I was shocked to hear of David Bowie’s death on the news this morning after a battle with cancer.
His legacy will live on, and no doubt he will continue to be an inspiration for many musicians and artists whose lives he had touched.
Author: Judy E Martin
Hello, and thanks for stopping by. I am Judy, in my (very) early fifties and decided that life definitely gets more interesting as it goes on!
I am a wife and a mum and have just finished University as a Registered Nurse, after having worked as an Associate Practitioner in the NHS. I am also a poet and the author of my debut book, 'Rhymes of the Times.' I love to laugh, and I love rhyming words too, so I joined the two together, and my book was born. I am currently working on another book in the series also.
I am a prolific blogger and enjoy writing funny stories, anecdotes, and anything really that takes my fancy.
For Linda’s Just Jot it January today, the prompt word we have is ‘effortless.’ I thought I might do something a little different for me and write a list of things that I wish I could do effortlessly!
- Walk up the stairs – my knees creak and groan in protest.
- Look immaculately groomed – My hair always ends up looking bedraggled, and my makeup (when I wear it) gets rubbed off in places or smudged, where I have forgotten I am wearing it and rub my eye or something!
- Sing – I love music, but can’t hold a tune and end up screeching along to my favourites songs, struggling to hit any of the right notes!
- Read – yes I can still read, but half the time, I have to search for my glasses to be able to see properly! In fact, I have even resorted to wearing them most of the time now.
- Go shopping without a shopping list! – My memory is not what it used to be and I can guarantee that if I don’t write it down, then I will forget it. Actually, sometimes, I forget to put it on the list in the first place!
- Lose weight – now this, of course, is just wishful thinking, but it would be nice
- Do the housework – Ah yes, I remember the days when I would zip around the house like a dynamo, getting all of the work done and then relaxing in my clean and sparkling home. Now it takes me half an hour to motivate myself to get the vacuum out!
Still, looking on the bright side, I wouldn’t have much to blog about if I were to walk through life effortlessly!
Today we have ‘sane’ as our prompt word for Linda’s Just Jot it January Prompt. The more I think about this word, the trickier it becomes to write something about it.
Being sane is, of course, having a healthy rational mind, and being able to make sound decisions. Therefore, being insane is having an unhealthy mind, and being irrational at times? Hmmm, it seems it is not as simple as that.
Most of us at some point have joked about insanity, referring to ourselves or others as being mad, crazy, nutty, mental, gaga, off their rocker, or a lunatic, and think nothing of it. It is not really something we take seriously, in fact, we very often laugh about it.
We all make irrational decisions at times, or become overwhelmed with emotion and feel unable to deal with everyday ‘life.’ This normally doesn’t last too long and we can continue on with our lives with no ill effects. sometimes, though, it does last for a long time and it becomes difficult to function. Luckily, we are able to visit the GP and get the help we need, whether it be medicinal or counselling and therapy, or perhaps a combination of both.
Thankfully, over time, treatment for mental health problems have progressed, so that sufferers are no longer carted off to an asylum, as was the case not too long ago. Anyone from a ‘promiscuous’ woman (funny but I have never heard of a promiscuous man being considered insane) to a person who has learning difficulties, to menopausal women (we don’t half get a raw deal), have in the past, been incarcerated in institutions for the insane, never to get out again.
I, for one, am grateful that we live in an era where mental illness does not necessarily equate to insanity and having to be locked up!
Spring is far away
Daffies didn’t want to wait
To bring me some cheer
I shall be tuning in and have already put in my request! Come and join in 🙂
TJ has a wonderful ornate tap for his Household Haiku Challenge this week. Mine are bog standard and pretty boring!
Here is my take on the challenge anyway.
Cold water on tap
Just right for hot, sunny days
Let’s add some ice too!
Today I am combining Linda’s Just Jot it January prompt with the one for Stream of Consciousness. Please check out her blog for instructions on how to participate.
The first title that came into my head of a movie was ‘Grease.’ It had to be really, as it is my all-time favourite film. When it came out in 1978, I was twelve years old. I remember wishing that my secondary school was like Rydell High instead of the stuffy girls’ grammar school that I attended.
I had a massive crush on John Travolta’s Danny, but Jeff Conaway’s Kenickie was my favourite. He seemed more the ‘bad boy’ which has always attracted me. Plus he was so good looking and could dance too.
Nearly everything about this film appealed to me. I love 1950s fashion and still do. They seemed so much more feminine and flattering for women, and, the men in their leather jackets, t-shirts and jeans, looked like they knew how to handle themselves, and no doubt, their women too!
The cars were cool, and the music was brilliant too! I loved all of the songs and the dancing as well. The film really brought together all of the best elements of the 50’s, and with such a wonderful cast, they were on to a winner.
Even Rizzo came good in the end, and joined in, That last scene at the fairground with everyone enjoying themselves, singing a few catchy songs, always lifts my spirits. I have to confess to watching this film every time it is on! It is definitely, ‘The One That I Want!’
Today we have quite a weighty prompt word for Linda’s Just Jot it January prompt, ‘honourable.’ Honour is very important to me and I like to think that I am a person who acts with decency and integrity. Although I don’t consider myself a naive person, I have been shocked a some of the practices people carry out, thinking nothing of it, yet for me, it is dishonourable and/or dishonest.
- Whilst at university, handing in assignments that have either been proofread by an English teacher or looked over and corrected by a senior nurse!
- Taking part in a fun office quiz in a group of about 20 where I was the only one who had never tried any illegal drugs of any kind. (I smoked and drank alcohol though)!
- Knowing that some people are working, and claiming benefit, and seeing them enjoy all their latest gadgets and going off on foreign holidays!
- Listening to a conversation between two people where one of them takes credit for some of the things others have said or done.
- People using the automated ‘scan and shop’ service at supermarkets and not scanning all their items.
- Sitting in a room full of women at break time, and hearing them slag someone off as soon as they leave, yet they had been chatting with her two minutes before.
- Hearing two stories recently of people stealing other blogger’s work and claiming it as their own.
I know that some of this stuff probably seems petty, and I am not trying to portray myself as better than anyone else, I have done my fair share of stupid things, but hopefully, I still have my, ahem, honour intact! 
Welcome to the first Free-For-All Friday of 2016. Yes, it’s back! There are so many wonderful blogs out there and it would be a shame if you have missed out on them. I have chosen some posts this week that have had an impact on me one way or another, that I thought I would share. Please visit all of these wonderful blogs if you haven’t already done so.
KL Register A short poem beautifully written, that I’m sure will resonate with so many of you.
Confusing Middle A bit of silliness that made me roar my head off!
Scribbles At Arpita This post was an interview with an extremely funny blogger who never fails to make me laugh. The interviewer asks just the right questions to set it all off perfectly 🙂
Wafflemethis. Who said chivalry was dead? A real old-fashioned love poem.
Van By The River something we are all familiar with – but perhaps a new perspective will make us see it in a new light?
So there you are. A small selection of delights for you to feast upon this week. Enjoy!
Happy Friday!
An interesting word for Linda’s Just Jot it January challenge today. Although it has several meanings, the one that I most associate with this word is strong, resilient and hard-wearing.
I think that this actually pretty much sums me up, even down to my physical build. I have been described in the past as ‘stocky’ which did not impress me at all, but I am quite solidly built and pretty strong, so robust would fit the bill much better.
I have never thought of myself as a strong woman in personality. In fact, I can be very emotional, a worrier, and take things very personally. That coupled with anxiety and depression made me consider myself extremely weak.
However, in a conversation with my younger sister this week when I was feeling pretty rotten, she told me that I could get through as I was a strong person. I disagreed, but then she reminded me of some pretty awful times in my past where I have had to drag myself back up, and carry on. I stand corrected. I suppose I am strong after all and despite being a bit bashed from life’s knocks, pretty hard-wearing to boot!
Marsha Ingrao Always Write
Having fun blogging with friends
Rachael's Thoughts
Lifestyle blog featuring the fabulous North East and beyond
My Window
Sharing my thoughts, poems, travel & art
WordPress.com Apps
Apps for any screen
Learning to write
Just your average PhD student using the internet to enhance their CV
Jemverse
Life in words
Stuff and what if...
Exploring writing and the creative randomness of life. Snapshots of moments.
Aakashsoyanthone
Aakashsoyanthone
Gin & Lemonade
...with a twist.
Peacock Poetry
by Sam Allen
Tallis Steelyard
The jumbled musings of Tallis Steelyard
Diary of a Dublin Housewife
Diary of a Dublin Housewife
Carolina Russo |Sa'Reyah
Visual Alchemy & Artifacts of Remembrance
Two on a Rant
Rants, humor, sarcasm, and a haiku-like substance? It's hard to know what's going to come out of our minds next.
We Are Holistic
Promoting a Healthy Mind, Body and Spirit
Cindy Knoke
Photography, Birds and Travel
pensitivity101
An onion has many layers. So have I!
Fatty McCupcakes
Rants, Ramblings, and Regrets
From Michigan to Germany
A family from Michigan living abroad in Germany.
Rhyme and No Reason! 
You must be logged in to post a comment.