New Year's Restitution

It's that time of year, again, where I find meself sitting, and a pondering, as to where the time has gone. With 2012 having been a surprisingly busy time, with little to show for me hardest efforts, I'm now re-evaluating a list of future options.

I've tackled three very different day jobs, since the beginning of the year, along with me writing and ongoing commitments to community service. It's hard to say if me passion to write will ever fan out into a creative career, but its an addictive challenge that's still refreshingly enjoyable, even after a long day working for someone else's profit. Having managed to attend three lovely weddings, that were planned for, and sadly missing two funerals due to the commitment of a demanding day job that wasn't as flexible as I, has made it an up and down kinda year. The old and familiar realisation of doing what's right and holding the fort, when needs must, still doesn't mean the favour will be returned, or even respected and retained at a later date, has knocked me over yet again.

St-oink-ing Christmas

Seasonal greetings one and all.

Hang  up your st-oink-lings and have a crackling Christmas.

Hope this hasn't put me outta flavour with me veggie pals! 

                                                                                                      J.J. XXX

No More Distractions

I know, famous last words, but I'm on a mission...

Right Writing

I know I’ve been pretty quiet, of late, but been really busy working and honing me literary wotnots.

When I started out learning to write right, I didn’t expect it to propel me off in the direction I’ve taken. As someone who never seems to take the easy route, its no surprise that a hook into scriptwriting, despite having no formal education in this area, has been a challenging journey.

The ideas have bubbled, and there’s been a lot of stop starts, but there’s one project I’ve persevered in developing and I’m kinda hoping I’ve got it writ right, now. Whether anyone served with the document will want to do something with it or follow the directive, there in, only time will tell.

If this ain't the idea of all ideas then another idea has popped up, look here, but the question I ponder is… 

Am I writing right and is there really a right way to write?

Stitchy Witchy Who!

Toil, oil, boil and bubble.

A full moon waning, emotions subsiding. Tis that time of year to remember the spirit, the one within and the ones we greet. This is a spell to instill truth and compassion, granting light in the darkness; relief in a need. The wisdom for all to live in peace, love and harmony, right where we live, in the here and now.

Pull up a chair, and set a place, for that special person, or people, who can no longer sit in the space. The dearly departed, who crossed our paths, are never too far from the memories we made.

Send out a thought, make a toast; the unseen and unknown doesn't have to be scary or cold. Sharing a moment, between there and here, is food for the soul, high in understanding and low in judgement.

May your potential be nurtured, with encouragement for growth.
 

Happy Halloween

London Calling

Took a call at home, today.

The woman on the other end off the line said she was calling from London.

The digital display on my phone said: "international, unknown"!

She told me, in her monotone voice, that she was calling about infected files on my computer.

I said: “No”!

She said: “Yes”!

“Oh, dear”, says I.

“But don’t worry”, the all knowing, over-confident voice continued, “I can help you”.

“Wow, really! That’s great…”

She hangs up!

Did I say something wrong?

A Quid Pro Notes

Can you believe it? The Channel Islands still has one pound notes! Can’t buy much with ‘em, though!

Last time I went to Scotland, only a couple a years back, they still had notes, there, too. I’ve ransacked me brains, inter-cranial and on-line, but can’t understand why the bank of England pulled the paper notes out of circulation! The stereotypical untruths about the Scots hardly compare with the Channel Islands Franglish atmosphere or tax dodge allure of the high life, so why do they have ‘em, and we don’t? 

A recent journey down to the southern outpost of the United Kingdom, aboard a notoriously nick-named Vomit Comet, was one I had been promising myself for some time. Calm seas and patches of sea mist teased me magi-nation, as we popped in and out of pretty St Peter’s Port on our way to Jersey. But, oh dear! Oh dearie, dearie me… On arrival at St Helier, I was wishing I’d jumped off at the “Welcome to Guernsey” sign.

Jersey’s industrial looking ferry port did not seem as attractive to this disembarking sea sailing adventurer as its picturesque neighbour.

However, after a very pleasant lunch and meander round the shops, I did find something very interesting on me trip. 

 

The Havre des Pas Lido is an outdoor pool just off the beach at Havre des Pas, within walking distance to the port and town centre. I didn’t quite see the individual pools, as such, with the tide so high, but it was downright exhilarating walking down the steps into the chillingly refreshing deep clear water and swimming without getting extremities caught up in seaweed or sand sifting through me unexposed bits. 

  

Setting aside the ferry's tiered seating sections of first class, reclining seats and standard seats reminiscent of a bygone, class conscious era, I still enjoyed the journey to the Islands as much as my brief stopover. I guess that kinda goes along with my drifting perspective, inhaling each new moment in my quest to find new inspiration.

The Sunny Sunshine Award

Patsy has given me another nudge to divulge more of the inner workings of a devil may not care personality by pinning a Sunshine Award on me.

I'd just like to add that as green as Patsy's garden grows, her nurturing goes beyond the shrubs with the way she inspires me, and others, to write. 

So, here's five things about me, from a sunny perspective:

1. My Astrological sun sign is Aries and can concur that I do fit many of the common traits associated with this astrological alignment, being extremely bossy, at times, is one of them.

2. When the sun is shining I'm more likely to eat healthily on account it gives me an excuse to eat things I don't have to cook, like fresh fruit and veg.  

3. I like smileys, but hate all that LOL business. To me smileys are a way of showing, not telling, where as abbreviated nonsense is telling without meaning!

4. I have been known to leave the beach, commando style!

5. When the sun goes down, the stars come out, and that's the time of day I like to sit and reflect on me perch. And for any star gazing troopers, out there, this weekend sees the Perseid Meteor Shower peak.

And here's me passing a ray of sunshine forward to The Gypsey King, reciprocating the award he gave me, and also to the one and only Miss Kracken.

The Liebster Award - Pizza or Curry?

Terry, the Gypsy King, has been kind enough to bestow me with the honour of The Liebster Award. So here's my response to his random set of questions: 

1. Pizza or Curry?

Pizza, as I don't do curry. After discussing my dislike for curry, with a gourmet of a friend, I've come to the conclusion its summit to do with pod spices rather than the heat most people associate with this type of cuisine. 

2. Tom Baker or Matt Smith? 

Neither! Not a big fan of Dr Who, but I may change my mind if a lady doctor emerges from the Tardis one day. 

3. Roger Moore or Daniel Craig?

Not much of a choice, there, considering Sean Connery was the best James Bond, with Pierce Brosnan a close runner up, so my answer, again, is neither! 

4. If you could only save one possession from your burning house, what would it be?

An oil painting of the one and only original J.J. Cocker. 

5. What is your biggest pet hate?

I don't have a pet hate on account my landlord says I'm not allowed to have pets on me perch. 

6. When was the last time you laughed so hard you almost had a wee?

Erm... When someone misunderstood what I'd said, and replied: "Well I didn't think that sounded like my father"! As to what it was, well, I couldn't really say, but you had to be there to get the bounce on the joke.

7. What's the worst book you've ever read?

Catcher in the Rye. Awful! Never finished it and to think my first ever Creative Writing teacher said it was a must read.

8. What is your favourite TV show?

Don't watch TV much these days, even though I should, so I'm going to opt with my all favourite sitcom, Vicar of Dibley, for the accolade. 

9. Is there a God? Why? Why not?

Of course there is a God. In the beginning there had to be something, cos if you don't have something, then you got nothing. And... when considering what came first, does there have to be a reason why the chicken crossed the road?  

10. Tell us a good joke.

A friend of mine has been going steady for sometime and every time she attends a family wedding at least one aunt gives her a nudge and says: "it'll be you next time".

So to retaliate, my friend says the next time she goes to a funeral, she's going to nudge those confetti nudgers and say: "it'll be you next time"! 

11. Have you had enough now?

Think not! It seems Patsy has got summit lined up for me, too!

Lit Up Pompey

Thought I'd share a picture or two from a delightful trip to Old Portsmouth last Thursday. The day started out with a ceremony at the Square House...

And finished with an eye catching view of The Spinnaker Tower.

For the bits in between, you'll have to wait for the bride to tell her tale when she gets back from the marrymoon with, erm... Ah! Me finks I best leave it at that in case I get meself in a pickle about what the best man said. 

Escape To The Country

Ok, so I love living at the seaside, but for the last 2 days I've been enjoying vivid images of curly haired farm hands driving shiny red tractors and yanking damsels in distress outta of their welly boots.

"Just when I really need a hay barn..." 

Ooh er! Kerr-wivering in me furry slipper booties, I was! 

"Patience Woman", he said...

You gotta be kidding, I couldn't wait to get to that bit.  

Thank you, Patsy Collins, for sending my mind on a brief Escape To The Country.

Inspired by Real Reality TV

When I was just a wee little lass, I was hugely inspired by Granada Television's World In Action series, 7 Up.

Back in 1964, World in Action looked at the Jesuit saying: “Give me the child until he is 7, and I will show you the man“, or woman, and they did. 

My introduction to the Up series of documentaries was through school, with much of my "O" Level Humanities coursework based on watching the programmes made in the sixties and seventies. It is still, without a doubt, my all time favourite documentary. Even though I have been but a mere trespasser in those peoples lives, each and every one of them has encouraged me to open my mind and appreciate life from different perspectives.

Today, much of the increasingly popular reality TV is nothing more than a centre stage to emulate illusion and delusion in a wannabe fame seeking section of society with subjects morphing into media marketed beings.

I guess everyone is entitled to their 15 minutes of fame, but the 7 Up programme started something very real and truly special, in my humble opinion. Something that many reality producers and stars may not even comprehend today. The series mapped out changes in our society, highlighting how preordained projections based on stereotypes and social status may make assumptions that do not always materialise, for many different reasons. The snippets of those different peoples' lives have shown evolution and individual growth according to an ever changing world of challenges, opportunities, circumstance and personal abilities, not by media hype.  

Every 7 years I have eagerly awaited an update, and despite knowing that an instalment was due to be aired this year, I missed it. Thankfully, I was able to catch up on 56 Up - Part 1 on ITV Player

Real people inspire me. I appreciate the insight that life is not always about what you have, or don't have, but what you do with those variables. And with that in mind... I'd like to thank all the people who took part in the Up Series over the years, in front and behind the cameras, for being a big part of my real life education.

Never Seconds

How inspiring!

Just picked up a feed about a school girl winning her right to free speech...

Go check out VEG, if you haven't already done so!

Congratulations And Jubilations

Doesn't time fly when you're reigning on the throne?

To some, it doesn't seem that long ago. Although, living in a digital multi-media playing era we've certainly evolved, for better or worse, since Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, became our ruling monarch.

Congratulations, Ma'am, on maintaining one's head through the highs and lows of British evolution.

The Time Traveller’s Wifi

Have I got your attention? Then I’ll begin.

Seeing as I’m now acquainted with more than one published novelist, Patsy Collins being one, I couldn’t let World Book Night slip by without mentioning the book I picked up: The Time Traveller’s Wife, a first novel by Audrey Niffenegger. It was the Evening Standard’s recommendation on the front cover, “Here’s the next The Lovely Bones… A rare book”, which caught my attention! You see, I read the Lovely Bones only a few weeks ago and was swept into the eyes of a child who told her tragic tale from a world beyond the physical. I read it from “My Name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie” right through to “I wish you all a long and happy life.”

It was a real treat to attend a literary event, on both Shakespeare’s birthday and  St George's Day, and it set me a pondering as to what books those two boys would have picked up! Me finks George would have been lured by I Capture The Castle, by Dodie Smith, and there’s much a do with Roald Dahl’s Someone Like You, for William to peruse.

What book did you, or would you, choose? 

http://www.worldbooknight.org/ 

Let's Play Tag

I been tagged by Patsy ... again, tsk!

Once again, she's disclosed more vital information about a published novelist , and now I gotta do the same. No professionally produced claim to fame, as yet, but it appears my writing is intriguing! So let's see if I can shed a little glimmer of spring-light to the delightful Potty Patsy's questions: 

1. Do you have a favourite word or phrase?

Beer before wine is fine. Wine before beer, oh dear!

2. What do you like on your pizza?
Pineapple, sweetcorn and olives. 

3. Where do you get you books from?

The library or charity shops, usually, but I do buy some, especially reference books, and tend to get given books as presents. I will buy a new copy of this novel, though, so I can get it signed by the author.

4. Favourite drink?

Champagne, of course!

5. Who would you most like to meet?

Mister Valance

6. And why?

'cos he's an interesting character!

7. Favourite colour?

Erm... This is a tricky one, but me finks I'll go with red! 

8. Where have you never visited but would like to go?

The Great Wall of China.

9. Do you like hats?

Oh yes... 

10. What weather do you like best?

Anything but rain, cos it makes me fink the angels in heaven are crying!

11. Were these questions random enough?

Yup!

 

And these are my questions to Mister Valance, Kracken, Miss Hawk, Miss Cecile, Dom:

1. What is the best thing about where you live?

2. If you could be anyone you wanted to be, other than yourself, who would you be?

3. What is your favourite item of clothing?

4. Who, or what, inspires you the most?

5. Do you use public transport?

6. What is most likely to set off the fire alarm at home?

7. What do you do to stay healthy?

8. If you could pass one new law, what would it be?

9. Pondering about uniforms, as I sometimes do... Is there a uniform that grabs your attention?

10. If you had to choose between who you love and what you love doing, what would win?

11. What is your best time of day?

I'll do me best to pop by, at a later date, to see the answers!

Irresistibly Sweet Blogger Award

Tsk, tsk, tsk… How could I have overlooked this?

 

I’d like to say a big thank you to the lovely Patsy for dishing out such a yummy mouth drooling treat to grace my page. Best acknowledge Mister Valance, too, for the follow up with kind words and not his boot. Although, me finks the pair of them are more interested in a cachet of disclosures than my unfortunate under-sight.

Some of my friends, and known associates, say I can be pretty damn sweet, when the occasion arises, so here’s seven bullet beats about me:

• When it comes to chocolate, it’s the milk variety every time. Some say that’s not so good for the heart, but if equating chocolate to men, the rich and darker ones can break a few hearts, too.

• I likes me strawberry jam without lumpy bits. Chuck in a few fruit scones and some clotted cream and I’m in a tea time dream.

• Peanut Butter’s gotta be crunchie. A gal’s gotta have summit with bite now and again.

• I’ll always skip a starter to get my just deserts.     

• Whether it’s a spotted dick, tart, strudel or crumble, my ideal pudding drizzle is custard. It’s an old fashioned traditional British sauce, just like me!

• Favourite ice cream flavour is chocolate, obviously!

• And a banana a day makes up for the days when I could only have some things once a week, if I was lucky.

And here's my seven pointers to irresistibly sweet or naughty, but nice, bloggers:

Kracken 

Geves_Lafosse

Story_Collector

Gypsy_King 

Cecile 

Hawk 

Undercover_Cupcake

Nuffink To See Here

Been really busy, and as hard as I try to find summit to scribe, here, I can't. May come back later for another attempt!

Just Finking

... and a pondering my creative journey so far. 

Its been a long and challenging path surfing my way through a multitude of creative writing web sites, good and bad, over the years. Lost my way a few times; hit a few dark corners and climbed many a summit, or other, but found a stage for artistic expression; a rebellious voice and a driving force for eternal freedom in the process. 

The BBC got me started with Get Writing and Morewriting developed me. Sadly both are gone, and so have some of my inspirers and teachers. 

So here's a big thank you to all those that have assisted me on my way. Not sure where I'm going next, or where I'll end up, but writing has helped find me, be me, and have faith in myself, cos no other bugger has a clue about  what I'm about most of the time!

Testing the Button

As we step into another New Year, time racing ahead of my control, I've been looking at practical matters and me 'elf and safety needs:

The men in uniforms unleashing hoses from their appliances are an added bonus, of course. Me finks the entertainment value is testament that even the mundane can become memorable when so nicely packaged. Where's a Smiley or an emoticon when you need it? Yup... I'm smiling... very wildly!

I know, I know... But when I said I was going to be nice this year, I didn't mean hanging up me trident in favour of being a Miss Nerdy Sensible Shoes! Come on... Wherever I may roam, or hide, I'll always be me!

Must get on and push a few buttons, now.

Happy New Year - 2012

I'm opening the door

For another New Year

Whether first footing

Or seeking shelter

My door is always open

To those that care and share

Here's hoping 2012 brings you, me and the whole wide world lots of love, peace and harmony.

Happy New Year