Random posts from a writer who loves cats and coffee. An American Democratic woman with chronic illness (respiratory) who lives to read, write, and binge watch Netflix or Hulu. Married to a hot foodie who plays lots of video games. I'm not just a broken human, I'm also uniquely maladjusted but fun!
My theme is based on the tv show Grey's Anatomy. I've created a crossword puzzle.
Only one clue occurs after Season 11's ending, and it's about a patient in season 16. Most of this is about Meredith's earlier "intern" years. (To prevent spoilers, there is nothing about season 19.)
In 2007, Grey's Anatomy's cast of characters was identified as 54.5% white, 9.1% Asian, 27.3% black, and 9.1% Latinx.
"Ellen Pompeo thinks diverse representation has come a long way but that it can always be better." - Dec 2021
It's my favorite tv show. I honestly don't believe I would have survived the pandemic without having this to binge-watch. It's my comfort, my happy place. Thanks to the diverse cast and wide variety of issues, I believe this show appeals to a broad audience. *But probably not to many 'merican Republicans, as it made clear in the first season's second episode "absolutely no Bush supporters need apply."
Put on your best ferryboat scrub cap, it's time to play!
Today's Clue is for
11 across- Dylan Young was the leader of this squad, until becoming "pink mist" when a bazooka shell exploded.
Yesterday's answer was ALEXANDRA
As Grey's Anatomy is known for championing liberal causes, nine of my April posts (A,D,F,H,M,P,R,S,V) will include tweets posted via Resistbot from letters I've sent to my elected officials, in the hopes of encouraging others to make your views heard.
💻 Please check out the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge #AtoZChallenge a-to-zchallenge.com
My theme is based on the tv show Grey's Anatomy. I've created a crossword puzzle.
Only one clue occurs after Season 11's ending, and it's about a patient in season 16. Most of this is about Meredith's earlier "intern" years. (To prevent spoilers, there is nothing about season 19.)
In 2007, Grey's Anatomy's cast of characters was identified as 54.5% white, 9.1% Asian, 27.3% black, and 9.1% Latinx.
"Ellen Pompeo thinks diverse representation has come a long way but that it can always be better." - Dec 2021
It's my favorite tv show. I honestly don't believe I would have survived the pandemic without having this to binge-watch. It's my comfort, my happy place. Thanks to the diverse cast and wide variety of issues, I believe this show appeals to a broad audience. *But probably not to many 'Merican Republicans, as it made clear in the first season's second episode "absolutely no Bush supporters need apply."
Put on your best ferryboat scrub cap, it's time to play!
Today's Clue is for
1 across - "Lexie" Caroline Grey, M.D.'s real first name.
Yesterday's answer was 🚫
As Grey's Anatomy is known for championing liberal causes, nine of my April posts (A,D,F,H,M,P,R,S,V) will include tweets posted via Resistbot from letters I've sent to my elected officials, in the hopes of encouraging others to make your views heard.
📬 I delivered this ✉️ from Jamie, a constituent in Allentown, Pa., to @GovernorTomWolf, Rep. Schweyer and Sen. Browne #PApol
Re: Protect Reproductive Freedom, End Underage Marriage, and Improve and Mandate Reproductive Education
Please do all that you can to protect reproductive rights and freedoms, and the clinics that serve the poor and any person who shows up in need of whatever ob/gyn services they need. It's easy to forget that the same service provided to the financially stable are ignored by protesters from the ""pro-life"" group. An increase in unwanted or unhealthy newborns among those who cannot afford to take care of them, or are uninterested or unable to do so, serves no one. Our current child placement system for surrendered youth is not in such excellent shape so as to be able to handle a huge influx in need. CPS will require much more funding. Programs such as WIC and CHIP will require a massive increase in funds. Taxpayers will face a huge financial burden to raise the surrendered infants to adulthood.
But please do vote for mandatory protections and full and complete coverage for every pregnant person. No matter if the pregnancy is healthy or a complete attack on the individual, there should be no limit to the care that person receives to get back to healthy. This includes mental and emotional health as well. 100% coverage for all, no matter the outcome, from the moment the pregnancy test is positive.
And please create a national minimum marital age no lower than the adulthood age to be held accountable for signed contracts, purchase alcohol, get a tattoo without parental approval, and rent automobiles. Anyone not old enough, mature enough, or responsible enough to do THOSE things is certainly not prepared for marriage, civil unions, or other lifetime binding commitments between consenting adults. It's time to stop bad parents from selling off their "child brides" in this country. And to prevent them from having their children impregnated to get around current regulations.
It is time to put more effort into educating people about consent. Especially young men. It's time to create far better reproductive health classes with better biological research and facts, and for the Department of Education to take that seriously and require such knowledge be assessed and verified before a child is permitted to go on to high school, or be eligible for a GED, or a seat as an elected official! There is a serious gap in education and knowledge among many elected officials in America. They're being asked to pass laws regulating something which they might have had no or incorrect education about, and that must be stopped.
Please vote to give science a chance to help our country before many citizens are alienated by foolish laws with no root in provable or true reality.
I did not accomplish anything today. I was not "Empowered." (My word of the year, I guess.)
I could feel guilty about that. And I do, a bit.
Or
I could phrase it that I had an incredibly difficult health day yesterday. So I spent today recovering and not pushing myself too hard, thus not spiraling into another heath crisis.
I also read yesterday that potassium can lower blood pressure. It takes like 4700mg to do anything though. There is none in my daily vitamin. 🍌🥔🥦 So there are probably days where I get none or nearly any.
422mg in a banana. 897 in a potato. 468 in broccoli.
I don't eat those every day. I don't eat ANYTHING everyday. Yogurt comes close. I like a varied flavor experience.
Except when I'm ill, like yesterday, where my experience is just vomit, muscles locked up, and a migraine on a Clark Kent/ Superman level. (How does he deal with super heightened senses ALL THE TIME? It's hell. Maybe he doesn't notice because he's born with it. But, on Smallville, they developed like puberty. And let me tell you, having every sense revved up is NOT pleasant. I think it causes the headache part of the migraine because the brain cannot process the information.)
Anyway. Hope your New Year is starting better than mine. I just sold a ton of stocks to pay bills.
Tagline: What did they expect with a name like King?
I was a quadruplet. Actually a quint, but one sibling didn't make it through the first day. And now I'm a twin, just my sister Charlotte and I remain.
Our other sister and brother, Nina and Khan, were more popular. They got more milk. They got more attention from mom. Everyone liked them more.
People were saying that in a year or two, I'd probably be traded or loaned out. They named me King, and then planned to send me off? Ohhhh no, not me, I'm not going anywhere.
My favorite sister made friends with the girls next door. They paid attention to her. They had time. She figured maybe she would live with them one day. Or she might also be traded or loaned out.
I watched as dad moved to his new home. He's too dangerous to be allowed near us, ever. He'll eventually try to get with the girls next door. In a year or two, I'll be interested in them. Dad and I would fight over them if we weren't kept apart.
Khan and I would have fought over them one day. Now that he's gone, it won't be an issue.
"Go play on the log," I told him. No one else was around. It was so early. "It'll be so fun."
The water under the log had frozen. Not thick enough to walk on, just enough to look pretty. Deceptive. And the dew on the log was just slick enough.
My brother hadn't been sharpening his claws regularly. Too busy playing and being popular. I knew what would happen.
Khan climbed onto the log. "I'm king of the enclosure!"
No.
I'm King.
One little swipe of my paw, and the log rolled. Khan couldn't hold on. Didn't have the claws for it.
The frozen pond broke easily. Sure, he could swim. We can all swim. But ice isn't for swimming.
"Whatcha doing?" I heard the question and a yawn from behind me. Nina. She must have noticed Khan wasn't asleep beside her.
"Khan fell in!"
Nina ran to the pond and jumped in after him.
I guess Charlotte won't have to live with the girls next door. I called out that I'd go for help, then trotted back inside.
Nice and warm in here. Much more spacious, too.
"Where did you last see your brother?" Mom asked as I went for some milk.
"Playing on a log." I'm not totally lying.
"It's too cold out. And he hasn't had breakfast. Nina did, but Khan didn't. Haven't I always said breakfast first then play? That way we can be out of the sleeping area when they come to clean." Mom and her milk leave.
That'll be the last time I'm not favored.
Charlotte nipped my tail. "Why is everyone up so early?"
I heard mom roar in the distance.
"You and I are taken care of, that's all you need to know. Your King promised everything will be okay, and now it will be."
Do I have the face of a killer? We all do, normally. That's survival.
If you haven't been following these cubs, then this is
THE FIRST TIME EVER (I/ you) SAW (YOUR/ his) FACE. 😉
🐯 Note: There's no evidence that King had anything to do with Khan and Nina dying. No actual fratricide. The video above was posted with his sweet face, and my dark and twisted mind thought to make a horror story for the prompt.
The little baby tigers are actually very sweet and lovable. There was talk that King might be loaned to other proper tiger sanctuaries one day for "stud services." But none are actually being shipped off forever. There's plenty of room. I was just going for a good story.
And while tigers in the wild do kill to survive, these tigers get food deliveries. A lot of it comes from donations. There doesn't seem to be any actual killing at the sanctuary.
Sugar and Spice are the tiger girls next door, a year older than the cubs.
There is a memorial for Khan and Nina. The offending pond has since been blocked off. The odds that they would have died like that were infinitely minuscule, but it happened. No one is at fault. Nature has a cruel streak.
I stare out the window as the school bus nears our stop for the last time this year. Over my shoulder, I wish Chuck a lovely summer. He doesn't reply. As the last two students on the bus, sometimes we talk, but other times we ignore each other. Since he's a senior, this is his last ride. Guess he's sticking with silence.
The bus glides to a stop. I grab my barren backpack and turn toward the aisle. Something flies at my face. My arms protect my head as I kick with self-defense instinct. Chuck flees off the bus. I take a moment to catch my breath.
Did Chuck try to kiss me?
The scene mentally replays as I leave. His messenger bag hit my shoulder. My wrist is wet from colliding with his lips. He was what flew at me.
The bus driver and I exchange goodbyes as I step off the bus. Chuck is already down the road, rounding the bend toward his home. I could go after him, or up the hill to my house, possibly never seeing him again.
"Chuck? Wait up," I call out. Do I want to kiss him? The thought never occurred to me before.
He trips over a fallen branch. I sprint over and crouch beside him.
"Leave me alone!" Chuck shoves my hand when I touch his arm. Tears stream under his glasses.
"No. Please don't make me chase you. I want to know why you lunged at me."
"Screw you," he moves to get away, so I pin him down. I'm a powerhouse athlete, he's a brittle anime groupie.
I seize his chin to force him to look at me. "You lunged at me. That scared me half to death. What was your intention?"
He struggles to hide his face. I release his chin.
"We've made small talk on the bus a few times. You've never moved closer. Never asked for my contact information. Then, out of the blue, you threw yourself at me when I wasn't paying attention."
"Let me up."
I growl in frustration. "Fine. You owe me an apology."
As I move off of him, I take his shoe.
"Give it back," he cries as he sits up and pulls his knees to his chest.
"Explanation or apology first. Preferably both." I sit on his stolen shoe.
"You wouldn't understand."
I huff at him. "Were you trying to kiss me? Yes or no."
He glances at me, nods, and then looks away.
I pull out my phone and flick on Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. He watches me. "Piano music helps me calm down. Was it me you were hoping to kiss? Or was I a random target?"
Chuck examines a blade of grass.
"Kissing someone just to say you did? Last day of high school for you. Probably never see me again. Decided to just plant one on me and run off. Was that your thought process?"
He drops the grass.
"Wow. Well, why stop there?" I yank down the zipper of my yellow blouse, revealing a tight, low-cut tank top underneath. "Here's your chance. Biggest pair in the tenth-grade class."
He ogles my chest for a moment, flushes, and turns away.
"Not good enough? What if you take off your jeans and we bang in the bushes on Kellerman's yard? Brag about that for the rest of your life."
"You're such a— "
"What? Come on. Pick your insult. Think you have words worse than your actions? I'm a person, Chuck." I zip my blouse back up. "Not a thing for stealing kisses."
"Like you'd have ever agreed to kiss me." He stands up. I flick his shoeless foot.
"Maybe I would have."
"Yeah, right. After you dated Jace, I'm so sure you'd kiss me."
"Oh, that's it, is it? Just wanted to be where Jace once was? I'm not just a thing; I'm a thing he once wanted?" Tears burn as they pour down my face. I get up and throw his shoe at him. "How dare you. I have never been mean to you. Never called you Upchuck or Chucky-No-Lucky. I stood up for you. But, to you, I'm nothing but Jace's ex."
"No." He touches my arm. I pull away. I tap my phone, moving the music just past the eight-minute mark. He raises an eyebrow. I turn to storm off. He grabs my hand.
"How did he get you?"
I pull free. "Not by grabbing or lunging at me!"
Cementing my eyes closed, I press the phone against my chest. I want to feel the music and nothing else.
"The first time we kissed, Jace stood near me. Close enough to feel each other's breath. He was so still, and his smile was so bright. His lips were an invitation. I wasn't taken, commanded, or conquered. He's not at all what everyone thinks he's like."
"Are you back together with him?"
I swing my backpack to smack Chuck's arm. "No! That's another apology you owe me."
"You're still in love with him. I don't stand a chance."
I ram my finger against his feeble chest. "You don't want a chance. All you want is some experience. To proclaim you kissed before you graduated high school. You don't care who, as long as it happens."
"Giulietta," he moves my finger away.
"Julie," I correct him.
"Giulietta," he touches my chin. "I do want the chance to know you better. And to kiss you. Not someone else. I wanted to seize the moment, just once, because I know I'm no Jace. One kiss before you had the chance to say no."
I take a step back. "You'll find that I'm big on consent. And hate being called by my given name."
955 Words Full Critique Acceptable Tagline: An unanticipated kiss fails, revealing a crush.
"Beethoven took Countess Giulietta Guicciardi on as a pupil in around 1801 and soon fell in love with her. His Sonata Op. 27 no. 2, 'Moonlight Sonata' is dedicated to her." - Giulietta Guicciardi (1784-1856), Beethoven and Moonlight Sonata I named my main character for the woman the song is dedicated to. Also, the song is played in the story. The opening of this piece is true. However, I'm not an athlete (though I was stronger than Chuck, but not faster), and I took the other path. I went home and never saw him again. I have absolutely no idea why the song made me think of him. Honestly, hadn't recalled that moment in 22 years. I don't regret my choice (he was a racist with a mean streak). Just thought it'd be fun to fictionalize the moment and play with the road not taken. I played with yellow 🌞, like the sun, the "opposite celestial" to the moon🌛, as the true story had the opposite path of this flash fiction.
💻 
