Why Does It Have To Be So Difficult?

I hate how hard things are in our digital world.

I know, I know. First World Problems, and I am super lucky those are the problems I have to deal with.

Perspective wise, they're still problems for me.

What set this off? I have a TV show I love. Like, I am obsessed with it. And it has amazing music. So I want to find and buy the music.

Problem is, I have Netflix, which means I'm watching last season's episodes. Website for said TV show only has the current season song list, and I can't find it anywhere else.

We won't even get into the fact that I cannot (well, choose not to) watch the second season because by the time I had time to check it out, both Hulu Plus and the network webpage had taken down the first two episodes. I can understand the network page, but Hulu?

Seriously, it should not be this hard. I am a customer. A customer willing to pay, even, but I cannot find what I am looking for because I'm simply too late, or too far behind the times to have caught on and catch the information I wanted at the right time. And that's so frustrating to me.

So yes, it's a bit of a rant. Yes, it's a silly problem to have (to be honest, a problem I prefer over other's I've had recently, so maybe that's why I'm focusing on it so well). But it's a problem, nonetheless, and one I feel we shouldn't have in such a wonderful age of easy-to-get information and entertainment.

Any (not so) silly frustrations on your end? What do you think should be so much easier, but just isn't? I know I have a list a mile long, but we'll stick with this one. For today ...

Christmas Planning

Is it too early? Not for me! I start my planning in October. If I don't at least have a plan done by November, I stress out a little bit. And then I start looking for the deals, hoping to have all my presents purchased by no later than the first week of December.

Then comes in the problem. I'm a horrible liar. Not only that, but it's made even worse when I'm excited, and I am excited about the holiday season. Everything gets so sparkly and pretty and part of the joy of planning and buying so far ahead is to make sure I'm getting something people will love.

So, enter yesterday when I had an Amazon shipment come in with some things my husband knew about and one thing he didn't.

And he asked me, is (the stuff he knows about) the only thing in those boxes?

I grinned! A big ol' cat ate the canary grin. And he just laughed at me. I told him it was unfair and rude to ask.

Well, at least I know he doesn't have a clue what I got him.

So how soon do you start your holiday planning? And can you keep secrets? I'd say I need lessons, but I'm not sure how well they would work, to be honest.

Pathology Report

Today was my six week postpartum check up with the doctor. I scored high on the postpartum depression checklist, but not Depression levels, which is good and expected. I'm also checking out to be healthy, healing quickly everywhere except my pelvic bones, which took a beating mid to late pregnancy, so are just taking a bit more time to heal.

The important part of this appointment, however, was the pathology report from the placenta and umbilical cord. There had been an underlying expectation to find clotting as a reason, a result of the Factor V Leiden disorder I have - proteins that can lead to blood clotting in it's carriers.

However, there was nothing. No clots and no other findings that may have shed light on Analin's loss.

I'm so relieved. Relieved that it wasn't something with my body that caused this. I have spoken to many women recently who have lost babies because of something their body did or couldn't do, and I can express my empathy with them, having believed the same. It really is a relief to find out this wasn't the case, that maybe Analin's loss really was just a fluke, maybe moving forward to possibly have more children won't be as difficult knowing she didn't die because of me.

My heart still breaks every day. I expect it always will. But I will continue to look for the brighter side of things. It really is the only way to get through this - to actively work at it, to force a perspective on myself that I don't necessarily feel at the moment. So right now, this is my silver lining, knowing there truly wasn't anything I could have done to save her - no intervention, no medicine that others with this condition have and do use.

Today, it will be enough.

<3

WWBH Prompt

I'm being encouraged to return to blogging, and I think I'm getting to the point where I'm ready for it. Of course, the holidays are coming and are sure to suck up my time, so we will see. Until then, though, keep watch for these weekly writing prompts, and link up your own story for a chance to get your blog featured.

This week, Leanne has gotten our prompt together for us. :)
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Hello, friends! I had to check the calendar today to make sure it was indeed Wednesday because it feels like Monday. So strange!

Since it is Wednesday, that means we're on for the next round of the Writer Wednesday Blog Hop. Last week's twist was a big hit; look at all the stories that birthed! Read them all because they are simply awesome, and feel free to leave some comment love to the creative writer. :)

The Unknown that Lies Ahead by Scott Taylor
Jottings and Writings by Tena Carr
The Return by Sally Stackhouse
An Empty Street and an Open Drawer by Tony Roberts
Mistaken by Leanne Sype
Get a Better Hiding Place by Nicole Pyles

Here's a quick reminder of how to do the blog hop:

1) Write a story using both photos.
2) Keep your word count to 500 words or less.
3) Submit your completed story to your blog hostess (Nicole, Carrie, Tena or Leanne) via the inLinkz linky below. (If you need a bit of help with this step, just leave a comment and we'll get you linked up!)
4) You have the next week to post.
5) Have fun, don’t stress, let those creative juices flow! Remember: the blog hop is about creative writing and community, so feel free to invite a friend to join in!

Here are your photos for this week. Enjoy!

 

WWBH Prompt - With A New Twist!

We had our first bout of snow yesterday - the sticking kind, anyway, rather than the wet, miserable, dangerous kind. Only the roofs tell that tale now, unless you take in to account it managed to freeze the ground enough that my dogs are dragging in drastically less dirt. Yay for Winter. :P

This week's prompt is coming directly from Nicole. There's a new twist to it this week. Try it out and let us know what you think! :)

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And we're back! I don't know about you guys but it's getting colder around here lately! Although not nearly as wintery as I'd expect in Oregon, so I'm glad for that.

First things first, read the awesome stories from last week! I know the holidays has everyone bogged down a bit, so we are so grateful for everyone who has the chance to join in.

Grandma's Advice by Scott Taylor

The Bench by Beth Camp

Awesome stories!!!

So, we are going to change things up a bit with this prompt, so please read carefully!

We are going to give you two photos this week instead of one photo and five words. With those two photos, you must connect the two in some way. The other rules still apply - you have until next Tuesday night to submit your link and you have a 500 word limit!

So, here are the rules again -

1) Include both of the photos in your story in some way.

2) Keep your word count 500 words or less.

3) You have until next Tuesday to link up (leave a comment if you don't know how! We'll help you out!)

4) Link up with your blog hostess (Nicole, Carrie, Tena or Leanne) when you’re done via the inLinkz linky below.

5) Have fun, don’t stress, let those creative juices flow.

And here are the TWO photos you will be using this week -

Photo # 1 via Flickr

Photo # 2 via Flickr

Now, when you have your story ready to go, link it up below! 

WWBH Prompt - Welcome, November!

Today is the Monthday of Analin's loss and I'm trying to get back in the swing of things. I honestly don't know what is going to happen to my blogging. I'm going to take some time to figure it out, while still participating in the WWBH prompts. I love helping to put together and post these prompts with Nicole, Tena and Leanne each week and they are the only thing keeping me coming back to the blog world right now. In fact, I love them so much I wouldn't dare to miss my chance to select our winner and put together the first prompt of the new month. :-D

Soo .....

Miss Sally Stackhouse, you are our winner this month!!

Congratulations, and thank you so much for all your contributions. Thank everyone else, as well, for their contributions. It seems to have been a tough year for a lot of people and it means a lot that you still visit our writing prompt whenever you can.

Last week's prompt help produce these stories:

The Empty Bench by Scott Taylor
The Bench by Sally Stackhouse
The Language of Relationships by Tony Roberts
Till Death Do Us Part by Melissa Gardiner
Pop and Grams by Leanne Sype

And moving on to the November set of writing prompts, I've chosen a photo by an amazing photographer, Trey Ratcliff. If you haven't seen his work, you really should follow the link at the photo for his Google Plus profile, or you can find him on FaceBook as well. The picture I chose was taken at the Burning Man event and the album he's posted paints a picture of an amazing world full of stories, real and imagined.

Getting to the prompt, here is a quick review of the rules.

1) Use the photo and the 5 words provided in your story
2) Keep your word count 500 words or less.
3) You have until next Tuesday to link up your post.
4) Link up with your blog hostess (Nicole, Carrie, Tena or Leanne) when you’re done via the inLinkz linky below.
5) Have fun, don’t stress, let those creative juices flow.

The Photograph by Trey Ratcliff:

The Words:

reject

flood

toy

angle

trophy