Pop over to Marje’s blog where I am talking about creativity during Lockdown. ❤
Post by @Marjorie_Mallon.
Isolation for Writers – Guest Post: Ritu Bhathal #Author #Writer #Poet #Blogger #COVID19 #Coronavirus #Isolation #Thoughts #Writing #Reading – M J Mallon YA Author and Poet
08 May 2020 Leave a comment
in Thoughts Opinions & Memories
Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 270 – Knowledge
03 May 2020 42 Comments
in Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Knowledge, Serene, Spiderman, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sunday
“Spend each day trying to be a little wiser than when you woke up.”
Anon
Well, thank you for that one, Spidey. It’s quite appropriate for me, and many others, right now, too.
During this strange time of lockdown, we have been granted the gift of time.
I know, sometimes, it doesn’t feel like it, but we have.
There is the extra time in the day where you would be commuting to work, Or if you are working from home, you might find that as other businesses are in the same boat, there is less to do, so you gain more time there.
So why not use that extra time to be productive? Do things to improve your own self?
At the beginning, I had all sorts of plans, then the whole change of lifestyle rendered me incapable of doing anything.
I adopted the mantra du jour of “It’s not a normal time, it’s okay to not be productive.”
A couple of weeks in and I settled into a routine: my #newnormal.
Though I still have to go into school, periodically, and, when I am home, I need to makes sure the kids are up and ready for their remote learning, as well as doing some online training myself, and planning. I still find myself with time.
Time to do other things.
So I’m reading more. I’m (finally) writing more. I have started back up with a writing course I signed up to last year, and nearly finished it.
And I have even done an Instagram course, on how to build a brand there.
I’ve done two modules of a course in Calligraphy. (It’s all been theory so far, but I look forward to the practical bit!)
And I have been learning about Scrivener, a new to me piece of software that I have invested in, to help with my writing.
Last night, I watched a free webinar about some basics on the software and it blew my mind! I am so excited to use it now, knowing a few more tricks of the trade, and I have signed up for another course, in more detail, so I can learn exactly how this software will be useful to me.
See, learning new things every day, here!
And the best thing?
Once I’ve learned it, I know my knowledge may be of use to someone I know, and I can pass it on.
After all, to learn, is to teach, is it not?
So… tell me, what is something new you have learned, over these strange lockdown times?
Have a peaceful Sunday Peeps. And enjoy your week! ❤
#SoCS May 2/2020 – Direction
02 May 2020 31 Comments
in Thoughts Opinions & Memories
Linda’s #SoCS prompt this week:
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “directions.” Find a household cleaner/bottle of shampoo/something in the freezer/anything you can find with instructions on it, then copy down a single direction (just one) on how to use/cook/etc. your chosen thing, and make it the first line or word of your post. Then keep writing whatever comes out. Have fun!
Shake well.
That’s what I have to do when I’m making my cheat pancakes too!
The direction actually came from my makeup remover which has a layer of oil based cleaner as well as water, that you need to shake to mix up, in order to activate it.
Pretty simple.
But the shaking of the pancake batter… not the same!
It is not laziness, at all, but I keep handy bottles of pancake mix powder in my store cupboard. If the kids have a suddel craving for pancakes, all I do is add the appropriate amount of water, place the lid back on and then ‘Shake Well‘.
But often, despite shaking the bottle, as well as what Mama gave me in the process, I pour it out and there are still those floury lumps… meh!
I have been known to actually pass the mix through a sieve to eliminate lumps.
It takes that long, I might as well have whipped up my own batter. 🙄🙄
Book Review: Marriage Unarranged by Ritu Bhathal
24 Apr 2020 Leave a comment
in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Marriage Unarranged
Head over to Rebecca’s blog to read a wonderful review of Marriage Unarranged!
Source: Book Review: Marriage Unarranged by Ritu Bhathal
Chai And A Chat #80 #ChaiAndAChat #CoronaDiaries Week 4
20 Apr 2020 23 Comments
in Chai and a Chat, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Catch Up, Chai and a Chat
Yup, a month of this and we are still going…
- Another week of not really knowing what day it was, and what I was meant to be doing with myself! Oh, but I did discover TikTok… which you’ll know about if you saw yesterday’s Spidey post!
- I was featured on Cysters.org, with an article about my journey with PCOS, which was rather special. It was one of the pieces of writing I did the week before… 2,500 words of pain…
- On Tuesday I spent time updating my Character Bible. It is a great way for me to keep track of the different characters in my books, and as they are interconnected, all the more important when referring back to
- And got a little more writing done, with my muse in tow!
- On Wednesday, I had to brave the local hospital for a set of blood tests, as requested by the consultant after my phone appointment. They took a LOT of blood samples! And I have to go back for one more test, as they failed to mention I needed to leave a (#1) sample as well, on the phone. I was dreading going to the actual building, but it wasn’t as bad as all that. They set up a queueing area and as you came in, you were asked if you had a temperature or cough. The nurse at the door checked your temperature before allowing you in. The actual phlebotomy clinic was empty so I was in and out in ten minutes!
- Oh Thursday, most schools reopened for the next term. When I say open, I use that term extremely loosely. Basically we are still doing the same as before. But we need to add more plans to the school website for the children’s learning. We spent a couple of hours getting a plan ready for the first week, then decided that it would be a great idea to film me reading a story, the next day, to put online for the kids… however, did you know of the minefield of copyright with this? I never did, because there are so many people who upload videos of themselves reading on YouTube. Apparently, it is illegal, unless the books are available. in the Public Domain. And that means a work needs to be well old, basically… However, most publishers and authors are being very good about the whole school and home learning issues at the moment, and have relaxed their rules. As long as we contact them with details of the book we are reading, and name it, along with author and illustrator, upload it on a private educational site, or as unlisted on Youtube, we can record our own, with no comebacks. As long as the videos are removed by the end of the academic year. It’s a bit of a faff, but I’d do it for our babies!
- Friday was another day of school but I didn’t end up going in, as my team teach wasn’t too well, so. we weren’t going to be able to record stories or plan. That meant another day at home. The kids (mine) have to get used to waking up earlier as well, again, now, as they have been rather lazy over their official holiday… so I was hearing plenty of annoyed moans and groans from them!
- But, once Lil Man was done with his work, we did a thing. Have you seen the 5 challenge? Run 5 Km, Donate £5, Nominate 5? Basically, you run (or walk. I cannot run!) 5km, then donate £5 to a charity, and then nominate 5 others to do it. I have been walking pretty much daily with him, but it gets a little boring doing the rounds at the walking track we use at the temple sports ground, so we did a long walk along a different route and smashed it! We even managed another 5 km one on the Sunday with the whole family, and I learned of another beautiful green space. walking distance from our house to visit too!
- I think I truly exhausted myself on Friday because saturday was a day for doing NOTHING! I initiated the kids to a couple more classic Bollywood films from the late 90s and early 2000s and read lots. A perfect day, but definitely nowhere near the steps I should have taken!
- As I mentioned, the Sunday involved another walk, but we had an Indian style lunch, with me making parathas!
Another week of meh-ness, but we cope. As I type we have been told that we are going through another three week cycle of social distancing and lockdown, before the government can review. Some papers deem it fit to publish information that hasn’t been confirmed, such as some schools may ppen by May 11th… But that has not been confirmed at all. As I mentioned before, I am trying hard not to watch too much news, but I get annoyed when I read misinformed posts and articles. We are going through enough confusion as it is, without publications that many readers trust, publishing untruths or uncomfirmed facts.
But, it’s Monday, again. I might just go and get a story recorded, who knows? And I’ll be with the Key Worker kids on Wednesday, all day. Who knows what the rest of the week holds?
How has your week been? ?
But I Smile Anyway... 