A recent WordPress daily prompt enquired: “What are the things you do within 30 minutes of waking up to ensure your day gets off on the right foot?” In my case there are two essential tasks that must be performed. Of the first – and I do mean the first – nothing more needs to be…
And so we finally drag ourselves across the finishing line, with the last of WordPress’ ‘365 Days of Writing Prompts’ – the end of a journey my enthusiasm for which, I have to admit, has fallen off somewhat over the past couple of months, as evidenced by the recent scarcity of related posts. Which you…
It’s not on the way to anywhere, so there’s very little in the way of passing traffic, and not much happens. So this blog is indeed just like Tranquility Base, the deeply rural French hamlet where we live. Nonetheless, occasionally an unsuspecting browser does seem to stumble across it, metaphorically pop their head round the…
My light spends most of its time under a firmly nailed-down bushel. This strikes me as perfectly rational: there is little to be gained and much to be lost from wanton self-aggrandisement – mostly in terms of respect, and particularly self-respect. But then ‘365 Days of Writing Prompts’ bowls me this googly (or throws me this…
Confidential: Draft script for infomercial. Do NOT show to client under any circumstances* Fade up studio lights to presenter seated in high-backed leather armchair. [I’m thinking I M Jolly here, people. No chance of getting James Earl Jones, I suppose] Hello there. Now, if you’re watching this channel at this time of night, then the chances are…
It’s all perfectly logical, I suppose. Sixty is the new forty, orange is the new black (although I have no idea what that actually means). Everything is the new something*. At this point you’re probably thinking – assuming you haven’t already clicked away in your restless search for that new cat video – ‘What the hell…
For someone who goes out of his way to disavow any interest in ‘fashion’, the subject of clothing does seem to crop up quite often, albeit randomly, in this collection of ramblings. So perhaps it’s time to give the subject its own post, especially as the latest of ‘365 Days of Writing Prompts’ provides a…
Examine my sleeve as closely as you will: you’ll never find my heart on it. I’m not, by nature, particularly demonstrative. This doesn’t mean I lack feelings (far from it), simply that making a fuss – thereby, shock horror, drawing attention to myself – doesn’t come easily, and certainly not naturally. Now, I’m well aware that being low-key can sometimes…
Every so often, WordPress comes up with a daily prompt that’s quite irresistible, and a couple of days ago they offered up an absolute beauty. “Your blog is being turned into an audiobook. If you could choose anyone to narrate your posts, who would it be?” This fits in neatly with one of their earlier…
Well, here we are at the end of August and self-doubt may be starting to creep into WordPress’ ‘365 Days of Writing Prompts’: “Are writing prompts a useful exercise, or do you find them to be too limiting and/or hokey?” Yes, I do find writing prompts useful as a supplement to my own sparse powers of imagination. However, I…
the only deadhead in the hameau 