Life in progress


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#JusJoJan 2019 Daily Prompt – Jan. 8th

Hello again, and welcome to your daily Just Jot it January prompt. I’ve had a lovely, quiet Monday and I’m looking forward to the same for the rest of the week–if only we don’t have a snow day. Freezing rain in the forcast!

If you’d like a peek at the upcoming prompts, check the “Rules” post HERE. The list is at the bottom of the post. I’ll have the rest of the spaces on the list filled in soon. Meanwhile, here’s your prompt for Just Jot it January, Tuesday, January 8th:

Your prompt for JusJoJan 2019, January 8th is brought to you by Ritu! Click here to find her last post and say hi while you’re there! Ritu’s word for our prompt today is “self.” Use it anywhere in your post or make it the theme of your post. Have fun!

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to link back to THIS POST for January 8th, 2019.

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. 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: The newest pingbacks will be at the top of the comments section.

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

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. Remember, you don’t have to use the prompts. Please write whatever inspires you. NOTE: Please state either in your title or very early on in your post if it’s NSFW.

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

8. Have fun!


15 Comments

Memento – #JusJoJan Jot #7

Mementos come in all shapes and sizes, don’t they?

In fact, some of them don’t come in physical form at all. Some are memories, whether shared or intensely personal. Some are music …

I am so insanely happy that Bohemian Rhapsody won at the Golden Globes last night. From the 70s when I first heard the song on the radio, to buying the album (which I still have, so I suppose I do have a memento) and listening to it in my parents’ basement over and over again, all the way to Wayne’s World and the new era of the song, it’s been part of my life almost since my age hit double digits.

I had the immense pleasure of singing “Love of My Life” not once, but twice, to Brian May’s accompaniment at concerts, and though I never saw Freddie, he was there in spirit, I’m sure.

My true mementos are my memories of this. And I’m so glad that the world hasn’t forgotten either.

The movie is amazing, even though they took a few liberties with the timelines for artistic purposes. That Brian and Roger have approved it is good enough for me. If you haven’t seen it, do. If you can, see it at the theatre. It’s well worth the money.

Rami Malek’s acceptance speech last night brought a tear to my eye. Watch it here.


Our prompt, “memento,” was brought to us by Tara. Thanks, Tara! You can find her Just Jot it January post here: https://daisysmileyface.com/2019/01/07/memento-and-more/

If you’d like to join us in Just Jot it January, it’s not too late! Click the following link to find all the participants’ post links in the comments and write your own. It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/01/07/jusjojan-2019-daily-prompt-jan-7th/


37 Comments

#JusJoJan 2019 Daily Prompt – Jan. 7th

Good Monday morning and welcome to your Just Jot it January prompt! I don’t know about you, but today marks the first day of our regular routine for the year. Alex is back at school (or should be, as I write this Sunday night), and all is well.

If you’d like a peek at the upcoming prompts, check the “Rules” post HERE. The list is at the bottom of the post. I’ll have the rest of the spaces on the list filled in soon. Meanwhile, here’s your prompt for Just Jot it January, Monday, January 7th:

Your prompt for JusJoJan 2019, January 7th is brought to you by Tara! Click here to find her last post and say hi while you’re there! Tara’s word for our prompt today is “memento.” Use it anywhere in your post or make it the theme of your post. Have fun!

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to link back to THIS POST for January 7th, 2019.

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. 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: The newest pingbacks will be at the top of the comments section.

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

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. Remember, you don’t have to use the prompts. Please write whatever inspires you. NOTE: Please state either in your title or very early on in your post if it’s NSFW.

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

8. Have fun!


29 Comments

Master – #JusJoJan Jot #6

I am not master of my domain.

No, I’m not talking about in the Seinfeld sense, so you can please just wipe that idea from your brain right away. I’m talking about my house. My home. The place that rather than hang my hat, I usually toss it on a piece of furniture because there’s some crisis or another taking shape the second I walk in the door.

Someone once said to me that a perfect house in which children live is a house with miserable children. I’m not sure that’s true–maybe there are parents who are just that organized. If so, and if you’re out there, tips are welcome.

Or maybe I just really need a hat rack.


This very short, very late post was brought to you by the prompt word “master,” given us today by Sadje! Click here to find her Just Jot it January post and say hi!

To see how you, too, can join in, click the following link. You’ll find all the other participants’ links in the comment section. Try it–it’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/01/06/jusjojan-2019-daily-prompt-jan-6th/


33 Comments

#JusJoJan 2019 Daily Prompt – Jan. 6th

Hello, and welcome to the sixth day of Just Jot it January! We’re well underway with this year’s challenge and I’m having a lot of fun with it. How about you? Here’s your prompt for today:

Your prompt for JusJoJan 2019, January 6th is brought to you by Sadje. Click here to find her last post and say hi while you’re there! Sadje’s word for our prompt today is “master.” Use it anywhere in your post or make it the theme of your post. Enjoy!

If you’d like a peek at the upcoming prompts, check the “Rules” post HERE. The list is at the bottom of the post. I’ll have the rest of the spaces on the list filled in soon.

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to link back to THIS POST for January 6th, 2019.

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. 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: The newest pingbacks will be at the top of the comments section.

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

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. Remember, you don’t have to use the prompts. Please write whatever inspires you. NOTE: Please state either in your title or very early on in your post if it’s NSFW.

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

8. Have fun!


15 Comments

#SoCS & #JusJoJan Jot #5 – Sip

As I sip my morning coffee I wonder if maybe I’m a sap for thinking I could pull off a family supper tonight. Maybe I can find a sop to make it SEP.

Wow, that was a stretch. Bonus points to me! Thanks, Dan.

I had planned a family supper tonight but I don’t have any food yet. I had no idea that “sop” was a synonym for “bribe,” and of course if you clicked my link in the prompt, you’ll know “SEP” is an abbreviation in the urban dictionary for “somebody else’s problem.” Chances of making MY family dinner somebody else’s problem are pretty slim.

My eldest son, having developed an interest in cooking, has been making all our big meals of late, but he worked all night, so I assume he’s sleeping.

Our family supper was supposed to be on New Year’s Day, as it always is, but with Alex just freshly out of the hospital and still coughing, I didn’t want to take the chance that he’d pass something on to my mother who would take it back to her retirement home and thus make me responsible for an outbreak.

I’m terrified of doing this every time I bring her out. Because you never know what germs are lurking. You know, the sorts of germs that you pick up but you don’t know you’ve got until a cold settles in three days later.

It would be handy if we could get sick immediately after picking up a virus, wouldn’t it? It would help prevent the spread. But viruses are sneaky. They work with our bodies’ immune systems–take advantage of it for their own ends.

Okay, this post is going downhill, isn’t it?

Where did I start? Oh yeah. Coffee. Nectar of the gods. Time to pour another cup.

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

This post is part of Stream of Consciousness Saturday and Just Jot it January! Click the link to see how you, too, can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2019/01/04/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-2019-daily-prompt-jan-5th/


11 Comments

Enigmatic – #JusJoJan Jot #4

“Enigmatic” is, for some reason or another, one of those words I always mix up the meaning of. I don’t know why, but I keep thinking it means the same thing as “charismatic.” Yeah, I know the word “enigma” is right there, plain as day. And I know what that means.

‘Tis a mystery. 😉

I enjoy writing both enigmatic and charismatic characters. The combination of the two absolutely delicious. A tall, dark, handsome, and mysterious Prince Charming to whisk away the princess and give her the happily ever after she’s always desired.

Rarely does real life work out that way though, does it? The enigmatic prince ends up hiding his feelings until the princess wants to rip her hair out. Not so romantic.

Nah, I prefer living vicariously through my characters these days. Far less messy.


Thank you so much again to Virgobeauty for our prompt word of the day! You can find her post for today here! https://virgobeauty.wordpress.com/2019/01/04/enigmatic-best-is-yet-to-come/

If you’d like to join in, click the following link to find the rules. It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/01/04/jusjojan-2019-daily-prompt-jan-4th/


62 Comments

The Friday Reminder for #SoCS & #JusJoJan 2019 Daily Prompt – Jan. 5th

Hello! It’s the first Friday of 2019 and time for the Daily Just Jot it January Prompt for SATURDAY, JANUARY 5th and your Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt. 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 word. Much may be left up to your discretion: this week is no exception. Having said that, if you’re joining in from JusJoJan, 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 and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “sap/sep/sip/sop/sup.” Use one or all of these words or find a word that contains them, but most of all, have fun! Wondering what to do with “sep”? This is interesting: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=SEP 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!!

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.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!


42 Comments

#JusJoJan 2019 Daily Prompt – Jan. 4th

Hey there! Welcome to the fourth day of Just Jot it January! Today features our first guest prompt this year. If you’d like a peek at the upcoming prompts, check the “Rules” post HERE. The list is at the bottom of the post. I’ll have the rest of the spaces on the list filled in soon. Meanwhile, here’s your prompt for Just Jot it January, Friday January 4th:

Your prompt for JusJoJan 2019, January 4th is brought to you by Virgobeauty! Click here to find her last post and say hi while you’re there! Virgobeauty’s word for our prompt today is “enigmatic.” Use it anywhere in your post or make it the theme of your post. Have fun!

Here are the rules:

1. Please be sure to link back to THIS POST for January 4th, 2019.

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. 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: The newest pingbacks will be at the top of the comments section.

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

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. Remember, you don’t have to use the prompts. Please write whatever inspires you. NOTE: Please state either in your title or very early on in your post if it’s NSFW.

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

8. Have fun!


36 Comments

Blogging – #JusJoJan Jot #3

I started this blog in July of 2012 with one post and absolutely no idea what I was doing. That post has one view, which was me accidentally logging myself out and looking at it. It didn’t matter, really, what I wrote: no one was ever going to see it anyway. I was no one. I’d tried Googling my own name and found nothing.

Then, in January of 2013, I decided to try again. I looked around WordPress and followed a few people, some of whom followed me back. I commented on a couple of blogs but really got nothing in return until I found HarsH ReaLiTy, a blog hosted by Jason Cushman, AKA Opinionated Man. I followed his lead, had a post reblogged by him, and that was it. I’d arrived.

Since then, I’ve done everything I can to help out others with their quest to get their blogs noticed. I suppose in a way it helps me to fill the desire to be of assistance, but more than that, it allows me to share with other people the joy that the communities here can bring. Blogging is different from other social media in that we can connect on WordPress on a deeper level than with the sound byte that exists on Facebook, Twitter, and other such places where scrolling makes it far too easy to ignore lengthy text. Original text.

I’ve made real friends here. People I care about and who I know genuinely care about me. I feel more comfortable meeting bloggers in person than anyone I might encounter on other social media sites because I feel I can get to know bloggers better.

So yeah, blogging has changed my life. I feel connected to the world in a way I never would have.

And I can find myself on Google now, too.

This post is part of Just Jot it January! Click the following link to see how you, too, can join in and find an amazing community of bloggers! https://lindaghill.com/2019/01/02/jusjojan-2019-daily-prompt-jan-3rd/