Mindful March: Day 14

Today’s reminder from the Mindful March initiative is:

‘Find ways to enjoy any chore or tasks that you do.’

I learned early on in life that chores came whatever your age. My mother, having two daughters, saw she could utilise two extra pairs of hands to do laundry, ironing, cleaning and any other household chore she thought to delegate. And thus, to make cleaning the toilet more palatable (given I had four brothers who’s aim was never accurate) I embraced music loudly, and cheerfully.

One, by loudly by playing music on the radio singing along, and later, when older and could afford it, on my own cheap record player. My sister and I would dance and take turns doing the ironing, that is, when she was at home and not working. It was the same with the vacuuming, music was always playing. 

Even now, when I need to do any household chore, on goes the radio before I even start. A house full of music is a joyful place. Try belting a Bat out of Hell loudly while vacuuming. Especially if you want to annoy the neighbours.

It was the same with task, as a kid, my turn to polish all our school shoes? I would sing to myself to get through the job as quickly as possible. I also did this with school exams, singing under my breath when in any stressed situation. 

And even more recently, when I had to go into hospital for cancer surgery last year. Yes, you guess it. Playing music and or singing to myself was a way to get through the ordeal. 

And you, what do you do?

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

Doing the hustle …

Inspired by Jim Mitchell’s post, I Really Hate My Dumb Job, in which he talks about the time he went to Hollywood and almost got a job on radio. I dug deep into my past life.

I had quite a few side gigs back in the day, especially when I was stationed in Germany during my stint in the military. Some of these gigs paid like waiting on tables at various Officer’s Mess shindigs, others we’re done for free for fun and to learn something new, or hang out with some cool people. 

One of these gigs was the on-base radio station. It was mostly run by a bunch of Americans who were on base with us Brits, those who had access to the right facilities and know-how at setting up the needed equipment. They had wrangled this cool gig somehow and both their Colonel and our Group Captain, the base commander, had agreed to it. 

I stumbled into it by way of making friends with Ken, a US army staff sergeant who ran the whole shebang, taking care of the staffing side and lockup. Ken was a man who loved to dance, and when I got invited to disco night by a friend at the American Bar on camp, I ended up spending most of the night dancing with and talking to, Ken. 

It wasn’t my iffy dancing skills that got me the gig with the ‘boss’. It was my voice. Yanks love a good British accent, and I had what Ken referred to as ‘a come to bed’ voice. I was asked if I would like to try out for an evening slot, and duly went along to meet the crew after a late shift. I hadn’t even changed out of my uniform into civvies, or gone for a late dinner, but instead, found myself talking into a microphone for a solid 2 hours.

You could say, I was hired on the spot. Though the truth was, no one was paid. Everyone involved did it for the love of music and DJ’ing. I should point out I never chose the music, or lined up the jingles, or had to worry about anything technical, they only wanted me for my sultry tones. 

It was me and the mike, and the listeners.

I often wondered if after my life in the military I should have skipped going on to civilian air traffic control, and gone straight into radio or, something more lucrative?

This is Alexandra, coming to you live from nine zero point five FM radio! 

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

Going in search of…

I’m endlessly fascinated (not) by everyone talking about what search engines they use, from this one to that one, and paying this much or that much a month, week, minute, year. And I’m left asking myself just what the hell is everyone searching for?

I mean, really?

Is it hidden treasure, the lost city of the Incas/Aztecs, Eldorado, Amelia Earhart? What?

“Oh, I kept my searches down to 300 a month,” X says on social media, leaving me wondering what am I missing? Or more to the point, missing out on? Do I need 300+ searches of anything per month? Do I need a Kagi or a DuckDuckGo or even, dare I say it, Google?

What do these paid for subscription tools offer that Google doesn’t I ask myself, and why does everyone do so many searches a month? Maybe I’m missing out on buying into a goldmine or pearl fishery, or asking what the latest AI initiative is? I’m damned if I know why everyone’s got so many questions.

Personally, I use people as my search engine of choice, they’re far more easily accessible, fun, free, and usually yields more accurate, if not, amusing results at the end of the day. 

And let’s face it, does no one go to the library anymore, other than university students? Is it online search engine that killed the library and people’s ability to go manually searching for answers?

I guess the answer is to go ask some AI client or chatbot …

Or maybe, I’ll just go read a book.

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

AMA #2

Another question I got asked for Annie’s #AMA (Ask Me Anything) challenge was from Annie (yes, another Annie), she wanted to know:

What is a habit that’s either very long-standing or has had a big impact in your life (or both)?

and

What’s your favourite time of day, and why?

First up, let’s start with the easier question, my favourite time of day has got to be mornings, early mornings. Especially as I have a habit of waking up somewhere around 5am for a pee. Which in and of itself you’d think would be annoying but … I’ve learnt to turn around what was once an annoyance to a positive. I now take the time to open the curtains and peak outside, and spend a couple of minutes marvelling at the world beyond. Sometimes I give up any thought of going back to bed and, instead, brew a cup of green tea, sit on the couch with a blanket, and either read or just stare out into the dark pondering life’s mysteries.

It’s funny what pops into your head when you stop thinking about anything specific.

As to Annie’s second question? Hmm … I’m not sure I have any long standing habits these days. I think I’ve broken myself of most of the annoying ones a long time since; like chewing my nails till I was 17, sucking my finger till I was 5 and started school, or carrying a stuffed bush baby plushy everywhere I went till the age of 3, till I threw it overboard on a boat.

There was also my habit of watching the news while eating breakfast. But watching the twin towers fall live on TV, one morning, broke me of that habit. In shock, like half the world, I couldn’t bring myself to watch the morning news for well over a decade.

I do, I suppose, have one new habit that stated in the spring of 2019, the year before covid hit. When my partner and I were planning a month long trip to Paris in the fall of 2020, and I needed to get in shape for the trip. It was walking. But, as we all know, covid locked down us and the entire planet, we didn’t go anywhere for 2 years. I did, however, walk with a vengeance. I started walked for at least 5 minutes of every hour every day, for that entire year. Not only did I gain muscle mass, but lost weight too. The upshot of that one year, which continued into 2021 and then, 2022, became my new habit.

Now I only walk about three and a half minutes every hour. But still, with everything else I do throughout the day. I walk over 7000 steps each and every day. It really has been one of the best habits and decisions I ever made.

And you, what’s your favourite time of day, and what long standing habits do you have, if any?

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

Mindful March: Day 11

Funnily enough today’s Mindful March prompt is:

‘Stay fully present while drinking your cup of tea or coffee.’

I say funnily enough because it’s one of the few times throughout the day I like to just sit by a window here in my apartment, sip my brew, and look out at the world. Taking in whatever is happening outside, ‘live’ as it were. Who needs TV when you have several squirrels who provide a series of antics to watch, or a flock of sparrows who love to flit about loudly chirping to one another and then, the secretive, occasional visitor to our little green space outside; a reclusive groundhog.

So to ask if I’m fully present, the answer is a resounding yes. I forget I’m even drinking a tea when engaged in hanging out to watch what the weather’s doing like today, where the wind is gale force, the trees are thrashing wildly against a steal grey sky, and the birds are hiding in the privacy hedge scolding the freezing rain. I don’t imagine they want to go foraging anymore than I wanted to go out today, to see the nurse for my blood test. 

But I’m sure they’re as present there, in their huddled warmth, hidden amid the foliage as I am sat here watching them. 

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧