Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Walking, thinking, writing ~ SOLSC Day 2

Howdy #sol21 slicers and friends. I started a morning draft to get ahead of the game and beat my pantser syndrome, but the draft turned into a clumsy opus of a different color -- not something to tidy up and smooth rough edges for a quick post. Then I turned my attention to other things. By the time my mind turned back this way, dusk was closing. So I went for a walk instead. Until recently, the weather's been too cold most days.

Walking at dusk down Ivy St

Walking is a good for thinking, not so much for remembering musings when I sit back down at the keyboard. Picture taking fits in but recording notes would ruin the walk.

At least "other" included reading blog posts, commenting and wrangling the WP reader. Negotiating SOLSC off two platforms while juggling projects and committments on a handful of other platforms can be a hassle.  

That's it for today, more tomorrow...



Two Writing Teachers host SOL Tuesdays and an annual March Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC). This is the 14th one. During March, the participating SOLSC community writes  and shares daily blog posts, commenting on three or more blog posts by other participants. Read today's (March 2, 2021) blog posts here

 Let them eat (orange slice) cake...and comment

Monday, March 1, 2021

Day 1 of SOLSC, #sol21

...almost forgot about today being the day. How's that for an inauspicious start? Factor in that I'm on Mountain Time and haven't sliced since #sol18, barely blogged at all either. This will be a short post -- just enough to show I've got skin in the TWT game. 

Next step, image search. I could pull a slice image from my files but old habits die hard. OT: did you know that "slicing" is also a computing term? The associated images are intriguing too, especially the sliced elephant. I'll save those for later when there's more time. Then there's golf...

Stop slicing the golf ball

This will be my 5th SOLSC. I wasn't going to do it but found myself signing up just a few days ago on a spur of the moment whim. I don't know why, so don't ask. No plans, no themes, no topics in mind yet either. Intro, backstory and condensed catch-up next time. 

For now, good night all (until tomorrow) from Vanessa Vaile, blogging from Yuma, Colorado, on the High Plains,

a late night slicer to the end...

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

On the state of blogging, Yuma CO and life in the Manor

On blogging comebacks

My front porch with wild flowers, last summer at the Manor
On a misleadingly positive note, 2020 blogging output on Reflections is double 2019's. That is to say, I posted once in 2019 and, until just now, twice this year, neither original posts but content from elsewhere. This post will triple it. 

Why the silence? It's complicated. What, if anything, does Yuma and the Manor have to do it? Possibly nothing but bear thinking about. I suspect it's voice, personal vs neutral. Will the comeback stick this time? Who knows? My comeback record so far is not encouraging, but I'm game to give it another shot. 

Considering Yuma and the Manor

Monday, June 22, 2020

Events & more this week @SeniorPlanet Colorado


Newsletter, June 22 to 26

Welcome to Senior Planet Colorado, which helps seniors learn new skills, save money, get in shape, and make new friends. Our courses, programs, and activities are changing the lives of older adults far beyond technology. Won’t you give it a try?  

Got questions? Call the Senior Planet Colorado hotline: (303) 218-7320

Sunday, May 3, 2020

The End of Normal - Part 1

from Scientists' Warning, YouTube




The title 'The End of Normal' says it all. The current #COVID-19 #pandemic has changed, and there is no going back. The conversation was elicited by an email from John Doyle, a long time EU Commission member, sent to his EU colleagues, on which I, Stuart Scott, was copied. The subject line was 'The End of Normal' and the body of the email was a shock-and-a-half to me, even though John and I share the same view of humanity's 'prognosis.'

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Happy World Penguin Day, April 25, 2020

....with penguin photos from

Vanessa- Happy World Penguin Day! We thought we'd share our favorite photos of our clumsy, cheeky little friends. Enjoy!
Image

Happy World Penguin Day!

Penguin gif flapping its flippers

Earlier this year, we visited the magical Antarctic as part of a year-long voyage from pole to pole calling for ocean protection. One of the highlights of our time there was meeting incredible Antarctic wildlife — including whales, seals and thousands of cute penguins.

Because it's World Penguin Day today, we thought we'd share our favorite photos of our clumsy, cheeky little friends. Enjoy!

Wahoo! It's snack time for these Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins, who are lining up to dive for fish.

Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins fish on an iceberg off Half Moon Island.

When the parents force you to get a family photo…

A Chinstrap Penguin family in Antarctica

Thursday, March 14, 2019

#OpenLearning2019…once more unto the breach

…of yet another connectivist #MOOC that is

… and my first post for  Open Learning 2019 because I have to post to have a feed to complete sign-up. This procedure guarantees that I will have written at least one blog post for Open Learning 2019, which puts me ahead of Open Learning 2017, although at least I came away from it with a Hypothesis account and another MOOC feed in my reader.

I've participated in MOOCs since 2010, including the occasional x-version.  The past few years, participation has not matched intentions, and I've been on an extended blogging hiatus as well. When I missed most of Open Learning 2017, I told myself next year but missed that too.

So here I am following #openlearning19 tweets, reading blog posts and collecting links. And if it helps kick starts a return to blogging? Lagniappe.