I Did It!   My friend, (amazing author, publisher, film producer, creative guru, and more) Ann Jagger (see references & links below), started an annual series of short story collections a few years ago.  Every month each year from February through October, she would post a "prompt" to get us started.   Folks (18 years or older) can give it a try and submit their stories.   Ann selects the best stories to include in that year's volume at the end of each year.   There are currently 5 volumes in print.  If you want to rise to the challenge, the next story prompts begin February 2024! I participated in Ann's "I Did It" challenge each of the last two years.   In 2022's "I Did It" (Volume 4), Ann published my story "Hey Gertrude" (The Real Truth).  The story prompt was "Rewrite the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer from the point of view of...

Oh my gosh! My right shoulder and arm have been feeling oddly numb and “heavy-ish” for over a week, though I have no pain. The sensation came on suddenly upon waking one morning. It is difficult to describe this vague persistent “discomfort”. Being right-handed, this has interfered a bit with a variety of regular activities. So far, I have no definitive answer about what the problem is and how to treat it. Emotionally upset, my confidence is shaken when considering future commitments. My mind races. I get anxious and wonder “What will happen next?” Am I having a heart problem? On the verge of a stroke? Muscle over-use syndrome? Nerve impingement in my shoulder or neck? A brain tumor? Multiple Sclerosis? (Is this the end?) Am I right in saying most of us have gone through similar thought processes about our health at one time or another? Have you ever driven...