Life in progress

Category Archives: Random


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#JusJoJan the 10th/23 – My dear Periwinkle

First, I want to say thank you to Maggie for her wonderful prompt of the day, the word “periwinkle.”

I’ve never had a periwinkle plant.

Nor do I believe I’ve ever owned a piece of clothing in the colour periwinkle.

But I’ve always wanted to write a story about a character named Periwinkle.

Periwinkle would be a man of medium stature and medium age.

He would wear wire-rimmed glasses … or a monocle.

And he would have a posh British accent.

Periwinkle would often wear brown woolen suits and speak with his forefingers linked behind his back.

He would be polite, to the point, and smile infrequently.

At home in his quaint English cottage, he would have a collection of frogs in all shapes, sizes, and made from all different materials. But his pride and joy would be the ones he stuffed himself.

Yes, dear Periwinkle would wish he’d been a taxidermist. But not of large animals, but rather, small things. Like frogs, and mice, and even crickets. Thus, the need for a monocle. But I digress.

Periwinkle would have had only one love, a girl named Daisy, in his third year of school, when he was eight. But during a science experiment, he would have managed somehow to turn her into a frog.

Which would be where his obsession with frogs comes from.

Periwinkle would be a fascinating character.

So says I.

 ***

This post that somehow got away from me is brought to you by Just Jot it January and Maggie! Thanks so much again, Maggie, for the amazing prompt. Please be sure to check out her blog here.

For Just Jot it January, click the following link to see how you, too, can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/10/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-10th-2023/ It’s fun!


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#JusJoJan the 6th/23 – Endurance

Today’s prompt, “endurance,” was chosen by Destiny. Thanks so much for the awesome word, Destiny!

Okay, so I’ve got a slew of planners now to keep me on track this year. A SLEW, I tell you!

The most recent one is an hourly one that goes from 6am to 11pm. I would have liked it to go later, but hey, maybe it will entice me to go to bed before 2am, eh?

Like, the day is finished at 11. My planner says so!

All this means is I’m not just organizing my time, I’m micro-organizing my time. Like the CEO of the company I am.

Can’t wait to go golfing! That’s what CEOs do, right?

Anyway …

We’ll see how much endurance I have for this.

Because it’s only 9 days into the year. 356 to go.

I feel like I’ve just begun a marathon.

 ***

This tiring post is brought to you by Just Jot it January and Destiny! Please be sure to check out her blog.

For Just Jot it January, click the following link to see how you, too, can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/09/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-9th-2023/ It’s fun!


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#JusJoJan the 8th/23 – Friendship

I’d like to say thanks so much to Jezzie G. for his awesome prompt of the day, “friendship.”

I read somewhere once that I’m a typical Aquarius in that I’m able to remain friends with people even if I don’t talk to them for years. And for the most part, it’s been true. I can easily pick up where I left off.

Take my best friend, for instance. Okay, so he’s an Aquarius too—his birthday is the day after mine—but we didn’t talk to each other for, like, ten years at a time. We drifted apart after high school and met up for dinner about ten years later, then there were another two ten-year or so gaps when we both kinda fell off the face of the earth, then he moved to a house around the corner from me about ten years ago and we’ve seen each other regularly ever since.

Except with COVID. He came over for breakfast yesterday for the first time in almost three years. Breakfasts together were a daily habit when he first moved here.

But aside from that, he’s one of my only friends … Until I get together with someone else I haven’t seen for ten years, I guess.

Is that weird?

 ***

This friendly type post is brought to you by Just Jot it January and Jezzie G.! Thanks again, Jez, for the great prompt. Please be sure to check out his blog.

For Just Jot it January, click the following link to see how you, too, can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/08/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-8th-2023/ It’s fun!


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SoCS & #JusJoJan the 7th – The Box

Thinking outside the box isn’t easy when you can’t get out of the box. I know this, because at times, I think of my house as my box that I rarely leave anymore.

Is that why cats get into boxes? So they feel protected and don’t have to think about what’s outside?

I’ll have to ask a cat someday.

But I mean sure, we have movies, TV, books, the internet—they all help us to escape the box and think outside of it. They’re not the same as actually living it, though.

I fear sometimes that I’m getting far too comfortable in my box. C’mon, though. I live in my PJs! Who wouldn’t be comfortable?

***

This cozy post is brought to you by SoCS and Just Jot it January. Click the link to see how you, too, can join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/06/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-2023-daily-prompt-jan-7th/

 

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


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#JusJoJan the 6th/23 – Sweet spot

Thanks so much to Ritu for her delectable prompt of the day, the word “sweet.”

I’m going to write about how busy I am—yes, again—because A) it’s what’s on my mind, and B) if I start talking about sweets … Let’s just say there’s an unopened tin of Quality Street chocolates upstairs and I’m trying to not tempt myself into opening it until I’ve completely digested my holiday dinners.

On point “A,” I’m discovering (today—this is an observation I’m just making today) that if I’m only a little bit busy, meaning I’ve got nothing currently on my plate to get done on a deadline, I get less done of what I need to do and more procrastinating done than if I was busier.

It’s the mindset of Oh, I can get that done in five minutes! I can play a game or scroll through my Facebook feed first … what do you mean it’s four o’clock already?!?

It’s as destructive a mindset as, say, opening a tin of chocolates and eating all the orange ones … *slaps self*

My point is, there’s got to be some kind of sweet spot where I’m busy enough to convince my brain that yes, I have to get some work done today, and no, it’s not okay to waste an entire day doing nothing, or on the other face of the coin, being so busy I just want to crawl under the bed with the cat and go to sleep instead of digging in and getting it done.

And if there’s no sweet spot, how do I create one?

The answer is, of course, discipline. Not chasing after that shiny bit of string (apparently I’m easily influenced by the cat) like Facebook when I could be getting the few things that need to be accomplished done first.

Writing everything down in a planner is helping. Being able to see my to-dos without having to remember them (or conveniently forget them) works well as long as there aren’t too many gaps in my schedule.

Maybe I need to find a way to concentrate all my tasks into a set time. Like, say, 9 to noon and 1-5, and then take my scrolling time after those hours.

Now there’s a concept.

I’ll have to contemplate that over some chocolate.

 ***

This proactive post is brought to you by Just Jot it January and Ritu! Thanks so much again, Ritu, for the sweet prompt. Please be sure to check out her blog.

For Just Jot it January, click the following link to see how you, too, can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/06/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-6th-2023/ It’s fun!


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#JusJoJan the 3rd/23 – Solos

First, I want to say thank you to Dar for her awesome prompt of the day, the word “solo.”

Back in the day (you know, back when I walked uphill both ways to get to school), I was in the school band. I tried out the trumpet at first, but I sucked at it. Eventually I settled on the clarinet.

I was interested enough in playing that I got into my high school concert band. But I was never good enough to be invited to play a solo. That honour usually went to my best friend, Tracey.

I’m not bitter. Really, I’m not.

Still, though I was never good enough at the clarinet, I’m glad I finally found something I am good at.

And now, in both my writing and editing careers, I’m nothing but solo.

The good news? I’m always the number one employee!

Go me!

 ***

This one-woman cheering section post is brought to you by Just Jot it January and Dar! Thanks so much again, Dar, for the great prompt. Please be sure to check out her blog.

For Just Jot it January, click the following link to see how you, too, can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/03/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-3rd-2023/ It’s fun!


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#JusJoJan the 1st/23 – One resolution

I have one resolution for 2023 and that’s to organize my numerous goals.

Now, I’m sure you’re like, what the heck, Linda? Isn’t having goals just a subset of having resolutions?

Nuh-uh. It’s better than that.

I’ve spent the better part of the last year failing at most of the things I wanted to accomplish on a personal level. My freelance editing business is going very well, and I always manage to get projects done on time, if not early. But the stuff I wanted to do that isn’t on a deadline, i.e. writing my own books? Not so much.

So rather than resolving to write and publish, say, two or three of my own creations this year, I’m going more granular, by organizing my time so I can see what I can reasonably get done in the space of 365 days.

It’s easy to think “I’ll just scroll through Facebook and get to work on my own novel—the one no one is holding me accountable for—later.” But then five minutes on Facebook turns into hours and then I think “It’s okay, I’ll do it tomorrow!”

It’s the rinse and repeat that never ends.

Unless I organize myself.

So yeah, that’s my resolution. Set timers, work when I know I’ll have a chance, organize my time, figure out how long each step takes, and rinse and repeat that instead.

Sounds like a solid plan, right?

I’ll let you know how it goes.

P.S. I looked through my resolutions/bucket lists from past years and there’s one item I’m still striving for. In 2016 I said I wanted to spend a weekend alone in my home. Since then, I don’t think I’ve even had an hour alone. I’ll get there, though. Watch out for the boot, kids! 😉

***

This determined and mildly threatening post is brought to you by Just Jot it January! Click the following link to see how you, too, can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/01/daily-prompt-jusjojan-the-1st-2023/ It’s fun!


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#SoCS – If I knew the new thing

Oh hey! Look! It’s me writing a SoCS post!

Who could have guessed that would ever happen again?

Really, I’m just here to complain like an old lady.

About all the newfangled thingymajigs these days—why are there so many?

But no, really. Why can’t things stay the same? Sure, you say, you’ll get used to the way things are now.

But I knew the old way. I was familiar with it. And it wasn’t broke, so why fix it?

Like the new WordPress blocks. I don’t know about you, but I always choose the classic blocks.

I don’t like my paragraphs split up every time I want a new one, thank you very much!

*sigh* It takes so long to learn these new unnecessary things. I have plenty to learn of my own choosing, though! I don’t have time for your crap!

Get off my lawn!

This ranty-type post was brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the following link and join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2022/12/30/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-31-2022/


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One-Liner Wednesday – Temporarily out of order

I had my best friend and his son over for dinner at Christmas for the first time in three years, and I didn’t know what to do with myself. A bit of social paralysis going on, I think.

But I’m not broken. I’m just temporarily out of order. I’ll be fine.

Didn’t help that I’m on antibiotics and not allowed to drink…

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. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

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

The Magician’s Curse (2.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else (Amazon worldwide, Kobo, etc.)
The Magician’s Blood (3.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else
The Magician’s Soul (3.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else
“The Great Dagmaru” Complete Series (6.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else
The Magician’s Sire (free with sign-up) here.


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One-Liner Wednesday – Today

Today is the accumulation of all your yesterdays.

Me, trying to be profound.

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. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

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

The Magician’s Curse (2.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else (Amazon worldwide, Kobo, etc.)
The Magician’s Blood (3.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else
The Magician’s Soul (3.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else
“The Great Dagmaru” Complete Series (6.99) on Amazon US and everywhere else
The Magician’s Sire (free with sign-up) here.