Candle

There are so many writing cliché's out there to describe common objects.  In my first writing class we were tasked with writing a few paragraphs about a Candle using words that aren’t usually used to describe one.  

Creative and specific descriptions make a clearer picture and interesting writing.  I also love to make inanimate objects characters, it’s a thing.  So, this is my homework for that assignment:

You amaze me. You are serene, quiet, relaxing and soft. Yet your flame has the power to destroy. It is also so sensitive; standing there straight and at attention one moment, wavering and bopping the next. Any variation in the air and it flickers in one direction or the other.

As I watch this interaction of wind, flame and heat, my eyes get heavy and the wax begins to melt. I melt into my chair and the stress of the day goes away. I guess your power to destroy worked on that, and I thank you.

Conversation With A Bouquet Of Roses From My Garden

So this is a little something I wrote as an assignment during my first writing class.  The object was to sit down and just write a conversation with anyone or anything.  I had just planted my first Rose Garden and there was a bouquet of them just sitting on my desk just looking smug. All of the pictures in the post are flowers that came from my garden.  I hope you enjoy it.

Me: Gee you came out pretty.

Roses: Of course I did.

Me: You don’t have to be so conceited about it.

Roses: I’m a plant I don’t know what that means.

Me: You’re a plant but you know how to be sarcastic?

Roses: I don’t know what that means either.

Me: I don’t believe this, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Roses: No, I don’t. Up until today, no one has ever talked to me like this. In fact, why ARE you talking to me like this?

Me: Now you’re just toying with me.

Roses: I still don’t know what you’re talking about.

Me: Aw, forget it. But, gee, you really did turn out pretty.

Roses: Well, thank you.

Me: (eye roll) now you say thank you.

Roses: NOW who’s being sarcastic?

Me: (straight face)

Roses: Let’s move on… Why do you think I’m so pretty?

Me: For many reasons really, first, I arranged you in a nose gay; it’s my favorite arrangement.

Roses: Why is it your favorite?

Me: Well, I love color, and I love flowers, so it gives me the most of what I love about flowers, more of you I suppose.

Roses: You know or you suppose? Which is it?

Me: You’re doing it again.

Roses: Sorry.

Me: I’ll let that pass.

Roses: What else? Continue…

Me: Also, you remind me of my mother. I miss her, and you help me remember her fondly.

          Roses: Does she live far away?

          Me: No. She’s no longer with us.

         Roses: Oh, she moved out?

         Me: No. She passed on.


Roses: Oh, I see, like she passed on- moving in with you, and moved into her own place?

Me: No! She’s taking the great dirt nap!

Roses: Well I take a dirt nap every day, it’s really quite lovely…
Me: NO! NO! (face in palm) She’s dead OK? My mom is dead! Her favorite flower was a rose. A BEAUTIFUL, PINK ROSE. Although YOU’RE not looking so beautiful to me right now.

Roses: I remind you of your dead mother? Pardon me but I don’t feel very flattered by this!

Me: Ya know what? Forget I said anything. In fact, I don’t even think it was roses that my mom liked, it was pink camellias, that’s it. Pastel pink camellias!

Roses: Aww, now don’t be like that.

Me: No, she only liked roses because they were more COMMON.

Roses: HEY! There’s no need to get insulting.

Me: How could you know what an insult is? You didn’t even know what sarcasm was a few minutes ago.

Roses: I’m a fast learner. Have you seen how fast I grow a bud?

Me: You’ve got a point.

Roses: Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot, can’t we just be friends?

Me: Only if you apologize.

Roses: I will…. Just as soon as I learn what that means…

#simmysplace #newwriter #nevergiveup #itsnevertoolatetostartsomething #followyourdreamevenifyoudidntknowyouhadone #flowersfromyourgarden

Welcome Home

Hello Dear Internet Peoples,

I know there's probably no one or maybe just one of you out there that will read this.  I’ve picked this ball up many times over the past 8 years and put it back down, so who could blame you if you’ve given up on me.  I certainly don’t.
All I can say is that I am here again, with new energy and a whole new look at life, the universe and the world as we know it.

And that is what I mean to share with you. There is something I’ve come to realize since I started this blog so many years ago. I am a writer. Yup, I’m a writer. There, I said it, it’s out there now and, well, I’m living up to that statement. Simmy Bredal-Bell, self-confessed, left handed, dyslexic, average C- student in High School is a writer. And a late blooming natural at that.


Ok, so I’m not here to brag, more to just pinch myself because, who knew? A few people, myself not included.

So here is where I’m going to share my works, thoughts, mind doodles, essays, stories – you name it.


I started school last May, but my writing started long before that. When I was 12, I took a trip with another family, it was my first trip on my own. We went to Carlisle, IL to visit friends. One of our stops included places like St. Louis, MO to see the Arch. It was a long car ride and I had a spiral note binder. I was, what I considered, the worlds biggest Star Wars fan and Han Solo was my favorite character, so I set out to write a Han Solo story. I finished it it by the time I got home. I held on to it for a few years, then felt embarrassed by it so I most likely threw it away. What I wouldn’t give to read that thing now.

I never took myself for a serious writer. I became comfortable with being called a lazy student, so I had no curricular aspirations, I got by in school and I never had passion for any subject except for Music. What I loved was making up stories. I was one of the last teenagers to stop playing with her action figures. Let’s face it, I was one of the few girls who played with action figures, but I know there was more of us out there. I lived in my fantasy world.

As an older teenager, I told bedtime stories. Humorous ones because those got the most attention. I once made up a Cinderella type story where our princess wannabe wore depression glass slippers because she was, well, depressed because of the cards she was dealt.

When that died down, I settled into getting lost in the movies and great Animated Films of the 90’s and 00’s. What would I have done without those golden years of the silver screen? My cousin and I wrote a screen play in 1992 but we never finished it.

But in my mind, I wasn’t a writer.

Fast forward to April of 2017. I was nursing a broken heart over the deaths of the characters of Rogue One, I mean it was a great ending, but those poor people were robbed, and Disney knows it. Why else would they be bringing Cassian Andor back for his own TV series?

Ok, I’m getting distracted. Blame Diego Luna.

Anyway, I had a story inside of me that had to be written. So, I sat down at my computer and wrote Chapter 1. I’ve been writing ever since.

Since May of 2018 I have been taking college level writing classes.  My instructors have been so encouraging and inspiring.  All of them have encouraged me to continue with various stories I’ve pitched, and I’ve made each of them laugh.  Mission accomplished.  More school is in the future.  But for the next semester, I will be taking a break so I can just write. 
I’ve written a bit already and I will share a lot of it with you, I hope you enjoy it. Some of it is sad, some of it is funny, some of it, just is.
So, if you are up for the ride, I promise it will be fun and consistent. I have made a promise to myself to write every day, and you will be privy to some of it.
In the infamous words of my new favorite Star Wars Character, Cassian Andor, I bid you and myself a warm ‘Welcome Home’.

#simmysplace #newwriter #nevergiveup #itsnevertoolatetostartsomething #followyourdreamevenifyoudidntknowyouhadone

No Longer MIA

Hello to whoever is still around to read my mind doodles.

I’ve been missing from here for a few years.  A lot has happened.  Mostly health issues. 

Since my last post I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  Survived surgery as well is 6 weeks of Radiation Therapy.  This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month so I’m going to get on my soapbox for a moment and encourage all of my fellow females to get a yearly mammogram.  I’ve been faithful since I turned 40 and if it wasn’t for that, they would not have caught mine early.  You DON’T want to find out too late.  Yes, mammos are uncomfortable for all of us and downright painful for some of us.  But what is your life worth?  OK, so every October and May I will be nagging all of you to get your yearly mammogram!  Off the soapbox now.

I was also diagnosed with Diabetes and Neuropathy (usually related to each other but not in my case).  November is Diabetes Awareness month to watch for more on this subject then.

My latest pain is Depression.  Hmmm…I wonder why?  It’s not a stretch really.  It’s been a long three years.

But here’s the good news.  I’m two years cancer free.  My A1C is normal and the depression has lifted.  It’s been a long road but I’m ready to share it with you.  Stay tuned for updates on my success story.

England Adventure

Hello.  Well. No story to share yet.  My “partner in crime” hasn’t sent me her comments to share.  But take care…I will insert our adventure after it’s all done.
Until then, I have more pressing things to share… 

Update March 1, 2018

I apologize for not following through with this.  Life got in the way.  But there are new things on the horizon and a lot to share coming up.

Eshton’s Twins Storm the UK

 

Dear Readers,

“Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.”   -    Anne of Green Gables

This past year Abby and I have become such good friends.  It has been a very long time since I have come across a person with so much love, understanding, compassion and patience toward people.  Nobody’s perfect mind you, but people like Abby make the world a brighter place.     

Those of you familiar with the novel Jane Eyre, will recognize the expression “Eshton’s Twins”.  While I, as Eshton puts it, “don’t think it possible that two minds can be so in tune that they communicate across the country and call out to each other across space and time”, I do believe that two people can form a such a bond that they share thoughts, feelings and ideas with just one look.  It’s that sort of connection I find with my new dear friend.  I know the feeling is mutual which makes it even more precious.

What a grand thing to have a “kindred spirit” with you on such an Epic Adventure!  It’s with this sentiment we name ourselves Eshton’s Twins for Story we are about to share.  We invite you to experience our “Jolly Holiday” through our eyes.

This is all in fun, we don’t take ourselves too seriously, but share this experience with you in the spirit of wishing you all could have been there with us.

Planning to Visit the Past…

 

To those who just met me, it would be good to know that I lived in the UK from 1994-1995.  As with most experiences living in a foreign country, it was life changing.

I’ve had to live vicariously through British TV shows and movies since I moved back to the states in 1995. 

As my new friend and kindred spirit Abigail and I sat in the new Irish Pub here in Hackettstown about this time last year, we planned a trip to England.    We spent a long afternoon sitting by the fire eating and drinking Irish Food finding out just how much we had in common.  We share a love of all things British and Irish.  Particularly Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte’, Sherlock Holmes and various other pieces of literature, film and music.

With Abby just having been to Ireland with her sister this past February and me having been there in 1994 with my dear friend Laura, I longed to share the experience of showing her the beautiful place I consider to be my second home.  So without even a blink, we agreed to take this trip together. 

You can’t go back in time.  (Unless you have a Tardis!) You can’t live in the past. (Unless you BLINK!)  You can’t go home and expect it to have not changed. (Only in a bad flash back movie…or if your name is Peggy Sue…) 

You CAN revisit a place you’ve been before and reflect on how it helped mold you into what you are today. Or just experience a blast from the past and bring a friend!  Take care reader, you may be surprised at the range of emotions that swell inside of you when you least expect it…