Under Pressure!

 

June  2023 Blog

Under Pressure: A Haiku

Think now “leisure years”

Misnamed, with less energy

Left for the “must do’s”.

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(6/1/23)

 

So much for thinking I could do as I pleased in my old age. Seems like that is not exactly the case. I’m finding I have more and more responsibilities now than ever before.

Sure, I don’t “work” any more. But with medical issues of my own and my husband’s continuing litany of symptoms with seemingly little reason or relief, I find it’s almost a full time job keeping track of medical appointments and the subsequent bills and reports. Then I have to do all the regular stuff like cook, shop and clean house in between times.

Shouldn’t complain, I guess, because at least I am still able to do these things. Don’t know what would happen if I couldn’t.

But I am starting to get back on track after the last couple of months of loss and grieving. I do believe I have come through the other side almost intact.

Now I am ready once again to take a deep breath and dive back into the productive writing pool. Actually, I’m looking forward to losing myself in my own little worlds of fiction. Even though I write horror, I feel it’s not as horrific as my life has been lately.

And I know for sure, I’m not the only one out there with problems. I really feel compassion for those struggling through their senior years.

I guess I thought my “golden years” of the “leisure life” would be just that – all happy and rosy – travelling and enjoying new adventures.

Well, it didn’t happen that way, but I really have little to complain about. Besides what I have to do, I can pretty much do whatever I want to, if I can find the time and money.

So it’s back to the drawing board or rather the paper and pen. I may go at a slower pace these days, but at least I am going. I will also try to be more appreciative of the good moments and little triumphs we should all enjoy more.

As always, I welcome your reactions and responses to any of my blogs. I love to hear from my readers. Also, here are links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, if you care to share your thoughts with me there or look for any publication announcements.

amazon.com/author/annwilmerlasky      

 

https://twitter.com/awlasky

https://www.facebook.com/ann.wilmerlasky

It’s now June and the year is nearly half over. Summer is almost upon us, and I’m still praying for rain. I’ve planted some sunflowers and herbs this year, and I am watering them faithfully.

 

 

 

May Day! May Day!

 

May  2023 Blog

Ode To May: A Haiku

May the joys of May

Blossom and bring forth laughter

To last all summer.

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(5/1/23)

 

Happy new day, happy new week, and happy new month. I am looking to returning some joy to my life this month. I could use lots of spring flowers and loads of laughter. A little rain would help too. I’d love not the go through another summer of drought conditions.

I am truly waxing poetic this month (but not overly wordy). Writing Haiku for as long as I have, I tend to few words. But I would love to share this:

Now Not Never: A Haiku

Now, if ever, is

“The time is now”, else it be

Forever never.

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(4/29/23)

 

I would not have it be forever never. So now I take a deep breath and get back to my first love – writing! I can’t put it off any longer. I have no idea what the future holds, but it will hold more joy if I am writing.

I would also like to share what I wrote for my son Vernon’s memorial that was held by his friends and fans from the Las Vegas Hilton’s “Star Trek – The Experience” show along with his friends from other shows in Vegas on April 23, 2023.

Starlight! Star Bright! A Haiku

7 of 16

Has rejoined the Collective

And is now at peace.

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(4/23/23)

 

Eulogy for a Borg

“The stars in the Star Trek Universe shine a little more brightly now that my beloved son, Vernon, has joined them.

I am sorry I am ill and unable tto attend the memorial. I appreciate everyone’s love for Vernon.

Also, I wanted to share these photos with you all. They are among my favorites:

The first one of Vernon is from 1977 when he was seven and at his happiest. The second is of Vernon and his sister, Lawanna, in 1972 when he was an adorable two-year-old.

He was happiest again when he joined “Star Trek - The Experience”. The third photo was taken when I was able to visit with 7 of 16 at The Hilton.

I thank you all for your love and support as you celebrate his life.”

 

As always, I welcome your reactions and responses to any of my blogs. I love to hear from my readers. Also, here are links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, if you care to share your thoughts with me there or look for any publication announcements.

https://twitter.com/awlasky

https://www.facebook.com/ann.wilmerlasky

It’s now May, deep into Spring, and I’m praying for rain. I want flowers this year. I need flowers.

 

 

 

In Memoriam!

 

April 2023 Blog

One Step Beyond: A Haiku

One never knows how

Many steps it takes until

One can take no more.

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(3/31/23)

 

On the night of Sunday, March 26, 2023, my son Vernon Ray Wilmer, Jr. took that final step and left this life for no good reason.

He was an avid Star Trek fan and will be long remembered for the Borg he portrayed in the Las Vegas Hilton’s “Star Trek – The Experience” during its tenure there. He has many friends from that experience, and they are as much in the dark about what happened as I am. He was indeed a Borg Extraordinaire!

This blog is dedicated to him and his memory. He was a brilliantly talented man. He shone as an artist, a photographer, a videographer, and a film editing genius, among other things.

As a teenager, he illustrated both of my Castleweaver poetry chapbooks, bringing Eldreth and his madness to life.

In the future, I will donate $1.00 from the sale of each Castleweaver book to a suicide prevention organization (please let me know if you’re familiar with such a group) in hopes that another mother will not lose her son for no good reason.

 

https://tinyurl.com/y9d8czj4

https://tinyurl.com/y6x9pqno

Eldreth, himself, is in agony fpr the tragic loss of the artist who gave him eternal life.

Contemplations of a Madman

 

 The accumulated junk

     of myriad years

lies foul upon my soul      ;

The fetid pool

     of a  million uncried tears

attempts to take its toll...

As always, I welcome your reactions and responses to any of my blogs. I love to hear from my readers. Also, here are links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, if you care to share your thoughts with me there or look for any publication announcements.

https://twitter.com/awlasky

https://www.facebook.com/ann.wilmerlasky

It’s now April. It is now Spring, and I hope it will be kinder to us all.

(By the way – anyone thinking this is a prank, it isn’t and I wouldn’t!)

 

 

 

Foreboding!

 

March 2023 Blog

Unfathomable: A Haiku

Sad, when that time comes,

I cannot reach out to friends,

Share with them my thoughts.

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(3/1/23)

 

That day will come, but not today. Today, although late, I am still able to communicate. February was a short month indeed. And I truly fell short of words, of thoughts, and of deeds. I’m finding the older one gets, the longer everything takes, even though the time remaining to do things is way shorter.

I’m also writing this late in the day on which I would post it. A lot has transpired these last few days, including recovering from a zero-visibility, 78mph wind storm. No major damage, but just about everyone in Roswell, New Mexico is suffering from stuffy noses, sore throats and dry eyes.

All I can report this month is that the Sam Rock sequel is closer to being completed and Black Oak will very soon be out on Audible. Everything else is in some form of being closer to being done.

My current vision condition (which includes Macular Degeneration and cataracts) precludes my sailing along at any rapid pace. I have problems reading posts on my favorites sites like Facebook and Twitter. I also have trouble filling out forms with those little gray boxes – they seem to disappear from sight. Sometimes I find I can copy and paste things to word and darken and enlarge them. But I haven’t found a way to adjust the sites so I can easily read things. So I go slowly and cut things short – like this month’s blog. Hopefully, next month I will be able to see and do more.

In the meantime, please feel free to check out my eclectic selection of books on Amazon. The list will still grow, but slowly this year.

https://www.amazon.com/author/annwilmerlasky

Until next month, read and write to your heart’s content, and remember to enjoy the happy moments in life while they can be enjoyed.

As always, I welcome your reactions and responses to any of my blogs. I love to hear from my readers. Also, here are links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, if you care to share your thoughts with me there or look for my publication announcements. There will still be some this year.

https://twitter.com/awlasky

https://www.facebook.com/ann.wilmerlasky

It’s now March, almost Spring, and I hope it will be kind to us all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brain Freeze!

 

February 2023 Blog

Cold Thought: A Haiku

There are those days that

Chill the mind as well as the

Body – this is one.

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(1/31/23)

 

There is ice over everything today and almost all over the whole of the United States. In Roswell, New Mecico, we have had a rather mild winter. February 1^st may be the worst of it.

My brain is frozen, too, and I can use only my inside voice. Which is not as free-wheeling as my outside voice writing in the sun and fresh air.

And, I have a deadline (self-imposed for sure), but I have promised to have “Raven’s Roost – A Sam Rock Novel” to my manuscript checker in early March and to my audio narrator this s\Spring.

So it’s coming (come hell-or-high-water) this Spring – my Sam Rock sequel. Yay! Just a few more chapters to finish off and preliminary editing and then off to the printer.

It has not been as prolific a winter as I had hoped, but I did discover some early poetry that is both free verse and rhymed (way before any thought of Haiku). I am seriously thinking of publishing a collection this summer – after a little editing, of course.

Me and mine have survived the winter well so far. No serious illnesses or injuries. I hope that you and yours have all fared as well. Although I know that a lot of the country had had far more brutal weather than we have had here.

I’m looking forward to Spring. I’m really hoping to revive my green thumb this Spring. I used to grow a lot of flowers, vegetables and even trees in California. But for some reason, not in Roswell. Seems I either over-water or under-water them here. Gotta get that straight this year. I want to have lots of flowers for the few bees and butterflies left in the area. Plus they are beautiful to gaze on as I’m writing.

As February is a short month, this will be another short blog post. I could beg off that I must go and write and finish up, but that’s what I said last month. I guess I could say that all my Haiku writing lately has shortened my attention span. Maybe getting back to some regular poetry will help me was more poetic again. I can hope anyway.

I am again looking forward to an entire month of writing. Again, it’s onward and upward.

Please, feel free to check out my eclectic selection of books on Amazon. The list will surely grow this year.

https://www.amazon.com/author/annwilmerlasky

Until next month, read and write to your heart’s content, and remember we deserve to be much happier this year, and I’m still hoping we will be.

As always, I welcome your reactions and responses to any of my blogs. I love to hear from my readers. Also, here are links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, if you care to share your thoughts with me there or look for my publication announcements. They will surely be forthcoming this year.

https://twitter.com/awlasky

https://www.facebook.com/ann.wilmerlasky

It’s now February, the second month of 2023. Ten more months to look forward to. Let’s make it a great year.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year!

 

January 2023 Blog

2023: A Haiku

This I know: as this

Year passes, it will not leave

Me where it found me.

by Ann Wilmer-Lasky

(1/1/23)

 

Whatever the year brings, it will involve change. I feel it in my bones. Of course, I’m not sure of better or worse, richer or poorer, or sickness or health – but it will end differently than where last year left me.

It’s become my New Year’s resolution. I will not have another year like the last two. I’ve started by writing this today and vowing to write every day this year.

I also highly resolve to get organized so that I’m on top of things and can avoid the surprises of an overdue bill I never opened in the first place or a reminder of an appointment I have today that I forgot to write down months ago.

Knowing that life will surely throw me curve balls during the year, I don’t need to add my own brush-back pitches to the mix.

I would wish and hope for world peace and health in 2023, but that may be reaching too far. I might even wish for sanity in politics and in people getting along with one another, but that’s way out there.

What I do wish for each one of us is peace and love in our own lives, including our loved ones. I wish for happiness and success in our endeavors, whatever they may be.

We surely deserve better than we’ve gotten and seen in the last two years. I won’t even list the problems and the disasters (natural and manmade) mostly because I don’t want to add to the longevity of their memory.

I know I can’t expect sunshine and clear skies every day to sit outside and blithely write to my heart’s content. I would just love to not spend my days putting out fires (if only just figuratively).

I’m sure we could all use a breather, and I wish us contentment as well – not complacency, but true contentment in our lives.

I would much rather relegate the daily horrors to my writing. I would much rather my friends be frightened by the pages of my books than the pages of the newspapers.

And, speaking of writing, I think I’ll wrap this up and edit it and post it. So I can get ready to go outside and write tomorrow and the next day and the next – and send Sam Rock on his way to the publishers.

I am so looking forward to this entire month of writing. The New Year has started. Again, it’s onward and upward.

Please, feel free to check out my eclectic selection of books on Amazon. The list will surely grow this year.

https://www.amazon.com/author/annwilmerlasky

Until next month, read and write to your heart’s content, and remember we deserve to be much happier this year.

As always, I welcome your reactions and responses to any of my blogs. I love to hear from my readers. Also, here are links to my Twitter and Facebook accounts, if you care to share your thoughts with me there or look for my publication announcements. They will surely be forthcoming this year.

https://twitter.com/awlasky

https://www.facebook.com/ann.wilmerlasky

It’s now January, the first month of 2023. Eleven more months to look forward to. Let’s make it a good twelve months.