Tag Archive: JusJoJan



The New Mandala - Eastern Wisdom for Western LivingThe New Mandala – Eastern Wisdom for Western Living by John Lundin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I tried to listen to the text-to-speech of the Kindle version the other day, it didn’t work. I decided to try again last night, and it worked out quite nicely.

I felt a little lost at first as the easter religions and the Dalai Lama are less known to me than the Judeo-Christian Western religions. However, author John Lundin quickly helped us see how familiar those seemingly foreign concepts are. I found myself quite interested.

This book will need multiple reads. This is the first one to get acquainted and see our common interests. But next, I want to go through and practice some of the meditation and kindnesses Mr. Lundin teaches us to use.

I highly recommend this book for seekers and for those who love comparative religions.

View all my reviews

Here is Linda’s prompt:

“Hi there! I’m back with our nineteenth prompt for Just Jot it January 2025. Today, our prompt comes to us from the wonderful Willow. Thank you, Willow! Please be sure to visit Willow’s blog to read her posts and say hello. And follow her while you’re there if you’re not already.

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 19th, 2025 is “why.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

Why do I write reviews? It started out in the same way as blogging. I needed a place to keep track. What have I read? Sure, I can go to GoodReads to see if I have read a book, but since I try to record bits of my life here, I can see how that book choice or emotions of the day reflect each other. What I read can affect my life. And my life can carry into my thoughts as I read.

Why did I read this particular book? The author gave me the book long ago when I lived in Reno. He live(d) in Lake Tahoe at the time. I promised a review, so I put it on my ‘Currently Reading’ shelf on GoodReads. That was to prompt me to read it soon.

That shelf has overgrown. When a library or Libby book comes up, it goes to the top of the list over those I own. Suddenly, I have 85 books I am supposedly currently reading. Ha! So my new plan is to pull from the bottom of the list (first books added) and then back to the top, the latest added. My plan is to eventually meet in the middle. Does anyone want to take bets on how long that’s going to take?

I was surprised at how much I appreciated this particular book. It seemed to start rather boring. But soon I found that there were answers here I’d been asking, even though I didn’t know I was asking those questions.

Why. The word my kids learned nearly as soon as they could talk. It is an amazing work that mostly keeps me wondering. How often did I hear my babies ask, “Why is the sky blue?” Or just “Why” to nearly anything. I feel we should stay in that frame of mind. Stay young and keep wondering, WHY?


One-Liner Wednesday and Just Jot It January are prompts from Linda G. Hill

Friends, streaming on MAX, by the way, is the best antidepressants.

Just Jot It January, Calendar


Per Linda:

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 30th, 2024 is “calendar.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

I love calendars. I love the pictures so I often keep them. Like this one:

By the front door.
In the hallway
One for my purse (with the clip holds vax and other info) the other for next to my chair. I’m not fond of the web ones.

I have calendars all over the house. But can you believe it? I thought it was Wednesday most of the day. Remember What Day Is It Anyway? Yeah. I went back in time.


Per Linda:

This post is part of Just Jot it January, and today’s prompt comes to us courtesy of my friend, Kim. Check out her blog here!

Family is the most important thing to me. If I had my choice I would live with everyone in a cave, my adult offspring most important, my husband is too. But masses of cousins all over the place and I miss all of them! We all used to live in one area. My grandparents were two doors from each other so we got to see all the relatives on Sundays.

What I only recently figured out was my cousins’ other grandparents were not where mine were.

I thought everyone had it like me. And most of my relatives went to the same church. My dad’s dad helped built the church. His wife and he were known in the church as Mom and Pop. So I was related to everyone. All the kids had my grandma as their primary teacher. We all learned to read The 23rd Psalm and the Lord’s Prayer from her.

My grandparents and parents are no longer with us, but we cousins are still here.

My biggest problem is a phone phobia that keeps me from calling. I know I’ll answer in a minute if they call me but deciding I’m calling now seems impossible.

So among other things I’m working on family is my primary goal.

I love my family, even the non-blood related ones, chosen extended family.


I’m going to make the call. Somehow I got food poisoning. The middle of the night was not pretty. Today I’m exhausted and on a brat diet. Ugh! Yay for Pepto. I’m going to go back to bed.

Just Jot It January, Writing


Linda’s JJIJ, and Joanne’s prompt, Writing.
From the Free Photo Library

I love writing. Fiction, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, blogging, even my memoir. But at least as much as the topic, I love writing cursive or playing with lettering, calligraphy. I don’t like the modern stuff but rather

The modern

I love to practice

The Gothic look

Or

Or the swirly, pretty stuff

To me writing is artwork. My handwriting lately (or the fast note writing during lectures) is horrible. But I like to take my time and enjoy writing. Even grocery lists.

But having the best hand writing in the house means only I can write the lists. I’m not bragging. My guys here would write a list so fast that even they can’t read it, much less if there’s a note, like, not the one with salt, or the crispy kind not soggy, you know what I mean?

But that means I’m stopping whatever I’m doing to write the list. So I got upset having to drop my knitting or jumping off the stationary bike to write the list.

Instead, my husband set up a shared Keep app list we add to as we go along.

More organized, efficient.

But now I need to find other reasons to practice my ABCs.

Guilt trip jumps in here. I need to write more letters to friends and family. I’ll think about it. Again.

Time to get writing.

To creating yet another habit!

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 8th, 2024 is “gratitude.” Use the word “gratitude” any way you’d like. Have fun!

I am grateful for the prompt from Sadje click the blue gratitude. For the “rules” of JJIJ, click the other blue word. I am grateful for the WordPress family given to me starting with Linda, Sadje and so many others. Everyone is ready to help, lend support, or laugh with.

I love all of you!

I feel such gratitude for all my family and friends who surround me with love.

This is kind of a weird thing to be thankful for, but I’m thankful for what we learned from the pandemic. Zooming church and friends is a wonderful way to enhance our lives.

Oh, and I’m grateful for our snow. Except I couldn’t make it to my doctor’s appointment. But, hey, we are Zooming an appointment tomorrow.

Tomorrow we’re going to get a lot more snow. We really need the precipitation.


Your prompt for #JusJoJan the 6th and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “just do it.” Use the phrase “just do it” somewhere in your post, or write a post in the spirit of the phrase. Enjoy!

Edit: I just realized I didn’t put this picture in here. Oops!😂
Oops! I left out the fun one, too. Sorry for the edits!

Sorry I don’t know who this guy is.  But I found this GIF on Tenor.

Sir, I’m waiting for traffic to slow. In LA or Orange County you sometimes have to take a chance. I did and lived without my broken car for a couple weeks. Yes, the driver saw me but plowed right into the side of my car. Traffic down there is brutal. Kindness is hard to find.

I’m waiting to see if it’s something I really want. Dangers abound. The high dive has no rails out on the board. People have slipped and become vegetables from hitting their heads on the way down. What benefit will climbing all those rings and walking out into space give me? Experiences. Yes, I did it a few times. I gave it up because it was cold outside of the water. Time wasted from actual swimming.

I’m overcoming the fear of tomatoes flying. Irrational, yes. But what else keeps me from the stage. Just do it? I’ll look like a complete fool. The purpose? Experiences. And I grew to love singing on stage. It felt fantastic to relate to that many people at a time.

On the other hand I found dealing with folks one-on-one far scarier and daily. Everyone wants to fix me. Am I not allowed to have frustration without someone jumping in and telling me I’m wrong? Can I not melt down in some kind of space of my own? Aw, but that is a different topic. Not having a place for just me is getting so frustrating. Is it any wonder I don’t just do it? I don’t feel safe enough to express.

Ever.

Time to knit. My own world is soft and productive.

Not me. Chosen from the free photo library.

Just Jot It January, penultimate


That works for Finishing Friday. Except. Nothing is almost finished here. Nothing is that penultimate stitch from the last.

Oh! I’m one stage from mailing

It needs to be sealed.

The same with these light catchers (that have a hook ready for them.)

Well, these need to be chained together with the jewels to get hung up.

Closest to finished in knitting is:

Thigh high leg warmers are down to mid calf now. Only the thinner bits from calf to ankle left. I have no pattern for these. But doing them like I do socks. Two-At-A-Time. Just top down as there are no toes. My favorite needles, Chiaogoo red-laced cables.

The rest of the knitting is in the same amount of doneness.

On the other hand:

My ukulele tutorial says to chop off the left-hand nails for better chording. Done. I am hearing better sounds. No where near a song but several chords now.

For most of this week I’ve managed to beat my former 5 miles in 30 minutes biking goal. Not by much. The best of the week was 6 miles in 27 minutes. But it was a rare energy thing.

Penultimate is a word used often in music. That next to the last chord creating tension that resolves in the end.

I like that last bit. And without that penultimate chord the song would be boring. It’s one of my favorite words.

Because now I can breathe. The seventh to the resolve and the song can live out in the world and in my soul.

I just thought of something. The penultimate chord nags, “Are we there yet?” The final chord pulls into the parking spot. Boom!

Click these to learn more about #Just Jot It January and our prompt of the day from Judy’s Blog.


Snow is one of the most captivating weather I love to watch. Last night we had clear skies, star twinkling brightly. I went to bed a little discouraged. But lo and behold this morning the driveway is full of the wonderful white stuff.

If you have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD you recognize captivating behaviors. Either every thing has you flitting from one idea to another, or you are captured, or hyperfocused by something.  I love when I am held in that rapture, when I am learning something new.

I hate the flitting between captures. Spinning my wheels. Not getting anything done. But put up Duolingo and I can play for hours.

I used to sit in front of my piano and play and sing for hours. I wish and how I get captured by that again.

Your prompt for JusJoJan January 4th, 2024 is “captivating.” Use the word “captivating” any way you’d like. Enjoy!

Thank you, Linda, for the Just Jot It January fun. Click on the JusJoJan above to learn about how it all works.

Thank you, Wendy, for the prompt of the day. Check out her “Wendy’s Waffle” blog by clicking captivating above.

Me, on any given day, ADD.
Pieces Of My Heart

"Words & Wonders - Where thoughts meet art

💫The Afterlove Voice💫 Justice For Liam ⚖

Justice, Channeling,Spiritual,Astrology,Truth- Seeker.

Amin Academy

Education, Information, Motivation

WhatIf.in.net - Alternate Realities

Where Curiosity Meets Creativity

Luso Loonie — Devin Meireles

Portuguese-Canadian Writing About This Portuguese Thing of Ours

UNDER THE WILL... OVER THE DRAMA...

Inheritance. Narcissism. Turf. Welcome to the family.

Selma

Finding the extra in the ordinary

Sip, Snack, See

A Blog About Food and Travels

Golu lodhi

I upload photos & videos Golu lodhi village pairakhedi

Hunza

Travel,Tourism, precious story "Now in hundreds of languages for you."

intricate cantrips

twisted yarns, unraveled

Introverted Growth

The Introvert's Roadmap to Self Discovery and Growth

Histopedia

story telling from history

KaustubhaReflections

Where ancient wisdom meets modern technology. Stories that illuminate the wonders of science, culture, and life — crafted with human creativity and a touch of AI magic.

Roads Lesser Traveled

Life is just down the road lesser traveled....

Enlarge my heart

In the Quiet Space of a Benedictine Heart: Seeking God in Every Moment