luckily my new record player came with its own DJ
pete the cat is in the house.
—
‘i still DJ the same way, but I’m not a scratch-scratch-scratch battle DJ.
no, I’ll rock the house. I’m old school.’
-dj yella
Jan2
dj.
Author Archives: beth
Jan1
a going on.
years come and go
with friends by the fire
mystery game
comfort food
charades
music
talk.
—
‘year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on,
with the wisdom that experience can instill in us.’
-hal borland
Dec31
piecing it together.
as a person who loves puzzles
since i learned
team puzzle competitions were a thing
i’ve wanted to compete in one
finally the opportunity arose
the night of the event arrived
people in teams of four
would compete to finish the same unknown puzzle
in the shortest period of time
my team’s name was
‘the last piece is under the table’
there were 12 competing teams
beverages and snacks and rules
a little friendly trash-talking
giant timer on a screen counting the seconds, minutes, hours
each team had their own strategies, methods, plans
part of the challenge is working in a team itself
each person has their own way of solving puzzles
with different levels of competitive spirit and ingenuity
but i consider that part of the puzzle too
trying to solve how to work together as one
to complete the puzzle on the table
the judge started the clock
the buzzer went off
when we opened the wrapping
it was a circular, colorful, 500 piece
we threw everything on the floor
dumped the pieces on the table
and were off
as expected, we all had different strengths and strategies
adapting as we went, changing spots, some stood, some sat
communication was key
‘who has the pink dots, is that a bird’s beak, what does that word say, look for purple…’
personalities were revealed
in an ebb and flow of emotions
we worked as fast as we could
suddenly
the team behind us
who all stayed seated and worked silently
announced they were finished just 40 minutes in
mind blown
only motivated us more
i was literally sweating
quite a workout
we kept working as fast as we could
while one team after another
completed their puzzles
we did not stop
at one point it was clear we would be the last team
we had a good laugh
exhausted
but refused to give up
i asked how late they would be open
finally
at 1 hour and 50 minutes
we did it!
and it was fun!
i was just happy to finish
i’ll be back to try again
when talking to the judge after
he said the silent sitting team that won so quickly
go to the world championships each year
(what?! world championships?!)
they have not yet won at that level
but enter these competitions
to stay sharp and practice
makes good sense
now i feel
it’s may be only a matter of time
i’ll be writing about a puzzle competition from italy one day
but in the meantime
i had a blast
we had no pieces under the table
and that’s something.
—
-bonnie edelstein, parade magazine
Dec30
the four crows.
we were a formidable team
my two sisters
one friend
and i
an ad-hoc agency
fashioning ourselves
the finest of sleuths
solving crimes
righting wrongs
all around
our neighborhood
it was our job
our destiny
the four crows
walked the streets
the fields
the woods
went in old abandoned houses
from another time
looking for clues
to
crack puzzles
solve problems
imagined
and
created
as we
dreamed up
our cases
reading bits of discarded notes and lists
finding an empty pill bottle
asking a neighbor
where his wife was
as we hadn’t seen her recently
left a note
for a woman
who yelled at her adopted children
telling her she was too mean
we clearly
way overstepped our bounds
as detectives
sometimes
tend to do
all
in the pursuit of justice
in an attempt
to right wrongs
to restore balance
to keep peace
protect people
in a community
that didn’t know
they needed us
or that we were on the case
always looking out for them
in the most secret of ways
plainclothes
and
undercover
as a
murder of four crows
all under the age of 8
—
“the case called for plain, old-fashioned police leg work!”
― donald j. sobol, encyclopedia brown, boy detective
Dec29
one hundred.
following in the footsteps of some of my blogging friends
i’ve complied of list of 100(ish) of my favorite things.
writing down what comes to mind
in no particular order.
—
Green, especially apple and olive shades
Brainstorming creative ideas with others
Storytelling
Glitter
making collage art, books, cards
Miniatures
Special boxes and bags
garlands of flowers
A great pen
Handmade paper
Handwritten letters and cards
Beautiful postage stamps
Gifting
Tiny paintings
Writing on birch bark
Photographs and memory boxes
cozy cottages by the sea or in a meadow near the woods
Colors and patterns and textures mixed together
Writing on small scraps of paper
Pasta of any kind or shape with any sauce
Making fun food sculptures
Cadbury Carmello bars and eggs
S’mores made on the fire with burnt marshmallows
Fresh strawberry shortcake with warm homemade biscuits
Melted velveta and salsa dip
Taco Tuesday any night
Hot coffee with thick cream or Bailey’s
Soup!
Mini boxes of cereal – if I get the good ones and my sibs don’t fight me for them (flashback)
Family pets
Flamin’ hot Cheetos
Black Crows gumdrops
Leftovers for breakfast
Laughing babies
Babies and children
Fairies, Fairy Stories, and Fairy Houses
The messages in my fortune cookies
Sasquatch/jBig Foot legend
King Arthur legend
Wildflowers in a meadow
Animals, especially mini goats and donkeys, black face sheep, monkeys, cats, mini ponies
Ginkgo trees
Sitting outside at a tiny tea shop on a tiny island in Ireland
Seashores
The skies at dusk and dawn
Listening to live reggae music on the beach sitting at a table with a tropical drink with fresh fruit as the sun goes down in Jamaica
Seashells, rocks, branches, driftwood
Walking in the woods, by the warm water, on cool, soft sand
Flowers, flowers, flowers
Houseplants that can survive me
The early morning
Fresh snow with no footprints, the silence, the squeak
Autumn
Tidepools
Golden books, Children’s literature, all books
Spies and true crime
Vintage cookbooks
Learning new words in all languages
Alphabets
Real newspapers
Writing Conferences
Reading every book from authors I love
Kind gestures
Crying at movies
Laughing until I can’t help myself
Love
Small romantic gestures
Surprises and favors
Acts of service
Compassion and kindness
Honesty
Celebrating everything
Spotify, even if my list is embarrassing, i own it
Records
Dancing
Car singing
Music, so much music
Board games
Jigsaw Puzzles
Crossword Puzzles (NYT weekends)
Badminton and croquet in the yard
Movies of all kinds at the theater with buttered popcorn and smuggled-in candy
DVD’s
Docs/Art films/Indies/shorts/foreign films
Travel shows
Schitt’s Creek, Veep, The Office, especially British version
A live musical performance that engages the audience and moves my soul
My one and only joke – trying to remember it nd share it without messing up
Comedy
Visiting new places near and far
Old worn doors with character
Weathered furniture
Vine twined around old fences and growing up houses
Old bakeries, restaurants, dives, pubs
Going on quests
Mr. Rogers and Dolly Parton
Family and friends
Talking to strangers
The human story
My children and grandies, watching who they’re growing into
Original Jergen’s hand lotion, cherry almond
Lemon, vanilla, honey, cinnamon scents
Floating
Herbal Essence Shampoo, from my young hippie days, no longer the same
Being barefoot or in sandals
Soft sand, warm water
Parades
Soft clothing
Holding hands
Soft pillowy feathery mattress and covers that i can sink into
Weather from 65-75F
Falling asleep to the rain, hearing waves, or a fan if no natural noise
Sitting by a fire, feeling the heat and hearing the crackling sounds
Getting in my car and letting the heat soak in
Velvet
Old British sports cars
Being a part of the 4 Crows Detective Club when i was a child
Anything that’s not wool, a dentist, a clown, math, tech, or having to find my way somewhere
—
“seek out what magnifies your spirit.”
-maria popova
Dec28
whodunit?
hmmmmm….
no one is fessing up.
—
‘i didn’t do it.’
-mr. green, from ‘clue.’
—
‘it’s kind of part of human nature to want to know the truth or want to be in on the secret.
for stories that focus in on that – like whodunits – it’s easy to get into.’
-mirelle enos
Dec27
stored honey.
in a big old blue house near me by the river
one of my very first kindergarten students
from way back when
now grown
shares a creative studio
with other local artists
open for an art gallery gathering
so lovely to see their work
to see the artist my former student had become
only a matter of time
his creative eye and natural talent
’twas apparent way back when.
—
‘art is the stored honey of the human soul.’
-theordore dreiser, american novelist/journalist
Dec26
afternoon.
the afternoon after the night and then the morning spent celebrating.
—
‘the afternoon knows what the morning never suspected.’
~swedish proverb
Dec25
reindeer games.
nine kids and one dog in a christmas eve plank-off competition
cocoa the dog may have been the calm and cool winner.
—
“may your walls know joy, may every room hold laughter,
and every window open to great possibility.”
-mary anne radmacher
Dec24
wishing.
wishing you a holiday season filled with joy, wonder, and peace
beth
I didn't have my glasses on.... 