Jaye Marie's Blog, page 1906
December 14, 2015
On Getting On
Ancient, hunched, lost. The woman standing next to me in the spice aisle of the grocery store muttered to herself about not being able to find the garlic. Searching out my own exotic spice, I happened upon garlic and pointed it out to her. She thanked me and said “I’m so blind.”
She wasn’t literally blind; her eyes had no problem meeting mine. I made a comment about knowing how she felt. Until I had cataract surgery, I’d been severely near-sighted my entire life. I quickly learned she had not only cataracts but floaters and some type of macular degeneration.
My style is generally not one that includes striking up casual conversation with strangers in grocery stores. But this is Christmas, I am getting older myself, and felt some empathy toward this silver-haired woman. So I tried kindness. “But you’re doing so well!” Cooking for the holidays is a good…
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my sunday poem … # 11
my sunday poem … # 11
Drummer
My poem this week was inspired in part by a true story I came across recently.
In Napoleonic times when the prison ships used to be docked at Plymouth it was general practice to march the French prisoners of war across Dartmoor to Princetown. All of these prison details were accompanied by a military escort for obvious reasons. The journey was long and arduous but was made even harder in the winter as sudden snowstorms would often blow across the moor, catching the soldiers and prisoners in the open.
One such party were caught when a storm struck. Within minutes the snow blanketed the moor and the white-out brought the visibility down to a few feet. The party knew they were somewhere near to what was then the small village of Princetown and its formidable prison but exactly where it was impossible to…
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Movement Shock
I’ve spoken about the pros of relocation so I think it’s fair that I talked about cons as well. Yes, there are always two sides to anything, the pros, and the cons, even towards winning a lottery. Moving from one country to another is a big decision, one should not take lightly because the impact is not only yourself but also on your loved ones that were left behind.
Everyone talks about how it’ll add stars and badges on your résumé and how it will make your future employers sit up and take notice. No doubt, it is an added point but whether it is valuable to companies, I’ll say it depends on the direction of the company you are hoping to get in.
Trying not to sound negative, below are the points you will need to take heart in your decision to uproot and move.
Colored
Your judgement at…
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#Seebooks (@seebookindie, @seebookUK) #Bookpromo you can touch and give away! And #giveaway
Hi all:
I wasn’t sure about sharing this post that I had already shared in my blog, here, but after discussing it with Ronovan, I decided to go ahead. I hope you find it useful, and if you have any queries, please, feel free to leave a comment here or contact me directly. My contact details are at the bottom of the post.
Here is my original post:
Hi all:
Some of you might remember that a few months back I brought you something I had come across in Twitter, called Seebooks (click here for a reminder of the post). I told you at the time that I had been exchanging information with Rosa Sala, the CEO, and I hoped to meet her in person in Barcelona.
Well, we met in September, and since I’ve been trying to give them a hand to bring the product to the UK
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Today’s Quote
The young do not know enough to be prudent,
and therefore they attempt the impossible —
and achieve it, generation after generation.
~ Pearl S. Buck ~
_________________
Filed under: life as an author
What Would You Tell Your 16 Year Old Self? #MondayBlogs
I don’t know about you, but as the end of a year approaches I can’t help but reflect on what I’ve achieved over the past twelve months. I guess it’s the non-fiction writer in me, but I do like to check in with myself occasionally and ensure I’m on track with what I hoped to achieve.
2015 was a mixed bag for me, there were plenty of amazing opportunities but also a massive life changing event and health issue. I’ll be glad when this year is done if I’m honest.
All this pondering got me thinking about what I would tell my 16-year-old self, about life, love and the future. This is what I came up with:-
On my 16th birthday!
Stay true to who you are, don’t let anyone steal your sparkle.
Boys come and go – the heartbreak ends and the sun comes up again.
Enjoy being…
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Patrolling The Streets
I evenly maintain my foothold on the accelerator. I’m in the zone. I let base know my location and begin my surveillance of the streets, the footpaths, the alleyways. My peripheral vision is finely tuned. I await any sign of acknowledgment. Any sign that I am needed.
A group of teenagers mounted on bikes turn and look my way. One yells something out that I don’t quite hear and the others let out a chorus of chipped, broken laughter. I don’t need to place my attention their way. There’s no need. A few squirmy adolescent goof balls will only end in some wasted time on my shift.
My vehicle crawls along the bitumen like a cat ready to pounce. It hums in fact. I’ve got one of the new fleet vehicles and it’s a pleasure to do business in.
I spot my gig. He’s staring right at me. I pull…
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December 13, 2015
Still I Rise – Poem by Maya Angelou
I’m gonna rise too!
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
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September 10, 2015
The X Factor is here again…
I always say I won’t watch this programme again, as I find it too emotionally painful, for me and the contestants. However, the family love it, so in a way I must endure it.It reminds me of gladiators, boldly walking into the lion’s den, so to speak, knowing it could all be for nothing. Oblivious to the crowd calling for their blood, they give it their best shot and we applaud their bravery.
The premise is a good one though, the chance of finding new singing talent is exciting, but all too often it sinks into a farce. I swear that some of the people who enter only do it for a laugh, for they just can’t sing at all, then get annoyed and indignant when they are rejected.
Most viewers find this part the funniest part of all, but I have never been one to laugh at the misfortunes of others, even if they are literally begging to be ridiculed. Even the ones who can sing beautifully are usually so traumatised by the experience they can hardly talk, let alone sing.
I understand I am probably over sensitive when it comes to the emotions this show provokes, for I acutely feel their longing, their overpowering need to succeed at something. Something deep inside me wants them to astound and move the audience with their voice and personality. For I remember feeling this desperate need to win, to actually achieve something worthwhile. That overpowering emotional longing is still there every time I hear wonderful music, look at beautiful objects, or read an amazing book.
My father, who I never had the good fortune to meet, played the piano like a master. Many people loved to hear him play, I am told. Wanting to find some heredity link, like some buried treasure, I had countless lessons in my desire to learn to play the piano too. My reasoning was, the talent had to be inside me somewhere, didn’t it?
Well, I learned to read music, and eventually I could play a little, but with only one hand. I discovered to my sorrow that my hands were not coordinated and probably never could be. So every time I hear a magnificent piano concerto, Grieg is my all-time favourite, I am saddened by the knowledge that my father’s genes were only partly born in me. Knowing this, however, doesn’t stop the longing or the endless yearning.
There is always a part in XFactor when an unlikely candidate walks on, and you think, not another waste of time. Then the music and the magic start and blows you away. Not only can they sing, but usually with tears running down their faces, and at the end, water has leaked from your eyes too.
Even though you know that every detail of this programme has been painstakingly designed to entertain, you watch their joy and find yourself caring too much, reflecting all of your own desires and dreams. How you would love to feel like that, even if only for a few moments. It must be truly amazing.
