More than Writers

  From Images of Grace by Jacqui Grace The question, “What day is it?” used to have seven obvious answers to choose from. Social media hashtags have increased the number beyond imagination. There are innumerable days for one cause or another. Just a few I have noticed in recent months are #NationalRobinDay, #PenguinAwarenessDay ( both for wildlife), #WinniethePoohDay (for fun?), #NationalPoetryDay, #CumbriaDay, #AustraliaDay, (all to raise awareness). Others I have known about for some time include #TimeToTalkDay (for mental health awareness) #BlogActionDay (for activism) #WorldBookDay for  children’s books .  Sometimes these hashtags appear in the Trending lists. (For those of you, who do not use Twitter, these are the most popular hashtags or topics at a particular time.) I have used some of these hashtags in the past, but for very popular ones, such as #NationalPoetryDay, I wondered whether my tweets were lost in the multitude of tweets from prominent ...

Have you ever been on an organised walk? I remember quite a few from my youth. Walking in a group is different from walking alone or with one other person. There are likely to be people, who prefer to walk quickly and others, whose speeds are slow and stop. Someone is needed to be the back-marker and might need a companion. When they have caught up, the group can continue – although the slowest might appreciate a short breather! Over-enthusiastic youngsters may overtake the official leader and receive a reprimand. There may be no apparent danger and no fork in the path, but the leader has to go in front for the safety of the whole group. Hopefully this person has prepared in advance, knows the route, is able to set a sensible pace and organise appropriate rests if it is a long hike. As this post is for publication on New Year’s Eve, I have been thinking about my goals for the year ahead. I am easily distracted and become less focused than I’d like to be on the things, wh...

I was reminded that I had chosen a word for the year, when I read the post by Helen Murray on 23 August.  Her word for the year is Alive.  Mine is Rest. https://suestrifles.wordpress.com/2016/01/09/my-one-word-2016/ I had become aware that I find it very difficult to do nothing.  Sometimes I try to do more than one thing at a time.  I often check my phone at mealtimes.  I know it is unnecessary and not good manners.  The information arriving on my phone is unlikely to be urgent.  Impatience does not sit well with resting. I took a rest from knitting for a few months.  I recently knitted a baby garment with a self-imposed deadline, which I met.  My current project is just for fun.  I am knitting a small jumper with no recipient in mind.  There are no deadlines.  Perhaps I can correct some bad habits I have, when I am trying to get something finished quickly.  I become tense, knit too tightly and hurt my index finger ...