Birchoparenthesis

I became acquainted with a man who lived in the park near a nice little convenience store by the lake. We first crossed paths at the community recovery center, where I was going because of my brain condition and the loneliness I felt at the time. He was a recovering alcoholic, and while saying that “knowing” him might be a stretch, we certainly recognized each other—something that doesn't often happen with anyone beyond my family these days. He told me he’d gone to beauty school and gave haircu...

I was sitting in the nicest corporate‑style convenience store in the upscale part of town. The shop opens at 460 internet beats (well before sunrise), and because I suffer from a circadian‑sleep disorder I’m awake at night and sleep during the day. So “morning” for me is actually the wee hours of darkness, and I enjoy sipping coffee while doing my Morning Pages. While I was writing, a ragged, bearded man stumbled in, clearly struggling to function. He immediately demanded a pastry, raising his v...

Factor Lamy 2000 Montblanc 146 notes value + Lamy 2000 excels since it is about 66% less expensive than the Montblanc 146. presentation + The shiny Montblanc star and the historic, gold trim impress people. operation + This one is close. For taking notes, the snap-shut cap of the Lamy 2000 makes it a winner. nib + The Montblanc nib is stiff on my 146 pen, and drier than that of the Lamy pen. The Lamy 2000 is a study in subtle luxury. Its matte finish and sleek steel trim give i...

I’m feeling about 90 percent healthy again after a bad cold and respiratory virus, and I’m grateful for the improvement—breathing feels wonderful. I’m still staying at home because my housemate needs support, which isn’t ideal. My spiritual counselor reminded me, “This is what we have.” Tomorrow I might walk around a nearby neighborhood to look at people’s holiday decorations, or I could visit the large shopping center for the same purpose. On Friday is Guadalupe Day, and I plan to celebrate wi...

Enjoying Laurel’s singing while finishing the green‑cat figure I’d crafted. Today was a bit of a downer, and I’m still coughing from a nasty cold, but I’m trying to take it easy. Writing with a gold pen on inexpensive yet nicely weighted paper felt surprisingly satisfying. The computer is running smoothly, too. I plan to lay low for the next month or so. One friend wants to meet up after the holidays. The green‑cat figure looks cozy despite its sad expression, and the arms are a little crooked—...

A character—referred to as One—looks out the window and recalls the stories of a building that was demolished twice, a place that has since become a popular spot for real‑book lovers in a nearby neighborhood. Not far from there, a Jack‑in‑the‑Box once stood in the previous century. Tyreno, a towering, gender‑nonconforming longtime resident of this urban district, bursts into the shop brandishing a see‑through umbrella. Raindrops spin around the umbrella as if caught in a car’s revolving wheel. ...

I’m interested in 110‑format analog photography. The 110 format is a sub‑compact roll film that yields grainy images with a flat, warm colour palette reminiscent of the 1970s, when the format was at its peak. Many 110 cameras still survive, but the major film manufacturers no longer produce 110 film. Today, Lomography is the only company that still manufactures new 110 film. While I’m still researching 110 cameras and haven’t bought one yet, I recently purchased a Lomography instant Automat lin...

Ai. Generated an easy crochet pattern of a coin purse for me Moby Dick audio book entertains me at night while I craft. Free from the library... recovering with okay probability of quick return to health after getting a cold enjoyed wearing my mechanical wristwatch today, and that gave me a break from continual buzzes and chimes of the smartwatch ...

What happened At Christmas I received a complete ceramics set from a close friend—an elderly woman I deeply respect. At the time, I hesitated and didn’t express the gratitude the gift deserved. Her intention was sincere, and the present carried a valuable lesson. Looking back, I regret my lack of thanks and the respect I failed to show. Who was involved My friend: the elderly woman who gave the ceramics set. Family: my parents and brothers, who were also at the Christmas gathering. Summary...

I’ve just got to a mid-point on my new crochet project: a green‑cat figure made from super‑bulky yarn. It’s an oversized amigurumi—far from perfect, but entirely my own creation. The model is the neighbor’s cat who kept me company throughout the pandemic. Even though that cat is now gone, this plush version offers me comfort. The neighbors are unfriendly and a bit jealous of the attention I gave to their cat, which is almost feral. My crocheted version matches its size, but it reflects my own f...

Our airport offers a visitor‑pass program, which lets me meet relatives when they arrive. Before I could use the program, I had to figure out which gate I needed to go through for TSA screening. On one occasion I ended up at the wrong gate. At the time, I assumed any gate would work for getting through the TSA checkpoint, so I insisted to the agent that I had the necessary paperwork. The line‑working agent checked the system and said I wasn’t listed. Fortunately, a kind but firm manager stepped...

What was a good experience in the midst of difficulty? During a tough moment, I had a surprisingly pleasant encounter with a young man. Like me, he was upset because his flight had been canceled in Las Vegas. While we were both waiting in line for the ticket‑counter agent—about two hours later—we struck up a conversation. He told me he was serving in the Army, having enlisted because many of his friends had done the same. I thanked him for his years of service, and he wished me “good luck” as...

1. Poney, My friends fledge by a spewer of the mast. Of today's incident? More doyennes ... What, Poney? croissants to throat. 2. My free peeps of shapes, This happening , tiny for sewing Rehashing commodified panic . . .Rehashing the Before scatter profanity frost before today Muting of Poney - Started with my Morning Pages - Automatically generated verses - scratch out processing - human fine tuning ...

The prompt asked for “a song that captures your experience at a crossroads in life.” My mind instantly jumped to the Eurythmics—classic ‘80s vibes. But the song that really stuck with me was the one from the 1984 movie, even though the film itself made no sense to me. Around that time I left home and my family behind. My friends tossed out everything I’d collected over my childhood—stuff they’d been holding onto for me. Losing all that felt exactly like the bleak, oppressive world of 1984. It s...

One day, I joined a day‑center for people with disabilities, viewing it as a form of care management. I appreciated the sense of community and the peers there, even though most of them had profound cognitive and physical impairments. In contrast, I was still able to manage my own personal care. Nevertheless, the other participants—often referred to as “customers” or “clients”—deserved attention and quality health care, and I valued them deeply. Long ago, I worked at a state‑sponsored nonprofit ...

My nearby friends didn't invite me to Thanksgiving dinner, so my housemate and I decided to buy a Thanksgiving pizza last night and snack on it all day today! The best part was when a neighbor, who is just like us, needed help with a fuse at her house. After the minor repair, we gave her some of the pizza from our fridge. She seemed so grateful since she didn't have anywhere to go for a traditional dinner. Besides that, I hit an awesome sale! The online store blackbird.black—the one with the goo...

Festive Vibes and Holiday Dress‑Up Unlike Halloween—where adults can dive into all things gruesome and gory—Thanksgiving feels warm and uplifting. The images are all about abundance, great food, and gathering together to support each other. In its purest form, it’s about showing up for friends and looking our best, which is a beautiful idea. Gillian Welch – “Everything Is Free” The Andrew Bird channel highlighted Gillian Welch’s song Everything Is Free. Is it any good? Absolutely. It hits an ...

accomplishments; errands update minutes on cell phone plan visit with psychologist produce lunch and breakfast write morning pages stay active--not sedentary-- watch news shows advise friends for their future visit positive things: good working situation with psychologist housemate accepts my poor offerings from the kitchen rudimentary computer gives me more than enough options friends invited me to their planned holiday festivity good amount of energy and motivation capable peer leader ...

Feeling good about the practice of writing down three fears or negative thoughts that bother me before going to bed. The items are strange and unrealistic, springing from my radiant mind at night, and then I forget about them. Honestly, I can’t recall what any of them were while I’m writing this entry. They’re stored in notebooks and in a brainstorming app online, so I can review them later. Putting them on paper neutralizes them for my mind; they no longer take up so much space up there. Some ...

I'm worried now... what if my Powerbeats Pro aren't actually Powerbeats 2? I just did a quick little search—about five minutes—and it turns out they are the latest version of Beats Powerbeats 2. Feeling kinda silly for not putting off the check and doing some research since it really wasn't that important. Honestly, writing and just enjoying the moment is more meaningful than stressing over embarrasment or worrying about getting scammed by some online store. Why do I always want the latest and g...

What am I into these days? My main focus is on taking care of myself and my housemate since we spend almost all our time together. I try to act in a peaceful way, aiming to make each place better just by being there—whether that's straightening some papers at the bank or putting a chair back in its spot at the store. For me, acting peacefully means not hurting anyone with my actions. What pushed me to commit to this was my past. When I was sick, I acted pretty dishonorably and didn’t really resp...

Learning how to burn a beeswax candle so I can actually enjoy it. First thing—trim the wick to about ¼ inch before you light it. Let the candle burn for a couple of hours the first time you light it; that creates a “memory ring” and helps stop tunneling. Tunneling is when the heat of flame doesn’t reach the edge of the candle. Instead, you get a hot wax pool in the middle, the wick burns down quickly, and the wax keeps melting only in the center. I love using search engines and AI tools to t...

This morning went great because I trained my brain, just like the psychologist suggested in today’s “Wake Up” video on the meditation app. “Give the brain a break,” she said. Earlier, I’d been scrolling through flea‑market listings online—it felt like munching on a huge bag of potato chips. The browsing never stopped, and the caffeine plus the pre‑dawn darkness drove me straight into tunnel vision. So, this morning, I decided to refocus on gratitude for the Higher Power and ask Him for help. T...

What is fun? Scri.ch digital ink service is fun; after making a drawing or not, it is possible to look back and see others' anonymous drawings. What is useful? Scri.ch service is useful for doodling; with an internet connection, it works wonderfully on a smartphone with a browser or on a tablet with a stylus and a browser. I can share the image online using Scri.ch. What is interesting? Scri.ch makes it interesting because it is free and open source. You can alter the string in the U...

of your recent moments, what was a time of joy? Write on that. Is joy one of those rare, fleeting moments? Getting a new computer was pretty fun. I told my housemate, "I'm happy" with the new device. I spent time typing blogs and writing lots of pages with it. So, what's the difference between happiness and joy? Happiness kind of sits somewhere between feeling content and pure joy. That’s how I see joy—like when you hear about a baby being born and it finally gets welcomed into the family. T...

Prompt: When was last time I did something nice for friends or family, and what spurred me to do it? My old friend asked me to make some crocheted squares in her hint for something she wanted. I was happy to help and gave to her about ten squares. My friend is someone who likes to give away blankets to help people experiencing homelessness. After I gave her the squares, she assembled them into a blanket. A close acquaintance of hers, who also runs a charitable service in her city, helped by g...

Maybe the calming medicine has started to take effect by now. I felt a bit out of sorts today after a friend was a little abrupt yesterday, which is pretty typical for her. The clutter around the house felt a little overwhelming at times. Going into town for church really helped brighten my day. People there recognized me, and that made a big difference—it's always nice to have some warm, personal interaction, especially since things can feel a bit distant at home with my housemate who is on the...

The urge to create meaning ebbs and flows, but it is not predictable for this writer. Starting the #100days writing challenge, some good ideas came to the writer. But now, it is a slog. One is also reminded of the infamous wall of the marathon runner. The writing of peers at Listed.to site inspires this writer. One feels that imagination has grown tired now. Thoughts come of accomplishing free writing sessions. But where does one do it? Before, coffee shops were the usual places. But now, they a...

Feeling okay today. I received a large order from an online store—mostly sub‑grade food and second‑hand goods. I’ve become attached to finding cheap items, and when the Black Friday sales started, there was an extra discount on them. The food items will be reported for a refund. I’m not complaining; there’s something good about it, and I feel blessed. Friends from out of state will arrive in two weeks. I talked with one of them about our holiday plans, and I’m looking forward to everything. The...

I played The Sims 4 on a PS4 and really enjoyed it. I took a bit of a gamble because I wasn’t sure the game would run smoothly on a next‑gen console like the PS5 or Xbox series X. Then I got some cash over the holidays and splurged on an Xbox Series X. The game ran wonderfully—load times were practically gone on the newer hardware, which made it feel a lot more fun. My main draw to Sims 4 was the Pets expansion. I’ve always wanted a dog, and having a virtual pet in the game was a blast. I loved...