Jots and Tittles and other Random Things

Welcome to My Reality - July 2023 - 41 prompts done

1. What is the most interesting thing about you? Would it surprise people? Why or why not?

I'm not exactly sure that I have anything interesting about me. I do a lot of things - You know, the "jack of all trades, master of none" kind of thing. I have many interests, from crochet, to baking, to taking online courses, to binging shows and YouTube videos. I like word searches, chess, computer games and window shopping. I like reading - for knowledge and for pleasure. I also enjoy writing. So, there it is.



2. What is the most memorable dream you’ve ever had? Describe it in as much detail as possible.


To be honest, I'm not one that remembers dreams. I mean, I've had dreams, and I've woken from them, but they just kind of flitter out of my head after a while.



3. What is your favorite place in the whole world? Is it a large place (like a city) or a small place (like a treehouse)? What makes it so special to you?


I guess that this place has changed as I've gotten older, but right now - my most favorite place in the world is at my parents' house. It brings a calm and peace to my heart. I'm lucky to have both parents still, and I don't ever want to take that for granted. I love the quiet beauty of the area where my folks live, and to me it represents "home".




4. What do you remember about your first day of school? Would you go back and repeat it again if you could? Why or why not?

I've had a few "first days" of school. Kindergarten, Junior High, Senior High, College and Vo-Tech. I don't really remember specifics too much - I loved going to school and have always wished that I could do that professionally. LOL.
I think the most memorable was going into High School because it was in a new state and a totally different culture. Imagine going from Michigan to Mississippi; new state, new accents, the first encounters with different ethnicities. Culture shock, indeed.


5. If you could do anything in the world right now, what would you want to do?

I guess I would like to be healthy enough to go back to work and pay my own bills.

6. What do you think the best food in the world is? Why is it better than other, similar foods?


Home cooked meals. They are often better and definitely cheaper than going out to eat. I just don't like having to do dishes all of the time. LOL.


7. What do you like most about your birthday?

This year, I am grateful to have seen my birthday. I was very sick just after my 56th birthday, and it wasn't a foregone conclusion that I would see my 57th. But I have, and I am thankful.


8. Write about how your parents chose your name.

To be honest, I'm not sure this ever came up. I know that just before my mom went into labor with me, she was playing golf. I never asked, and mom never told me.


9. Who knows you better than anyone else?

I would say that my family knows me best. I mean, we've had 50+ years together, and I'm not sure anything would really surprise my family anymore. We also don't take any crap from each other. We are not always together (a rare instance, as we are scattered all over the country - literally), but we keep in touch.


10. Who do you like to see when you’re sad? How does that person make you feel better?



Again, I would answer any family member. There's comfort in being able to talk to each other, and to just "check in".


11. What is unique about your family’s home?



I don't know if it is unique or not, but Dad redid the entire inside of the house. It doesn't look like a modular home (double wide), but an actual stick-built. Dad has always been a woodworking craftsman. He learned from his dad and older brother.


12. Have you ever wished you could travel back in time? Where and when would you go?

Lol...I've always made the joke that I would be afraid to go back in time, as I probably would come up with new ways of screwing things up. I guess my biggest regret is that I didn't finish school and graduate to Pomp and Circumstance. I got a GED instead. Other than that, maybe not marrying when I did (at 16).


13. What is your greatest talent? How did you become good at it?


I am pretty much a jack of all trades - I sew some, I crochet some, I write some, I cook and bake some, I like board games and computer games. I enjoy reading and communicating with people.


14. Do you like working on group projects? Why or why not?



While I can participate in group projects, I much prefer to do solo projects. My only problem is that I like having someone to encourage me (basically a cheerleader). I get impatient waiting on other people. With myself, I know that I have to work on stuff, and if I don't get it done, it's nobody's fault but my own.

15. Who is your favorite singer? What do you like best about his or her songs?


I like a lot of singers. I don't have any one favorite. My music is varied, and there are several artists that I enjoy from many genres. Country, pop, acapella, heck, even metal covers and Disney tunes. I also like "oldies" such as Abba and even a few tunes from Michael Jackson. I also like opera-style music and musicals - Think "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Phantom of the Opera". So I don't really have a clear cut "favorite".


16. Are you good at sports? Why or why not?



I haven't really done a lot of sports. One year I did track and field but wasn't any good at it. I was more of a "band" kind of person.


17. Write about a time when you did something that you were proud of.


I guess I was proud of the fact that I finished a career tech program in medical insurance billing and coding. I didn't do anything with it, however; which was kind of a bummer. I do some free online courses through Hillsdale College, which is a liberal arts school in Michigan. I really enjoy those classes.

18. Write about a time when you helped another person.


The last time I felt like I was helping someone was when my youngest daughter asked me to come to Louisiana (I was in Michigan at the time) to help her out with the kids due to the pandemic going on, and that they might need to be home schooled for the year. It turned out that they were able to go to school, but I still stayed with them for the year anyway.


19. What is your favorite animal? Why do you like it the most?


I am a cat person. I like the way that they can be self sufficient, but then be cuddly when they want to be. I also loved my dad's pug, Jesse. She was such a people pleaser and was a very good dog. She died just before her 17th birthday, and though it's only been a few months, I miss her terribly. I know dad does as well.


20. Would you rather go camping or to the beach? Why?


I like the beach, though I do not like sunburns. I like to go camping, but do not like the mosquitoes. I guess one has to pick their poison, LOL. If I could stay in the shade for the most part, and just jump in the water when I got too hot - I could deal with that. I also think that if it were in the fall where the mosquito season was over, and could have a campfire and cook smores, that would be ok as well.

21. At what age do you think you will feel grown-up? Why?


I don't know that I've ever really grown up - and I'm level 57 right now. There are days when I feel as though I could be my grandmother - dang check engine lights, anyway. Actually, Grandma was pretty spry up til she was 94 years old (back in 2000) I cannot believe she's been gone for 23 years, now

22. Who is your closest friend? How did the two of you meet?



23. Do you want to have kids of your own one day? Why or why not?


I have 3 children - all three are over the age of 30. I also have 4 grandchildren; ages 12, 11, 10 and 6. They are a handful, and while I love them dearly, I don't think I could raise a young child again at this point. But being a grandma is sometimes a real hoot.

24. What do you want to be when you grow up? Why?


Not sure if that applies to me, being level 57 nowadays. I think that I would want to be someone who could earn a living just going to school - if that ever becomes a real job, sign me up!

25. What is the most important quality for a person to have? Why?


Integrity. Without that as the foundation, everything else really is just window dressing. In my opinion, that is.

26. Write about your favorite thing to do and explain why you like it so much.


Right now, my favorite thing to do is binge watch YouTube channels. I like listening to music, watching "how to" shows, and arts/crafts. Renovating homes, and watching others review adaptations of books/movies, and just general knowledge/history channel stuff. I really do need a life...

27. Do you enjoy journaling? Why or why not?

I do enjoy it, but not as an everyday thing. I mean I will do it like gang busters for a while, then if I get caught up in something else, I might set it aside for a while, but I do eventually come back to it. (The Happiness Port Project, for example )


28. What is one thing that you wish everyone would do more often?


I think it would be to be more kind in thought and deed. Think about what you are going to say before you blurt out something that might be hurtful or something that cannot be taken back.

29. What is your favorite month? Would you want to experience it year-round? Why or why not?


I think my favorite month of the year is December. I just enjoy the Christmas spirit and decorating the Christmas tree. I like the atmosphere and the seeming kindness people sometimes have for others. It truly is a "giving" time of year. I think that I would like the kindness to be a year-round thing, but I like having warm weather sometimes as well. So I don't think I'd like December year-round, unless the weather was like 70-75 degrees year round LOL.

30. Write about a time when you had so much fun that you didn’t ever want it to end.


Last December, when my mom and dad and sisters were together. It was for about 10 days or so, but I really enjoyed it and wished that it could have been a longer visit, as there is no telling when it will happen again.

31. What is one thing you would like everyone to know about you?

That I am a pretty nice person, although far from perfect. I can have a pretty good sense of humor, and that I am pretty chill for the most part.


32. My favorite way to spend the day is…


Reading, writing, watching YouTube videos, doing reviews, and crocheting. Time management on the other hand is something that is not a strong suit (e:facepalm}

33. If I could talk to my teenage self, the one thing I would say is…

No matter how "in love" you believe yourself to be...finish school and go to college first!


34. The two moments I’ll never forget in my life are… Describe them in great detail, and what makes them so unforgettable.


I've actually had 3: the births of my three children. She was born in Mississippi. My oldest was 5 weeks early, and had to stay in the hospital for two weeks, due to lack of development of her lungs. I was at an Air Force clinic, and the doctors asked if I would mind having medical students observe...Whatever, it's not like I was really worried about modest at that point. I didn't have an epidural, and it was painful. I was only 19 at the time.

The second time I was 23 and living in Germany. I was in a "krankenhaus" (German for hospital). I remember not being able to have an epidural with this one either. I woke up at 6am when my water broke, and was in labor all of my 6th anniversary. Joe didn't come until 1am the next morning, and the nurses kept shushing me because I was too loud.

My third time I was 25 and living in Louisiana. Rachael wasn't early at all, and July was the longest month of my pregnancy. I had several false alarms with her, and finally I told the doctor that I wasn't coming back until her head was poking out. The night of August 6th, I felt like I was having labor, but was afraid to say anything. It was a very uncomfortable night. The morning of the 7th, I finally gave in and went to the hospital. I was finally in labor, and the doctor got there just in time to catch her. (Talk about being careful what you wish for!) I was able to have an epidural for this labor and it was heaven-sent to be sure.


35. Make a list of 30 things that make you smile.


1.My daughter, Arika
2.My son, Joe
3.My daughter, Rachael
4.My grandson, Mason
5.My grand-daughter, Vivian
6.My grandson, Sam
7.My grand-daughter, Adaline
8.My dad
9.My mom
10.My sister, Erica
11.My sister, Dawn
12.My friend on WdC, Lilith 🎄 Christmas Cheer
13.Another friend on WdC, Jay O'Toole
14.Another friend, Shadow Prowler-Spreading Love
15.Again, a friend Schnujo's NOT Doing NaNoWriMo
16.Having lived through a serious medical issue and being able to tell the story.
17.Reading for knowledge and for pleasure
18.Writing here on WdC, entering different contests or just for pleasure.
19.Reviewing other people's work here on the site, and getting inspiration and possibly a different perspective
20.When I lived in Michigan, my dad's black pug - Jesse would always bring a smile to my face...she was a sweetheart.
21.Watching different kinds of shows on TV and YouTube.
22.Cooking
23.Crocheting
24.Learning new crafting projects
25.Sewing
26.The feeling I get when I accomplish or finish a project.
27. Being able to get something for my grandchildren
28.Being able to do something for one of my kids
29.Being able to get around without using a walker or cane.
30.Studying the Bible




36. “Write about a moment experienced through your body. Making love, making breakfast, going to a party, having a fight, an experience you’ve had or you imagine for your character. Leave out thought and emotion, and let all information be conveyed through the body and senses.”


sweating, blood pumping wildly through my body.
one step at a time, one foot in front of the other.
legs starting to cramp, but keep pushing through the discomfort
finally finished, collapsing in a heap, legs giving out and cannot hold my weight anymore.

* My only year doing track and field, running the 2-mile race.

37. The words I’d like to live by are…



Depends on the day of the week it is. Right now I have a sign that says that "You only fail if you quit trying". Pretty good words.

38. I couldn’t imagine living without…


My phone. It has replaced my brain in several areas. I remember at one time knowing my entire family's social security numbers, birthdays, phone numbers, bank account numbers and addresses. Now the only phone number I remember off the top of my head is my mom and dad's land line (which they no longer have -



39. When I’m in pain — physical or emotional — the kindest thing I can do for myself is…


The kindest thing that I can remember is to give myself grace. I had a rough year health wise in 2022. In some ways I am still recovering, even though it's been a year since my illness. Patience and grace and just one step in front of the other is sometimes necessary. I can say that in some ways, I'm better. Again - some of those check engine lights seem to be out to get me at times.

40. Make a list of the people in your life who genuinely support you, and who you can genuinely trust. (Then make time to hang out with them.)




41. What does unconditional love look like for you?


If I could describe it in one character, it would be my dad's dog, Jesse. She was such a people pleaser (if she liked you, that is). She was always tagging along with my Dad whenever he did outside chores, and she was always at his feet when they were both taking it easy. When she was younger, she slept with mom and dad, until she just got too old to get up on the bed anymore. She loved Dad more than anything, and when she did wrong, you could tell it upset her to be scolded.