Guest Posts

Meet Robin Baldwin and Her Gorgeous Family

I simply love getting to know folks better in this space. I keep thinking that one day in the near future, there’ll be a facetime opportunity to meet with all those whom I’ve connected with over these past months of blogging.

When you interact with someone for a while their warmth seeps through their words and Robin is one of the lovely souls I have been interacting with in this space and I believe in connecting my friends. Please, I implore you to take a bit of time to visit her blog and say hello.

Thank you, dear Robin, for sharing bits of you with us 🙂Image result for images to thank you flower

 

 

 

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A bit about me

My name is Robin Baldwin. I was born and raised in Southern California, where I still live. I have a Bachelor’s degree in business and a Master’s degree in mass communication. I am a senior manager at IEEE Computer Society and have worked there for 21 years.

I have been married for 19 years to my amazing husband, Michael. He is a wonderful life partner and father to our daughters.

I am a Christian and believe in the power and beauty of God. I converted to being Catholic about a year after my daughters were baptized at our church. So spirituality is an important theme in my poetry.

I try to have a positive outlook on life whenever possible. I treat others like I want to be treated and I always want the underdogs to win.

A bit about my blog

On my blog, you will find thoughts, mostly poems, about what’s going on in my life through the views of the various roles I assume in any given moment: mom of twins, wife, daughter, friend, manager, woman, spiritual seeker.

I’ve written poetry on and off throughout the years since I was a teenager. In the last several years I’ve been busy working and parenting, but lately, I’ve found small windows of opportunity to write. It has made me want to write more, so I decided to start a blog as a creative outlet.

I have been amazed at the generous support and love this blogging community gives. It keeps me motivated to keep writing.

One of my initial poems for my blog is at https: My Table

I also write a lot about my daughters, so this is my most recent post about when my husband and I decided to let our twins room in separate rooms for their class field trip: These Girls

How I keep motivated with blogging

I keep writing about the things that matter most to me. Seeing the likes, comments, and follows really helps!

What’s your most challenging moment in your blogging journey so far?

None so far and Yes, I would totally encourage others to blog! Especially if you ever wondered if you have what it takes to be a writer. The feedback from this wonderful WordPress community is empowering.

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My typical day

I am up by 6:30 am to get ready for the day. Then I wake up my girls up and get them going for school. I take them to school and then go to work. I usually have several meetings each day either with my team or with colleagues to discuss various projects we’re working on.

After work, I meet up with my family at home where we have dinner together (my husband is the cook and makes fabulous meals!). While the girls finish homework, my husband and I try to catch up on each other’s days.

In the near future

I don’t have any specific plans for my blog other than to continue to keep nurturing it by posting at least a couple of times per week, visiting other blogs, and participating in blog parties like the ones you host each month.

However, my next goal in writing is to submit to poetry publications. And, now that I think about it, some day in the future I might publish a book of my poetry.


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Stream of Consciousness Saturday.

This is my Hood! Stream of Consciousness Saturday.

Hot copious cups of cheap Nescafe wakes up my foggy brain cells. Sometimes, I wonder how on Earth this super machine of the brain functions, with a million thoughts and ideas buzzing in and out at the same time and not combusting. socsbadge2016-17

I have never been able to stay on one singular thought for as long as I can remember and I believe that this frenetic energy of buzzing thoughts increased with adulting, motherhood, wifedom, and my writing life.

Hovering over my shoulder while on the kitchen’s hot plate flipping pancakes, my muse whispers the beginning of a plot that keeps running away from the lines once I sit down to write, my trio are all talking at the same time to me, of course my superpowers enable me to hear each person, resolve their questions, whip up impeccable omelet for dear Himself and commune with my buzzing muse all at the same time.

How on Earth have I managed not to run off with the raggle-taggle band of gypsies to Never, Never Land, where we never grow old, never have to deal with an escape artist of a muse, a demanding brood of hungry children whose bellies seem to gobble the pancakes so fast, yet their pleading eyes’ keep asking for more?

For want of an explanation, I believe it’s because this is my hood, and I’m in charge. Join me for a hot cuppa of cheap coffee 🙂

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Linda’s prompt for today’s’ SoCS is a to find a word with the two letter ‘ho,’ and I can’t help but slip in a Ho,Ho,Ho, it will soon be Christmas time 😉


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Dubai · The Daily Post

Let it Glow

When I saw the prompt ‘shine’ for The Daily Post, two thoughts automatically came to my mind, one in the manner of a song and the other a quote.

‘This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine,

let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

When you put off someone’s candle, yours ain’t going to shine brighter.

This tells me that we should be the shining examples that we would love to see in others. We should be the bright inspiration that uplifts others. We should be builders and not destroyers. Our actions and words build, encourages and uplifts.

For things that shine, I find dark nights not only mystical but equally magical as artificial light pierces pitch black nights, lending mystery to them and making the night less terrifying.

 

 —

The Daily Post

Uncountable…

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If I could count the number of kisses
the number of prayers, tears and hugs
the number of I love you’s
that we’ve shared,
A million would be such a paltry sum
yet it’s not nearly enough
to express the depths of my feelings
that no numbers can count

Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Million – The Daily Post


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Friday Fiction in Five Sentences

In Suspense – Friday Fiction In Five Sentences.

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Silently, he listened to her hum happily, watching as she busied herself in front of the mirror, getting ready to go to work.

He knew she hadn’t heard of Elaine’s death and wondered what her reaction would be?

He had no words to express how sorry he felt that it had come to this, it had only started out as fun and he knew that the next couple of days may possibly change their lives forever.

He doubted that their marriage of twelve years would survive it. He would probably end up in prison if any evidence leads back to him.

The entire suspense made him sick to the pit of his stomach, he wasn’t sure again that he hadn’t left incriminating tell-tale marks.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha


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Featured Blogs

Featured Posts 141 – Share Your Post Links

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‘PLEASE KEEP SENDING IN THE LINKS.’ 

Today’s featured blogs posts are:

Short Sunday Post The elements evokes and inspires deeply. It does that to me. When the storm is over, the calm comes with enriched vigour.

Problematic We  A thought-provoking post.

The perception we have about their reality may be imaginative. Maybe problems do not exist. Maybe our mind is a factory which creates a problem. Maybe our problems are illusions.

Forever Young Yes, I have to keep thinking like this. It’s better to dwell on the positive side of aging 🙂

Mirror others are said to be mirror for us There’s so much truth in this post. It’s worth reading again and again.

Ain’t gonna be no swine Aria I totally love this short piece. It made me laugh with the witty wisdom. Take a peek 🙂

Do step in and show some love.

‘Do you want more eyes on your words?’

Well then, add your LINK INTO THIS LOOP.

Comments are disabled here to keep the loop tidy. Any comments or link you want to send can be added through the link in the post.

Thank you for your understanding and regards.

‘We create a cohesive community when we come together. 


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A Click A Day

Little Green Tortoise – A Click A Day

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I saw this little one and his siblings in a garden pond. I walked past without noticing initially because they blended with the rocks, till a bubble in the water drew my attention. They are totally pint-sized and interesting to look at.


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Echos Of My Neighbourhood

Shh! Silence. I’m Working – Echoes of my Neighbourhood

I don’t know what it is, but I guess that’s how my brain is wired. When I want to do some serious writing, I have to take myself off to the library and away from my comfort.

For the past couple of days, I’ve been stealing time to go to the library to work for a couple of hours on my book – collection of stories before calling it a day.

After some hours of numb butt yesterday, I surreptitiously got up and took some photos of this space where I’ll be spending many hours for weeks to come.

I wouldn’t mind Lady Lee’s nutritious looking and steaming pot of soup this evening 🙂

On Thursdays, I share pictures about ‘Echos of my Neighbourhood.

I would like to invite you to participate. The challenge is quite simple and you can find out more about it through this link.

 

A Click A Day

Just How Green Can You Get – A Click A Day

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I spy with my naked eyes…

The man in the pistachio green shirt,

taking the dark spring green leaves

to the neon green trash can

besides the corrugated green fence of the compound

with the Dartmouth green gate.

I even spy another pigment of green

across the road in the neighbour’s quarters

bordered by lush green trees and the palm green of the date tree.

How many greens do you spy?

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha


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The Daily Post

Woodlands in Little Oak

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The furry folks of Woodlands in Little Oak
busied themselves gathering with care and gusto,
into the underground went their stash of nuts and berries
for their noses could smell it in the air;
Madam Winter is heading their way.

Have you heard the news Mrs. Owl hooted
to Mrs. CurlyTail Squirrel
as she taught her babies
how to tell the good nuts from the bad ones
before they buried them underground.

Do tell ‘cos I haven’t heard, urged Mrs. CurlyTail.
It’s said that Mother Winter is quite bitter ‘cos
Spry Tornado is having an affair with little Miss Weather
they tried to keep their love underground
alas, the steam they caused came up to air, Mrs. Owl regaled.

You don’t say! Exclaimed Mrs. CurlyTail Squirrel.
I knew something was up with that sneaky Miss Weather.
Did you hear she whispered to Grouch The Badger,
It’s said that little Miss Weather is pregnant,
But no one is sure who is responsible,
For she’s having a sneaky affair with Spry Tornado and Hally Hailstorm.

I never liked Hally, said Grouch The Badger,
He nearly cracked my skull the last time he passed my way,
I had to quickly hide underground from his mean tricks.
Did you hear of the torrid affair, Grouch asked Stink the Skunk?
Tornado, Hally The Terrible and little Miss Weather were caught in flagrante delicto,
by Willy Windy who was on his way to visit, he had an appointment with her.

No wonder! Exclaimed Stink The Skunk to Rasper The Raccoon,
I now understand why Tyler the Lightning,
threw such a hissy fit, that I had to scurry underground and out of his path,
He had his eye’s set on Miss Weather and was on his way to propose to her,
He even had a huge elemental ring with lots of bling.

Soon the undergrounds of Woodlands in Little Oak
was abuzz with the juicy gossip
Each had a version of their tale to tell
and they all eyed little Miss Weather in disdain
They knew Madam Winter would give her the icy treatment
and they waited in anticipation of the showdown.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

Underground – The Daily Post


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