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Another Hard Question

I haven’t really paid much attention to underrated people in history but since you asked I did go looking and found a whole slew of them! I’ve narrowed it down to three here.

Rosalind Franklin

She is the silent genius whose work with “x-ray diffraction images of DNA was pivotal in understanding its structure.” James Watson an American biologist and Francis Crick were credited with the discovery of DNA but the truth is, they relied heavily on Franklin’s data to get the job done. Her contribution was overshadowed in a male dominated society at the time. However, her story is a powerful reminder of how women contributed to science but were not given the recognition they deserved. Things have changed since then and let’s hope it doesn’t go backwards again because of you know who.

Claudette Colvin

She was someone who at just 15 years of age courageously challenged racial segregation. Rosa Parks is a well-known name but Colvin? It seems that the incident with Claudette Colvin happened nine months before the Rosa Parks incident. Claudette refused to relinquish her seat on a Montgomery bus to a white woman. Her brave stance at a time when unjust laws were the norm was truly courageous even though she didn’t get the recognition she deserved.

Katharine Johnson

She was a pioneer of sorts. Ms. Johnson shattered racial and gender barriers by working at NASA during segregation. More importantly, she “calculated the flight trajectory for John Glenn’s historic orbit and helped ensure the success of the Apollo II moon landing. A brilliant mind but her contributions only came to light at a much later time through the film Hidden Figures.

Let’s get some easier questions please!

Daily writing prompt

Who are some underrated people in history?

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Benefits of Minimalist Living

Now, that I’m learning to live with less and removing clutter as much as I can, I find that I have less dust catchers and more room to breathe! I never realized how much I have collected all in the name of wanting to dress better, having a nicer place and to just add to the mayhem!

I’m not all the way there, mind you, but I am working on it. One of the benefits of living a minimalist lifestyle and perhaps the biggest one is that I can find stuff. When once they were lost between other stuff that I didn’t need but loved looking at, now I can reach for something and know exactly where it is at.

The next benefit is that I spend less money. I no longer buy things just for the sake of buying or because it catches my eye. It is now about whether I need it, will I put it to good use, and should I be throwing money out the window simply on a whim.

Additional benefits include less time spent cleaning, no more impulsive spending, my focus is clearer and on things that matter, for example my personal growth. My living space is not as minimalist as I would like it to be but it is getting there. Mental clarity is taking over and it is not so much about material possessions anymore. Best of all, I don’t have to spend a lot of time cleaning.

I think I like this minimalist way of living, however, it is going to take time to get all the way there. The other thing is I don’t know if I am cut out for this kind of living but who knows, I might just come to love it or I might say, let’s move on to the next trend. Only time will tell.

Daily writing prompt

What are the biggest benefits of minimalist living?

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Let It Go (Archives)

Letting go is one of the hardest lessons to learn in life. Holding on is somehow innately built into the human system and we are wired to hold on when things go wrong. At least, that is the case with me. If only I had the ability to “let go” when I knew that there was no point in holding on. Life would be so much easier right? Knowing that doesn’t make it any easier. I am an overthinker, an overachiever and a hold on with a death grip type of person. At times I am well aware that the ship has set sail and is out of sight but I keep looking longingly out to sea hoping it would return and everything would be alright but most times, it never does and still I refuse to let go.

“One of the hardest lessons in life is letting go. Whether it’s guilt, anger, love, loss or betrayal. Change is never easy. We fight to hold on and we fight to let go.” Unknown

The hard thing about letting go is the fear factor. The unknown is always scary. We tend to fixate on what was instead of realizing that it is done with, a thing of the past and it’s time to move on. The pieces remain of what once was, be it a lesson learned or pieces to build a future with but only if we stop looking at that closed door and turn towards the one that is open BUT going through that door is like leading a horse to water but making it drink is another story altogether.

Shannon Alder says:

“Forget what hurt you but NEVER forget what it taught you.”

If only it was that easy. Speaking from experience and being the proverbial holder on, I know that there were times when I dug in my heels and refused to budge because it was what was behind that closed door that I wanted. It didn’t matter that it was bad for me and it didn’t matter that it was gone, water under the bridge so to speak and still I held on for dear life. I cried a waterfall when I could have saved those tears if only I had taken the first step to go through that open door. Freedom comes in letting go which in turn gives you the ability to fly because nothing is weighing you down anymore. I am learning not to stay in one place too long, to look back and to gather the lessons I have learned and when the time is right to keep moving forward. Life is for living, not just existing and being stuck in one place is an absolute no go. It is in moving forward that you learn the power of letting go, the power of living again.

“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” Oprah Winfrey

LET GO!

Have an amazing day.

Fairies, Elves & Little People!

Photo by Firman Marek_Brew on Pexels.com

As a little girl I was fascinated with a world I didn’t understand. Story books would bring them to life and I walked right into a world that was fascinating, hard to comprehend, and one that got my creative juices running on a maximum high! Yes, even as a young girl.

The forest behind my house was a perfect playground for a girl who viewed everything with different eyes. I saw little people under mushrooms where there was none, I saw beauty in the deep, dark, rows of trees, and I saw fairies flying around everywhere I looked. Of course, I pretended to be one as well!

It was an obsession I couldn’t shake off. The ducks became my friends as I jumped in the dirty water puddles with them and “quacked” happily. I was one with nature and I have remained one with nature through the years. Only now, it is on a more sedate level. I walk, I take in the beauty that nature has to offer BUT once in a while, I think I see them! It is all in my imagination and I have plenty of that going around. It helps to keep my world a wonderful place to be in.

No more jumping in water puddles, not that I don’t want to but because I am a grown-up now and I do the “adult” stuff. BORING! I can still do the other thing in my mind and that is where I go to when I want to escape into a realm where magic is possible and a wondrous world awaits.

Daily writing prompt

What’s a thing you were completely obsessed with as a kid?

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The Most Interesting Local Custom

I would say it was how the Chinese looked at death and how they celebrated someone’s passing. I was in Singapore at the time and I found the burial rituals of the Chinese people fascinating and at the same time bizarre.

My two friends from Kansas were visiting at the time and one day they took off on their own to do some sightseeing. They came back all excited because they had taken part in a colorful parade of some sort. According to them, there was a long procession and they joined in taking pictures as they went along. There were two men on stilts with brightly colored faces and at the front of the procession a car all dressed up as well. Turned out it was a funeral procession!

The other custom according to a Chinese friend is the belief that the dead do come back to visit after seven days. Hair-raising? Absolutely. Anyway, she told me about her father who had passed away and on the 7th day they prepared all his favorite dishes, set the table, laid new sheets on his bed and made sure all was ready for his spirit to visit. Later in the evening she described how there was a floral scent that permeated the whole house and even though the food looked like it was untouched, the bed looked like it had been slept in!

One other thing I recall is the wake. It is usually accompanied by a band, loud music, alcohol consumption, and laughter. If the person was wealthy, it would last for seven days. Something to do with the number 7? I don’t know but this custom was bizarre to say the least. Along with the merry-making, lots of paper money, paper houses, paper servants would be burned so that the departed soul would have plenty in the afterlife.

There are plenty more customs but the ones I’ve mentioned definitely do take the cake as far as “interesting local customs” are concerned. At least in my book.

Daily writing prompt

What’s the most interesting local custom you’ve encountered?

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My Ideal Life

Good question but the answer is hard to come by. I would say first and foremost a peaceful existence. One where stress is nowhere to be seen AND with a good man by my side. Yes, I’m still looking but it looks like the guy has lost his way and is not asking for directions!

Anyway, I was talking to a friend this past weekend and our conversation turned to life and love. We hadn’t seen each other for a long time ever since we broke up. However, we still keep in touch and there is a strong bond there. We were sitting outside in the garden when the conversation eventually turned to us and what went wrong there. He said, “I haven’t forgotten about you. You are on my mind a lot.”

There is this certain something that pulls at us and neither one of us can put a finger on it. There is certainly love there, he is down-to-earth, and we just click on so many levels. It was my turn and this is what I said, “I’m not looking for spectacular or perfect. Just someone quiet, someone who meets me halfway, and when I look at him, it feels like HOME. Is that too much to ask for?”

HIM: “Definitely not.”

He is in Turkey now on business and we have decided to go to lunch when he gets back. I did ask him to think about what he wants, really wants. We’ve done this breaking up and getting back together several times now and I need to know what this is about.

Coming back to the question in hand, my ideal life would run on an even keel. No nasty surprises, no problems, no ups and downs, no breakups, no falling down and getting back up again, and no losers! I want love to find me and when it does or rather when he does, it will feel like HOME!

Too much to ask? I don’t think so.

Daily writing prompt

If you had to describe your ideal life, what would it look like?

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The Best Concert?

Concerts are a thing of the past. I can’t stand loud music, glaring lights, and the surge of crowds as they press against you to get a better view of the stage. Those days are water under the bridge. However, a long time ago I was at a concert and I recall that I was in the front row and my blond beauty of a friend had a total crush on the guy but I can’t remember his name! I only know that she was screaming so loudly that I felt my ears go numb! Plus, I had a headache the day after.

My son is into rock concerts and going to live performances is all the rage. He loves the head-banging variety. I can’t understand why he would want to be there amidst the huge crowd bopping along but I guess “music” is different to every generation. The concerts he goes to are usually loud and since I am a “recluse” now, noise is not to my liking. I love the peace and quiet so I am glad that those days of tagging along to see whoever we had a crush on are over with.

I wouldn’t mind going to a stand-up comedy show. It’s something I am into now. When I need some cheering up, I turn to the funny variety to bump my mood up. It usually works.

Nothing fascinating to talk about but that’s the way it is when your world revolves around nature, meditation and the like. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Daily writing prompt

What is the best concert you have been to?

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The Light?!!

Dare I say it without jinxing something that is on the way? I’ll go ahead and do it because I can’t keep it to myself anymore!

The “light at the end of the tunnel” is a classic idiom that signals something positive is about to happen. There are four different takes according to one source.

The Realistic Approach:

“The light at the end of the tunnel is just the light of an oncoming train.” James Russell Lowell

The Empowered Approach:

“I stopped waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel and lit that b**ch up myself.”

The Pessimistic Approach:

“The good news is the tunnel has an end. The bad news is more tunnels before it.”

The Absurdist Approach: “When life gives you lemons, at least you know you are out of the tunnel.”

Hmm….where does my news fit in? I don’t really know but here goes. Some of you who read my posts on a daily basis know that I have two temporary residents who have moved in for about six months. They are Shiro, a Persian cat, and Gallahad, a long-haired British variety. They took up residence about a month ago and life hasn’t been the same ever since! They belong to my son and since he has started a new job and pets are not allowed in his current apartment, his only choice was to leave them with me.

A month later, I am ready to throw up my hands and to give up! It’s not that they are not cute and sweet. They are all of those things and more. However, they require a lot of time, energy, and looking after. Not only that, they think they’ve moved into a 5 star resort and “demands” are at the top of their list. No longer satisfied with the cheap stuff their daddy (my son) used to feed them, they want top-notch and nothing less! They have a maid (me) who is at their beck and call and if that’s not enough, they want a play buddy as well. Chachi, (my little guy) loves and hates them. So, they have to be separated at intervals, this approach seems to be working but it is taking a toll on me.

The news I am about to tell you couldn’t have come at a better time. My son, who I am very proud of, not only landed his dream job but has gone on to secure a much bigger apartment. This is next to impossible in a city where apartments are very expensive and they get grabbed up as soon as they appear. Anyway, he went to look at the apartment, talked to the owner, asked intelligent questions I presume, and snapped it up! He got the call the same day and was offered the place if he wanted it. A roomy place with a built-in kitchen with all the amenities. The best part, they accept cats! A dream come true? He thinks so.

Now comes the part of signing the contract, giving up the old one, moving his stuff in and maybe, just maybe, the cats are out of here in about two months! He’ll be happy to have them back, I’ll be happy to have my life back although I will miss them, and Chachi, the little macho, will be king of the castle again.

I’ll take a different approach. “If it’s meant to be, it will be.”

Fingers, toes, and everything else crossed!

Have an amazing day.

Best Thing to Do?

This is an old village with cobblestone streets in the old part and the new part where I live has paved roads. There is really not much to do here. The people lead very quiet lives and since it is an aging population, they take pride in their gardens and keeping everything neat and tidy.

The place is steeped in history and sometimes you see plaques depicting certain scenes and events from way back then. The church is very old. I was told it was built a century ago and there are a few tombstones along the pathway leading to the church. The wooden pews show much wear and tear and when the sunlight shines through, dust envelopes the place. It is still a charming little church and lives have come and gone there, some leaving their mark behind.

There is a bakery, a dentist, a doctor, a school, and a convenience store. Add to that a beer garden, two restaurants, one Italian and the other German and you have everything this village has to offer. The village is self-contained for the most part. When snow rolls around and the roads are unpassable, all those things I mentioned before come into play and we are grateful! However, snow doesn’t show up here that often and when it does, it doesn’t stay for long.

The best thing you can do around here is to go walking. We are surrounded by nature and it is gorgeous. Open fields, manicured gardens, wooded pathways are all surrounded by mountains and forests. There are streams meandering through the woods and it feels magical in spring and summer. You can see rabbits, deer, cranes, herons, and hawks if you have your eyes peeled for them. I’ve heard we have wild boar, foxes, and wild dogs too but I have never seen them.

If walking is your thing, then there is plenty to do here. It is virtually crime-free and walking alone in the open fields is something I relish without having to worry about what could be hiding in the bushes or the woods! I do look around and pay attention to my surroundings because as they say, “NEVER SAY NEVER!”

Most are law-abiding citizens and it is a friendly place. If you’re looking to relax, and to find peace, it’s a great place to be. If you’re a writer, it’s a perfect place to come up with ideas and to let your imagination run wild like mine does!

Daily writing prompt

Which is the best thing to do in your city?

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LOL!

Photo by Aj Collins Artistry on Pexels.com

I saw this online and decided to share. It got a chuckle out of me. I hope it gets one out of you too.

After dying in a car crash, three friends go to Heaven for an orientation session. They are all asked the same question: “When you are in your casket and family and friends are mourning over you, what would you like to hear them say about you?”

The first guy responds: “I would like to hear them say that I was one of the greatest doctors of my time and a great family man”.

The second guy says: “I would like to hear that I was a wonderful husband and a school teacher who made a huge difference in the children of tomorrow”.

The third guy thinks for a while and then replies: “I guess I’d like to hear them say ‘Look – he’s moving’

🤣🤣🤣