Published in BJ’s This or That — The Gathering Table·PinnedMember-onlyBeware of Prompts That Challenge Your Sense of Right and Wrong; You May Learn Something New.Courtney’s Animal All-Star This or That! — I promised Ruby Noir I’d do it. I love This or That prompts, especially one involving animals. I thought answering these twenty questions would be easy, but that wasn’t the case. Hidden beneath the quiz lay many underlying questions of right and wrong, morally and ethically. Through participating in this…Nonfiction12 min readNonfiction12 min read
Published in BJ’s This or That — The Gathering Table·PinnedMember-onlyBuild on the Lucky Number ChallengeWhat do the numbers one through seven say about your life? — I don’t know if I’ve got a severe case of FOMO, egocentrism, or plain down-to-earth playfulness, but with writers from near and far creating challenges, I decided it was time to create one of my own. That is thanks to the inspiration from an article by Susie Winfield. Day 4: Identifying the Blessings Lucky Number 7medium.com Susie’s article…Writing Challenge3 min readWriting Challenge3 min read
Published in BJ’s This or That — The Gathering Table·PinnedMember-onlyDay Two: A Time in Your Life You’ve Won SomethingCan I ever answer simply? — Winning is an all-encompassing word. If we open it to include experiences and opportunities, I’m a daily winner. On Monday, I was a top writer in my household, and on Tuesday, I won the award for rocking my grandson to sleep. Yesterday, I won my husband’s love — again. …Nonfiction3 min readNonfiction3 min read
Published in The Daily Cuppa·PinnedMember-onlyCall me crazy, but I think of myself as a law-abiding citizen with a guilty conscience.Call me crazy, but I think of myself as a law-abiding citizen with a guilty conscience. Therefore, I do what’s right. Today it was bitterly cold, so the parking lot machine froze — it wouldn’t accept credit cards. The person before me tried adding coins, but each fell into the slot. Unfortunately, the door in the slot froze too, so she lost all her money. Silly me! I hoped my seven dollars were machine-worthy, so I tried them, but into the slot, my change went.Nonfiction1 min readNonfiction1 min read
Published in About Me Stories·PinnedMember-onlyAbout Me — Karen SchwartzI am a poet, fiction and non-fiction storyteller, aspiring children’s picture book author, and animal enthusiast. — Hi, my name is Karen Schwartz. My surname is my married name. I proudly commemorate eleven happily married years and my three fantastic children. I live in Canada with Ed, my husband of ten+ years and my cat named Skye. I am a former daycare and nursery school teacher, past…About Me5 min readAbout Me5 min read
7 hours agoMember-onlyDay Twenty-Four: Are you a Minimalist or Maximalist Kind of Person?Would the former make me trendy? — Forgive me for being blunt, but is this what we’re calling it these days — Maximalist? Is this new buzzword the most up-to-date jargon for what we once called hoarding? I could google it, but I’m unsure I want to know. Framing my poor behaviour of collecting nonsense, unnecessary paperwork…Nonfiction3 min readNonfiction3 min read
Published in The Daily Cuppa·1 day agoMember-onlyPostcard From Canada To IowaMarch 23, 2023, 7 degrees Celsius, Light Rain. — Nonfiction1 min readNonfiction1 min read
Published in BJ’s This or That — The Gathering Table·1 day agoMember-onlyDay Twenty-Three: What is Your Favourite Season and Why?Are any of my reasons relatable? — There’s no straightforward answer for which season is my favourite. While they each have their blessed moments, they also have flaws. So how do I choose? Winter is the season where skin chaps, my damp curls freeze, and aging women like me must beware of slipping on ice. I am…Nonfiction3 min readNonfiction3 min read
Published in BJ’s This or That — The Gathering Table·2 days agoMember-onlyDay Twenty-Two: Something You Should Forgive Yourself ForPutting an animal down is never easy. — She was unassuming. Sitting at the front of her cage at the shelter, the stray cat did little to draw attention to herself. The attendant had cured my craving to view each desired cat by removing them from their crate to the floor, and suddenly, the room was alive with…Nonfiction4 min readNonfiction4 min read
Published in BJ’s This or That — The Gathering Table·3 days agoMember-onlyDay Twenty-One: How Did Becoming a Parent Change You?My kids entirely changed my focus. — Although I care enough about others to fill entire stadiums, I’m the first to admit I’m also self-absorbed. My interest in psychology doesn’t come without strings. I’m forever analyzing you while secretly analyzing myself, coming by it naturally. I want to know why people do the things they do. Being…Nonfiction3 min readNonfiction3 min read
