Category: Random

Fee Writes

Combat Loneliness: Simple Ways to Reconnect

This is the most brilliant quote I’ve read for a while.

It certainly resonated with me and got me thinking. I hope the same happens when you read it.

It was by a guy called Jean-Paul Sartre. He was a French philosopher, playwright, and novelist born in 1924—quite a remarkable philosopher and very interesting.

That whole concept of being alone for me is fine. I’ve lived alone for 18-odd years or so. But the lonely part. I will admit there has been an odd time when I have been a bit lonely. But thankfully, I recognised the feeling early on and did something about it so I didn’t spiral into that loneliness.

It’s at the beginning of that spiral when you need to do something. So here’s a couple of ideas:

Go for a walk listening to a podcast, music or audiobook.
Get yourself out into nature.
Go to a café, get a coffee and people-watch.
At the same café, take your computer and write emails or ‘journal your thoughts’.
Don’t hesitate to read out to someone. It might be a neighbour or whoever, but reach out to someone.
Watch a movie at home or go to the theatre and watch one there.
Go to the library and get a book. As my mom always used to say, “if you’ve got a book to read, you’re never alone because books use your imagination and you can absorb yourself into the story“

Perhaps try and learn something new. Go online and have a look and see if there is something in your neighbourhood that you would like to do. Is it is it dancing? Is it comedy? Is it learning how to work a computer?

Is that anything that gets you into a group situation, and especially a group situation where you’ve got younger people? So it’s not all just your age group. (I’m talking to the older people here now.) Younger people bring in a fabulous vibe. It’s brilliant when you talk to young people as they offer different perspectives. So, if you feel like you’re spiralling into loneliness, go online, find a group to join, get out there, and participate in your community.

Fee Writes

Random

Making Choices

We all have choices, and making them determines our lives.

I was thinking recently, and I sometimes wonder if it’s such a good idea to sit down and ponder things, but when you get to a certain age, well, any age when you’ve got time on your hands, you tend to contemplate life.

One of the things I was thinking about recently was how all the decisions I have made up to this point have led me to this point.
They have led me to who I am, where I live, my friends, and everything that makes up my life. And this has all come from choices that I have made in the past.

Now, am I happy?
Too right, I’m happy.
I’m very grateful that I was born with the sunshine gene. Even my mother used
to tell me that I walked around with rose-tinted glasses on. I love it, and I still have those glasses.
In saying that, I know reality and understand what’s happening in the world. I keep myself up to date with world and local events to keep in the loop.

So I do know what’s happening. I’m not in La La Land, but I always look for the good in people. I always look for the good in things and think there is; how can I put this? It’s like the sun is always shining, regardless.
It doesn’t matter if it’s storming or cyclone or whatever, the sun is always shining because you get up beyond the rubbish and there you have the beautiful blue skies.

It’s like there is yin and yang.
We all know there are two sides, negatives and positives to everything.
And we always have a choice, regardless. We always have a choice of how to react to whatever is in front of us.
You can be bitter and twisted about something, or you can choose to be happy. It may sound simplistic, but if something is out of my control, it is up to me to find and be grateful for the silver lining, no matter how thin it is.

I used to always tell my children that they had a choice. When something happened with the kids, for example, they asked for or to do something, and I said no. Now, I would explain why they couldn’t have it or do it. But the answer was still no.
Generally, the first reaction was to pack a tante. get all upset and and say please, please, please, mama.
And I would say.

“Sorry, but you know the answer is no.
And this is the reason why.
Now you have a choice.
You can go away and cry, get upset and angry.
Or, you can go and find something else to do and be happy about it and focus on some good
thing that you can do.
Ride your bike or draw a picture or something.
The answer is still no.
It’s your choice as to how you react to it.”

They didn’t like it, but they understood it.
And later on, as adults, they told me that they used to get so angry when I would say that because they knew I was right. But it didn’t take them long to understand the principle, and once they got it, they embraced it.

You are always in the best place.
It’s the only place you’re in.
So make the best of it.

It’s simply that. It’s the choices we make.

Fee Writes

Random

The Effect of Smiles

Nothing beats the effects smiles have on you.

While housesitting a few months ago, I had quite a remarkable little time when I went out to a mall. Now, I’m not big on malls, but where I was staying, there was no high street (so to speak). It was the mall or nothing, and my general thing the mall visits is to put blinkers on, do what needs to be done and get out. However, while there, I decided to stop at a cafè and have a coffee.

As this was a new mall, I decided to have a wee look around.
Now, there was one thing that I was looking for, and that was arm warmers. It was getting cold, and sometimes, a little added warmth on the arms was needed. Of course, one can always use leg warmers on the arms. It doesn’t really matter. So I looked for either arm or leg ones.

I went into one store. It’s a large franchise store, and I’ve bought items I like from them. I thought they might have what I was looking for, so rather than look around the store, I thought I would go and ask.
I went up to the counter and asked a pretty young woman if they had any arm or leg warmers.
And she said, “Oh, I don’t think we do.”
But she said we may have leg warmers.
And she takes me into a particular shelving area.
Realising there were none, she said, “Oh no, they’re all gone.”
Next thing, this guy walks over.
He was gorgeous. He was charming, a Pacific Islander, and adorable. I’m sure he was a manager or something similar.

The young woman asked him if they had any arm or leg warmers, as none were on the shelf.
He replied, “Oh, are we really? Oh, that’s not good enough. I will get onto that immediately because we definitely should have some at this time of the year.”
I quickly responded that I wasn’t from this neighbourhood and would check this store when I got home.
He then said, “It’s still not good enough. I will get onto head office, and I will get some. In the meantime, maybe you can go to (and said the name of another store) and see if they have them.”
He went on to add. “It’s a very, very beautiful store.”
And I said, “Oh, I love that place.”
And in unison, they both said, “I know it’s gorgeous.”
One thing led to another, and the next thing he was talking to the young woman about candles, saying what sort of smell of candles he likes, and this young woman was confirming that she loved the vanilla and jasmine smells.

They continue chatting amongst themselves about different candle perfumes, and the next thing he says, “Oh, we should get some in here and have them going. How beautiful it would be.”
Then he turns and looks at me and says, “How funny. I should be asking
you to spend money. What am I doing? I’m getting the store to spend money!” With that, all three of us burst out laughing.

It was just absolutely delightful. I left there feeling very positive and uplifted and realising how magical the effect of smiles is. It crossed my mind that I should have taken a video of it. I was tempted to go back and ask him if he wouldn’t mind being on social media because he was absolutely delightful.

A beautiful spirit.

Fee Writes

Random

Choices

I was thinking recently about choices.

I sometimes feel I shouldn’t sit and reflect too much, but at my age, when you have free time, you tend to contemplate various issues.

One of the things I was thinking about recently was how all the decisions I have made up to this point have led me to where I am today.

They have led me to:

who I am
where I live
my friends
and many more.

All this has come from choices I have made in the past.

Now, am I happy?

Too right, I’m happy.

I’m very grateful that I was born with the sunshine gene. My mother used to tell me you walk around with rose-tinted glasses on, and I love it, and I still have those glasses.

In saying that, I do know reality and understand what’s happening in the world.

I keep myself updated with world and local events, so I know what’s happening.

I’m not in La La Land as such, but I always look for the good in people; I always look for the good in things and always think that there is; how can I put this? It’s like the sun is always shining, regardless.

It doesn’t matter if it’s storming or a cyclone; the sun is always shining because you get up beyond it, and there you have the beautiful blue skies.

It’s like there is yin and yang.

You know, there are two sides, negatives and positives, and there are always two sides to everything.

And we always have a choice, regardless.

We always have a choice in how we react to things.

So you can be bitter and twisted about something, or you can choose to be happy.

I used to always tell my children when they asked for something, and I said, no, you couldn’t have it. (Nine times out of ten, I would explain why they couldn’t have or do it.)

But if the answer was “no” and they packed a tante getting all upset saying “but please, please, please, mama”.

I would say, “Sorry, but the answer is no. Now you have a choice.

You can go away, cry and get upset, be angry or whatever.

Or you can find something else to do, be happy about it, and focus on the good things you have around you.

Ride your bike or draw a picture or something.

The answer is still no. It’s your choice as to how you react to it.”

Of course, they didn’t like it, but they understood it.

Later on, as adults, they told me they used to get so pipped when I said that because they knew I was right.

I learned all this from my parents. My dad used to say:

“You are always in the best place.

It’s the only place you’re in.

So make the best of it.”

It’s that simple; it’s all about choice.

Fee Writes

Laugh! | Random

The Fun of Elections.

I do wonder about the intelligence of some people who are out on the campaign trail.

And, no, I’m not talking about the old folk duking it out in USA!

Ah, the fun of elections!

We’re in the middle of the first Council election in several years. This is all due to the dreadful mismanagement, infighting, and overall debacles that led the government of the day to step in and appoint a commissioner to run the show.

Needless to say, this has caused a bit of a rift among the ratepayers. Some thought it a great idea, others not. No one is perfect, but one has to agree that more has been done since the Commissioner ran things than when the council did.

However, things have come to an end, and it’s now time for wannabe councillors to put on their big-people panties and step up to the mark to create an honest and forward-thinking/planning council to run the show. How we’ll go—well, that we’ll find out.

This brings me to the billboards that are currently scattered around every nook and cranny for the driving voters to see. One in particular caught my eye.

Now, I’m not about to get into a discussion about Trump – or how I feel about him. But what does puzzle me is:

1. Is this candidate aligning himself with Trump’s style by using the ‘make ….. great again’ mantra that MAGA is famous for

2. Is this candidate trying to be funny, witty or show some style of sarcasm?

Either way, I think it’s a completely disastrous campaign slogan. If he is aligning himself to MAGA because he believes it’s right, then he’s lost the votes of those who are totally opposed to Trump’s style and certainly don’t want to see their Mayor following in his footsteps.

And if he’s just being funny, then it’s backfired. If people think it’s a joke or sarcasm, they’ll still not vote just in case they’re wrong, and this candidate truly does hold Trump up as a model leader.

Ah, the fun of elections! 😂😂😂

STAY IN THE LOOP

Category: Random

Combat Loneliness: Simple Ways to Reconnect

This is the most brilliant quote I’ve read for a while.

Making Choices

We all have choices, and making them determines our lives.

The Effect of Smiles

Nothing beats the effects smiles have on you.

Choices

I was thinking recently about choices.

The Fun of Elections.

I do wonder about the intelligence of some people who are out on the campaign trail.

Search

I’m On Bluesky

About Me

Categories

DROP ME A LINE

A Trusted Site