Darling Megan posted a 52 weeks of blogging prompts list and a few people including Cassey and Cupcakemummy (who also designed the fabulous logo) are also joining in.
I’m trying to up my creative writing game so I may not post factual, nonfiction posts with these prompts but rather fiction stories, poems and other ramblings.
Here’s the list:
What do you want your great-great-great-grandkids to know about you?
What DIY projects are on your spring to-do list?
What do you consider to be your biggest achievement?
What do you lie about?
What are your top 5 pieces of clothing?
Share a DIY Tutorial for handmade Valentines.
List the best movies and TV shows for binge-watching on a rainy weekend.
Create a series of date night guides for your city.
What do you love about your current life?
What are you looking forward to right now?
Share your goals and resolutions for 2016 and discuss what you want your life to look like one year from now.
What is one new thing you want to learn this year?
What are you ready to let go of this year?
Share your best soup recipe.
Write the beginning of a scary story and let your readers decide what happens next.
Show your readers 5 different ways to decorate pumpkins.
What are your biggest long term dreams?
If you were to run a kickstarter campaign, what would your project be?
Keep a gratitude journal for a week and share the entries.
Share some old family photos.
Do research on your family tree and share what you find.
What is one holiday tradition you want to start in your family?
Share things you have pinned that you want to try before the end of the year.
Best on-the-go breakfast recipe.
10 songs I love right now.
Pet peeves.
Whats in my handbag?
Whats in my fridge?
If I won the lottery…
An average day.
My 5 favourite blogs
Half way through the year, how are the goals coming?
Happy Fathers Day! What is awesome about your dad and your kids’dad?
What tips do you have for a newbie gardener?
Favourite coffee recipe
What books do you want to read before the year is over?
What about people’s cellphone habits drive you nuts?
Share a home made ice cream recipe
What’s in your beach bag?
24 July is national tequila day! Share a recipe for a tequila cocktail!
Share a Christmas DIY tutorial.
Share a series of photos that tell the story of your Christmas.
What is on your giving wishlist for this year? What cool things would you want to give to someone else?
What do you do when you are home all alone?
Things I would do if I was brave…
Other lives I would want to live if I had nine lives…
A picture of you, last year and now, what has changed?
What three things do you want your children to learn from you.
Five ways to win your heart.
Post your zodiac sign and whether it fits you.
If I could have any celebrity chef prepare dinner for me who would it be?
List 3 things I would like to do differently for Christmas this year…
I’m looking forward to all the writing and to reading everyone’s posts!
**Please take a moment to add the gals above to your blog readers or subscribe to their blogs as well as mine.
Because that can become quite expensive, I try to read as many free books as I can. Mostly from Amazon/Kindle and also from a few of the independent publishers. The free books are usually the first book of a series or a novella from an existing series and if I like the book and the author I won’t hesitate to pay for future books. Especially from the independent authors/publishers, the fact that they are not waiting for a ‘big’ publisher to notice them, that they are taking the plunge and putting themselves out there is very very brave. I respect that and want to support them.
The biggest draw back to reading books like this is that a lot of the independent authors are just starting out, they are first books and often times haven’t been proofed or edited properly. I totally get that everyone has to start somewhere and some of those starts are going to be a bit rougher than others.
One of the things I cannot stand however is when an author tells you what happens. I once read somewhere that an author should always show, not tell their reader what is going on. When I come across a book that is filled with telling and has very little showing I’ll stop reading. I find it cold, impersonal and often feels as if the author was rushed or couldn’t be bothered to put effort into their writing. That being said, writing is hard, and I figure I should put my money where my mouth is, so to speak. So below is my example of ‘show, don’t tell’.
I’ve been telling myself stories in my head since I was a little girl. Wild tales of romance and danger, princesses and dragons and even a few Die Hard adventures. I have huge butterflies in my tummy thinking about publishing this blog post. It’s the first time I would have put those words, a part of one of those stories, onto ‘paper’. Please be gentle.
Tell
He took her hand in his, she looked up at him and he led her into the bar.
Show
She felt the warmth as his fingers slowly entwined with hers, the callouses of his palm sitting flush against her hand. He gave a gentle squeeze, waiting for her answer. She hesitated, just a second, then tightened her grip on his hand. Looking up, she caught the wicked gleam in his eye as he smiled down at her before giving her hand a tug and leading her into the bar.
Every morning I walk 10 minutes to the bus stop. On my walk I come across the same people nearly every day.
The security guard from the local supermarket on his way to work.
The two grumpy old Russian men waiting for their bus at another stop.
The various people from our neighborhood walking their dogs.
The street cleaner sweeping up all the autumn leaves on the sidewalk.
And every morning I say hello. To all of them.
Across the street from my house – Image by Paul
Sometimes its just a smile across the road. Sometimes its a hello and a head nod. Sometimes its a hello and a 2 minute chat. And sometimes its a hello that gets totally ignored.
The security guard asks how I am and always makes a joke, he loves speaking English and gets annoyed when I try speak Hebrew with him.
The grumpy old men never answer, just look at me like I’m crazy. I still greet them every single day. One day I will get a smile or even a hello back.
The dog walkers sometimes stop, say hello and let me get some doggy kisses and cuddles.
The street cleaner, without fail, greets me back and wishes me a good day.
I’ve seen this going around and thought I would steal it…
1. Are you named after someone?
Yes. My late aunt Natalie, my fathers sister. She was born with a hole in her heart. and she died when she was just 15. She was one of Dr Chris Barnard’s first patients. My full name is Gina-Natalie.
2. When was the last time you cried?
Frustrated tears – A few days ago.
Sad tears – A few months ago.
3. Do you have kids?
Two. Aaron, who is almost 8 (!!) and Faith who is almost 5 (!!).
4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself?
I think so. I tend to make friends easily.
5. Do you have a guilty pleasure?
Books. I cant stop reading. I walk and read. I walk into things and read.
6. Do you like handwriting?
Mine, not so much. Doctors, definitely not.
7. What is your favorite cereal?
Frosties!
8. What is the first thing you notice about people?
Their face. No, really. Are they happy, sad, twitching like a crazy person?
9. What color are your eyes?
Green. Dark green.
10. Scary movies or happy endings?
Happy endings. I don’t like horrors but I will watch a psychological thriller. If I’m not alone.
11. Favorite TV show?
Way too many to choose. Right now we are watching Doctor Who, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Flash, Arrow and Supernatural.
12. Summer or winter?
Summer. Much prefer being hot. I can never get warm enough in winter.
13. Hugs or kisses?
Neither? I’m not really a touchy feel-y person. I kiss and hug my children and husband but even then it should be short and sweet.
14. What’s the furthest you’ve been from home?
6462km. That’s the distance between Johannesburg, South Africa and Jerusalem, Israel.
15. Do you have special talents?
Cooking/baking.
16. Where were you born.
The Marymount Maternity home, Kengsington, Johannesburg.
17. What are your hobbies?
Reading, cooking, baking.
18. Do you have any pets?
No, but I would like to adopt an older rescue dog soon.
19. Favorite movie?
Pretty Woman, Rocky Horror Picture Show, anything super hero.
So last week I had a small moment, a wobble if you will, where I wanted to shut down all my social media accounts.
I’ve been feeling very disillusioned with humanity in general but especially on social media. I cant handle the images of dead children and mauled animals. I cant stand the self riotous lecturing and sanctimonious bullshit. My eye twitches every time something that is meant to be lighthearted and funny is taken overly seriously.
I get that there are causes and issues close to peoples hearts (as there are a few close to mine) and I encourage constructive conversations and the sharing of knowledge. What I cant deal with is the ‘I’m right and you’re wrong therefore you’re a bad person and need to be raked over the coals’ mentality.
What happened to engaging with people, to sharing knowledge and learning new things, making friends and having fun? What happened to the ‘social’ in social media?
I took a few days to think about it and have decided that instead of kicking SM to the curb entirely I would rather whittle down the people, pages and brands that I follow to a more manageable and social level.
This means brands that are not relevant are going. People that do not know personally and that do not interact with me (and that I do not interact with) are going. People who post images and links to violent and gory stories are going? People on soap boxes are going. People who cant take a joke and want to clutch their pearls and wag their fingers are going.
I’m not saying I’m perfect. I’m not. I have moments when I take things too seriously or climb on my own soap box and I’m working on not doing that anymore either.
I’m pretty sure I will upset more than a few people. Cant be helped though. My mental well being is more important.
They say the grass is greener on the other side. They also say that’s because there is more bullshit. They also say the grass is greener where you water it.
I say there are shades of green.
One of the many* reasons we left South Africa was for a better life for our children. Better, in that they can walk to school and their friends on their own without me having to worry too much. Better in that there is a park on every corner and they have the freedom to play in those parks until the sun goes down and beyond. We don’t have to worry about being broken into and being held at gun point (something I have experienced myself). We can drive with our windows down and our doors unlocked (when we eventually get a car). All in all, on a daily basis our lives are much safer here.
That being said, Israel is subject to bouts of extreme violence and terror. Stabbings, rock throwing, run-over attacks, bus bombs, suicide bombers and the ever present rocket attacks.
The thing is, no where is perfect, no where is 100% safe. Yes, its terrifying, watching the news and seeing innocent civilians being attacked, parents dying and children being left orphaned. Its heartbreaking.
But… Its amazing to see the people of this country pull together. Young students with ‘Am Yisrael Chai’ (Israel Lives) signs dancing and singing at the entrance to my city. Old and young talking to each other and hugging at bus stops. People collecting snack, sweets and food for our soldiers who are stationed away from their families and cant be with them on the weekends.
Basically, shades of green.
Life, no matter where you are, is what you make of it. I choose to be in the moment and to make the best of each moment as they come. I choose to love myself, my family and my country.
*There are many, many reasons we came to Israel, in the context of this post I am choosing to only concentrate on safety.
My typical weekday (Sunday – Thursday*)** goes something like this…
05:30 ~ 06:30 – Aaron wakes up.
05:51 – My first alarm goes off.
06:00 – Paul’s alarm goes off (usually he has actually already gotten out of bed).
06:00 ~ 07:25 – Paul gets ready for the day, sorts out the kids with breakfast, kids get dressed and mess around.
This is from the beginning of the year. I cant get over how much they have both grown since then 🙂
06:01 – My snooze alarm goes off.
06:10 – I get out of bed.
06:10 ~ 06:30 – I get dressed, brush teeth, brush hair, wake Faith up (she is totally my child, hates waking up), give copious hugs and kisses to family.
06:30 – Leave the house to walk to the bus stop (about half a km walk).
06:40 ~ 06:50 – Wait for my bus, obsessively check the app to make sure I haven’t missed it.
06:45 ~ 07:15 – Play games on my phone or catch a cat nap on the bus ride to work.
07:15 – Unlock office (I’m usually, but not always, the first one in) and turn on the coffee machine before booting up my computer and settling in.
07:30 ~ 08:00 – Paul drops the kids at their respective schools (both within a 200m walk from home) on his way to the train station. From September this will be a whole lot easier since Faith will be attending the same school as Aaron.
07:30 – 13:00 – Work, drink coffee, work, drink more coffee and occasionally a cup of 5 Roses tea. Sometime before 11:00 I order lunch (we are given a budget for the month and can order from a variety of places that will deliver to us).
13:00 ~ 13:30 – Join the rest of the office in the dining area and enjoy lunch.
Love the concentration tongue!
13:30 ~ 16:10/17:30 – Work and drink more coffee. Depending on the day, I either leave the office at 16:10 to catch a bus back home in order to fetch the kids from after care by 16:45. On the days that our babysitter fetches the kids, I work later to make up some time and usually leave the office at around 17:30 to catch a bus home.
16:10/17:30 ~ 16:30/18:00 – Bus ride home.
16:30/18:00 ~ 19:00/19:30 – Fetch kids/get home, do a load of laundry (not every day), play with kids, wash dishes, read my book, bath kids (Aaron has now discovered showering on his own, when the hell did he grow up?), start supper, set table, hang laundry if applicable, clean floors or vacuum if necessary, make a salad so we get some fresh veggies in our diet.
19:00/19:30 – Paul gets home and we eat supper.
20:00 – Kids brush teeth and get ready for bed, story is read, debate over which parent puts which child to sleep.
20:15 ~ 21:00 – Put kids to sleep. This takes so long because Aaron is a chatterbox and needs to get all the words out before he can sleep. Once a child is asleep, that adult then baths/showers, followed by the other adult when the 2nd child (Aaron) eventually falls asleep. Dishes from dinner are washed in between all of this by whoever is free.
21:00 ~ 22:00 – We usually watch at least one episode of a show we are watching, at the moment we are re-watching Firefly, Netflix is awesome!
22:00 ~ 22:30 – Wash up any leftover dishes from dinner and Paul usually sorts out the kids lunches/snacks for the next day.
22:30 – Get ready for bed.
22:45 – Collapse in a heap, possibly read a chapter or two of a book or play on Twitter/FB.
23:30 – Fall asleep, sometimes earlier, sometimes later but this is the average.
And that’s our normal weekday.
*Fridays are slightly different because neither Paul or I work on a Friday and the kids finish school at 12:30ish. So Paul and I clean the apartment or go do a big grocery shop while the kids are at school and then we fetch them and spend the afternoon playing and getting ready for Shabbat.
**Saturdays are spent at the park or watching movies (again, thanks Netflix), there is no public transport and most if not all stores are closed.
Work in the service industry I mean. I’ve been a (horrible) waitress in the past and I think its a good experience for every person to have. Having been on that side of the table I like to think I make a good customer. The only time I complain or don’t tip is if a waitperson is deliberately rude or obnoxious. Another industry that I think gets a bad rap is customer service/help desk. Until you have been on the other end of the phone/computer, talking to irritated, upset people all day, you really have no idea what its like.
For the last month or so I have been helping out in our customer care centre (its an email only help desk, no telephone calls at all). Its been an interesting experience.
I’ve had nice people, I’ve had nasty people,I’ve had crazy people and I’ve had people who should not be allowed to use the internet.
Some of the things I have learned:
The quickest way to learn about the business you are in is to work the help desk.
Working the help desk is the quickest way to learn who is who in your office and what they do.
Some people do not actually want your help, they just want to complain and moan.
You cannot please all the people all the time.
Being super friendly to nasty people makes them go away.
Adding a friendly, happy line to the end of an email almost always gets you a positive, happy response and a thank you.
People do not see you as a human being and therefore swearing at you is acceptable.
If you make a mistake, own it. Apologise and correct it.
Even if you add pictures, some people will still not understand.
Some people just want to talk. Maybe they are lonely or have no family. Being patient and friendly to them is no hardship.
People get very upset over the smallest things.
Its not personal. They don’t know you, you don’t know them. Let it go.
The best email I had while working at our help desk was the one that told me I was as useless as an appendix. 10/10 for making me laugh so hard I couldn’t breathe!
I’m going to try being nicer to help centre people next time I have to call or email a company.
*PSA – Some of the links may be NSFW if you are not allowed to look at womens bums in underwear 😉
Not boy shorts. Not even boxer briefs designed for women (mostly they still look more like boy shorts in my opinion and are probably just as ‘climb up the bum’ uncomfortable as boy shorts).
No, I’m talking about men’s boxer briefs.
I found myself in need of a pair of sleep shorts/summer pajama bottoms and a light bulb went off. Men’s boxer briefs looked soooooo comfy. And they are.
I bought myself a few pairs and let me tell you, I’m going to be wearing them all the time now. No pinching, no pulling, no climbing up the bum, just soft, cotton, comfy undies.
You may recall I posted about my pear shape. Well, I fit into a men’s large boxer brief due to the bottom of my pear. But that’s ok, they are so comfy and they look good too.
