Life in progress


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JusJoJan 12/26 – Chewy

This post is part of Just Jot it January, and the prompt word, “chewy,” is brought to us by Liz. Check out her blog here!

I love salmon. I mean I really love salmon. It’s probably my favorite food.

But I hate when I cook it too long and it gets a bit chewy. It needs to be cooked just right.

Unless it’s not cooked at all. Because there’s nothing like salmon sashimi—a slice of salmon and nothing else.

It melts in your mouth.

I can’t wait for my birthday. My mouth is watering already.

This yummy post is part of Just Jot it January! Want to join in? Just click here to get to the prompt and drop your link in the comments. It’s fun!

Thanks again to Liz for the prompt!


35 Comments

Daily Prompt – JusJoJan the 12th, 2026

It’s that time again; time for our daily prompt for Just Jot it January 2026. Our 12th prompt of the year is courtesy of the lovely Liz. Thank you, Liz! Please be sure to visit Liz’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 12th, 2026 is “chewy.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

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

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to copy the URL for THIS POST and paste it in your own so your link shows up in the comments here. If you’re not using WordPress, be sure to put your link in the comments on THIS POST for Monday, January 12th, 2026.

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 JusJoJan26 and/or #JusJoJan26.

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!


20 Comments

JusJoJan 11/26 – Opinion

This post is part of Just Jot it January, and the prompt word, “opinion,” is brought to us by John. Check out his blog here!

I have very strong opinions on a few topics, but I rarely post about them on social media.

Particularly the topics I have strong negative opinions on.

And it bothers me that I rarely post about them—I wish I could be more vocal. I feel guilty, often, for not doing more than making the occasional comment on the post of someone who shares my opinion.

Why do I lack the courage to voice my outrage?

I’ve seen what happens.

The responses that state without reason that the original poster is wrong. The name calling and the bullying.

I don’t have the energy for that.

So I sit quietly and seethe.

And wonder how many blame me for not coming out and standing up for them. For not adding my voice to their cause.

It’s a very loud world we live in as we sit silently at our keyboards and doomscroll.

And if I let myself, I hate that I’m not contributing to the noise.

This introspective post is part of Just Jot it January! Want to join in? Just click here to get to the prompt and drop your link in the comments. It’s fun!

Thanks again to John for the prompt!


30 Comments

Daily Prompt – JusJoJan the 11th, 2026

Hi there! I’m here with our daily prompt for Just Jot it January 2026. Today’s prompt is courtesy of my friend and yours, John Holton. Thank you, John! Please be sure to visit John’s blog to read his posts and say hello. And follow him while you’re there if you’re not already.

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 11th, 2026 is “opinion.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

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

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to copy the URL for THIS POST and paste it in your own so your link shows up in the comments here. If you’re not using WordPress, be sure to put your link in the comments on THIS POST for Sunday, January 11th, 2026.

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 JusJoJan26 and/or #JusJoJan26.

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!


13 Comments

JusJoJan26 & #SoCS 10/26 – Don’t get me started

This post is part of Just Jot it January and my weekly prompt, Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Find the prompt and see how you can join in here.

It used to be, way back when I rode horses every week, people knew better than to start talking to me about them.

Luckily, I had a job as a trail guide, so if given the opportunity, I could talk the ears off whomever I was riding with.

Me and Shadow, circa … I’m going to say 1985

When I moved away from my job, and Shadow eventually went to the great glue factory in the sky, I stopped riding altogether.

It became increasingly unlikely that anyone would ask me about riding or horses, so for a while, I had nothing to “go on about.”

Then I got an editing job with a story that included a ranch with horses.

I got my mojo back.

And probably over-explained a lot.

But it was a nice opportunity to get me started for a while.

This reminiscing post is part of Just Jot it January and SoCS! Want to join in? Just click here to get to the prompt and drop your link. It’s fun!

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

 


16 Comments

JusJoJan 9/26 – Celebrate

This post is part of Just Jot it January, and the prompt word, “celebrate,” is brought to us by Wendy. Check out her blog here!

It’s January—I may have mentioned that a time or two on my blog—which means it’s the month I celebrate my birthday.

And by celebrate, I mean I usually don’t.

Years ago, Alex would insist I buy myself a birthday cake so he could eat a sliver of it, but I don’t remember when the last time was.

My eldest son buys me dinner every year and has it delivered, then I sit at the kitchen table with a book and eat alone, like I do every other day of the year that’s not Christmas, New Year, Easter, or Thanksgiving.

It all seems a bit sad on the surface.

But do it enough years in a row, and it becomes tradition.

More of a tradition than a celebration.

I mean, seriously, who over the age of 21 wants to get older anyway, am I right?

This post really sounds like I’m whining, but I’m not.

#amhappy

This not really sad post is part of Just Jot it January! Want to join in? Just click here to get to the prompt and drop your link in the comments. It’s fun!

Thanks again to Wendy for the prompt!


39 Comments

The Friday Reminder for #SoCS & #JusJoJan 2026 Daily Prompt for Jan. 10th

Today be Friday, so here I am with your combination Daily 2026 Just Jot it January prompt and Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. This one is for SATURDAY, JANUARY 10th. I tell you, the weather really can’t decide what it’s doing these days. All I want to do is hibernate!

Anyhoo, 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 10th and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “don’t get me started.” Use the phrase in your post or just write about the first thing it conjures in your mind. Use it any way you’d like. 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!


38 Comments

Daily Prompt – JusJoJan the 9th, 2026

Would you look at that? It’s the 9th of January, and time for the Just Jot it January 2026 daily prompt. Our prompt today is courtesy of the wonderful 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 9th, 2026 is “celebrate.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

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

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to copy the URL for THIS POST and paste it in your own so your link shows up in the comments here. If you’re not using WordPress, be sure to put your link in the comments on THIS POST for Friday, January 9th, 2026.

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 JusJoJan26 and/or #JusJoJan26.

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!


14 Comments

JusJoJan 8/26 – Stumble

This post is part of Just Jot it January, and the prompt word, “stumble,” is brought to us by Lou. Check out his blog here!

It used to be that I could walk on a treadmill and not hold onto the hand rails.

We’re talking many many years ago, though.

Now, if I let go, I wander from side to side.

I don’t stumble—I’ve never been seriously afraid I would … unless I wander off too far sideways and step off the track, of course.

And I don’t have to hold on tight. Just setting a finger down steadies me.

Which makes me wonder if it’s psychological.

Or maybe it’s just age.

Or maybe I need to get my ears checked.

This wandering post is part of Just Jot it January! Want to join in? Just click here to get to the prompt and drop your link. It’s fun!

Thanks again to Lou for the prompt!


31 Comments

Daily Prompt – JusJoJan the 8th, 2026

Hi there! Welcome back to our daily prompt for Just Jot it January 2026. Our prompt of the day is brought to us by our most industrious carver, Lou. Thank you, Lou! Please be sure to visit Lou’s blog to read his posts and say hello. And follow him while you’re there if you’re not already.

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 8th, 2026 is “stumble.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

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

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to copy the URL for THIS POST and paste it in your own so your link shows up in the comments here. If you’re not using WordPress, be sure to put your link in the comments on THIS POST for Thursday, January 8th, 2026.

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 JusJoJan26 and/or #JusJoJan26.

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!