Day: May 16, 2019

I’m Just Not Feeling It

Fandango36 Comments

4F6A46DC-2742-4D23-B446-3106CE524C9FI have four partially written draft posts that I started today and they all suck.

In one of the four drafts, I tried to craft, as I am wont to do each day, a cohesive story around five one-word prompts, including my own. But nothing worked.

Then I began writing a post for Sue Vincent’s Thursday Photo Prompt and I just couldn’t get it to come together. Same with The Haunted Wordsmith’s Daily Prompt post and with Paula Light’s Three Things Challenge post. Nada!

I thought about writing yet another rant about Donald Trump and, even though there’s plenty to rant about, my head and my heart just weren’t into it.

I have been wracking my brain (or is that racking my brain? I’m never sure which is the correct expression) all day, but nothing has surfaced.

Then I saw the Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie Tale Weaver prompt, where we are challenged to weave a tale in which ‘search’ features prominently.

So perhaps that’s the answer. I’ve been spending all this time today in search of something to write about and to post. But is it appropriate to write a post about a search when that search has come to naught? Probably not.

Maybe I’ll try again later. Or maybe not. But right now, I’m just not feeling it.

A Civics Lesson

Fandango27 Comments

46754B38-8B82-4982-BCF9-55AFA88B19A6Late yesterday I wrote a short post (here) about how Donald Trump is proposing that potential immigrants take and pass a civics test in order to enter the U.S.

If you’re not from the U.S., you might be wondering, “What’s the big deal, Fandango? People from other countries who want to be citizens in my country need to take a test before they can become a citizen here.”

And you’d be right to ask that. Many countries around the world require that people who wish to become citizens of those countries must take and pass a citizenship test. So does the United States. “So why, Fandango, does what Donald Trump wants to do have your panties all in a bunch?”

The simple answer is that what Trump is proposing has nothing to do with becoming a citizen of the U.S. It’s about being able to even legally enter the U.S.

Let’s take a step back. Before someone can even apply for citizenship in the U.S., they must first get what is called a “green card,” which is a document that someone must get in order to be granted the right to live in the United States. Depending upon the situation, that can take up to six months.

Once an immigrant has been granted a green card, he or she will have to be a “permanent resident” of the U.S. for five continuous years before they can even apply for naturalization. That application process can take between six months to a year or more.

After that application has been approved, at least six years after coming into the country, only then will the immigrant be required to take the citizenship test. And assuming they pass, they’ll have to wait another six months to two years after that be sworn in as a naturalized American citizen.

But what Donald Trump wants to do is have potential immigrants take a US civics test before all that. Before they even start the process of applying to be a resident.

And that, my friends, is what has my panties all in a bunch.

Hmm. I wonder if this “civics test” will be available in languages other than English.

The Haunted Castle

Fandango6 Comments

BB2380A1-FC9C-4D98-86DD-F601C9872131“Barron, what exactly did you have in mind?” Jeeves asked.

“I’m not sure, Jeeves,” the Barron said. “But you know how I always wanted to frighten them more.”

“Yes, Barron, I understand,” Jeeves said. “After all, you do charge admission for the hoi polloi to take guided tours of your “haunted” castle. I know you want them to get their money’s worth. Perhaps we can set off a large explosion above the castle walls several times a day.”

“Excellent idea, Jeeves,” the Barron said. “No one will get hurt, right?”

“Of course not, Barron, but some may shit their britches.”

(100 words)

Written for the 50 Word Thursday prompt, this week from Teresa at The Haunted Wordsmith. The challenge is to take the photo above (from Cari R. @ Pixabay) and/or the line, “I always wanted to frighten them more” (from Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle) and craft a story, anecdote, or poem between 50 and 250 words, in 50 word increments.

FOWC with Fandango — Welcome

Fandango37 Comments

FOWCWelcome to May 16, 2019 and to Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (aka, FOWC). It’s designed to fill the void after WordPress bailed on its daily one-word prompt.

I will be posting each day’s word just after midnight Pacific Time (US).

Today’s word is “welcome.”

Write a post using that word. It can be prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction. It can be any length. It can be just a picture or a drawing if you want. No holds barred, so to speak.

Once you are done, tag your post with #FOWC and create a pingback to this post if you are on WordPress. Or you can simply include a link to your post in the comments.

Note: some bloggers have had issues with pingbacks showing up lately, so if you don’t see it shortly after you published your post, you might want manually add your link in the comments.

And be sure to read the posts of other bloggers who respond to this prompt. You will marvel at their creativity.