Inspired by and written for JustJoJan – thank you, June

Definition: Optimism – n. hopefulness and confidence about the future or the success of something

Form: Free Write

Let’s face it, none of us would do anything if we didn’t think there was some chance it will work out. Now, whether it works out how we imagined is something else. I see optimism as the spark that could ignite the light at the end of a tunnel. Could, if something is not meant to be nothing will ignite that light, and a new tunnel needs to be travelled.

I am neither optimistic nor pessimistic, I like an even balance. I believe in being realistic and weighing up the pros and cons before making decisions. In fact, being over-optimistic or over-pessimistic is not healthy and for mental health even dangerous. Optimism won’t be of any use if things go wrong and one is not prepared for that contingency. Likewise, pessimism is useless when things succeed.

Yes, all that means I analyze. probably over-analyse, every damn thing. but I am very aware if I go too far positive or negative my mental health breaks down into chaotic spirals, and I have no chance of coping with that – and that is never a good place to be. Balance is key

Inspired by and written for JustJoJan – thank ye kindly, Linda

Form: Free Write

Prompt: Once upon a time….

…. a poet gazed at the prompt in utter confusion as to what it required. Was it a free write where the words fall onto the keys or something totally different? More likely the poet is just being a dumbass as it is getting late and he needs a nice cup of tea. Is there a time limit or word count? Knowing my luck I have already exceeded a word count or have so far to go I will have to invent some twatwaffle. Actually, I ain’t written twatwaffle in ages so it is long overdue. Already the autowhatitsface is red-lining as it doesn’t like the twatwaffling word nor being called autowhatisface – aww my heart bleedeth with raw I don’t careness. and there it is another red’un. Normally so many red lines would fry my little brain into a melt-in-the-mouth moment of sheer panic and terrorification. And there is the point of twatwaffling, dear gentlefolk, it is allowing myself to just write without thinking ‘oh no a correction.’ Or maybe it is a poet’s challenge of daring-do-do to see if the damn autofixit with the red pen melts down into a techie-puddle of goo before I do, In that case, it’s beat me every time. The prompt is once upon a time which is always a long long time ago or some such jazzification that leads to a maiden of fairness, yeah blonde hair and all that, and she’s normally a princess hitting hard times until the dozy plank on horseback, they call ‘im the handsome prince, he has to be a prince cos she is a princess and all, comes plodding along and in a brave and manly fashioning rescues her and they get married. Result they live happily ever after. So now my wee brain is thinking – oh gods no I hear ya all say – if a story starts with once upon a time it will end with they all lived happily ever after. So everything in between, by logical deductioning, must be twatwaffle. Now I’m going for that cup of tea. Tara!!!

Inspired by and written for JustJoJan – thank you, Linda

Prompt: Out of the Box

Form: Free Write

To be out of the box one first must be in the said box. The box, that safe place that gives us breathing time, time to pull the mess we make of living back together. So, it is not such a bad place and we all need our boxes at times.

However, it is not a good place to stay if we are going to actually do the living thing. So, I look at that box, that safe space, as a bit like a flat-pack box I can collapse and carry with me and put up real quick if I need to.

As a writer, the box is something different. Thinking outside the box is part of the job so to speak, but so is thinking in the box – it all depends on what I am writing about. When I am writing about art, I must stay true to what I see and that means staying in that damn box and not getting all fancy and flowery about it.

Of, course, art can also inspire me, and then I get out of the box and go into creative writing. For creative writing of poetry and fiction, it is a case of folding that box up and shoving it deep under the sofa where I can’t get to it. It is the only way I can explore ideas that come into my head, dust off the manky cobwebs and go with it, exploring the idea and writing it. I write fantasy – believe me I have never met an Orc, well, I don’t think I have, but I have written about them