Life in progress


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The Friday Reminder for #SoCS & #JusJoJan 2024 Daily Prompt – Jan. 6th

Welcome to our first combination Daily 2024 Just Jot it January Prompt and the Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt for SATURDAY, JANUARY 6th! It’s been such a fun week of blogging so far. Here’s to keeping it up!

For those of you joining SoCS for the first time, it’s a little different than the other prompts in that it’s not always a whole or single word. If you’re joining in from JusJoJan and don’t want to write stream of consciousness style, no worries. It’s up to you. If you do want to try it, please check out the rules below. It’s fun! Here’s your Saturday prompt:

Your prompt for #JusJoJan the 6th and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “just do it.” Use the phrase “just do it” somewhere in your post, or write a post in the spirit of the phrase. Enjoy!

After you’ve written your Saturday post tomorrow, please link it here at this week’s prompt page and check to make sure it’s here in the comments so others can find it and see your awesome post. Anyone can join in!

To make your post more visible, use our SoCS badge! Just paste it in your Saturday post so people browsing the reader will immediately know your post is stream of consciousness and/or pin it as a widget to your site to show you’re a participant. Wear it with pride!!

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.com/

You can also use the Just Jot it January badge! To find the rules for Just Jot it January, click here.

Here are the rules for SoCS:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started.

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.

8. Have fun!


22 Comments

Daily Prompt – JusJoJan the 5th, 2024

Hey there! Today is the day for our fifth prompt for Just Jot it January 2024, and it’s brought to us by Judy. Thanks so much, Judy! Please be sure to visit Judy’s blog to read her posts and say hello. And follow her while you’re there if you’re not already.

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 5th, 2024 is “penultimate.” Use the word “penultimate” any way you’d like. Have fun!

If you’d like to see what I have so far on your prompt list and what’s to come, you can find it HERE.

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to link back to THIS POST for Friday, January 5th, 2024.

2. Just Jot It January starts January 1st, but it’s never too late to join in! Here, we run on the honour system; the “jot it” part of JusJoJan means that anything you jot down, anywhere (it doesn’t have to be a post, it can even be a grocery list), counts as a “jot.” If it makes it to your blog that day, great! If it waits a week to get from a sticky note to your screen, no problem!

3. I’ll post prompts at 2am my time (GMT -5). You don’t have to follow the prompt every day, but that will be where you leave your link for others to see. You’ll get a prompt for every day except Wednesday, when the prompt is simply my One-Liner Wednesday and on Saturday, when your prompt will be the Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS, which will appear at about 9:30am Friday. Each prompt post will include the rules.

4. Please ping back or link to the daily prompt. To ping back, just copy the URL from the daily prompt post, and paste it anywhere in your post. Check to make sure your link shows up where you want it to, and go back occasionally to see other bloggers’ entries – the more you visit others, the more they’ll visit you! Note: A) The newest pingbacks will be at the top of the comments section. B) Ping backs only work if you’re blogging on WordPress. Everyone else must paste a link manually.

5. Tag your post JusJoJan24 and/or #JusJoJan24.

6. Write anything! Any length will do! It can even be a photo or a drawing – you’re going to title it, right? There’s your jot!

7. The prompts will appear every day that’s neither a Wednesday nor a Saturday–Saturday’s JusJoJan prompt will be Stream of Consciousness Saturday. You’ll find the list of prompts below as they come in, which means I’ll be updating this post. Remember, you don’t have to use the prompts. Please write whatever inspires you. NOTE: If your post is NSFW, do not ping back. Please leave your link in the comments with a warning.

8. If you’d like to, use the JusJoJan badge so that others can find your post more easily.

9. Have fun!


34 Comments

Daily Prompt – JusJoJan the 4th, 2024

It’s January 4th and today is our fourth prompt for Just Jot it January 2024. Today’s prompt is brought to us by Wendy. Thank you, Wendy! Please be sure to visit Wendy’s blog to read her posts and say hello. And follow her while you’re there, if you’re not already.

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 4th, 2024 is “captivating.” Use the word “captivating” any way you’d like. Enjoy!

If you’d like to see what I have so far on your prompt list and what’s to come, you can find it HERE.

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to link back to THIS POST for Thursday, January 4th, 2024.

2. Just Jot It January starts January 1st, but it’s never too late to join in! Here, we run on the honour system; the “jot it” part of JusJoJan means that anything you jot down, anywhere (it doesn’t have to be a post, it can even be a grocery list), counts as a “jot.” If it makes it to your blog that day, great! If it waits a week to get from a sticky note to your screen, no problem!

3. I’ll post prompts at 2am my time (GMT -5). You don’t have to follow the prompt every day, but that will be where you leave your link for others to see. You’ll get a prompt for every day except Wednesday, when the prompt is simply my One-Liner Wednesday and on Saturday, when your prompt will be the Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS, which will appear at about 9:30am Friday. Each prompt post will include the rules.

4. Please ping back or link to the daily prompt. To ping back, just copy the URL from the daily prompt post, and paste it anywhere in your post. Check to make sure your link shows up where you want it to, and go back occasionally to see other bloggers’ entries – the more you visit others, the more they’ll visit you! Note: A) The newest pingbacks will be at the top of the comments section. B) Ping backs only work if you’re blogging on WordPress. Everyone else must paste a link manually.

5. Tag your post JusJoJan24 and/or #JusJoJan24.

6. Write anything! Any length will do! It can even be a photo or a drawing – you’re going to title it, right? There’s your jot!

7. The prompts will appear every day that’s neither a Wednesday nor a Saturday–Saturday’s JusJoJan prompt will be Stream of Consciousness Saturday. You’ll find the list of prompts below as they come in, which means I’ll be updating this post. Remember, you don’t have to use the prompts. Please write whatever inspires you. NOTE: If your post is NSFW, do not ping back. Please leave your link in the comments with a warning.

8. If you’d like to, use the JusJoJan badge so that others can find your post more easily.

9. Have fun!


42 Comments

One-Liner Wednesday & #JusJoJan24 the 3rd – ?

Do you ever take a picture with your phone and wonder where or how you took it? Mine are usually blurry pics of my feet or just black pocket photos. But this one … No, I don’t have any clothing this colour, but it is lovely.

Photo: Red. That’s it. Just red.


If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure.

Here are the simple JusJoJan Rules:

1. Just Jot It January starts January 1st, but it’s never too late to join in! Here, we run on the honour system; the “jot it” part of JusJoJan means that anything you jot down, anywhere (it doesn’t have to be a post, it can even be a grocery list), counts as a “jot.” If it makes it to your blog that day, great! If it waits a week to get from a sticky note to your screen, no problem!

2. I’ll post prompts at 2am my time (GMT -5). The prompt will be the word in quotation marks in the title of my 2am post. You don’t have to follow the prompt every day, but that will be where you leave your link for others to see. You’ll get a prompt for every day except Wednesday, when the prompt is simply my One-Liner Wednesday and on Saturday, when your prompt will be the Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS, which will appear at about 9:30am Friday. Each prompt post will include the rules.

2 a) The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com

3. Please ping back or link to the daily prompt. To ping back, just copy the URL from the daily prompt post, and paste it anywhere in your post. Check to make sure your link shows up where you want it to, and go back occasionally to see other bloggers’ entries – the more you visit others, the more they’ll visit you! Note: A) The newest pingbacks will be at the top of the comments section. B) Ping backs only work if you’re blogging on WordPress. Everyone else must paste a link manually.

4. Tag your post JusJoJan24 and/or #JusJoJan24.

5. Write anything! Any length will do! It can even be a photo or a drawing – you’re going to title it, right? There’s your jot!

6. If your post is NSFW, do not ping back. Please leave your link in the comments with a warning.

7. If you’d like to, use the JusJoJan badge so that others can find your post more easily.

8. Have fun!


26 Comments

Why not celebrate?

I was talking to my best friend, John, this morning about Just Jot it January and marveling that it’s been 10 years since we started.

So I figured why not celebrate?

Grab your 10 year badge!

Photo: The 2024 Just Jot it January badge featuring a stick figure with long hair sitting on a blue stick figure chair at a stick figure desk with a stick figure computer screen that’s on fire and a red 3D balloon with “10 years” on it.


23 Comments

Daily Prompt – JusJoJan the 2nd, 2024

Okay, let’s really get into this. Today is our second prompt for Just Jot it January 2024, and it’s brought to us by Willow. Much appreciated, Willow! Please be sure to visit Willow’s blog to read her posts and say hello. And follow her while you’re there, if you’re not already.

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 2nd, 2024 is “Gregorian.” Use the word “Gregorian” any way you’d like. Have fun!

If you’d like to see what I have so far on your prompt list and what’s to come, you can find it HERE.

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to link back to THIS POST for Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024.

2. Just Jot It January starts January 1st, but it’s never too late to join in! Here, we run on the honour system; the “jot it” part of JusJoJan means that anything you jot down, anywhere (it doesn’t have to be a post, it can even be a grocery list), counts as a “jot.” If it makes it to your blog that day, great! If it waits a week to get from a sticky note to your screen, no problem!

3. I’ll post prompts at 2am my time (GMT -5). You don’t have to follow the prompt every day, but that will be where you leave your link for others to see. You’ll get a prompt for every day except Wednesday, when the prompt is simply my One-Liner Wednesday and on Saturday, when your prompt will be the Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS, which will appear at about 9:30am Friday. Each prompt post will include the rules.

4. Please ping back or link to the daily prompt. To ping back, just copy the URL from the daily prompt post, and paste it anywhere in your post. Check to make sure your link shows up where you want it to, and go back occasionally to see other bloggers’ entries – the more you visit others, the more they’ll visit you! Note: A) The newest pingbacks will be at the top of the comments section. B) Ping backs only work if you’re blogging on WordPress. Everyone else must paste a link manually.

5. Tag your post JusJoJan24 and/or #JusJoJan24.

6. Write anything! Any length will do! It can even be a photo or a drawing – you’re going to title it, right? There’s your jot!

7. The prompts will appear every day that’s neither a Wednesday nor a Saturday–Saturday’s JusJoJan prompt will be Stream of Consciousness Saturday. You’ll find the list of prompts below as they come in, which means I’ll be updating this post. Remember, you don’t have to use the prompts. Please write whatever inspires you. NOTE: If your post is NSFW, do not ping back. Please leave your link in the comments with a warning.

8. If you’d like to, use the JusJoJan badge so that others can find your post more easily.

9. Have fun!


6 Comments

JusJoJan24 the 1st – In Training

This post is part of Just Jot it January. To join in, click here to get to the prompt and drop your link.

I’ve been in self-imposed training for a while.

It’s not as athletic as it sounds, though I wish it could be.

I mean, I do try to walk every day.

But mostly, I’m constantly trying to train my brain to stick to a schedule.

I write everything down. My hours of every day are (mostly) documented.

But I really need to get rid of all the question marks during the hours I spend just scrolling on Facebook.

Wasted time, for the most part.

Except when it’s good for finding more ways to train myself to spend my time better …

Thus, my endless training loop.

But this year …

Yeah, probably the same as last year.


65 Comments

Daily Prompt – JusJoJan the 1st, 2024

Happy new year, and welcome to the daily prompt! It’s the first official prompt for Just Jot it January 2024, and it’s brought to you by me. Here’s your word of the day:

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 1st 2024, is “train.” Use it as a noun or a verb, use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

If you’d like to see what we have so far on your prompt list, you can find it HERE.

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to link back to THIS POST for January 1st, 2024.

2. Just Jot It January starts January 1st, but it’s never too late to join in! Here, we run on the honour system; the “jot it” part of JusJoJan means that anything you jot down, anywhere (it doesn’t have to be a post, it can even be a grocery list), counts as a “jot.” If it makes it to your blog that day, great! If it waits a week to get from a sticky note to your screen, no problem!

3. I’ll post prompts at 2am my time (GMT -5). You don’t have to follow the prompt every day, but that will be where you leave your link for others to see. You’ll get a prompt for every day except Wednesday, when the prompt is simply my One-Liner Wednesday and on Saturday, when your prompt will be the Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS, which will appear at about 9:30am Friday. Each prompt post will include the rules.

4. Please ping back or link to the daily prompt. To ping back, just copy the URL from the daily prompt post, and paste it anywhere in your post. Check to make sure your link shows up where you want it to, and go back occasionally to see other bloggers’ entries – the more you visit others, the more they’ll visit you! Note: A) The newest pingbacks will be at the top of the comments section. B) Ping backs only work if you’re blogging on WordPress. Everyone else must paste a link manually.

5. Tag your post JusJoJan24 and/or #JusJoJan24.

6. Write anything! Any length will do! It can even be a photo or a drawing – you’re going to title it, right? There’s your jot!

7. The prompts will appear every day that’s neither a Wednesday nor a Saturday–Saturday’s JusJoJan prompt will be Stream of Consciousness Saturday. You’ll find the list of prompts below as they come in, which means I’ll be updating this post. Remember, you don’t have to use the prompts. Please write whatever inspires you. NOTE: If your post is NSFW, do not ping back. Please leave your link in the comments with a warning.

8. If you’d like to, use the JusJoJan badge so that others can find your post more easily.

9. Have fun!


38 Comments

Prompt Me Part 1 of 2 – #JusJoJan 2024

First half of the month – January 2 – 16, 2024

I’m looking for prompt words for Just Jot it January! This is your chance to inspire other people and have your blog linked to the Daily Prompt post.

I’ve decided to do this in two parts again this year—Jan. 2-16, and Jan 18-30. I only need 11 prompt words today, so if you miss getting your word in on this post, you’ll have another chance on Sunday, January 17th.

Read the rules carefully! I need 11 single words to use in the Just Jot It January challenge, for January 2nd through to the 16th. This is how you can be included:

  • I’m looking for a single word, plus a link to your blog, plus the name you wish me to use when I post your prompt (your name or the name you blog by). So for example, mine would be “antidisestablishmentarianism lindaghill.com Linda”
  • If you write more than what I’m asking for in your comment, for example, “My word is antidisestablishmentarianism, and my link is (this) and my name is (my given name or the name I blog by),” I’ll tell you to try again. Same thing if you try to slip in two prompts, even in two different comments—I’ll only accept the first. If I get the same word twice, I’ll only accept the first person who got to it. If you’re the second, I’ll let you know so you can try again. And please, remember this is a relatively G-rated blog, so nothing too risque.
  • The first 11 comments on this post that include a single word (plus link and name) will be the prompts for the first half of January.
  • These prompts will go up on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 2am EST. I’ll take care of One-Liner Wednesday and Stream of Consciousness Saturday myself.
  • I’ll link back to the blog of whomever gives me a prompt on the day I use it.
  • Make sure you get your comment in early. You don’t want to miss out!
  • Please don’t bother entering a prompt if your blog is inactive or if it exists only to sell things. If you haven’t posted in over a month and you’re only looking for clicks, your prompt word will be rejected. If, on the other hand, you’re planning to use JusJoJan to inspire you to get back into the swing of things, let me know immediately in a second comment — NOT the one you give your prompt word in. Remember, that’s ONE word plus your link and your name only. If I can’t find a reasonable number of posts written in the last month that aren’t trying to sell a product, your prompt word will be rejected.
  • I’ve found over the years that prompt words that are negative in nature don’t get as much participation as more positive words. I don’t want to limit you, but please keep in mind that if your word is on the sadder or angrier side, your prompt may not get as many responses.
  • If you provide a prompt, I encourage you to join in as much as possible throughout the month.
  • Only one prompt per person for the month. If you get in this time, don’t try again next time.
  • NOTE: Please count the number of correctly formatted comments ahead of yours. If there are already 11, save yours for January 17th!

Please see the “Rules” post for a complete list of the prompt words. I’ll populate it as the words come in. Here’s the link in case you missed it: https://lindaghill.com/2023/12/31/just-jot-it-january-2024-the-rules/

Okay. Are you ready? Aaaaand … prompt! One word, one link, one name!

We’re done for this round! Turning off the comments. Thanks so much to everyone who supplied a prompt. 🙂


73 Comments

Just Jot it January 2024 – The Rules!

It’s that time of year again! Welcome, everyone, to the tenth annual Just Jot it January challenge. A whole decade! It’s hard to believe.

Just Jot it January, AKA JusJoJan, is a challenge to write a post every day of the month of January. Let’s start the year off with a a blogging bang, and to meet others in the blogging community!

Here are the simple JusJoJan Rules: (If it’s been a while since you read them, please give them a quick scan.)

1. Just Jot It January starts January 1st, but it’s never too late to join in! Here, we run on the honour system; the “jot it” part of JusJoJan means that anything you jot down, anywhere (it doesn’t have to be a post, it can even be a grocery list), counts as a “jot.” If it makes it to your blog that day, great! If it waits a week to get from a sticky note to your screen, no problem!

2. I’ll post prompts at 2am my time (GMT -5). You don’t have to follow the prompt every day, but that will be where you leave your link for others to see. You’ll get a prompt for every day except Wednesday, when the prompt is simply my One-Liner Wednesday and on Saturday, when your prompt will be the Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS, which will appear at about 9:30am Friday. Each prompt post will include the rules.

3. Please ping back or link to the daily prompt. To ping back, just copy the URL from the daily prompt post, and paste it anywhere in your post. Check to make sure your link shows up where you want it to, and go back occasionally to see other bloggers’ entries – the more you visit others, the more they’ll visit you! Note: A) The newest pingbacks will be at the top of the comments section. B) Ping backs only work if you’re blogging on WordPress. Everyone else must paste a link manually.

4. Tag your post JusJoJan24 and/or #JusJoJan24.

5. Write anything! Any length will do! It can even be a photo or a drawing – you’re going to title it, right? There’s your jot!

6. The prompts will appear every day that’s neither a Wednesday nor a Saturday–Saturday’s JusJoJan prompt will be Stream of Consciousness Saturday. You’ll find the list of prompts below as they come in, which means I’ll be updating this post. Remember, you don’t have to use the prompts. Please write whatever inspires you. NOTE: If your post is NSFW, do not ping back. Please leave your link in the comments with a warning.

7. If you’d like to, use the JusJoJan badge so that others can find your post more easily.

8. Have fun!

Below, I’ll fill in the prompts as I have them, along with a link to the blog of the person who supplied the prompt if it wasn’t me.

January 1 –  “Train” (me)

January 2 – “Gregorian” from Willow https://willowdot21.wordpress.com/

January 3 – One-Liner Wednesday

January 4 – “Captivating” from Wendy https://waffle-with-wendy.blogspot.com/

January 5 – “Penultimate” from Judy https://judydykstrabrown.com/

January 6 – SoCS

January 7 – “Curious” from Dan https://nofacilities.com/

January 8 – “Gratitude” from Sadje http://lifeafter50forwomen.wordpress.com/

January 9 – “Pastime” from Di https://pensitivity101.wordpress.com/

January 10 – One-Liner Wednesday

January 11 – “Olive” from Kaye https://kayespencer.com/blog-2/

January 12 – “Toast” from Barbara https://teleportingweena.wordpress.com/

January 13 – SoCS

January 14 – “Writing” from Joanne https://topofjcsmind.wordpress.com/

January 15 – “Craft” from Astrid https://astridetal.com/

January 16 – “Variety” from John https://thesoundofonehandtyping.com/

January 17 – One-Liner Wednesday

January 18 – “Despair” from Carol Anne http://therapybits.com/

January 19 – “Tenacious” from Cheryl https://tropicalaffair.me/

January 20 – SoCS

January 21 – “Plants” from J-dub https://jilywily.wordpress.com/

January 22 – “Mood” from Dar https://darsword.com/

January 23 – “Stoked” from Nicole https://momoetry.wordpress.com/

January 24 – One-Liner Wednesday

January 25 – “Cheesy” from Yvensong https://yvensong.wordpress.com/

January 26 – “Atrocious” from Jemima https://jemimapett.com/blog/

January 27 – SoCS

January 28 – “Congregate” from Fandango https://fivedotoh.com/

January 29 – “Family” from Kim https://inkonapage.com/

January 30 – “Calendar” from me

January 31 – One-Liner Wednesday