Ms Mitchell

Gum Wrapper Chain in Life Journals JoeUser Forums

Do you remember making gum wrapper chains when you were a kid? If not, have you seen the movie 28 Days with Sandra Bullock? Hold that thought. I'll get back to it. During the summer, I have found that I tend to do more crafts than other times of the year. I finished an afghan I started at Christmas time. A friend taught me how to make rag rugs that are really easy and durable. I crocheted door mat and a tote bag out of plastic grocery bags. I love the idea of getting something f

Reply to It's Not the Heat in Life Journals Stardock Forums

[quote]Love the analogies, they're spot on.[/quote] Thank you, little-whip. [quote]Yes. And thanks for the good read.[/quote] Glad you liked it, Roy. I've been enjoying your poetry as well. [quote]But out there, it is pure and white and hot![/quote] Thanks Doc. This line is a little Hemingway-esque. I like it! [quote]It's not the heat..

It's Not the Heat in Life Journals JoeUser Forums

Heat in Iowa is oppressive. Heat in Maryland is demoralizing. Heat in moister regions of the country is a sticky, wet violation, like the frotteur on a crowded bus. In Arizona, yes, it's really, really freaking hot, and yes, it's a dry heat. Arizona heat is more like an overbearing co-worker who stands a little too close and talks a little too loud. One can easily escape. It's not the heat, it's the light. The light is unforgiving. Every flaw is on display. It's surgery lighting, dent

Reply to Rough Draft: Part 16 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

Greywar, thank you for helping me with JU etiquette. I'm still a newbie in many ways. My paragraphs and line breaks didn't paste. I should have double checked. Thanks for the constructive criticism.

Rough Draft: Part 16 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

Tom returned to Two Rivers late the next night. When Lily woke up she saw his sorry looking little pick up in the yard and the storm flag up. Jared and Anna had planned on inviting friends over that afternoon, so they were pouting. “Why can’t we at least have a TV like normal people?” Jared demanded. “Mr. Abbot says it lowers your IQ, and you can’t affor

Rough Draft: Part 15 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

Azalea showed up at the kitchen door one afternoon with Suzie on her hip. Once again she had been crying herself blotchy. “Geez, Zaya, two words: waterproof mascara.” Azalea laughed in spite of herself. When Lily had seen to it that Frank’s needs were net for the time being, she brewed some red bush tea for herself and her sister and made toast and apple

Rough Draft: Part 14 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

“I don’t swim,” Frank told Lily. “Ridiculous. How can you have that beautiful pool in your backyard and not swim? It would be the best thing for you.” “I said I don’t swim,” he repeated emphatically. “Why?” Lily persisted. “None of your darn business.” Lily dropped it for the day. She would talk to Tom or Claudia and get them to tag team Frank unti

Rough Draft: Part 13 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

The swimming season in Lake Michigan is very short. Young Frank rarely wasted a day of it. Frank’s father decided to build him the pool house when he realized that his son was not only enthusiastic about swimming, he was also fast. The pool house was a great glass greenhouse that not only housed potted citrus trees and other food producing plants, it also contained

Rough Draft: Part 12 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

Lily scheduled a working lunch with Arthur to crunch numbers and to get his advice. That evening, she discussed with Anna and Jared her decision to take the job. As expected, Jared was petulant and Anna tried to compensate by being perfect and perky. Anna’s hands were getting chapped from too much washing, but that was a worry for another day. The following Sunday

Rough Draft: Part 11 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

Lily parked in the circular drive and pulled the antique doorbell. She was greeted by a sweet-faced, white haired woman. Although she had to be over eighty years old, with a tell-tale osteoporosis hump, her face was smooth. Aside from a few crinkles at the eyes when she smiled, this woman was wrinkle-free. She must have been quite a looker in her prime. The old w

Rough Draft: Part 10 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

Monday, Lily slept. She slept like a dead thing. She awoke refreshed and realized that she was deeply relieved. She had hated every minute of what the children called the Baby-Man job. Most nights there was nothing to do. She would clean the apartment quickly and then turn her attention to whatever she had brought in her tote bag to do. She knitted socks and scarves.

Reply to Rough Draft: Part 2 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

(Is there something about the "Mormon character'" that will be explained later?) Just writing what I know. ps - how is the Southwest now? Is it home yet?) Still miss the seasons and my friends and fam. But yeah, I finally feel settled. So the story is set in Northeastern Wisconsin.

Rough Draft: Part 9 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

Camellia was a dancer. She rose through the corps de ballet and became a soloist with the Chicago Ballet. This is where Arthur Rose first saw her and felt a powerful sense of déjà vu. When she appeared at church the very next morning, he knew that she would be his wife. Sometimes Arthur thought that she had married him for his floral surname. It was only when she was

Rough Draft: Part 8 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

“You can’t afford me. I’m moving to Arizona to live with Dad.” Jared had barely allowed Lily to get out of the car in Violet’s driveway before he made this announcement. This she did not need. “Stow it, Jared. You can express your adolescent angst later.” She knew it was the wrong way to deal with him. Parenting experts would be appalled. Too bad. “What’s that

Rough Draft: Part 7 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

“Here Honey, I circled these for you.” Iris handed Lily the Help Wanted ads in the Sunday Press-Gazette. “Wow, Iris, that’s great! I lost my job less than five hours ago and you’ve already found me a new one. Here’s the muffin tin I borrowed; it’s been in my car for weeks. So who ratted me out?” “Mother called. I’m just trying to help. Heaven knows you can’t

Rough Draft: Part 6 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

Lily was at the sink when Derek came in, slipped his arms around her waist and started nibbling her neck. “Did you come home for a little matinee d’amour?” she asked. “If that’s French for a nooner, then yes.” He took her hands and led her upstairs. Their choreography had been developed over thirteen years of marriage. Twenty minutes later the phone

Rough Draft: Part 5 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

Lily couldn’t talk to Azalea right now; she wanted to kick Azalea right in the ass. Sam had pulled up at 6:30 that morning and honked the horn. Azalea had scooped up Susie and run out to him. Violet would be full of advice and Iris would rail. She needed somebody reasonable to talk to. “Hello, Mother. Is Dad around?” “Yes he is, Lily, why do you want him

Rough Draft: Part 4 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

“Did everyone sign in? Good.” Sandy stood in the living room of Capable Living’s headquarters. The employees sat on the furniture or the floor depending on who arrived before whom. Sandy stared at her clipboard for several minutes before she began, “Capable Living has changed hands. The parent company Sunny View sold Capable Living to an HMO out of Wausau. The new

Reply to Rough Draft: Part 1 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

I'm sorry, Buddha. I don't have a microphone yet. As soon as i get one I will send a sound file. I've been checking out the virtual poetry reading. Goooood stuff! The flower explanation is coming.

Rough Draft: Part 3 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

Lily remembered the first night she came to work here over a year ago. She was still working on her degree and money from Derek had dried up. Her first night, she walked up and knocked on the door eager to begin, eager to make a good impression. Darlene, a large woman with no top teeth, wearing Sponge Bob Square Pants scrubs, greeted her. “Libby Costello?”<BR

Rough Draft: Part 2 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

“Lily, we need you to come in to work right away.” Lily sat on the edge of her bed with one leg trying to wriggle into her pantyhose with her Blackberry clamped between her ear and her shoulder. “Sandy, I’m on my way out the door for church. Can’t you get someone else? What about Darlene; she’s always looking for more hours.” “Darlene will be here.” “W

Reply to About Wisconsin in Humor JoeUser Forums

Amen. I'm going by Piggly Wiggly to get some bakery for breakfast but first I need a drink from the bubbler, enso? I miss Wisconsin.

Rough Draft: Part 1 in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

The ring of the Blackberry startled Lily. It was after midnight, but she was still up—would be for a couple of hours yet. The caller ID read “Azalea”. Lily knew what she would hear on the other end. “Lily? It’s me.” “Zaya, what’s wrong?” Lily asked. Azalea had pronounced her name “Zaya” as a baby and the nickname had stuck. Now only Lily called her that. “

A dream I had in Writing JoeUser Forums

I had this dream. It was one of those cinematic dreams that has nothing to do with your waking life. It even had the movie trailer voice over guy. So I woke up and the characters had names and I had seen whole scenes between them. Not being one to snub a muse because she doesn't let me check my palm pilot before scheduling a visit, I started working on it. I'm plowing

Reply to The Final Rinse in Fiction Writing JoeUser Forums

I think even your missteps would be fascinating. Thanks. You have no idea how badly i needed to hear that.