My blog is award free. I great appreciate your considering me for awards but your presence is always reward enough.
I have been writing for a lot of years. I enjoy the process and I enjoy trying different genres. I have been teaching for a lot of years and being a teacher of drama I am very interested if not passionate about performance.
Therefore a lot of the pieces that I will place in this blog will be performance pieces I have written with my students.
Added to that I will put here the variety of work I have written over the years. Last year when my father was dying I found writing each evening when I went home was a way for me to deal with the distress of watching my father’s life ebb away.
Sometimes I find my subjects work best for me as prose and other times no matter how hard I try I cannot get a word of prose out of them but rather they speak to me as poetry.
My work is what I like to write, often depending on my mood and inspiration.
I have been fortunate over the past two years to have a wonderful friend who has been my audience. She has amazingly tolerated my literary efforts and been supportive of work, I have at times may struggled to complete.
Since beginning this blog I have made some wonderful friends amongst the many bloggers who regularly read my work. I would like to think that I use the blog to experiment with writing forms and subjects. Always my work is a labour of love, and even in saying that I am aware that sometimes one piece will work better than others. But that’s life.
I have learned over the years that language is a common bond between all peoples. However the context in which we read each others work varies and what one person will see as good and exciting another may well see nothing at all. That is always the challenge with writing. But when you stop enjoying the process it is sadly time to put your keyboard away. Hopefully for me that wont happen until I can’t see it any longer.
If anything you read in here hits a chord with you then great. If not, thanks for looking and I urge you to continue your journey.
If you have read this far be it known that awards are flattery but are unnecessary as your comments and the time taken to read my work is what I am always grateful for.
If you have reason to contact me you can do so at: mtgrogan@gmail.com
Morpethroad 
sorry for your loss, glad writing helped.
Thank you for your comment.you don’t know how you will respond to a parent dying. I had cared for my father for a lot of years. His final days were hard for me, distressing to say the least. The writing I did was my way of coping. One of the down sides to living alone at a time like that is there is no one you can talk to each evening. Writing helped in that regard.
Condolences, writing is our release for so many day to day emotions, none more devastating than the loss of a parent. I am fortunate that both mine are still alive – Pop 86, mum 84. There is not a day that goes past that I think I will hear bad news. Your dads final days would be there constantly and the grief though improving by the day, will always be carried. Thankfully you carry him & his memories in your heart also.
Thank you you are very kind. On this blog there is a story called – Bedtime story.
In the last week of dad’s life when he was struggling with pneumonia and each day I spent with him was very tough I would come home and write. I have put the words of those days on this blog. The Bedtime Story was one such effort.
It’s a funny thing but I think it is one of the best pieces I have ever written. I shared it with my family and they were all moved. I have a work friend whose mother is dying and i shared these pieces with her. She told me recently she reads them every night.I find that very flattering. Thank you again.
I shall have a look, that is what Mr. S’s mum passed from 2 weeks ago tomorrow…bacterial pneumonia. Healthy on the Friday..gone on the Saturday morning. At least she went quickly and knew nothing, unlike your poor dad and you struggling along side with him. I hope you are finding happier parts in your heart and life now.
You are so nice Jenny. Thank you. I am doing ok. I cared for my dad at home here for several years before he had to go to a nursing home. I miss him but I have now bought the house he and I lived in and I am making it my own.
I will write you a review of your book. I have read some more and see great value in what you write. Your reflective ability is excellent.
I used writing and drawing to help me when I was watching my father die as well. Wonderful coping tools. I am so sorry for your loss.
Thanks Anja. We must be in a similar time zone, I was just reading your about as well.
I cared for my father at home for many years before the nursing home took over. In his final week I wrote every night. My bedtime story, way at the beginning of my blog,is the result of one very tough day. I also think it is one of the best pieces I have written. It’s what duress can do for you.
I will search for it tomorrow. I’m suppose to be falling asleep now. Lol have a 65 mile livestrong ride in morning.
On my regular blog….not my creative writing is my story about my dad. He passed of cancer and we had a timeline. I didn’t leave his side for the last 3 weeks. So I say there and wrote as well as painted to work through it.
Better rest well 65 miles is a long way. Will try and check out your other blog. Thanks for sharing.
I fell asleep right after last reply. 🙂 I lived through the 65 mile ride of ALL hills. So sleepy now
I am so glad to have met you through Jen. Thank you for you encouragement and for following me. Isn’t Jen wonderful? She has led me to so many lovely blog friendships. I am so sorry for your loss. I lost my dad 18 yrs ago, when I was 23 and we had just moved to Australia. He died young and it was a huge shock. I still miss him and wish he was here to see my children. My mum is still in pain over the loss.
What a wonderful daughter you are. The pain will ease, one day. Not immediately, not even in the next year, but it will. I’m sure your home is filled with so many memories.
Take Care
Thank you MM. Best wishes.
I’ve been meaning to read your About
post for a few weeks now; I’m glad I did! I enjoy your writing a great deal – as I hope you know 🙂
It’s good to have a good friend. It’s even better to tell everyone about it.
PS. I meant to say – I’m glad the writing helped you in your pain.
Thanks Freya. When I read your comment I thought I’d best re read my ‘about’ as it was written some time ago. I think I should up date it as things have changed a little since then. As they should change in fact. My About was written not long after I began this blog. I did and still do have the friend I mentioned, but I have discovered a greater audience for my work. I didn’t really consider this at the time because I did blog on an Australian blog site and basically very few people ever read my work. A blog for me was somewhere to dump my writing. If I needed it I knew where it was. WP has allowed me a huge audience, I don’t have the followers some have and I’m not all that interested in attracting hundreds of followers but rather to interact with the few, like you, who regularly interact with me and who encourage me in what I write. WP has introduced me to some lovely people. Some are becoming good friends. As I said above my writing was invaluable when my dad was dying, now I embrace the challenges, I have become more selective of late as their is also my own writing to pursue. I do go on sometimes.
So thanks for reading and liking my work.
Yes, I think I need to revisit my ‘About’ too – expand it somewhat. I had no idea when I began this blog such a short time ago that (a) it would develop in the way it has, (b) that my life would be turned upside down by my own dad’s recent passing and (c) that I would explore different styles of writing so rapidly. I too have my own writing to pursue, but for now, I can’t get my head to turn to it – flash fiction seems to be where I am at (probably due to awful lack of ability to focus on one thing for too long (see (b) above!). I too, can go on… 🙂
Thank you for reading my pieces, for commenting and for connecting from so far away!
I enjoy your work Freya. My pleasure reading your work.
Thanks for the like on my blog.
DJ
My pleasure, please call again
First of all condolences for your father’s passing. It’s such a difficult moment when a parent leaves us.
Writing as consolation, writing as expression…writing is that something that is inside of us that wants to see the light of day. I do so understand when you wrote how sometimes the prose won’t flow because they’re actually poems (and it goes the other way). This happens to me very often. I hope to be reading you often!
Thank you, though I am thinking I must update my about page, I think i should as a lot has happened since dad died
I can imagine things have changed a bit since then. Life just keeps moving on and we change and grow.
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Thanks for your wonderful About post. Sorry for your loss. I lost my father seveteen years ago and now, again, I have begun to visit his grave to talk. We didnt talk much when he lived and then I meen “TALK”. I find, talking to him now, helps me in finding answers to my questions. Questions comming through difficulties and joy.
He worked a lot when I was child and a young boy. I try to get to know him now, in looking at myself and how I act in all kind of situations. I think I am, in many ways, a copy of him and that idea thrills me.
I found your blog thanks to another blogger, Palimpsest. following me.
I will follow you from now on.
/Sten
Thanks Sten, I hope you enjoy following my blog. Losing a parent is never easy, and I am glad to see you are trying to re connect with your father. It is only this week that I wrote about my mother who died thirty years ago. Seems such a long time ago.
Thanks again Sten, please visit again.
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He is doing his best, after all think about where he lives and what he has to deal with, some charity your Awesomeness?
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Thank you so much for dropping by my blog!
Pleasure, best wishes…
Same to you 🙂
Just popped over to read your about page. Writing is the best therapy. Life is what feeds my muse. I’m sorry for your lost.
All good now my dad was a special person in my life, but his end came thankfully and he suffers no more.
I understand that. It’s us the living that are hurt by the death of our love ones.
Yes we are left behind to carry on. I’m doing ok. He died in September 2012……so time has moved on.
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It is so nice to meet with you Sir, (let me call like this 🙂 Maybe you don’t know but this is my second language and I love English language… I am so sorry for your loss. But writing is something to carry their memories or in other saying to keep them alive… I love writing, and I try to express myself/my thoughts/my days in this language, but to be honest my camera has been my pen always… 🙂 Thank you for visiting my poetry/photography blog, with my love, nia
Hello Nia, welcome to my blog and thanks for following me. I am also following you as I have greatly admired the photos you have posted.
I know a few blogger like you writing in their second language. I have a pen friend in Lithuania who writes to me and I write back correcting her English, during the past three years she has improved greatly in her written language but her spoken is not so good. I did speak to her once so I now know what she sounds like. Anytime you need help with your English you are welcome to ask me. Please visit again.My name is Michael please call me that. Sir makes me sound so OLD!!!!!!!!
…. 🙂 Of course it wasn’t to make you feel so old, sorry for this. But in my own culture it is something to show how precious your knowledge… I know sometimes it can be some differences between cultures… Thank you dear Michael, you are so nice, so nice. I would be so happy with your help. Love, nia
Thanks Nia, love your photos.
Just made your acquaintance. I lost my father a few years ago also. So many things I wished I had asked. Peace!
DJ
Thanks Danny and it’s too late after I am lucky to have been able to care for him as I did. Still there are moments I wish I could still ask him things. Thank you for following my blog.
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HI Michael. I’ve nominated you for ‘A Field of Flowers’ Award. Congratulations! Check out the details on http://karenwhitelaw.com
I was just perusing Oliana’s blog and saw one of your comments–which led me to your blog. Your writing is lovely. I’m just learning the craft very late in life so maybe I’ll hang around a bit and it’ll rub off on me!
Please do so. You are never too old Mandy, writing is about playing with words and seeing what meanings you can create. Always fun, some works some doesn’t.
Thank you for your words of encouragement. I’ll remember that!
We are all learning Mandy, hang in there, you’ll surprise yourself.
Seems so long ago.
But the message is still the same, hang around you can only learn a thing or two.
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Hey, I don’t know if you accept awards or not but I want to present you with the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award. You will find it at http://mysilentescapes.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/wonderful-team-member-readership-award/
Congratulations. Have a fantastic day, Abhilasha
Thank you Abhilasha I am flattered you consider me in that way but I do not seek awards rather you reading and commenting on my posts is reward enough. Thank you again.
No problem. Your posts have always been worth reading. Keep up the good work 🙂
Thank you. You have a good day.
Hi there, thanks for contributing to the short story train I started a couple of days ago. I wondered if you’d be interested in contributing more and working on the story with the other further interested coathors and I- maybe by email. Let me know. 🙂
Hey yeah, let me know when I can help. Its a fun exercise.
Great. I am thinking of creating a Google+ Circle or some way for us all to collaborate. In the meantime, you can contact me at iamwhatiwrite@gmail.com
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Thank you for the follow! I am looking forward to seeing what you will do with some of the other photos and opening lines that are in the queue! 🙂
I look forward to them.
Thanks for the reminder that how people respond to a piece of writing is subjective like any art. Also it’s good to remember writing’s value as way of coping with grief. My father is in his 80s, and I’ve been taking a lot of notes about his life. Your experience assures me that writing will be a help when he is no longer here in body. Our writing can keep the memories alive as we process them.
Yes JoAnne it certainly helped me. I wish you well, our parents leave us with so many lasting memories. It’s good to record them.
Hi, Tommy. I’ve read some of your pieces in the past, but had never taken the time to stop and visit as I did today. I so enjoyed your “About” page. And I relate completely to what you shared about writing when your father was dying. About a year and a half ago, my father became seriously ill. Actually, he was still able to be up and doing things, but I knew in my heart that the end of his days on this earth were near. He lived a wonderful life of ministry for over 88 years, and I knew for sure that he would go right into the presence of the Lord, but he and I were extremely close and had been since I came into this world as his first-born. So the thought of losing him — having already lost my mother — was devastating.
About two weeks before he passed, even though the doctor had not given him a prognosis of impending death, I somehow knew in my heart that the time was at hand. The grief was overwhelming, but I suddenly found myself sitting at the keyboard, writing a short story about an author who refused to be victimized by impending death. I had no idea when I wrote the first lines of that story that I was going in that direction, but as I wrote, I felt that I was gaining the victory as well over the impending loss of my dad. Similar to what you said about “The Bedtime Story,” (which I will now definitely read), I felt from the day of its creation that this particular story (“Joseph’s Decision”) was one of my best pieces. I appreciate your sharing your experience because it is a very healing thing to know others can truly relate to what we’ve gone through.
Dear Sandra, firstly let me say I appreciate your comment and story of your dealing with your dad’s death. Losing a parent is never easy no matter how old we get. As you have read my dad was in a nursing home when he died. His last week was a traumatic time for him and me. I sat with him, held his hand which was a very new thing for me as my dad was not a hand holding sort of guy, but he was afraid and needed me with him.
The day I wrote my Bedtime story was the day he said to me, ‘I don’t think I can get out of this’. Now dad was in the grips of pneumonia at this time and I think he knew it was just a matter of time. I came home that night and wrote that story, or moreso it came out like it did. I remember showing it to my family and they all thought I had written something good for them as well. I found writing helped me deal with each day, and when he finally passed it was with a sense of relief as his pain and discomfort was now over.
Its been more than two years, how time flies, and I hang on to all the wonderful memories i have of him. I live in his house, I have kept somethings of his where he left them. But I have made some changes to make the house mine for I know he would want me to move on. I shall go and read Joseph’s Decision, I assume it is on your blog.
Also thank you for the follow.
I agree it’s important for you to make some changes in the home and keep moving forward in your own individual life. Your father would undoubtedly want that for you.
If you think you might like to read “Joseph’s Decision” I’ll just go ahead and give you the link so that it’s easy to find:
http://sandraconner.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/josephs-decision-a-short-short-story/
Yours is a good story Sandra that notion of not having the time to die is one I tell myself as well. In the end time will get us and it’s about accepting that when it does happen it’s how we will end our lives. My father accepted in the end that his end was not pleasant but it was how he ended life.
Thanks for letting me read your story I understand why it is important to you.
I appreciate your taking the time to read it. I think writing it helped me realize that I did not feel victimized by approaching death — nor did my dad. That was the huge gift that I received from it.
Even though I don’t know if you take part in these things: I have nominated you 🙂 https://justfoolingaroundwithbee.wordpress.com/2015/01/22/one-lovely-blog-hop/
Dear Bee I am flattered you would consider me for this award but I am not into rewards though I do appreciate you thinking and including me.
I can see you are well worthy of such an award yourself. Have a good day.
🙂
Just wanted to let you know I am reblogging and publishing today your 1/31/15 Solidarity Fairy Tale. Have a good day. 🙂
Thanks Susan, that is very flattering of you…..
Pleased to meet you.
Thank you for dropping by. Please call by again.
It would be my pleasure.
Hi! I nominated you for Creative Blogger Award. Please let me know whether you wish to accept or decline. Either way I think you are pretty d#$@ awesome 🙂
Hi Rhodia, I am very flattered that you would nominate me for this award but I am not an awards person. For me blogging is an outlet for my writing and I love that I can do that. That you and others take the time to read and comment on my posts is flattery enough.
Thank you again, hope you have a good day. Michael.
I respect your decision. Truthfully, I don’t care if you post the badge or ever answer the questions. I just wanted to recognize a couple people for their creative minds and spirits. Take care
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Glad to find a fellow Aussie! Best wishes! 🙂
Thanks, I find we are rare around here…thanks so much for the follow….drop by anytime….
Looking forward to it! 🙂
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I too find writing to be helpful when facing difficult times. The simple fact that written words do not interrupt, comment or talk back is enough for me in and of itself.
Thank you for reading my about. I do like your blog name. I knew some nuns who did runaway, we’ll sort of, but leprechauns they were not. Please call by again.
Definitely will do just that!
A pleasure to connect. Respect to you Sir.
Thank you so much. Please call me Michael.
My students called me Sir and even though technically you could have been in my classroom I am sure you feel ok about having been spared that experience.
Enjoy your day.
That made me smile. I am sure I would have appreciated the experience!!Possibly in hindsight but still. It is hard for me to call people whom I can feel are a Sir to me – by their first names before requested, so thank you Michael for the prompt. 🙂
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I am sorry for your loss. You write with such simplicity that it makes me sad about your father. I hope you are doing better now. Your writing is beautiful and I will read more of your blog in the coming days. Thanks for writing 🙂 Have a good time. Take care
Hello thank you for following my blog, please call by any time.
I am doing well these days, there is much to be happy about.
Have a great day….Michael.