A-Z with me, part 4: V-Z (FD)

If you missed the other posts in this series, go here for A-G, go here for H-N, and go here for O-U.

***

V is for vegetables.

I'm a vegetarian, so these make up the bulk of what I eat.

I know some people who think vegetables are boring, but they really aren't! It's surprising just how many different things you can do with vegetables, and if you add some herbs to the meals, you can do even more. Even something as simple as a soup or a veggie bake can be made new and exciting just by slightly changing a few ingredients, and that's half the fun of cooking anyway, so it's a great result all round.

Some of my favourite veggies include sprouts, runner beans, parsnips, and carrots... Among others.

I'm always open to hearing about new vegetarian friendly recipes, so if you have any, feel free to share!

***

W is for writing.

We can't have a post about things important to me without including that, after all, can we?

In case you don't know, I've loved to write since I learned how, though I admit it was only when I started publishing my books in 2012 that I started making more than a passing mention of my writing on my blog. More than three years later, however, and I've got a few hundred writing themed posts, and have published more than 40 books. Plus, I have plenty more ideas to keep me writing for years yet!

My books are a long way from making me rich and famous, but I enjoy writing them, and those people who read them seem to enjoy doing so, which is what really matters.

Also, even I can see that there's some improvement in my writing from my first book. In fact, even my blog posts are looking better. At least, i think they are... They're certainly better edited, anyway, LOL!

***

X is for xylophone.

Well, not xylophones themselves, but the word. I like weird sounding words, like xylophone, platypus, and other funny sounding words like those. I don't know why, but they amuse me.

***

Y is for yoga and meditation.

I've never been to yoga class, but I've taught myself some of the more basic poses, though I don't really do them these days, since my body won't co-operate with me. However, I still use the breathing exercises a lot.

For one thing, I meditate regularly; usually using incense or scented candles - most often incense - to help with the initial relaxation process, though sometimes without them.

For another thing, I've learned that the yoga breathing exercises are very helpful when my asthma is causing problems (which mostly only happens during the times when I have a chest infection, or if I get overly stressed or excited). Focussing on your breathing is extremely helpful in preventing asthma attacks. Or, at least, calming them down slightly. Although, I dare say the technique may not be quite as effective for those with more severe asthma issues than my own. In fact, I'd be surprised if it was. Also, please don't think I'm suggesting it as a substitute for an inhaler; I'm not. I'm just saying it can help... At least a little.

***

Z is for Zodiacs and astrology.

This is an interest of mine I don't indulge in very often, but I do find it fascinating to see how close horoscopes came to predicting things accurately. Perhaps because I have an interest in doing so with divination in general? I know many frown on such things, but I find them fascinating. They aren't always correct, since they can't always be, due to the fact our futures change with every action we take. But I like to see how close they come to being correct, and find it interesting to compare what a person is like to what their sign profile says they should be like.

If you're interested, I'm a Scorpio.

***

I hope you enjoyed this series of posts. If you want to know more about anything I've mentioned in them, feel free to ask. I'll answer any questions I can; as long as I know the answers, or don't have a good reason to refuse to answer.