31 Days Left in 2013

Jalál (Glory), 8 Qawl (Speech), 170 BE - Saturday, November 30, 2013 about 9:56 AM Pacific Standard Time

The Good News: I wrote 54,658 words during National Novel Writing Month.

The Bad News: There are only 31 days left in 2013

and only about 5 months (19 days each) left in 170 BE.

A chilly morning
in late November when
oak leaves are turning orange.

The neighbor's oak tree has begun to change color and lose it leaves. Thanksgiving is past, while Christmas and New Year's Day 2014 is approaching. It is time to review my goals. It is time to consider what I have accomplished, what I have left to accomplish, and what I plan to accomplish in the New Year.

Falling leaves always
remind me of the New Year
and new aspirations.

I will not make any specific New Year's Resolutions until Naw-Ruz 2014, but I will consider everything I have accomplished since Naw-Ruz 2013. I will also look at everything I still have to accomplish and decide if it is worth the effort to finish the project or just toss it aside. I know one thing I need to do is to make my daily To Do List more specific and remove items from the C priorities.

One Year Ago Today

Istiqlál (Independence), 7 Qawl, 170 BE - Friday, November 29, 2013 about 8:46 AM Pacific Standard Time

One year ago today

my mother passed away

and ascended into paradise.

One year ago today,
I stopped writing
my 2012 NaNoWriMo novel
and it still lays in
my writing.com portfolio
waiting for completion.

One year ago,
I did not meet
the NaNoWriMo
50,000 word goal

This year,
on November 27,
I exceeded
the 50,000 word goal,
but I do not think
this year's novel
Midnight in Suburbia
is complete.

One year ago today

my mother passed away

and ascended into paradise.

Thanksgiving Day Thankful Thursday Gratitude List

Istijlál (Majesty), 6 Qawl (Speech), 170 BE - Thursday, November 28, 2013 about 10:44 AM Pacific Standard Time

On this cloudy and chilly Thanksgiving Day I am grateful...

1.  ...for Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen's Health Advice column, which appears in Thursday's Review-Journal, because today the main topic was Pain relief not limited to medication. Drs. Oz and Roizen give five self-care techniques to reduce the discomfort of chronic pain. I already practice one of the techniques on a daily basis, but today I will begin practicing more of them.

2. ...that I chose to spend this Thanksgiving by myself because now I can focus on prayer and meditation without interrupting anyone else's Thanksgiving Day. This gives me a chance to look at the changes of the past year and determine what I want to do for the next twelve months to make my life more productive.

3. ...for the turkey burgers I received when I went to one of the food pantries last week. For lunch I had two turkey and cranberry sandwiches. This is the first time I have ate a turkeys sandwich with cranberry sauce and they are delicious.

4. ...that I have a free senior cellphone with 250 free minutes each month.

5. ...for the beauty of a cloudy Thanksgiving morning with yellow and orange oak leaves falling to the ground.

6. ...that eggnog was in the grocery store when I went shopping yesterday. I had a cup of eggnog for breakfast for the first time in several years.

7. ...for the pumpkin pie I received when I went to one of the food pantries last Saturday.

8. ...that I have dentures so that I can enjoy a turkey and cranberry sandwich.

9. ...for being able to afford a cable modem so t hat I can stay connected with my family on Thanksgiving and every day of the year.

10. ...that I was able to enjoy a piece of pumpkin pie while watching the news this morning. This is a tradition that Mom and I started several years ago and I thought I might cry this morning but I did not. Instead, I remember how much Mom liked pumpkin pie.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States of America

‘Idál (Justice), 5 Qawl (Speech), 170 BE - Wednesday, November 27, 2013 about 8:46 AM Pacific Standard Time

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was 'Thank you', that would suffice."

Meister Eckhart

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the United States of America. Today the writing.com newsletter were published and arrived in my e-mail box and the above quote by Meister Echart, is in the spiritual newsletter. A Season of Thanksgiving is the title of this week's edition and it got me to thinking about Thanksgiving and gratitude.

This year, I am planning a traditional-nontraditional Thanksgiving dinner. I am having turkey, but instead of a whole turkey or a turkey breast I am fixing ground turkey. I have some potatoes, so I will fix those with the turkey. I have pumpkin pie, I have some vegetables that I can fix as a salad, and I have a couple of melons.

I will purchase a couple of cans of whipped cream (I cannot remember what it is called) this afternoon when I go to the store to pick up a prescription and a couple of other items. I have some chicken bullion to make grave with, but I do not think I have any flour. I may purchase a small bag of flour this afternoon or I may just get some sour cream and margarine for baked potatoes. Since I do not have much money on me or in my bank account this late in the month, I have to be careful and purchase only what I need.

Despite the fact that I am not planning a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, I am grateful for what I have. I am also grateful to those who gave me these items because without the generosity of strangers and food pantries, I would not have much of a Thanksgiving. Tomorrow, I will make a Thankful Thursday Thanksgiving entry after meditating on the ten things I am thankful to have or to have experienced this year.

A National Novel Writing Month Poem

Kamál (Perfection), 3 Qawl (Speech), 170 BE - Monday, November 25, 2013 about 1:35 PM Pacific Standard Time

An empty coffee cup
and I still have about 10,000
words to write.

Hunger awakes
the desire for food
a grilled cheese sandwich
with hot sauce.

Is it too chilly
for a cold
cherry Dr. Pepper;
it doesn't matter
because I will open
a can anyway.

An empty coffee cup
waiting for me
to fill it
and warm the coffee up
in the microwave.

The Feast of Speech

Jalál (Glory), 1 Qawl (Speech), 170 BE - Saturday, November 23, 2013 about 11:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

I attended the Feast of Qawl (Speech) at the Baha'i Center last night. At the Feast, I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and Baha'u'llah. It is such a calming feeling and this morning I still have that tranquil feeling even this late in the day.

This morning, I pick up some fruit, vegetables, bread, cookies, and a pumpkin pie from one of the food pantries. I had not planned to go this morning because of the rain, but after a couple of cups of warmed over coffee I changed my mind. On the morning after attending a nineteen-day feast, I usually end up changing my plans about something or other. I am glad I went to pick up the free food because one of the items I received was a watermelon, which I think I will cut later today after it has sit in the refrigerator for a while.

on the Feast of Speech
the raindrops whisper to earth
about God's Glory

Thankful Thursday; November 21, 2013

Istijlál (Majesty), 18 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Thursday, November 21, 2013 about 6:48 pm Pacific Standard Time

Today I am thankful...

1. ...for coffee because I am going to have to pull an all nighter to catch up on my NaNoWriMo word count;

2. ...for the rain because it reminds me of a chilly autumn day in Oklahoma;

3, ...that I have been able to complete two thirty minute sprints today and, as a results, have written 1,604 words toward part of my catch-up word count goal;

4. ...for chocolate chip cookies because I have to catch up on my NaNoWriMo word count goal and I need the cookies to help me pull an all nighter;

5. ...that I have a microwave to warm up the leftover coffee to help me stay awake to catch up;

6.  ...for writing.com where I store my 2013 NaNoWriMo novel Midnight in Suburbia;

7. ...for the program Write or Die that I use to write my 30 minute and 15 minute sprint exercises;

8. ...for my afternoon nap because that may be the only sleep I get for the rest of the day;

9. ...for the oak tree, whose leaves are changing color, in my neighbor's yard;

10. ...that my cellphone has a calculator so that I can add my 30 minute and 15 minutes sprint exercise word counts together.

A Cloudy Tuesday Morning In Las Vegas

Fiḍál (Grace), 16 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Tuesday, November 19, 2013 about 8:23 am Pacific Standard Time

a cloudy Tuesday
charcoal gray clouds hide blue sky
the coffee is hot

I will be moving soon and one of the t hings I will miss is looking out this living room window at the sky. This morning, the clouds conceal the sun and the blue sky. There is a slight wind, blowing through the neighbors' oak and olive trees. The weeds in the front yard are turning from green to light gray, while the leaves on the oak tree next door are yellow and falling to the ground.

a cloudy Tuesday
the damp in the morning air
penetrates my bones

There are other things I will miss when I move out of this neighborhood, but then I will have new things to discover in my new neighborhood. I am, on one level, looking forward to the move and, one another level, I do not want to move. A move means changes and sometimes change is difficult or painful; however, it is necessary to the advancement of the individual soul and humanity.

Saturday Review of My Week: Encountering a few Senior Moments

Jalál (Glory), 13 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Saturday, November 16, 2013 about 9:42 PM Pacific Standard Time

It's been a stressful week, which may explain the senior moments I've encountered. The other possibility is that I didn't print off a To Do List, which I will do for the up coming week. I have to print off a print off a To Do List for the Week of November 17-23 otherwise I'm going to forget something. As it is, I'm not sure what I forgot this week.

I didn't realize I had been forgetting stuff until I go an e-mail message in my writing.com e-mail box about the Senior Center November contest. I had the check the forum because I couldn't remember if I entered a poem. When I checked, I found I had entered the poem Giving Thanks.

The only things I'm sure I haven't for got to do this week was write at least 1,667 words a day on Midnight in Suburbia. my NaNoWriMo novel for 2013. I also managed to achieve most of the goals I posted on writing.com, but that was only because I was keeping track of them in one of the journals I keep, in my portfolio, on that website. I obviously need to start keeping track of everything I want to accomplish and accomplish in a single week. I can do this when I print off a To Do List each day of the week.

Writing.Com is the premier online community for readers and writers of all interests and skill levels. Whether you are a casual reader searching for a good story or an enthusiastic writer looking for the perfect place to display your masterpieces, Writing.Com is the website for you!
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Thankful Thursday: November 14, 2013

Istijlál (Majesty), 11 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Thursday, November 14, 2013 about 1:18 PM Pacific Standard Time

This afternoon I am thankful...

01.  ...for the bananas I received yesterday when I went to pick up some food at one of the Food Pantries here in Las Vegas;

02.  ...that I had a black printer cartridge for my printer this morning when I went to print out a letter I needed to send;

03.  ...for the leftover coffee I warmed up in the microwave;

04.  ...that I got the trashcan rolled to the curb before the garbage truck began there run yesterday because if I had missed them I would not have anything to put my trash in today;

05.  ...for cottage cheese and tomatoes because I can eat them without worrying about there being a lot of salt in them;

06.  ...that I have a stool to put my left leg on when I am working at the computer because putting my leg up helps keep the swelling down;

07.  ...for the grayish sweater coat someone gave me because it keeps my arms warm when I have to go out on cloudy autumn mornings;

08.  ...that I received four sausages when I went to the food pantry yesterday, I at two of the sausages for my breakfast today and I can have the other two with eggs in the morning;

09.  ...for the inspiration of word prompts because they assisted me to write December Memories this morning, which I stored in my writing.com portfolio;

10.  ...that I can at least stand up for five minutes to wash some dishes.

Moving is a Traumatic Experience

Fiḍál (Grace), 9 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Tuesday, November 12, 2013 about 8:24 AM Pacific Standard Time

Moving is a traumatic experience, especially when moving from a three-bedroom house to a one-bedroom or studio apartment. I don't remember the last move being as traumatic as this one, but that was because we (Mom and I)  were moving from a three-bedroom apartment to a three-bedroom house. I also wasn't doing most of the packing myself nor were we downsizing..

I decided this morning that "I do not want to move!" The reason is that I have to downsize and make the decision on what I have to give away, store, or throwaway by myself. Other people can help me pack, but I'm the one who has to decide what to do with the items that I don't want to keep. I can't consult with anyone about those items, someone else can suggest where to take them, but I'm the one who has to decide and that is difficulty.

I'll do what I have to do. I'll give away what I have to give away. I'll throwaway what I have to throwaway. I'll store what I have to store. I'll do all those things and all the while the thought in the back of my mind is that I'm probably going to regret throwing away or giving away something that I might need later.

My Left leg went to sleep

Kamál (Perfection), 8 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Monday, November 11, 2013 about 4:32 PM Pacific Standard Time

I an a frightening experience today, while I was standing at the bookcase removing books my left foot and leg went to sleep. This is the second time in the last 30 days this has happened. The first time I was waiting in line where I had to stand in one place for more then an hour. Today I was standing at the bookcase removing books for more then an hour. When I take more books out of the bookcase, I will have to watch how long I stand up. Fortunately, I do not have to do dishes this evening so I do not stand up for a long time any more today.

I am sure that this indicates a bigger problem, but I am not sure what it means. I will have to talk to my doctor about this at my next appointment.  In the mean time, I guess I should do an internet search to see what this symptom means. I do not think I have any other symptoms, but I could be wrong because it is difficult for me to walk and my knees hurt when I stand on my feet for about a half hour.

Saturday Morning and the Blue Screen of Death

Jalál {Glory), 6 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Saturday, November 9, 2013 about 8:24 AM Pacific Standard Time

The other computer, the one I use to download to and upload from, blue screened this morning while I was attempting to make my weekly scanner upload to a survey website. I upload this scanner every week without encountering the blue screen of death, therefore the problem did not have to do with the scanner or its software. I am not sure what caused the problem, but this is the second time this week I have encountered this issue.

The first time was a couple of days ago, when I turned on that computer and it did not come on in the normal manner. I do not know what caused the problem then either, but I suspect I have to schedule some maintenance in the coming week. Of course, this would be the week when the computer wanted maintenance because this is the week I have to find some place to move and move.

This is the middle of November and I have just finished paying some bills with more bills to pay, if I can raise the money to pay them. I do not have enough money in my account to pay rent, a move in fee, or anything else that I need to pay to move into a new place. In addition, I have two prescriptions to turn in today and I need gas in the car.

This afternoon, I have to go look at a place which I probably cannot afford; however, I am going to look at it anyway. There is no use rejecting the place until I see it and figure out if I can afford it and then figure out where I will get the money to move in. Yes, I am attempting to be positive about this even though the computer blue screened, which is not a good sign, but at least it blue screened on Saturday, the end of the week, instead of on Sunday, the start of a new week.

A Weary Friday Morning in Las Vegas

Istiqlál (Independence), 8 Qudrat, 170 BE - Friday, November 8, 2013 about 8:54 am Pacific Standard Time

What's wrong with me today?
I'm tired,
I'm yawning,
I'm unable to focus,
I don't want to go to sleep,
but I can't write,
I can't think,
I can't review:
 What's wrong with me today?

Do I need more to eat?
I ate a peanut butter sandwich,
perhaps something else
maybe warm up the soup
that's in the fridge,
or make an egg and cheese sandwich:
Do I need more to eat?

Do I need another cup of coffee?
Perhaps a glass of chocolate milk
will wake me up
and get me going:
Do I need another cup of coffee?

Thankful Thursday: November 7, 2013

Istijlál (Majesty), 4 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Thursday, November 7, 2013 about 3:22 pm Pacific Standard Time

Today I am thankful...

1.  ...that I have enough coffee to last the rest of November.

2. ...for the jar o peanut butter I received with my senior food allotment.

3.  ...that I was able to purchase two loaves of sour dough bread when I went shopping this morning because now I can have a grilled cheese sandwich.

4.  ...for canned fruit.

5.  ...that I still have electricity this week.

6.  ...for the cooked turkey breast I have in the freezer because I can make a turkey and grilled cheese sandwhich.

7.  ...that I had a coupon for laundry detergent because I saved $1.50 on my grocery bill this morning.

8.  ...for the eggs I have in the refrigerator because I can have an egg sandwich for breakfast tomorrow morning.

9.  ...that I have dry milk so that I can have a cereal for a snack.

10.  ...for my internet connection.

Wordless Wednesday: Click on the link and check out my writing.com portfolio

Tuesday Morning Issues; November 5, 2013

Fiḍál (Grace), 2 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Tuesday, November 5, 2013 about 10:02 AM Pacific Standard Time

I've been up since 3:00 am, as a result I've accomplished a lot of writing. I complete 1,505 words of today's NaNoWriMo goal of 1,667 words. I completed five reviews on writing.com and made two entries in Snow Melt. I had to make two entries in (Snow Melt) my writing.com journal to meet the 200 words goal for that blog. Fortunately, I can divide the 200 word goal between my blogger blogs. I have to come close to the 200 word goal or I won't make the daily goal of 2,000 words written per day.

I have three cups of coffee, a candy cane, and two bowls of cereal this morning. I am about to fall asleep composing this entry, So I guess I better turn off the computer and take a short nap. I don't want to take a nap because I still have to finish today's NaNoWriMo writing goal for today. I have only about 100 words to write to finish today's goal and the chapter. I have to end this entry now because I'm about to doze off on my keyboard and I don't sleep well sitting up.

a cold wind blowing
tree limbs waving in the dawn
the house is silent

Monday: You Know it's Going to be a Good Day When

Kamál (Perfection), 1 Qudrat (Power), 170 BE - Monday, November 4, 2013 about 8:45 AM Pacific Standard Time

You know it's going to be a good day when...

1.  ...you see a neighbor riding his Harley-Davidson to work;

2.  ...you find the microwavable plastic container that has the leak before you put it in the microwave to reheat last night homemade chicken soup;

3.  ...you have enough left over coffee in the carafe to reheat four cups in the microwave before you have to make fresh coffee;

4.  ...you find enough laundry detergent to wash three or four loads before you have to purchase another bottle of liquid detergent;

5.  ...you don't have to put your cell phone on the charger before making the first call of the day;

6.  ...you find you have a large trash bag of aluminum cans ready to take to the recycling center to sell before Thanksgiving;

7.  ...you check the weather report to find out that there is 0% chance of rain even though there is a cloud cover;

8. ...your virus scan program doesn't take four hours to check you hard drive for threats;

9.  ...you access the internet and go straight to work instead of logging into your favorite online game website;

10.  ...you complete three blog entries before 9:30 AM.

A Painful Sunday Morning

Jamál (Beauty), 19 'Ilm (Knowledge), 170 BE - Sunday, November 3, 2013 about 9:23 AM Pacific Standard Time

It's a painful Sunday morning,
getting up every fifteen minutes
so that the osteoarthritis in my knees
don't lock the joints
or sitting down every twenty minutes
so that my legs don't collapse under me.

It's a painful Sunday morning,
trying to live another day without heat
because if I turn it on
the power bill will go through the roof
and I still have to pay
last month's bill.

It's a painful Sunday morning,
but this too shall pass
like winter
when spring's
warm smile appears.

The thrid time in as Many Weeks

Jalál (Glory), 18 ‘Ilm (Knowledge), 170 BE - Saturday, November 2, 2013 about 4:45 PM Pacific Daylight Time

I just finished manually reboot my cable modem. This is the third time in three weeks that I have had to perform this action. I have had the modem for over a year and this is the first time I have to reboot it so many time in a four week period.

I left my computer on when I went to the couch to get my cell phone. While I was away from the computer I ate something and then called my brother. I was away from the computer for about an hour and the modem somehow lost its connection to the Internet. In order to get the connection back, I had to manually reboot the modem. It is not a difficult process it is just a bit irritating to have to do it so often.

From now on, if I think I am going to be away for more then thirty minutes, I will just turn the computer off and turn it back on when I am ready to work again. Normally, I only turn it off when I leave it to look at television, go to bed, leave the house, or do house work. If the modem keeps acting this way, I will have to call my cable provider and ask about the problem.

I need to go to the grocery store this afternoon

Istiqlál (Independence), 17 ‘Ilm (Knowledge), 170 BE - Friday, November 1, 2013 about 10:40 AM Pacific Daylight Time

I have to go to the grocery store this afternoon between 12:00 and 2:00 PM because I have to be back to the house before 3:00. I got off to a slow started today, which means I haven't written very much and I haven't reached the 834 word count yet. This is half of today's NaNoWriMo word count goal of 1,667. I need to reach that before I can leave the house today.

My Social Security check hit the bank this morning, so I can purchase some necessities and a little gas. I don't know how much more I can purchase though because I still have to figure out how much I'm going to have left for the power bill after everything else comes out, but I have to purchase a few personal items. I also need laundry soap and maybe some dish washing liquid because I don't want to run out before the end of the month.

I'll write a few more words on my NaNoWriMo novel and then I will check to see how much money I have coming out of my account this month. I had better remember to get coffee while I'm at the grocery store or I will be completely out before the end of the month.