For about three years now, my partner Doug has been hankering after Mister Softee, a soft-serve ice cream truck that he fondly remembers from his childhood. Mister Softee of Central Illinois has a Facebook page so you can find the truck. Today they were parked all day at the Warrensburg Corn Festival. So we went, and drove an hour to get ice cream ... and it was the best street fair we've been to. Tiny little thing -- no more than 5-6 vendors, maybe 6-8 food and beverage places, a midway with a handful of rides, and miscellaneous entertainment. But I give them 10 out of 10 points. Let me explain why...

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Tags: community, event, event report, family skills, food, holiday, illinois, life lessons, personal, review
Current Mood: happy

After writing the post about coping with grief, I got to thinking about how Terramagne-America handles this sort of thing. As with many social aspects, they do it better. One thing I had spotted in passing earlier was the use of followup calls after bereavement, and questionnaires to identify people who would welcome such contact. That sounded really useful, so I found one and wrote it down. This is typical of handouts available at funeral parlors, hospitals, counseling centers, and other places where people may interact with death and mourning. It can also be used for self-assessment; although that approach doesn't provide the same level of support, it can still illuminate what is happening in your grief process.

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Tags: community, family skills, how to, life lessons, safety
Current Mood: busy

The crowdfunding Creative Jam is now live with a theme of "Sufficient or Indulgent."   Come give us prompts, or take some for your own inspiration.  


What I Have Written

"Goldilocks and the Three Planets" is this session's freebie.

A prompt about rich folks inspired the free-verse poem "The Things That Money Can't Buy." Scrunch is a supervillain who can make trouble and throw money around, but not even he can buy everything he wants.
94 lines, Buy It Now = $47


From My Prompts

Tags: art, community, creative jam, cyberfunded creativity, event, fiction, poetry, reading, weblit, writing
Current Mood: creative

 ... moving in from another service.

Tags: blogging, community, networking
Current Mood: busy

tinhuviel is moving, but has almost nothing to settle into a new home.  :/  There is a WalMart registry and a GoFundMe page for donations.  If you liked Shiv's housewarming basket, here's your chance to do something similar.

Tags: community, networking
Current Mood: busy

The crowdfunding Creative Jam is now open with a theme of "Baker's Dozen."  Please drop by to give us prompts or claim some for your own inspiration.


What I Have Written
"13 Reasons Why" is this session's freebie.

"Creating a Community Around Food"
Shiv visits the farmer's market and makes many fine discoveries.
516 lines, Buy It Now = $258

"Ten Minutes in the Life of a Pear"
Shiv comes home with a bushel of pears, and Cook shows him how to turn them into wonderful desserts.
249 lines, Buy It Now = $125


From My Prompts

Tags: art, community, creative jam, cyberfunded creativity, event, fiction, poetry, reading, weblit, writing
Current Mood: creative

The crowdfunding Creative Jam is now live with a theme of "twists."  Come give us prompts, or claim some for your own inspiration.


What I Have Written

"Twisted Wind" is today's freebie.


Inspired by My Prompts

alexseanchai has posted "The Spiral of Life" about small acts of kindness.

Also from alexseanchai 
Your poem inspired "Beacon", a sequel poem of sorts, about picking up after the tornado: 25 lines. Sponsor it for public view for $20, or become a patron of my Patreon and view it there (it is not yet posted) for as little as $1 per poem.

thesilentpoet has created this:
Belated inspiration!

Your image prompt of 'Twisted Tree' inspired a brief character sketch, set in the Urban Fantasy novel featured on my Patreon. For those, who may have followed me before my disappearance, some characters and setting may be recognized.

Character Sketch.

Teaser line: "Beside her sits her phone, her purse, her shoes... It is out of character."

Tags: art, community, creative jam, cyberfunded creativity, event, fiction, poetry, reading, weblit, writing
Current Mood: creative

This weekend the crowdfunding Creative Jam is running on Dreamwidth and LiveJournal.  The theme is "skeptical, not blind."  Come give us prompts, or claim prompts for your own inspiration.


From My Prompts
"Tolerance" by alexconall  looks at different meanings of the word.


What I Have Written 

These two free-verse poems are a matched set in the Berettaflies thread:

"Until It Hears Something Better" spans part of Week 4 and Week 5, after Stylet surrenders and begins making amends to the citizens of Easy City. It's a bumpy ride, but he has some support.
182 lines, Buy It Now = $91

"A Little from the Heart" shows the meeting between Stylet and Ashley, in which he attempts to apologize and she expresses her extreme displeasure.
481 lines, Buy It Now = $241

Tags: art, community, creative jam, cyberfunded creativity, event, fiction, poetry, reading, weblit, writing
Current Mood: creative

This poem came out of the February 2017 crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by a prompt from mirrorofsmoke. It also fills the "respect limits" square in my 2-1-17 Platonic card for the Valentines Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by dialecticdreamer. It belongs to the Officer Pink thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.

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Tags: community, cyberfunded creativity, family skills, fantasy, fishbowl, poem, poetry, reading, weblit, writing
Current Mood: busy

This poem is spillover from the January 3, 2016 Poetry Fishbowl.  It was inspired by a prompt from lone_cat.  It also fills the "captive" square in my 1-1-17 card for the Dark Fantasy Bingo fest. This poem belongs to the Antimatter & Stalwart Stan thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.

This microfunded poem is being posted one verse at a time, as donations come in to cover them.  The rate is $.50/line, so $5 will reveal 10 new lines, and so forth. There is a permanent donation button on my profile page, or you can contact me for other arrangements. You can also ask me about the number of lines per verse, if you want to fund a certain number of verses.
So far sponsors include: daisiesrockalot, lone_cat, general fund

FULLY FUNDED
129 lines, Buy It Now = $65
Amount donated = $26.50
Verses posted = 14 of 35
Amount remaining to fund fully = $38.50
Amount needed to fund next verse = $3
Amount needed to fund the verse after that = $1.50

Warning: This poem contains some intense topics.  Highlight to read the more detailed warnings, some of which are spoilers.  It includes legal issues, alternative justice, sudden job loss for cause, emotional shock, temporary public housing, self-doubt, homophobia, confusion, and other angst. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.

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Tags: community, cyberfunded creativity, fantasy, fishbowl, life lessons, poem, poetry, reading, weblit, writing
Current Mood: busy

I like Annie's yogurt.  It's simple, tasty, and not full of crud.

Another reason I like it is for the lids on the little cartons.  Some of them have cute messages.  Some explain how to fold the foil into a spoon, which is really useful if you're packing these things on a trip.  (Yes, I tried it.  Yes, it works adequately.)  But the really cool thing is that some of these have a white patch for writing messages.  This matters.

One relationship model describes five love languages, one of which is words of affirmation.  Among the easier and more effective expressions of affection in this mode is sending notes.  People who have this love language naturally think of this, and will do it spontaneously.  People of another love language generally don't -- but they may get the idea if presented with a product which suggests it.  

What Annie's has done is take a product used in many families, and put a little value-added tidbit on top that encourages people to express their fondness for each other.  Or you could use it to post reminders like "School out at 1:30."  It's a family skill; it's a coping skill.  It makes a product more useful, and it subtly hints people toward something they might not have thought about otherwise.  It puts the bottom rungs on the ladder.

Things like this are ubiquitous  in Terramagne.  That makes it easier for people to acquire new skills or techniques.  It's much less common here, but some of the more intelligent and prosocial companies do these things in L-America.  Just seeing it makes me smile, even though I'm only buying this yogurt for myself.  I'm not much given to sending notes in food, but I can do it when prompted if it's appropriate.  It's a little bit of extra support that makes life sunnier, which makes me happy.

Because you get what you support.

Tags: activism, community, family skills, food, personal
Current Mood: thoughtful

This poem is spillover from the June 7, 2016 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by redsixwing, shiori_makiba, and technoshaman. It also fills the "where we don't have to hide" square in my 6-1-16 card for the Cottoncandy Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool including daisiesrockalot and technoshaman. It belongs to the Dr. Infanta thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.

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Tags: community, cyberfunded creativity, entertainment, fantasy, fishbowl, poem, poetry, reading, weblit, writing
Current Mood: busy

This poem is spillover from the September 6, 2016 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from dialecticdreamer. It also fills Row 3 in my 9-2-16 cards for the Worldbuilding 4x4x4 Festival: B3 (current events), I3 (politics), N3 (careers and vocations), G3 (major cultural figures). This poem has been sponsored out of a pool including daisiesrockalot and technoshaman. It belongs to the Mallory thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.

Warning: This poem contains some intense topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It features a community with some severely dysfunctional elements, Mallory being justifiably uneasy about a town that reminds her of a sleeping drunk, assorted social awkwardness, several appalling attempts to bully Jules, Mallory quashing the bullies in slightly understated supervillain fashion, Jules stressing out over half the town hating him for no good reason, and his self-image is starting to show some damage, Mallory introducing Jules to BlackSheep, teen angst, and other hijinks. Also, spit warning: do not read this poem with your mouth full, as some of the supervillain quips are truly outrageous. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.

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Tags: community, cyberfunded creativity, fantasy, fishbowl, poem, poetry, reading, weblit, writing
Current Mood: busy

A group of people are working to launch an artist colony in Cambodia.  They have thoughtfully laid it out in stages of development.   

Tags: art, community, cyberfunded creativity, networking, projects
Current Mood: busy

This poem is spillover from the November 8, 2016 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from shiori_makiba and janetmiles, including this lovely warren of plotbunnies. It also fills the "poor decision" square in my 8-1-16 card for the Survival Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by daisiesrockalot. It belongs to the Starbright thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.

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Tags: community, cyberfunded creativity, fantasy, fishbowl, poem, poetry, reading, weblit, writing
Current Mood: busy

Among the magazines I write for is Communities, the flagship of the Fellowship for Intentional Community. Some of my articles have been reprinted online; to read those, check out my author page. I have found this magazine very useful in describing the stronger community spirit that makes Terramagne so appealing.

Like a lot of good things, that magazine is now struggling for survival. You can help by subscribing, boosting the signal, or various other ways.

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Tags: community, networking, reading
Current Mood: busy

Put them in housing alongside natives.  Facilitate the formation of a community by encouraging people to spend time together and identify common interests.  I think that choosing young singles is especially apt because these folks tend not to have strong ties or obligations elsewhere, which means they're open to forming bonds with each other.  Given a little luck, this community should see a lot of cross-cultural friendships and romances that will last.  \o/  Go thou and do likewise.

Tags: activism, community, ethnic studies, how to, news
Current Mood: busy

This summer camp for nerds is aimed at adults.  It sounds like a cool idea.  As for the name Epic Nerd Camp, though? They're never going to beat the Klingons.  You don't get any more epic than rejecting every language on your planet to dress up like aliens and snarl at each other ... and then correct each other's grammar.  ;)

Tags: community, entertainment, fantasy, gaming, networking, science fiction
Current Mood: amused

This poem is spillover from the July 19, 2016 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from dialecticdreamer. It has been sponsored by clockworklady and EdorFaus. This poem belongs to the Shiv thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.

Warning: This is the first meeting between Boss White and Dr. G, from Boss White's perspective, a couple weeks after Shiv gets out of prison. It mostly goes well, but naturally Shiv is freaking out about it. If these are touchy topics for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.

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Tags: community, cyberfunded creativity, fantasy, fishbowl, life lessons, poem, poetry, reading, weblit, writing
Current Mood: busy

This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls, inspired by the "bonfire" square in my 11-1-16 card for the Fall Festival Bingo. It is posted here as my Thanksgiving gift to my audience. <3 It belongs to the Officer Pink thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.

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Tags: community, cyberfunded creativity, family skills, fantasy, fishbowl, food, holiday, life lessons, poem, poetry, reading, weblit, writing
Current Mood: grateful