CONVERSATION WITH…A Sunshine Blogging Award

February 16, 2018February 16, 2018 / overthehillontheyellowbrickroad / 78 Comments

Over the Hill on the Yellow Brick Road, a blogging award started following me. I wondered what it wanted.

blogger_award

Excuse me, Sunshine Blogging Award, can I help you?

BLOG AWARD: Actually, I can help YOU. RudyMariee from the blog: http://www.visionsandgiggles.com/ has nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award.

Omg! That’s so flattering and such an honor! Especially coming from RudyMariee. She’s an amazing writer. Every one of her posts is so genuine. She writes from her heart, is funny, and I always relate to the way she looks at life and her family. So, I’ll take the award.

BLOG AWARD: Hold your horses. You haven’t won yet. First you have to do a few things.

Like what?

BLOG AWARD: Start by linking your blog back to http://www.visionsandgiggles.com Actually, I just did that for you.

Thanks. Now I’ll take my award.

BLOG AWARD: Nope. Now you need to answer eleven questions about yourself that RudyMariee created below.

Okay, here I go. Here are the answers to RudyMariee’s questions:

Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years, I hope to reside permanently Over the Hill on the Yellow Brick Road.

If you could change one thing about the current world, what would it be?

Revise gun control laws in the United States.

Why did you start blogging?

Throughout my career, I’ve been a writer. I’ve always compromised with those who have hired me in order to “get the job done.” My blog is just my own writing voice. No revisions. No rewrites. For better or for worse. 🙂

What advice would you give to new bloggers?

Follow your heart. You’ll reach those who will “get you” and they will follow you.

What is the most interesting or most unusual thing about you?

I wrote for Sesame Street for twenty years, so I spent a lot of time with the Cookie Monster and the Snuffleupagus.

What would be your idea of a perfect day?

Being left alone. I’m really a cat disguised as human.

What are you most passionate about?

My family, writing, eating.

What are you planning to do differently in 2018 in regards to your blog?

In April, I have a book coming out which is based on my blog. It’s called, “Over the Hill on the Yellow Brick Road.” It has a story that I might incorporate into my posts.

Have you found anything particularly difficult about your blogging journey?

Making enough time to read all the amazing blogs I follow.

What kind of books do you enjoy reading?

Biographies and autobiographies about artists.

If you could be anyone for 24 hours, who would it be?

Albert Brooks. He makes me laugh the hardest.

BLOG AWARD: Nice job.

Fine. I’ll take my award now.

BLOG AWARD: Nope. Now you have to nominate eleven new bloggers.

Are you kidding me? That’s almost impossible. I read so many different kinds of blogs written by so many different, talented people. I cherish the exchanges I have with each and every one of them. How can I possibly choose eleven?

BLOG AWARD: Just do it, or you won’t get your award.

Okay, how about this? I read blogs written by people who express themselves through words, art, photographs, humor, food, poetry, fashion, spirituality, health and pets. I’ll nominate one or two bloggers from each category, and they’ll represent all the awesome blogs I read on all those topics.

BLOG AWARD: Works for me.

So, to represent all the blogs I follow, I nominate these eleven talented bloggers for the Sunshine Blogging Award. They help look at the world differently every day:

https://www.shallowreflections.com/

https://3cstyle.com/2018/01/21/the-nature-of-change-and-the-nature-of-fashion/

https://deepasthoughts.wordpress.com/

https://grapegravy.com/2018/02/01/spicy-green-salsa/

https://sevencatsandcounting.wordpress.com/author/sevencatsandcounting/

https://claudiamcgillart.wordpress.com/2018/02/15/scrutinized-people/

https://roseelaineblog.com/2018/02/15/five-little-angels-10/

https://rabbitpatchdiary.com/

https://muddlingthroughmymiddleage.com/

https://mainepaperpusher.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/guest-in-jest-30-over-the-hill-on-the-yellow-brick-road/

https://soulgifts.com.au/author/soulgifts2012/

Now can I have my award?

BLOG AWARD: Nope. One more thing. Write eleven new questions your blogger nominees must answer. HERE ARE THE RULES: To be winners, your nominees will:

Thank you and link back to your blog.

Answer eleven new questions you will ask them below.

Nominate eleven new bloggers and write them eleven new questions.

List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Logo.

Okay. Here are the eleven new questions for my blogger nominees:

From where do you draw inspiration for your blog?
What’s the title of your favorite post and why do you like it best?
If you could have a second home anywhere in the world or universe, where would it be?
What’s your favorite childhood memory?
Who is your favorite fairy tale character?
What’s your favorite food?
If you could be a flower or a tree, what kind would you be?
Where do you go if you want to have a quiet, spiritual moment?
If you could live one part of your life over again, what part would it be?
Who is your favorite artist?
What’s an adventure in your life you’d still like to have?

NOW? Now can I please have my award?

BLOG AWARD: It’s yours.

Yaaay! Finally! And, thanks again to RudyMariee at: http://www.visionsandgiggles.com/

I’m exhausted! 🙂

CONVERSATION WITH…A Sandcastle Fearing Death At All Times

February 5, 2018February 5, 2018 / overthehillontheyellowbrickroad / 57 Comments

Over the Hill on the Yellow Brick Road, I took a walk on a beach and noticed a sandcastle. I plopped down beside it and started a conversation.

Hey Sandcastle—

SANDCASTLE: Stop right there. Don’t talk to me.

Why not?

SANDCASTLE: You won’t want to hear what I have to say.

Because?

SANDCASTLE: I’m obsessed with death. Every time I hear a wave coming toward me, I panic. I’m always worried about when I won’t exist anymore.

Me too.

SANDCASTLE: Really?

Yes. Especially as I grow older. I try not to let my fear rise to the surface at all times, but underneath I’m always afraid.

SANDCASTLE: I have two levels of anxiety. If I hear a smaller wave rolling in, I don’t worry as much because it’s not as likely to reach me. But if the wave sounds large and roars in my direction, I have a full blown panic attack. Know what I mean?

Definitely. I worry I’ll come down with a sudden illness and my body won’t be able to fight it off. Like, right now there’s a flu epidemic in my area, so I stay at home, hide under the covers and watch the Food Network. It relaxes me. I isolate myself because I’m afraid I’ll get sick and won’t be able to get through it.

SANDCASTLE: I isolate myself, too. I won’t take on any tenants. Like snails. I turn them away. I’m not sure how long I’ll be here. At any moment, I might be gone.

Actually, you wouldn’t exactly be “gone.”

SANDCASTLE: What? Why not?

Well, before you were a sandcastle you were zillions of grains of sand on the beach. That’s how you started.

SANDCASTLE: How do you know?

Trust me on this one. Anyway, eventually somebody came along and molded you into a different form—a sandcastle.

SANDCASTLE: Your point being?

When a wave eventually washes over you—

SANDCASTLE: Don’t say that!!!!

Hear me out. When a wave eventually washes over you, you’ll go back to the form you were before—grains of sand on the beach. You’ll be back where you started, but you won’t be “gone.”

SANDCASTLE: This is blowing my mind.

Maybe the wave will even wash you into the ocean, so you’ll be part of the amazing community under the sea.

SANDCASTLE: You know… I didn’t think it was possible…but you just made me feel better. No more Prozac for me.

Good to know. It just seems there are so many answers to questions about life and our existence in nature. The answers are all around us. We just have to look for them.

SANDCASTLE: I wish I had something useful to add.

No worries.

SANDCASTLE: Wait! I just thought of something. If what you say about nature is true, maybe what goes for me can go for you. I mean, if I started in one form, morphed into another, and will go back to my original form one day…maybe the same will happen to you.

Maybe….

Copyrightoverthehillontheyellowbrickroad2018

CONVERSATION WITH…MY OLDEST DOLL…Because I Still Love to Play

January 20, 2018January 21, 2018 / overthehillontheyellowbrickroad / 92 Comments

Over the Hill on the Yellow Brick Road, I couldn’t believe it! My oldest childhood doll, Chatty Cathy, was waddling toward me! I rushed over and gave her the biggest hug!

Chatty Cathy! What are you doing here?

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: I heard you were visiting these parts and I had to see you!

OMG! You look great!

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Well, I’d look better if you hadn’t given me a bad haircut back when you were a little girl. I still don’t appreciate the bald spot in the back of my head.

I’m so sorry. My sister and I were playing barber.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: I guess you felt you had to wash my hair with Ajax, too?

It probably didn’t help the texture.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: But I loved you anyway! You were the best little girl! We had the silliest imaginary tea parties! And the craziest times playing house! And I loved when you shoved me on the make believe school bus with all the rest of the dolls and your sister pushed us all around the room in a giant chair.

Yeah, you just went around and around and around the room and never made it to school.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Good times!

Yes, they were. And I’ll let you in on a secret. I’m still a little girl. I still love to play and play and play and play. It’s just harder to find someone to play with as I get older.

CHATTY CATHY: I’ll play with you!

You will?? I would love that! What should we play? I mean, I’m not into having an imaginary tea party or playing house anymore. How can we play with each other now that we’re both older? What can we play?

CHATTY CATHY: Hmmm…I’m not sure. I should tell you the “talking ring” on the back of my neck doesn’t work anymore. When you pull it out, the spring is broken so it just snaps back.

It doesn’t matter, I don’t work as well as I used to either. I guess if we’re going to play, we should play about something that matters in our lives right now.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Like what?

I know!

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Uh oh.

Hear me out. I’ve been thinking about adding a little pink or purple in my hair for the past few years. But, I don’t want to bleach my hair to do it. Also, I’m wondering if I’m too old to walk around with that look.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: So, what made you think of it now?

I just noticed L’Oreal came out with a new one-day color spray product. You can spray pink or purple in your hair and it will wash out after one shampoo! So if you don’t like it or feel foolish, one hair wash and it’s gone.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: So do it!

Well, I’m still kind of afraid, so…

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: You want me to do it.

Pleeeease????

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Actually, I could use a change.

I’ll tell you what. I’ll just do your bangs.

CHATTY CATHY DOLL: Deal.

Here I go…