Give me a Prism

October 30, 2014October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 1 Comment

Imagine we lived in a world that’s all of a sudden devoid of color, but where you’re given the option to have just one object keep its original hue. Which object (and which color) would that be?

Give me a prism

beautiful and triangular

reflections of light

spectrum of colors

to hold in my hand

gaze upon daily

and warm my soul.

What Are Your Goals?

October 22, 2014October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 8 Comments

Blogging 201: Set Three Goals
First things first: let’s set some goals and plan for success.

I’ve just begun another course from The Daily Post, Blogging 201. Our first assignment is to review our blog with a critical eye and set three goals.

I began blogging in 2009 after the death of my best friend. Friendship of a Lifetime, became a place to journal thoughts and opinions related to friendship and loss. As I began to write, I decided it was a great opportunity for me to share my journey and thus, Cow Pasture Chronicles was created.

At the time, followers were not my focus, but learning and growing in the craft of writing. I shared things I thought would be helpful to other writers, as well as some of my own fiction, essays and opinion pieces. I was thrilled when I began receiving ping backs, mentions, followers and comments. Now I would like to sharpen focus (brand) of Cow Pasture Chronicles. To begin this process I have written three goals:

1) Post weekly. In the past, I haven’t been consistent.

2) Establish a regular feature by the middle of November. Blogging 101 suggested this, but I haven’t decided which feature I want. Right now, it’s between a weekly feature on, Writing (how-to’s), Opinion pieces (based on current affairs), or a Fiction Gallery (Showcasing not only my fiction but others who wish to share).

3) Network and connect more with my followers by reading and commenting. I have been working on this since Blogging 101, but I can do better. I believe successful networking and communication with other bloggers will foster more traffic and additional followers.

I have additional goals, but this is a good start. Have you set new goals?

Good Conversation- A Wonderful Dream

October 12, 2014October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / Leave a comment

DAILY PROMPT

Counting Voices

A lively group discussion, an intimate tête-à-tête, an inner monologue — in your view, when it comes to a good conversation, what’s the ideal number of people

Oh to have conversations once again, what a wonderful dream. However, with a cell phone in every persons hand, and texting thumb a new medically recognized ailment, I can’t say I expect much in the way of great conversation anymore.

I’m not a fan of crowds. I find them too loud and an impossible environment to carry on a good conversation. However, should one be so fortunate as to find another individual willing and able to participate in the lost art can be fun, exciting and widen one’s social circle.

I enjoy the give and take of conversation, two to six people is fine with me as long as the others participating understand conversation etiquette.

Turn your phone off and put it away.
Make good eye contact.
Ask questions, participate.
Listen actively.
Pay attention to body language.
Don’t be boring by rambling on.
Be attentive to the others and their interest.
Don’t monopolize or get on a soapbox.

Here’s hoping we all have the opportunity for more conversation.

Enough, Already!

October 11, 2014October 21, 2016 / Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 2 Comments

DAILY PROMPT
Ready, Set, Done
10 minutes. You and your keyboard (or smartphone. Or tablet. Or pen and paper). No pauses, no edits, no looking back: it’s free-write time!

I’ve had enough. Our society, the country is off it’s rocker. Case in point, an article published by The National Review, October the 8th, regarding the “Gender sensitivity training of teachers in the Lincoln Public School system.

Training materials came from Gender Spectrum, an organization with the goal of, “Providing education, training and support to help create a gender sensitive and inclusive environment for children of all ages.”

Nebraska took it to the extreme, these training materials encouraged teachers to:

“Don’t use phrases such as ‘boys and girls,’ ‘you guys,’ ‘ladies and gentlemen,’ and similarly gendered expressions to get kids’ attention,”
“Create classroom names and then ask all of the ‘purple penguins’ to meet on the rug,” it advises.
Teachers are encouraged to hang signs on their classroom doors insisting that “all genders” are welcome while discontinuing the time-tested practice of lining boys and girls up separately before leaving class.
“Always ask yourself … ‘Will this configuration create a gendered space?'” the document says.”
Educators should prominently display photographs of gender-benders in the classroom, the new policy insists, and give students at least four choices when it is imperative that gender be determined (girl, boy, both, or neither).

Are you kidding me? As if our kids approaching puberty aren’t confused enough. According to the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA), between 0.1% and 0.2% of live births are ambiguous enough to become the subject of specialist medical attention. Did you catch that, 0.1% of the population!

Are we simply going to sit back and allow a minority of 0.1% erase the identity of our children and future generations? Because that’s what will happen. Erase male and female roles from our society? We might as well make eunuchs of everyone and have all future children fertilized in test tubes. Ridiculous!

In the guise of political correctness and inclusiveness, we as a society, afraid to speak for fear of being labeled, are allowing the tail to wag the dog. Shame on you Nebraska and shame on all of us who have remained silent up to now.

Enough already. If there is a child or adult with issues, by all means provide assistance. But, leave the rest the hell alone. Our society is screwed up enough.