six word story: stubbornness.

Posted on 27 November 2015 by what sandra thinks

I thought I’d give this a go. Six words… I can do that. Probably.

Nicola at Sometimes Stellar Storyteller runs a weekly challenge called Six Word Story. A new prompt is posted weekly and it works like this (from her site):

All you need to do is take today’s prompt, write a whole story in six words and post it in the comments below. The winner of the challenge will be the story with the most likes in the comments below by the close of the challenge later in the week.

This week’s prompt was Stubbornness. My six word story:

He’ll never change. You knew that.

Please visit the challenge for this week at Sometimes Stellar Storyteller and like my story in the comments. (You know, if you like it…!)

 

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I wanted you to kiss me.

Posted on 25 November 2015 by what sandra thinks


one two three.
Hello love…

The day we met, I wanted you to kiss me. And for days after that perfect night, I could not stop thinking about kissing you – imagining it, wishing for it, dying to have it. I could think of nothing else. (Well, okay, I could think of what I wanted after the kiss.) But I knew why you didn’t kiss me (until you did… and then I knew why you did). I knew you understood why we had to wait. The respect you have for me made me fall in love with you. (Maybe I was already falling, but you made me fall faster…). I will never forget. And I wish I was kissing you right now instead of sitting alone thousands of miles away from you.

Remember the day we met – that evening on the sand – when the waves crashing onto our legs felt so cold I shivered? You insisted on getting me a towel to warm me up. But you didn’t just hand me the towel. No, you knelt in front of me and draped that towel over a stranger’s legs. My God, how sweet. In my head, I was grabbing you by your tee shirt, pulling your mouth to mine. I wanted you to kiss me.

We were only just beginning to know each other, but you told me all about your life. Everything. The good parts… and the sad parts that broke my heart. When tears fell from my eyes with a mind of their own, I was sure you would think I was an emotional disaster. But you didn’t. You touched my cheek and wiped my tears away. I forgot how to breathe. I wanted you to kiss me.

I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Thank God I work for a friend because I was completely distracted and useless. I wanted to be with you but I wasn’t sure how to do that… if I could do that. But I didn’t have to figure it out. I walked out the door, and you were there… waiting for me. That may have been the most beautiful moment in my life (up to that point, anyway). You smiled and I melted. And I wanted you to kiss me.

The first time you held me in your arms could very well have been the last, too, because my heart nearly quit. It went from pausing to racing to jumping so fast I never thought it would stabilize. You were warm and strong and perfect and I think you were the only thing holding me up. I didn’t want you to let me go. My God, I wanted you to kiss me.

I loved the way we fell into each other’s arms the afternoon we met at the park. It was beautiful – our inability to keep from touching each other. Your fingers slipped into my hair, gently, sweetly tucking it behind my ear. I sighed… and you kissed me. On my forehead. I was desperate for more. I wanted you to kiss me.

I teased you the night we had dinner together. I think you really were trying to fill me with wine so you could have your way with me. But you knew I didn’t need wine for that. I already wanted you. When you teased me right back, oh, you were adorable and funny and irresistible. And I wanted you to kiss me.

I stopped our walk on the boardwalk and tried to steal your keys. I wanted to drive. But you thought I was trying to tickle you. I swear, I wasn’t! But it was perfect because you fell onto the sand and took me with you. When my body landed on yours, you forgot all about the keys. I slipped my hand into your pocket and you sighed. You almost moaned. I thought I was going to die in that very spot. On top of you. On the sand. Oh, I wanted you to kiss me.

How do you always know how to fix me? We were having the perfect day together, but my mind spiraled out of control with all those irrational thoughts. I couldn’t stop them. But you stopped them. You wiped my tears. You held me. You smiled for me. You were scared and confused, too, but you wanted to help me. You were amazing and sweet. And you understood… and you fixed me.

And I wanted you to kiss me.

And you had to kiss me.

And I had to let you.

And then you kissed me.

And then I lost my mind.

I will be home soon, love. ♥

 ~Writing 101: day 18

© 2015 what sandra thinks
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three quotes three days: day 3.

Posted on 25 November 2015 by what sandra thinks

Day 3! (Okay, it’s well past midnight — I’m late!)

I’m just going to post the quotes for today. I think I’ve challenged enough people!

I had fun finding and posting quotes (and I have fun answering questions on those other noms/awards). But I feel bad whenever I pick others for any of these! I like that I link their blogs so hopefully more readers visit them, but I don’t like the feeling of giving them ‘work‘ to do! My God, there are a lot of these chain-challenge-nomination thingies (a technical term) floating around. For a couple of days, I felt like those were all I was doing!

Still going to link my original challengers! Visit them! Joana at The Great Journey and Paul at wwwpalfitness.


Day 3 Quotes

homer simpson.

house md.


And finally, a lovely poem from Sterling Archer.

archer.


The End!

 

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map of me.

Posted on 24 November 2015 by what sandra thinks

After reading the Writing 101 assignment about maps, I spent hours following roads in Google Maps street view looking for inspiration. I think I covered nine states and parts of four countries and relived years of my life. But inspiration never happened.

Maybe this post is the answer… because all I could think of for this map-inspired piece was writing pretty much that same exact post — plus a map. But that would be cheating. Right?

Just in case anyone thinks it’s not cheating, here is a map to go with love across the ocean.

florence map.

But I still thought I should have something new. I tried all day but couldn’t clear my head. I thought of places I’ve been… lots of places… amazing places. But my brain just felt tired and jumbled.

So I came up with a rather loose interpretation of the original task. I created my own map of what I know most intimately.

Me.

map of self.

~Writing 101: day 17

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three quotes three days: day 2.

Posted on 23 November 2015 by what sandra thinks

Day 2!

For those I challenge – no pressure, no obligation! I sometimes get overwhelmed with challenges and can’t keep up! I’m just picking bloggers I find interesting and want to link for others — whether you choose to participate or not!

~~~~~
I was challenged by Joana at The Great Journey and Paul at wwwpalfitness for 3 Days 3 Quotes.

Rules
1. Post three consecutive days.
2. You can pick one of three quotes per day.
3. Challenge three different bloggers per day.

I challenge
Wanderlust
Flight & Scarlet
Sass and Sauce

Day 2 Quotes
(I know, yesterday went with 1 and today 3… my decision making skills are seriously lacking. And I’m having fun making little graphics.)

disappointment.

lucy.

spike.

  1. If it wasn’t for disappointment, I wouldn’t have any appointments. —Snowball in Hell / They Might Be Giants
  2. I think it should be five cents. —Lucy VanPelt, MetLife commercial
  3. I may be love’s bitch, but at least I’m man enough to admit it. —Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Until tomorrow…!

 

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two truths, one lie.

Posted on 23 November 2015 by what sandra thinks

I thought this question from the Neat award email (they were all great questions from wanderlushed.com) was lots of fun so I decided to give it its own post.

I’m going to reveal the lie.

If you want to try to guess first (if you didn’t already do so in the Neat post comments)… scroll slowly!

Tell us two true things about you and one lie. And then let’s see if we can guess the lie.
(1) In high school, I was in a rock band with four guys called BBC.

(2) I have literally had my head examined because I whacked my head on concrete.

(3) I received a perfect score on the math portion of my SAT/college entrance exam.

In the comments in the Neat post, 3 guessed that #1/band was the lie. And 2 guessed that #3/perfect score was the lie…

Here’s the truth…

*

(1)
True — Matt, Dave, Glen, Bill and I were in a band called BBC. I think Dave came up with the name… it’s an acronym for Big By Christmas. However, sadly, we were not big by Christmas. We were not big by… ever. We played at a bunch of parties and the school talent show (came in second). Every one of those guys had far more musical talent than I’ve ever had.

(2)
True — I was about 7 or 8 years old, I think. We had a volleyball net set up in our backyard, probably too close to the concrete patio. I fell backwards (I have no idea how… I’m super graceful) and my head hit the concrete pretty hard. There was no visible bleeding, but yes, I had to have my head examined. This, maybe, explains a lot about the state of my mental health.

(3)
Lie — However, I almost received that perfect 800 score. I missed 1 damn question! One! So I had a nearly perfect score… and I cried! It was just so close… it killed me! And I wondered for a long time what question I missed. Never found out.

Two of you got it right. Though that means you don’t think I’m perfect so I’m going to go cry now. (I hope you know I’m kidding!)

This was fun! xo

 

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not a blood relative.

Posted on 23 November 2015 by what sandra thinks

calvin.Thanksgiving is only a few days away, and I can’t help dreading the gathering. Too many people all at once. It makes me anxious. And it’s not even that many people!

Oh, I like seeing most of them, but I’m not big on all-at-once. My nephew is adorable and my brother-in-law is awesome. And of course, I enjoy seeing Mom and my two sisters [my third sister never comes – she doesn’t speak to me – I’ve seen her twice in the last 5 years – but that’s a topic for another post…]. Some of my extended family, though… ugh! I have this one aunt who is especially exhausting. I cannot stand that woman.

Dear Sandra,
Do not forget to take an extra anxiety pill Thursday morning.
Love, Sandra

My aunt is not a blood relative; she’s my maternal uncle’s second wife. She is also a moron. Here’s one of the many reasons why…

Years ago, she was diagnosed with high cholesterol. When her levels didn’t improve enough through diet, her doctor prescribed medication. Then one day she saw some talk show where she ‘learned’ how meat goes from farm to plate. She was, as she described, so repulsed that she “went vegetarian immediately” (her phrasing, not mine).

I do not take issue with this. Vegetarian, vegan, rampant carnivore, nothing but donuts… do your thing.

But my aunt… oh, thank God I don’t see her often. Let me tell you how vegetarianism is going for her.

A few weeks in, she ‘felt healthier’ so she decided, on her own, to stop taking her cholesterol medication. Dumbass. Change in diet and weight can help, but if it’s genetic, you’ll need the medication regardless. I know this… Dad was a doctor; Mom is a retired nurse… I’ve been surrounded by medical-speak my whole life.

So… when Aunt Dumbass told us she was shocked at her doc’s office when he discovered that her cholesterol shot way the fuck up, I laughed my ass off (on the inside or, at least, in private). When her doc asked her what could have caused this spike, she told him she was a vegetarian now so she no longer needed medication. Jesus. Seriously, how fucking stupid is she?

Wait… it gets better.  

Two Easters ago, I was at our family buffet set-up collecting my dinner. [Aside: my brother-in-law is a chef so our food is always amazing.] As I drizzled a little honey-raisin glaze-y goodness over my ham, Aunt Dumbass walked up beside me and reached for the big old fork in the ham and plopped a piece onto her plate.

Vegetarian, my ass.

Oh, but she had an explanation. ‘It’s a holiday, so it’s okay if I have just a little. It looks so good, I have to have some.’

Vegetarian, my ass.

Same thing last Thanksgiving with turkey. And even with the pork-tenderloin-wrapped-in-bacon my brother-in-law made for Christmas. [FYI, that pork-bacon thing was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever had in my mouth… food or otherwise.] But but but… my aunt is a vegetarian. I don’t believe in depriving yourself of the special foods you only have once a year. I try to make healthy food choices, but Mom only makes that heavenly rum cake once a year – I’m having a piece! It’s tradition and it’s delicious and it’s one day. (And I think it gets me a little drunk.)

But do vegetarians really jump off the wagon on special occasions? ‘Yay, it’s Christmas, give me bacon!‘? I’ve never been a vegetarian, but somehow, I’m sure this is not done.

And I can’t help remembering that first family gathering post-vegetarianism-conversion when Aunt Dumbass spent the entire coffee-and-dessert conversation preaching about how much healthier we’d all be if we gave up our carnivorous ways. To convince us, she described, in graphic detail, every reason she could not possibly ever eat an animal again. She was trying to be as disgusting as possible, and she did rise up pretty high on the grossness scale. But she did not make me a vegetarian. I’ll make my own Goddamn decisions about what I eat, thankyouverymuch. And I’ll think it over while enjoying a delicious juicy bacon cheeseburger. And healthy cholesterol levels.

Oh, Aunt Dumbass, who the fuck are you to tell the rest of us how to live?

Bite me.

Oh wait, you can’t. You’re a fucking vegetarian.


~Writing 101: day 16 [mining/forgotten draft]

Posted in anxiety, bloggingu, family, humor, rant, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

real neat blog award.

Posted on 22 November 2015 by what sandra thinks

real neat blog award.David @ Wanderlushed (wanderlushed.com) nominated me for the Real Neat Blog Award, and I’m honored — especially because he is so funny and his blog is one of the most entertaining I’ve read. If this guy chose me, I must be cool. Right? (Please just agree. Lie to me.) If you don’t already follow him, hurry up and do it now!  Continue reading →

Posted in award, blogging, humor, writing | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments