My people The writers Who take an idea And turn it into #Literature To share with others A meeting of minds Where author and reader Contribute together No two alliances Exactly the same Both necessary For the magic to unfold #vss365

Looney Tunes characters hover in mid-air because they've never studied #law. My father always told me that ignorance of the law is no excuse. Turns out he was right, and I had the skinned knees to prove it. #vss365

Humanity's Most important Innovation: #Language Without it Cooperation Would be more Haphazard History Would be lost Essentially No love songs No poetry How frustrating It must have been For our more Primitive selves Language Had to occur To make us Who we are #vss365

Two strangers with a shared #history, some good, some painful. The early years were wonderful, but little by little, small poisons came between them. Differing opinions became points of contention. After a time, the good they had shared faded into obscurity. #vss365

Eighth grade #geography was taught by default. The instructor didn't want to be there any more than her students did. All went through the motions. Little was actually learned or understood. #vss365

There have been a few encounters with the rich and #famous over my lifetime, all with elements of serendipity. One evening, in a hotel lobby, a woman I didn't know directed me to the ballroom where a charity dinner was winding down. I shook hands with Fred MacMurray. #vss365

Post-secondary #education is just as vital today as it has ever been. My parents' ideal of a 4-year degree is no longer the answer, however. We also need skilled trades people with business sense. We need properly-trained medical technicians with frequent skill updates. #vss365

Behold the #domestic tabby. Its soft fur, soulful eyes, and relaxing purr are all designed to lure you into a sense of benign contentment. Displease it, however, and consequences will be administered swiftly and painfully. #vss365

The child dearly loved every #creature God put on this planet, so she was shocked and betrayed when a pet store rat bit down on her finger. Granted, there was a sign that clearly warned against putting fingers in the enclosure, but, in her defense, she couldn't read. #vss365

My reputation is controlled by other people. I can't help that. But I can determine my character. Am I the sort of person I would want as a friend? Do I like who I am and who I am becoming? That is what matters. Your opinion of me is none of my #business. #vss365

Our house will remain dark for #Halloween. There will be no welcoming lights for trick-or-treaters, no ringing doorbell to disturb the quiet. Instead, I will watch my father breathe for as long as I can; let him sleep with fond memories and peace. #vss365

I need a vacation Sailing on the ocean Soaking up some #rays On a tropical island Not a care to bind me Worries all behind me Lovely dream to hold me As I wait for father's death #vss365

On a lonely stretch of road in the Arizona desert, I got my first glimpse of the #argent beauty of the Milky Way. Until then, it had been a myth to me. That experience was one of the first in a series of wishes I barely knew I'd collected. #vss365

When you're a small child, life is one big #experiment. Learning how to live in a world full of novelty takes up all your time. That so many are successful highlights the innate genius of humanity. #vss365

They used to say You could watch it #creep Kudzu taking over They used to say It would cover the world And nothing we could do Might as well move If it spread to your land Insidious vines unrelenting Yet now, here we are Decades later with no sign Of the kudzu takedown #vss365

I was as guilty of #heliacal worship as the next teenage girl. Every spring and summer, without fail, we would bare large swaths of our bodies to the sun's rays, believing the resulting damage made us more attractive. The accumulated harm tells on us now. #vss365

Wrapped completely in the grip of crippling anxiety, I knew I needed help but couldn't overcome my #terror to ask for it. The thought of making a phone call caused me to freeze up. I couldn't leave the house alone without dissolving in tears. #vss365

The #Martian landscape spread out before them in all its bleak and alien glory. They were the first to collect its arid red soil on their boots, the first to leave human prints on its surface. They took a moment to appreciate the historical import of their presence. #vss365

Jessica could feel a presence in that room, #unseen but palpable. It reached out to her, trying to communicate through emotions its pain and confusion. Her job was to help it focus and pass on. It's job was to warn her of the danger. #vss365

I think of all That I could be If I just had The #energy So many things That I would do If vigor would To me imbue But don't you know It isn't vim Or time or even Seraphim That keep me from A life of glory Just motivation End of story #vss365

Before mugs became the thing, our grandparents used cups and saucers for their coffee. My grandaddy would always pour part of a too-hot cup into the #saucer so it would cool faster and drink from that. I haven't seen anyone do this maneuver in years. #vss365

The basis of everything Matter at its most simple Yet, even the #atom Is a sum of its parts #vss365

Some mothers #hover. Others rely on benign neglect. The animal kingdom knows both extremes and everything in between. I tried to strike a balance with my own youngling. Sometimes, I succeeded. Sometimes, I didn't. But I always, always loved. #vss365

Andrew the #android Took stock of the scene The humans were acting Like children again His programming was That he sit idly by But behavior like this Could make a droid cry With his only emotion, Compassion, he moved To take things in hand And his leadership proved #vss365

Outside Sedona, we stopped the car to get some photos of the amazing scenery. I took still shots with the Nikon while my husband filmed video with commentary. Seeing the #arid landscape through a viewfinder had its drawbacks. He walked straight into a 2-ft. cactus. #vss365

When I was a child, back in the 1960s (count it back; I'm not ashamed), my mother would proclaim when my bangs needed a trim, that I looked like a #beetle. In vain, I searched the yard for an insect with long bangs. Later, I learned that I'd misheard her spelling. #vss365

Never comfortable With #deluxe She set her sights On good enough Never needing All the best Took what she needed Left the rest Imagine her surprise Then when she Caught the eye Of a sterling man Who taught her she was Worth much more Than ever she'd Believed before #vss365

I generally avoid wearing the colors of fall or the pastel #undertones of spring. Bright, vibrant jewel tones make me happy, whether or not they are the current fashion. I wear what makes me smile. Fashion is what I want it to be. #vss365

Beware of the #piranha That wait in the wading pool The treacherous quicksand In the sandbox by the swings The anaconda lurking Underneath the dogwood tree The pride of sabretooth cats Living past the azaleas The backyard's full of dangers If you have imagination #vss365

I remember Rainy schooldays Before I was old enough To tag along My two older cousins Would each don A #raincoat Yellow and heavy Fireman worthy I had assumed When my time came To go to school In the pouring rain I'd be provided With a marvelous coat As well Alas, no #vss365

Some days it's hard to muster the #verve to do even the most basic tasks. Despite medication, regular exercise, and daily affirmations, depression still raises its head and makes itself known. I've come to wonder if it isn't just a comfortable habit. #vss365

The threat of consequences kept her from turning into a #libertine in her 20s. She had been able to see the lives of others as cautionary tales. That didn't mean she was always Miss Goody Twoshoes, however. Rebellion was in her nature if the cause was right. #vss365

They soaked the #ash of the campfire, assuring that every last ember was out. Then, it was time to roll up sleeping bags and dismantle tents. Another Girl Scout camp weekend was in the books. The feelings it generated, though, would live on for years. #vss365

The #clash and roll of a thunderstorm wreaked havoc outside, dropping small branches and flooding the flower beds. Claire barely registered it. She was indoors, warm and dry, with her old friends, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. She sipped her tea and turned a page. #vss365

On a business trip with a male coworker, the hotel desk clerk referred to him as my husband and attempted to put us in the same room. In a tone colder than I'd realized, I stated plainly, "my #associate". He found the exchange hilarious. I was just embarrassed. #vss365

Hello? Yes, this is in regard to your #advert in the Tattler. I am advising you that what you meant to say was "mattresses" with an E S, not "mattress's" with an apostrophe S. I can't possibly shop your establishment until this is corrected, and I'm sure I'm not alone. #vss365

Once, Carol paid particular attention to her clothes. Everything was ironed, pants creased. Only natural fibers were allowed to touch her body. Now her iron collects dust at the top of her closet; stretchy fabrics are her choice; and #elastic waistbands a revelation. #vss365

Orange juice #Pulp or no Buttered toast Bagel roll Little things Still to learn Start with breakfast Take a turn Philosophy Regular mister Normal she But what they think Variety #vss365

Within this sea Of drudgery There's you #Oasis from despair When I am down You seem to know To call me Lift my heart and mind So I can go About my life With knowledge I am known and loved #vss365

Those years are a #blur in my memory. I was emotionally numb from self-intention and a doctor overly reliant on medications. My family accused me of selfishness, and in a way, they were right. Focusing on myself was all I could manage. Anxiety gripped me otherwise. #vss365

It is a #conundrum Thought Abigail Bertram To be prim and proper And everything hum-drum Or have some excitement And risk reputation Victorian ladies Must meet expectation But Abbie had dreams And a yen for adventure The likes of which would Surely expose her to censure #vss365

As a child, she told lies. They weren't very good ones, and she was easily found out. She innocently described the world as she thought it should be. As she got older, she learned to #sublimate to writing fiction. The lies became more believable that way. #vss365

I fell into the same pattern my parents did with me. In trying to guide my daughter, I kept her under constant #scrutiny. The barrage of criticism took its toll, of course, just as it had with me. Now I let her be the beautiful soul she is. We're both happier. #vss365

The #sonorous bong Of the bass-tuned bells Ringing out over The sad, peaceful town Calling all mourners To the chapel to grieve The passing of Bertie Resident eccentric Beloved by all Now gone to share Wide smiles with his maker The wake that will follow Legendary indeed #vss365

It would be easy to assign these volatile explosions to mere #caprice; they come and go so quickly. But the truth is, you are at a constant slow boil under the surface. The slightest change in pressure sets you off, and heaven help anyone nearby. #vss365

Only one #eventuality Destined for us all No one gets out alive By some miracle My father holds on 89 and bed-ridden A host of ailments And complications But still, he believes He will walk again Resume his life So I stay and watch To see this man cheat death #vss365

#Bellwether Of a storm Infant grows angry Splotches turn red Where eyebrows will grow Before wails of protest Rend the quiet morning As mother tries To unstuff nose #vss365

Her passion for life was slow to #reinvigorate, but, bit by bit, reasons to live and love made themselves apparent again. One morning she woke to birdsong, could hear it and appreciate it at last, and knew she'd turned a corner. #vss365

Another new day Another chance To choose my take On life and circumstance #Perhaps I'll be Industrious Take care of chores I've been putting off Perhaps I'll rest my Mind and body In between caring For my father In any case I will be grateful for Another chance to choose #vss365

The lowest point of my life I'd lost who I was I couldn't see Who I was meant to be Others beat me down With barbed words I listened and believed But couldn't understand How it came to be Yet time has shown It wasn't #catastrophe I made it out Better than I used to be #vss365