That was the last time he would say that to anyone.

You have nice hair? Even if the person really had nice hair, he would never utter those words again. He couldn't believe how much of an idiot he could be at times. The love of his life asks him what her best qualities are and all he can say is that she has nice hair? Pathetic. As she went back to filling out her online dating profile, he took a minute to look at her while mentally berating himself. But she did have nice hair--so nice he often wondered what it would be like to get his fingers tangled in it as he kissed her senseless. On the few occasions when he moved it out of her face or tucked it behind her ear he always marveled at how soft it was between his fingers. He loved how he could smell the faint scent of sweet gardenias from her shampoo when her head was close to his. He could never get enough of it. Yes, maybe he should have clarified that statement with those details, but he was flustered and he didn't want to expose his true his feelings if she didn't feel the same way. He wasn't brave enough...not yet.

10 Things I Would Love to Have for My Birthday

I'm all about my birthday, so this is probably the easiest list I could possibly put together. Let's get started...

1. Everyone I know and love in one room having a good time. Every year I wish for this, but the reality is it will never come true. With everyone spread so far apart, it's difficult to get everyone together. So the next best thing is just hearing from everyone in some way on that day. I usually leave all the voicemails until they're automatically erased and I keep texts, emails and cards. Guess I'm just a sentimental goof.

2. Halloween for my birthday. It's my favorite day of the year and I always dreamed of having a Halloween birthday part where everyone dressed up. Unfortunately, it's a little weird to be celebrating the Day of the Dead in April--you know with Easter and all. I think the Easter Bunny would be very upset. So, I thought having kids born in October would be the next best thing so I could throw them really fun Halloween birthday parties. But I don't have kids. Oh well, so much for Plan B.

3. Strawberry pie. Instead of birthday cake I'd rather my pie from Marie Callender's. Don't get me wrong, I love cake, but I really love this pie and it's only available for a limited time during the year. I can get my mint chip/chocolate cake Baskin Robbins cake anytime.

4. Clark Kent. I apologize, I'm sort of on a Smallville high, which is why this bumbling reporter has been added to the list. A boy a lot like Clark Kent would be ideal. I've never had a boyfriend on my birthday, so I think this would be a nice change, don't you think? Plus, CK is adorable...how could you not love him?

5. My favorite shows on TV back to back. I always loved it when my birthday fell on a day that either had my favorite show airing or a movie I really wanted to see come out in the theaters. It's the little things that make me happy.

6. The puppies. I love all the puppies in my life so it'd be awesome if they were all together, like #1. How fun would that be?

7. Peace of mind. I spend most of the year worrying about this or that, but for one day I'd like to not worry about anything. I would like to not make decisions. I would not like to have stress. I just want to be carefree and spend my time smiling rather than deep in thought or frowning.

8. Fun. This is pretty much related to #7. I want to have fun and forget that I'm a responsible adult. Sometimes it's good to just be a kid again, even if it's only for one day.

9. A kickass entertainment system. It's no secret that I love my television, so a hooked up system would be a dream. I'd force all my friends to watch my favorite shows on my day. LOL!

10. A winning lottery ticket. It'd be nice to have the money so I could take care of everyone. My family wouldn't have to worry about paying bills. My grandma could come home so I could take care of her the way she took care of me. The children in my life (and their parents) would never have to worry about whether or not they could pay for college. My friends could have more fun days in their lives. The organizations I care about could get a helping hand. I know money doesn't buy happiness, but it does make it easier to help others.

The alert grocery clerk that went out the door...

...knew he'd had enough. Surely there was more to life than scanning and bagging groceries all day. He knew it was a job, knew that he needed it to pay bills, but he needed his job to be more than that so he walked out. He shut down his register and just walked out the door. He knew he could have handled it better, but he also knew that if he didn't do it right then and there, he'd never leave. The constant beep of the price scanner would hypnotize him again. He would fall into the same fog he'd been in for the past year. No, he couldn't let that happen so he walked out, walked right out that door...and it felt good.

Honor one of the parts of you that love the holidays.

I have to say, this prompt is a little creepy. I suppose it's only appropriate since my favorite holiday is Halloween and it's a few days away. This prompt says to make a collage, but I'm just going to interpret it as a written collage rather than visual.

Why do I love Halloween of all the holidays? Why not Christmas or Thanksgiving? The answer is simple--because it's fun. There's no point to it. It's a time when everyone can just be kid--eat candy, dress up in funny costumes, play practical jokes and watch scary movies. I like that's not tied to emotions and moments that make you choke up and cry. It's a time to let loose and be anyone you want to be or do anything you want without feeling childish. Now, I'm not one to go all out and hit the party scene on Halloween. I mean, I would if I had people around who enjoyed it as much as me. Since I don't, I prefer to carry out my own fun little traditions. I enjoy decorating my home with pumpkins and ghosts. I buy bags of candy even though I'll only get one knock at the door. I rent scary movies and watch them in my Halloween PJs. I do look forward to one day living in an area where I can enjoy this holiday a little more. I look forward to taking my friends' kids out and watching them go door to door. As a kid I had the most fun on this one night, and I hope that one day I can pass that feeling on to someone else.

That was a vicious wedding dress.

It felt like it was swallowing her whole. It's not that it was some poorly made dress made of that rough taffeta popular in the 80s. The reality was the dress was a beautiful designer creation made of the finest fabric and accented with the most delicate details. Yes, it was truly a vision tailor made to fit her every curve. But the minute the saleswoman finished zipping her up, she could feel it squeezing the life out of her. She saw her single life flash before her eyes and suddenly she couldn't breathe. She wasn't ready. She knew this, but apparently she needed a dress to pull her out of the land of denial. It made her face the truth of the situation, forced her to deal with it no matter how painful. Yes, it was a vicious wedding dress.

Bad Parents

Prompt: Write about a time as a kid that you thought you had bad parents/guardians. Looking back on it now do you agree with your former view of the situation?

Every time my parents left me, I thought they were being bad parents. But now I know they were just doing what the needed to do to get by--to give me the life they never had. I used to think it wasn't fair that I didn't see them all the time like other kids. But I know that wasn't how they wanted it.

Today when I put on my pants, I...

...wanted to take them off again. The only thing I wanted to do today was sleep. Although there were many things I needed to do today, the only thing I was interested in doing was having a lazy Sunday. Unfortunately, the need for toilet paper was too great, so I pulled on some pants and headed to my local Target. Once the errand was done I returned home and settled in for an afternoon of Battlestar Galactica. I wasn't looking forward to work on Monday, but I was intent on savoring every free minute I had today.

I finally kicked down the noisy neighbors' door...

...to find that they had moved out. All that was left was a recording of them arguing. On loop. At full volume.

I know I should've been happy to discover that they were finally gone, but I was even more annoyed with them. Instead of just leaving quietly, they had to make sure they got the last word in our bitter feud. As irrational as it may sound, I wanted revenge. I wanted the last word. No, they were not allowed to sneak away into the night and leave me with this insane gift. Realizing that the landlord probably hadn't done his final inspection of the apartment yet, I picked up the CD player they left behind, shut the door as best I could without actually touching it, and went back to my place. Surely, there was no way they were getting their security deposit after damaging their front door during the move.

10 Things that I Value About Life Are...

1. No day is ever the same
2. It can surprise you in good ways
3. How the little things make a big difference
4. There's beauty in almost everything if you look hard enough
5. Although few and far between, those perfect moments that make everything worth it
6. The bonds you make with people that last a lifetime
7. There's always something new to learn or discover
8. Even if you can't see it, there's always a silver lining
9. It's both simple and complicated
10. You control how you live it

A sleeping bag, a bowl of strawberries and a pair of socks

Three Objects Prompt Generator: Write a story in which these three objects appear and are important.

She knew she should have taken the day off, or at least called in sick. She had no idea what she was thinking. Actually, she did. It was supposed to be an easy day--just one meeting and a proposal that needed to be submitted to a client by the end of the day. No big presentations. No back-to-back meetings. No schmoozy lunches. Piece of cake. She should have known better.

As she turned the key in the lock thoughts of her horrid day came flooding back into her mind. Her asshole of a boss decided he needed a presentation for his meeting tomorrow and thought saying something at 4 p.m. gave her sufficient time to put it together. So, instead of enjoying an amazing meal with her husband at one of the finest restaurants in town, she was stuck eating a boring turkey sandwich and some stale chips in front of her computer. The only thing she wanted to do once she walked through that door was change into her comfy PJs and sink into her warm bed.

"Honey, I'm home," she shouted as soon as she crossed the threshold. Turning to throw her keys into the bowl near the door, the first thing she noticed was how quiet it was in the house. She thought for sure her husband would be on the couch watching sports highlights on ESPN.

She threw her stuff by the door, glad to be rid of everything that reminded her of work, and walked up the stairs to their room. She figured he was probably tucked into bed sleeping soundly or reading a book while he waited up for her. Nope, he wasn't there either. Before searching the rest of the house, she decided to pull on her PJs and pull her hair out of her face into a ponytail. Feeling a little more relaxed she decided to venture downstairs and see if he was working in his office.

On her way, something caught her eye outside the kitchen window. "What's he doing out there?" she whispered to herself. The minute she got to the French doors, a small smile appeared on her face. There was her husband sitting in the middle of their yard with a million candles surrounding him. As she approached him, she saw that he was actually sitting on a sleeping bag with a bowl of strawberries next to a chilled bottle of champagne. He reached for her hand and pulled her down to sit with him. She placed herself between his legs and wrapped herself in the warmth his body provided. Completely content, she shut her eyes and let the stress of the day disappear. When she opened her eyes again, she saw a strawberry in one of her husband's hands. Never one to turn away an offering of her favorite fruit, she happily took a bite of it.

It was a chilly night, so she pulled her feet into her body to shield them from the cold. At that moment, her husband's other hand produced a pair of pink fuzzy socks. She still couldn't believe how well he knew her--knew that her feet were always the first part of her body to get cold and that these socks were her favorite of the bunch. She knew she married him for a reason.

She pulled his arms around her and sank deeper into his embrace. Once her head was resting comfortably against his chest he bent his head down and whispered into ear, "Happy Anniversary, baby."

How do you know when it's time to harvest the growing gifts in your life?

I know I said I wanted to find a different picture prompt generator, but after seeing yesterday's pic I had a little hope that things might work out with this one. Ummmm...wth? Maybe it's because I'm in a not-so-sunshiny mood this week, but this does not inspire me. I guess if I felt more creative today I could ignore the question and just focus on coming up with a story based on the photo, but sadly, my imagination is on the fritz today. I feel a little tired and rundown. I blame the coming of the curse. So, instead of talking about harvesting my life's gifts I'm talking about life's curses. Wow, I think I need to go to bed. Maybe I'll get a better prompt or more energy next week.

He finally understood the paradox of choice.

He had all these choices, options he never thought possible before right in front of him, yet he had no idea what to do. He didn't know what he wanted, didn't know what he needed, he just knew that he had to make a choice soon. He thought he wanted this--all of it--but now that he had it all, he wasn't so sure about any of it. He had the freedom, all the possibilities in the world at the tips of his fingers, but he'd never felt so trapped in his entire life.

Trade

Directions: Describe a responsibility you'd like to pass along to someone else. What responsibility of theirs would you willingly take on in return.

I'd really like to hand over my bill-paying responsibilities to someone else. I'm so tired of paying others and not having anything left. I'd gladly take on my sister's responsibility of getting a college degree. It as pretty simple the first time. I think I could do it again a second time. Piece of cake. She can pay my bills. :)

My neck keeps getting redder.

Although, I suppose sitting out in the sun doesn't help the situation. Putting on sunblock didn't cross my mind this morning only because I'd never really gotten a sunburn. Normally, I just get darker, but for some reason the sun has decided to declare war on me today. I borrowed some sunblock from my friend, but it seems that my counteroffensive came too late. The damage has been done and now I have dry, peeling skin to look forward to...so gross. Lesson definitely learned.

F word

Directions: Type a four-letter F word (not that one) and then see where that word takes you as you write for a minute.

FORT. When I was a little girl I used make a fort out of my yellow and white crocheted blankie. It was my safe haven--my place to go when I needed to nap with my stuffed animals. Man, that was a great fort. I wish I could make one right now.

HIgh school reminds you of...

...a time when I had direction and purpose. I knew who I was and what I wanted in life. I had plans and goals I believed could be attained. I thought I could do and be anything. I was less afraid to take risks...more fearless. If there was something I wanted to do, I just did it. I'm not saying high school was a piece of cake or that I'd want to relive it again, but I wish I could have a little piece of that girl back. She had motivation and drive, which I am seriously lacking at the moment.

I realize I'm a lot wiser now, smarter about some of the decision I make, but I also find that I'm less likely to take risks and more willing to identify my limitations. Or maybe those limitations are really excuses. I've become so afraid of everything, I just give up before even trying, but that wasn't always the case.

I used to run for class office even though I never really had a chance of winning. I tried out for commencement speeches even though I was never chosen. I ran track even though I'd never won an event. Winning and losing back then was never the goal--it was always just doing it, and if I did then I succeeded. I wanted to be able to say, "I did that once upon a time," and not wonder "what if." Now, I feel like "what ifs" are all I have.

I suppose it's not too late to fix that--I haven't quite reached my twilight years yet. I know what I should do. I know what needs to be done. But fear is powerful and it bullies the logic in my head until it's silenced and leaves me feeling numb.

The Office Wedding

The highly anticipated TV wedding of the year did not disappoint. It had classic Office moments and everything was just as I'd thought it would be. The opening was a little hard for me to stomach only because other people regurgitating makes me a little queasy, but other than that, I had a great time watching it.

Jim and Pam are one of my favorite TV couples of all time. In my eyes the way their relationship progressed was right on and Jim's toast summed it up just perfectly:

"Four years ago I was just a guy who had a crush on a girl who had a boyfriend, and I had to do the hardest thing that I had ever had to do, which was just to wait. Don't get me wrong, I flirted with her. Pam, I can now admit in front of friends and family that I do know how to make a photo copy...didn't need your help that many times. And do you remember how long it took you to teach me how to drive a stick? I've been driving stick since high school. For a really long time that's all I had. I just had little moments with a girl who saw me as a friend. And a lot of people told me I was crazy to wait this long for a date with a girl who I worked with, but I think even then I knew that I was waiting for my wife."

Unfortunately, it was ruined by his slip-up and Michael's cringeworthy attempt to fix the situation. It was so embarrassing I actually covered my eyes and curled up in a ball on my couch. Andy's injured scrotum, MeeMaw threatening to leave, and Pam ripping her veil all contributed to a wedding weekend to remember. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, the opening notes of "Forever" filled the church and dancing hell broke loose. At first I just shook my head in disbelief, but as each one of our beloved characters danced down the aisle and Jim and Pam just continued to give each other their trademark looks, I couldn't help think just how perfect it made this wedding.

Other great highlights:

• The dance-off at Andy's honeymoon suite party  
• Dwight the womanizer
  
• I thought their mental snapshot bit was cute--very Jim and Pam.
• Kevin and Oscar being mistaken as a couple
• Kevin's wedding ensemble complete with hairpiece and Kleenex box shoes
• Dwight's turtle wedding present
• Jim and Pam running off to get married by the falls
• Michael hanging out with MeeMaw and possibly spending time with Pam's mom

I think this episode just proved that it doesn't matter if everything doesn't go according to plan on your wedding day, as long as you have fun...and a plan C.

10 Things that Make Me Happy Are...

In no particular order:

1. Puppies. They love you unconditionally and they're always happy to see you. I love snuggling with my sister's puppies. Even though they're not big fluffy furballs, there's just something about having them near me that just instantly brightens my mood. No matter what they're always by your side loving you. How could that not make anyone happy?

2. A good movie. There's nothing like walking out of a movie theater completely satisfied. It somehow motivates you and wants to do things. It makes you think. It inspires you. It makes want to talk with others. It makes me want to own it and watch it over and over again just so I can always have that feeling.

3. Ice cream. Mint chip to be exact. There's something comforting about a big bowl of mint chip on a winter's day bundled up in blankets in front of the TV. I love that combination of mint and chocolate in my mouth--something I just can't seem to get enough of, which always means a second bowl. My entire life this ice cream has been my comfort food, and I don't think that will ever change.

4. California. It's my home, and it will always be my home. The weather is nice most of the year, you can do just about anything you want, and the bulk of my friends and family are there--it's impossible not to be happy every time I go home.

5. Finding a bargain. I love the rush I get when I see something I really want for a dirt cheap price. It's better than drugs or alcohol, at least in my opinion. To this day, my best find is definitely my Vera Wang dress for $20. I have worn it yet, but one day I will and I guarantee I will be very happy.

6. Friends & Family. They can piss me off once in a while (especially family) but for the most part, these people make me happier than any other group of people on this planet. From their unique quirks to their offbeat personalities, they're what make my life worthwhile. Without them, happiness probably wouldn't exist much in my world.

7. Strawberries. My favorite natural food. There's nothing better than sinking your teeth into a perfectly ripened strawberry or driving by a strawberry field. It's magical. This is probably one of the reason why I love summer so much.

8. Television. Many refer to it as the boob tube or a time-sucker/life-sucker, but I like to think of it as an old friend. It cheers me when I have a bad day, teaches me things I never knew before, let's me have a good cry, gives me things to think about and lets me escape when I need to most.

9. Teddy bears. I still have my favorite childhood bear to this day. He's ratty and old and gone through one too many washer and dryer cycles, but he's mine and I'd never give him away. When I'm sad or scared or stressed I reach for one of my teddy bears and somehow it's able to make me a little better. It's like all that fluff and fur absorbs whatever is troubling me and allows me to think a little more clearly. Besides, just like puppies, how could not want to grab it and hug it?

10. A fun song. There are just some songs that make you want to move, whether it's getting up and dancing or bopping your head to the beat. Who hasn't belted out a tune from Grease or danced around to a classic 80s Madonna song and found themselves smiling and laughing by the end of it? They're infectious and I, for one, am so thankful they exist. It's good to be silly sometimes.

The 25 Best Things About Me Are...

I may have to change Thursday's prompt site only because I'm not sure how I feel about these prompts. I don't think I gave them a proper evaluation only because I didn't want to ruin future writing prompts for myself. Since I am trying to maintain a strict schedule with this thing I'll do this one and find a more adequate one this weekend. Of course, the main reason for the switch is I absolutely hate prompts like the one today. This is going to be a painful exercise, but I guess it must be done. No easy out for me, so here we go:

1. I'm a good listener.
2. I'm patient.
3. I'm a good worker.
4. I'm good at finding bargains.
5. I make yummy cookies.
6. I can make my parents' ribs.
7. I can connect all types of entertainment devices together.
8. I'm loyal.
9. I can get from point A to point B.
10. I'm good at managing interns.
11. I'm reliable.
12. I can eat just about anything.
13. I can adapt to most situations.
14. I can take direction.
15. I'm independent.
16. I can put together Ikea furniture by myself.
17. My hair
18. My ability to look at things from different angles and points of view.
19. I'm supportive.
20. I walk fast.
21. I'm a tough cookie.
22. My ability find solutions.
23. I take care of others.
24. I have a lot of interests.
25. I'm hopeful.

OMG...that was sooooo painful. Thank goodness it's over. Now I can sit back and get ready for a long night of television. Note to self: Don't forget to find new Thursday prompts!

Picture Prompt #1

When powerful feelings overwhelm me, they're never really bright, happy, sparkly feelings. The force deep within me is usually rage. I know this is a problem, and I think over the years I've made improvements in terms of reigning it in, but still...it's always there, threatening to bubble up to the surface. I suppose it runs in the family. My father's temper could be triggered by the smallest thing, and when he blew, you knew you had to find cover. The weird thing is, underneath it all--the rage and darkness--there's this eternal hope that won't seem to die. Does that make me a closet optimist?

Everything was overcooked, slightly burned. We ate in silence.

So much had happened over the last few days. I knew my emotions were taking over everything, even my cooking. We used to enjoy these Sunday dinners, laughing and watching whatever showed up on the television first as we flipped through the channels. It was a tradition. But somehow, my confession had made our lighthearted meal an awkward encounter. I didn't really know what to say mainly because I had no idea what was going on his head. So I just picked at my more-than-crispy chicken and lifeless broccoli. Even my salad seemed to be lacking its normal crunch. Yes, in one fell swoop I had ruined our relationship and it could all be summed up in this pathetic excuse for dinner.

Not wanting to endure this torture any longer, I picked up my plate and went to the kitchen. I wasn't really all that hungry anyway. I could feel his questioning eyes following me, but I didn't feel like I owed him an explanation. He already knew how I felt. The ball was in his court. After depositing the remains of my plate into the garbage and loading the dishwasher, I decided to retreat to my room. I didn't know what else to do. I sat on the bed wishing things could have turned out differently. I wish he would have said something, anything, instead of sitting there stunned and from what I could tell, a little horrified. He made no effort to comfort me, to let me know everything was going to be OK. Instead, he turned around without a word and walked out the door. Tonight was his first night home since our talk. He didn't say much, and I didn't really feel like putting up a fight so I let it go and decided to cook dinner in an attempt to achieve some sort of normalcy. So much for that plan.

A soft knock at the door brought me out of my daze, and I looked up to see him leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed and his forehead creased. This was my indication that he was ready for to talk. I nodded, letting him know it was OK, and he sat down on the bed next to me. He took my hand in his and I stared at our joined hands. It felt good to have some sort of physical contact with him again. Even though there was so much tension between us, for some reason this small gesture comforted me, made me feel safe. I felt his head turn toward me so I lifted my own to look at him. The minute my eyes met his I knew everything would be OK, and a second later he confirmed it by squeezing my hand tightly. Then he smiled and excitedly said, "We're having a baby."

What makes you feel comforted when you're sick?

Comfy PJs, a warm fluffy blanket and my teddy bear always make me feel a little better. I love sitting on the couch and just zoning out on whatever is on the television. And of course my mom--she always makes everything better.

The Plan

In an attempt to keep myself on a regular writing schedule, I've decided to create this writing space. Each day I will use a different prompt to get the creative juices flowing. Here's my schedule and the prompt sites I'm using:

Monday: One-Minute Writer
Tuesday: Toasted Cheese
Wednesday: 365 Daily Photo Prompts
Thursday: All About Me Writing Prompts
Friday: List of 10 Writing Prompts
Saturday: Best TV Show This Week Writing Prompt (my own writing exercise)
Sunday: The Imagination Prompt Generator

Tomorrow is Day One. Wish me luck!