But I Smile Anyway...

Spidey’s Serene Sunday #431 Over/Underwhelm

11 Jun 2023 25 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Overwhelm, Spiderman, Spidey's Serene Sunday, Underwhelm

Thanks, Spidey, for something that really hit hard.

Yesterday I said something to myself.

“I don’t know why, but right now, I feel overwhelmingly underwhelmed.”

Is it a sign of stress and burnout?

Quite possibly.

I know I have had a two-week break from school. However, my school-work hasn’t stopped. I was writing reports and doing admin for next year. So, no, I didn’t totally switch off. And there is the data that needs to be submitted in three weeks…

I had the book launch last week, involving a lot of being online and available for long periods of time, which can be tiring. And that is ongoing, as the book tour starts tomorrow, and I still need to be promoting, too.

And there is home stuff which means I feel like I am on tenterhooks all the time. I feel like I am on call 24/7, just in case. As a result, I sleep very lightly and wake at the slightest noise, but then I go through this cycle when I am so tired that I sleep the sleep of the dead for a few days.

This is coupled with that old cherry – Perimenopause.

Oh, and you know all the joint aches and pains I have mentioned since 2019? Well, the GP reckons it is something musculoskeletal. Quite possibly fibromyalgia. Also could explain the sudden bouts of tiredness.

I do try to nourish my underwhelmed soul. I managed to get a pedicure this week, and though moments have been snatched, I have chilled in the garden and read a book or two. However, maybe I need to do more?

Today is the last day of my break before an extremely manic term 6 starts. I will try to stay as chilled as I can so I am able to function. It won’t be easy, but I know, more than anyone, that you can’t pour from an empty cup, and my cup seems to be pouring quite a lot. I must refill as much as possible, too.

So, Peeps, have you ever felt this? 😊

#SoCS June.10, 2023 – Filled

10 Jun 2023 11 Comments

by Ritu in #SoCS Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Socs

Linda’s SoCS prompt…

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “the last thing you filled.” Think about the last thing you filled, or the contents you filled it with, and use one or both of those things as your prompt. Enjoy!

I think I’m rather glad I didn’t rewrite and schedule this week, as I have done a lot of filling today!

It is extremely warm in the UK today. The temperatures hitting 28℃ where I am right now.

As soon as the news started reporting the heat for the weekend, Lil Princess was ready for a pool…

Well, we don’t have a proper one. The neighbours do; lucky them!

So I pulled out the extra large paddling pool we have. It isn’t a kiddie one per se, but one where four adults can sit in, and you have to inflate it with air.

So, I filled the air, then set the hosepipe to begin the lengthy task of filling it up with water while I dropped Lil Man at today’s match.

Once I arrived back, I filled the kettle to add some warm water to it, too.

Then I noticed there was a puncture! Lil Princess and I managed to gaffer tape it up for now, but I have found a second section with a hole, too, so this might be the last outing for this one…

This afternoon, we chilled in the sun, and she enjoyed lying in the water, too. I am boiling. I’ve come inside for a cool-down break!

Right. Off to go and enjoy some more good weather! See you on the other side!

One-Liner Wednesday – One Step At A Time

07 Jun 2023 17 Comments

by Ritu in #1linerweds, #onelinerwednesday Tags: #1linerweds, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Wisdom

Yes, this line pertains to a certain release, as you would have guessed. So release day was fabulous…

Now it is the painful wait for reader feedback… a few positive reviews on Amazon and more on Goodreads, but it’s still nerve-wracking!

https://mybook.to/StraightAsAJalebi

For Linda’s #1LinerWeds Challenge

Chai And A Chat #240 #ChaiAndAChat

05 Jun 2023 26 Comments

by Ritu in Chai and a Chat Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Catch Up, Chai and a Chat

Hello again, Peeps! I cannot believe we are in June, right now!

I’m still on half term, though my kids are back in school, so I have a little more time to chill out with you, today!

If we were having chai, I’d start by mentioning the BIGGEST thing that happened this week. It was release week for Book 2, Straight As A Jalebi! I won’t post all the Instagram posts here, but there are plenty, and you can pop over to have a look if you wish! Release Day was wonderful, with a Release Day party hosted by a group on Facebook. And I think I spent all day on my phone or laptop, answering comments, and checking rankings, because it can get obsessive. I was amazed to hit the top 5k ebooks in all of Amazon.co.uk at one point, too, as well as staying at #2 in a category for hot new releases! Reviews are starting to trickle in, and the official book tour starts on 12th June, so there will be more promotion then, too. Hopefully, the paperback will be available by then, too! This moment below was rather special when both my book babies were in the top 30 for one of the categories!

If we were having chai, I’d ask you, nervously, whether you have downloaded it, and had a chance to read it, yet? Reviews are beginning to show up, and I am nervous as anything! But I appreciate feedback from everybody! https://mybook.to/StraightAsAJalebi
If we were having chai, I’d like to share my dedication with you, in this book. I hope this sentiment means something to everyone out there.

If we were having chai, I’d say I wasn’t able to totally forget reality, what with all the craziness of Publication Day. This here school teacher still has duties, even in her holidays, and the first one was to carry on with my report writing. 8 left to go!

If we were having chai, I’d tell you I spent a long time in the garden, too, when the weather was good, and this was my new seat to chill in since Lil Princess has taken over my gorgeous egg chair!

If we were having chai, I’d say that, talking of Lil Princess, went to get our hair done. I have finally lost all the dye off my head, and she went RED!

If we were having chai, I’d mention that Hubby Dearest had a couple of days off, and he pottered around in the garden, plenty. Along with flowers and plants, and new furniture, we even ended up with strawberries!

If we were having chai, I’d say that Wednesday was a bit mad. We had Lil Princess’s appointment, followed by a mad dash back home, to get Lil Man, as he was playing in a cricket match! They won, thank goodness. (Unlike the game on Saturday…However, he did get a wicket, so not all bad!)
If we were having chai, I couldn’t fail to mention something else that was big, for me. After 4 years, I was finally able to go and see my best friend. It has been hellish since just before lockdown, and, what with life and situations, we haven’t been able to see one another. She had an op, last week, and I was determined to see her as soon as I could. It was a wonderful trip. The kids came too, and we had a blast! Her parents came. They are like another set of surrogate parents for me, and I spent a lot of time with them during my Uni years, as they were closer than Pops and Mum. This is another branch of my family, that I chose. Loved being with them, even though it was only for a few hours.
If we were having chai, I would update you on Sonu Singh. He has enjoyed chilling with us all this week, and, as usual, loved to take over all the places I wanted to sit!

https://sdk.bitmoji.com/render/panel/3a6f1168-674c-4c8f-b8e8-4218d74d7570-9befc5c2-5193-4f9f-90a5-5af96e033981-v1.png?transparent=1&palette=1

This week, the kids are back to school, but my school has one more week off. Sounds blissful, doesn’t it? Well, I still have to get up, to take them to school and get Lil Man to any exams. And Hubby Dearest will be working from home some days. I have reports to finish, and a new set of class lists to get organised, too, for September. I have a physio appointment too, regarding the pains I have been suffering. Oh, and a Society Of Authors meet-up, where they want me to talk. but it’s not all work. My plan is to get a pedicure, one day, as well as maybe even go to the cinema, alone, to see Disney’s The Little Mermaid! How’s that for empowerment? But still, a busy week, all in all!

And while you’re here, did you sign up for my mailing list? I am in the middle of writing an exclusive Chickpea Curry Lit story for my subscribers, and there will be news, tips and even recipes! You know you want to join… go on! Click the pic below to sign up!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday #430 Overload!

04 Jun 2023 26 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, SAsAJ, Spiderman, Spidey's Serene Sunday, Straight As A Jalebi

Thanks, Spidey, for that reminder.

In fact, it’s why I am late posting, for a change.

It’s been half term, yes, but coupled with a couple of weeks off, I had my book launch, as well as deadlines for reports to be written… and I need to make a start on my class lists for next year, too.

So, the last week was BUSY.

Yes, the launch is still going.

Even with a publisher, you have to be hot on the heels of everything, with promotion and the inevitable checking of rankings and ratings.

And I have completed half of my reports. I hope to do a couple more today, so I have less over the next week.

Then I have to tackle that class list. It’s not just as simple as cutting it in half. I have to look at gender and age and take into account notes from the parents and nurseries to see if I can create a decent split that will work. Even though I know that until we finally get these children in, I will never know if I got it right!

So, this morning, I had a lie-in, then made a shed load of graphics for promo time!

And next week, the others are back to school, but I still have my week off. So I will finish those reports and the class list and then make time for my something/nothing!

But I can never totally switch off…Did you manage to order?

https://mybook.to/StraightAsAJalebi

So, Peeps, how often do you do nothing? 😊