Autumn Comfort … “When October Goes”

Roasted veggies… carrots, swede, and ‘neeps, beetroot and celeriac vie with tatties and hard squash, morels and porcini nestled in a fragrant fusion; garlic, leeks, and shallots in a herbal scented brew.

Sautéed cabbage red and savoy with apples, ham, and cider, or white and sweet potatoes, with savoury bacon stuffing… alongside roasted poultry with golden, crispy skin.

Pears, walnuts, and apples with cheeses, port, or sherry nibbled fresh or baked in fruit pies juicy, rich and sweet.

Chestnuts on a brazier, burning tongue and fingers bought from High Street vendors warming ‘round the fire.

Cinnamon and ginger, allspice, clove and nutmeg Scent the windswept wood smoke as Winter creeps ahead.

Ronda R. Scott-Marak
©23 October 2014

"Everybody's Talkin' at Me" - Contretemps

I cannot bring myself to a state of contentment living 
with the wrongs in the world.

I cannot just ignore, go about my day, pretend that everything is perfect, 
as planned, going well.

I cannot sit on my hands, silence my mouth, or still my thoughts 
when there is work to be done.

Minds must be opened, opinions must be changed; truth must resonate.

Words can kill, sicken, maim as much as disease, bullets, or blades

I want peace, joy, release…but

I am angry and I will not be silent!

Ronda R. Scott-Marak

©13 October 2014

L'dor Vador... From Generation to Generation

"Something can be too strong to bend, but only break;
too brittle to flex, just shatter." 

Faith is believing in yourself and others to do what is Good for the Best reasons and for the Gratitude of the All. Faith is not dependent on Another, it requires no Belief beyond Knowing You Are and You Can.

Sometimes you fight your way through the maelstroms and emotional storms to find that darkness still greets you; do not let despair block the pathway to warmth and Light.

The abyss is carved through sandstorms, and hailstorms of doubt, fear, scratchings of irritation. 
The canyon beneath your feet may be deep, the points may be sharp but the sky above is wider than all imagination, filled with all shapes and colour of clouds to dream on. Not all emptiness needs to be filled... the air is there to lift and carry you to wonderlands if you will just breathe and let yourself float. 
Choose Joy... choose Gratitude... choose to forgive yourself so you can forgive others. 
Choose Tolerance... Choose Understanding... Choose to be the Light that hides the shadows and not the dusk that becomes the shadow itself.

Learn from experience and the experience of others: Teach... Peace... Love... Share it on.


Ronda R. Scott-Marak

© 6 October 2014

"The Name Game"

No “H”, One “D”, the choice isn’t free;

Remember this rhyme, the spelling is key.

No “I” before “E”, just personally;

I am not my name, but my name is me.

Ronda R. Scott-Marak 

© 26 September 2014

“The Times They Are a-Changin’” ...“Won’t Get Fooled Again”

A Non-Partisan Request to Get Out and Vote 

Elections and voting should never be played like a game of “operator”; their outcome, desirable or less so, are extraordinarily important to our lives and welfare. One needs to do one’s own due diligence and research to determine through unbiased media and fact-checking agencies the “Truth” of the candidates’ positions and core beliefs, not just the haze of verity surrounding a shadow of a kernel of truth. 

Unfortunately, it appears that the vast potential electorate in this country is either willfully ignorant or just too lazy to search out the facts and make up their own minds regarding current and potential elected officials and laws. Yes, ignorant... I use the term deliberately, and I don’t mean stupid. We as a people like to be fed our “facts” and opinions so we needn’t bother to think for ourselves; too much time taken away from celebrity TV or sports! The vast amount of misinformation and propaganda posing as gospel from both sides is appalling and the apathy of the citizens is inexcusable. 

Our lives, health, safety, economy and potential all are dependent upon the citizen electorate expressing a choice of a candidate that most citizens don’t bother voting for, or against. Either they are disappointed that any given politician turned out to be not extreme enough or too extreme, didn’t accomplish everything on day 1 or accomplished something they didn’t want so they swear to hold their vote as punishment, or they don’t care enough to engage in the system at all. 

Some won’t vote in" mid-terms" deeming them not “important” not understanding that the Congressional Elections elect all the House of Representatives (where the Speaker of the House is next in line for the presidency after the Vice President), and much of the Senate. These are the bodies that make the laws, not the President. The President can do next to nothing without the consent and backing of the Hill.  Even appointing staff and judges are frequently at the mercy of the Hill. Our current stalemate and legislative standstill has been the result of lack of average voter turnout in 2010 and the absolute powers that those elected by default gained and maintained. 

Ignoring the fact that voting is a privilege, a duty, responsibility, and a "Constitutional Right" affects us all.  This time you must suck it up, do your due diligence as a citizen, research and vote for something important... your country and your life! It doesn’t take long, but it’s a long-lasting impact and way too important to let other people decide! 

Vote early and avoid any chance of illness or weather disenfranchising you. If you haven't registered then do so immediately; check your status to make sure your information is correct, that you still show up on the registers, and that you know exactly when and where to go to vote. Take a new voter to register, take them to the polls, or volunteer to help escort those that might not have transportation. There is no action more important than voter participation... know your local, state, and federal candidates... research, read, ask questions, 

VOTE or someone else will do it instead!

Ronda R. Scott-Marak 

23 September 2014

"Not a Sound from the Pavement ... I Remember the Time I knew What Happiness Was"

Memories get buried
Sometimes with us... sometimes before we die. 
Loss of moments,
Loss of lifetimes,
Love, joy, and sadness;
Faces, names, words, and music.
Losing the Self into a void,
Losing loved ones into a chasm;
Darkness and greys dulling colours and light.
Childhood superseding the Adult,
Today shrouded by long ago;
Stolen moments, stolen hours, stolen years.
Fearing the loss of memory, of Identity; more than life itself.
Age is a thief...
Personality, strength, concentration, height, vision, hearing, appetite, taste, and sleep...
but worse is loss that is not due to age;
The premature loss of essence, individuality, ego, soul
The deprivation and decay of Memory.

Ronda R. Scott-Marak   
© 27 August 2014

"What is it Good For... Absolutely Nothing"

We have multiple generations of people with broken bodies, minds, and spirits.
Governments have caused these injuries through unending wars that mostly benefited no one, other than lining the deep pockets of sundry "Daddy Warbucks"; it is up to those same governments to repair the damage with as little stress to the victims as possible.

No veteran should have to do without:
Without food
Without housing
Without healthcare
Without services in return for their service.

No people or countries destroyed by self-serving government actions should be left with the clean up of Governments' broken toys. If the Governments broke the infrastructure, destroyed the crops, the economies, the innocent citizens of that desolation should be given the funds and tools to repair their lives.
Clean it up, repair what you can, and get the hell out.

That doesn't mean that we perpetuate the original destruction by continual occupation, nor does it mean that we make reparations to the guilty. When the aftermath of war is a Treaty of Versailles style boots to the teeth, then repercussions will always follow.

We never learn our lessons... War breeds:
War, Famine, Plague, Death, Fear, Hate, and Chaos.

Ronda Scott-Marak 
© 22 August 2014