Standing Into Danger

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

IWSG Day: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 ~ Soul Searching

It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.

To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are

P J Colando, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, and Natalie Aguirre!

Stop by their posts and thank them for hosting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.

This month's optional question is:

What elements do you include in your book launch? Or what do you have in mind for your future book launch? Or what advice do you have to offer to others planning to launch a book?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy March, Everyone!

I hope that you have had a happy, healthy, and fulfilling February!

If you enjoy celebrating Valentine's Day,

I hope you and your Sweetheart had a good one.

Terry took me to dinner at the Hideout at the Laylow, my favorite Waikiki spot

where we enjoyed good food, friendship, and mellow music

(but forgot to get a photo).

Terry and I at Marugame Udon

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 3, 2026

I'm skipping this month's question, although I'm looking forward to seeing your answers.

February was a month of soul searching for me.

I've been absent from social media since last IWSG Day.

I was struggling, and it doesn't matter if you are in a paradise like Hawaii,

your issues are with you wherever you are.

I fell into a dark place, and it has taken me a while to climb out.

Depression and anxiety are old foes, and they can strike me out of nowhere.

A Favorite Place of Mine to Walk

Kapiolani Beach Park

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

February 24, 2026

I had to make some difficult choices about how I was spending my time

and about which responsibilities and obligations I wanted to carry forward.

Even though the choice made me really sad,

I decided I needed to step down as an IWSG administrator.

So I did.

I hit "send" on an email to Alex that was really hard to write.

I'm still a member, and I will continue to post and to participate,

because I truly appreciate all the friends I've made within the IWSG.

I'm getting to a lighter, brighter place.

A Favorite IWSG Friend of Mine

Pat Hatt and I

Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

July 27, 2024

I have an unexpected honor coming up on Sunday.

Last Sunday I learned that I have an opportunity to earn my pāʻū hula skirt.

I thought I wasn't eligible because I can only take lessons while I am in Hawaii

and I'm not a permanent member of our group.

But Pono, our kumu hula or master instructor, invited me

to say the chant required to earn it before the group when I am ready.

The chant is a traditional Hawaiian oli to request permission to enter the dancing space.

Liuliu wale ka uka o Koholālele

Ma uka, ma kai o Kapāpala

E komo, e komo aku hoʻi au ma loko

Inā ka puʻu nui o waho nei lā ē

He anu ē, he anu ē, he koʻekoʻe wale nō

ʻAe

Translation:

Ready and waiting are the uplands of Koholālele

Up to the hills and seaward of Kapāpala

Enter, I shall enter in

For here outside stands a prominent hill

So cold, so cold, oh so chilly

Yes

Part of Our Dancing Space

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 18, 2026

On my birthday last year, I invited IWSG members to write

a piece of flash fiction using the prompt "Song" on our Facebook page.

Here was my piece:

"Paddle Song"

The girl dipped her paddle into the ocean and steered toward the sun. “Liuliu,” she sang to the waves and sky, beginning her hula chant, safe in this space. She practiced this ancient song, riding the waves shoreward and sunward over and over. Tomorrow, she would perform it for her kumu and the members of her hālau. If she met her kumu’s exacting standards, she would earn her pāʻū hula, a skirt marking her progress from student to dancer. Beginning as a keiki, she had studied hard to become an ‘olapa and leave the rank of haumana behind. If she succeeded, she would respect her skirt, wrapping it after each use, never washing it, allowing it to accumulate her sweat and tears as she worked to master hula. She must succeed! She dipped her paddle and chanted, heading shoreward one last time.

Sunset

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

February 16, 2026

I wanted to be that girl.

Sunday I will be that woman. with my real pāʻū hula.

Practicing a Drill

(Photo from a Video)

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 1, 2026

Wish me luck!

I hope my tongue doesn't get tangled in all those Hawaiian vowels,

especially with

e komo aku hoʻi au ma loko Inā ka puʻu nui o waho nei lā ē

which has to be chanted in tune on one breath.

If you are also a member of our Facebook Group,

I invite you to visit and to provide a link to your IWSG post.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/IWSG13

Facebook members are invited to answer our March question too.

Hibiscus

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

February 24, 2026

Makua and Kila

Kuhio Beach Park

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

February 16, 2026

Take care!

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

My next post will be Friday, March. 13th. 🤞

Just so you know, I monitor my comments before publishing them. This means your comment won't appear immediately. I will not publish mean spirited or commercial comments.

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

IWSG: Wednesday, February 4, 2026 ~ The Experience of Rereading My Earlier Works

To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are

J Lenni Dorner, Victoria Maria Lees, Jean Davis, and Sandra Cox!

Stop by their posts and thank them for hosting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.

This month's optional question is:

Many writers have written about the experience of rereading their work years later. Have you reread any of your early works? What was that experience like for you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy February, Everyone!

I know my Canadian and American friends would like winter to go away already!

May you stay safe and warm!

This month's question asked if I have reread any of my early works

and what that experience was like for me.

Yes, I have, and the experience was humbling and oddly a source of pride.

I've been writing since I was eight, and I haven't stopped.

What made me proud is all the different kinds of writing I have tackled over my life.

What is humbling is I have some early goals that I haven't achieved.

I've noticed that my style has changed.

I'm a lot less wordy ~ I remember my 6th grade teacher Mr. Keast

chewing me out for writing a sentence with 67 words in it.

He called my mother saying I was mocking him and his lesson on using adjectives.

Ouch! (And I was the babysitter for his children!)

Over the years I've used more and more dialogue, something I rarely used early on.

I've almost eliminated adverbs which I once loved as much as adjectives.

My writing has become less formal,

and I've developed a passion for precise words, especially for nouns and verbs.

It was simpler when I was a young Canadian living in Canada and writing.

Now I'm caught forever between Canadian and American grammar and conventions.

But I'll take it, and I'll keep writing wherever it leads me.

I Love This Woman's Vibrant Style!

I could write a 67-word sentence about her!

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 31, 2026

We're in Honolulu escaping winter.

Wherever you are, I hope you're warm and safe!

Happy creating in February.

Enjoying an udon-noodle lunch with our nephew Conor.

Marugame Udon

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 30, 2026

If you are also a member of our Facebook Group,

I invite you to visit and provide a link to your IWSG post.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/IWSG13

Facebook members are invited to answer our February question too.

Take care!

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

My next post will be Friday, February 13th. 🤞

Just so you know, I monitor my comments before publishing them. This means your comment won't appear immediately. I will not publish mean spirited or commercial comments.

Friday, January 30, 2026

Out and About In Waikiki

I remembered at the last minute I had to do a portrait for my friend Nicole's challenge.

There went any chance for a written post, because I'm meeting a good friend

at an informal jam session of music and hula at the Royal Grove.

I'm looking forward to seeing a lot of familiar faces and friends!

Kanikapila Night at the Royal Grove Hotel

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 26, 2018

So I'm sharing some photos from this past week in Waikiki:

A Woman Sculling in a Single-Person Racing Shell

Ala Wai Canal

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 24, 2026

Pink Ginger at Hale Koa

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 28, 2026

A Fun Event at Our Favorite Hideout

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 24, 2026

Three Golden Retrievers Enjoying Happy Hour

The Hideout at the Laylow

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 24, 2026

Aloha Ambassadors Clean Up an Abandoned Homeless Shopping Cart

The Ala Wai Canal

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 24, 2026

An Egret Near Hale Koa

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 28, 2026

A Kitty Enjoys the Morning

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 24, 2026

A Delicious Pineapple Margarita

Margaritas

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 27, 2026

Beautiful Lines

Hale Koa Grounds

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 28, 2026

A Calm Pacific Ocean

Outrigger Breakwater

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 28, 2026

John and Kerry Celebrate Their Birthdays while Ted Looks On

Margaritas

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 27, 2026

Enjoying the Morning

Fort DeRussy Beach

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 28, 2026

I'm linking to Gillena's Lunch Break, Nicole's Friday Face Off, and Tom's Aloha Friday.

For Gillena ~ A Great Meal ~ Tuesday Taco Special at Margaritas ~ chicken, steak, and pork belly ~ so delicious!

Yummy Tacos!

Margaritas

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 27, 2026

For Nicole ~ Birthday Celebration Faces

Terry's Pickleball Friends Celebrate John and Kerrie's Birthdays

Ted (front left), John, Kerrie, Me, Val, Jim, Terry, and Emily

Margaritas

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 27, 2026

My portrait of G. W. F. Hegel based on a photo in Philosophy Now: The Ultimate Guide Issue 7, Ancient Greek Philosophy. For some reason Hegel's portrait spoke to me. No mapping grid this time. I only had 40 minutes of which 20 I spent erasing. 😂

My Portrait of GFW Hegel

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 28, 2026

For Tom ~ A Beautiful Mural ~ It is painted in the parking lot of Margaritas where we celebrated our friends' birthdays at 808 Sheridan Street. I could not find any reliable information about the mural or who the artist was. The neighborhood around Sheridan Street and nearby Kaka‘ako has become known for vibrant street art and murals. Business owners will sometimes commission artists to paint murals on their properties. The meaning of the information in the lower left is unknown, except the mural may be called "Blume."

A Street Mural in Margaritas' Parking Lot

Honolulu, ⁨Hawaii⁩, ⁨United States⁩

January 27, 2026

My evening at the Royal Grove with my friends was wonderful.

The songs and dances are not professional, only spontaneous presentations.

One week a few musicians and dancers may come, or, like last night, many.

Each person in turn chooses a song, and everyone plays, sings, or dances.

They all participate for the love of Hawaiian language, music, and dance.

Here is one video I took. The link will take you to the video on YouTube,

if the play button doesn't work.

Royal Grove 1/28/26 Jam Session

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBlmOOHKu3k

Note: My computer still needs some serious repair work, and I may be without it this week.

Have a great weekend!

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

My next post will be

Wednesday, February 4, IWSG Day. 🤞

Friday, January 23, 2026

Seven Questions

My friend Jeanie, at The Marmalade Gypsy, shared an interesting post on January 8th:

Seven Reflection Questions that Made Me Think!

Jeanie is a bubbly, optimistic person whose blog lifts my spirits. She writes about her creativity, travel, art, food, wine, and the people and animals she loves. Despite a challenging 2025, she is moving into 2026 with hope, purpose, and fun. Her reflections were insightful and inspiring, so I thought I would tackle them myself.

Jeanie found the questions in an article “7 Reflection Questions

to Ask Yourself for a Happier New Year,"

in The New York Times, December 26, 2025 issue (Well Section).

So here go my answers:

1. When did you feel the most joyful and carefree?

Definitely it was during our stay in Waikiki last year. Friendship. beauty, flowers, and cultural experiences made it a time of healing and rest.

Taylor, Me, Terry, Daniel, and Jeremy ~ at our Favorite Hideout at the Laylow

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 25, 2025

Waikiki from the Top of Diamond Head

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 19 2025

I Particularly Love Yellow Hibiscus Flowers

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 24, 2025

I Really Love Hula

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

February 12, 2025

2. What gave you energy — and what drained it?

Music gave me energy and stress drained it. This was a highly stressful year for me. One song I played many, many times was Jellyroll's "I am not okay." It was always comforting, and when I think of how Jellyroll transformed his life, I'm blown away. Besides turning around his early life that included a stint in prison, he has recently lost almost 250 pounds.

"I Am Not Okay" by Jellyroll

YouTube

Facebook

3. What seemed impossible — but you did it anyway?

I climbed Diamond Head the day after my 75th birthday ~ alone. Terry went with me to the start of the trail. It's not the trail, it's the stairs that include a set of 99 steep steps where people much younger than I am turn around. There's another 74-step stairway, a 54-step metal staircase, and after a 225-foot tunnel, a spiral stairway that emerges into a WWII bunker. Just watch me go this year!

The 99-Step Steep Staircase ~ Diamond Head Trail

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 19, 2025

Hikers Greet Me as I emerge into the Bunker

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

May 19, 2025

At the Summit

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 19, 2025

4. What habit, if you did it more consistently, would have a positive effect on your life?

Stretching daily. Groan. I hate the time it takes, but it makes everything else better.

😂😱😂

5. What did you try to control that was actually outside your control?

I tried to control my life during our renovation. Silly me! No matter how great the craftsmen are, something will go awry. We had some of the best in the industry, and unexpected things delayed the finish. Our renovation was the source of so much stress for Terry and me this year.

Steven Works on Our Stairwell Railing

Aurora, Colorado, USA

May 23, 2025

6. Is there anyone you need to forgive in 2026?

Me ~ I was so harsh with myself for not meeting my expectations for myself last year. I need to forgive myself and to be kinder and more compassionate toward myself.

Yours Truly at The Butcher Bar

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 20, 2025

7. What will you carry forward into the new year? (implied question)

Being alive is an incredible gift. It's amazing to know that we are stardust ~ literally. The atoms that make up our bodies, like carbon, oxygen, and iron, were forged in ancient stars and scattered across the universe by supernova explosions. If even one event from the beginning of time was different, I wouldn't exist. And perplexingly, all the cells that make up my body have changed at least once, maybe more, during my life, but I persist as a conscious being. I'm a river that flows continually. Terry, me, each of you, humans, are walking miracles. I will carry this, buoyed by gratitude, into 2026.

Photo by Andrea Stöckel

PublicDomainPictures.net

I'm linking to Gillena's Lunch Break, Nicole's Friday Face Off, and Tom's Aloha Friday.

For Gillena ~ A Great Meal ~ bone marrow burger with a side of fries at The Butcher Bar. We always split orders.

The Butcher Bar ~ Bone Marrow Burger Special

Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

January 20, 2025

My Half ~ YUMMY!

For Nicole ~ My Favorite Face

Terry at The Butcher Bar

For Tom ~ An Iconic Scene ~ The early morning Ala Wai Canal in Waikiki. This 2-mile/3.2-kilometer long, man-made, tidal waterway was constructed between 1921 and 1928 to drain wetlands for the development of Waikiki. Teams of outrigger canoes train on it, and walkers and joggers run on both sides. It looks idyllic, but it is highly polluted, hypereutropic, and poses a flood risk.

The Ala Wai Canal

Honolulu, ⁨Hawaii⁩, ⁨United States⁩

January 22, 2026

And some Aloha ~. Terry and I share a meal with good friends Emily and Ted at the Cheesecake Factory.

Aloha is Sharing a Good Meal with Good Friends!

Cheesecake Factory, Honolulu, ⁨Hawaii⁩, ⁨United States⁩

January 21, 2026

Note: My computer needs some serious repair work, and I may be without it this next week.

Have a great weekend!

Till next time ~

Fundy Blue

Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com

My next post will be

Friday, January 30th. 🤞

Books Read in 2025

'A City on Mars" by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith
"6:40 to Montreal" by Eva Jurczyk
"A Fall in Denver" by Sarah Andrews
"A Gambling Man" by David Baldacci
"American Wolf" by Nate Blakeslee
"Cane River" by Lalita Tademy
"Determination: A Mother of Five Conquers College" by Victoria Marie Lees
"Football for Dummies" by Howie Long with John Czarnecki
"Imagine Hatt Season 1" by Patrick Hatt
"Just One Look" by Harlan Coben
"Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
"Meditations for Mortals" by Oliver Burkeman
"Mother Nature" by Sarah Andrews
"Never Too Late" by Danielle Steel
"Nothing to Fear: Demystifying Death to Live More Fully" by Julie McFadden, RN
"Philosophy Now: Digital Philosophy" Issue 168
"Philosophy Now: The Politics of Freedom" Issue 163
"Philosophy Now: The Thoughts on Thought Issue" Issue 164
"Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir
"Shadow of the the Wind" by Carlo Ruiz Zafón
"Tensleep" by Sarah Andrews
"The Cove" by Patrick Hatt
"The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science: A Scientist's Warning" by Peter J. Hotez, MD, PhD
"The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments" by Hadley Vlahos, RN
"The Light Eaters" by Zoë Schlanger
"The Power of Touch: A Story of Redeeming Love" by Pat Garcia
"The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
"The Warlord" by Gena Showalter
"Think Twice" by Harlan Coben
"Unless" by Carol Shields
"We Who Wrestle with God" by Jordan B. Peterson
"What Matters Most: Lessons the Dying Teach Us About Living" by Diane Button
Imagine Hatt: Season One" by Patrick Hatt

Standing Into Danger

Pages

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

IWSG Day: Wednesday, March 4, 2026 ~ Soul Searching

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

IWSG: Wednesday, February 4, 2026 ~ The Experience of Rereading My Earlier Works

Friday, January 30, 2026

Out and About In Waikiki

Friday, January 23, 2026

Seven Questions

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