Tag: RoryAsks

12 Bloggerz- March edition

Rory is the host of 12 Bloggerz

Okay … well you have come First in a Travel Competition you took part in and your prize is 1 Week Holiday in Medieval France [not pretend, virtual or fantasy but real time as in travel back through time]. I know, how lucky!

What five items ONLY will you take with you on your week away in Medieval France?

1

Hmmm….. When in medieval France?

I think it was a very turbulent time and I should go equipped with;

Full armor

A very big and strong sword

A map

A dictionary of French

My mobile phone with GPS activated.

What is the messiest meal you have ever eaten and why was it so?

2

A bar of chocolate that had melted due to heat, in its wrapper. As I love chocolate and can’t throw it away, I squeezed out the melted goop and ate it. It got all over my hands and face!

There is a Flesh Eating Zombie apocalypse raging across the lands – which 5 Bloggers would you sign up to your cause to help you fight your way to victory and why them, what will they bring to the fight?

3

-You, Rory;

because you know all about Zombies

– Kristian;

Because he writes very good horror stories

– Melanie;

For her knowledge of zombies as she has read all of Stephen King books

-Fandango;

I think he can be a good strategist

– Dr. Tanya;

She can treat anyone injured during the fight.

If you had to trade places with a celebrity for a day who would you pick and why?

4

Oprah Winfrey!

Need you ask why?

Can you list five really funny comedians [any period of time]?

5

I can, but will I?

Charlie Chaplain

Eddy Murphy

Robin Williams

Rowan Atkinson

Peter Seller

John Cleese

In a world of continued disposability what six items do you consider basic staples for each wardrobe irrelevant to the year? [as in these pieces never age]

6

Shirts

Jeans

Shoes

Undies

Coat

Property aside, what is the most expensive thing you have ever bought for yourself?

7

A car!

I didn’t buy it, my husband did.

When you are feeling down, what can you do or eat, drink … whichever to boost your mood?

8

Dark chocolate!

Coffee

Dark chocolate fudge brownie

Something with lots of carbs, like naan or samosas

When are you at your happiest and what are you doing to make that happen for you?

9

I am happiest when I am at peace with my family and the world around me. I need to keep reminding myself of all the things and people that I am blessed with.

Do you believe ‘you are what you wear’ as in clothing defines your personality?’

10

Not really, but a well-dressed person makes a better first impression upon others. I can be totally oblivious to how I appear to my friends and family, but when I am confronting strangers, I do try to dress up well.

What’s the best advice you can give anyone in your opinion?

11

I have stopped giving advice unless asked for it. If someone asks, I will tell them;

Always be mindful and grateful for all that you have. One never knows when we could lose any of these.

Despite your good intentions – it is a universal fact that not everyone you meet and or know will like you – are you okay with that or does it bother you to the point you want to know why?

12

It used to bother me a lot, but now I don’t care. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. As I am too!

♾♾♾

#Keepitalive

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#RoryAsks

Random Friday Question Fun

Rory is back with a few Questions

Topical Tropical Trinity!

Season 2

Random Friday Question Fun

What prompts you to write about your favourite genres?

I like writing about life. Anything can get the creative ideas going. I love both photo and idea prompts. I do miss doing the daily prompts and the challenge they posed, weaving 5-6 words into one cohesive idea!

How do you personally define ‘fear and do you think we should all live with an element of fear in our lives?

Fear is one of nature’s defense mechanisms. One should never disregard it. We are naturally afraid of things that can harm us. It includes objects and situations too. Fear makes us tread carefully in life. We should pay due heed to it but not let it cripple our way of life.

How long do you spend weekly with your hobby’s?

As blogging is my hobby, I spend around 25- 30 hours a week on it. A few hours I spend on reading, but way less than what I should.

Have you, were you, do you desire to be a hippie?

Nopes!

I was too young when this trend was all the rage. Living in Pakistani society, I didn’t encounter many hippies and so there was not much inclination to turn hippie!

I’m more of a conventional person, and my rebellious streak is just apparent when I express my opinions.

♾♾♾

#Keepitalive

#RoryAsks

Do you trust your instincts?

Rory the ever curious blogger is asking;

How well do you trust your own instincts for sensing if something or someone is wrong for you and/or your life?

As far as human nature is concerned, I do trust my instincts on judging them. I can tell if a person is going to be a good match nature-wise for me or not.

Do you or can you make the right decisions based upon your gut reactions quickly or do you simply tread more carefully and observe everything before making decisions on your findings, opinions, and beliefs?

If we talk about actions, like deciding to do something or buy something small, I am very impulsive. That usually means that I make snap decisions and they are often wrong. I used to buy stuff which I didn’t need just because I liked it. Or try something new without giving it too much thought. But these weren’t very important matters. If it’s an important decision, I do think about it and get information to help me make the right decisions. I rely on information more than my instincts.

If you were to sense a change in a friendship but were not sure of the direction in which this was taking, but your instinct told you something was seriously off – how would you choose to react?

Well if it is a good, or old friend, I would ask the reason for their charge in attitude. I believe in treasuring friendships and also in talking things out. I wouldn’t want to make a decision without trying to clear the air first.

Do you think your instincts are always right and if not, what do you think can alter them to become unreliable?

I trust my instincts as far as judging people is concerned. I do tend to form an opinion about people when I meet them. But that’s as far as I’ll trust my instincts. I am often wrong about other things and would rather trust my brain to make a better, informed choice.

♾♾♾

#Keepitalive

#RoryAsks

Friday Four- Game 3.2 and other questions

Rory is the host of Friday Four

Warning; A long list of Q & A

Do you find if you are feeling low that changing the colour of your clothing that you are wearing at that time lifts your spirits at all?

The nature of attire helps more than the color. If I put on something dressy and formal, and look good, ( this is very important) then I feel better. Eating something good also does the same, at least temporarily.

What would you do with your life if you weren’t afraid to do it?

Be more adventurous. Go to the far-off places, see more of this beautiful world we live in. But I would also need bushels of money too. So how about loaning me some, along with the courage to go out in this covid infected environment?

How good is your long term and your short term memory?

Short-term memory is shot to pieces. Long-term memory is better. I can remember things and incidents from when I was 3 years old but will forget what I was about to say a moment ago. I think it’s not exactly a memory issue but more of a sensory overload.

Which is more important to you today friendship or family?

My family is very important to me but so are my friends. Most of my friends are as precious to me as my blood relatives.

Some more questions about mental and physical health;

How is your physical and mental health overall?

Pretty good, I think. I’ve almost recorded fully after my surgery and am back to walking 5-6 miles a day. Mental health is good too, thankfully.

I’d rate both at 8 on a scale of 1 – 10.

What is your current level of exercise or activity like today?

As I said in my previous response, 5-6 miles walk a day in 2 – 3 installments. I don’t do any sort of exercise other than walking. Maybe I should?

Were you one for leading an active and physically active lifestyle before today – when younger as an example?

Yes when I was a student, I used to play a lot of games. Volleyball, cricket, badminton, and cycling. Cycling was my favorite. As a young mom, I tried to keep up this level of physical activity but couldn’t.

By my forties, my different autoimmune diseases made their appearances, and my health suffered due to that. I got my first knee replaced at age 50 and the second one at 54. From then onwards, my health has improved significantly.

Have you found that your exercise has been hindered or enhanced with the arrival of the pandemic?

I was in Seattle when the pandemic hit the world. I had nothing much to do so I increased the time I walked. From 10000 steps I went to 15000 steps. So I’d say in a way pandemic helped me stay more active.

How do you motivate your enthusiasm today?

By trying to follow the same routine every day. Weekends are the same as weekdays. If I take it easy on the weekend, I’d feel lazy and my enthusiasm would drop too.

Do you find that your emotions are harder to manage in the current situation with covid or are you able to keep your mentality stable?

I am lucky to be surrounded by my family and grandchildren. This helps to keep my emotions grounded. Like any other human, I do have mood swings but it really helps when cute little toddlers are there to make you forget your irritations and worries.

What is your overall vitality like today?

I think it’s around an 8.

What is a typical week like for you with activity – your interpretation?

I walk seven days a week. Burn around 2500 – 3000 calories a day( according to my activity app on my Apple Watch) and sleep 7-8 hours every night.

Aaaaand some more Questions!

What really makes you angry?

Stupidity makes me angry. Unjust behavior makes me furious and glitching technical issues make me lose my mind altogether.

What is your preferred mode of transport from the following: walking, driving car, train ride, or riding a bike or something else entirely?

If it’s close enough, I’d rather walk. Otherwise driving my car or being driven if someone is kind enough to do it!

Which would you rather do: wash dishes, mow the lawn, clean the bathroom, or vacuum the house.

I like washing dishes and vacuuming. I can clean a bathroom too if it doesn’t involve scrubbing the tub! Mowing the lawn is beyond me. Haven’t done it in ages.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Breakfast! I can have it three times a day!

How many pairs of shoes do you own?

I don’t know. Haven’t counted them. Maybe 15 or 20. But they all are open-toed flit flops. I own one pair of walking shoes which I don’t wear. It gives me blisters and bruises.

How long does it take you to get ready in the morning for the rest of your day?

Ten minutes if I’m not washing my hair. 20 minutes if I’ve to wash and blow dry my hair. No makeup is required these days as I’ll be wearing a mask.

What three items only would you take with you on a deserted island to survive for a week?

Food

water

and entertainment! Simple.

Lots of thanks to my dear friend Rory who comes up with such interesting and varied questions for us every week.

#Keepitalive

#RoryAsks

Friday Four- Season 3 Game 1

Rory is the host of Friday Four

If it wasn’t so, what would it be then?

I am very disappointed that it wasn’t just so! But if it isn’t then I’ll take it however it is!

When was the last time you simply paused for a few moments to take in everything that is seriously great about our world?

I do that every day. When I walk, I think about life. It’s a wonderful time to just empty my mind of random thoughts and think about my life, the way I am heading, and how good life really is. Nothing is perfect, but there is good in every day and in most things that happen in my day-to-day life.

If you were given one song of your choice and one song only to play in the ‘air around’ you when you went out outside for walking or exercising or on your way to where ever or whatever … what would that song be?

I love devotional songs. Mostly hymns sung in praise of God Almighty. I can listen to them all day, especially one which is sung by a famous Pakistani singer, Atif Aslam. The 99 names of Allah;

https://youtube.com/watch?v=lgm3puP3tMA&feature=share

So we have healthy mentalness, wellbeing and mindfulness and they have been with us for many a year as terminology – but also sometimes and quite oft forgotten is ‘kindfulness’ – aka the art of being kind to yourself … when was the last time you practiced being kind to you and what was it that you did or were doing?

I try to be kind to myself every day by looking after my health. I used to be very critical of my actions but now I just forgive my blunders and move on. From time to time I indulge myself by doing something that I like.

Loving oneself is the first step towards kindfulness!

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#Keepitalive

#RoryAsks

Rory asks; How true you are to yourself

Rory, the curious blogger asks;

Now to the questions … don’t just answer these questions simply, give them some deep thought first…

How true to your real personality, your true personality, your youniquity personality are you? 

Be honest, not just answer how you think you are to be read, but are you truly you?

Do you believe in you and your ability to always be you and true to your personality or are you at times mindful or wary of those around you and how they expect you to be and behave??

You don’t have to answer all the questions should you not wish to however, let me know your views below…

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It took me a lot of years to be truly, true to myself.

The way I was brought up made a huge impact on how I behaved. I am usually wary of offending people, especially my family. I am also careful how I deal with strangers.

Being polite, and calm was ingrained into my personality. Being respectful to elders was a must. Family obligations must always be met with smiles and an open heart. Even if you don’t like these people, you have to be extra nice to them. I did all that and there was a lot of resentment in my heart.

One can never truly break the mold in which our eastern society makes us but to a large degree, I have broken free from these restrictions. I am more true to my outspoken nature now.

I am now being myself. I don’t keep quiet when I need to speak up. I share my views, however, conflicting it may be to the general opinion. I don’t pander to people just to be polite. I believe that friendship or any relationship should be based on equality and so if I feel I’m being taken for granted, I withdraw from that relationship.

So I do think that I am finally being true to myself.

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#Keepitalive

#RoryAsks

Question Fun- Game 3

Rory is the host of Question Fun

QF – S4 – G3 – Topic – “Just Random!”

Question 7

Does ‘methodical order and sequencing’ really matter?

Not to everyone, but I like things to be in some sort of sequence and order. It makes organizing things easier and also satisfies the OCD brain. For example, the numbering of these questions are topsy turvy, but I’m letting them be, because I think that is part of the puzzle.

Question 3

Given the choice which historiographical era could you live in comfortably if you had to go back ‘in time’ and why do you think you could?

I don’t want to go back in time but if I must, I’d choose my childhood era! Early 1960’s. The pace was slow, life was simpler and both my parents were alive. That would make things confusing for them but would make this journey in time worth all the risks for me because then I can meet my mom as an adult and get to know her.

Question 9

What type of advertising really ticks you off as in – it doesn’t matter what the product is … because of the way it is actually advertised you become instantly annoyed and hostile with the medium … this is NOT a political campaign question?

Too repetitive, too cheesy, weird premise to base the adverts on. I think we can say safely that I don’t like most advertising. The only ones I like are the funny ones. And those too, only the first 100 times or so!

Question 83

What topics or passions could you write freely and knowledgeably on for say 3000 words if you had to?

What????

3000 Words!!!!

I don’t think I can write 3000 words on any subject, however passionate or knowledgeable I am about it. I just lack the amount of concentration required to do such a lengthy piece of writing.

Question 2

What could you NOT do for money – given the obvious – so this is not about harming yourself or harming or mudering others – so aside from that side of things – what could you not just do for cash?

Sell my self-respect.

Or admire a corrupt or bad person, even on the surface.

Compromise on my principles

Or vote for Trump or BoJo

Question 1

When was the last time that you read something and it touched you in some deep dark way?

I read a lot of things here on the blogosphere that touch me. Some make me sad, some are thought-provoking while others are enlightening. I don’t remember being touched in a dark way. The same goes for the literature that I prefer.

I guess it’s a conscious choice to stay away from this sort of stimulation.

Question 101

How did you murder that person and how did you get rid of the body?

It was a direct assault. I made my character plunge a pen filled with ink into his evil heart and hence the deed was done. Getting rid of the body was easy, as it was the fictional villain’s job and he did it without any input from me!

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#Keepitalive

#RoryAsks

Rory Asks; What inspires our imagination

Rory is asking;

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24 Hour Blog Question directory

What teases and tickles your imagination the most when it comes to responding to creative writing prompts? [Why that particular one?]

As you know, imagination is a fickle thing. Sometimes even a hint is enough to get it going and at others, even a whole paragraph is not going to stimulate it.

For myself, I need to feel some sort of connection when I see an image or read a prompt.

When I was doing multi-prompt posts based on daily Prompts, I would create an image in my mind or download it from the free library and then write around it.

What do you look for specifically, when you are seeking out something different to your usual genre prompt? 

Something that challenges my imagination. Or alternatively, channels it to something unusual. Both work.

I am greatly appreciative of all the effort that goes into giving verbal or visual prompts. Many thanks to all those bloggers who put in such great effort.

What makes for, in your opinion a great creative writing prompt?

It has to be different for different people. No one size fits all. Something one would consider mundane will inspire a beautiful creation from the mind of another. I like Sue Vincent prompts where she couples her own photograph with a word that describes the image. It promotes a lot of interesting responses.

Any word or image can make our imagination create a masterpiece, it just has to be the right time and right frame of mind.

I hope that Rory starts his prompts again. There is no doubt that he made us think and ponder before we came up with a response.

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Question Fun- Game 2

Rory is the host of Question Fun

Question 1

Favourite pizza topping?

Cheese, mushrooms, bell peppers, and olives.

Question 2

What do you do too much and too little of today?

Too much blogging and too little reading. I have a long list of books I want to read but somehow or the other, I am not getting to it. However, I do spend a lot of time walking as well. My doctor told me that it’ll help my body to heal faster.

Question 3

Do you live by the 2 second rule when it comes to dropped food on the floor?

[As in if food drops to the floor do you eat it or bin it?]

Depends where it fell. If it’s outside, it will be given to the birds or any stray cats. If it’s in my home and the floor or space is reasonably clean, I’ll probably eat it. I am learning from my younger daughter who lets her toddler eat stuff after she throws it on the floor. She says it’s building her immunity!

Question 4

Have you ever fooled around with electric wires and tripped you … as in received a shock – if yes, what were you doing?

Yup! I was usually trying to fix the wirings and got a jolt. Never bad enough to singe my skin or causing me to faint, but it was a lesson well learned.

Question 5

Are you a plate licker??

Nopes! But I sometimes lick my fingers after I’ve eaten something very yummy, like a piece of dark chocolate.

Question 6

What time do you normally retire to bed for the night …. or try to anyway?

My target is 10- 10:30 pm. My Apple Watch reminds me 15 minutes early of the bedtime. I am trying to stick to this habit as it’s helping me get good quality sleep.

Question 7

How many blue elephants would it take to change a red lightbulb in the green toilet?

I think the color of the elephants would have a great impact on their ability to change the bulb. The color of the toilet or the bulb itself wouldn’t make much difference.

At a guess, as only one elephant can fit in a toilet, so it would have to do the job by itself. And blue elephants are pretty smart.

😜😜😜😜😜😜😜

#Keepitalive

#RoryAsks

Twelve Bloggerz – February Edition

Rory is the host of 12 Bloggerz

Welcome to 12 Bloggerz … the monthly topical question feature ….

Game #10– February 2021

Season 2

1. How high are your current energy and wellbeing levels as in are you relaxed, chilled, tense or stressed or do you think that despite everything you are doing pretty well and your mental health is balanced?

Right now, I am recovering from my gallbladder surgery and my energy level is not as high as it usually is. But despite that, I think I am doing pretty well today, and am hoping that my health and energy level keeps on getting better day by day, as well as my feelings of wellbeing. The same goes for my mental health.

2. Do you perform any ‘refreshing cleanses or routines’ to help you prepare for the day or the week ahead?

Yes, I do. My first routine is to meditate and pray first thing in the morning. Then I take a brief walk before breakfast.

That starts the day on a good note. I take several walks during the day and they keep my mental and physical energy level on a good even keel.

3. When was the last time you had a major ‘declutter’ of the house and do you have one planned again?

I keep on doing decluttering regularly as I don’t like too much stuff. But the last major de-cluttering took place when we moved house four years ago. I gave away a lot of stuff. Some of it was what I could have used! But I think it’s better to have fewer things than more than we need.

4. Do you have a ‘happy place’ you can go to relax and chill out – if so what or where is it?

My happy place is in my mind and it goes everywhere with me. But I can access it only when I am at peace with myself. No stress of unfinished chores or daily stresses hanging over my head.

5. What are three of your favourited songs that you listen to when you wish to wind down and let the day pass you by for a while?

I like to listen to soft music if I am in a mellow mood or something foot-tapping if I want a brisk walk to unwind. The songs keep on changing with time.

6. Which is more important in your eyes … to be kind or to be nice?

To be kind is more important.

One can be nice apparently, with ulterior motives, but we usually are kind because we are kind at heart. Though the best scenario would be to be nice and kind too, genuinely.

7. When was the last time you experienced a strange and bizarre dream and what was it about and also, what do you think it means/meant?

I am sure I’ve had strange and bizarre dreams, but I never can remember them. And since I can’t remember them, I canning tell you what I think they mean!

8. When was the last time you accidentally made yourself jump or you scared yourself?

Sometimes I scare myself when I see, or think I saw something from the corner of my eye. It’s not there but can scare me specially if I’m alone and it’s night time.

9. If you had the opportunity of looking 10 years into your own future and living there for a day – would you take the journey?

Nopes!

It will take out all the fun out of the next ten years. I’d either be too excited if something nice was going to happen and it would be an anticlimax or too apprehensive! So no thank you!

10. How organic are you and your lifestyle [as in chemical free]?

Not very. I’m quite laid back and don’t go to too much effort in getting organic produce or products. My theory is that I’ve survived so long with using whatever is available, so it’s probably okay for the rest of my life. I do try to recycle and reuse things.

11. How well do you sleep and how many hours are you able to sleep daily and more importantly, how rested do you feel each and every day upon waking?

Most days I sleep well. I get around 7- 7:30 hours of sleep and I do feel well-rested most days unless of course there is another attack of INSOMNIA!

12. When was the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone and felt immediately better for it?

The most prominent example is when I started my blog. It was totally not planned and was an amazing experience from the start.

Thank you Rory for these lovely questions.

#Keepitalive

#RoryAsks