Tag: music

Brief Humor & Check-Ins, Christianity: My Journey & Thoughts, YouTube Shares

Author: Saying “Bye” and New Adventures 🧭

Peregrine Arc

In my personal life, I am starting a new chapter. I am beginning a new job next month after some much needed rest and some self care. It’s quite a change in the grand scheme of things for this little millennial girl, but I am up for the challenge and adventure. I go with God; I go with grace. He is walking with me.

My word of the year is fortitude. I’ve been carrying it around with me, next to my mint tea bags, Pokeballs and chapstick. It’s been difficult saying goodbye to people at work. But I’m remembering I’m saying hello to others.

I included a few songs that have been sticking with me lately. The first video has an epilepsy warning at the beginning so please enjoy the other two if that’s you.

And just to be clear, I’m still writing and doing this blog. Happy writing! 😊✏️

Contest Entries, Short Stories & Poetry

Terrible Poem: “Oh, I’m a Gonna Go!”🎶

Peregrine Arc

Oh, I’m a Gonna Go!

I’m a gonna go out where the wind durst blow
Sand in my knickers and mud in my toes
Where cow pies rightly disappear and the crickets eat them dangburned rusted bandoliers!
Where the guns don’t get to shootin’,
Where there’s no high brow falutin’
And everyone dances ’till half past three…
If you need me, why that there where’s I’ll be…!
In the Land of Absolution…!

-A.R. Clayton

There’s too much fun to be had at this week’s Terrible Poetry contest. Have fun and keep writing. ✏️

Exercise Challenges

Author: October Cycling Challenge– Pandora Endurance (Day 25/31)🎸🥁

Peregrine Arc

Today I did another Pandora day. This time I biked at a fast cadence through several songs with small breaks. About 15 minutes in or so, my endurance length started to decrease and I did a few smaller intervals. I found that the faster or more “oomph” a song’s beat was, the easier it was for me to keep a faster, consistent pace. 🚴‍♀️

I definitely built up some sweat and felt the burn. I did a one song warmup and a one song cool down at the end. I included some screenshots again of some of the songs I really enjoy that came on.

We’re quickly approaching the end of this challenge. I’m working on writing Chapter One of my novel as well. What do you think my reward should be at the end?

Cheers and see you tomorrow for Day 26. Ker-kaw!

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Exercise Challenges

Author: October Cycling Challenge– Pandora Intervals (Day 24/31)🚴‍♀️🥁

Peregrine Arc

Day 24, another Pandora interval. Thirty seconds of fast, controlled pedaling with a minute or so of rest, around ten times or so. Feel the burn. 😉🔥

Took some screenshots of some of the songs I like that played. See you tomorrow for Day 25!

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Exercise Challenges

Author: October Cycling Challenge– Pandora Intervals (Day 20/31)🚴‍♀️🎶

Peregrine Arc

The WiFi gremlins struck tonight when I was a few minutes into a New Zealand iFit workout. So I turned iFit off, turned on my data and turned on my Pandora app (which wouldn’t kill my data usage on my cell phone). Never fear; ingenuity is here. 😊😉

I listened to my “The Cranberries” station, one of my favorites. I bicycled at a resistance of five out of 10 and did 30 second intervals (fast as I could go) with one minute rest periods. I did this a few times with each song with some longer rest periods here and there. These longer rests included when ads came on or when I lost track of when I needed to start an interval. Whoops! 🤭

When my thirty minutes were up, I did around a five minute cool down at a resistance of one (the lowest level of resistance) to spin the lactic acid out of my muscles. I worked up quite a sweat so I think it worked out pretty well.

Take that, technology gremlins. This was an excellent way to do intervals and jam out, as you could keep track of the time using the song’s track time. Pandora is a free app, so you could download it and give it a whirl, too. I included some screenshots of some songs I really like that came on during my workout. 🎶

See you tomorrow for Day 21. We’re just ten days from the finish line. Ker-kaw! 🦉

 

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Labrador Lessons

Author: Getting Your Dog Through Fireworks & Storms🎆⛈️

Peregrine Arc

It’s the Labrador here, taking over the blog for a moment to introduce the article I had my human write. Between the lighting, thunder and those strange boom-booms that come once a year, I’ve had it up to here with the weather and you humans making things explode into funny smells. Lucky for me, my mom understands me pretty well when I’m scared. Here’s some things she does for me when the scary stuff happens. Use this with your companion and I’m sure it’ll help them like it does me.

And remember–we want to please you. We’re just scared. Please be patient with us; we need love all the time, especially when we’re frightened. Don’t you?

Continue reading “Author: Getting Your Dog Through Fireworks & Storms🎆⛈️” →

Brief Humor & Check-Ins, Labrador Lessons

Author: Method #491 of Calming the Labrador (Sing Elvis)

Peregrine Arc

Our dog (who, by chance, is the inspiration for a character in my book) greatly dislikes thunderstorms. It could be just heat lightning; it could be only remnants of thunder. If it’s both, it’s all over. Let the shaking, pacing, panting and anxiety begin.

Thundercoats only take the edge off for the Labrador; treats and toys are but momentary distractions. One boom-boom and we’re off to bury ourselves behind the couch cushions.

But recently, I had a breakthrough. And it’s Elvis. I began to sing “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” to the Lab, and then played the song while singing. After about fifteen renditions, I had a calm dog ready to go sleep. The storm was also done by then, but the singing helped her to stay by me during the storm. Instead of pacing, she sat by me and eventually laid down. Her panting and anxiety decreased, too. I call that a win.

So here you go. Let me know if this works for you the next time your animal kingdom companion builds up anxiety. The king would be proud. 🎤

Mr. Reginald Swinebottom Presents..., Writing: I've Got Gadgets and Gizmos a Plenty...

Mr. Swinebottom Presents: A Word From Our Supporters, In Song (Editor Opening)

Peregrine Arc

Mr. Swinebottom walks on stage, holding a couple of cue cards. He is dressed in a bright yellow, plush pencil costume which he clearly finds quite cozy and comfortable. He smiles once briefly and wipes some sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief in the shape of a pink eraser. After a few stretches, he clears his throat vigorously and hums a tune through his nose to find his pitch, closing one nostril and then the other.

“And now for a word from our supporters. Feel free to bounce along in your seats, ladies and gentleman. Clapping is permitted, during this performance…”

Continue reading “Mr. Swinebottom Presents: A Word From Our Supporters, In Song (Editor Opening)” →

Brief Humor & Check-Ins, Writing: I've Got Gadgets and Gizmos a Plenty...

Like a Stone (Audioslave) & The Hobbit: Writing Resets

Peregrine Arc

I’ve been listening to Audioslave’s “Like a Stone” song on repeat over the past few weeks. My guess is the melody helps my brain reset and settle into a meditation of sorts. I am enamored by the lyrics of this song and I find myself thinking of the rabbi with dusty sandals I follow.* I also can’t get over the fact how the vocalist is sitting in a chair during the first minute of the music video, belting out those beautiful, passionate lyrics. That is incredible talent and I remain steadfastly in awe.

Continue reading “Like a Stone (Audioslave) & The Hobbit: Writing Resets” →

Our lab, looking majestic. Thanks for reading.
Labrador Lessons

Labrador Lessons III: Pace Thyself, Human! (Our First 10k)

Peregrine Arc

There are gulpers and there are chippers in this world. I am a gulper. There are no stages, no stepping stones of graduated achievements with how I proceed. There is simply the goal and myself, whatever it may be. Everything between me and the goal must be overcome. And now, today, this very instant in fact! Definitely not tomorrow or a wishy-washy “sometime later, honey.” I will stay the course, finish strong, even if doctors and nurses hurry behind me with a crash cart and tranquilizer darts. Reality be darned!

All this I thought today during my first 10k, walking at a steady pace with my saintly husband* and tolerant Labrador. And then my Lab, during mile six, laid down in the middle of the road during a water break. She peered up at me and my so-called goals.

“Go ahead–try to move me, human,” my Labrador taunted me from the ground. “But you’re going to carry my 55lb butt back to the air conditioned car. And then I’m gonna pee all over your azaleas you just planted so lovingly…”

Continue reading “Labrador Lessons III: Pace Thyself, Human! (Our First 10k)” →