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For the avoidance of doubt... Yes... I definitely have an opinion... |
 Welcome to my Blog!! Having an opinion is better than not having a thought of your own. I have many of both.... Pull up a pew and grab a hot, steaming mug of your choice. |
| Prompt: “Anything with the power to make you laugh over thirty years later isn’t a waste of time. I think something like that is very close to immortality.” Stephen King Do you laugh at anything that happened in the past? In what ways does laughter help us? *** Laughter helps us put things into perspective. The way we see things often changes over time, as we grow up/older, as we experience more. Nothing ever really stay as important (negativity) as it once was. Even our worst experiences can pale as we move forward with our lives. Instances where we may feel embarrassed initially, can become funny later on. Especially if there aren't any dire consequences attached to them - they just become life experiences that we learn from. One of the most important lessons we can learn (at any point) is not to take things so seriously - some things yes - but not everything. There is little point getting ourselves twisted and bend out of shape over something that people will forget about within a few days, weeks, or years. There is a fab quote - though I forget who said it - "If something won't matter in 5 years, don't let it matter now." or something like that - I'm paraphrasing. I did a lot of stupid, naive things when I was growing up. Now I look back and think "really"... and I shake my head and laugh. I reminisce with my friends and family over the stupid things we did or believed. Those activities/events certainly shaped us as people, but they are also relatively insignificant against other things that have happened in our lives. They often remind us of a simpler time. They are fond memories that bring smiles and giggles and can brighten even the dark days. They remind us there are pockets of brightness, and again, can help put current experiences into perspective. |
| Prompt: “True friendship resists time, distance, and silence.” Isabel Allende. In your opinion, what is true friendship *** I have a friend that I have been friends with since she was nine and I was ten. We were both at boarding school with each other, so we slept in the same dorm, (I think we may have shared a bunk bed at one point), we ate breakfast, and lunch, and dinner together seven days a week for weeks on end. We also shared clothes, made up dance routines, cried over boys, and sneaked around in bushes smoking... We did this for five years. There were times that instead of going home for the holidays, I went to her house instead, and vice versa. I love her like a sister; I love her family like my own. I have the fondest and more truest memories with her. We are not a close as we used to be, although I do still consider her one of my truest friends. She stills lives in the UK, I live in Australia and the distance and time difference sucks. In all honesty, we were useless at actively keeping in touch in the UK, as we lived hours apart. She defiantly has friends she confides in more than me now - especially about everyday things, and I do the same. Although we do let each other know about the big things in our lives - babies, divorce, deaths etc... However, I know without a doubt that, was I to move back, we'd be inseparable again. Or if I turned up on her doorstep, she'd welcome me in for cocktails and midnight bacon sandwiches. Our friendship has transcended time and distance and silence. I can be honest with her, and she will do the same. We don't always agree, but rarely argue, and will defend each other against any and all threats. It's not the same friendship we had in school, it's not the same we had when we were in our twenties, it has ebbs and flows and will continue to evolve - which is the definition of everlasting. |
| Prompt: "We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they're called memories. Some take us forward, they're called dreams." Jeremy Irons. In what ways and how do you think memories and dreams are related *** First off, I love Jeremy Irons. He makes an amazing villain every time. He's who I often picture the villains in stories to be. Memories and dreams are a way for our brain/minds to process things around us. People think that memories are true recollections of past events, but that's not entirely true. Memories fade over time, sometimes they are not complete to start with, that our brains often fill in the blanks, or to make it more palatable. If we're told something about an event often enough, or see a picture related to an event, we can, subconsciously, use that info to embellish the memories - sometimes believing that it's fact. An example would be the Cathy Bates' interview: she had been reprimanded by her mother so much that she believed she hadn't thanked her mother during her Oscars speech for Misery, she'd felt bad about it for years, it stayed with her, informing her future actions - it wasn't until a Jounalist actually pulled the video out of the archives that she realised she had thanked her mother. It's how 'gaslighting" works. It's actually easy to convince people of something did or didn't happen, even if they were there. Dreams can be of the past and the future. In this case, they probably represent our hopes, the possibilities that haven't been written yet. There are thousands of books written about interpreting dreams. Most people will agree that they are likely our unconscious filtering and processing everything that is going on around us. It would make sense that, that would be affect by our memories and our past. If our brain is a massive computer system, dreams and memories are probably in folders right next to each other. |
| Prompt: "Life itself is the most beautiful fairytale" *** When I think of fairy tales I don't think of the pretty, Disney stories. I'm not sure I ever did. I mean the songs were great, the prince always got the girl, there was always a funny, magical side-kick, and true love conquered all, but even as a kid, I preferred the original, darker versions, where good didn't always win; in fact, it rarely won. Before Hollywood got its hand on fairytales and muted the living hell out of them, they used to be stories that mothers’ told when tucking their kids into bed in an attempt to keep them safe – Don’t follow the fairies into their circles, or you’ll be lost forever…. Don’t wander off the path or you’ll meet a grisly end by something big and bad. The supernatural was dark, twisted and scary and represented everything we didn’t know and understand about the world, and were the forewarnings on how to stay safe. Pixies and fairies were not nice - they picked on unsuspecting human. I'm sure there's a tale of cannibal fairies... and the original toothfairy. They fed into our fear and bled into our religious beliefs. Stories whispered around campfires as urban legends, and tales of cautions, that blended our cultures and histories seamlessly and allowed us to pass life lessons onto the next generation. These versions of fairytales have their own beauty – a fragility. They made your heart race. Make you appreciate life. They are what make life a beautiful, "tragic" fairytale - there is no happy ending - there is no ending. There is just life! These days I like the dark, twisted fairytales even more. I’m a sucker for a grey character – they are more realistic and interesting. I’d rather the beast didn’t turn back into a prince. I’d run away with the pirates… I'd probably become a witch... |
| Prompt: " Isn't it good to be alive on a day like this?" Describe a perfect day. *** It's hard to define a good day. It's much easier to define a bad one - the day dad died, or when my car got stolen, or when I split up with ex-boyfriends (though in hindsight these weren't bad days at all). Much like when we're dating it's easier to say what we don't want, over what we're looking for in the perfect partner. There are so many variables to consider - too many - and it's the combination that determines whether it's good or bad. Individually, on paper it looks great - altogether, not so much. We strive for perfection far too much. It's pinnacle that cannot be reached easily and often leaves us feeling like failure or unhappy - perfect wedding, perfect days, perfect performance etc... Too much focus is given to Insta-lives instead of real life. For me, perfect always seems to be quiet days. The ones that creep up on you, where you don't realise how perfect they are until you're lying in bed at night thinking back. Subtle and simple. No grand adventure, or declaration. Just contentment. That being said - I would also find it pretty perfect if one day I woke to win the lottery (I don't play - so this may be an issue), be given a new car, get a promotion (because I am awesome and way overdue one), and discover how to slow down the aging process - or stumble into a fairy circle to be whisked away on the back of a dragon... both of which are highly unlikely to happen. |
| Prompt: Strange Phenomenon. What is a strange phenomenon to you? Is it strange because we humans still don't understand it or do you believe there is something mystical or magical behind it? *** A strange phenomenon is anything that is hard or difficult to explain. It's often linked to nature. With the advancement of science these are definitely dwindling away as we continue to learn more about the world around us - which is a little sad as it's nice to have a little "magic" or "unknown" in the world sometimes. It's why I like reading about superstitions as well. I am a sucker for the supernatural and magic. I will happily suspend belief to lean into the mystical. I love the lore and the stories - the histories of those stories. They tell us so much about our past and our evolution. I understand that there is a logical explanation for most things - it's one of the reasons I'm not religious. But I do like to jump in with two feet when it comes to things like the pyramids and Stone Henge - well any henge really. I love that these massive monolithic structures were build when the technology seemingly wasn't available AND that the stones and material used were often only found hundreds of miles away... Yes, it could be physis (yawn) OR it could be magic and aliens!!! I also find it fascinating, the level of precision that these structures had with the stars and nature - I refuse to believe there is nothing mystical involved, purely because that would be boring as all hell!! I have googled (because google is my friend) phenomena that can't be explained, and the result were very surprising. Apparently, we still don't know why we yawn... there is also a mushroom that only grows in Texas and Japan (weird), Saturn has a hexagonal shape at its North Pole, and we don't anything about Dark Matter other than it exists - if that doesn't scream, aliens I don't know what does.... One of my absolute favourite mysteries is the Bermuda Triangle - why are all those planes and ships disappearing without a trace.... it's spooky. |
| Prompts - Maps. With all the latest technological advances, maps are becoming something of the past, since we have other types of navigational tools in our cars. With that in mind, do you still use a map, and do you think maps can still be of use to us? *** Whether they are virtual or not, maps are just maps. It's just a different medium that is used now. And maps have always evolved - my road atlas looked nothing like those used by sailors. My little satnav on my phone looks nothing like the once on ships, or planes. There will always be a place for a hardcopy/paper map. Especially if the Zombie Apocalypse happens - which judging from the state of the world, will be ANY day now. Fun story - My husband and I were once traveling back from Manchester (UK) to Bath. I was driving and decided to take a detour through Wales and around the Brecon Beacons - it was a LARGE detour (several hours). It was made worse by the facts that our phones died, and we didn't have charging cables in the car. We had to stop at a service station to buy cables and a map - it was a while ago when phones didn't like to be used and charged at the same time. We navigated across Wales, down the very many twisty lanes with nothing but a map. What made it funnier was that in North Wales it's pretty much just the Welsh town names on the signs - which sound nothing like how they are written - Blaenau Ffestiniog anyone.... My husband, who is Australia, didn't even know Wales had its own language until he moved to the UK. So, me pronouncing town/village names as we passed, while he tried to find those places on the map did not work very well. I mean it was hilarious, but also a nightmare. I constantly had to stop to read the map and point out the places to him - to which he would proclaim - "that looks nothing like what you just said!!!" We would have been completely lost if it were not for the map. |
| Prompt - What comes to your mind when someone mentions monsters? In other words, what is a monster to you? *** Most of the monsters in literature and the movies are derived from the fear of the unknown, from the things that we, as a society, weren't able/ready/in a position to explain or except. They are often based on myths and folklore and evolved through whispers around campfires; stories told to keep children from doing what they shouldn't, or to strike fear into people. Dracula didn't really drink blood, but Vlad certainly hung people on spikes in a truly gruesome way to strike fear into his opposition. He was bloodthirsty and brutal, and the legend was born - add Gary Oldman to the mix and well... I wish someone would cross oceans of time for me.... My husband just crossed oceans lol. It was also a time where education was only accessible to a few and science - as we know it - wasn't really a thing, and fables were able to become real. Those cages were to stop the dead rising, not to stop grave robbers... Those doctors that dug up bodies to practice surgery, could only be doing so to "play god" and piece body parts together like a patch work quilt. Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman - the classic monsters that have set the standard of what monster should be. But they aren't that scary. They are exhilarating and adrenaline inducing, but we all know they are only fantasy. We can turn of the movie, leave the cinema or close the book and poof they disappear. Most of them have been turned into a wide variety of (dark) romantasy... Twilight, Trueblood, Interview with the vampire, Vampire diaries, teen wolf... it's never ending. In my personal opinion, the real monsters are the ones that we can't see or spot. The ones that pretend and present like safe havens when they are anything but. The biggest and scariest monsters is man. It's why I find psychological thrillers scary. They are based on the very worst of human nature. Things that could and sometimes have happened. Unfortunately, like many, I have experienced what monsters' man can be. And if you are fortunate enough not to have experience the horrors of the real world, you only have to put on "Why Women Snap" or Americas most wanted to see the faces that monster actually take. They look like our next-door neighbours, and the person down the street. I would much rather deal with an alien or predator. I think I stand more of chance of survival against and xenomorph - I said what I said. It's the whole bear v man debate - a bear will always be a bear. They are easy to predict. They are not going to trick you into a false sense of security, or expect something in turn, like you owe them. Nine times out of ten they aren't going to hunt you down - unless they are white of course. Whereas man, we are capable of so many cruel acts and not for those primal needs for food or safety. It's for fun. For power. That is far more monstruous. |
| Prompt - What comes to mind when you hear "Waiting for Godot"? *** Not a lot. I had never heard of it until I googled it for this post. Don't judge me... I'm not sure if this fact will come as a shock to people who know me. But you cannot know what you don't know and having an opinion on something you know nothing about it just stupid. Up until now the only Godot I knew of was the one who played Wonder Woman on the silver screen. However, I was aware of the play that Ian Mckellen and Patrick Stewart did together - two of my favourite actors - which turns out to be this play. It's apparently considered "the most significant English-language play of the 20th century" which means I should probably have a gander at it at some point. Other than that, I have no thoughts, though perhaps I should occasionally venture out of the sci-fi and fantasy isle in a bookstore. Unlikely to happen, as I prefer spaceships, vampires and dragons to anything remotely resembling the real world. |
| Prompt - I'm setting the scene and giving you the opening line and you're writing what happens next: It's evening and there's a mist rolling in this small town. Begin your entry with-- I've never felt so alone. *** I've never felt so alone, or perhaps that's a lie. I'm not a social butterfly like my sister. I don't surround myself with others. I don't like people. I do not have friends - a completely useless social endeavour. I'm certainly not the type of girl... woman... to giggle over gossip and spill secrets while sipping tea and delicately biting into cucumber sandwiches. However, I confess that at this precise moment in time I can see the benefits of not being alone - if only so I could trip someone up and outrun them. Does that make me a bad person - perhaps. It also makes me honest, which is a rarity around here. I have no hope of out running the beast before me. It looks like it's built for running. Powerful hind quarters designed for quick acceleration. It would be on me instantly. But a person. Another human being. I'd definitely have a chance then. It's a pointless thought. There is no one else here. Just me and the giant, bear-like creature that's currently stalking me like I'm its next meal, which is a very high probability all things considered. It's not a bear. I’ve seen bears. It’s not a wolf either. It’s too small. And the cats – all the big ones died out long ago. Though there is something definitively feline about it. Its muscular shoulders twitch and ripple under its black, dense fur as it bears down to a pounce. Its paws are hidden by the thick fog that’s rolled in from the across the lake, but even I can guess that its claws probably resemble a fist full of knives. Sharp, piecing, the type that can easily strip the flesh from my bones. I doubt I’d be difficult for it to unwrap. Its eyes watch me to track my every movement – or they would if I were stupid enough to move. I’m not stupid, nor am I brave enough to chance it and make a run for the rowdy tavern across the shingle beach. It's a stalemate. The beast is waiting for me to break. To run. To become its prey. I’m waiting for a miracle or a magical intervention. I’d settle for a drunken one – where are those blithering, mead filled idiots when you need them. Surely one of them could stumble out to take a piss and divert the creatures attention. A small fishing boat beaches on the shore. The fishermen are loud, barking orders to each other as they unpack their catch. It’s enough to break the creature’s focus. On my own, I’m an easy target. A convenient walking, talking happy meal. But the arrival of my saviours makes me more hassle than I’m worth. The beast turns and runs. The small pebbles under its feet flick up like the sprays of the sea as it bounds back into the forest and melts into the shadows of the trees. |
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I could spend hours studying them. In my opinion, both physical maps and online ones are essential to understanding the given area.
