WordPress Hates Me Today

My site is experiencing all kinds of fuckery technical difficulties today. It started yesterday, actually. Won’t let me reply to yesterday’s comments, or only very sporadically. Please know I am thankful for all the wonderful commenting on my post. I am VERY FRUSTRATED but working on it….

Rock on,

The WB

500 Posts!!!!

Dear Bloggie,

I have known for some time now that we were approaching the magical event of having 500 posts published. And I had promised myself that I would make a big deal about it. And I was counting it down, from about #493 until, well NOW.

So imagine my surprise when I realized – only AFTER yesterday’s post went live – that it was indeed post #500. And that I had completely missed it.

Well, fear not my faithful long-suffering blogge friend….It is Not. Too. Late.

Inspired and informed by fellow blogger Rivergirl, may I present to you and all my readers: a piecaken (dessert’s answer to the turducken) that I had made just for this wondrous occasion! ๐Ÿ˜‰

From the Food Network. My teeth ache just looking at it. Not going to appear as a #WOYPBC post anytime soon.

Here’s what a piecaken (Thanksgiving version) is comprised of:

In other words, a fat and sugar bomb. A conglomeration of pie and cake what, no pudding?. Not that anything is wrong with that! Why take multiple trips to the dessert bar when you can put a slice of this beauty on your buffet plate instead?

Anywhoodle, I digress as usual.

Back to you, Dear Bloggie…I apologize for having missed this momentous…uh…moment. (But only by one day, so can you give me a break?). I also apologize for having taken so long to get here. Despite you being in existence for over 12 years now (yup, missed that one too), it has taken me until now to get to this milestone.

I spent a lotta years in Crazytown (as the Mayor, no less) and the lack of blogging during that time is the proof in the pudding piecaken of that.

So please accept this piecaken as my sweet attempt to make up for all the lost years and forgotten milestones. Enjoy! And don’t come crying to me when your teeth hurt.

Rock ever onwards, to the next 500 posts!

The WB

Welcome to the New(ish) Block Editor, I think?

It has come to the attention to the staff of Widow Badass Industries that there is a lot of angst out there in the blogging community, regarding the WordPress Block (alias Gutenberg) Editor. Apparently, it is not a choice anymore, but something that has been foisted (love that word) upon us. I can definitely see how this would enrage upset throw a spanner in the works complicate what a blogger might innocently approach as their next sit down and hammer out a quick post session.

Let’s face it – time is precious, people hate change, and who has the fucking time wants to add learning something new to their day, unexpectedly. Add this to everything else that is unsettling/enraging in the world right now (global pandemic, Trump presidency, climate change, flat-earthers, anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers, white supremacists…you get the picture), and this Block Editor could very well be the proverbial LAST STRAW for many of us. Don’t let it be! There is help out there. There is some help here!

Disclaimer: I am no Gutenberg expert, even after all this time. But I do have the basics down.

Here at Widow Badass Industries, the Block Editor was adopted quite a while ago (over a year at least) and I for one, would never go back to the old way. I lurves it, people! And I hope you all eventually lurves it too, as I think it is a great improvement over ye olde classique editor.

Initially for this post, I was going to take a bunch of screen shots and try to illustrate a few of the features some are having trouble finding – let alone using – in the new editor. But then I remembered what helped me so much in the beginning: watching YouTube videos on the subject! And here, my blogging friends, is a good ‘un, to get you started.

What’s lovely about video is that you can start it and stop it and watch it over and over again as you build up your skills with the new Block Editor. Pro tip: Watch it on your phone, smart TV or tablet as you do your own exploring/playing with the new editor on your laptop or desktop. Christina has already taught me some cool shit things that I had no idea the new editor can do. There are more videos of this nature on YouTube, if this one doesn’t do it for you. Just type “using the block editor” in the YouTube search bar and see what pops up, like I did!

Christina even shows people how to keep on using the classic editor. Don’t do this people, if you can help it. Might as well rip the bandage off as soon as you can. In the video she mentions that the classic editor will be “sunsetted” in 2022, so it is inevitable – you will be making the switch to the Block Editor eventually, if you stick with WordPress. Why not do it sooner rather than later? You can’t mix and mingle, shop or eat out in the normal ways anymore, anyways. Give yourself an hour and dip a toe into the shallow end of the Gutenberg pool. The water is quite fine, actually!

This public service announcement has been brought to you by the fine folk at Widow Badass Industries. Who take no prisoners responsibility for whatever happens next, to you. ๐Ÿ˜‰

Rock on,

The WB

Are Bloggers Writers? Let’s Discuss!

From time to time, I see a post published on either why bloggers are writers or why they are definitely not writers. Why a person cares how someone self-identifies is anyone’s guess, but that they do and of course, now I want to know more about what people think. Because apparently it is a divisive issue and I have been known to court controversy. “Shit disturber” is an epithet that has been thrown at used against said to me, from time to time. ๐Ÿ™‚

I couldn’t find an accompanying Blogger’s Tears Irish whiskey. Can I infer from this that there is no distinction between the two groups? Hmmmm….

I’m happy to call myself a blogger – one who writes on her blog. If you think that blogging makes me a writer or most certainly not one, well…that is your prerogative, and your opinion and you are welcome to it. For most of my life – from a young child just learning to wield marks on a page with a chubby pencil to today – I have had to write, have admired published authors, and have wondered if I had what it took to be a writer myself. As a child I loved writing (and illustrating) fictional stories, but as I grew older I found that changed. I didn’t have that essential drive to create a fictional world and characters (damn!). However, I still needed to write. But could I ever be a writer if I didn’t write fiction?

As a young adult, I discovered this thing called creative non-fiction, and took after-work community college courses on the same. I continued to consume books on writers and writing. I even once ventured out to a so-called Writers’ Support Group in my hometown, thinking I could find my tribe and not feel so alone anymore. It was an….um…experience. I was not made welcome, despite their ad in the local paper that said otherwise. I had to listen to the other writers make in-jokes (not explained to me), and gossip about absent members of the group. Eventually the group pulled together to do an exercise – a timed writing from a prompt – and then we each had to read what we wrote. ALOUD. To this group.

It was absolutely terrifying for me.

When it was finally my turn, I read my piece…and got no feedback whatsoever. Yup, the sound of crickets greeted my offering, and the group moved onto the next participant.What did this mean? Was I that bad that nothing could be said to redeem what I wrote? Other people’s readings were commented on. WTF?!?

I left that meeting totally disheartened, and never went back. And thinking if this is what writers are all about (clique-y, petty, vengeful, passive-aggressive, jealous), I no longer want to be known as one. Like Groucho Marx, I had no interest in joining a club that wanted me as a member. Except, apparently they didn’t. Want me as a member. Ouch. I guess I could never call myself a writer.

Then the internet happened.

I discovered so many interesting voices on these things called blogs, which I just loved reading. In the early days, people (dare I call them writers???) wrote about everything, especially their take on their day-to-day lives, often in hilarious and insightful ways. Their voices were fresh and engaging and no one I was reading was trying to make a buck at it or conquer a niche or establish a brand, or land a book deal. They all seemed happy just to have a place to put their words, and I was happy to devour their writing. (Yes. Writing.)

A little over 11 years ago now, I started my own blog. One that has changed names and platforms over the years, and has grown with me. One that I still love today as my vehicle to get my words out there. One that has allowed me to finally (!) find my tribe. Am I now a writer? Have I always been a writer? Will I never be a writer? I don’t know if I even care anymore. All I know is that I write on my blog. I love it and I need to do it.

What makes a person a writer? Are you a writer when:

  • you support yourself with your words;
  • you write a book;
  • you write a short story;
  • you write an article;
  • you write ad copy;
  • you write plays;
  • you write scripts;
  • you ghost-write for others;
  • you write on a blog;
  • you write fiction;
  • you write non-fiction;
  • you write in a journal;
  • you are published by others; (do letters to the editor count? asking for a friend… ๐Ÿ˜‰ )
  • you self-publish;
  • you possess a post-secondary education in writing;
  • you attend writing workshops and retreats;
  • others call you a writer;
  • you call yourself a writer;
  • you have an internet presence as a writer (published or not);
  • you have an editor;
  • you receive grants with which to support yourself as you write;
  • you have received awards and recognition for your written words;
  • you feel tortured and misunderstood? ๐Ÿ˜‰

Any, all, or none of the above? What have I missed?

At what point can you call yourself a writer sans dispute?

Personally, I think that anyone who has the desire to write, and whose words can touch another person in a meaningful way as part of our shared human experience is a writer. And by that definition, the majority of bloggers I have read over the years have been and continue to be writers. I continue to aspire to be a writer. And even if the court of popular opinion decides that will never happen, I will always be proud of being a blogger.

Well, Tribe? What do you think? What makes a writer?

Rock (and write) on,

The WB

52 Journal Prompts and What I Am Thankful For

Keeping up the time-honoured tradition of stealing borrowing from other bloggers.

Now that I am retired from work I have no more excuses for not blogging regularly (or more regularly) due to lack of time, right? Yet the problem remains of not always knowing what to blog about. So in order to “prime the pump” as the saying goes, writing prompts are an excellent resource. AJ Blythe – a delightful Aussie writer and blogger I follow – recently posted a list of 52 writing prompts that I promptly stole borrowed, after she graciously told me “the more’s the merrier!”

Party on, Wayne! And this is how these things spread. So now I’ve told you about 52 Journal Prompts. Who’s gonna steal from me? ๐Ÿ˜‰

My first prompt – What are you thankful for? – is very apropos and wasn’t even needed as I had planned for a first post-work life post on this very topic.

What am I thankful for? A better wording for me might be “what am I not thankful for?” For I am truly thankful for everything in my life that has brought me to this very day. Even the mistakes, missteps and sorrows have helped make me into the person I am today, and for that I am truly grateful and thankful.

I am fortunate that due to the privilege I was born into (white straight cis-gendered), hard work, and a little bit of luck, I am one of the lucky group of people that even GET to retire, let alone retire at age 60 and in good health.

I wake up every morning (as I did long before I retired) and express gratitude for my life and the people in it, before my feet hit the bedroom floor. That sets the perfect tone for me to start the day, no matter what else is going on or expected to go on that day.

I don’t know if I will continue to use one of these prompts per week for the whole of 2020, but I’d like to. Let’s not call this a resolution though, OK? ๐Ÿ˜‰

Happy New Year and Rock on,

The WB

And Then There Were Two…

Days left in this year and my career, that is! Holy cats, how did I get here so fast? It seemed like only yesterday I was starting out, working (at minimum wage) even before officially graduating with my sparkly Bachelor of Science degree, at my first full-time job.

As the sun sets on the year and my working life…Late December Sunset on the river that is a few steps from my home.

I was one of the lucky ones – actually working in my field, thanks to a part-time job in a lab I picked up while working on my undergrad…that morphed into a full-time position once my studies were ended. But enough reminiscing on that for now. Maybe I’ll do a retrospective (or two) on my working life at some point on ye olde blogge, but that’s not the focus for today.

Some of you may have noticed it’s been a while since my last post – 28 days, to be exact. Although I am not the most prolific of bloggers, I’ve been doing pretty well for the past couple of years, so this was a long hiatus for moi.

For 2 reasons, mainly.

Reason #1 – this last month of work has been waaaay more draining than I had anticipated. My successor took over officially on December 16th, and I’ve been very focused on giving her a smooth start (by performing some unpleasant tasks that needed doing, so she didn’t have to deal with them); and trying to organize/categorize/put into words all of the things that are the Lab Manager’s responsibility and that I have to deal with on any given day. Her comment on the first day of the job: “Wow, here I am dealing with at least 7 time-critical things at the same time.” Only 7? You’ll get used to it…hehehe!

I’ve been so involved with a successful handover that it’s infiltrating my dreams. A few days ago I woke up terribly tired because it seemed like all night I was going through my computer files in my sleep – finding an apparently vital statistics spreadsheet that I’d been keeping and needed to remember to share with the new Lab Manager. When I woke up, I couldn’t remember what this damned important file was all about so I figured my anxious brain just made it up for my dream.

The point is: I’ve been coming home exhausted and needing my free time to decompress, unwind and recover/restore myself for the next day/week.

Reason #2 – not feeling the Christmas at all this year. Could be related to Reason #1, but I don’t think so. I’ve fallen out of love with Christmas for many years and many reasons. But this season it was especially severe.

For the first year ever, I didn’t put up a tree. Even though I probably should have if only because it would have given me an opportunity to sort through my Christmas decor bin, prior to my mid-year move to the West Coast. No tree or other decor, no Christmas cards or letter to friends – no nothing.

So this kept me off the blog because who needs to listen to me rant about how I was am feeling like Christianity is the one of the biggest hammers in the Patriarchy toolbox and other such angelic thoughts as I have been having this month…HAH! Especially at one of the most celebratory times of the year, for most people, regardless of religious leaning. Consider it a public service that I’ve kept quiet. ๐Ÿ˜‰

However, I have enjoyed living vicariously through other bloggers I follow as they posted about their Decembers, and their celebrations with family and friends, and tried to keep my bitter thoughts to myself. As one should.

I did take some time out to celebrate the winter solstice, despite everything else going on in my life and my mind. A reflective and solitary celebration of my gratitude for my life and for the natural world that hosts me – welcoming the longest night, and then the rising sun the next morning.

Welcoming back the light on December 22, from my kitchen window. The beginning of actual winter – the time of dreaming – and of beginning a new year and new life.

In closing this last post of mine for 2019, I’m going to take a moment to also thank YOU – all of the readers of ye olde blogge for being “here” for me. For taking the time to read and comment; for your encouragement and humour; for your insights and oh-so kind words. I do love this community so, and can’t wait to keep interacting with you all in the coming year when I will have much more time to do so!

Rock on,

The WB

A Decade of Blogging: Some Thoughts

Happy birthday, dear Bloggie!

Today marks the 10th anniversary of me starting what has morphed into ye old blogge. Ten years ago today I sat down in front of my computer at my shabby little former abode and went onto a platform called Blogger to create The Next Year of My Life – a blog to capture all the thoughts and events leading up to me getting married again, 365 days hence. Thus today also marks the 9th anniversary of my wedding to the late JD.

Never could I ever have imagined all that has happened to me in the 10 years since September 3, 2009. Here’s a listing of the highlights and links to my posts about them. And here’s an additional link to include my big news of 2019.

During the course of my 10 year journey to get here, I was often silent for large chunks of time (sorry, dear Bloggie!) due to what was happening to me in real life. But I never abandoned my blog completely and I hope I never get into another situation where I feel I can’t blog because I can’t write about what is actually going on or really bothering me. Or because I became the unwilling Mayor of Crazytown and no longer had a moment to myself. I am confident it will never happen to me again (cough*no more men*cough). ๐Ÿ˜‰

When I first started blogging, I had no readers. I did not know how to get readers. I didn’t know if I even wanted readers. I just needed the outlet to get my thoughts and pictures out there, to keep a “journal” of sorts – that I could access from anywhere, anytime. And blogging fit the bill for me.

And the blog grew and changed as I grew and changed. I went from Blogger to WordPress.com, changed the name a few times (and imported the old posts into the new blog – easy peasey) until finally settling on The Widow Badass Blog and purchasing my own domain (www.widowbadass.com) and all that goes with that. I knew I was on to something when the young man at Bluehost exclaimed “What a cool name!” as I explained over the phone the domain I wanted. Funnily (and luckily) enough, it was available!

I’ve had a lot of thoughts about ye olde blogge over the past 10 years. At various points in time I admired very successful bloggers who make a living from their blogs, and have important and uplifting messages that they share on their platforms. For a hot second, I imagined joining their ranks. But then I remembered who I am, and I know I would quickly burn out/get bored/move on. I don’t think I could ever settle on one “niche” or “brand” for my blog. I’m a dabbler, not a digger remember?

The Widow Badass Blog suits me just fine. (I can imagine being the WB for ever and ever, amen.) In it, I can talk about anything that happens to be on my mind at the moment. And need not worry if I am deviating from my message, ‘cos I don’t have a single topic or message. I am a proud member of a vanishing tribe, the one that got me into blogging in the first place: the Eclectic Bloggers.

After JD passed away and I reclaimed/rebuilt my life, the ability and desire to post more regularly came back and I also began reading more blogs. I rekindled long held passions, such as hiking. A Google search on hiking the Bruce Trail led me to Joanne’s (now dormant) blog about that very thing, and to her current blog. Which led to us commenting on each others’ blogs and eventually meeting in person. And now we have gone on several adventures together, even heading to Newfoundland for a week this spring, to hike and explore! I think it is accurate to say that most of the current readers/bloggers I like to visit are also readers of Joanne’s blog and have gotten to know me through her. Thanks pal! ๐Ÿ™‚

Joanne is not the only blogger that has become a real life friend. Karen H. (currently inactive), Donna, and Karen G. (currently inactive) are also friends I have met in real life as well as on the blogosphere, all thanks to reading and commenting on each other’s blogs.

Which leads me to the most valuable thing (for me) that has come out of 10 years of blogging: finding like-minded (and often far-flung) souls. Finding your “tribe” and building/contributing to a community. I think it’s harder to find and make friends in today’s world. Everyone is so busy and any idle time is spent with a face buried in a cell phone, instead of interacting with the people around you. I’m guilty of this myself, as I am usually reading a book on my phone, if I am waiting for anybody or thing when out. (I’m trying to be better and more present in the world, but when the book draws you in and you can’t put it down, well…I am only human, after all!)

Despite technology interfering with people interacting face-to-face, I don’t know of a better medium than this self-same technology in which to leisurely get to know someone and have them get to know you by reading and commenting on a personal blog. Real friendships can come out of this. And if the stars align and the geographical difficulties can be overcome, you may be lucky enough to enjoy a bloggers’ meetup, and get to meet your new friends in real life. What could be better than that?

This is the single best thing about blogging, for me.

So here’s to you old Bloggie, ye olde friend (and friend-gatherer) of mine! Looking forward to whatever/whomever the next 10 years of blogging badassery will bring into my life. Cheers!!!

Rock on,

The WB

Spring Equinox: Thoughts on Intentions, Life and Death(!)

It’s Spring!!!! Let me just speak for all (OK, maybe not you guys on Vancouver Island…grrrr! ๐Ÿ˜‰ ) Canadians and say how relieved we are that IT IS OFFICIALLY SPRING ON THE CALENDAR and Winter 2019 is now behind us.

As is my habit, I use these times of the year to check in on my progress towards my intentions. This provides me with a quarterly reminder and opportunity for course-correction, if needed. It’s like using the Daylight Savings Time changes to remind you to check the batteries in a smoke detector, except more in keeping with the natural world!

So…so far, so good. I am keeping up with making good on my word for 2019: Record, entering a few bon mots (or not so bon mots) every day in my journal.

Wish I’d said that. I tend to be more of a wise-cracker, but hey! Calisthenics! That’s like exercise, right? Exercise is good. Even if it’s only brain exercise.

My health journey – also so far, so good! I’m killing my 10K step goal. And, as of today, I have lost just over 13 pounds since I joined WW last October. I feel great, with lots of energy and enthusiasm to get me through my days. My jeans fits nicely – even a bit loose – for the first time in a long time. I love everything about WW – I love the app; the flexibility; the variety; the focus on healthy, whole foods and daily activity; the support and sharing at the workshop; and of course (so important for me) – the accountability. I even lost 1/2 pound after coming back from my winter travels – and believe me, I did not track my food/liquor intake or even try to restrict myself while vacationing!

One of the best things about this weight loss is that already my blood pressure has come down significantly. I may soon have to adjust how I take my BP medication, and hopefully can get off it completely at some point.

Treated myself to a new water container at work when I noticed I was not drinking enough during the day. I saw this at the store and was drawn to it, like a magnet. I likes the SHINY. ๐Ÿ™‚

The A-Z Blog Challenge is coming up at the beginning of April, and for the first time in 4 years, I won’t be participating. Because I’ll be travelling again (AGAIN!!!) in the middle of the month. This is turning out to be quite the year for me. So here’s what’s happening: my SIL and BIL have put their names in every year for the past 10 years, for the opportunity to buy passes to the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. And you guessed it – this year they got notified their names were drawn. So guess who got invited to join them down there? That’s right. THIS GAL!

We’ll be staying in an “executive home” and meals and transportation to and from the course are included. I don’t have much more details than that, at this point. Except for knowing the dress code and rules for being a spectator (no cameras, cell phone, no electronics PERIOD). This last part has me a bit stressed. What is a blogger without her camera??? Speaking of …

I decided, after months of thinking about it, to treat myself to a new camera.

My new baby. With the video screen flipped up. Yet something else to learn how to work. Check out the size of this “getting-started” manual. I downloaded the “real” manual from ye olde Canon website. Oh yes, brain calisthenics for the win!

My previous camera is 5 years old. Which is like using a 5 year old phone or computer. Ancient technology. I’m looking forward to using the video function more and more. I may eventually post the odd video diary to YouTube if I feel confident enough to try out this vlogging thing. Speaking of YouTube…

My new obsession: Caitlin Doughty, and her channel

Caitlin is an author and YouTuber, and the founder/leader (or at least one of them) of The Order of the Good Death – a death-positivity movement. I hope I haven’t lost you yet! She is a mortician and an advocate of helping families take back control of their loved one’s death and funeral rites, helping them to choose greener burials (usually much lower in cost than the traditional way too) and to say goodbye in a healthier, more personal and meaningful way. She is trying to change the dialogue around death and empower families to stand up to pushy funeral homes, and does it with short, fun videos that I find very entertaining and educational. Her channel has hours of content about death-related topics and rituals from around the world (Ask a Mortician! Iconic Corpses! Morbid Minutes!) that are addictive to watch!

Here’s a really good one about grief, to give you a sample. One that’s not quite so macabre – not that there is anything wrong with that! A-hem!!!

What she says really resonates with me because I consider myself a pretty death-positive person. I don’t shy away from the topic or people who are dying. (Let’s face it: we are all dying. Just some of us sooner than others).

In fact, with all the deaths I’ve had to experience in my family lately, I’ve found that I have kind of an aptitude for it, if that’s the right term. Someday I may volunteer in some capacity to help people with death. Like at a hospice.

And I feel really strongly about having a green burial. I sent Mizz J a random text this week telling her (again) of my wishes to be sewn into a biodegradable shroud and dumped, un-embalmed, into a hole in the ground, to nourish the soil and plant life. I even sent her a link to a green burial cemetery – you know – just in case something happens before I can arrange it for myself. As one does…

Thinking of and planning my death is not at all morbid, to me. My mom planned and paid for her funeral years in advance and it brought her great peace of mind. And made our job of caring for her in her illness and death so much easier at a difficult time. Because we knew exactly what she wanted done, at the end.

That’s it for me. Happily thinking about death at the start of this season of new life. ๐Ÿ™‚ How are you all doing at this point in 2019? Please feel free to share in the comments.

Rock on,

The WB

2018 Intentions – Summer Solstice Update

Celebrating the solstice with a new candle. The scent is appropriate for the first day of summer!

More and more lately I find I am aligning myself towards the natural world, and the changing seasons. I take great pleasure in and greet with wonder this marvelous planet I reside on, daily.ย And at regularly occurring natural events like solstices and equinoxes, I like to pause for a moment and take stock of where I am with respect to what I am trying to achieve for myself – my intentions.

It just feels right to me to do things this way, rather than according to a date on a typical paper or digital calendar. This centres me and reminds me of what is truly real, and what are only human constructs.

The world continues to turn; the planet makes regular revolutions around the sun – where am I with my turning in my journey around my life?

I first wrote about my goals for 2018 here, at Yuletide. I updated my progress at the Spring Equinoxย here.

And here is my assessment of where I am at now, and what has changed in the past 3 months.

Blogging – still managing to blog at least once per week. Hoorah for me! It has been a bit of a struggle, and more so now that the weather is finally hospitable and I am trying to be outdoors as much as possible. There was a good reason my blog went silent almost every summer and fall in years past. I have not yet perfected the art of outdoor blogging (although I managed pretty well in Barbados, I must admit).

Reading – as predicted, I blew past my GoodReads goal of 50 books this year easily a few weeks ago. GoodReads tells me I am 36 books ahead of schedule at 59/50 books read. Next year, I have to at least double this way-too modest goal. Clearly.

Mindfulness – I have been doing a lot of what I call micro-meditations. That is, multiple daily pausings to draw my attention to the present moment and savour it.ย  But not so much butt on the zafuย as I was hoping. Still, I am pleased that I am practicing mindfulness on a daily basis.

Financial Security – oooh, doggie! There has been a lot of change in this area. In April, I made a life-changing decision that I can’t really talk about on ye old blogge yet, but it is one that is good for me and I am very happy about it. All will be revealed eventually but unfortunately not any time soon. This has necessitated a change in my financial goals for this year. I have stopped paying down extra on my rental business demand loan for the time being. I am finally heeding my accountant’s advice to not be in such a hurry to pay this down as this debt is very good for my tax situation, and my 2017 tax refund proved him right once again. So I am focusing on optimizing my future monthly cash flow by working on my line of credit instead. I used this credit line for last summer’s renovation – and I locked it in at a much lower interest rate so it was not a priority for paying off ahead of schedule. But not anymore ‘cos Mama’s got a brand new plan.

Intuitive Processes – I am getting better at listening to that still, small voice. My heart voice. The one I usually ignore in favour of my head voice. Using the Tarot is helping. A lot.

The question was money-related, about the future. The cards tell me to size up the situation, get to the point and be completely honest; that I will be able to make my dreams real; and that I am resisting change that is truly needed. Yup, I was.

Health – I have stopped trying to diet, and more importantly, fretting about the need to diet. I eat what I please, when I’m hungry. And guess what, my weight is still about the same – I might even be down a pound or two. But now I truly enjoy my food and I have more time and mental energy to think about fun stuff instead of feeling bad over what I am shoving down my pie hole (or not). So, hoorah for intuitive eating! Although I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I am tempted to go back to restrictive eating whenever I read a “success story”. Then I remember that those successes are just snapshots in time, and a year from now that person will likely have put all the weight back on (and more). I’ve seen it happen to people I know over and over again. Hell, I’m one of them!

I’ve also been very consistent on making sure I move my body – achieving over 10,000 steps almost every day for the past 2 months. My energy levels are nice and high, as a result. And my stamina has improved as well. I keep meaning to add a regular weight lifting routine to my week but haven’t yet made a habit of this. So that is an area that needs my attention during this next quarter.

Speaking of enjoying my food: getting ready to munch on a lovely “zakje patat” (sack of fries) with mayonnaise (Dutch street food) for din-dins after earning another medal for walking 5 km per night for 4 nights at the 4-Day/Evening Walk event, in Dundas. (I couldn’t finish it and chucked the bottom quarter in the waste receptacle. I was out of mayo by that point anyway ย ๐Ÿ˜‰ .)

7 years of completing this annual event. Unfortunately this was the last year this event will be held.

Art – I’ve been roughing out a bunch of ideas in my notebook but not doing a lot on canvas. This weekend is supposed to be kinda rainy so I’m planning on painting. I got my weekly blog post done early so as to free up time for this. Wish me luck!

What about you? How are you doing with respect to your intentions (if you made any) for 2018, at this half-way point in the year?

Rock on,

The WB

Theme Reveal With a Twist #AtoZChallenge

I’ve been thinking a lot about my plan to have no plan and to be freewheelin’ the A-Z Challenge once again, for this year.

And about ultimately how this is going to be adding more stress to this challenge than necessary. And how I don’t need any MORE stress in my life than I currently have going on (*cough*still working for a living*cough*bad week*cough*).

And so I say unto ye: this bullet shall be dodged.

Oh yes! Brothers and sisters, I have seen the light – the theme-revealing, plan ahead-ing, less stress-inducing, editorial calendar-ing light!

Hallelujah!

And I also say unto ye:ย  I am NOT going to reveal my theme NOW, OR at the beginning OR at any point throughout the challenge.

Because I want YOU to reveal my theme!

That’s right. I’m making a game of it.

As A-Z progresses in April, let me know in the comments what you think my theme is, as you read through my daily, alphabetically-inspired posts.

Here again, is the calendar for the challenge:

Calendar of Posts

Rules: You are allowed one guess per day. And the guesses have to be posted on Ye Olde Blogge, as a comment. I’m not accepting any guesses made on Ye Olde Blogge’s Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages.

Make it easy on yourself – subscribe to Ye Olde Blogge (subscription box on right sidebar) and let the posts come to you every day via your Inbox. It’s super easy and efficient and I won’t spam you or use your information for nefarious purposes, ever! That’s a Badassโ„ข promise.

I won’t be commenting one way or the other on the daily guesses, other than maybe to say thanks for the guess – so I don’t spoil things for anyone commenting later in the game.

After the challenge I will reveal my theme and sum up how people did. Who guessed it first, who next, craziest most interesting guesses etc., etc.

Here is a hint:

My theme is a song title and this song was popular when I was a kid.

I feel like I’ve already said too much. I’m excited to see how many of you can figure it out, and how soon!

Rock (and guess) on,

The WB