Tag: dailyprompt

#676 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn SerendipityLeave a comment

Describe your ideal week.

An ideal week starts slowly, not perhaps as slowly as this inquisitive snail gliding gently over a National Trust scanning machine. Yesterday we witnessed a poignant but inanimate event. A large pebble was tossed onto a bank of pebbles by the rough incoming tide. On impact, at our feet,a crack appeared in the pebble and it immediately divided into two parts. How many thousands of years has that pebble been at the mercy of the powerful waves of North Cornwall. How long has it been one pebble not two?

Now a pebble is a pebble, but seeing the smooth palm sized pebble crack and fall apart in front of us just felt immeasurably sad. The next wave would part them forever. Both halves were quickly popped in my pocket. They will no longer be tossed in Cornish waves but will peacefully rest together in my Devon yard. The week is starting very slowly.

#674 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing, Serendipity1 Comment

How do you relax?

It is no surprise to any regular @theoldmortuary blog reader that over the last 3 years my relaxation comes from swimming in the sea with ‘The Bobbers’. No one is more surprised than me to say this. If I were writing this blog in 2020 my answer would almost certainly have been reading or listening to music. In Ocrober 2020 four and then five of us started swimming regularly in the sea at Firestone Bay. That number has swelled to 21 as of yesterday.

What started as an immune system boosting, cold dip, for one bobber has become a fellowship of swimmers and Coach. There is nothing official about us, just a Whatsapp group where times of ‘Bobs’ are called. The Whatsapp group messages rarely stick at just a tide time and weather prediction. Our Bobbing friendships have similarly become intertwined, interesting and most importantly supportive.

Sometimes in the past, pre 2020, I knew that if life was tripping me up, with too much to do or think about then a couple of hours in a good book would set me right. Not so much now. Even in the depth of winter I know that a dip in Firestone Bay or another cold alternative is exactly what I need. Developing an eclectic and supportive group of ‘bobbing’ friends has also been life changing and life affirming. People who I would never have met in any other way have been brought together by a shared interest in getting chilly on the coastal edge of Plymouth Sound.

In fairness to ‘ Bobbing’ it does do a lot more than relax. This blog could equally have asked all of the following questions and I would have written something similar.

Where do you laugh the most ?

Where can you always get advice?

Where do your maddest conversations happen?

Where can you always get a hug?

Where do you enjoy biscuits the most?

7 Bobbers Bobbing

#672 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn pondering, Serendipity1 Comment

Are you holding a grudge? About?

Sometimes one of these Jetpack prompts really is a pause for thought.

Do I hold a grudge?

No. I do, however, have a mental filing system of harms done, both great and pathetic.

I use this filing system to learn by experience.

Anybody, myself especially can cause harm to another inadvertently or unintentionally. If I am made aware I certainly try to not repeat my bad behaviour.

But the sad fact is that there are many people in the world who set out to cause harm to others. These people are best avoided. This is not bearing a grudge but just a sensible precaution.

If I held grudges, specifically compared to my mental filing system, I think I am creative enough to consider revenge as an art form worthy of quite a lot of thought and planning. I suspect my revenge would be malignant,served cold but with deadly accuracy. The drawer just slamming shut is so much easier for me to live with.

The mental filing system permits a much more subtle and less harmful act to all. If someone has more than one harmful item in their drawer of my mental filing system then there is a risk that their drawer may be closed forever. Minor characters with no redeeming features have their drawer shut and locked with relative ease. People who are more important, or are of greater interest to me certainly can keep their drawer open longer, maybe forever, even though, of course, their harms can often cut deeper.Best not depend on that though, nothing in the filing system is guaranteed. I hold the only master key.

rhdr

So Grudges- no thank you

A nice tidy filing system of harms, or learning events. Yes please.

#678 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn blogging, Serendipity, Travels2 Comments

Why do you blog?

My  inspiration to blog is not particularly noble. Someone, who had already irritated me had said that I had nothing interesting to say and that any blog I wrote would reflect that. I struggled a little to find my place in blogland. Then a variety of things occurred including a World Pandemic when, if we were lucky, none of us had much of interest to say. My blog evolved into what it currently is, a ponder on some small part of my day or a thought that I have had. Like many of us,my life has a repetitive pattern so I need to find a nugget of interest or something different about things I do every day. The photo above is a case in point. Last night’s dog walk took me just across the water from my home, my home is completely invisible, and would be even if the ferry had sailed away. Behind the ferry is a narrow strip of land occupied by the ferry port, the Ministry of Defence and a Primary School sports field. The tiny strip of land occupied by the Ministry of Defence is on a narrow rocky ridge, partially covered by trees. It is this ridge that obscures my view of the ferry from our side . Although as the trees lose their leaves we can see the bridge of the ferry if there is a high tide. If I were any good at throwing a hard ball I could give the crew on the Bridge a nasty shock as I write this blog. Similarly I could get you some fabulous drone footage of happy holidaymakers on the ferry from the comfort of my bed. However the Ministry of Defence would take a very very dim view of me flying a drone over their strip of land, so that is never going to happen. It never ceases to amaze me that so much is happening maybe 200 yards from my home and yet this is one of the most peaceful places I have ever lived. Just occasionally if the tide is right, there is a sensation of a thrum from the engines, or when the wind is in a favourable direction, we can hear the public announcements as the ferry gets ready to leave. As someone who loves to travel and loves the idea of travel I find there is something quite energising about living so close to a ferry port. My mind can travel vicariously every time the ferry leaves port and be equally gladdened by its safe arrival. And that my friends is why I blog, nattering about insignificant things to an invisible audience. Simple pleasures.

#676 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Bobbing, SerendipityLeave a comment

How are you feeling right now?

How would you feel if you had just been swimming among  shoals of fish with hundreds of sea birds feasting on the fish and a pod of dolphins breaching just yards from your swim zone.

Doing that with the best group of bobbing buddies on a Friday morning is just one of the loveliest moments that life can unexpectedly deliver.

For a couple of days now there have been a lot of fish in our little bay on the edge of Plymouth Sound. Coupled with super high tides and the arrival of a pod of dolphins it has been like living in a wildlife documentary. The cries of the seagulls and the twinkle of fish scales in the water made our morning bob very magical. How am I feeling right now?

Blessed by the serendipity of nature. Swimming with Dolphins…

Somewhere out there there are 8 dolphins…

Millions of fish. Hundreds of Seabirds .Nine bobbers including Coach who couldn’t believe quite how lucky we are to swim in such a fascinating place.

# 675theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn art, Serendipity1 Comment

What daily habit do you do that improves your quality of life?

©theoldmortuary

A little bit of creativity goes a long way if I can find a space for it every day . Sometimes it is nothing more than some photo manipulation. Other days a whole painting emerges. I also consider blog writing to be both creative and life enhancing. I have spent the last week in the company of 12 other artists at a group event called Open Studios. There is so much to learn from creative people.

The other interesting and fascinating aspect of a shared public space is the chosen soundtrack of the Arts space we are using. I have heard some wonderful, and previously unknown to me, artists who have already transitioned onto my home play list. All of which leads me rather ponderously to my conclusion that learning or experiencing something new every day hugely improves my quality of life.

©theoldmortuary

#674 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment

What do you listen to while you work?

I am in the middle of an exhibition so I have no choice in the soundtrack of my work. In many respects I am so far out of my comfort zone auraly and yet I couldn’t be happier.

The exhibition is in a cool space. 200 year old military buildings that are Grade 1 listed. The cafe/ exhibition space has been beautifully rethought with a huge glass wall.

Each artist has a work space opposite the glass.

And we have areas where absolute bargains are being sold.

But this blog is about what I am listening to while I work and talk to the visiting public. Yesterday’s big discovery was Dope Lemon.

What a voice the lead singer has. So for today I am lost in this fabulous band.

Home

#673 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn pondering, Serendipity1 Comment

What’s your favorite time of day?

Curiously my favourite time of day is around 2am. A time that I usually sleep through, but years of  the madness of 24 hour shifts gave me a huge respect for that hour of quietude when, with luck, the previous days work has been caught up with and the dip of 3am is yet to happen.

Now the only thing that gets my attention at 2 am is a dog or dogs who need to visit the back yard. Even my occasional insomnia never kicks in until 3 am. So favourite time of day, I love you but I really don’t need to be awake to appreciate your merit.

#670 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn art, Serendipity2 Comments

What motivates you?

I have a butterfly mind, unusually I can easily harness my butterfly when needed but like a parachute my mind works better when it is open. My motivations are sometimes opposing to one another.

Here is my list.

1. Kindness and care to those around me.

2. Deadlines.

3. Serendipity. Nothing is more inspirational than the unexpected.

4.Procrastination. or creative preparations as I often label it.

5. Concaternation.

6. Lifelong learning from all of the above.

Today I am on the final phase of, 4- Procrastination. I have an exhibition opening tomorrow. And yet there are still 2 solid hours of Studio tidying before I can hit , 2- Deadline.

The butterfly above was, 3- Serendipity when a stencil fell on an old watercolour doodle.

The 2 hours of studio tidying could have started 3 hours ago. I could already be at Deadline, but no, Procrastination was in full active mode.

I checked in with some of those I care about.

I walked the dogs, luxuriously in the sun.

I went back to the sea for a swim.

I wrote this blog.

Every one of those things will make today more productive and motivated. And that is Concaternation at its finest.

And just like that the final tidy is complete, let the artwork commence.

Extra #688 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn blogging, Serendipity1 Comment

https://theoldmortuary.design/

What do you enjoy most about writing?

Writing my blog is possibly the most joyful thing about writing. There is something calming and meditative about writing daily and finding a positive in the often mundane pattern of normal life.

A tiny percentage of my life makes it into the blog. The blog is repetitive and often has fairly dull subject matter. But writing daily for several years now has taught me to look for nuggets of interest and pleasure in everything I do.