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 |   Blog Challenge And Other Tidbits |
| An opinion or two...or three or four... |
| PROMPT March 10th How many languages do you speak? If you could instantly learn any language and be able to speak it fluently, what language would you pick? How would you use it and where would you go? Je ne parle que deux langues. I only speak two languages. English. The American variety with a dialect specific to California. And French. Old formal Parisian French. Conversational when I am actually in France. Although I am fluent in two languages, which I've always felt was quite an accomplishment, I also realize that most people around the world speak SEVERAL different languages...fluently. That made me think about people all over the world and the push for one common language. As I've learned in France and Germany, people there feel it's important to speak English. Whether it's the Queens English or American English they all feel the necessity to communicate in English. In fact, I've learned that most people around the world feel it's necessary to speak English as well as their native tongue. This is amazing and fantastic. But on the flip side it's also harbored laziness and arrogance in most Americans. I've seen it in action first-hand. I remember sitting in a bistro in Paris waiting on some lunch, or, dejeuner (this of course requires accent aigu, but having a QWERTY keyboard there is no such thing) Anyway, my husband and I were waiting for lunch and noticed a small group of women from Texas. They were loud and raucous and arrogant and totally unpleasant. They made no effort towards etiquette. They were disrespectful of everything around. They actually told the waiter they spoke no French at all and insisted he send someone who "could parler anglais". Then they ordered of all things, a hamburger! At a bistro! For lunch! And it wasn't even on the menu! How rude! No wonder the French are suspicious of Americans. Those women were horrible ambassadors for our United States. But that episode taught me something. The rude and the crude will always show their true colors...les grossiers et le brut montreront toujours leurs vraies couleurs. And that will never be me. I will make sure of that. Now, having ranted about rude Americans in Paris, it's important to get back to the question. What language would I learn instantly? Russian! For some reason that language intrigues me. And where I live there is a very large population of people from Russia and Ukraine. And I'd love to sit down and have a good conversation with them. Languages are important. They keep us connected. How many should we know? One? Two? Three? Well....I say as many as we can master! Here's to les langues du monde. |
| PROMPT March 9th What is your first memory of being really excited? I come from a large family. A good Polish Catholic family. Six of us kids. And we're spread out in age. There were 19 years between my oldest brother and my youngest brother. Actually, my parents always said they had two families. There were the four older ones. Then nine years passed before my younger brother and I made our entrances. I mention this because my earliest memories about being excited center around my oldest brother, Jimmy. Jimmy spent his whole life in the medical profession. He worked some crazy long hours at the hospital. Sometimes he would work double shifts. Sometimes he wouldn't even come home. He'd just stay at the hospital. The holidays always seemed to be the busiest for him. Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Especially Christmas. Not sure why that was, but for some reason Christmas was the busiest. Now Christmas was a really big deal in my house. Decorations, lights, stockings, surprises tucked everywhere. It was a REALLY big deal. And my parents insisted that we share a special meal on Christmas Eve, then open packages together, and finally attend midnight mass together. It was always special and beautiful. Because we had to do it all together that meant we had to wait for Jimmy. Patiently, mind you. That was the hardest part. Seeing all the packages and surprises and all the wonderful stuff made it sooooo very hard to wait. But wait we did. My younger brother, Johnny, and I would sit in the front room staring out the big picture window searching the darkness for Jimmy. It was probably the hardest thing we ever did. Waiting. But when we saw the headlights of Jimmy's little 240 Z come around the corner excitement took over! It was nearly pandemonium with the shouts and cheers and all the jumping around. All of us would gather around him as he came through the door and we practically pushed him inside so we could get the festivities under way. All that waiting made the excitement build. And that's what made it special. So for me, each and every Christmas is filled with excitement. And I have my dearest Jimmy to thank for that. |
| PROMPT March 8th For most of the world, today is “Spring Forward,” when clocks are set an hour ahead. In your entry today, write about time and how you make the most of it. What is worthy of spending your time on? What is not? In your opinion, what do people spend too much time on these days? Alright, "springing forward" is just plain cruel. Sure, we get an extra hour of daylight, but who cares when you can't make it through the day to enjoy it? Right now I'm an hour behind in my day. I have company coming and I had to rush to straighten up the front room, dust the family room, clean up the kitchen, and make sure the downstairs bathroom is presentable. I made the mistake of not setting my clock and I got up at the "regular" time...that's when the kitty wants to eat and walks on top of me. And then he bangs the blinds on the windows if I'm not moving fast enough. So...even the kitty is all messed up! I got the kitty fed and the dog fed and then I brewed an extra strong cup of coffee. With milk. And a blueberry muffin. I turned on the news and tried hard to understand what it was all about. I know they were talking about school closures and coronavirus...but the details flew right over my foggy brain! I read a meditation and thought about my day. I told myself that once my company left today then I would sit down to blog. Then the caffeine from my coffee kicked in and told me how foolish that was! Most likely I would head off for a nap as soon as they left. And then the day would be gone and I would be sorry I missed my blog. I hate to say it, but I had to agree with myself. So here I am. Foggy-headed not knowing what to think. I would sure enjoy some extra time in bed all snuggled up in a blanket with my head cradled in a soft pillow, my dog, my cat, my husband sleeping soundly next to me. But alas, I've been forced to "spring forward". Cruel. It's just plain cruel. So in my foggy state I think the best I can come up with is to say that for me, time well spent is time spent doing the things you do best with a clear head and a clear conscience and a clear path to the end of the day. And in the words of Forrest Gump, "And that's all I have to say about that." |
| PROMPT March 7th What does wisdom mean to you? Give an example. Wisdom is a good topic for today and lends itself to some very deep thought. I believe each of us has an innate wisdom which is specific to us only. It may not be apparent to others, or even apparent to ourselves even, but it is there. It resides deep within the soul and steers us to a better version of ourselves. Wisdom is that which speaks to us in divine whispers, leads on the proper path, and pushes us to the greater glory and good of all. For me, wisdom is that deep-seated knowledge that helps me see the reality of life around me. It is also that deep-seated curiosity that draws me to question and research and seek additional knowledge. It is also that which puts on the brakes. It keeps me in check. It keeps me quiet. It keeps me serene. But I don't always listen to those divine whispers. I don't always remain quiet and serene. Sometimes I lash out. Sometimes I speak hurtful things...things that aren't true...things meant only for malicious mischief. And sometimes I do things that are never in the best interest of anybody. Most times, these "things" that don't define me send me into despair. It's then I allow myself a small pity party. But it's also then that I acknowledge that I am only human. See? That's wisdom in itself. We are only human. We'll make mistakes. We'll forsake the innate wisdom we are blessed with. We'll follow a path unbecoming to our true nature. And in the end? Sorrow and despair. And the willingness to make it right again. For me, that's wisdom. The knowledge that is my own. The divine whispers I hear. The curiosity to keep me going. And the belief that I was never, am not now, and never will be perfect. For me, that's wisdom. |
| PROMPT March 6th What product would you stockpile if you found out it would never be sold again? (If the product you choose is perishable, imagine, for the purposes of this question, that the product would remain useable/edible forever.) What product would I stockpile? Now this is a great question. It would have to be something that I feel I absolutely could NOT live without. Something that would sustain life for me. Something that was so special and so dear I would probably kill for it (well, not really kill someone). But that also begs another question. What if I couldn't stockpile enough to last the remainder of my life? What would happen to me if I actually ran out of this special thing? Would I die a slow painful death? Would I go crazy? Would I absolutely sag and melt away? I don't know. So let me think...hmmm...for some reason this really has me flummoxed. In this current climate of coronavirus I think the product I would stockpile is water. Now I know I could always boil water but why not have a supply? And what if I had no way of boiling water? And heaven forbid what if the planet dried up? (I'm scaring myself here). Another product? Salt. I could go old school and even ancient times and preserve everything with it. But then again if I didn't have any water to flush out the salt then I would be bloated all the time. That would be uncomfortable. And finally? Sugar. Yes, definitely, sugar. That would keep me sweet. And if I stockpiled salt then I would always have something sweet and salty. That's my favorite combination of flavors. Honestly, my answers are silly. But the question makes me realize that some serious thought is needed on my part. This could be a very good exercise for me. |
| PROMPT March 5th Write about a recent success. *Ha* Yours or someone else’s - your choice! It's funny how sometimes it's easier to remember a failure rather than a success. Maybe remembering the failures keeps us humble. And maybe NOT remembering the successes also keeps us humble. I don't know...but... I spent some time thinking about success that I've had. I mulled over my life like I was reading an old familiar novel. Not everything was interesting. Some things were just plain dull. And some things made me roll my eyes. I was struck that some of my successes were so very important to me and now that I look back they don't really seem to mean as much. But still...they marked my life with something that was important at the time. As I sat thinking I did remember a success that was truly a success for me...or was it? I was at a point in my young career that I needed a change. I was bored with what I was doing. I needed a new challenge. And I saw an opportunity in real estate. Why couldn't I become a real estate mogul like some of my clients? It would be so much FUN to sell real estate. I could make TONS of money selling real estate. I should get licensed and get going right away! So I decided to sit for the real estate exam here in California. Now real estate isn't as easy as people normally think. There's a LOT to it. In fact, it was all a little overwhelming. But I enjoyed the material and I studied hard. I did everything I could to pound that information into my brain. I was anxious to get started and I signed up for the exam as soon as I could. Now the exam was open book, but that didn't deter my studies. I wanted to ace that exam and do it without the book. My only goal was to get that license. So I studied and studied and studied. And finally the day arrived. I was in a room full of hopefuls, all of us sweating just a little. The proctor smiled prettily and gave us the "Go". Off we went into the land of real estate examination. And me? Well, I buzzed through that exam like I had written it. Everything was going so smoothly. I was stuck on only two questions. (Point to note right here. The exam was 50 questions and each question was worth 2 points). I pondered those two questions for what seemed like a long time. I looked up at the clock. I had PLENTY of time. I decided to take advantage of the book. But try as I might I could NOT find the answers I needed. Now I've taken tons of tests and I know that there are usually one or two questions that just don't have the right answer. It's done on purpose. So sitting there with two questions left I reasoned that those were the two that had no right answer. So I marked "C" like a good student and submitted my test. Well...I passed! I scored 96%. Yes, I got the two answers wrong. On my way home I stopped by my parent's house to tell them the good news. "What was your score?" my dad asked. I proudly told him "96%!" He looked at me and furrowed his eyebrows just a tad. "Wasn't that an open book test?" he asked. Okay, so I knew where this was going. "Well...yes, it was open book," I answered. "Well, then what happened to the other two questions?" he asked. Oh for crying out loud! Leave it to my dad to focus on those two stupid questions! For him it was a missed opportunity. For me it didn't matter. I passed and that was all that was important. I remember my mom chiming in and saying something like, "Well, who cares, Leonard? She passed!" I have to say that my dad's comments took some of the steam out of me. But in the end they were proud of me...I think. I didn't stay in real estate. But the time I spent was very insightful. And I learned a lot. So for me the whole thing was a success...sort of. |
| PROMPT March 4th Use the following words as inspiration for your entry: inquiry, curiosity, investigation, suspicion, and clandestine. (You need not use the words in your entry, but if you do, please highlight them in bold or a different color.) Collin sat on the bumpiest log in the darkest part of the oldest forest in the land. His pointy little ears sagged and his fuzzy little face scowled. He curled a gnarly fist under his hairy little chin and rested his bony elbow on his bonier knee. He huffed out a stale cloud of dust and discontent. He was bored. He was frustrated. And he was restless. He was tired of the usual tricks and traps he set for those stupid, stupid humans that existed on the edge of the forest. His mischief was mundane and after 300 years no one seemed to notice. No one ever said, "Beware that shifty little devil, Collin, for he has some awful tricks up his sleeves!" Nope, no one EVER said that. Well...to be honest, he had no sleeves. It was hot in the forest so he threw off his usual tunic in favor of a cotton tank which the Americans called a "wife beater". Ha! Wife-Beater indeed. The Americans were a lot he just didn't understand. Back to boredom. Collin needed something new. He needed new tricks, new traps, new ways to fluster and flummox the humans at the edge of the forest. And he also needed...danger...he NEEDED the thrill of espionage and danger and deceit. He needed to rouse suspicion and raise the hackles on the backs of the humans. But how? Exactly how could he do this? Collin tapped his bony finger on his bonier knee. He pushed out his tongue and spit the remnants of his nasty little pipe into the dried up leaves cradling the bumpiest log in the darkest forest. He huffed out another cloud of rancid air. He was surely in a pickle. A cloud floated above the trees in the darkest part of the forest. It nearly rested in the branches of the trees and touched Collin with a damp misty finger. Collin spat at the cloud with a filthy "phtat". But...there was something about that cloud. It seemed to...beckon him...to call him to some other place...to invite him to something...fun...even exciting. Yes! That was it! Collin's curiosity was definitely piqued now! He just had to follow that cloud. He had to make inquiry post haste! So Collin did what Collin does best. He tucked his wife-beater into his saggy tights. He spit on his grimy palms and wiped his dirty little face, smoothing his wiry hair back against his skull. He jumped and tapped both heels together in the air as he was taught to do as a "wee mite" and landed on both feet in the dried leaves that cradled the bumpiest log in the darkest part of the forest. He conjured a curse, a mighty strong curse. And then he cursed everything around him, including the stupid, stupid humans that existed on the edge of the forest. He waved both hands in the air and turned his back. He was off to follow that cloud. He was off to new mischief and new traps and new tricks. Collin left the bumpiest log in the darkest part of the oldest forest in the land. And after 300 years he would never look back. |
| PROMPT March 3rd If you could be paid for doing anything you wanted full time, what would you do? When you were a child, what did you dream of doing when you grew up? Then, take some time to research “unconventional” jobs (ie. hot air balloonist, deep sea invertebrate researcher, professional table tennis master, etc) and share one that you think you would be good at or would be fun to try. My life has always been about paper and pencil or pen...I'm still so connected to a fresh notebook and a good pen. I just LOVE to crack open a new notebook. It's one of those things that just brings me joy. I told all of you before that I was born with a pencil and notebook in my hands and I honestly hope you don't get tired of hearing that. I mention it AGAIN because the one thing I always wanted to become was a writer. In particular, a mystery writer. When it came time to talk about college my parents asked me what I wanted to be. Of course I shouted A WRITER! Well...even though their intentions were good...they also derailed me. Their response was an emphatic, "No not that. You'll never make any money!" And sadly I let that comment determine my career. Oh I've had a great career! One in the finance industry. But after 30 years of running myself ragged I decided to get out. I sold my practice last year and retired. And then I got a big idea...why couldn't I write for money? No reason I couldn't. How would I do it? Well, I could take some classes and figure that out. Could it actually work? Well, yes it could. So I did! I learned how to be a copywriter and now I have a freelance business writing marketing pieces for businesses. It's a great gig for me! I love doing it and I can write from anywhere. So...when we finally get to take a vacation and go somewhere I'll still be able to write. It's a win-win for me. But I also feel compelled to confess the other profession I wanted to pursue as a child. Here goes...I wanted to be a spy like James Bond. I didn't want to be one of the girls always hanging around him. No siree! I wanted the thrill of the danger and the excitement and the espionage. Yep, I wanted to be a spy. I still love spy novels...but my heart belongs to the world of mystery. So I guess I've become a "Mysterious Marketing Consultant With a Tendency Towards Espionage"...That's got a ring to it... |
| PROMPT March 2nd Write about the practice of making lists. Does list-making stifle creativity, or enhance it? When working on a big project, does making a list help organize your thinking, or cause you to feel more overwhelmed? Are you a habitual list maker, and if so, what do you list? Lists! One of my favorite things! My whole life is a list of lists. In fact, I think I was born with a list in my hand. It was probably something like the following: 1. Get to know Mommy first. She's the one that feeds you. 2. Get to know Daddy next. He will give you everything. 3. Make friends with the boys they call your brothers. ALL of them! 4. Make friends with the girl they call your sister. 5. Snuggle up to that big white dog. She seems soft and cozy. And of course all those lists changed as I progressed through life. Some very long and gnarly. Some lean and easy to do. All of them a big help to me. I feel sooooo good when I can cross something off my list. And here's my dirty little secret: I will add something to my list just so I can cross it off! How crazy is that? Yes, I know it seems crazy but for me it's complete joy to do that. So for me lists are a great thing. They keep me organized and they keep me going. And I can rest assured that I won't forget something. And now...I can cross "Blog Post" off my list with a great big check mark! At least until tomorrow. Happy Listing! |
PROMPT March 1st Yesterday was February 29th - Leap Day! The reason we have this monthly extension of our shortest month is to synchronise the Gregorian calendar with the solar year – without it we would lose six hours every year. In your entry today, write about the phenomenon of leap years and any facts you want to share. Here’s mine: People born on Leap Day are called Leaplings. Do you know any Leaplings? How did you spend the bonus hours of 2020? Did you make the most of them? Ahh...leap year and leap day again. Who would've thought we'd need one extra day every four years to keep us on track with the seasons. A bigger brain than mine of course! Way above my pay grade! To me it's just craziness. In fact, without leap year, today would actually be June 19, 2021. Hard for me to believe. But I guess it makes sense. Without it our year would begin 6 hours before the earth made its full rotation. So in the big scheme of things those hours add up. And this leads me to another question. All the world depends on the calendar to mark days and weeks and seasons and everything else. But is it all necessary? Think about the ancient peoples of the world. They didn't rely on a calendar. They relied on stars. And they were okay. They didn't need one extra day to keep their stars aligned. And yet, in today's modern society we make a big deal out of it. Funny to think of it all... And that brings me to celebrations. Leap Day celebrations! Why not? We celebrate every other day in our calendar. So why not make a cocktail and toast the day? I wondered if there was any kind of libation out there to mark the day. And I found there is, indeed, a cocktail made specially for Leap Day. Of course there is! We make cocktails for everything. Anyway, it's called the Leap Day Cocktail. In my opinion that's a dull boring name so maybe we can start a movement to change that. It was created in 1928 by Harry Craddock of the London Savoy Hotel. It's believed that this little cocktail has been responsible for more marriage proposals than any other cocktail every mixed. Quite logically, it's been referred to as The Soused Spouse. Hey, wait a minute! That's actually a great name for the cocktail. Soused Spouse. It's got a ring to it. So how you make the Soused Spouse? It's pretty simple: 1 dash lemon juice 2/3 gin 1/6 grand marnier 1/6 sweet vermouth Shake, garnish, serve And there you have your Soused Spouse! Even though Leap Day is over I might just try this to see how good it really is. Maybe I'll end up a Soused Spouse! |
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