The Many Sides of Me

                                                                

I was spending time with our writers’ group today. The South Jersey Writers’ Group is one of the best groups in New Jersey. Every third Sunday, a group of us meet at Audubon’s Treehouse Coffee Shop to work on our blogs, or for new members, learn how to blog. This week’s topic was how to keep your blog and Twitter sites focused on what you love to do. I do try to stick to posting only happy stuff, but lately, I tend to be very political.

While my fellow writers try not to combine their blogs with the toxic political scene that we’ve all been dragged into, I step right into the mayhem. I should just stick to talking about my books and my metaphysical stories, but I can’t. I could start another twitter page just for my political rants, but then I wouldn’t be me…not the whole me anyway.

There are many sides of Marie Gilbert. I am daughter, sibling, wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and co-worker. I am an author, professional blogger, psychic/medium, and ghost investigator. I’m know as both Steampunk Granny and South Jersey’s Italian Psychic. There is way too much of me to put in a nicely labeled box.

My Gilbert Curiosities blog tells my followers about family, adventures, Steampunk events, zombies, and of course my metaphysical side, which includes weekly Angel Card readings, and results of a ghost investigation. My Gilbert Speaks blog is a pop culture site where I review film, books, and television shows.

 My blogs are normally uplifting and funny. They were at least until this past election.  I can’t keep silent when I witness the dehumanizing of people by our own government. I won’t keep silent knowing that an enemy country has committed and act of war against us: interfering in our elections and, hacking into our nuclear power plants.

I won't be silenced as our babies are killed while going to school. I won't be silenced when the NRA,  who doesn't pay taxes, has enough clout to control our politicians. I won't be silenced after Congress voted for a big fat tax break while at the same time stopping funding for meals on wheels for the elderly, and school lunches for poor children.

Conclusion

I won’t be silent. I must speak out against tyranny and a president who refuses to levy strict sanctions against Russia. I won’t be silent while the president upsets decent citizens with venomous hatred against the very agencies that protect us from his buddy, Putin. I won’t be silent as this president spews hatred against the free press, women, immigrants, and the poor.

Will my speaking out against a despot interfere with the number of Twitter followers? Most likely it will, but I could not look at myself in the mirror if I kept silent. So, too all my Twitter followers, I will apologize now. I am sorry if I’ve upset you in any way. It’s not meant for you. I am a voice calling out from the desert. I will speak out for all of you.

When Absence Is Necessary

                                                             

We don’t live in calm times and are relentlessly bombarded 24/7 with advertisements telling us to buy stuff we don’t need, with news reports of the latest buffoonery offered by our political circus and reports of the latest barbaric savagery committed in the name of GOD. Top that with the uncertainty of our jobs and health and you can understand a person wanting to hide in a cave.

                                                            

 

A few days ago, a good friend Jessica A. Walsh posted a blog titled “What Happened When My Power Went Away” Jessica is not only part of the best writers’ group ever, The South Jersey Writers’ Group, but this year, she became our Vice President. Jessica is a beautiful and sensitive person, but in this world, it can be rather overwhelming when something unsettling happens to you especially if you are a gentle soul. In her blog post, Jessica explains how an event affected her on three different planes: mentally, financially and physically.

I’m much older than Jessica and I’ve been in her exact dilemma many times, but age has a way of allowing you to let go of the guilt when you are forced to become absent from the world.  

Absence

Definition from the Oxford Dictionary: The state of being away from a place or person; an occasion or period of being away from a place or person; absence of mind Failure to concentrate on or remember what one is doing; avoidance; hiatus; truancy.

                                                

Jessica was apologizing for her disappearance. There was no need for an apology because what Jessica’s mind and body had demanded from her was a good old fashion retreat. Time out is important for survival, especially, in this world of ours where it’s fashionable to hate and to incite.

Retreat

Definition from the Cambridge Dictionary: To go away from a place or person in order to escape from fighting or danger; to go to a quiet place in order to avoid a difficult situation.

Benefits of Absence or Retreats

When I was a young girl at St. Maria Goretti High School in South Philadelphia, the nuns would take us on a Spiritual Retreat for the entire day at one of their Mother Houses in the countryside. We were teenagers who felt that a day spent in quiet contemplation sounded more like a prison sentence than a learning experience, but we were wrong. The time spent in silence gave us renewed strength.

                                                             

Later in life, I learned the benefits to a time out. I haven’t been on a spiritual retreat since high school, but I have set up a room inside my house as my little cave; a place to hide. Retreats and meditation reduce stress, allow your mind to breathe, renew energy and give you a chance to heal both mentally and physically. Like Jessica, I may hide in my little cave for days when I’m really feeling crushed by the weight of the world. I light incense, I play Hindu music, I don’t write, text, tweet or talk to anyone. My husband understands that because of my compromised immune system it is beneficial and better than any antibiotic to just let me go into cocoon mode whenever I need it.

Conclusion

I wanted Jessica to know that it’s okay to disappear. Even GOD disappeared in the desert for forty days and, he didn’t have to put up with Trump and Cruz, but HE knew what was coming down the road and he had to prepare for the journey to Calvary.

                                                              

In this age of instantaneous non-stop news, we need to take time to become absent from the world for small periods of time. Many of us can’t afford to miss work, because we have bills to pay, but we can designate a specific place in our home that is off limits to phones, television, computers and stress and just an hour in this room will start the mending. Disconnect form your cell phones and television for one night and feel the difference.

                                                             

My message to Jessica is this: don't feel guilty when you go into cocoon mode, instead, enjoy the benefits and emerge a better you. I’ll be in the cocoon next to you.

 

Steampunk Granny needs your Votes!!

 

 

I need all my Facebook, Twitter and Google + friends and family to help me win this contest. I've

 

been  picked along with nine other talented bloggers to win the award for blogger of the year!!!

 

 

                                  The voting begins on November 1rst

                  

The Blogger of the Year 2014

Below is our Wonderful Top Ten. Vote, share and help your favorite gain the most votes by simply clicking their picture below and placing them in the top three before the 15th of December. All votes are only counted once. Pictures and names are taken from Twitter.


Voting begins on the 1/11/2013, the pictures currently are disabled.

Jonathon Fletcher Christa Simpson

Carol Hedges Carole Remy

Dallas Dixon Marie Gilbert

Garrard Hayes Claudia Burgoa

K.M. Francoeur Scarlett Flame

This is what you'll see and the voting begins on November 1rst.

Read more: http://www.skelat.com/voting.html

 

 

The voting will start soon. Check out the site below and start clicking away as soon as the day

 

arrives. blevov!!!!!!pipic

 

lyFac Skelat.com

http://www.skelat.com/voting.html

 

 

                                  I won't beg, nag, or torture my friends to vote for me.

 

 

 

                                           But I might send my zombie clone after you.

 

                                                                         

 

     Hello dear facebook and twitter fans. I'll be away from anything resembling a computer for three days.

                                                         
                                                         I'm off to Gettysburg

                                                     
                                                      
                                                  with my ghost hunting buddies

                                                                     
                                                 for a weekend full of spooky surprises.
                                                                     

                                                                            
        I'll be posting the next part of Lilith's Escape tomorrow morning before I leave. You can find the story on my site. http://gilbertcuriosities.blogspot.com

                                                                 
      When I return, I'll blog about the trip and I'll let you know if I see any ghosts like I did last year.

                                                                           
                           Have a great weekend and thank you for your love and support.

                                                         
                                                          

Part Four of Lilith's Escape

Part Four:

“I was told, the person I want you to find, is now living in this time period. I have a photo, but it’s quite old, taken long ago without his knowledge.” She had released her hold on his hand and reached into the multi colored silk bag, which slung from her shoulder. After a quick search she removed the wrinkled black and white snapshot.

“It’s in bad shape, but I’ll see if I can have it enhanced a bit. May I keep this?” he asked.

“For now, but it must be returned as soon as you’re done with it.”

The sound of an approaching car caused her to turn around quickly. She seemed apprehensive, and he wondered why? After the car sped past them, she let out a deep sigh. “Is anything wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” she said, but then added, “I like to do things my way and have a tendency to upset the people in charge.”

He couldn’t help himself and began to laugh, “So do I. We’ll make a good team. My name is Edward Combs and yours?”

“Lilith.”

“No last name?”

“There is no need for one,” she replied, leaving him curious as to what and who she was. “Would you like a ride?” she offered.

Everything he ever learned in his years with Her Majesty’s Secret Service told him to run and not look back, but instead, he found himself saying, “Yes.”

 

Next Episode: Lilith's Escape Part Five

 

Quarter Note Cafe

     Last week, due to a bad case of bronchitis and sinus infection, I missed the entertainment at the Quarter Note Cafe. This week, I'm on another adventure with the grandsons and will miss another entertaining Friday at the Cafe, but you can still make the show. This week's show is Subito Sounds, featuring students from the Camden School of the Arts. It starts at 7 and ends at 9.

     I'll be posting part four of Lilith's Escape from my flash fiction this Saturday. Let me know if you like where this story is going.

     Have a great weekend, be good, be kind, and be ready for that Zombie Apocalypse.

New look and new stories

     My followers have grown accustomed to my blogs about the adventures I get into with the nine grandkids, my fight against human trafficking, my promoting Unicef, Somaly mam and End Slavery Now. They have also learned of my growing love for zombies, mostly because of book two of my trilogy, but also because the boys and I want to be apocalypse ready for any disaster, and therefore, my becoming a member of the Zombie Squad.

     Readers who are treated to my mostly funny blogs, are not aware of my dark side, which influences my trilogy in progress, short stories and flash fiction. With the help of two saintly co-writers, I have learned to use the blog site and now have a new look. Let me know if you like it?

     I'll still blog about the kids, ghost hunting, steampunk and anything else, I think you'll enjoy reading, but I'll also be posting some of my flash fiction and excerpts from my trilogy and short story. I'm working on my "about me page" and will be adding photos of my steampunk outfits, pictures of the desparados, and other interesting images. So enjoy the new look and read my post on Wednesday. I'll be doing a blog interview of Fran Metzman on her new book, The Hungry Heart.