Purple Trees
reflection and anticipation13 total reviews
Comment from EMB
I really enjoyed following this character's thoughts and observations. I don't think a tree can shrug, but perhaps they can shrub? Haha!
Nice work. :)
reply by the author on 30-Dec-2013
  |
I really enjoyed following this character's thoughts and observations. I don't think a tree can shrug, but perhaps they can shrub? Haha!
Nice work. :)
Comment Written 30-Dec-2013
reply by the author on 30-Dec-2013
-
Happy New Year, buddy. I hope you're happy for Matthew and for the role you played in his winning of the trophy.
-
Happy New Year to you, my friend! It was all Matthew. I simply got out of the way. :)
Be safe out there!
Comment from rod007
This is an excellent piece of writing and I liked the way you shifted in time to your mundane job. That jungle-nature you lived in was probably the best thing that happened to you. Good luck in the contest my friend.
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2013
|
This is an excellent piece of writing and I liked the way you shifted in time to your mundane job. That jungle-nature you lived in was probably the best thing that happened to you. Good luck in the contest my friend.
Comment Written 16-Dec-2013
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2013
-
Thanks for the kind words and read.
Comment from nelliesellie
We all wonder what we could have been. We passed most of it up because it was against the rules, Or it just seemed too crazy. I wanted to be in the army when I was a kid. But women had to be nurses. I wanted to drive a tank. So I grew up and became a Lady cop. I herd that was against the rules too. But it was less against the rules than driving an army tank. Great work. Good luck with the contest.
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2013
|
We all wonder what we could have been. We passed most of it up because it was against the rules, Or it just seemed too crazy. I wanted to be in the army when I was a kid. But women had to be nurses. I wanted to drive a tank. So I grew up and became a Lady cop. I herd that was against the rules too. But it was less against the rules than driving an army tank. Great work. Good luck with the contest.
Comment Written 16-Dec-2013
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2013
-
That's very, very cool. You know, I wrote a book called 'Journey to Retirement' that's sitting in my portfolio in serious need of an edit, but in it I catalogued how hard it was to be a woman where the rules automatically were skewed against me because I was a female. Thanks for sharing.
Comment from Cumbrianlass
I love this introspective look at yourself. Some of it, I confess, I found troubling. There were parts where I picked up hints of low esteem - a nonchalant approach to the precious, startling, priceless miracle that I consider life to be.
Mind you, I understand how evaluating oneself can lead to a question of worth and faith, but who knows what tomorrow might bring?
Uh oh. I'm bloody preaching, aren't I?
Anyway, then I picked up the satirical humour that I love. There's a writer on FS who's very good at that.
I think the world of her. ;)
Then it got more positive at the end, so I breathed a sigh and smiled.
Good luck in the contest. I think this is a great post.
Av
Anyways, I'm ()scared of snakes and they eat kids.
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2013
|
I love this introspective look at yourself. Some of it, I confess, I found troubling. There were parts where I picked up hints of low esteem - a nonchalant approach to the precious, startling, priceless miracle that I consider life to be.
Mind you, I understand how evaluating oneself can lead to a question of worth and faith, but who knows what tomorrow might bring?
Uh oh. I'm bloody preaching, aren't I?
Anyway, then I picked up the satirical humour that I love. There's a writer on FS who's very good at that.
I think the world of her. ;)
Then it got more positive at the end, so I breathed a sigh and smiled.
Good luck in the contest. I think this is a great post.
Av
Anyways, I'm ()scared of snakes and they eat kids.
Comment Written 16-Dec-2013
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2013
-
I actually put 'ascared' in the story on purpose to reflect a kid's language, but I changed it to scared.
Thanks for the read and review.
Comment from DALLAS01
Yes, we are products of our environments. It always amazes me how we are often able to adapt to the next one so easily, till it looks like the next one might be our last. No more chances to do it over again. That requires more than adaptation. It requires an inner faith that it will all work out. And for many of us that can be a work of progress, often at snails pace.
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2013
 |
Yes, we are products of our environments. It always amazes me how we are often able to adapt to the next one so easily, till it looks like the next one might be our last. No more chances to do it over again. That requires more than adaptation. It requires an inner faith that it will all work out. And for many of us that can be a work of progress, often at snails pace.
Comment Written 15-Dec-2013
reply by the author on 16-Dec-2013
-
Inner faith or blind acceptance--not sure which core strength allows adapting to change. Thanks for the read and the very generous review.
-
:.)
Comment from w.j.debi
Very interesting response to the prompt. We have so many choices in life. You raise a lot of good questions, especially about the rules and who writes them. I especially like your remark about living each day as if it is your last, but none of us wanting to believe we will die.
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2013
|
Very interesting response to the prompt. We have so many choices in life. You raise a lot of good questions, especially about the rules and who writes them. I especially like your remark about living each day as if it is your last, but none of us wanting to believe we will die.
Comment Written 14-Dec-2013
reply by the author on 15-Dec-2013
-
Thanks so much for reading.
Comment from B. Diehl
"We are all products of our environment and the experiences we have accumulated up to this moment. I'm perfectly capable of evaluating the circumstances of my life and deciding that some are tainted by false information. The really serious issue I have with motivation is the complete vacuum, the information I never got a chance to fondle. It is so much easier to continue the way I know best, but each step is habitual and requires no imagination or conscious thought. Maybe I'm ready, finally, for change."
Incredible ending right there. I found this entire post to be phenomenal and undoubtedly worthy of five stars. I'd give you six if I had them. Good luck in the contest.
-B<3
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2013
|
"We are all products of our environment and the experiences we have accumulated up to this moment. I'm perfectly capable of evaluating the circumstances of my life and deciding that some are tainted by false information. The really serious issue I have with motivation is the complete vacuum, the information I never got a chance to fondle. It is so much easier to continue the way I know best, but each step is habitual and requires no imagination or conscious thought. Maybe I'm ready, finally, for change."
Incredible ending right there. I found this entire post to be phenomenal and undoubtedly worthy of five stars. I'd give you six if I had them. Good luck in the contest.
-B<3
Comment Written 14-Dec-2013
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2013
-
Thanks for the read and kind words.
Comment from Nomar Chagrin
Very philosophical and thought-provoking, Ingrid. You seem to hit on all of life's mysteries. What's life all about? What is death? What is fate? Change? Relationships? Morality? This might sound banal, but life has so many questions and few, if any, answers.
I think millions of people, including me, can really relate to this. It seems like change should be so easy, but it's so damn hard.
Very dark and pessimistic at first, but you seem to confront your demons and offer a flicker of hope.
This was a classic line: "One never knows whether the right highway was chosen until the concrete runs out and you find yourself on a dirt path"
Ditto with this line: "The rules will evaporate before the first shovelful of dirt hits our casket or flames consume our existence."
This piece bares your soul, which must not have been easy for you. Maybe cathartic though.
Great job, Ingrid. One of the most moving and thought-provoking pieces I've ever read on here.
~ Marv
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2013
|
Very philosophical and thought-provoking, Ingrid. You seem to hit on all of life's mysteries. What's life all about? What is death? What is fate? Change? Relationships? Morality? This might sound banal, but life has so many questions and few, if any, answers.
I think millions of people, including me, can really relate to this. It seems like change should be so easy, but it's so damn hard.
Very dark and pessimistic at first, but you seem to confront your demons and offer a flicker of hope.
This was a classic line: "One never knows whether the right highway was chosen until the concrete runs out and you find yourself on a dirt path"
Ditto with this line: "The rules will evaporate before the first shovelful of dirt hits our casket or flames consume our existence."
This piece bares your soul, which must not have been easy for you. Maybe cathartic though.
Great job, Ingrid. One of the most moving and thought-provoking pieces I've ever read on here.
~ Marv
Comment Written 14-Dec-2013
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2013
-
What makes you a great reviewer is the feed-back you give, letting the writer know what you got out of the piece and how it affected you. That's like having a secret Santa. Thanks so much.
-
That made my day, Ingrid. Thanks.
~ Marv
Comment from Judy Couch
This is really well written and expresses your frustration with things as they are. I've felt that way sometimes but haven't been able to express it like you just did.
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2013
|
This is really well written and expresses your frustration with things as they are. I've felt that way sometimes but haven't been able to express it like you just did.
Comment Written 14-Dec-2013
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2013
-
I'm absolutely sure that you could, but thank you for the impressive stars and kind words.
Comment from mfowler
This prompt seems to have affected you quite personally in that your response feels impassioned and tinged just a little with frustration. I loved the metaphorical trees that you write of, particularly the aspen clinging to reality. Your response rung a bell for me as I am sixty three, contemplating life beyond work, and wondering what it will be like to live without the expectations, fears, and routine rhythms of the work place. You're right in that a new set of conditions will replace the old, and that 'how long will you live/how much money have you got question' is one of the major determinants of what motivates us next. I found your disotation wandered around a bit, but you write so beautifully and passionately, that it didn't matter much. Good luck in the contest.
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2013
|
This prompt seems to have affected you quite personally in that your response feels impassioned and tinged just a little with frustration. I loved the metaphorical trees that you write of, particularly the aspen clinging to reality. Your response rung a bell for me as I am sixty three, contemplating life beyond work, and wondering what it will be like to live without the expectations, fears, and routine rhythms of the work place. You're right in that a new set of conditions will replace the old, and that 'how long will you live/how much money have you got question' is one of the major determinants of what motivates us next. I found your disotation wandered around a bit, but you write so beautifully and passionately, that it didn't matter much. Good luck in the contest.
Comment Written 14-Dec-2013
reply by the author on 14-Dec-2013
-
thanks so much for sharing and the kind words, greatly appreciated.