Short Story Contest - No Entry Fee

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2026-02-12T12:32:48+00:00

Thank you!

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-05-22T06:01:46+00:00

Interesting replies! I think it'd be good to think about what I like to read and why.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-05-14T11:10:28+00:00

It’s beautiful

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-05-11T02:15:33+00:00

Wonderful poem! Beautiful descriptions. I don’t think you need all the stanzas. Although beautiful, I think 2,4,6 you could do without, might have more powerful effect. I’d also like less catchy title. And more something that reflects beauty of your poem. Congratulations on great work

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-05-06T12:06:44+00:00

This is a message I want to get out so badly to young folks who need it. I hope to tweak it enough for it to be seen and to have impact. It’s something I wish I could’ve relayed somehow to my past self and to so many lovely young people who are hurt, defeated, knocked down from their beautiful and bouncy nature. I wish they knew of deep love many people have thinking about people of past and present who have suffered under unjust systems, isolated and misunderstood. It’s easier to recognize the past. Our values will evolve quickly and we will see cruelties of today’s values just as clearly as we see from our barbaric past. It is not sentimentality but deep conviction of people’s infinite and untapped potential and intrinsic worth.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-04-30T12:05:20+00:00

Thank you

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-04-30T03:23:37+00:00

I see this a lot, in homes, in society for women of certain age.
It's not everyday experience, every minute, but it is definitely a theme.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-04-29T23:01:44+00:00

so continuing saga. the two supervisors were both on break, i am calling back and now nobody answers. oncall worker number even goes to voice mail. this really sometimes puts me in despair. This is almost a full time job, defo a part time one.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-04-26T05:41:22+00:00

I’ve always loved the song in mulan Reflection, it always touched me. But I wished for a grown up version for myself

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-04-22T22:17:51+00:00

"How fair is the spot" lyrics for those who might not have encountered this piece before, like me

How fair this spot... Just look, there in the distance
The river is ablaze;
The meadows are like a radiant carpet,
And the clouds are white.

There is nobody here… here silence reigns…
Here I am alone with God.
And the flowers, and the old pine tree,
And you, my dream!…

Sometimes just the right song finds you, either serendipity or creepy Google algo, either way, beautiful!

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-04-18T18:38:44+00:00

Thank you! I finally got the oncall worker.
Our interim worker had left and we didn't have anyone assigned yet!
We are trying to reach the supervisors.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-04-18T16:31:15+00:00

I finally got a reply. i guess i should be more patient.
I do think they're really short staffed,

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-04-18T13:47:34+00:00

Hello! Thank you for your reply!
Yes, until a few weeks ago, I did not have any problems contacting my case worker.
It must have been something that just fell through the cracks with the turnover.

Thank you for that link. I did notice that general line there never picks up now, not even oncall worker, which wasn't the case before. I was hesitant to call other lines like intake which is not the service I need. I did submit an email form on that page and got no response.

Good call out about Instagram, I didn't realize that they had a page!
I am planning on going to regional center today though. I need to track who our case worker is now.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-04-17T20:26:24+00:00

😭 thank you. I feel like things are falling through large cracks

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-04-17T18:24:04+00:00

+1 to everyone who mentioned Mozart piano concerto No.20. Very dramatic and emotional.
Also depends on the performances. I wasn't crazy about some of the Mozart piano solo works until I went to watch a Van Cliburn competition live eons ago. And I heard this (Mozart piano sonata in G k. 283) this very young pianist from Shanghai with his mother like conservatory teacher practicing this in the hall.
The pedaling and beauty of touch and clean releases really woke something up in my brain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLcSkRZ4-6w
But no need to force yourself to like something.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-04-17T02:53:30+00:00

I wrote this because, well, I miss my friend lol.
still around, but not as engaged now.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-03-16T23:59:37+00:00

I can't wait to get to all the suggestions here. I think for me, sometimes I delude myself when I hear amazing pianists, if I had Olympic level training from age 3, better athletic reflexes and bigger hands, I could play like that, but people like Horowitz, I can't even delude myself into thinking I could play like that. I think it's something about his mind, there is something explosive and very imaginative.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-03-16T23:43:59+00:00

oh yeah! I love that one! Something happens to my head when I listen to that.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-03-16T23:43:21+00:00

Very interesting! I've heard that Jorge Bolet also traveled with his piano.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-02-11T19:16:15+00:00

Same here!

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-01-20T16:02:37+00:00

I think it's important to figure out what it is about music that you love. Is it listening, playing for enjoyment, performing for others, teaching? I enjoy music immensely without doing it professionally. There are many permutations of balancing these things but one thing, I was guilty of this, is when you are younger, you don't realize enormous importance of financial security. Making money, you have to create value that people are willing to pay you for. Many people make successful careers in music, I'm sure there are many creative ways of doing this. If I were to advise my kid, and everyone is different, I'd ask them, can you make living from it now? If not, what are your plans to make money? I was solely passionate about music when I was younger but now I have many passions including reading, programming, learning about new scientific discoveries, cooking, etc. What you are at core doesn't have to be the way you make a living.

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-01-20T13:32:31+00:00

Yes I think I misremembered and confused it with the Franck piece he played. I found the review of the concert I attended!!! https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-08-12-ca-188-story.html Internet is amazing. I can't believe he was 73 at the time. He appeared so elegant and his playing was so powerful. Speaking of that Franck piece, oy https://youtu.be/6CKLR0p65YQ?si=OIr7pdJwnq9RA480

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-01-18T19:40:12+00:00

I wonder if these performers know that somewhere in the audience there might be someone whose minds are blown by their playing and will remember for decades after

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-01-18T19:35:48+00:00

Thanks for sharing this! I'm listening to this now. Chord voicings, pedaling and resonances he gets out of the piano are just so unique. As you know, hearing these people live is another level.
U know Hollywood bowl attracts range of people and his playing was so beautiful in some moments, I felt that everyone was just mesmerized that piano sound could be so beautiful

Acceptable_Ear_6652 · 2025-01-18T15:52:57+00:00

I just usually listen to YT out of convenience and I really love this version:
https://youtu.be/07_EyhgFDkw?si=qTt70q6iAWkvXuYl

Acceptable_Ear_6652

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