If I had a chance to live anywhere in the world, I would choose where I’m at. Years ago, I had many places in mind and one of them was Hawaii. I wanted a small place with a backyard that led to the ocean! It would be wonderful to sit out there at night and listen to the waves and watch the stars above, but that all changed when I was in Hawaii and the reality was much different. The waves crashing against the shoreline were far from peaceful and the darkness didn’t seem that friendly either!
I love where I’m at right now. It is not the “best” place but I’m three quarters of the way there. The village is quiet, it has a vintage feel about it. Cobblestone streets with a horse or two going by is charming and fields where I lose myself is fantastic, quiet, and often I’m the only one there. Not only that, I don’t feel afraid as I walk the lonely pathways lost in thoughts that keep me occupied. The people are friendly, it is clean and quiet and nothing much happens around here. One day rolls into the next seamlessly and I can feel myself breathe again.
It is home now or rather I’ve made it home. I can’t see myself living anywhere else and that says it all.
Daily writing prompt
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Another question that I can’t find any answers to. I dream of one day discovering hidden treasure and since that will never happen, I can honestly say that I’ve haven’t found anything that was cool or worth keeping.
Sorry guys but wait a minute. I did find 50 Euros while out on a walk. It was just lying there waiting for me to pick it up. What did I do with it? I kept it. What else should I do? It was out in the open and I didn’t see any point with going to the police with it. What would they do with it? So the only option was to consider it “good luck” in a way and bad for the person who lost it. Sometimes things happen.
I don’t know if that was cool but it certainly was unexpected. Otherwise, I can’t think of anything else. Perhaps, one day I will find a box out in the fields filled with precious stones left behind from another time and place! Now, that would be COOL! Dream on? I agree with you.
Next question please…..
Daily writing prompt
What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever found (and kept)?
I have a regimented routine and I stick to it come hell or high water! Changes are not my thing so keeping to the routine is easy to do. Waking up with a good stretch in bed is a must, I do it the “Japanese” way. Just some lazy stretches in bed to get the circulation going before I slide out of bed. Then it’s a visit to the bathroom while Chachi waits patiently.
We head downstairs and since I get up when the birds do, it is still dark outside. Chachi takes his place by the window and I start breakfast. Nothing fancy or heavy. Sometimes it is an egg on toast accompanied by slices of avocado, other times, when I’m lazy, just two pieces of toast and a cup of coffee. Recently, I’ve started making Miso soup, it is healthy and a great start to the day. Then I head back upstairs to watch the news and Chachi stays downstairs watching the day as it wakes up as well.
Now, if there is one thing that I would like to skip if I could are the worries I wake up with. I’m a worrywart so worries are part and parcel of my daily existence. They are of my own making. I worry about everything and anything! Meditation helps with that and walks in nature help as well. However, it takes effort and focus to keep them out and to zero in on the good things. Things I am grateful for and there are plenty of reasons in that direction.
I haven’t got it down to a science yet but I’m working on it. One day, I hope I’ll wake up feeling fantastic and ready to face the day without WORRY on my mind! Fingers and toes crossed!
Daily writing prompt
What part of your routine do you always try to skip if you can?
This unspectacular and seemingly nonchalant looking man kept the world captive for a long time. “He is widely regarded as a symbol of evil because of the crimes committed by the Nazi German regime under his leadership.” More than 11 million people were killed and the deaths were carried out in a very intentional manner. It was as if those lives lost did not matter at all. They were part of a purging process and it was all done in the name of ethnic cleansing or rather genocide. He is infamous not only for World War II and the Holocaust but also for the systematic persecution and the mass murder of Europe’s Jews.
Adolf Hitler was a slightly overweight man with piercing eyes and was evil to the core. “Hitler believed that Jews were destructive to the German ‘Aryan’ race, and did not have any place in Nazi Germany.” The Nazi idealogy is about degradation, extermination and dehumanizing certain groups of people based on their ethnicity and that is the OBJECTIVE. It is exactly why it is so dangerous.
This was and is the personification of evil. I met him, metaphorically, when as a young girl I started reading about Anne Frank and her struggles during Hitler’s reign. It was a reign of terror where families were wiped out and fear reigned supreme. Anne was a German-born Jewish girl and a victim of the Holocaust. She is one of the 1.5 million Jewish children who were murdered during the genocide. Anne became famous for keeping a diary of her experiences. She and her family went into hiding and stayed concealed at the back of a building on the Prinsengracht in Amsterdem, the Netherlands. Her writing kept me enthralled from start to finish and I lived her journey through her words. I read her story from the safe confines of my bedroom but every word transported me to where she had been and I knew that evil had a name and that it was Adolf Hitler.
What is the moral of Anne Frank?
It is “that all people have the right to live in freedom.”
Fast forward to today. We are living in a time where Nazi salutes, Nazi propaganda and Nazi rhetoric is viewed as nothing big. Those that believe in his ideology want the world to revert back to that time and place where “people” who did not belong in their concept of the “superior race” should be eradicated and or have their rights taken away.
If it will fly in a global society that is the question. We’ve come a long ways from one “evil” man controlling the narrative. We have a voice now and let’s use it to put evil in its place.
Daily writing prompt
Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met?
I can wax lyrical about having a pet, especially about my Chachi. I’ve written so many posts about this little bundle of a furball but it never fails, just when I think I’ve said enough, something new always pops up.
Who is he? He’s a British shorthair cat. This breed is considered to be lovable and exceptionally cute! Chachi was an early birthday present from the friend who passed away and the minute the “little bugger” walked into my life, we were into each other. My life revolved around him and his revolved around mine. Well, in his case, Little Einstein decided that he was going to be my mentor and my guru as far as relationship advice goes! What?!! Believe me, the little wisp has lived many lives and he packs a punch when it comes to picking the right guy. It can be more than a headache at times but he says he wants his mommy to have only the best which means none of the two-bit ones and just one premium exclusive guy! The problem with that is, he hates all the guys who show up! No one is good enough and I have a sneaky suspicion that he wants his mommy all to himself. I wouldn’t put it past him, he is one smart cookie!
Anyway, the good thing about having a pet is that I have a companion 24/7 and he is more of an observer vs. a noisemaker so he fits perfectly with my lifestyle. I love quiet and most days we cuddle and have conversations together. Well, I talk and he listens and when something doesn’t set well, he lets out a loud yelp of a meow and that’s the signal to “Shut Up!” He is cuddly, cute, smells good, has the sweetest face and a walk that reminds me of John Wayne! Oh, he loves standing with his legs crossed in front. I suppose that comes from one of his past life occupation where crossing legs did not fit into the picture if you know what I mean!
What’s good about having a pet? Everything! They are all things rolled into one and they give so much and ask for so little. He’s here to stay and I LOVE hearing the pitter patter of little feet going up and down the stairs. I also love the surprise shows of affection where he comes up to me suddenly and plants a kiss on my cheeks or just looks at me with those puppy dog eyes. That always melts my heart. One last thing, he is not just a pet but a part of the family and that is the most important part. Have I said enough about the little rascal? I suppose I have. He’s my little love and that is saying more than enough.
Hmm….I can’t think of anything. I would buy shoes, bags, coats, and clothes but when the friend was there, he turned the tables around. I don’t recall buying anything expensive anymore! He did all the buying!
He was into spoiling and he did it with relish to the point that at times, I would have to stop him from going too far. Birthdays were fantastic affairs and Christmas too. If I had a wish list it was fulfilled. It got to the point that I would tell him, no I don’t need anything. So he turned to my son. That kid didn’t know what hit him! My friend would ask him for his wish list for Christmas and my son would have 10 or more items on there. I would tell him, you are not getting all those things and he would agree. Lo and behold, Christmas rolled around and all those items on the list would be under the Christmas tree!
What did he gift me? I’m not going to talk about it here but only that he is going to be a hard act to follow. Not just his generosity, the kindness and caring he showed but a person who was genuinely a good person. It was a time when I didn’t have to second guess if he cared or not. It was plain for all to see.
I can’t really think of anything that I paid a lot of money for. Hmm…that means I’m not into throwing money out the window BUT once in a while a piece of clothing would catch my eye and then I go for it. Even then, nothing too expensive. I’m not a clothes horse anymore. Neither am I into material stuff. What I am right now is into decluttering so that I can see clearly for a change!
Daily writing prompt
Name the most expensive personal item you’ve ever purchased (not your home or car).
I don’t really listen to podcasts that much. If I do, I turn to the meditative kind, more specifically, guided meditation. If I can’t meditate just by closing my eyes and the thoughts coming in are too disruptive, I turn to some of the recorded podcasts that do a marvelous job in a short amount of time.
Some of them are very soothing and a pleasure to listen to, others I can’t make out what they are saying so it is more than irritating. I have found several that help to calm the beast, that’s my mind, and take me to a place of nirvana at the same time. Sometimes, it takes as little as 15 minutes to soothe my frazzled nerves and to get me into a state of calm.
I also love listening to relationship advice podcasts. These usually give me an insight into what I’m doing wrong! It helps to get another viewpoint on matters of the heart but sometimes they are more than irritating as well. I can stomach a few but not all of them. Everybody is a guru when it comes to advice and you’ll find plenty of them out there. Just pick and choose carefully.
Those are two types of podcasts I listen to. I’m sure there are plenty more out there but since patience is not my strong suit at the moment, I keep it to a minimum. Plus, Chachi thinks it is all just mumbo-jumbo so whenever he sees me with my legs crossed and my eyes closed, he decides that it’s time to bug me! Spoiled beyond belief? Yes, Little Butterball is to the next level spoiled but who cares!
It was hands down English. I saw “magic” in this subject because I was able to paint pictures with my words. Even at a young age, I became fascinated with it and did everything possible to be the best where English was concerned. It involved spending hours and hours of learning the vocabulary, learning to spell words correctly and to excel in writing. The time spent paid off. I became teacher’s pet and she always called on me when something needed to be explained and or made clear to the classroom. I was proud as a peacock as I walked to the front of the room and proceeded to lay it on thick! I could see her watching me with a beautiful smile plastered on her face and not only that, she was beautiful to boot. I still remember her today and the push or was it a shove that she gave me made me excel in this subject.
Math could have been another favorite subject but I had a teacher who made it hell for me. Unlike the English teacher, he had it in for me! I learned to hate Math and didn’t spend much time with Algebra, Geometry or whatever else he had to throw at me. Instead, I learned to cheat. I would get to class early, head to the best-looking boy in class who was also very smart and asked if I could copy his homework. He gave it to me and since I was short on time, I copied the answers but not the workings! Sure enough, the “devil” decided to call me up front and demanded to know how I came up with the right answers with what I had on the page. BOOM! I was caught. So he said, “Tia, I wish you were as good at Math as you are in English. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The next time I catch you cheating, I’m going to put you in that hole in the ceiling!” I looked up and sure enough, there was a big gaping hole in the ceiling and it put the fear of the devil in me!
To make a long story short, teachers hold the power in their hands to push students forward or to hold them back. Even so far as to make you hate certain subjects. I never came out of the “hate” for Math phase but I have a continuing love affair with English and each time I achieve something good, I remember that teacher who gave me the gentle nudge to do better and I did.
I realize that when I’m down in the dumps or when it is raining outside, spending time either watching TV or on the computer becomes more prevalent. Time flies and before I know it, I’ve spent lots of time watching mindless stuff just to while the time away to cut back on boredom or when the mood strikes, I start writing.
When I do start writing, however, time becomes a background noise because it takes off and I’m still caught up in my world of make-believe. Once I’m out of that mode, I notice more often than not that I’ve spent hours on my computer without paying much attention to what is going around me. However, it is time well-spent and I love being in my fantasy world where magic happens.
How do I manage my screen time? Well, I don’t. It depends on the weather and my mood. If I’m bored, anything goes is my motto. This includes hours on end just watching movies or spooky stuff that keeps me occupied while I wait for the rain to go away. When it does, I’m out and about in nature. When the writing bug hits me, I’m on the computer and then time doesn’t matter anymore. I take as long as I need until my mind is exhausted and I run out of ideas, whichever comes first.
Oh, there’s Chachi to consider as well. I usually stop what I’m doing when the spoiled brat decides that it is time for mommy to come play with him. I do drop everything when that happens because I love getting kisses from the little guy. Yes, he’s got me wrapped around his paws but who cares!
Do I need more time? It all depends on the context of the question. Time to do more of what I like? Time to waste? Time to while the time away? Time to simply be? I can answer with a definite yes to all those questions.
One thing I’ve noticed about time is that it never stands still. Even at the times when you think it is stopping to take a breather because something important has happened in your life and you need for it to stand by your side just for a little while to give you time to adjust, to pick up and to move on, but the truth is it never stands still. It is a constant movement in motion. You can get off track and watch as it goes by but at some point you have to get back on and make up for lost time.
Do I need time? Yes, to do all the things I keep putting off, to do some catching up and to JUST have more time to do more of what I like.
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