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Unbridled by Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

I am speechless and have only tears in my eye’s as I read this review from Mama Cass. Yes, I am a softie now and again 🙂 Please read. Thank you

Mama Cass's avatarAspen Tree Book Reviews

Unbridled

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

I began reading poetry back when I was about 8.  I had a certain type I liked – “free verse” they called it.  It didn’t rhyme, it didn’t have meters and cadences.  What I considered poetry was the flowing words that would capture, break, open, touch (any or all) of your heart.  Grasping your soul in tight clenches so that your breath can’t even escape, for someone else has felt this same way that you have and put it together in a rhythm that no dance could ever accompany it.  The first book of poetry I had, my mom gave to me on a birthday.  I still have it.  I started writing poetry at the age of 10 and at the age of 12 had worn contests and had a public showing of my written words on display at a local mall.  I’m telling of this, because…

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Rononvan's Weekly Haiku Challenge

Painted Mask…

When I saw Ronovan’s prompt for this week’s haiku ‘painted & lady’ I chuckled, wondering what prompted his train of thought.

These days, I marvel at how much time some ladies spend painting and brushing and painting some more. It just seems too exhausting taking all that time applying layers and layers of makeup that one would wash off at the end of the day. Just a little dab should suffice.

The lady wears heavy makeup

I wonder if she recognizes herself anymore

beneath her bright painted mask.

©

Jacqueline

Art

Iron Men… Wordless Wednesday

 

These are made from recycled materials.

Iron Mask, Bronze Work, Artwork, Deity,

Check out my latest book ‘Unbridled.’

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The Daily Post

Whirlwind…

Whirlwind, Going Around, Merry-Go-Round, Carousel, Endless

She fears her life

is a nightmarish carousel

taking her on a whirlwind journey

but getting nowhere in a hurry.

©

Jacqueline

Carousel – The Daily Post

 

My Thinking Corner

Accepting Change…My Thinking Corner

When we keep accepting things that we can’t change, we’ll probably end up accepting everything because, at face value, everything that we need to change requires some measure of effort.

Change quote, Challenge, Life, Pushing Forward, Inspiration, My Thinking Corner

Once something presents a bit of challenge, most times, the natural inclination is to decide that it’s difficult and stressful, then we decide to avoid the challenge and settle into accepting the status quo. This doesn’t take away the problem that we have, rather it simply adds it to an ever-growing list of things left untackled.

‘Can’t’ is a strong operative word that changes the dynamics of how we view things and our ability to give it our best shot.

Just taking away that little letter ‘t’ and leaving it at ‘can’ stimulate the psyche. Saying I can, I will and I need to make the necessary adjustments to change a circumstance shifts our mindset and perspective. We find ourselves looking for all the possible approaches to a resolution to our challenges. Sometimes, the resolution might not be tangible but primarily a changed state of the mind.

This post from Lady Cee on expectations – a somewhat juxtaposition to my own thoughts above – is one that I would recommend for those looking for inspiration and self-help instruction regarding achieving their dreams. Lots of food for thought.

“You can’t predict the future. What you can do is let go of the baggage of your past and move forward without expectations.” Jason Harvey

Photo 101 · Photographs

Let There Be Light…

Without light, we would be engulfed in darkness,1 so it’s not a surprise that we are drawn to it, both the natural and artificial light. Light is one of the most important factors to consider when taking photos. A great shot could be marred if the lighting is not good.

Photography, artificial light, tips, image, under expose, have fun

 

Tip: When exposing for beams of light, it is best to under expose the entire scene. This adds some drama to the image and keeps some detail in the light beams themselves.

 

Photography, artificial light, tips, image, under expose, have fun

 

Tip: Backlighting adds details of the subject. When backlighting, it’s best to under expose the image to allow the highlights to glow. Read More…

 

Poetry Cards · Poetry/Poems

Pieces of you…

Poetry, Poems, Relationships, Spoken Word, Every Part Of You

Check out my latest book ‘Unbridled.’

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Blogging · Guest Posts

A Creative Way Around The Technology Of Your Blog

The more outlets creative individuals have, the better. We all have our niche, of course, be it writing, painting, or making music. But, we don’t need to stick to our specialty. In fact, it’s better to branch out. One creative outlet feeds another, and the more you use, the more complete your creative satisfaction will be.

Picture Credit

Some alternatives can even help your primary pursuit. Blogging, for example, provides you with a new way to share what you love doing. If you write fiction, you could post pieces or speak about your writing process. If you love painting, you could develop a blog reviewing your favourite methods.

But, many creative individuals avoid the blogging world. Why? Because the idea of all that technology gives a lot of us a headache. Far from being an inspiration, it seems like a sure way to kill creativity. In truth, though, you may not need to be as technologically minded as you think. Knowing your stuff may help, but there’s a shortcut for every eventuality. To prove the point, we’re going to look at a few of them!

The Appearance

The appearance of your page is important. If you’re putting your name to this, you want it to look good. But, how do you start? In truth, there’s no easy way to make your theme. There’s coding galore to learn. You’d need to know colour codes, button sequences, and so on. It’s not impossible, but it would take some time.

To save you the hassle, you could turn to pre-made blog layouts. Sites like WordPress offer free themes. Bear in mind, though, that these are commonly used. If you want something unique, you could always opt for a paid option from another site.

The Additions

Successful blogs often have additions, from mailing lists to background music. You don’t need to be a tech whizz to incorporate these, either. Setting up a mailing list is much easier than you think. Companies like ConvertKit ensure even beginners can get going. As for incorporating music, it’s as simple as watching a few quick online tutorials. Once you get started, you’ll wonder what all the worry was about.

The Emergencies

There’s always the possibility of emergencies when using technology. If your blog goes down, it could be bad news for your reputation. And, if you don’t know your stuff, you may struggle to get it running again. Who needs the headache? In truth, though, research will ensure you can cope with anything. Something like this guide about how to fix the “Error establishing a database connection” problem on WordPress has got you covered. A guide like this shows you the best ways to get your site up and running again fast.

Backing up your page and content will also go a long way. You don’t need to be a genius to get on top of this; you just need to be organized. And, if there’s one thing creative people are good at, it’s getting organized when it matters most.

 

Short Stories

The Holiday Surprise…

Cassie’s excitement grew as she boarded the flight. Her boss had grudgingly approved her time off after making her feel as if she was indispensable and her vacation was a time-wasting venture.

She knew Ian would be surprised and pleased to see her since he had given up on their having the vacation together due to her intense work that never seemed to abate.

Daydreaming as the plane made its way to Seychelles, she imagined all the exciting moments that they would have; surfing, kayaking, sleeping in a little longer, lounging in her bathing suit sipping some fruity cocktail, catching up on her reading and just enjoying being together. Who knows, maybe he would get round to proposing; a girl could always dream.

The holiday resort looked fabulous, but the concierge did his best to burst the bubble of her surprise by insisting on calling Ian before giving her a key.

A flustered, unexcited boyfriend joined her in the lobby. The mere look in Ian’s eye’s told her that something was wrong.

© Jacqueline

Thank you, TJ Paris for the photo prompt and PJ for hosting.

Check out my latest book ‘Unbridled.’

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Today

Threads Galore…

Mundane Monday Challenge is created to find beauty in almost everything.

The challenge is simple. Find beauty in everyday mundane things, capture the beauty and upload the photographs.

Threads, Sewing, Colours, Beautiful, Photographs, Tailoring, Organized, Neat, Arrangement

They are so nicely arranged that I have two thoughts, one, to sew, two to play with them a bit.

Check out my latest book ‘Unbridled.’

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