Chai And A Chat #80 #ChaiAndAChat #CoronaDiaries Week 4

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? ?

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 268 – Laughter

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“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.”

― Audrey Hepburn

Thank you, Spidey. I’m definitely an advocate for smiles!

You know, I’m aware that laughter, smiles and giggles aren’t going to cure this pandemic, but I tell you what, during this time of self-isolation, social distancing and quarantine, a good old belly laugh sure helps get through.

I’ve been trying to read books that are light-hearted. If they are an arc I requested, that are a bit heavy, I’ve found them hard to get into. But a good old Rom Com or a bit of humour has been very well received.

I’ve definitely been clicking on and reading more posts via the blog and other social media platforms that are more likely to make me smile.

I’ve watched films that are high in comedic factor, or old, nostalgic films have been getting a revisit. Things I know will leave me with a smile on my face.

And… I discovered TikTok.

A very dangerous app in my hands!

I’ve been aware of it for a long while, impossible to avoid, when you have teens, especially in the shape of Lil Princess, who is always doing funny little snippets of dances. It took a while, but I realised she and her friends all learn the moves to these snippets of songs, and the choreography originates from these mini clips.

Now TikTok isn’t just all dance. People use the medium and it’s various effects to create little video clips that can be really funny.

So… after a long time, I decided I would download it to see what the fuss was about. I haven’t created a public profile, as I don’t think I could cope with ANOTHER platform to manage, but we’ve been recording really silly videos.

Of course, you know, I don’t post my children at all, but I did manage to make some silly skit style videos, that feature just me… and posted them on my Instagram.

So… did you want a giggle?

Oh, okay then (yes, I know you didn’t need to twist too hard!), here’s one…

Funny enough? Okay, another…

So… tell me, what have you found, to make you laugh or smile during the pandemic?

Have a peaceful Sunday, Peeps.  And enjoy your week! ❤ 

#SoCS April 18/2020

Linda’s #SoCS prompt, this week:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “practice/practise.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

There was a young singer named Jay
Who practiced every damn day
He thought he sang sweetly
Songs murdered completely
Friends were just to polite too say

Ritu 2020

April 16: Flash Fiction Challenge – A Stir-Crazy World

Charli’s Carrot Ranch Prompt this week:

April 16, 2020, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about something crazy. Laugh like crazy, show the setting of stir-crazy or go off the rails on a crazy train. Have fun with the word and the situation, but go where the prompt leads!

A Stir-Crazy World

I can’t help but laugh.
 
When else have we seen people:
Lunge for loo roll?  
Fisticuffs over flour?
Battle for bread?
Scuffle over sanitiser?
Persist over pasta?
Tiff over tinned tomatoes?
Dual over dried milk powder?
Brawl over bleach?
Challenge over chicken?
 
The world is stir-crazy right now.
All we can do is
Sit it out
Walk it out
Watch it out
Read it out
Write it out
Create it out
Cook it out
Eat it out
 
We’ll come out the other end
Possibly fatter
Maybe thinner
Hopefully more compassionate
Definitely grateful
 
And able to still raise a smile.

Ritu 2020

Otherworldly #writephoto

Sue’s #WritePhoto prompt this week:

Train
Your eye
It might look
Rocky right now,
And in the future
But, stretch your mind's eye, though
Try. Look a little further
Beyond bumps that present themselves
And you'll see, the path begins to ease
It might take some time, but it will happen

Ritu 2020
#writephoto

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