Tag: bloganuary

Bloganuary

Dream Job?

Alexandra Diane
Bloganuary writing prompt
What’s your dream job?
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My dream job was to be a scriptwriter. To be a showrunner on a fantasy or paranormal television show. I wanted to share my stories with the world and back in 2005, this was the main option. We had blogs and things like that but no way to really share them out like we do now. 

So would I say almost two decades later that my dream job remains the same… yeah, that would be awesome to see my work come to life. However, that’s no longer the only way I can share my stories with the world. I have my blog that people read and I have self-published a book. Which you can pick up on amazon. 

However, I am happy with how things have turned out. I enjoy my life, and I actually like teaching high school students my love and passion for storytelling. So I will not live in the world of what if and relish in the life I have. 

Writing

One who comes to save warriors

Alexandra Diane
Bloganuary writing prompt
Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.
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I haven’t written for the last two days. I have been giving myself a chance to decompress from the new year, getting back into work and just processing life. However, the prompt today is one of my favorite topics. When I was younger, I discovered names had meaning and hold power over their owners. This force drives how I name the characters in my books and short stories. 

The name Alexandra is a difficult, beautiful one. I’ve already had one social media fight with a person when I posted what my name meant. The Etymology of Alexandra is Greek, alexein; meaning ‘to defend’, and ἀνήρ anēr; GEN ἀνδρός, andros; meaning ‘man. Alexandra, being the feminine counterpart of Alexander, is sometimes argued to lose its power. However I find that to be nonsense.  

  So let’s break down the name Alexandra:

  1. Alexandra is one of the epithet given to the Greek Goddess Hera, meaning “one who comes to save warriors”.
  2. “Defender of man” or “Protector of man”
  3. To have a name that holds this kind of meaning takes a home who will be powerful, confident, and strong. She will defend and protect those she cares about.

Discovering the biblical meaning of the name Alexandra becomes more difficult as it does not explicitly mention the female name, only its male counterpart, Alexander. However, some scholars have broken it down into how the two names can relate to each other. The name is associated with an individual who will fiercely defend her beliefs. She will be resolute as she finds various ways to resist radical changes from different cultures that threaten her identity and what she stands for. She will do well at her craft. Second Timothy four referenced her male counterpart as a metalworker. She is resourceful, industrious, and not afraid to work hard. 

I don’t believe my mom thought of all of this when naming me. She ended up raising a strong will daughter who will fight in what she believes in. I defend my children and my students tooth and nail if they are deserving of my protection. And I have never had an employer complain about my work ethic. If anything, I am that one who is called upon because I go the extra step. 

But the meaning that rings true to me the most is “one who comes to save warriors”. If you have not read about how my husband and I found our way back to each other, you should. Be prepared. It is full of triggers. You may want some tissues handy because he was close to becoming a static of 22 veterans a day.

Bloganuary

The College Try

Alexandra Diane
Bloganuary writing prompt
If you could un-invent something, what would it be?
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I’m a millennial *queue annoying montage of people saying that over and over again.* But I am and growing up we were force fed the idea that college was our only option for a good life. However, as we know now, our generation is the over educated and grossly underpaid. So when the topic of “If you could un-invent something, what would it be?” was presented, I had a bunch of options run through my head. Did I wish for social media to disappear? Could bombs not been invented? Maybe I wished for AI to vanish? But as I was driving to work, a different thought crossed my mind. I wish the push for college education had never been invented. 

Now I can hear people saying that colleges have been around for hundreds of years. But I am not talking about being rid of higher education. I am talking about the propaganda that college is the only option for a successful future. I’m pretty sure my generation is a prime example of what can go wrong in a short amount of time if we rid ourselves of trades. We have a world filled with consumers and hardly any people who know how to produce. People complain about how hard it is to find someone to fix their AC or plumbing. Well yeah, we were told growing up that those jobs were beneath us. That no one of value should want to work with their hands. But now we’re seeing how untrue that logic is. 

There’s a social media trend discussing how millennials are skipping the midlife crisis phase and jumping right onto “grandparent hobbies.” I mean, do you blame us? We burnt out. We didn’t spend our lives outside like wild men like our parents did. Our parents kept a watchful eye on us because they had the chance to be free. They wanted us to experience opportunities they never had, and the advancement of technology pushed us in that direction. We were the generation of kids who took AP classes and dual enrollment classes, so we had a head start on college. Millennials don’t need to have a midlife crisis. Most of us had one during college or our twenties, as the world fell to shit for the third time. 

Now I look at my gen-z students and see how that process has amplified. Some of the most creative kids are being told they are failures because they don’t test well. However, I am proud of my school because we have a construction and automotive academy. These are amazing opportunities for our students to work with their hands. Also, my program of TV production is another outlet for students to challenge themselves outside of core classes. Within these programs, we are pushing students to earn their certification for the software or skills they have learned. Certifications are being more sought by employers over college degrees. We are giving students the opportunity to obtain them without the high cost they would have to pay if they were an adult trying to earn them. 

The shift in employers’ expectations is giving me hope for the younger generation. May now they will branch out into other professions without the stigma my generation faced. It would be nice to see blue-collar jobs appreciated for their worth. Because if we don’t have HVAC technicians, plumbers, mechanics of any kind, our world will fall apart. We need to encourage students to get out there and get dirty. Not everyone is meant to sit in an office all day. Not everyone is meant to write a twenty-page paper on the meaning of the color red in a film. Some people are meant to build homes, have grease under their fingernails, and make sure the world can still run. We need those people. 

Bloganuary

Burn and Crash

Alexandra Diane
Bloganuary writing prompt
Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved?
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I’ve been married twice. My first marriage left me with invisible scars. While my ex-husband was a wonderful friend to all, our marriage had its faults. Thus the EX part. Some scars came from verbal abuse. I am, by nature, a klutz. I bump into things; I drop stuff, and most of these problems come from my poor depth perception, not for lack of paying attention. Because of this, I have broken a lot of things I care for and just stuff around the house. By the end of my first marriage, my ex would yell at me to pay attention better, because that is what he blamed me for dropping and breaking our belongings. Either a fight would ensue because I do not handle being yelled at very well, or I would begin to apologize and clean up the mess before he even said something to me. 

That marriage didn’t last. However, the poor depth perception still lingers. 

When my husband and I moved in together, I did a lot of the cooking. I don’t know why he subjected himself to that torture, but he did. Maybe he felt like he was doing penance for his transgression while deployed, or something he did in his past life. But whatever the case may be, he never complained. 

One evening I was cooking. Things were going smoothly. I hadn’t messed up anything. I didn’t attempt to chop off one of my fingers while dicing veggies. And I hadn’t burned whatever the protein was. I don’t remember what I cooked that night, but I remember the timer going off. This is key because once the time went off, I lifted the lid to check on the food. Now I didn’t grab a pot holder because I was used to my old pots and pans that had silicone knobs at the top. This pan did not. It had a metal knob that was hot. It burned my hand, and I dropped it. The lid, made of glass, shattered into a million pieces. 

I was frantic. We had only lived together for a few months, and these pots and pans were new. I started looking for a broom to clean up the mess and was already apologizing before he came into the room.

“Alex, stop.” He said, kneeling down next to me. 

I didn’t stop. I was trying to clean up the mess, and he lifted me off the ground. He took my hand and looked at it. “What happened? Are you okay?”

I felt scared to look at him and focused on the floor. “I grabbed the lid, and it burned me. I’m sorry for breaking the lid.”

“I don’t care about the lid. Are you okay?”

I finally stopped and made eye contact with him.

“Why do you look so scared?” He asked me. 

I’m not sure what was running through my head, but the words just came out. “You’re not going to yell at me?”

Now he looked confused. “Why would I yell at you? Accidents happen. We can get a new lid. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

After we took care of my hand, I explained everything to him about my ex.

It’s strange that even after eight years, I can still feel that moment so intensely. Writing it out gave me a wave of anxiety, but the love I felt in that moment quickly washed away. I knew I loved him before that moment. But that was the moment I knew I wanted to be with him forever. He made me feel safe. He made me feel cared about and seen. I knew then he’d be the person to help me heal from my invisible scars.

Bloganuary

Clutter Attack

Alexandra Diane
Bloganuary writing prompt
Where can you reduce clutter in your life?
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Why do I feel attacked by today’s prompt; asking, “Where can you reduce clutter in your life?” and that is how I feel every day of my life. But living with a 11, 6- and 1-year-old in a townhouse not built for that one extra child, rooms get cluttered fast. Especially when the toddler follows behind you, helping you unclean all your hard work. But I know the clutter won’t last. My daughter will one day grow out of her 5 ft tall doll house and my youngest will no longer have a million toys thrown about. Their rooms will soon look like their older brother’s room, with dirty laundry piled up instead of their favorite toys scattered on the floor.

Growing up, there was a little wooden plaque in my parents’ kitchen. On it read a poem about a messy house. I remember reading it as a child, not grasping its meaning. However, now, as a parent myself, those words ring true to me. Now bear with me. I am trying to remember something I haven’t seen in over twenty years. I asked my mom to find it but she isn’t sure where it is. Most likely, halfway through writing this post, she’ll send me a picture and I’ll have to revise EVERYTHING.

So I shall wait….

Wait is over….

Okay, I lied. She found something else.

One is called House Blessing:
Bless the corners of this house
And be the Lintel blest
And bless the hearth and the board
And bless each place of rest.

Bless the door that opens wide
To stranger and to kin
Bless each crystal windowpane
That lets the starlight in.

Bless the rooftree overhead
And every sturdy wall:
Bless the love abounding here…
God bless us one and all.

The other is for the Recipe of a Happy Marriage:
3 cups Love     4 spoons of Hope
2 cups Warmth   2 spoons Tenderness
1 cup Forgiveness   1 pint Faith
1 cup Friends    1 Barrel Laughter

Combine love & warmth
Mix thoroughly with tenderness
Add forgiveness
Blend with friendship & hope
Sprinkle all remaining tenderness
Stir in faith and laughter
Bake with sunshine
Serve daily in generous helpings.


Well now, I am annoyed and I need to find the poem, clipping things so I can finish this post.

Bloganuary

Spirit Animal(S)

Alexandra Diane
Bloganuary writing prompt
What is your favorite animal?
View all responses

I have a problem with cute animals. They make me so angry that I want to hug them and squeeze them until they love me forever. This phenomenon is called cute aggression, and it makes it so hard to just pick one adorable spirit animal. Growing up in Florida, like most girls, my favorite animal at one point was the bottlenose dolphin. However, as I got older, the animals I loved became smaller and fluffer. So here is the list of my top four animals.

4.) The piglet: Yes, I know there aren’t that many fluffy piggies out there. However, there are some breeds that exist. Something about their snorty nose and curly tail fills me with happiness. I know they become as large as a labrador or bigger, but I don’t care. I have loved every interaction I have had with a pig. They are smart, sweet, and delicious. It’s the delicious part that messes things up. I don’t think I could ever have a pet pig and enjoy bacon again. And bacon is too delicious to give up.

3.) The White Stoat (AKA the ermine): If you have ever seen a royal coat that has the beautiful white fur with black dots that you have seen, ermine fur. The black spots are the ends of their tails. However, I do not love the white stoat, aka the ermine, because royals of a bygone time loved to wear them to keep them warm throughout their frigid winters. No! I love the feisty little stoat for just that. They are irresistibly cute and probably would try to eat your face. I have a deep love for that contrast. Cute animals that are actually savages. One of my favorite pictures of the ermine is one carrying a field mouse in its mouth. When my daughter saw it she was sad that the white long snowy animal killed the mouse. But I just told her it was carrying its sleepy friend. She accepted that answer and probably still thinks the mouse was tired. 

2.) Otters: Otters are basically just ocean/river stoats. Only I think otters are far more murderous. Especially the river otters. They have attacked people who are kayaking or canoeing too close to their babies. As a mother, I understand this mindset. Don’t fuck with my babies and you get to live. Also, as a mother, I love how the ocean otters will hold hands with their babies as they sleep. They even have a pocket in their fur to keep their favorite smashing rock! I find it amazing that they have evolved to have a pocket in their armpit. Unlike human women who have to hunt down dresses and pants with functioning pockets.

1.) The Eastern Screech Owl: The tiniest and the fluffiest on the list. Full grown, they are only 5.8 oz! They are fierce little raptors that are usually monogamous and remain together for life. They come in a range of colors, mainly orange and brown with only 15% having deep rich red feathers. I love watching them. With their big eyes they take in the world around them, waiting to attack their next meal. While I may not be hunting for my meal, I am hyper vigilant. I take in everything around me observing my world, paying attention to side conversations while maintaining the one I am a part of. The Eastern Screech Owl has been known to look grumpy while sleeping or resting and I have been told that my RBF makes me very unapproachable but like the tiny owl… I don’t mind. 

Bloganuary

Virtual Communication

Alexandra Diane
Bloganuary writing prompt
In what ways do you communicate online?
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How I communicate online….

Well, it isn’t through social media, that’s for sure. Those sites are a toxic waste zone where you have to wear a hazmat suit to find things that bring you soul and don’t taint the soul. Yes, I use it to share my writing, but that’s not communicating. It’s definitely not text messages because I’m pretty sure I have PTSD from worrying about receiving an insanely high bill because I went over my texting amount. No, for me, the number one way to communicate is still good old-fashioned messengers.

I miss the day of AIM when I would hear a door swing open and get excited to find out who logged on. However, there were certain special friends that I would set special sounds for that would make me drop everything and run to the computer. Now those apps are on my phone, making reaching out to my friends and family beyond accessible. I’m no longer waiting for anyone to log on because messages go straight through, sending a notification to the recipients’ phone. No longer are we worried about going over our texting limit. However, there’s a new issue. The younger generation believes that the recipient should answer within seconds and they become frustrated when they are left on delivered or read.

That’s not why I use messenger. I don’t expect people to answer right away. 

Unless it’s my mom because that’s the only thing she should be doing…being my mom and answering my ridiculous messages.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuut, I will lovingly send a million memes that make me think of them. It’s just fun to send animated stickers and gifs instead of words to get my point across. There is something fun about communicating that way. It’s also nice to write a novel to a friend when you need to vent and not have the message broken up and possibly sent out of order. I know I could make a phone call, but I don’t know what my friends are doing and I’d rather not interrupt them. Sending messages also allows me to go back, reread, and make sure I’ve added all the juice details that I might forget when I’m too busy word vomiting on a phone call. Messaging allows my friends the opportunity to respond at their convenience. 

So yeah, messengers. That’s my top online communication choice. 

Bloganuary

Road Trip: A short story

Alexandra Diane

Think back on your most memorable road trip.

Today I’m busy running around trying to use my 48 hours of free time to spend with my kids. Once kids go to bed tonight I will write about our trip from Florida to Alabama, up to Ohio, to Virginia, and back to Florida.

Until then please enjoy my short story perfectly titled Road Trip

Bloganuary, Celiac Disease Gfree Living

All the foods…

Alexandra Diane
Daily writing prompt
What snack would you eat right now?
View all responses

If I could eat a snack right now… This is the hardest choice ever. I have thought so much about what I would eat if I could eat anything. Having celiac disease has severely limited my choices and I would rather write about all the delicious things I can’t eat rather than what I can.

  • Fried chicken
  • Publix cake
  • Freshly baked bread
  • Black forest cake
  • Beef wellington 
  • Muffins
  • Too many cakes to name
  • All the cookies from crumble
  • Cookie dough
  • Cookie dough ice
  • Croissants 
  • Hamburger / Hotdogs buns 
  • Pretzels dipped in cheese sauces
  • Pasteis de Nata
  • Beignets
  • French Toast
  • Croquette
  • Blah Bread from Ireland
  • Goldfish crackers
  • Triscuits
  • Club crackers
  • Saltine crackers
  • Lobster bisque
  • Any bisque really
  • Spicy chicken sandwiches from Wendy’s, Checkers, and Chick Fil A

There might be a delicious theme here. My husband makes fun of me because he knows when I am craving food from my past. I’ll bring home cake and cookies. He says I’m just fattening him up so he can’t run away. Both are true, however, it’s genuinely because I just want to smell the food in my house. I miss eating normal food. Gluten-free food is just missing the snap and crunch. The food isn’t fluffy or delicious. Gluten-free food created to imitate normal food taste artificial so most of the time I eat things that are naturally gluten-free which is extremely limiting. 

I miss food. I miss food tasting like food and having the correct texture. But I guess being healthy and not shredding the lining of my stomach out weighs delicious food. 

Bloganuary

Crazy Business Idea: Motherhood

Alexandra Diane
Daily writing prompt
Come up with a crazy business idea.
View all responses

The prompt today asks us to come up with a crazy business idea. I was going to cheat and just explain everywhere I’ve worked. Being a ramp hostess for rich people who own private jets. I worked in a large pink building that was supposed to help veterans, but I think it caused them more pain. For years, I spent my life in dark windowless buildings working behind the stage, literally. I’ve worked in broadcast television and news, and that universe is just a lovely bunch of coconuts. And to top it off, I have decided to spend my days teaching other people’s children how to work in broadcast, film, and news. But the idea of funding women during the first five years of motherhood or until their youngest goes to kindergarten is the craziest of them all.

Now hear me out. I know this idea would ruffle feathers, but I think society would benefit from having women at home taking care of their children, if this is the path they choose. This doesn’t mean society forces all women to stay home and never return to their careers. But we have other social programs. This would support parents who homeschool, have multiple children, or have children with special needs. 

I have no idea if I could take advantage of such a program. I go stir crazy being at home. But a lot of that factors in knowing that when I leave the house, I spend money and when I was on maternity leave. I was only receiving 60% of my already small paycheck and paying for insurance out of pocket. Teachers really don’t get paid very well. I wanted to do mommy and me classes, spend time with my babies doing bonding things and fun growth and development activities. Honestly, it most likely would have helped a lot with my mental health and postpartum being surrounded by people going through the same things. Instead, I had no choice but to return to the workforce at three months and entrust the care of my child to others. 

I hear people now: Well, it was your decision to have kids. If you couldn’t afford to have kids, why did you? No one made you go back. insert eye roll

Without women choosing to bring life into this world, there would be no world left. Everything we worked so hard to create would be for the birds. However, countless women sit daily, grappling with the challenge of surviving, being the best parents, and making a living. It would just be nice to have that support in knowing that there was something for those who are aspiring to be a homemaker. Because that career is not for the faint of heart.

A true homemaker, not someone who hires a nanny and goes to yoga or shopping all day, is a thankless job. They care for the children. Transporting them to school and sports. Helping with homework, taking care of the home and cooking dinner. ( Cooking is a big part of why I would be disqualified.) 

Hell, if a man wanted this job, I don’t see why not. I know many amazing fathers who cannot spend time with their kids as much as they would like. 

Society and taxes already pays for those who are unemployed. It may be a struggle, but it happens. Welfare provides support for working individuals who cannot adequately provide for their families. Despite hearing all my life that I won’t receive it, social security exists for the elderly as well. So why not add stipulations for those who want to stay home and care for their families?

Society has transformed dramatically in a very short amount of time. We used to have one person home, commonly the mother, and one working, commonly the father. We have placed our children in the care of others. Hoping these people are the best, to care for our little pieces of our hearts. 

If maybe those who go to school for early childhood education were given the choice to stay home and raise their families, I feel like there would be another social shift. If children were the focus of their home life instead of chasing a dollar, maybe there wouldn’t be as many problems with the youth that we see now. Parents would be less exhausted and families would be stronger.

But that’s a pipe dream. We can’t even get maternity leave covered in America. How are we going to figure out a way to pay those who have the hardest job on the planet?