Brandon Ellrich's Blog, page 6
December 10, 2022
The Day the Earth Stood Still
This poem was written in response to David’s W3 Prompt #32: Wea’ve Written Weekly on the Skeptic’s Kaddish, so please visit his page to read other responses.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1/19/19)The mountains crumbledThe rain downpouredLevees overspilledVolcanoes rumbledTsunamis roaredThe day the Earth stood stillThe sky grew darkLava flowed Shrieks were loud and shrillThe terror starkNo sunlight showedThe day the Earth stood still A state of shockWhen I got the callTo find out he’d been killedA mental blockNothing at allThe day the Earth stood still Copyright © 2022 Brandon EllrichThanks for reading. If this poem resonated with you, please click the like button and leave a comment as well. Follow me if you would like to receive updates whenever new posts are published.
In connection with this poem, you may also want to read Joseph Oliver Ellrich.
December 9, 2022
11 Favorites and Facts About Me
Photo by Brandon EllrichWhat is your name, your age, and what are your breeds? My name is Zoe (make sure you pronounce the “e.” It’s not Zo). My breeds? I find that question offensive. I am obviously calico, but I am not defined by my lineage.What is your favorite food? I am not particularly picky, though I do not like human food. Exclusive cat food was good, but I hear it’s difficult to find. Right now I’m eating Purina One. Who is your favorite human? Brandon, of course. He always knows what I want and gives it to me (within reason), and I bring him presents that I kill.Where is your favorite place to nap? I like the bed with the very soft blue blanket, but in the living room, it’s the sofa. I like to change things up, but those are the usual spots.Where is your favorite place to play? Play? I’m not a kitten. I’m 5 years old!Who is your animal best friend? Ugh…I hate this question. If I MUST choose one, it is Zak, but don’t tell him that, because he can be quite annoying. He licks my face all the time and is just so clingy!What is your favorite trick? I have a stuffed raccoon that I cause to twitter when I want to go outside. I wouldn’t call it a trick, though. It is merely the method with which I choose to communicate what I want to go out. It’s better than straining my vocal cords.What games do you love to play? Games? I thought we covered this. I am not a kitten. I suppose, on occasion, I’ll go after a moving string, but that’s ONLY to practice for hunting.Where is your favorite place to walk? We live out in the country now, so I roam quite a bit. There are a couple of barns with mice that I frequent.Do you love to swim? I don’t know, I’ve never tried, but why would I? The pond is so disgusting and it would take FOREVER for my coat to dry. No thank you.What is your favorite guilty pleasure that your humans might not approve of? Brandon may not like to find a half-eaten mouse on the porch, but I certainly don’t feel guilty about it. I sometimes try to sneak a bite of Zak’s food, but I know I’m not supposed to, so I suppose that qualifies.Anything else? No? Good. I’m bored with these questions. If you want to ask anything else, talk to Brandon. He seems to like responding to comments and such, so go bore him with your pointless queries. He posts pictures, stories, and poems about me, so you should definitely subscribe to his blog. I’m the main attraction if you want to know the truth. The video of me using the raccoon got several thousand views on YouTube. I’m famous!
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December 8, 2022
Film Friday: The Menu
Theatrical release photo from WikipediaThe Menu by Searchlight Pictures (2022)This is one restaurant you do NOT want to dine in!
The Menu stars Ralph Fiennes (Schindler’s List, Red Dragon), who is excellent. He plays a famous chef who cooks in an extremely exclusive restaurant on a remote island, accessible only by boat. Only society’s elite are invited to this dining experience
Anya Taylor Joy, Nicholas Hoult, Janet McTeer, John Leguizamo, and Judith Light play a few of the guests (un)lucky enough to be invited to this devious dinner party. Naturally, there is more to this soiree than what first meets the eye. Without giving too much away, the guests discover why they were really invited and what is truly on the menu.
The characters were well-cast and the actors were believable in their roles. The movie’s plot took a different path than what I had anticipated before going in. So in that respect, the suspense was good, as it was difficult to know exactly what to expect. There were several cringe-worthy moments, but not a lot of make-you-jump scares. There was a bit of dark comedy sprinkled throughout, which I always enjoy. The premise is creepy and disturbing, and at times you may find yourself switching your allegiance among different characters throughout the film.
The movie had an appropriate ending, and I still am not sure if I “liked” the movie or not, but I would say that it is worth watching. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
Copyright © 2022 Brandon Ellrich
Originally published on Medium
*This review is my own opinion and I am not paid by any company or entity.
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December 7, 2022
How to Make Memories Last
When you try to recall an event or you are asked about a specific period of time from your past, why are some memories more easily recollected than others?
Making ConnectionsSignificant memories are tied to physiological and/or emotional responses. If you want to make memories of certain events or situations that are more easily recalled, you should make as many connections as possible, whether visual, physical/kinesthetic (employing taste or touch), auditory, or emotional.
The emotional connection seems to be the strongest of these responses. If you think back to an interaction from your past, did you have superficial, surface conversations, or were they more significant, evoking an emotional response? Chances are, your most powerful memories are associated with emotion(s).
If there is a particular event in your future, and you want to make or hold on to lasting memories of those situations or interactions with people, consider engaging in discussions or conversations that are on a deeper level, or perhaps euphoric, prompting laughter. Allow yourself to express feelings that are more significant than what is part of your normal, everyday rhetoric.
Engage your senses
Adding your other senses will help to solidify the memory. Take notice of what someone is wearing and comment on it; listen to the inflections in people’s voices; observe the weather; smell the food or fragrance in the air, and so on. Above all, let your consciousness be fully engaged in that moment.
Jay Gottfried of University College London’s Department of Imaging Neuroscience led a recent study of memory retrieval.
“That’s the beauty of our memory system,” he says. “Imagine a nice day on the beach. The smell of sun lotion, the friends you were with, the beer you were drinking; any of these could trigger memories of the whole thing.” Nature.com
Odor memory, they went on to say, seems to be the sense that is most resistant to forgetting, but it is not known why. I have heard this from many people who say that a certain smell reminds them of their grandmother’s apple pie, for instance. So, breathe those experiences in through your nose and hold them there. 
I know the phrase “Be present in the moment” is a rather overused, cliché. Basically, the gist of it is not to allow your mind to be too distracted and take away from what is happening in your current situation. If you want to make memories that last and can be summoned to the forefront of your mind whenever you choose, be more aware of your experiences as they occur.
Those who regularly practice some type of mindfulness methods can most likely relate to these ideas. I won’t go into detail about such techniques, as it would take up an entire article in itself. In a nutshell, mindfulness helps a person to be hyper-aware of themselves and what is around them.
Remember This…In order to make long-lasting, easily recalled memories, engage in meaningful conversations that evoke emotion, deploy your five senses in any and all ways possible, and develop an overall awareness of yourself and what’s around you.
*Originally published on Medium
Copyright © 2022 Brandon Ellrich
I hope this article has been informative and helpful in some way. If so, please click the like button and leave a comment as well. Follow me if you would like to see more of my posts whenever they are published.
December 6, 2022
Golden End
Image Credit; Mohamed Almari @ PexelsThe Golden Gate, the golden sun,My last stop before I’m done.The Arch, the Needle, the Canyon Grand,I’ve seen the wonders across the land.Death’s not late; his appointments, he keeps,But not this time; and then I leap.Copyright © 2022 Brandon Ellrich
This poem was written in response to Sadje’s What do you see # 163- 5Th December’22, so please visit her page to participate and/or read other responses.
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December 4, 2022
Snowman
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December 1, 2022
Humble Pie
This Shadorma poem was written in response to W3 Prompt #31: Wea’ve Written Weekly on the Skeptic’s Kaddish, so please visit his page to read other responses to this prompt.
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November 30, 2022
How to Deal with Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder
Do You Have Depression Wrapped Under Your Tree?
December can be a time of giving, celebration, and the coming together of family and friends, right? For some, it is also a time of depression. At the end of December, do you find yourself looking around your living room at the scraps of wrapping paper and discarded bows and thinking, “Guess that’s over. Now what?”
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Know ThyselfLook What Santa Left in My Stocking–Chaos!Spread the LovePreventing a Blue Christmas or a Ho-Hum HanukkahConclusionSeasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)Recognizing What it is
According to the American Psychiatric Association:
Seasonal affective disorder* is a form of depression also known as SAD, seasonal depression or winter depression. In the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), this disorder is identified as a type of depression – Major Depressive Disorder with Seasonal Pattern.
psychiatry.org
There are many people who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is usually experienced during the Winter months in places where the weather is typically colder. People are staying inside more, the sun isn’t as bright, and there are less signs of life outside. For those prone to depression, these aspects of Winter can exacerbate the feelings of loss and hopelessness. For those who celebrate holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, they can get a quick “pick-me-up,” but after these celebrations are over, there is an almost immediate feeling of loss. There are things you can do, however, to help assuage these negative emotions.
Know ThyselfThe first step in being able to prevent unwanted emotions is recognizing their presence. Most people who are prone to depression are aware that they experience it, but they don’t always know how it starts. Preparing yourself beforehand and getting a head start will help greatly.
First of all, recognize that an emotional high (associated with a holiday celebration, for instance) will not last forever and will inevitably be followed by a drop in elevated mood. This is normal for anyone.The problem for someone who suffers from depression is that the variance in emotion is much greater and will drop to an unhealthy level. The question is, how do you prevent that from happening?
Look What Santa Left in My Stocking–Chaos!If you are a part of a married or extended family, the holiday season is hectic. In my own family growing up, we opened presents on Christmas morning, went to my grandparents’ house to celebrate and open gifts with them, and then went to my great aunt and uncle’s house for a Christmas dinner later that day. Why do we try to cram everything into one day? Because it’s Christmas and you have to celebrate it on Christmas Day, right? No, you don’t.
Everyone can choose when to celebrate anything they want. Yes, I know there are traditions and many people insist on adhering to certain ones quite strictly, but everyone has a choice to make: Is it more important to follow tradition or to improve your mental health?
Spread the LoveInstead of trying to stuff everything into one day like a Thanksgiving turkey, spread it out a bit. If your mother insists that it’s “just not the same on any other day,” let her have her day and you celebrate on another day, maybe even after the new year has begun. Did I hear a *gasp*? Well, why not? The kids are still out of school, the tree or menorah can stay up a little longer. Don’t worry about Mrs. Kravitz across the street, peering out her window and tsk-ing in judgment. It’s your menorah; you can take it down whenever you want!
I wouldn’t recommend leaving Santa and his reindeer out on the lawn until the 4th of July, but until the end of January? That doesn’t seem so bad. Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are a little more spread out, but Christmas is just one day a year. Are we reallly going to create all that hype for just one day? The point is, no one can make you celebrate on a certain day and spreading out the merriment can help with the transition out of the holidays.
Preventing a Blue Christmas or a Ho-Hum HanukkahHere are some suggestions for other activities:
New Year’s Eve – Of course, the first major holiday after Hannukkuh, Kwanzaa and Christmas is New Year’s Eve. Go to a party, plan your own, put a hat on your dog and watch the ball drop on television.White Elephant – You know you’re going to receive a gift that just… isn’t you. Maybe you don’t like it, maybe it just doesn’t fit quite right. Plan a Post-Holiday White Elephant party. Wrap up that newly-acquired ceramic hippopotamus cookie jar and do a gift exchange. Just be careful with this one–make sure whomever you invite is not the giver of the gift you’re giving away!Chinese New Year – In 2023, the Chinese New Year falls on January 22nd and, incidentally, is the year of the Rabbit. So, hop to a party and even celebrate its culmination with the Lantern Festival on February 5th.If you live in a place that has decent amounts of snowfall, invite the neighborhood to join together for a snowman-building contest. Maybe the winner gets the opportunity to go to the other houses and knock down the other ones–with their permission, of course (sounds fun to me!).Pick a day and binge-read all of my other blog posts. Doesn’t THAT sound like fun?! Hahaha!I’m sure there are many other activities in which you can participate during the post-holiday season. The point is to extend the celebrations and create for yourself things to anticipate that you will enjoy. In fact, I would like readers to suggest some activities in the comment section.
ConclusionDepression doesn’t have to take over your life. Tell Winter she’s a b!$©# and she’s not going to ruin your mood! Then, take those empty stockings off the fireplace, put them on your feet and go out in the snow to have some fun!
*This article is my own personal advice and is not meant to be taken in place of a mental health professional.
Copyright © 2022 Brandon Ellrich
Thanks for reading! If this post was helpful in any way, please click the like button and leave a comment as well. Follow me if you would like to receive updates whenever new posts are published.
If you liked this post, you may alo like Do We Need a Reason to Socialize? and How Do You Find Your Purpose?
November 28, 2022
Calico
“Zoe” photo by Brandon EllrichDear calico, sweet calico,From whence you came, I do not know.
Black and brown spots, white beneath,
Even the bottoms of your feet.
No symmetry in your design,
Yet balanced as you walk the line.
With mysterious, golden stare,
Picaso’s work cannot compare.
Lovely genetic selection,
You are perfect imperfection!
Copyright © 2022 Brandon Ellrich
Photo by Brandon EllrichThanks for reading! If you enjoyed this poem, please click the like button and leave a comment as well. Follow me if you would like to receive updates whenever new posts are published.
*Originally published on Medium
November 26, 2022
Rowen Winter
*This is a chain verse using a string of Haikus
Rowen Winterode to our MotherEarth in this winter seasonunable to crycrime of our passionshunning the awe of natureurn holds the ashesshe’s grieving the lossostercized to mourn aloneowns no blame herselfselfish disregardguarding our own interestestranged from natureurn holds the ash ofoverharvested florarubbish unneededdead by our own handhand over fist our rowenWinter’s upon usCopyright © 2022 Brandon EllrichThis poem was written in response to David’s W3 Prompt #30: Wea’ve Written Weekly at The Skeptic’s Kaddish, so pleae visit his page to read other responses.
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this poem, please click the like button and leave a comment as well. Follow me if you would like to receive updates whenever new posts are published.
