Tag: dailyprompt

Past & Present

Do you spend more time thinking about the future or the past? Why?

Anyone who reads anything on this site will know I am a glass half full kind of guy, most of the time.

Do I think about the future? I plan like most people and that’s about it, I don’t really dwell on the future as i kind of have a tomorrow never comes attitude. I’ve developed a live for today way of life because too much sorrow and heartbreak has hit me in the past, and what you have today, may well be taken from you tomorrow, so take what you have now and cherish and appreciate whatever that may be, as the future is a thief that steals everything of importance from you.

Do I think about the past? Again, I try not to dwell on it but when you are a fan of most things “antique” it’s hard. Fantastic memories and people you have met along the way, why would you not reminisce on how they have shaped your life. If you have loved, it’s built on what has happened in the past and determines how you feel about that relationship in the present.

So in summary I am a thinker of the past and present. Life is a precious gift, what’s the point of worrying yourself about the future, we all know what the outcome is. Enjoy what you have had and what you have at this moment. That’s all that matters.

Peace to you all.

Time

What is the greatest gift someone could give you?

Now don’t get me all wrong, I’m not demanding that my life be extended, all I am saying is the best gift you could give me is your time.

A simple, “How are you?” A “Good morning” or even a smile, it sets a scene, we don’t have to rush, let’s talk a while but it rarely occurs. Probably the only person you speak to in the morning is the barista, when you give them your name to put on your coffee cup on the way to work.

Society has changed to the extent that we hold everyone in suspicion, we don’t trust anyone, not for any particular reason apart from society dictating that we should all be suspicious of one another. It’s just ingrained into society right now.

What Gift? Speak to anyone who knows me and you will see that I’m a person that likes gifts that have had thought go into them. I do not need items of materialistic value, you could just as well pass me an old battered book or a pair of socks, of no particular monetary value, if they mean something to me I will cherish them.

And that is where time is important. We all have an undefined amount available to us, it costs nothing to give it, and it has a value that is priceless.

Give your time, and you will be rewarded equally, it’s so simplistic that it’s crazy. If only society would sit up and pay attention.

Stay safe.

How rude

What colleges have you attended?

Well I’m not going to spill the beans on my actual places of learning, that’s just plain rude WP. Does anyone else notice a daily prompt structure on this platform that possibly assists scammers and questionable persons regarding an easy way to obtain details about you? No? I must be alone on that thought process then.

Anyway.

Boring answer is I’m a fully paid up member of the college of life. There’s no time off, no years out, it’s a constant stream of learning, experiencing, and getting things done.

The only college that, emotionally drains you, exhilarates you and makes you judge and value your existence and why the hell you are even here. It’s brutal.

That’s life.

Keep learning, for instance, don’t tell WP everything.

Stay safe

Do I play? Sort of..

Do you play in your daily life? What says “playtime” to you?

Playtime. Without venturing back to my childhood days, that have disappeared into the ether of long forgotten days of fun and frivolities, playtime for me takes on a different meaning from what it did back then.

Yes I have a fascination for old retro toys of childhood that I buy, fix and then restore, however the play element has long disappeared to be replaced by fascination of how things have progressed in that relatively short period of time. The play things of my childhood are now being referred to as antiquities and I guess that also means i to, am starting to fall into that category.

The great majority of my life is consumed by work. So for me “Playtime” as such is anything that falls outside of the work category. As I have aged “Playtime” is not the singular activity it was in childhood, it now is an all encompassing activity that involves everything from rest, hobbies, family life, personal time, education and enjoyment.

I don’t “Play” as much as I’d like due to the way my workload pretty much consumes my whole existence, hence I’m looking forward to the time when that “Play” element consumes the workload – retirement. And I’m probably looking towards that occurring in the next 3-5 years, maybe sooner if a small lottery win arises.

Here’s hoping for six little numbers 🤞

Stay safe and happy.

Old Photos

What makes you feel nostalgic?

Probably the one thing that makes me most nostalgic is viewing old photographs. Not the many thousand you have on your phones (Though many are relevant), I mean the many thousands you have stashed away in boxes, in loft spaces and under beds. Those pictures that go back generations sometimes.

Old memories

Black and white, Polaroid many different formats, all forming a pleasant picture of how it used to be. Times were simpler, I know we had a lot more Illnesses and afflictions back then, but we were amongst the last generations that actually went out and had proper “play time” and were able to venture every where, oh how times have changed.

When I look at the old photos the first thing I do is turn the picture over and see what paper it’s printed on, having worked in the paper and film production process at Kodak for many years, I often have a wry smile to myself recognising where the paper was probably made. And in those old days you very often had date stamps on the back that would allow you to instantly age a photograph.

The photographs usually come out when someone stumbles on them, that rare occasion, or when you stumble across them when spring cleaning.

It’s one of those little treasures you know are there, but your mind forgets them until it decides to surprise you yet again sometime in the near future.

Have a great day.

Was three, now two

What relationships have a positive impact on you?

This kind of makes me laugh. I was talking to my nephew yesterday and we were talking about Antisocial media. He was quite proud to tell me he had 875 friends on Fakebook and was quite putout when I told him he was having a laugh. I asked him to name as many of these friends as he could in 30 seconds, and he could probably reel out about 10 or 12 max. And there is my point, people on social media are not friends and a positive impact on you, nine times out of ten they are there to have a nosey around your life or to try and big up their own lives by stating “Oh look at the friends I’ve got. They’re not friends get over it. They’re doing it for likes.

That’s me off his Christmas list now.

Myself I can count my true friends on my hands. In fact I only need the one hand, in fact I only need two fingers, it was three before August but a death put paid to that relationship.

Now it is two. My wife who I trust implicitly, what she has done for me is just unbelievable, without her I would have been long gone many years ago, she has saved my life. Literally.

Second is my buddy Dave, i probably hear from him twice a year but we are there for each other we would truly go into battle for each other, this bond is strong and its roots go back to our childhood.

Trust is the foundation of a good strong relationship, it is a back bone, break it and there is no more stability.

875 friends eh? They’d all run a mile if you ever needed them.

Peace to your day.

Idyllic

You get to build your perfect space for reading and writing. What’s it like?

Illustration by Maurice Sendak in Open House for Butterflies by Ruth Krauss.

One of those questions that you give little thought to. However for me peace and quiet and tranquility reigns supreme.

Not just for reading a writing but for all my hobbies, all I ask for is some peace to be with my own thoughts and no rushing, peaceful all the way. I may also like to have a radio on, turned down low in the background just to hum along to,

Melton brook – Melton Mowbray

A little cottage with a separate annex by a slow babbling brook would be ideal. However I don’t think that is going to happen anytime soon, but one can dream can’t they? So in the ideal world it’s down to the river every time to seek inspiration and mental stability for me.

Have a glorious day everyone and stay safe.

Boys toys

What is your all time favorite automobile?

First of all I hope you all had a good Christmas Day, our family day went really well with no issues, and today is round two at someone else’s house so at least the washing up won’t be left for me today.

All time favourite automobile? Now I’m not really a petrol head and to me an automobile is purely a way to get from A-B. I’ve owned some right old bangers that I’ve really loved, but to be honest as I’m having to choose favourites, one is a toy and one is real.

The toy:

1970s I was brought a Tonka crane that was my absolute pride and joy. I was probably about 8 years old when I was brought this but to this day it’s still there in my memory banks as just something special. Knowing my love for anything retro I will probably one day look at obtaining one, much to the wife’s dislike.

A 70s Tonka Crane

The real thing:

When I was diagnosed with Kidney cancer a few years back I went out and treated myself to Landrover discovery 3. God I loved that car, it was like sitting in your favourite arm chair and a beautiful car to drive. It cost an absolute fortune to maintain but was worth every penny. Just like everything in this country though, we pay too much tax and because big diesel drinking vehicles fell out of fashion the grabbing government decided to tax these out of every day affordability. I loved that car and must admit I shed a tear the day it drove off our drive for the last time. I’d buy another one in a heartbeat, I loved it.

Doris – my old trusty Landy

We currently have a new car that serves a purpose but is as basic as you can get. That said, I’d rather walk anywhere within a reasonable distance than take the car.

Have a peaceful pleasant day.

A few, and a profession.

Who are the biggest influences in your life?

Personally my biggest influences amount to no more than a few people and one profession. Let me explain.

  • My Mother, she went through absolute hell in a marriage where she was beaten, abused and used like a carpet. I did my best as a child to protect her and like to think I did that well. She was still being abused well into her Seventies by a horrible jealous man who masqueraded as a husband. I dislike that man, as I have previously stated in a previous post I am unable to hate, I feel sorry for him and I’m sure he received his judgement when he passed over. At least I hope he did. Mother taught me patience and kindness, i absolutely love and adore my mother, and this week was the 20th anniversary of her passing.
  • My wife. She has this year kept the family together, she has saved a friend from harm. She has rescued that friend from the precipice, cared for her, seen she gets helped and spoken with her four or five times on a daily basis until that friend has been repaired, and brought herself back to a place where she is happy. My wife continues to impress me and make me so proud as she is a wonderful, beautiful soul that I believe was put on this earth to help people. She was unable to be a mother, something she would have truly excelled in, but she treats every child as her own and has beautiful relationships with youngsters, she guides and protects, she really should have wings on her back as I’m sure she was put here to serve that purpose. I am so proud of her and I know I have been gifted her presence for a short while, and I so appreciate that, I am a very fortunate person. And I so love her.
  • Anyone who teaches. You are very special and underrated individuals who deserve so much. I was most fortunate to meet the most influential man in my life who was a teacher : My Primary school teacher. Anyone that teaches deserves the utmost praise and respect, it is these unselfish individuals that shape this world and shape individuals into respectable members of society. You make the people who will go forward and shape this world. You make the world a better place. Anyone who just offers good advice and comfort to someone should pat themselves on the back.

We all have a role in society, we can all influence someone.

Have a peaceful day, have a wonderful holiday period no matter what your faith is or where your beliefs lay. Be that better person. Peace.

I won the lottery…that day

Share what you know about the year you were born.

My birthday year was special because I was born. I’m not being big headed, I actually won the lottery that day.

Well I didn’t win the actually “money” lottery, so you can stop thinking about the begging letters, however anyone born prior, during or since are all in fact lottery winners and your prize is life. (Like it or not.)

Yes your chances of winning the top prize in the Uk National lottery are a whopping 1 in 45,057,474 (source National Lottery)

Prior to being born your parents entered into a lottery arrangement (Polite way of saying what occurred) and your odds of being born are allegedly an eye watering 1 in 400 Trillion . Just let that sink in for a moment. You really have won the lottery of life.

As I said, like every big winner there are things you will like and dislike about you fortune, but you have been afforded probably the most precious gift of all.

Life.

So there is the saying that someone is one in a million, next time you are told that, stop that someone in their tracks and say. “ Hold on there, I’m actually 1 in 400 Trillion.”

We are all very special, on this little planet of Lottery winners.

Stay safe. You wonderful person.

(Picture courtesy of Earth.com)