Break a leg*

3rd Apr 202516th Apr 2025 Joey Jones7 Comments

How would you improve your community?

The stars were aligned the day two things I desperately needed were handed to me. I had been feeling pretty low until my saviour said ‘ yes and yes’, when I asked him if he knew of a home to rent and also storage facilities.

That is why I landed in the neighbourhood I currently live in. I say ‘currently’ because none of us know what is around the corner, do we? I have learnt it is best to ‘ be ready’. That can be a exhausting existence, for sure, but some habits are hard to break.

Anyways, I digress. The vibrant community which I am part of, whilst remaining an outsider, is 400O strong. A well kept secret, really. Just about anything you want or need are on the doorstep and, if any service is missing the local FB page will find it for you within minutes. Quite extraordinary.

Schools, eateries, take aways, pubs, tattoo artists, well being centre, rugby club, railway station, fire station, 2 small supermarkets, gym, gift shop, ‘ boutique’..now that sounds an old fashioned word, but it describes this particular shop well. The list is endless. A big village which could qualify for town status, if there was a municipal building.

The young people all who will have suffered one way or another at the hands of Covid. This generation which is always critised from every corner, for spending too much time on their devices. The very devices they had or needed during their formative lives, whilst in lockdown. The same devices their parents/guardians praised for ‘ keeping them quiet’, for months on end. My heart really does go out to the Covid Generation and their siblings, we have no idea how it has shaped them, really.

Nothing on the two public notice boards have any attractions for the young people of the village.For the sporty families there is the rugby club, it does well too. They are always busy training or match playing. There is a big welcoming community centre too, but it is pretty much adult focused.

So, WP/DP to answer your question. A youth theatre, wouldn’t go a miss. Purposely built for the arts. Somewhere the kids can go to meet up, express themselves, be part of something. A place to safely hang out with like minded souls and mentors.

I am an outsider so maybe I feel things differently than the older natives do, but when I see the young people on the streets every day , there appears to be a lack of good energy. Even their clothes are without colour or character. It’s like they are shut in. A young generation should radiate vibrancy, but it’s lacking.

Maybe I am wrong, perhaps the kids would say to me ‘we are alright, thanks all the same’.

But I’m not so sure.

‘ Break a leg’ is ‘ Good luck’ in UK theatre-speak.

March 2020

2nd Apr 202516th Apr 2025 Joey JonesLeave a comment

How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?

The lunacy of allowing two major sporting events to go ahead, always comes to mind when COVID is mentioned.

Despite the World Health Organisation declaring Covid-19 a pandemic, 250,000 racegoers, over four days attended The Cheltenham Festival, UK.

Meanwhile 50,000 football fans where in Liverpool, England,to watch the Champions League game, against Atletico Madrid.With 3000 arriving in the UK from Spain.

At the same time France, Germany, Spain and Japan had closed all schools and banned sporting events.

The financial implications of cancelling the racing and football would have been catastrophic. But at what expense?

Rise and shine

1st Apr 202516th Apr 2025 Joey Jones2 Comments

What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?

What a treat! The dog didn’t wake me up until 8 this morning. I guess he doesn’t realise the clocks changed last weekend and to him it is still 7am.

But that’s ok. I went with his mindset and basked in the luxury of a lie-in. I didn’t lie in, as such. A quick look at the Sky News and a glance at the Socials to make sure World War 3 isn’t imminent and I’m up and about.

Downstairs I flick on the kettle and let said dog out. I stand on the threshold and just breathe the new day in for a moment or two. The clouds were giving way to a glorious blue sky and the sun shone on the red breast of a robin. I thanked the gods.

With coffee in hand I head back upstairs to get myself together. LBC radio with Nick Ferrari puts me firmly in the picture of what’s going down in the outside world. I briefly tidy up my surroundings before back down the stairs to saddle up my boy. And away we go.

First off we walk the few steps to a Green Space, as they are called now. It’s actually the site of an old castle. Then, with job done, into the car for a short drive up to another GS, This time a local park/nature reserve. It’s usually unlocked, but if not I will let us in and message the park ranger, to save him the time

I was saddened along the way to see the blossom had passed its best. The once pretty, fresh and pert blooms, now all tinged with brown. Happily the daffodils stood to attention and looked fabulous.

A quick whizz around the three field/areas, several ball throws and chases and we are on our way out in about 20 minutes.

Back home his lordship has his breakfast, then the birds, some of whom are sitting on the fence patiently waiting..and then me.

I then consider which errands and/or chores should be accomplished, before sitting down for a little while to see what WordPress and the Daily Prompt have in store for us..

And that’s my first hour, done and dusted.

Dare to be different?

31st Mar 202516th Apr 2025 Joey JonesLeave a comment

Which aspects do you think makes a person unique?

Oh WordPress, you took the wind out of my sails this morning, when I checked in to see what you had in store for us today. Wow, that’s some mighty ol’ Prompt you have for us there! Bordering on a thesis, methinks…but I’ll do what I can to write how I see it. I will certainly have missed things out and readers may offer additions to the list..and I would encourage that, as it’s a starting point to showcase our uniqueness. What makes us tick and why? What we reveal to the world and what we don’t…maybe?

Until I feel equipped to get all these thoughts and additional words in order, I shall for now just list them..as my mind focuses on what makes us unique…

……..

Gentetic make up

Mother’s well being

Enviromental factors

Physical attributes

Family/Home life

Poverty/Inequality

Socioeconomic

Education/lack of

Abilities,gifts and strengths

Moral compass

Physical and mental health

Chemical imbalances

Drive, ambition

Opportunities, luck

Ego

Support, guidance

Intelligence

Life experiences

Religion/belief’s

Needs, desires

Sense of humour

Resilience

There are so many reasons why we should be different from anyone else…and this is where we could possibly stop judging others, in any way shape or form.There so many faucets to us. Each of us a story. Some able to cope with the hand we were dealt with and some not so much.

Unique bacteria is born into every fingerprint and with that DNA the identity of a person can be determined. The patterns of lines and whirls is believed to unduplicated, on any other finger. Although now AI begs to differ. What we do know is identical twins, we are told by forensic experts will have different if only slightly different fingerprints from their twin.

Even conjoined twins will see and feel the world differently.

I remember you

30th Mar 202516th Apr 2025 Joey Jones6 Comments

If you could have something named after you, what would it be?

I need to write the following with my left hand as my dog is asleep on my other arm….😂 Edit.. and now he has awoken and moved and I can come back to edit. Something I often forget to do.

Thank you for the Daily Prompt, WordPress. I shall use this space with names of others in my head and dedicate something to them.

‘ To all those we have loved and lost’. This would be beautifully engraved on a plaque and attached to the back rest of a bench. It would be a memorial to the considerable amount of people and animals I have been fortunate to spend time with here on Earth, before they moved on.

It would be a wonderful thing if throughout any given day all manner of humans and wildlife would spend time here. Maybe a weary mom, just taking a breather with some coffee, before she needs to get up and on with her day. An elderly chap and his little dog may sit for a while to watch the world go by. A paramedic after a gruelling shift may stop and collect themselves before heading home. A young woman with a broken heart unable to go anywhere else at the time, or maybe a blackbird taking shade. They would all be so welcomed….And at the end of the day when the sun is going down and dusk falls a weary soul will lay down, feeling safe and secure and rest until dawn.

Laugh and the world laughs with you….

29th Mar 202516th Apr 2025 Joey JonesLeave a comment

What makes you laugh?

We’ve all heard the line ‘ laughter is the best medicine’, turns out it’s true. As the brain’s production of endorphins increase, blood pressure and the heart rate become steady. Feel good chemicals flooding our bodies help to relieve stress and ease pain.

I don’t like to be in a large group of strangers and I really don’t like small talk..It’s an art form I just don’t have. But being with close friends who I love and trust allow me to come out of my shell and have the best time. So to answer today’s prompt, promptly, I would say to laugh with my buddies. But that doesn’t hamper me from finding things to laugh along with when I’m alone. Although I’m never alone having my dog constantly at my side.He looks at me funny sometimes, but I don’t think that’s in the funny ha ha sense..more like funny peculiar.

There is one particular English comedian/writer/actor/producer/director I find extremely funny. He’s not everyone’s cup of tea and his language can be and often is full-on Anglo-Saxon. He is often rude and disparaging beyond measure and tbf he does go a bit too far sometimes, but I simply let that go. No one is perfect!

A year or so back he hosted the Golden Globes. The venue full of ‘stars’. All movers and shakers from the film industry with their plus one’s..their egos. His verbal attack was brutal, gasps where audible from the audience, their faces were a picture. Throughout the ceremony he took no prisoners, a relentless tirade as he held up a mirror to the faces, who let’s not forget are paid handsomely for what they do anyway. The fact they also want to be congratulated and adored was not lost on the host. Laugh? I almost died. Absolute comedy gold.

I saw a mouse…Where?

28th Mar 202516th Apr 2025 Joey JonesLeave a comment

When you were five, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Like lots of other bloggers here on WordPress today, I have no direct answer. Yes, we understand it is a daily ‘prompt’ and not a question, as such. But my mind was completely empty when I searched round for ambitions from childhood. Lucky are those who had them and achieved them. That must be quite something!

Instead, in this space I shall write down a poem. It was in a collection for children, published in1924, by the legendary AA Milne…..

Halfway down the stairs

is a stair

where I sit.

There isn’t any

other stair

quite like it.

I’m not at the bottom

i’m not at the top;

so this is the stair

where I always stop.

Halfway up the stairs

isn’t up

and it isn’t down.

It isn’t in the nursery,

it isn’t in the town.

And all sorts of funny thoughts

run round my head,

it isn’t really anywhere!

It’s somewhere else instead!

*****In this poem the child finds a sense of escape on this particular stair, which exists in liminal space between familiar and unknown.

******* ‘ I saw a mouse’ is from a song recorded in 1965 by Ronnie Hilton called ‘ A Windmill in Old Amsterdam. It was written by Ted Dicks and Miles Ridge.

Find your tribe

27th Mar 202516th Apr 2025 Joey JonesLeave a comment

What’s something most people don’t understand?

Maybe there are some people who don’t realise that their voice, their time and energy matters. That alone they may feel inadequate, but joing a group of like minded souls can make a huge difference in the world. By giving they will receive ten-fold and some.

One group with 30 years of campaigning behind them are Surfers Against Sewage. A Cornish based charity who work tirelessly for marine conservation and all other sea related issues. For example they mobilise thousands of UK volunteers to sweep the beaches clean. Their aversion to plastic is legendary. I take off my hat to anyone who supports this amazing charity, in any way they can. It’s like paying rent for the privilege of living on our beautiful planet with an apology for all those who don’t give it a second thought. sas.org

One organisation close to my heart is LACS …League Against Cruel Sports. Their focus are animals, which are constantly abused at the hands of man. They stand side by side with these voiceless persecuted souls. Dog fighting, bullfighting, snaring, shooting, hunting any which way an animal can be harmed these fabulous people are there to put up a fight. For someone who loves animals this maybe the charity they may wish to get involved with. Again there is a wonderful website which explains everything. league.org.uk

As Autumn approaches each year I find myself getting vocal about ‘ Leave the Leaves’. A group who want to discourage folk from raking up all the fallen leaves and instead distribute them to under trees or over flower beds to act as a natural fertilizer as they break down and also a safe haven for insects and invertebrates which need somewhere to go to hibernate. If speaking up changes just one person’s mind it will have been worth it.

And that is why I say I really don’t think people believe their one voice can make a difference. There are endless causes to be fought for, everyone can find somewhere to go to join others in making a noise.

( I don’t mean making a noise and being disruptive like the Say No To Oil lobby…Who in the past have disrupted the lives of so many in their quest to get their message across. But all they have done is be disrespectful and troublesome to those who amongst other things may have missed their only chance that day to attend a Hatches, Matches or Dispatches moments.

Edit. Just Stop Oil have just announced they are disbanding.

So I shout out to anybody who feels that alone they can change nothing. Find your cause, join the group and you will never look back. Your tribe awaits.

Frog March

25th Mar 202516th Apr 2025 Joey JonesLeave a comment

How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals? (A tad off piste)

‘ A frog decided to reach the top of a tree.

All the frogs shouted ” it’s impossible, it’s impossible.

Still the frog reached the top of the tree.

How? Because he was deaf and he thought everyone was encouraging him to reach the top.

Be deaf to negative thoughts, if your aim is to reach your goal.

Anon

Pic credit Lisa B-D With thanks JJ

IN THE BOOMER PIGEON HOLE?

The hard work is over. Kicking back and loving retirement

Author: Joey Jones