like to tag forward. It’s like picking teams for dodge ball in fifth grade. All of the popular kids get picked first, regardless of whether or not they can play. Then there’s kid whose odd man out and I want to punch someone for making him feel bad. I know. I have issues. Oh and I hate the use of “issues” in this manner.


9. Meme’s – I have to admit, I dislike most of the meme’s that are the same old questions or that have more than say 5 questions especially if the questions are trite or where the questions take longer to read than any of the given answers. I do the meme’s I do so I can have some sort of focus and can produce at least one post a day. I am easily distracted without a plan. 


10. Responding to comments on my own blog – Comments started this whole thing. I like to respond to comments in my comment section but it is hard to respond to some comments that only say, “I like it.” Saying thank-you repeatedly is tedious. So then I stop. Then I tried the email route but if I respond that way I really want to respond in my comments for all to see but I don’t want to just pick and choose in my comments because then I feel like I’m slighting people kind enough to leave a comment. Someone help me.


11. Contests - If you are going to have a contest, I think it should be done one of three ways. 1. A random free-for-all where you put names in a hat and pick someone randomly. 2. The first person to do a, b and c is the winner. 3. Submissions via email, post the choices without names and let people vote for the best and not for whose most popular or who they least want to offend.


12. Link Back – I forget why I began doing the link back when I leave comments; most likely had to do with meme participation. I had planned to stop after a while. A couple people said they liked it; made it easier to follow back to me. Then it seemed to really annoy a certain person and so I have taken a perverse pleasure in continuing the practice. It may have run its course as I see many blogs have that little widget that does it for you now. If you have it in Blogger can you tell me where you got it?


13. Posts longer than 500 words, you know, like this one. I couldn’t think of a thing when I first started this list. And lo and behold, it came out to 13. I hope this post is not fissiparous to the blogging community.

~ Learn and use 3 archaic words at Quilly’s 3 Word Thursday ~

For More Thursday 13’s Click Here.