Duke Ellington

"Gray skies are just clouds passing over." 
Duke Ellington 

Then & Now

I used to love the rain. I’d walk through downpours without hesitation, letting the water soak through my clothes. I never owned an umbrella; I never saw the need. Even when I had other ways to get home, if it was raining, I walked. The world felt softer in the rain, quieter. Thunder wasn’t something to fear; it was something to admire. From home, I’d listen to it rumble through the sky, a raw display of power.

Now, rain makes me uneasy. My dogs hate it, shying away from the cold drops, shifting anxiously at the sound of water against the windows. Thunder, once thrilling, is now a source of distress for them — and for my cat. Their fear changes how I feel about it. I don’t revel in storms anymore; I watch, waiting for the worst to pass. What I once loved is different now, not because it changed, but because I did.

PPP Reviews

April 2025

Relentless & Steady

And just like that,
a quarter of 2025 has slipped away.
Time doesn’t wait;
it doesn’t pause ;
it moves,
relentless and steady.

A new week unfolds before us,
blank and brimming with possibility.
May we seize it...
shape it...
make it count. 

Against AI Use

This is for writers:

https://authorsguild.org/news/practical-tips-for-authors-to-protect-against-ai-use-ai-copyright-notice-and-web-crawlers/

Jasmine Jitters

                                             

Should I?
The sun is warmer now...
and she has been so patient —
watering, whispering things I pretend not to hear.
I feel the urge rising,
a tickle at the tips of my stems...
but blooming is no small gesture.
It’s a commitment, a declaration.
What if I give everything and it’s too soon?
Too much?
Still… I see how she looks at me, hopeful.
Maybe one flower —
just to test the air...
just to show her I see her, too.