My Prompt_ The Cottontail

I’ve decided to start my blogging and attend to my 101 assignments early in the morning before I get bogged down with work. I’ve been getting to Blogging U later in the day when like my mobile devices, my charge is running out.

I didn’t get my prompt from the Daily Post but from a Cottontail Rabbit hopping in my neighborhood.

The other night I saw my first cottontail of the season hopping quickly away from us into the night and into the woods by our house. I’m sure he or she wanted to get the lead on Eliza before she would attempt to chase it.  It was gone before she knew it.  She had sniffed into the air and followed the faint smell as one would a sweet perfume or fresh bread by the bakery. It drives her crazy when we are out on our walks.  Of course she smells them long before I can see them and she starts pulling me in their directions with SuperDog strength. Even at 16 lbs, I swear one of these days she’s going to pull my arm out!

I’m not ashamed to admit that I always get excited when I see the first cottontail of the season hopping by. Of course it always reminds me of “Here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail, hippity hoppin’, Easter’s on the way.  Bringin’ every girl and boy baskets full of Easter joy, things to make your Easter bright and gay…”   In an instant, my mind had looped back a few decades to pull out this tune from the “corners of my mind”.

Now, you need to understand that I’m a city kid from the Northeast and you can be sure I didn’t see any cottontails’ hippity, hoppin’ down my street in Brooklyn, NY or even at the Prospect Park nearby.  As my daughters were growing up, I never saw one hippity hoppin’ in the old mill city north of Boston either.  However, stored in my memory, I can still recall that with each season, our elementary school music teacher would have new songs for us to welcome and celebrate it. These were usually sing-a-long folk songs from long, long time ago.  We would sing at the weekly Assembly when all the classes would come together to share the arts before things got COMPLICATED.

I’ve lived in Florida for several years now, also in the city and yet each year around this time I start seeing brown rabbits with tails that look like a wad of cotton stuck to the rear end. They start growing in numbers as the days go by too.  They make nests in the landscaping around the neighborhood, in the bushes, tall grass, behind trees in backyards.  When you least expect it there is one jumping out on the walkways or sidewalks, followed by another and another.  I tend to be a bit simpleminded at times and seeing the first cottontail affirms that this seasonal event must be why there’s a connection with bunnies and Easter.  Nothing sinister about that.

My reminiscing was interrupted my “left brain” and by that I mean, my tendency to lean to the liberal minded side of politics and religion.  I know that soon I will start seeing my Facebook feed cluttered with posts demonizing the Easter Bunny with its colorful eggs in a basket.

Don’t get me wrong, spiritually; Easter is actually my favorite season.  I like the idea of Lent-forty days of personal soul searching, reflecting and spiritual cleansing.  I hope to be writing more on that as the days go by.

But back to Peter and the eggs…

It drives me crazy when all the holier- than- thou take away the beauty of the season and start preaching fear from the pulpits to make everything bad and ugly.   Most of our treasured traditions practiced from time immemorial, religious or not, have origins in some “pagan” ritual. The Apostle Paul in Acts 17:23 did a nice job of reconciling the religious traditions of the Greek community with what he believed to be true.   Look it up if you haven’t read it or if you have, look at it this way.  Let me know what you think.

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for more of my reflections during the Easter season…

Trying on Themes

I’ve been away for a couple of days.  Daily routines get in the way. I’m back trying on themes. I’ve decided to try from the free ones as I’m still taking baby steps.   I’ve gone back and forth with a couple of themes and seem to come back to this one.  I like that its clean and simple but gives me some options with color, pictures and widgets.   Finding and downloading free public domain pictures has been a challenge.   I’ll keep exploring and trying out site and finding pictures that help define my blog.

Checking out my Blogger Neighbors

Greetings fellow bloggers,

Today’s assignment is checking out our neighbors.  I’ve enjoyed going in and checking out sites of other folks here at Blogging 101. There are so many talented writers again in this group.  When someone comments on the main Blogging 101 section, I go in and check that blog. I usually try to make a comment about the content or the page.

I tend to enjoy blogs similar to mine with observations and musings of everyday life.  The student, the grandmother, the mom or dad putting one foot in front of the other as each goes about the day, letting us share in the colors of life as they know it. I guess I find life amusing.  I also like artsy blogs of poems and prose or those with lots of pictures or unique crafts and handiwork.

I wish I had the time to follow lots more but there are only 24 hours in my day and by the time I finish reading the most recent posts, it seems like there are a hundred more in queue. I’ve chosen only a few to follow because even if one is attractive, well written and interesting, it may not be my cup of tea.

As for my  blog, right know I just concentrating on completing the assignments.  I plan not to get bogged down with technical difficulties this time.

Thanks for stopping by.

Taking control of my First Impression for my blog

Blogging 101- Assignment #2

This time around I’m pretty satisfied with the title of my blog. I’ll spare you a repeat of my post on how I got to this name from the original “Swirling Around in My Head”.  I find that this title simply describes me and what the blog is about.

Truth be told as I get older, I censor less of my thoughts and ideas. Its quite liberating, I have you know. I consider it perks of getting older.  It’s really not in my nature to be rude, cruel or careless but I do intend to explore different topics inspired by the world around me and the people in it.  Names and relations may be changed to protect the innocent.  After all, I don’t want to totally alienate my family and friends.

The visual presentation is plain, that’s where I will really need to work on and get creative.

If you want to know more, please feel free to take a look at my original posts from the previous Blogging 101.

Rewind_ Blogging 101_First Blog Assignment about Why I’m Here

I’m back!  I started with the last round of Blogging 101 at the beginning of the year.  I was trying to set up 2 blogs at once and somewhere along the way I got lost. When I first registered, I did it under my work blog Roz_Relocates_U.  I started writing here but posting there and then switched. I got stuck trying to research for the work blog, making it attractive for my audience and writing for the  workshop. I find I enjoy this one more so I’ve decided to start again and focus on my personal blog “Self Censored”. The name has changed from my original name.  The history of the metamorphosis and a bit about myself is in the previous posts.

Bottom line? I enjoy writing and right now I want to be creative and let my thoughts flow without having to worry too much about the outcome.  The feedback I was getting was helpful. I’m hoping to finish the four weeks and move on with a better blog and enthusiasm.

Blogging 101- Assignment #4 For My Family and Friends

This is my assignment # 4 and I chose to write this blog for you my family and friends who feel uncomfortable with my opinions that don’t conform to your sense of right and wrong.  To those of you who fear that at this stage of the game I am backsliding to hell, I thank you for your prayers and please know that this blog is for you too.   I know that you are sincere in your beliefs.  Our friendship would not have lasted if I thought differently. I appreciate that you continue to accept me in spite of it all.

I want you to rest assured that I am not an atheist, leftist, liberal.  However, I want you to know that each time one of those “Christian” politicians or religious leaders gets up with that look in the eye to  talk about morality and what is right in the eyes of God, I get afraid and I take a step to the left.  Please don’t think that I was brainwashed by the socialists as I campaigned for Barack Obama and I certainly didn’t wake up one morning because an evil force put these thoughts in my head while I was sleeping.  No, this has been a process, a spiritual transformation and personal evolution if you will.  Please excuse my use of the “E” word but it does describe the way I see the process.  It didn’t happen at the snap of my fingers or the wave of a wand.

Most of you know that I love the history behind the scriptures.  I’ve studied the Christian bible-Catholic and Protestant versions. I’ve researched the basic beliefs and dogmas of Orthodox Catholics and other popular religions. I’ve come to the conclusion that they all have similar, if not the same basic teachings. They’ve all served as a moral compass for believers.   Traditions and forms of worship have been shared and adopted though the ages.  I will get into all these things as we go along.

I need a break!
I need a break!

But–   Since writing about religion and politics day in and day out can be a bit exhausting for all of us, I intend to add a few stories, musings of life how I’ve experienced it.  I’ll add stories about my grandchildren and the amazement with which they experience life. There is nothing more fun for me right now than seeing the world again through the eyes of a child that is loved and cared for.  Sometimes I’ll bring bittersweet stories, memories of my parents, aunts and uncles that have passed on from this life but taught me to be the person I am today.  I hope you’ll smile as you remember them too.   I’m sure there will be days when I bring in a “can you believe it?” story just to make you chuckle.  I hope you do.

Getting to know my blogging neighbors- Assignment #3

Day three and Blogging 101 is turning out to be quite fun.  I’ve checked in on other bloggers in the class and thoroughly enjoyed myself.  As someone else mentioned- it can be a full time job!  I’ll check out more new ones again at another time.

I find that I prefer light hearted musings of everyday life. There are quite a bit of really great ones with great pictures and creative storytelling.  Some already look quite polished.

What have I learned from the experience that I will use in my blog?

  1. There is no end to the possibilities!
  2. Take my camera out more or figure out a good place to get good stock photos that won’t break the bank.
  3. Be creative, have fun and don’t make it a chore
  4. A complicated topic needs to be dished out in increments or the reader may zone out.
  5. Use the preview button

Hope to see you around some time.

Blogging 101- Assignment #2 – Revise the title…

I liked this assignment.  It forced me to focus on another title for my blog, something more unique, more ME.  I was fond of that “Swirling Around in My Head” idea.  In fact, it had been “swirling” from the minute I started to contemplate writing a blog.   After I set up my theme with title and tag line, I decided to Google it.   Low and behold I found that there are lots of people with things “swirling around” in their respective heads.   I knew I had to make a change.

Here’s what I came up with:

SELF-CENSORED

A blog all about me and the thoughts I won’t share in pleasant company or FB

I think this new title is a play on words that really speaks to why I thought about writing a blog in the first place.  I wanted a place where I could speak my mind and impart the wisdom of my personal evolution without worrying that I’m offending someone.

Time for a little background:

When I was about 5 years old, my mother said she received a miraculous healing from God. She was almost 25 and going blind.  My aunt, my father’s sister, took her to a healing service and that was it.  Mom had faith.  It was done. She became a born-again Christian.  And so it was that, I was raised a fundamentalist evangelical in a place somewhere between a Southern Baptist and a Pentecostal. I went to bible institute, bible College, played guitar and Christian folk music in coffee shops, taught Sunday school and held leadership positions.

My parents weren’t radicals in the faith which allowed me the opportunity to come to my own conclusions and practice faith in my own way in spite of the environment. About the time I was turning 40 and going through a rough patch, I decided I had enough.  I needed more spirituality and less religion.  I’ve had some pretty strong opinions over the past few years when radical Christians are trying to run or ruin the country (depending on which side you are on). I still have friends and family that are pastors, missionaries, music ministers or quite involved their churches.  These folks are very dear to me.  They are good people and I prefer to stay away from hot topics on politics and religion at gatherings.

This brings me back to this blog about Me, Self-censored.

A Little Bit More About Me

Assignment for the Blogging 101- linked to my personal blog-Swirling Around In My Head.

You could say I got carried away with enthusiasm.  Once I had this blog set up, I started another one shortly after.  My original idea was to start this personal one and once I felt comfortable, I would start the other for work.

At this point in my life however, I realize that sometimes you have to respond to a situation like the commercial says: “just do it”.  I think I’ll change my one word for the year to “DO!”.  Yes, with the exclamation point just to remind me.

People have always encouraged me to write and tell my stories, but life got in the way. In my search for inspiration at the end of 2014, I found this quote:  “Tomorrow (noun):  a mythical land where 99% of all human productivity, motivation and achievement is stored.”  Anonymous  

I didn’t want to wait another few months or perhaps years to get started.  I just jumped in.  I’m getting warmed up.  I’ve a grand total of 4 posts – if you count this one.  I’m finding my way around both sites and signed up for Blogging 101 at Blog U.  It starts today.  By the end of the course, keeping up with two blogs will be a piece of cake.

There’s more information about me, why and because in my first post.  The picture is of my Eliza Doolittle, more about her in another post.  Purple is my favorite color and that is a sunrise over the Bay at one of my favorite places to chill or meditate or both.     Feel free to take a look.

So this is it… My Blog

I’ve been meaning to start a blog for some time now. Two blogs as a matter of fact. One for my personal musings and one for work.

I am a Realtor(R). I enjoy working with people to find that perfect place to call home. I enjoy talking about how wonderful it is to live in the Tampa Bay area where everything seems to be just a short ride away. There’s so much to do and see. I wanted to write for work to get the message across that not all Realtors are just after a quick buck. First of all there is nothing quick about making money in sales- much less real estate sales. Second of all, most of us Realtors(R) do enjoy our clients and make client satisfaction our priority. We work hard to get the best deal for them whether they are buying or selling.

But THIS blog is about me. It’s about my opinions regarding such topics that are not polite to speak of in pleasant company – religion and politics. It’s also about my observation and thoughts of the world around me. Questions that swirl in my head often have multiple answers, some are obvious others are just under the surface, while others are buried like Pompeii or the pyramids in Egypt.

I love story telling and putting together pieces of history so that the world makes sense.
I love my family and special friends that I’ve been fortunate to share time with all the way.
My theme song currently is Zac Brown’s “knee Deep”. I heard it was written in reference to the islands, but it works just fine for me here in Florida.

So you see this blog will be a little of this and a little of that. I hope you can join me from time to time.