“I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl could be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”
—Daisy Buchanan, The Great Gatsby
For April Fools’ Day this year: Tourism Ireland claimed they were saving power by having sheep keep the grass trimmed, George Takei announced he was running for office, and that’s just the start of it.
It may have been a week of
tomfoolery,
but also of sunshine, birds, flowers, and beautiful skies.
I learned my brother and Vincent Van Gogh share a birthday.
Thanks, everyone, for your delightful and helpful descriptions last week, for what a rainbow looks like to you.
Anyone want to take a crack at describing Van Gogh’s painting? I’ve never seen a rainbow, but I’ve also never seen the stars.
I am thankful that I was published again.
My Wedding Won’t Be Like My Sister’s, but That’s Okay – A Practical Wedding
I received a lot of positive reactions that I wasn’t necessarily expecting.
I am thankful to learn that writing is hard for everyone.
You have to be able to stand not knowing
Oh, of course, I am not glad to hear anyone feels this way. I just know it’s easy, as a newer writer, to feel like things will never go where I want them to. This writer has been published, books, and she still gets down on herself. It is oddly comforting, that it isn’t likely to get much easier, the further down the writing path you find yourself.
I am thankful for writers who are willing to stand up for others.
The Men Who Won the Presidency – Full Grown People
This essay hits the nail on the head. I am glad Full Grown People has returned, after being on hiatis. It seems to be moving to publish more of these kinds of open statements and I think that is important.
I am thankful, again, for a doctor who cares.
This doctor is doing all she can to help me feel better. In my experience, that doesn’t always work so well, but her sincere desire to try means a lot to me at this point, after some doctors I’ve seen over the years.
I am a little nervous to try her latest suggestion, but I will see how it goes. If it doesn’t help, then we return to the drawing board.
I am thankful for my brother.
He turned 30 and we didn’t get to celebrate like you should celebrate the start of a new decade of life, but I’m just thankful he’s here to celebrate it at all.
He had a seizure on the eve of his 30th.
I am thankful that my brother is okay.
It’s not a good sign that he’s had a seizure twice in only a few weeks, but luckily he has a doctor appointment this week and maybe he’ll have to increase his medication.
You never know when one will come on. He must have bumped his head on something as he fell because there was blood everywhere.
We’re all just so relieved he came to and phoned his friend, who thankfully could tell right away that something wasn’t right, and went straight over to check things out.
I am thankful my violin teacher and I could work on some problem solving and practice strategies.
When most people move out, I prefer to move in.
We discovered I could keep my arm straighter, in the proper position, if I stand against the wall to play. I rest my right arm against the wall and then I know not to bring it inward any.
It’s a bit of an odd place to be, but hopefully it’s just until I get the hang of things better. I need to know the feeling of where my arm should be, just like I need to learn to feel where my fingers should be.
We are working hard to find ways so I can practice more efficiently. Every lesson we discuss things in a slightly different way.
It was exhausting, but a good kind of exhausting.
I am thankful I got my entry in by the deadline.
The Alice Munro Festival of the Short Story
I doubt my abilities sometimes, but if you don’t submit, you’ll never win.
I wrote something that I quite like. I am proud of it, but we’ll see what the judges think.
I owe some of my family for their input.
I originally did not give my main character a name. Then, as I was working on the final touches before submitting, I realized what day it was. I am not a fan of April Fool’s Day because I am too gullible for my own good, even on a day I know jokes and pranks will be occurring. I did snap up a bit of, what I hope will be good luck, by naming my main character April.
I thought since the deadline was April 1st, it felt meant to be somehow.
Speaking of jokes and pranks…
I am thankful for humour and light things with Canada’s leader and a sitcom star.
Did you hear about this?
Matthew Perry responds to PM’s April Fool’s Tweet
I can’t tell you how nice it felt to read this and be able to smile at a story I read in the news for once. I say I can often be gullible, but I can’t believe some took this seriously. I needed this kind of lighthearted humorous exchange, between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Matthew Perry (Chandler) from Friends.
I am glad Canada has a leader with a decent sense of humour.
I decided to try the A to Z Challenge, for the first time, on a whim this year. I hope I will be thankful for that decision, as April goes forward.
A to Z
We shall see.
“To be an artist means: not to calculate and count; to grow and ripen like a tree which does not hurry the flow of its sap and stands at ease in the spring gales without fearing that no summer may follow. It will come. But it comes only to those who are patient, who are simply there in their vast, quiet tranquility, as if eternity lay before them.”
—Rainer Maria Rilke
Her Headache 
Congratulations on being published! I’m heading over to read it right away. 🙂
And so sorry to hear about your brother’s ordeal. I’m happy he’s okay. Happy belated birthday to him, and Vincent too.
Stars… If I could describe them as a feeling, they’d be a numb limb coming back to life. Prickles of nerves lighting up one by one across the expanse of the sky. In Van Gogh’s painting, the stars are swirls, like cake batter being stirred, around and around. 🙂
Okay, off to read your story!
Thank you for the support Linda, one writer to another.
He is ok now. They are hard on the body, those seizures, but he is a strong guy.
Oh, so much thanks for your thoughtful and plentiful descriptions. They are much appreciated. Sometimes my own imagination can’t quite do such scenes justice like the eyes of those who can see the things I cannot.
You’re very welcome, my dear. 🙂 You got me thinking, it would be much harder to describe sounds to my Deaf son.
Reading your wonderful TToT list, I am again impressed by the fact that you are always learning, striving to achieve and grow in many areas of your life. I wish that inner drive and determination was something you could bottle and sell! I am delighted that you had another piece published, and I’m hoping that naming your character for the contest piece April will indeed prove to be lucky! I sometimes write without giving characters names, it feels comfortable, but I’ve learned that readers seem to relate more to stories with named characters.
Happy Belated Birthday to your brother! I am so sad that he had to start it off so miserably, but I’m grateful he was able to call for help and will be ok. Medical issues for him, for you, for any of us are always scary adventures into the unknown, and I think this is where faith cones in, belief that our life journey isn’t one we walk alone.
I smile, envisioning you practicing your violin with your arm resting against the wall to keep it in proper position. I am thinking that your experiences in learning to play will at some point be something you can translate into guidelines for other individuals with vision limitations that would love to make beautiful music. Show all of us that it can be done, never give up! 🙂
I love April Fool’s Day humor and am surprised by how many people get irritated by harmless fun-spirited jokes. I love Canada’s leader too, and I wish he had a twin brother we could replace ours with, or maybe we could just borrow yours! 🙂
Wishing you great success with the A to Z, I’m on vacation but will be coming around sometime in the next few days to catch up on what you’re sharing! Have a great week ahead Kerry!
Oh, if only I could bottle and sell my desire for new experiences and adventures…I’d have the money to be able to fund my craziest of ideas.
As for the guidelines, maybe someday. It isn’t like there are common ways of doing these things. Learning as I go along.
My brother is the toughest I’ve ever seen. We will always be here for him too.
I’d share Justin if I could.
I am nervous about this A to Z thing, but so far, so good.
Thanks Josie.
Congratulations on another published work you’ve accomplished. I do hope your brother spirits are not to low especially so close to what should be a joyous day of the year for him.
I’m not to familiar with who panted what but the only one that I do know of by van gogh is one he painted of him self and a starry night witch I would describe like:
The stars and the night sky gives me the feeling of the wind. The dark color that represents the evening sky are as line brush stroke that give feeling of if you can see the wind. Those strokes wrap round the yellow balls of light witch are the stars. The stars them selves are brush strokes of circles in circles in circles of yellow right into the center of each star. The wind flows around every star rapping around them like a wool scarf around your neck. The brush strokes of this starry night sky can give you this non aggressive flow to it all, the wind flowing around the stars the color flowing freely like if it was all on there own. Well I’ve never had to describe anything before so I hope this is good in some ways.
Impressive descriptions you’ve given. Thank you.
I am glad you submitted your story and you feel good about what you have written. I like that you realize that if you don’t try, you’ll never get the chance. I need to remember (in the words of Michael Jordan) the only bad shot is the one not taken. JD and Chandler – that’s hilarious. Not at all like the US President tweets. I’ll see you during the challenge.
Until I hear the winners announced I can keep the hope alive that I will be one of them.
Thanks Val. I liked your post about barns, a big part of my childhood.
Yeah, Trudeau’s sense of humour is a definite step up from 45 in that 45 doesn’t possess any. The whole placement of him in charge of such an important influence of a country in our world, now that feels like the biggest April Fools’ Day joke of all. Too bad it isn’t a joke at all.
Your mindset was exactly mine when I entered my first contest a while back – you won’t know unless you try. Glad you’re taking the leap and putting your words out there.
I’m not a fan of April Fool’s at all. I’ve never liked prank humor so I just kind of keep out of the fray. A sense of humor is definitely a bonus, though, especially when you have such weighty issues to deal with on a daily basis.
Sorry about your brother – I do hope he (and you?) are feeling better. Have a good week!
Most pranks on April 1st I don’t find all that funny either, but that one with Justin and Matthew made me smile.
Thanks Lisa. I have double the hope, with both contests I’ve entered this year, but I realize it is a long shot. Probably lots of people also enter. What are the odds?
My brother ounces back quite well, but this time he did something to one of his teeth. It’s hard for him to eat since, and he needs to eat. He sees his doctor in a number of hours and hopefully they will figure out what’s going on. May have to up the medication.
I like how you said, “When most people move out, I prefer to move in”. Says a lot about you!
I don’t know what it says really. Interesting thought though. Thanks.
Your posts are always so entertaining and informative! I love your story and that it got printed again. The Full Grown People post was thought provoking too. I hope both you and your brother will feel better soon. Your violin teacher’s methods sound insightful to helping you achieve the correct positions, etc. You are such a good example of one focusing on your talents and staying focused on the now and the future.
Thanks Pat. I appreciate that I have found a violin teacher like her. I am also glad my brother is ok. You never know when a seizure is going to come along. Scary.
Thanks for the kind words.