Blog | But I Smile Anyway...

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 308 – Positivity

31 Jan 2021 35 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Charlie Brown, Positivity, Spiderman, Spidey, Spidey's Serene Sunday

“Keep looking up. That’s the secret of life.”
Charlie Brown

Thanks, Spidey. Think I’m getting a crick in my neck from all the looking up, but I do try and stay positive!

There is far too much around us, right now, that can bring us down. Even the most bubbly of person finds themselves feeling flat, more often than usual.

Ask me, I’m one of those bubbles…

I’ve never experienced this amount of low phases in such a short space of time. You probably wouldn’t know it from my blog, because I try to be that voice of positivity at all times, but behind the encouragement sometimes sits a person feeling like she is just about surviving.

I should count myself lucky, really.

I have so much to be grateful for: a wonderful family, my true love as my soulmate, both sets of my parents are healthy and have had or are getting their vaccines, a roof over my head, a secure (stressful) job, a car, friends I can rely on, a little money in the bank, food in the cupboards, that sort of thing.

But sometimes, this situation drags me down. It feels as if it will never end.

When will I see the rest of my family?
When can I hug?
How long before I get to be with my Finndian family?
When will we get back to normality in school?
Will we sell our house, ever?

Then I do that Charlie Brown thing, and look up, metaphorically. I try and find the silver linings, and sure enough, they do appear.

We’re all sitting under a huge cloud, right now, so it’s even more important, right now, to be looking up, to glance the breaks in that cloud, and feel the sunbeams of positivity on our faces, whenever we can.

So, make sure you keep looking up, Peeps!

So… tell me, how are you coping, now it’s reaching nearly a year since life as we knew it ceased?

Have a peaceful Sunday Peeps.

#SoCS Jan. 30th – The Beginning/The End

30 Jan 2021 26 Comments

by Ritu in #SoCS Tags: #SoCS, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Linda G Hill, Stream Of Consciousness Saturday

Linda’s #SoCS prompt this week…

Your prompt for #JusJoJan and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “the beginning, the end.” Write about the beginning of something and the end of something. Bonus points if your first sentence contains “the end” and your last sentence contains “the beginning.” <– Read that again. Have fun!

At the end of the day, it all comes down to common sense, doesn’t it?

There are so many decisions that politicians have taken for us, over the last year, and they have, for the most part, shown us just how inept they are at thinking of logical solutions, which require common sense.

There’s a virus, get people to wear masks. Oh, no, that isn’t very effective… roll on a few months. Everyone wear masks, unless you are at home, or outside… or in school, because school is a magical safe place where no one gets ill. Um, maybe we should get older kids to wear masks, actually… oh, and maybe adults, in communal areas.

U turn!

Another one.

We’ll just make people stay at home for a while, when they come back from holiday. And create ‘travel corridors’ with other ‘safe’ countries. Oops… seems peopel are bringing the virus, and it’s bigger cousins, back with them. Let’s shut a few corridors down, then reopen them after a while. Months, and months,, later. Um, maybe we should stop all travel…

Common sense, I told you!

There are so many areas of the handling of this pandemic, that could have possibly been better, if there was just a little common sense used, right at the beginning, don’t you think?

The Friday Reminder for #SoCS & #JusJoJan 2021 Daily Prompt – Jan. 30th

Guarded #writephoto

29 Jan 2021 24 Comments

by Ritu in #WritePhoto Tags: #WritePhoto, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Guarded, Photo Prompt, Sue Vincent

Sue’s #WritePhoto prompt for this week:

Fearful
Terrified
I can't get out

Concerned
Worried
Can't see a way out

Guarded
Hesitant
Unable to reach out

Hopeful
Hesitant
I might just see a way out

Positive
Confident
I will get out

Ritu 2021

Thursday photo prompt: Guarded #writephoto

#TANKA TUESDAY #POETRY CHALLENGE NO. 210 #SYNONYMSONLY #Senryu Past & Present

28 Jan 2021 20 Comments

by Ritu in #ColleensWeeklyPoetryChallenge Tags: #ColleensWeeklyPoetryChallenge, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Past & Present, Senryu

Colleen’s Syllabic Poetry challenge: Use synonyms of the prompt words in any of the syllabic poetry forms.

Past & Present

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Start the day today
Not thinking of yesterday
But of the future

Ritu 2021

https://wordcraftpoetry.com/2021/01/26/tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-210-synonymsonly/

The Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic with The Carrot Ranch

27 Jan 2021 18 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Sue Vincent

Sue Vincent is one of those special bloggers that inspires people all over the world. Readers have long been galvanized by her posts about mythology, about ancient ruins and medieval churches, and her daily #midnighthaiku. Even more have participated in and grown as a result of her #writephoto prompts. In addition to posting her prompts, Sue has tirelessly supported other bloggers by sharing others’ responses to her 19,000 and counting followers.

Recently, Sue has been faced with a new and difficult challenge: lung cancer. You can follow her blog to find out more directly from her. The Covid pandemic has served not only to pose a specific threat to a person with a severe respiratory illness, but it has caused loss of human connection through self-imposed quarantine.

Now it’s time for Sue to receive something back from the community she’s been a cornerstone of for a decade. Let’s bring the Rodeo into Sue’s house through her computer, and let’s come together with hearts full of joy. Join us for the Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic at the Carrot Ranch – a contest, parade, and celebration all in one!
There are many ways to participate. One is to visit the prompt image, “Hidden”, at the Carrot Ranch. The prompt image and entry form will go live on Monday, February 1st, 2021. Enter a flash or a poem by Friday, February 19th, 2021, and you could win either $100 or a copy of one of Sue’s books. The form will allow you to give a small donation for Sue and her family, and a link can be found on the contest page. The winning entries will be announced at the Carrot Ranch on March 22nd, 2021.

If you’re not ready to rodeo, there’s always the “Parade”. Reblog one of Sue’s posts from any of her sites (Daily Echo or France and Vincent) with a comment about why you found it special. Follow her blogs. Read one of her books, then leave reviews where you can. Several people are already gearing up for the parade – so feel free to check out other people’s blogs for suggestions.

Also, go ahead and reblog, tweet, Facebook, or somehow otherwise share the contest! 99 word literary art is a fantastic way to celebrate a blogging hero and very deserving person.

Saddle up, everyone! It’s time for a Carrot Ranch Rodeo like none ever held before. The Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic begins on Monday, February 1st, and it’ll be a TUFF prompt to fit within 99 words.
See you at the Ranch, buckaroos!

On a personal note, I have known Sue for most of my blogging life, around six years. We met a few years back, too, at the Annual Bloggers Bash.

What a lovely lady.

Sue has been a great support, and champion of my own blog and writing over that time, and a huge inspiration to me, too. I was devastated to hear of her diagnosis, but her positivity, and attitude towards the whole situation has been amazing.

Please, if you can, try and join in, in some way. Come on, Peeps, let’s pay it forward!