But I Smile Anyway…

Linda’s SoCS prompt…

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “record.” Use it as a noun, use it as a verb, use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

Do you keep a record of the books you read?

I never used to.

At least not before blogging.

I had a mental note of what I read, and for the most part, I remembered, but there were still occasions when I would pick up a book because it looked good, only to get home and realise I’d already read it!

Then I became more aware of the importance of reviews, and Goodreads came onto my radar.

So for the last seven years, I have diligently logged each book I read and reviewed each and every one, too.

It makes me wish I had a physical record of every book I have read because, if you know me, you know I have something on the go all the time. I speed through books and it is not possible for me to remember them all, especially as I go through that time of life, and my memory fails me at opportune moments!

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS July 15, 2023

Linda’s SoCS prompt…

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “acronym’.” Choose an acronym and use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

Acronyms are everywhere, nowadays. In work, and even personal life.

I’m the EYFS Phase Leader in school (Early Years Foundation Stage).

I just completed the EYFSP for all my students. (The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile).

The children enjoy ChIP time daily. Child Initiated Providion, aka. Their own choice of activities.

Just yesterday we were talking about data and FFT… (don’t ask me, I haven’t a clue!)

And in daily life, Millennial text speak is filled with acronyms, too.

BFF, BFFR, FOMO, MILF 🙈…

I learn new ones from my kids all the time! And there have been countless occasions when I’ve heard acronyms on videos and needed to look them up. I just about keep up.

It makes it even harder for the older generations to keep up, too. Fine. They know what the NHS stands for and common acronyms that are used daily.

But then their grandchildren throw new ones in and they get confused, or find their own meetings.

Kinda funny story: Pops took a while to get into texting and WhatsApp and when he learned about them, he was all for using the various acronyms he had learned, which was cute, including when he got the meanings a little mixed up. But it was to us, and we understood his meanings and intentions!

Then one day, I got a message from him telling me about someone in the distant family who had passed away. He signed off LOL.

Okay, we all know that means Laugh Out Loud.

I called him straight away.

Me: Pops, you didn’t send that message to anyone else, outside of our little family, did you?

Pops: Yes. I sent it to everyone who needed to know.

Me: Pops, did you add LOL?

Pops: Yes. Because it means Lots Of Love.

Me: (squirms slightly) Er, Pops. You just sent a death announcement followed by Laughs Out Loud!

Pops: But I thought…

Me: Yes, I know what you thought. And we never corrected you, because we knew what you meant. However, others might find your message sign off a bit… Weird!

Bless him.

It didn’t put him off, though. Now he experiments with emojis and even sends messages to one of his sisters, purely in emoji form. They might not make sense to us but between the two of them, a Septagenarian and an Octagenarian, they seen to know what they mean… Good luck to them both!

Right. Best be off! TTYL!

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS July 8, 2023