Tag: prompt

May Challenge: Running

~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

There is never enough time for things. Things always start up well, I get so enthusiastic and dive right into whatever task I have set myself. But I seem to over-do it, and I quickly run out of steam. And, because most things have a deadline, I also then run out of time to do whatever I was trying to do.

Time management has always been a problem of mine. I am very highly skilled in procrastination. Which is probably why this blog became a thing to begin with. I was probably avoiding something, and thought that writing something would get me moving forwards, rather that sitting still watching TV. But, if I had to do something for my job that involved writing this blog (we can dream), I would probably go draw a picture instead. I sometimes think that there is something a little broken in my brain.

Well. I already know my brain is a bit broken, the medication for anxiety disorder can clarify that. My Doctor has said before, that I seem to get very panicky when I think that there is a chance of failing at something. Which is true. In my mind, it is easier to run the clock down, than it is to throw everything at something only to fail. I don’t really know where this behaviour came from, but it’s something that I have done for years.

I am trying to break my old habits, trying to work on planning things out. I never seem to get very far, but I am trying different things. Different tactics. Different ways to keep me on task, focused and hit my goals. It is a work in progress. But life is a work in progress.

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This post is part of a May prompt which is explained here, feel free to join in or pick one or two, to get your own creativity flowing.

Stealing Prompts

~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

So, 2019 has been very quiet on here. I have fallen out of creating very much online. And I feel so suffocated as a result. So, I have been browsing the internet looking for prompts, to help get my mind going again.

I stumbled upon a prompt created by the lovely Carrie Hope Fletcher, that she created for her YouTube channel. I am not very confident on the video making thing right now, so I thought I’d post on here instead. I am not to worried if I miss a day or so, it might just give me something to write on a day I want to write but get a bit stuck. Hopefully it helps me a wee bit. Find the list below, and join in if you are into anything creative.

Aye, sound…

~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

I saw this prompt and had to write something. Mostly, because most of the entries I read, relating to this post, were about music or something of that ilk. I read ‘sound’, and thought of the title above. Where I live, Fife in Scotland, sound is used to mean ‘awesome’ or ‘cool’. I don’t think this slang exclusive to Scotland, as I have heard it ‘down south’, in England.

I work with people from all over Europe, and very frequently, the slang gets very confusing for them. Which I feel bad about, purely because I know that I could never move to another country and speak fluently in another language. Sometimes it is like I can’t even speak English properly, myself, so I don’t know how I’d get on trying to have a working understanding of another language. I remember at school, I took French, and whilst I wasn’t the best, I felt I had a working understanding of the language. I got the chance to go to the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and well… I fared as well as I would have, if I hadn’t  studied French at all. It made me realise how fortunate I am, living in a country where English is my main language, but I also realised it made me very lazy. Like, people go abroad, and expect other countries to understand English, when in fact, we should be trying to speak their language.

But the thing is, it isn’t just ‘learning a language’, really. Every region of the world has its own local dialects of their main language, and that dialect may often include slang words. Which takes me back to the start of this… via a very long detour. Slang can be confusing, and here, in the Kingdom of Fife, we have a lot of it. So I thought I would give a few definitions, in case you ever find yourself in Scotland, and get a bit lost in the conversation.

Aye- Yes

Awfy- Awful

Baffies- Slippers

Bawbag- An utter arsehole

Boak (ie- ‘you’re giving the the boak)- Dry heave/ something is disgusting

Braw- Beautiful

Grass- A tell-tale

Dingy- Ignore

Dunderheed- Idiot

Eejit- Idiot

Fitbaw- Football

Feart- Scared

Gammie (ie- ‘I’ve got a gammie leg)- Sore/ lame

Greet- Cry

Hawd- Hold

Howfin’- Smelly

Mawkit/ manky- Dirty

Mince (ie- ‘You’re speaking utter mince’)- Rubbish/ crap

Neebur- Neighbour/ friend

Pished- Drunk

Pure (ie- ‘that’s pure brilliant’)- very/ totally

Scooby- Clue

Scran- Food

Squint- Not Straight

Tube- Idiot

Wean- Child

Wee- Little

Some people hate slang, but I find it great. It adds personality to language, and makes it unique where ever you go. So many areas of the world speak English, but there is slang and local changes where-ever the language is spoken, be it Texas, USA or Manchester, England. There is so much variation, something that is really great. But can also be a pain if trying to speak that language.

via Daily Prompt: Sound

Capable

~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

Everyone has a level of strength within them. Something that gives them a certain level of capacity in dealing what whatever life has to throw at them. Different people are able to deal with different levels of things. Like some people can deal with a large work load, but cannot deal when someone loses their temper. No one person is capable at dealing with everything, and that is why it is important that we surround ourselves with good people, so that we can help each other through things.

And there is me. A big problem with my anxious mind, running 100 miles a minute, is that it’s favourite thing to is to doubt every little thing that I do. It is frustrating. But, I don’t think that these feelings come just from my own mind, it comes from the world I have experienced. In our society, if someone is over-confident in their abilities, they get beaten down for it. As if, noone wants the person who knows they are good at something. There is very much an idea, that people who do brag about their own abilities, makes us feel insecure about our own abilities. But the way things such as the media, come down on people who are outspoken about themselves and their talent, is only making that worse. It makes people think, it is bad to advertise that you are capable of something.

Once you lose faith in your abilities, for whatever reason, it is really hard to get it back. Like, a few years back, I thought I was capable of nothing. Was a case of, why bother with anything, as I will just fail. It is not a nice feeling. But something I learned to put up with. And, whilst I have more confidence than I did, there is still that mentality in me that tells me I will fail. I was reading something the other day, can’t remember where unfortunately, and it said that rather than thinking on our abilities to fail, we should be focused on our capability to try. Everyone can try something.

via Daily Prompt: Capable

Trust

~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

As far as relationships with those around us is concerned, trust can be one of the difficult and fragile things to try and manage. When I was young, trust was something that came easy. You’d share everything with that girl in your class, that gave you a sweetie at playtime or lent you her sharpener during class. It was very easy to feel a connection with someone. At that age, it felt like everyone was the same, just wanting to have fun and play with their friends. 

As you got older, you were told to watch people you didn’t know. Which was strange, as I know that I never thought that anyone had any bad intentions when I was a kid. When all you experience is school, friends and cartoons, it is hard to see the bad side of anything that young. I understand that I probably left a slightly closed off life, where I really would have trusted anyone. No matter what my parents and teachers said about strangers. 

That niavety doesn’t last very long. As I got older, I became more aware that the world wasn’t as friendly as I had believed. Learning more about the world around me, through lessons in school and general interest, made me aware that there were a lot of issues in the world. And then, I went through a phase of a few years where I was bullied, which ruined my positive outlook. I gradually picked up the thinking that rather than be my friend, everyone was out to get me. It became very hard to trust anyone, and that came with me into adulthood. 

I am at a stage right now, where I am nice to everyone, it is only manners, right? But I only tell what is really happening in my life to people i genuinely trust. That is people who I know won’t gossip. I have a handful of people who I trust, who I can talk to, they will just listen and offer advice. And, I offer the same to them. It is something that is essential, everyone needs someone who they need to help weather the storm of life.  

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‘Trust’ is a prompt posted on here. 

Away For A Hike

~ Sue ~ Leave a comment

Not really at the moment, it is a bit late. But in general I love going for a walk. I think it is a really great way to escape the pressures of life. Not that my life has a lot of pressure, really, my brain just has a habit of creating pressure for myself. It creates these situations, totally irrational, where I feel trapped and panicked by everything around me. It is not nice.

But, sometimes, when the anxiety levels are at their highest, I try to force myself outside. Even if it just a walk around the garden, or a nip down to the shops for some milk, it makes a huge difference. I think, that when you are stuck in one room, it can be easy for the one thing to buzz round and round in your head. So simply breathing in some fresh air can open up your mind, as well as your lungs. It is very therapeutic.

That is why I try to get outside every day. At least once. Sitting at home all the time just leaves me feeling sluggish and rather useless, which is not great when your thoughts aren’t that great at the best of times. So, no matter how bad I feel, I always make a point of going outside. It is the best kind of free therapy.

via Daily Prompt: Hike