This prompt is brought to us by Willow and Linda is the instigator of this month’s madness. Click the first line above to learn how it all works and get connected.
As a music major, I was introduced to music I’d never heard before. Though I learned a lot of music in my protestant church growing up. I was in awe of the Gregorian Chants my professor shared. She even had our small class singing them before we left that segment of history. Now I love hearing the deep male voices singing the Chants. But seeing the music as we sang it was fascinating.
For all of our education, I finally found a playlist to teach and learn (again) how it all works. Enjoy!
Your prompt for JusJoJan January 1st 2024, is “train.” Use it as a noun or a verb, use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
Thank you, Linda!
Train
Some people wake up and see their day full of organized plans like this.
It’s peaceful to know where the train is taking you.
On a good day I wake to
Mostly my trains have a spiderweb network of tracks that overwhelms me.
This blog helps me focus. In case you think yarn and weather is all I deal with, just know it’s just about all I concentrate on before life and distractions take me elsewhere.
Oh, speaking of weather
This is how 2024 started in Christmas Valley. Freezing Fog. It looks like snow. But it isn’t. And you can only see just beyond the porch.
Rosey at 20 finally likes me and my lap as much loved as her main human’s, my hubby.
Leg warmers are getting more colorful. Wow, they’ve reached 10 inches of 24. Among other projects.
So, I need to train my brain on the personal possibilities of this new year.
My stationary bike goal has increased from 5 miles in 30 minutes to more miles in less time. Today I reached 5 in 28. So win!
I know last year I planned on podcasting. Stagefright won. So it goes back on the list of things I still feel I want to do.
Besides German, Spanish, Italian, French, Scottish Gaelic, Latin, Esperanto, Japanese, Navajo, Hebrew, I’d like to add a couple more to my Duolingo list so that I am always doing 10 lessons a day. And I want to get more serious about my American Sign Language classes. My brain loves working on languages.
Hello editing. You are cruelest of all. I’ll do what I can and finished products will go see the light of day on the podcast.
I still will continue working on getting healthier.
My diamond paintings are calling so tomorrow I will play.
Why did music find itself this far down the list? With a new ukulele, I’m trying to learn to make my fingers fit the chords needed. But daily practice might get me there, right?
The recorder is calling. No more trying Carols. Now I can enjoy whatever music strikes my fancy.
Okay, piano. I hear you. I will turn around from the diamond painting table and tickle you on occasion.
Singing loud and proud and dancing like no one is watching sneak into this list.
And that’s not including the bins of organizing I’m already doing.
And I want to get over my phone fear and try to enjoy socializing a bit.
There are only so many hours in a day but all these trains want to leave the station and make their way to improvement and new possibilities. There has to be a way. Some things must be daily Duolingo and blogging (no longer on a struggling list but on the ‘it happens’ like eating list).
The list looks like last year. More has been added. Few trains ended their tracks. My brain and strength expand to meet the fun.
So I’ve gotten behind on Jusjoing. Other things needed to be blogged, too.
My solution is to write a meander between the three I missed.
My dog is on my mind 24/7. She is having so many problems. And yet with age, some things are better. She used to shake and run around. She made me nervous. So much for being my support canine. I became hers.
But we could exercise outside. I couldn’t take walks with her for being afraid of the big dogs she’d challenge. But most walks were okay.
Between doggy Alzheimers, bad eyes and hips, and icy snow, those walks ended.
I picked up a treadmill. It’s still scary with her as she is turning circles or bumping into things, even the treadmill.
My husband has become my watch-person, to make sure Kali doesn’t hurt herself on the treadmill or cause me to fall while trying to achieve my 1.23 miles. Whatever works, right?
I don’t quite understand how the programs work. I started out just hitting start and then the + or – as my body, breath, and legs needed.
I learned to name the speeds. 1 was the annoying slow people in the mall. I always need to go faster than that. 2 was a crowded mall. Everyone is moving in concert, but still not fast enough to get the errands done. 3 seems the speed my body likes best. My heart rate goes down. It’s the Goldilocks speed for me.
Ah, but 4. That’s late for the bus but you don’t want the cool kids to see you running. It’s pushing me. If I get winded, the heart rate seems too high, or Kali is too close, I slow it down.
One day I got curious. What are these programs? So I hit the button. Program 1 was mostly the slow mall workers. I found I could + or – as my body chooses I found the first program boring so I got brave and hit 2.
Oh. Here was the challenge. It fools you with a 1 at first. Gradually it changes to 2. Then when you’re bored it becomes 3. But get ready. 4 comes. At first I couldn’t and minused it. Soon I could handle the first round of 4. But then it happens again. 1, 2, 3, then a LONG 4! Oh, boy! That about killed me at first! I remembered to hit the + or – as needed.
Guess what? I can now handle program 2 without changing it. I’m tired and sweaty but feeling proud. I have snuck to a 5 once in a while. I’m naming it, I see the bus. Better get there now!
My daughter and sons jog. They are my inspiration. I throw out dreams to the universe of marathons. But really just doing the half hour daily is okay for now.
I picture my son’s girlfriend who has helped inspire me also. This reminds me of Rizza.🤗
The flowers of Indian paintbrush are edible, and were consumed in moderation by various Native American tribes as a condiment with other fresh greens. These plants have a tendency to absorb and concentrate selenium in their tissues from the soils in which they grow, and can be potentially very toxic if the roots or green parts of the plant are consumed. Highly alkaline soils increase the selenium levels in the plants. Indian paintbrush has similar health benefits to consuming garlic, though only if the flowers are eaten in small amounts and in moderation.[10] Found on Google. I think Wikipedia
When I saw the prompt, the first thing that came to mind were camping trips.
Every year my parents to us kids on a three week vacation. Usually camping. It was what they could afford. And for me they were great memories.
Some of the sites we went to had campfire chats or day hikes where they taught us flora and fauna of the area.
I remembered them talking about this plant. Somehow the part I remember was that it was also called Indian laxative. Looking at what I shared from Wikipedia, it might not be the plant that did the job. Maybe they were introduce at the same take and it all mixed in my head. But you can imagine what went through my head as I recalled the plant pictured above.😂
I think that the plant I’m actually thinking about has a shiny, waxy leaf. Well, don’t rely on me to help forage 60 years later.
Linda spoke of how her writing was seasonal. NaNoWriMo, CampNaNo and Just Jot It January becomes her writing time. Me, too. It seems those programs help motivate me properly. I haven’t won every time. And sometimes, like last month as I tried another goal, I made no progress at all. But often I make the 50k. Even on the camps. That would probably not surprise my teachers. Most of my report cards had comments like, ‘Darlene talks too much in class.’
This year I’ve over-goaled my life with all the gifts I’m trying to make and so writing has fallen by the wayside.
And I still have to podcast and start reading aloud my books, starting with my memoirs. The area in my house I planned on using, suddenly has Diamond Paintings.
My recorder playing, piano and voice practice have fallen off.
There are only 24 hours in a day. Still!!! I stay up reading until 3 or 4. With my old dog waking me often, sleep also seems seasonal. Heat and smoke and bugs of summer, icy cold and snow of winter affects everything in our house. Where we hang out, how we sleep, either covered up over my head with warmth or sheet to keep bugs off. And all this affects energy and pain levels, ya know?
Maybe I need to organize my day better and my week to include everything I want to do.
Thank goodness for the treadmill. It still gets used most days of the week.
How does anyone get anything done with a job? I did do NaNo. But the rest of this, writing, knitting, especially learning new stitches, artwork, music, etc. Little got done. Too tired. Housework. Phew!
Seasons of our lives are as influential as the weather. Whew!
I hate to be a Debbie Downer but it seems that every time I start to understand what I’m doing with these Toe-up Two At A Time Socks 🧦, I lose my place and have to tink back to the mistake. Or frog the whole thing. I can count on it! But the other thing I’m learning is that I can count on getting better with this project.
Today I was knitting along, watching Warehouse 13 on FreeVee. Suddenly, I realize that I’m using the wrong working yarn, the strand for the other sock. Ugh! What a mess trying to get out of that one. Lesson learned? Watch which yarn strand I’m working with. That can save time retracing my knitting steps.
Your prompt for JusJoJan January 20th 2023, is “phantom.” Use the word “phantom” any way you’d like. Have fun!
By the way, the prompt is brought to us by Tuba. Thank you, Tuba! Please be sure to visit Tuba’s blog to read her posts and say hello
Since starting the Jotting for January a few of my own regular features seem to have become phantoms. I can feel them calling me like a phantom limb. Besides a couple reviews behind, I feel I need to catch us up on things I’m working on. Yes, I said ‘us.’ That is how I keep myself aware of what I’ve been up to lately. It helps me realize I’m not sitting and navel gazing. Things are getting done!
I’ve shared my two pairs of circular needle socks. But there are other projects getting attention. Just not as much.
A child’s hat, ChiaoGoo red-lace circulars.
⁰
These are nearly finished. CinDWood sock looms. The part I like least, ribbed cuff
A pair of child’s socks heel started on left sock. Cuff complete on the right. These are using HiyaHiya Fliers and short small ChiaoGoo Circular Needles to help out.
Nearly finished on Flexee fine-gauge loom. Again, cuff ribbing is my least favorite part.
I shared my method of keeping the cable uncurled with friends today. And I can share the progress since my full frog of yesterday.
With the help of my toes, the toes of the socks are finished. These are Knitters’Pride Royale Circular Needles. Good thing I can still sit half lotus while knitting.
Lastly, Diamond Painting continues. Nearly finished with the dragon.
I love him! So all-knowing, don’t you think?
I’ll try to get my reviews done sometime this weekend.
Working on my series: Haven.
Doodler (zendoodle.com)
Music major: voice and piano
Mom of four great adults
Reiki II practitioner
I have been on disability/retired for 10 years now from depression, anxiety and fibromyalgia.
Books, games, music, and life — filtered through the mind of a writer, drummer, and philosopher who thinks too deeply about all of it. If it moves something in your chest, I'm interested.
Darswords 
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