What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times?
Off bat I thought I would be unable to answer today’s Daily Prompt. Watched something 5 times? Other than Black Beauty, which I may have seen 10 times as a child, nothing came to mind.
The first coffee of the day kicked in and I have been able to recall 3, which I have seen at least 3 times. Will that count WordPress?
Raja Hindustani. What a movie! It came out in 1996 and during my first ever visit to India I heard it being played a lot. It stayed with me. Starring Aamir Khan and Krishna Kapoor and currently on Amazon Prime.
A 2016 British drama series I have enjoyed is The Fall, with Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dorman. Fine actors the pair of them. It’s on Netflix now.
Last but not least a 2013 American movie The Big Wedding. The stellar cast includes Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Saradon and Robin Williams. This comedy romance is airing on Amazon Prime. And now that I have been reminded of this warm and funny comedy romance, I think it’s time I watched it again. The world needs more warm and funny right now. Don’t you think?
One of my earliest memories is rabbit’s foot brooch pinned to the coat of someone I loved dearly. I never remember asking about it, but I studied it a lot. What is a child with an affinity to animals, to make of such a thing? I remember it was encased in silver and has a small yellow stone placed in the centre. Maybe Citrine. This yellow stone from the quartz family was popular in the 1920’s. Is it possible it had been handed down?
In ancient times Citrine was carried for protection against snake bites and evil spirits. In latter times to spark imagination, fresh beginnings and prosperity. Over the years being used against bad luck and today towards the good.
It is incredible how many countries around the world share superstitions, even with varying forms it’s quite extraordinary that similar beliefs are held worldwide. The exact origins of the rabbit’s foot amulet are not clear, at all. With many areas having their own ideas. There are some dark and grim associations but I prefer to look to the light. For instance the slaves of West Africa are recorded as seeing the animal as witty, intelligent and willing to strike back ( Think Mr McGregor’s garden). Others say the fertility aspect of their characteristic to be a lucky thing.
Am I superstitious? I’m certainly interested in all things spooky. A black cat crossing my path, that’s fine by me. ‘ Morning Kat’ I’d probably say. Would I walk under ladders? Why would you? To see if you are unlucky enough to have something fall on you head. Do I count magpies? No. Would I drop coins into a wishing well or throw them into a fountain? Yes.
And yesterday I ‘ touched wood’, to rouse the deities for protection.
Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?
If there are any words in the English language that make me instantaneously mad it’s these ‘ They behave like animals’. (Another utterance ‘We (UK) are a nation of animal lovers.) We are not! We are so not. But that’s a topic for another day)
Considering it is Man who is the cause of all the mess and madness we live in today, it’s a bit rich to bring animals into the equation like this.
I cannot compare myself to any animal, like we have been asked here on WordPress to do this morning. But there are are animal bodies I would like to inhabit for a short time,to get their take on things.
A dog doing the Zoomies, how great must that feel? A cat all cool and aloof, strutting around the neighborhood. Flying high with a birds eye view of the world. A cheeky monkey nimbly lowering itself onto a balcony of a smart hotel, where breakfast is being served and snatching away a juicy slice of watermelon. High jinks. Or maybe the hippopotamus up to the eyes in fresh and cooling water, on a hot summer’s day. Bliss.
And then not so much a magnificent elephant or a slender and graceful giraffe stood stock still eating fresh leaves from branches high up..dead in an instant by a ‘ trophy hunter’. Those oxygen thieves who delight and boast in slaughtering beautiful and innocent souls. These monsters walk amongst us.
In the UK you may hear someone being called a cow or a pig, these are not compliments,but used by man to discredit another human without a moment’s thought to the animal they are alluding to.
Wow! You fellow bloggers here on WP answering the DP. What an inspiration you are. The letters you have written to yourself are magnificent.
When I read what we had been asked to write about this morning I really wasn’t sure how to approach the subject, at all. Let’s face it, ageing sucks. Well, in my humble opinion and from what I can ascertain, it’s not going to be a bed of roses and that’s for sure.
Already I get annoying aches and pains that come and go on whim. Weird sensations and moods with a mind of their own. Making it impossible to know if the next day will be fabulous or not. What a stupid thing to say. None of us know if even today is going to pan out ok.
The uncertainty of when sleepiness or a want for activity will arise. Night or day, it’s like being taken over by an alien. And don’t start me on how ageing affects your face! Who is that person in the mirror? I was never a natural beauty, or an unatural beauty, come to that. But I could ‘scrub up’ quite nicely, enjoying putting outfits together and fixing my make up. But those were the days when make up was a thing. I’ve lived through some exciting fashion eras with the cosmetic enhancements to match.
So, how is my 100 year old self with hopefully a shred of vanity ( as not to wear food stained clothes and hair a mess, to have whiskers a go go?) Going to cope. What do I say to you? I hope you are okay, that nothing hurts and you don’t feel ill or lonely. I hope you are not yearning for the end That you have company when you want it and help when you need it. I would want you to have a little dog at your side, but I know you would constantly worry what would happen to it should you slip away.
At the present time AI is pushing through. I know you will be interested in seeing where it all goes. I know for a fact you would like to see World Peace in your lifetime, but we don’t think that will happen, do we? Too much money to be made from it.
You are naturally observant so maybe you are still looking at and feeling the world around you and writing about it. Yes, the picture I have in my head is you sitting at a desk with your chosen device, putting pen to paper. Happy, healthy and content. Your reward.
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Warning, written by Jenny Joseph in 1961
When I am on old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat, which doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit on the pavement when I am tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens
And learn to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not shocked or surprised
When suddenly I am old and start to wear purple………
They were good times, Covent Garden, Oxford Street, not a stone unturned, a welcoming shop not missed.
Oh London Town, what fun we had!
You need to find a certain kind of person to be a truly matched shopping pal. I was lucky, I had the best.
Straight from the breakfast table of a central hotel, we were pounding the pavements in minutes. I remember the days as always being sunny and dry. But maybe that’s what my memory wants to hold onto and that’s fine by me. It makes the picture even more joyous.
One day, purchases yet to me made we stopped for coffee. The name of the place escapes me, but I can see it clearly, down an escalator to a spacious seating area. Without the distraction of devices around us there was a chatter. In the background, music, probably. And then it was disrupted with the breaking news that Kirsty McColl has been killed in a boating or maybe jet ski accident. It was quite a shocking moment. I imagine we looked at each other with a mutual sadness, maybe quiet for a while, as life reminded us how fragile is can be.
We picked ourselves up, brushed ourselves off and continued with the day, our moods lifting as we enjoyed our companionship.
That day in question I have no recollection of where we went for a snack, maybe the little road off Regent Street. Constantly in the search of the perfect jacket potatoes was my cherished friend. It made me smile. It still does.
Refreshed and nourished we would continue our quest. A glance at a shop front, over the threshold and we were off. She one way, me another. Occasionally we would catch each others eye, or gesture we were off to try something on.
And so the day would continue as we built up our assortment of colourful carrier bags, shiny and new.They were a thing back then. Not demonised as they are today.
With energy and alloted finances spent we would head off to a special little place. A London boozer, with a snug, for two. There with a pint of the finest they had to offer, we would excitedly unpack our spoils.
How the memories of those days stay with me.Vivid, like it was only yesterday.
What is your middle name? Does it carry any special meaning/significance?
Today I am going to use this space for something else.
I’ve only had this particular blog for just over a month. WordPress looks a little different to the days I had the others. Especially the Daily Prompt. I don’t remember it from before. I love it! But it certainly distracts me from writing my own stuff. That’s okay for now.
However I am puzzled by a few things about DP…They ask us a question and then give us the option to read what other people have written…and it is here that my curiosity was stirred.
Firstly I noticed that some folk write absolutely nothing but the title given to us and yet get endless ‘likes’. This post of mine today isn’t about ‘likes’ in the adoration sense. Not the way it seems to be so very important to the young on Socials. But who are they, these strange beings who ‘ like’ nada? Zero content? Nothing, an empty page?
With my Sherlock hat on one day I decided to investigate. I scrolled through all the responses and took note of all the Zeroes to Heroes. Turns out the adulation was coming from pretty much the same ‘ people’ everyday….Then I looked at the most reactions to posts and there they were, the same bunch.The easily pleased space cadets.
I’m loving our Dashboards where we get to see all the interest in our blog recorded. The visitors, the likes and the views. It fascinates me to see the world map as it shows where you are all literally coming from.
I am now going to ask you to do me a favour as I continue my look into this strange daily occurrence. If you have read this far, I thank you..Now will you Like this post and put an emoji in the comment box? It will give me some insight to the workings of the Daily Prompt, here on WordPress. Much appreciated.
Have a good day all x
I’ll let you know how my little experiment pans out x
Awww.. Robin is joined by a blackbird serenading me this morning 🌅
It has become a thing for my dog to wake me extra early. I get up, make coffee, turn on LBC and look to see said dog very comfortably in a deep sleep.
I come back upstairs with my drink and lay down again for a short while. It’s warmer today, the relief of spring arriving is immeasurable.
And then it started..The robin outside my bedroom window with his morning song. A melody so fine it reaches my soul. The mystery, the pure innocence. What is in his heart he should sing like that? Who else is listening to his story? Is it a story or a song? Both.
And then it stopped. What a beautiful moment to start my day. Thank you
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.
Hate is a strong word and too strong for this situation…but, I dislike people I do not know and don’t know me asking what my plans are for the weekend. The simple answer usually would be ‘ not much’..And that is exactly how I like it.
Doing nothing can be misinterpreted in all manner of ways and I really can’t be bothered with all the patter ‘ I’ve had a busy, working, transient life and now is my time, to do as I please’.
My answer to this prompt sounds trite written down here, doesn’t it? But it’s the look you may receive, the pity. ‘oh poor thing has nothing to do and no one to do it with’. 😂 Don’t worry yourself, I’ve got plenty to do, thanks.
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?
Faliure and success ….what loaded words and concepts.
For Daily Prompts I generally put my thoughts straight onto the page, unlike Creative Writing which improves with some extra effort. Today I will write what’s jumbled in my head first off and then come back throughout the day to consider and probably add to and take away, bits n bobs.
The words failure and success can have emotional meaning beyond their literal definitions. Think about how advertising companies use persuasive writing to manipulate potential customers/clients.
How does one define success, exactly? And which success are we refering to? Constant, one time, sometime, occasional all time?Fifty shades of success, I suggest. Failure? Do we always see it as absolute and not acknowledge the success which may have come beforehand?
Imagine this…A business is established, the owners work hard and it becomes a success. Years later it fails because the business’s customers don’t or can’t pay their invoices. Looking back do you view/judge that business as the success it grew to be or the failure it became?
In 2010 students in Finland founded Failure Day, to be celebrated on October 13th each year. To encourage their friends to see it as steps to success. Much as Albert Einstein ( 1879-1955) said.
to be continued………………………… I wanted to come back to this today.. ..life got in the way xxxx
Did a cheap berating make the president of the United States feel like a big man, do you think? Does he feel the need to constantly over power people? Or is he simply rude? Both, probably.
President Zelensky may have thought for a moment or two about wearing a suit to meet Trump, or more likely a split second? He was walking into the lions den anyway. Better to arm himself with the familiarity of his own uniform and not that of the other man. Or the other men, as it turned out.
President Zelensky of Ukraine held his own against a barage of abuse, and came out of the ordeal the winner.
IN THE BOOMER PIGEON HOLE? 
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