Category: Personal Blog

Every day is a school day

Joey Jones6 Comments

Describe a decision you made in the past that helped you learn or grow.

Goodness WordPress ‘a ‘ descion ?! Learning and growing has been a bit of a theme that I’m happy to say continues with me to this day and hopefully will accompany me until the end of my life.

‘ Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever’ – Mahatma Ghandi

Like everyone I’ve made good and bad descions and hopefully will have learnt from those choices along the way. Not always though! It can take a while of trying and getting the same results, before it sinks in.

‘What doesn’t kill you….’ and all that.

By listening to my beloved LBC London Radio every day I’m learning something pretty much from the off. This commercial station is mostly unbiased, though there are a couple of presenters I find a bit off. But there is light and shade everywhere, I guess. The early morning show with Nick Ferrari ( yes, I mention him a lot, don’t I? Lol) is the immediate news going on and from that I get the shape of the day. It starts my engine and from there the doors to my mind are open. Deep thinking, day dreaming, remembering, changing my mind.

Perhaps one of the latest descions I made was to get back into blogging here at WordPress. I’d started before but somehow lost momentum along the way. This time it’s different and I love the daily prompt to kick start the process.

I don’t use all the bells and whistle available here because this space provided is enough, for now. I just do my stuff and along the way I’m crossing paths with some interesting people, which I am really enjoying.

Thanks for reading this far…The encouragement I get from you acknowledging my existence is nice, very nice x

Where on Earth

Joey Jones1 Comment

What place in the world do you never want to visit? Why?

There are 195 countries, deciding on one not to visit was initially difficult. Until I gave up, with 76 ‘so far’ on the list.

I’m not adverse to overseas travel. There have been good times had in lots of different places, over the years. But that was then.

Please do not take it personally if you are from any of the following. Yesterday I gained a new subscriber ( thank you BMA) and I hope I don’t lose them because of what I’m about to say ….

Human and animal rights, or the lack of them. The terrain or simply the place creeps me out, I cite as the reasons behind my call. Here goes …

Russia

China

Iran

Iraq

Israel

North Korea

USA

Afghanistan

South Sudan

Libya

Okay, I’ll stop there. You don’t really want me to go on, I know.

Sadly I would have to add Syria and Lebanon. Two countries I so wanted to visit before the powers-that-be trashed them.

The doors of the asylum opened and out came our world leaders. They should hang their heads in shame…..

Food for the soul

Joey Jones3 Comments

What is your favorite restaurant?

It is called ‘ Francis de Sales ‘ by the owners, but’ Franky’s ‘ by the many regular customers.

In a decommissioned chapel, set back from the road and in the shadow of a mighty oak, stands  this beautiful building with the original stained glass windows and pews. The stone floor and decorative tiles are a sight to behold.

Open from 12 noon to 8pm, 5 days a week, it’s wise to book if you are intent on eating there. If not rock up and hope for the best.

No meat or dairy but impressive cocktails and delicious food. In keeping with the changing seasons the menu varies throughout the year. Comforting soups, tagines, and old school veggie meals  are favourites throughout the winter and spectacular Buddha Bowls when the weather is warmer. All the usual suspects; sesame tofu, grains, beans, lentils and rice dishes. The bread is made locally and as many ingredients as possible are sourced from as close to the building as possible.

Children and dogs are welcomed and always the accompanying adults do a great job of keeping the ambiance calm and pleasant. With immediate access to an adjoining side room big sofas and drawing equipment and toys are available to the kids to chill.

There is background music, loud enough to distract from the conversation of other parties, but quiet enough to be able to relax and enjoy the moment.

Outside the old graves are still tended to and an unspoken respect attaches itself to the customers as they come and go.

The key to this environment is balance….and I’d say they’ve got it in spot on!

Carpe Diem

Joey Jones4 Comments

What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness?

It makes me happy to stand at the open door with a cup of coffee listening to and watching the birds go about their day. I love that.

To be out in nature with my dog. Especially now that Spring is kicking in and the world is coming to life, and there is warmth in the sun.

After a busy times, it makes me so happy not to have to be anywhere…or should that be somewhere? Lol. Freedom is a wonderful thing!

Between my home and next door, out front,  is a raised bed. A few months ago my neighbour gave me permission to do with it as I will.I planted bulbs and various young plants. It makes me happy to tend to that and generally pottering around

And…gratitude. Being grateful. Counting my blessings. How can that not make you happy?

Whilst I am on the subject of gratitude, I would like to thank you my subscribers. For those of you who read and acknowledge my posts.  That ‘ like’ tells me you were here and where you are from. I love it when you comment, so please do say hello. ‘ til next time..

Take it easy

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What’s the most fun way to exercise?

I just made the big mistake of deciding to have a ‘quick game’ on my tablet before I came to WordPress. Of course, it wasn’t a quick game, was it? At least 40 minutes passed before I got here and read coincidentally our DP today is about having fun. It’s true, I was having fun. Or was I? Maybe just consumed by the black hole which has become our devices. Not much exercise to be had here, other than our fingers and hopefully some grey matter.

Picture this…..It’s a warm, bright sunny day. In a garden somewhere the grass is as green as it could possibly be. The flower beds full of colour. In the middle is a paddling pool. A hose runs with fresh and probably chilly water. A dog runs in and out of the small children as they shriek with glee. The one with the hose being IT for the moment. They are in a safe space and free to scream and shout, to their little hearts content. This is kids having fun. Their cognitive creativity peaks around 6 years old. Motor skills, imagination, problem solving and balance ease up at this age and they begin to mimic the ‘grown ups’ around them. If they are not lucky this can have quite a detrimental effect, I think to myself.

Research suggests that adults lose their sense of fun in their early 40’s. Saying that around 42 years of age, things change somewhat. I wonder if that goes for 40 somethings who have a passion? Surfing, hand gliding or skiing, for example. Surely it would still be fun to do those things at any age, as long as you are fit enough to do so?

These days having fun for me is maybe having lunch out and/or window shopping with a friend, simple things in life. Again not too much exercise going on there, though.

I get to have some fun the three times a day I go out with my boy. I’m not a fair weather dog walker. We’ll go out in whatever. I’m happy to see him having a good time, running like the wind-ish, eating sun-dried sheep’s poo or swimming in the streams. He’s a bit of a bruiser and he has trained me well. He’s taught me how he likes things done and when. I’d say that the walking is exercise and we have fun. So, there it is WP, I’ve answered today’s question.

The heartbeat at my feet

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What animals make the best/worst pets?

Dogs,dogs,dogs……and more dogs! Having said that if granted enough time on this planet and the opportunity to do so I’d would love to give a good home to a cat and some chickens.

The following was written by Billy Collins in 1998. Twice US Poet Laureate….

*Dharma*

The way the dog trots out the front door

every morning

without a hat or umbrella,

without any money

or keys to her doghouse

never fails to fill the saucer of my heart

with milky admiration.

Who provides a finer example

of life without encumbrance –

Thoreau in his curtainless hut

with a single plate, a single spoon?

Ghamdi with his staff and holy diapers?

Off she goes into the material world

with nothing but her brown coat

and her modest blue collar

following only her wet nose,

the twin portals of her steady breathing,

followed only by the plume of her tail.

Ir only she did not shove the cat aside

every morning

and eat all his food

what a model of self-containment she

would be,

what a paragon of earthly detachment.

If only she were not so eager

for a rub behind the ears,

so acrobatic in her welcomes,

if only I were not her god…..

The Earth dies screaming

Joey Jones4 Comments

What job would you do for free?

Good morning WordPress/Daily Prompt. You ask us about doing a job for free. From the off let’s be clear one would have to be pretty much financially secure to take on such a commitment. Sadly most of us aren’t, so what we do instead is volunteer, when and where we can. I’ve had a few such jobs/activities/the right word being? over the years. For now I’m having a breather between lives, chapters, if you will. Most likely when I find my final resting place (no not that one!) ( still in transient mode?) I shall pick up the threads of ‘ helping out’, once again.

With that question answered I shall go off piste a little.

Whilst I was considering this morning’s prompt my mind wandered to a dear friend of mine. We live in different parts of England but message each other often. Sometimes we chat about screen time. What we have seen and enjoyed, or not, if that is the case.

To said friend I recommend a programme and she responded that her eldest son had also mentioned it and she was going to decline. To be fair it wasn’t easy watching, but not a horror story either. Not in the Stephen King sense of creepy. She was right, in some aspects it wasn’t that pleasant to watch, the story I mean, not the performances. ‘ I’m too scared, to see it ‘ she said. A certain kind of ‘ hell on Earth’ exists in varying forms all over the world, sadly, and having devoted her whole life to children, her own and as a professional in Child Services, she had witnessed sad and difficult times in the families she monitored and assisted. So I didn’t push her further.

That hell on Earth, is now so widespread, it’s breath taking. Whether it be pollution on the most massive scale imaginable in our oceans/waterways, skies, land ( think pesticides ) and beyond. Destruction, cruelty, intolerance, greed, inequality.. ambivalence. There is no end to the ways Man finds to destroy the world which he depends on. Crudely digging up all the preciousness and literally filling those holes with rubbish.

What exactly is being put back, to enrich and enhance our existence on the beautiful planet we are intent on destroying, inside out?

If only all the power and energy and resources to do so where ploughed back in, it could surely be a place to be proud of. And wouldn’t the gods be happy? It’s what they intended, surely?

Shouldnt we all be paying some form of rent to reside here?

To all the beautiful souls who do volunteer ( especially you SB), I thank you.

Break a leg*

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.