Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “social.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
Well, this is just an ideal prompt for me today!
As you read this, or maybe a little after you do, I shall be being very social…
It is the Annual Bloggers Bash today and, as every year, I am so excited to be able to meet all the wonderful bloggers and writers that I have befriended over the internet.
Yes, there are awards too, but that is not the biggest thing for me. What means the most, is that I get to talk to like minded individuals; share jokes, advice, and cake!
So, forgive me if this is brief, but for a change I am being social in reality not on Social Media!
Linda’s #SoCS prompt this week is a repeat, but looks, likely to become a repeat offender, in a good way!
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “open book, point, write.” Pick up the closest book to you when you sit down to write your post. Close your eyes, open the book, and place your finger on the page. Whatever word or phrase your finger lands on, write about it. Enjoy!
I am currently reading a coupleof books, which is a bit of a shocker, as I am not am multi-book reader usually, but I have a novel my Karen McQuestion – From A Distant Start – on the go, and a positive thinking book, Unlearn, by Humble The Poet that I am dipping in and out of.
It was Humble’s book that came into my hand first…
… and the words my fingers came to rest upon were ‘balance in life’.
Kinda freaky, as I have been talking to my Hoppalong Hubby Dearest about balance recently. More accurately, work/life balance.
That’s a big thing, nowadays, isn’t it?
The pressure to do better, perform better, get things done perfectly, do it all better… it’s upon us all in some way.
And increasingly, you might see couples not really leading a couples life, but fleetingly meeting in the mornings, and hardly talking in the evenings, busy with work related things, and too tired to interact in more than the most basic of greetings and goodnights.
You hear of families who, even though they are traditional two parent families, find one parent, often the mother, feeling like a single parent, because, despite working herself, the other half is laden down with work pressures, and is barely able to make an evening parents evening, let alone help with the school run once in a while.
There are those professionals who haven’t even got either of the above to balance out, as their work takes up so much time, that a social life, or time for themselves is so limited.
Work/Life balance.
Afre we working to live or living to work?
I love my job. I truly do.
I love my family. More than my job.
I love my writing with a passion.
I love my friends.
Why should one have to give?
So, here’s what I do… I compartmentalise. And I find shortcuts!
The first hour of my day is devoted to getting things ready for everyone, then relaxing with a cuppa, watching the news and catching up with notifications and emails.
Yes, I am in work early, very early, by 7.45am. Yes, I can be still there at 5.45pm… but only on three days. The other two, I’m out by 4pm
During the day, I will take a break, but I will also make sure I am doing all that needs to be done to prepare for the rest of the week, to make my life easier.
I make sure that, apart from report writing, and the odd time I need to make resources, I bring no work home with me at all.
At home then, I am wife and mum. I’dd do cooking and housework. I’ll help with homework. I’ll nag (because all good wives do) and I’ll have fun with my family.
Then, once everyone is all set, my evening time is mine to choose what I do with it. Read, write, watch tv, iron (I do love a bit of steam pressing) whatever takes my fancy!
I will arrange nights out with friends. I will go and see family. I will not let work tip me over the edge, even though it is easy to do.
We were discussing it as an opportunity may arise for Hoppalong, where he could go for a role which is more prestigious than his current one, but will involve more stress and pressure, and possibly more time. He compares himself to his MD who is literally on work mode 24/7.
You know, if it works for his MD then fine, but there is no need to be like that. There are always ways to balance things out.
Sure, when you start hight pressure jobs, the need is there to be a little more work, a little less life… but once you are settled, there is the chance to bring that balance back.
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “silent/silence.” Use one or both in your post. Have fun!
The Colour of Silence
Silence is golden I often hear say But I'd like to think different That is, if I may For silence can come In a total array Of colours, depending on What you're feeling that day
That deafening silence Can feel rather black When you're thinking that No one's quite got your back
The silence of loss Comes across as quite blue When you're filling a void Not knowing what to do
When silent anger is simmering Deep inside your head No, that's not golden, You're just seeing red
That silence you hear When it's late at night Kids asleep, no disturbances That's purely white
In the peace of the moment, When all is quite calm That silence is purple It does you no harm
And yes, it can feel, sometimes Silver or golden As you accept life When your body does olden
A rainbow of quiet See, what I said was true Feel silence in so many ways Not only just a few Cos silence it comes in In many a hue We all like some quiet Which colour's for you?
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “rhymes with rosy.” Find a word that rhymes with “rosy” or use the word “rosy” and base your post on it. Enjoy!
The Tale of Rosy and her Posy
There was an old girl called Rosy Who happened to be quite blowsy Weathered skin and crazy hair But she really didn't care Her embraces were always quite cosy
Then entered a woman named Josie Who seduced Rosy with a posy The noises that were heard From the house were absurd The neighbours couldn't help but be nosy!
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “strain.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
Strain… Oh yes, I’m definitely feeling that right now…
Ever since Hubby Dearest’s injury, which is definitely more than a strain, I have been shouldering all the responsibility of running the kids around everywhere, along with all my usual jobs, and coping with a person who is not always too happy being holed up in the house, unable to do very much at all, apart from sit…
I am shattered. And this weekend will be giving me no restful opportunity either. Saturday morning, Swimming lessons for Lil Princess, followed by badminton for them both.
I was hoping for a few hours of peace in the afternoon, where I could get my nails done or something, but no, we have a couple of hours then we will be meeting Hubby Dearest’s brother and wife to go and grab an early dinner, then on to watch a film… And Sunday, I have to be up early to get Lil Man to his first cricket match of the season… which finishes at lunchtime, and then we pop back home to see my parents who are coming over for an hour to see Hubby Dearest…
I’m going to start next week on the backfoot, again!
It’s not just a physical strain, but a mental one too… I am constantly thinking about him, and the kids, and what I need to get done next… never-ending…
So, strain… Yes. I know that feeling very well…
Strain Feeling Exhausted Out of control Not able to rest Just constantly worried About what is coming next Every single day needing to Plan with military precision Yet still never finding time for myself
But I Smile Anyway... 