HOW TO KEEP GOING

Posted on January 28, 2024 by hafong

I have 4 more posts to write for the Ultimate Blog Challenge. Today is a tough one. I have no idea what to write and I am not in the mood. You think I’m a teenager with attitude. I feel plumb out of metal. I don’t even have a bit of rust to write about. So I went searching on how to write when I don’t feel like it. Here’s what I found:

Find Your “Creative Nook” …
Make It Your Job. …
Take a deep breath. …
Hang Out With Other Writers. …
Sit With the Pain and Grief
Have some sort of ritual or routine to get them into the writing mood.
Write about it .
Plan.
Free write
Pull out your laptop, notebook or whatever it is that you like writing on, and just start writing!

I do have a writing nook and am sitting with pain and grief. Sometimes I do write about it but not today. My problem is I never have a plan. I often just sit at the keyboard and tap away. Sometimes just gibberish but sometimes I write some good stuff. Today is not the day. Today I’m just getting by.

Day 28 – the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

GROUNDING SATURDAY

Posted on January 27, 2024 by hafong

A lazy Saturday spent resting in hopes of recouping my energy and not falling ill. I felt immediately better when I made the decision to rest. I was not totally idle the whole day. I did some homework on grounding for my painting class. How appropriate, eh? There’s so many other ways to ground oneself besides laying down on the ground. Here’s an excellent article on grounding.

Immersing myself in creating is very grounding. I am connected to the earth and to the riverbanks I am painting. Then I pop in Sheba. She’s still in transition, needing more work. I’m walking along with her. It is very restful and refreshing.

Here’s my grounding work. Acrylics on Arches 300 lb. cold press watercolour paper.

Day 27 – the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Posted on January 26, 2024 by hafong

It is just another ordinary day in the life of an ordinary me. I have a thundering ache in my head, the inside of which feels as dry as desert dust. Oh, I do grumble on. It feels better to let it out, to let it be known that I am suffering. What a baby I am.

I am feeling much better now after some rest, laying down on floor with my legs up on a chair. It’s a restful position, letting everything hang loose. I’m a person who cannot handle too much in a day. I had a doctor’s appointment in the morning. Everything A-ok, good for another year. Then after lunch I had a two and a half hour painting class. Learning is exciting but it completely drains me. I have only 2 paintings to show for it.

Day 26 – the Ultimate Blog Challenge

MY LEFT FOOT

Posted on January 25, 2024 by hafong

Well, I’m stumped about what to write about today. So I’m going to grump about my aches and pains. I’m at an age when that’s legal and my right. You’ve heard me talking about my plantar fasciitis on and off all this month. It didn’t just happen in January. It has been an ongoing thing for a long, long time.

I’ve had problem with my left foot for so long, I can’t remember where the pain started – heel or ankle. I know that I couldn’t do a lot of walking or running. I don’t do the treadmill at the gym. I got a tricycle to run Sheba with when she was a puppy. I couldn’t walk to work regularly without developing pain. I must have done ok walking as a nurse. It wasn’t walking continuously. It was go, stop, go, etc. I don’t remember experiencing any feet discomfort. That is except for the time someone ran over my foot with a stretcher with a patient on it. My little toe was broken. It hurt for months.

This time my foot pain started in the fall in my left heel. It got so bad that it was painful to walk from Fresco to the Dollar Store in Market Mall and even to my parents house which is only half a block away. I bought a couple pairs of new shoes, insoles and wedges. All to no avail. I was already doing stretches, heel raises, etc. Also to no avail. Then it popped into my mind that my problem could be due to poor body alignment. Social media and YouTube are wonderful sources of helpful exercises.

So after a month of doing some hip, arm and feet exercise, I’m getting relief longer than a moment. I had a wonderful ski out at Wildwood Golf Course. I did the whole outside perimeter. I was feeling it in my foot by the end. It was a little stiff and achy first thing this morning but with a round of exercises, it went away. It was not only a left foot thing. It was a left body thing.

Day 25 – the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY – The Greenhouse

Posted on January 24, 2024 by hafong

I’ve come to the keyboard late again for wordless Wednesday. This is the building of our greenhouse in the autumn of 2020. It was the worse of times. It was the best of times. It was how it was. Looking forward to our 4th season growing in the greenhouse. It will begin in March.

Day 24 – the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

TUESDAY MORNINGS

Posted on January 23, 2024 by hafong

I’ve come to love my winter Tuesday mornings. I look forward to playing Wordle and Spelling Bee each morning. On Tuesdays I have an added bonus of an online class on Canadian history. Contrary to my previous belief that Canadian history is boring, it is very exciting and interesting. Tuesday mornings I also do my sourdough bread. It wasn’t ready for the oven today but it was still wonderful to feel and shape the dough. It was soft and alive in my hands. It sits chilling in the fridge, waiting for the morrow.

Now I’m basking in sunshine, tapping out my words on the keyboard. What makes a good day is having something to look forward to – anything that tickles our fancy. It tickles away those early morning aches and pains. If not, it makes them bearable so that we can get on with the day. It is still January. The forecast is for above temperatures of 4 – 6℃ above 0 next week. I’ve detached myself from much skiing this winter. There’s not much snow. The tracks are not good. I’m very happy to say that my plantar fasciitis is almost gone but it would be wise not to over tax my feet and ankles. So I’m cool.

It looks like we might have an early spring. It is not too early to think about starting peppers and eggplants. They take a long time to mature. I can think about germinating some snow peas. They like it cool. So do radishes. It is almost February. Soon I can take my lettuce into the greenhouse. I can device a little greenhouse in the greenhouse for them. There’s so many things to experiment with. We are only limited by our imaginations.

Here’s my effort in reworking my tree painting. Not sure I like it but I understood the rational in using the reference photo and I grew to love the photo. It taught me the rule of thirds, to paint background first and then the tree trunks and branches. I might rework it again. I can do that. It is acrylics.

Day 23 – the Ultimate Blog Challenge

QUAGMIRES AND DIPS

Posted on January 22, 2024 by hafong

It’s hard to keep up the momentum of inspiration. There are many quagmires and dips along the way. In those times I have to dig my heels in and work hard to get over them. That’s where I am now. I am almost within sight of finishing the Ultimate Blog Challenge. I’m not quite there yet though. 9 days left. My plantar fasciitis is almost resolved but not quite. I can’t give up on them. I’ve worked hard to get here. I have to work a little longer to reach ultimate satisfaction.

Our weather is a roller coaster of highs and lows. It takes me up and then drops me like a brick. It’s not optimal conditions for the body or mind. I have to reset my mental and physical thermostat to cope. However, it is our reality so I mustn’t whine. I don’t have to smile the while either. I just have to keep moving. If I do, maybe I can skim over the quagmires and dips to the other side.

Working on my paintings from my Friday class will transport me. I worked on this painting over the weekend. I got over my disappointment with my performance in class. I felt maybe I can paint after all.

I will try to bring some magic to this painting next. Working on a problem chases the blahs and whatnots away.

Day 22 – the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

SUNDAYS

Posted on January 21, 2024 by hafong

Well, I’m late to the keyboard. Hope I can dash off a few paragraphs without a hitch. Sundays used to be a day of rest. Used to. Even though I am retired I don’t have too many rest days. Even though I like to be sloth it is hard to stay put. Life seems full. That is a good thing so I should not complain too much. It’s just that I am tired and achy these days. The old body doesn’t want to cooperate with my wants.

Since I’ve read Atomic Habits not so long ago, I should practice what I’ve learned. I have this bad habit of just collecting information but not putting them to use. Now is a good time to start. It is obvious I’m tired. It is hard to move and I don’t want to. I can go easy on myself and let go of the shoulds today. It doesn’t matter if my table is all cluttered up again. I have space to do what I need to. The mess can wait another day. I haven’t got the sourdough bread started either. That can wait till tomorrow. No skiing today either. It’s not worth it to aggravate my foot problems when the tracks are poor.

But I did take time to do my mobility exercises. I’m making progress with my plantar fasciitis. It is wise to keep going and not lapse. Sundays I visit with my parents and do their vacuuming. It’s a good get away from my own mess. I always enjoy a snack and conversation with my mother. Today I listened to her conversation with a friend on the telephone. It was a good education on how to get old 101. I could hear just her end. It was on family, health, what and how to cook when you’re in your 90’s with small appetite and sparse teeth. My mother is still very resourceful at 92. She’s still sharp as a tack. I come from good genes. Thank the Lord.

Day 21 – the Ultimate Blog Challenge

OF LETTUCE & THINGS

Posted on January 20, 2024 by hafong

The day is broken. The sun is out. It took awhile but it is worth the wait. It is a balmy -9℃ outside and 0.7℃ in the greenhouse. It did reached a high of 4.5℃ about an hour ago. I can still dream of having lettuce growing soon. My seedlings are still alive and well. One must have dreams to get through the winter.

Now I have had my first ski of the season. It was in our local north and south parks. The tracks were not great. They were blown over and the snow not deep to set properly. We have to take what we can get. I got some exercise and fresh air. I’m hoping we will get more snow but I shall not hold my breath. It looks like a very short ski season this year but it’s good to be hopeful and optimistic. One could drown in tears.

So I’m having my cuppa with my feet up. My plantar fasciitis is going away. I have longer periods when my left heel doesn’t hurt. I have to be diligent doing my exercises. Pain is a great motivator. Healing is slow and takes its own sweet time.

Day 20 – the Ultimate Blog Challenge

I AM A SLOTH

Posted on January 19, 2024 by hafong

This morning the jukebox in my head was playing I am a sloth, I am a tortoise so I thought it was ok to skip the gym. My body felt like hell. It brought back fresh memories of my work days, especially 12 hour day shifts when I couldn’t say no, I don’t feel like going to work. So now, when I could, why wouldn’t I?

Mornings can be my best and worst of times. Best when the sun is shining and I am full of vim and vinegar. Those days seem rare. I am more like a happy tortoise, inching my way through life. Somehow I do get things done though. And then there are days like today when I feel like hiding and languishing away. I cannot as I start my acrylic painting class today.

I say to myself, Why the hell am I doing this in January? It’s cold and I have this heavy bag to lug around. I must love it for this is the 3rd January of art classes. Now I am back from class. While I can’t say I had fun, it was ok. Learning always exhaust me but I am revived by a cuppa and some raisin sourdough toast. Landscape is not my forte. I could not understand why the instructor chose the reference photos that she did. They did nothing to excite me. But when we got done, some of our paintings did excite me. They came alive.

I have lots to learn and to experiment. Being an in-person class, I learn from the other students as well as the instructor. I was fascinated by the young woman next to me. She fills her page with lots of paint. At first glance it looks like a hell of a mess. But when she is done, the painting looked like a Van gogh. It reminded me of Starry, Starry Night. I on the other hand, paints sparingly. Mine paintings look a bit naked. Well, it is the first class. I can learn to be more heavy handed and daring in time.

Day 19 – the Ultimate Blog Challenge

onethousandandtwo

Looking at Infinity

Tag Archives: writing