I was going to go in a totally different direction with the prompt words this week for Ronovan’s weekly Haiku Challenge (you can probably guess from the words rahter than the picture)!
I settled on this instead though!
When eating curry
Take your time, start off slowly,
Things will soon get HOT!!
We have been given a couple of tasks today by the Writing 101 team. The first is which is to describe our writing place, what equipment we might need to have nearby, and what kind of surroundings we like to be in. If we do not currently have our ideal writing space then what would it be like.
My writing space is my dining table which is in the living room. I have quite a small house so there is nowhere for me to have a dedicated writing area. Although we do have a family PC, I prefer to use my laptop. Funnily enough though, I always like to use it at the table, I am no good with typing on it, balanced on my knees on my bed, or sitting on the settee.
I have got a permanent hot drink just to the side of my laptop, which is absolutely vital in order for me to produce anything that makes some sort of sense! I also have my headphones plugged in so that if Mt Grump is watching a loud film or something I can try and block it out! I also have a notebook and pen handy, just in case I need to make any notes to remind myself about something (my memory is a bit erratic and not to be trusted)!
In the corner of the photo, you might just be able to see the back door. My chair is right next to it so I can benefit from some fresh air, and see a bit of sunshine (or rain as the case may be)!
I prefer to write in silence, which works out well for an hour or so, as I get up very early normally, long before anyone else is up. The rest of the time, I just try and filter out the noise (especially when my neighbour is singing at the top of his voice), shut the door, put my headphones on and get on with it! Ideally, I would love to have my own little writing ‘room’ which I can keep nice and quiet!
The second task for today was to insert a poll (ooh sounds painful), in order to get some ideas of what blog posts you, the lovely reader, would like me to write about (I have a feeling they will be used pretty soonish). That is tricky as I am not sure what to offer for you to choose from, as I usually just write about whatever comes to mind! If I have not covered something you would like me to cover, then please write it in the comments and I will include it.
Having always been a little bit absent-minded, I am used to getting things muddled up, however, as I get older, I have noticed that it happens quite a bit more frequently than I would like!
It can be pretty annoying as I find myself walking into a room then forgetting why I was going there, recounting a story only to get distracted, then completely forgetting what I was going to say next, or even putting down the phone after taking a message, then struggling to remember what that message actually was!
I know that this does happen to all of us, but it is so embarrassing at times. We have a lot of students come onto our ward, some staying for a couple of weeks, some for a couple of months. I very often see them around the hospital, and it is always lovely when I notice the change of uniform to Staff Nurse, or on some occasions Sister. The problem I have is when some of them stop and chat with me, calling me by name, and I have completely forgotten theirs! Worse, if I am with someone else and they ask me who I was talking to!
Has anybody else gone to put the bread in the fridge or the milk in the bread bin? I am always doing stuff like that, but normally realise at the last minute, when I suddenly ‘snap out’ of the daze that I seem to be in!
I notice I have even done it with my blog! Finding unanswered messages, I could have sworn were not there before, discovering that people I thought had gone quiet with their own blogs were actually still posting, it was just that I had somehow unfollowed them (I think WordPress has got some naughty little Gremlins playing with my head here though).
I had even scheduled a post that I wrote yesterday to be ‘live’ today, that was actually 5 days early! I had convinced myself that today was the right day.
I was hoping that I would become ‘older and wiser’ but it looks like I am going straight from ‘absent-minded’ to ‘eccentric!’
Come and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to gain exposure for your blog.
I really hope you find your sister Jason 🙂
Given four photos to choose from today for Writing 101, I was to choose one photo that I could write a story, a poem or a post about. I am not ready yet to try and tackle a story, so I will write a post about my (limited) experience with maps!
As many of you know, I had joined the Army just after my 18th birthday and was a naive and shy young woman. I was filled with dread when one of the first things we did was to be rounded up, piled into the back of a 4 tonner and dumped in the middle of nowhere with a map and a compass!
We were then given a few hours to make our way to a designated spot marked out on our maps. Great! I didn’t have a bloody clue. Luckily, though, this was a group exercise and there some people actually knew how to map read, so the rest of us dunces that couldn’t, made it safely to our destination.
A few months later, we had a day when we had various activities to participate in (compulsory of course). One of these was weapons training, (I was surprisingly good at hitting the target), and one of these was orienteering. I was dreading it as this time we were sent off one by one with time delays and various checkpoints to get to. We had to clip a card from each of the checkpoints, which of course, had different markings.
I headed off in the right direction when it was my go, but I kind of dawdled a bit as I thought I might be able to wait for the next person and team up with them (providing of course that they could read a map)! My gamble paid off, and again, I reached my destination in good time!
I did actually learn how to read a map eventually but thank God for Sat Nav, which I think is going to be my best friend when I start my new job!
Welcome to Wednesday, where I get to play with another weird, wonderful or wacky word. Today, I have a wonderful word to share with you. In fact, I was going to use this word in my last post, but then decided that it was worth saving, and being in the spotlight, having a post all to itself! I always love a rhyme so that makes this word even more fun for me.
Argy-bargy. This word is anything from a bit of banter to a bicker and finally an out and out brawl! It is a squabble or a scrap, a tangle and a tussle, or even a fracas leading to fisticuffs!
Some to-ing and fro-ing of words between rivals, a difference of opinion, pushing and shoving, or even a right royal punch-up! This is a family party when we all get together and wind each other up, especially if we start playing games!
For today’s Writing 101 prompt, we are to write a list. I decided that mine would be about things that I like:
Having long and beautifully shaped nails. Unfortunately, as you can see, mine are neither! This is about as long as I dare let them get for work. (It was weird looking at my hands as they are so bloody ugly, which I had never realised before)!
The beautiful scent of roses and sweet peas. These can just lift the spirits of anyone who is feeling down. Not only with their beautiful smell, but they look so pretty too.
1950s style fashions: I love the full-skirted dresses that were popular in this era, the makeup, the shoes, and the hair (that’s basically everything then)! If only I had an hour-glass figure to suit the style then all would be well in my little world!
A witty and dry put-down or come back I can never think of a reply quick enough when anyone says something cutting to me, so I admire those that are a master of clever quips!
A clean & tidy bay full of patients. I love it when all of my patients are washed and dressed, with their hair brushed. Looking and feeling comfortable and relaxed.(Please note I used an old picture of a hospital ward in the 1970s as it looked better in those days)!!!
Being told I look young for my age. It used to be a real pain when I was younger being constantly asked for ID, but now it is a bonus being taken for a few years younger (As I was in this pic)!
Playing games with family, we are all so competitive, and it can get a bit heated. the banter is particularly funny between Mr Grump and my brother-in-law (Mr Musician)!
Daybreak in the summer when it is around 4am The beautiful sunrise is a sight to behold.
Having a good cry over a film/song/book! I am a big softie and cry at anything sad (shhh, so does Mr Grump)!
Learning something new. I always like to try to stretch myself, and love trying new things. Actually just yesterday as well as starting the Writing 101 course, I also started one on Open University for 6 weeks all about identifying a dead body! (We get our own case to solve and everything, using the forensics that we are going to be learning).
I love the prompt words this week for Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge of ‘tears’ and ‘wine’. Ronovan himself wrote a fantastic Haiku to go with it which you really should check out. In fact it is such fun participating in this challenge with all of the others, it is really worth having a go at.
Here is my attempt this week (bearing in mind I am now teetotal)!!!
How time flies! Tomorrow it is back to work for me, after having had a week off. I had been looking forward to having a couple of days for myself at the end of last week as Miss Hap went back to school and Mr. Grump was working. (Pah, he went and got Man ‘Flu which put paid to my peace and quiet).
The topsy-turvy hours that I worked are also over, so there are no more nights for a while. They are not so bad, it is just the lack of sleep in the daytime that I can’t get a handle on!
As I mentioned, I have been offered a new job which I am excited about but I have to wait for the security checks to be done which can take ages so I have to wait before I hand my notice in which is pretty frustrating as I just want to get stuck in now. Patience is not exactly my strong point, except of course when dealing with my patients!
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