Tags
blogging101, Creative Writing, Journaling, Reflections, Sandbox Writing Challenge, Self-actualization, Writing 101, Writing Prompts
[Ok… I admit it. I’m waffling again. Don’t know whether posting my answers on the same post later in the day is the best way to post them or not. I’m thinking maybe not, since some folks will not make it back to read them. So many little decisions, so much life disruption! (rolls eyes along the carpet and out the door…) Thoughts?]
__________________________________________________________________
Here’s my entry for The Sandbox Writing Challenge… Well, I realized right off the bat that one is NOT necessarily indicative of the other! (Pats self on back… :D)
What things relax me?
— A glass of wine and quiet music
— A back or foot massage (sighs just thinking about foot massage…)
— A glass of wine and a good book
— A glass of wine (ok, or a cup of coffee at Starbucks) and a good gab session with a friend
— Driving random backroads alone with the cd player full blast
— Listening to the rain hit the roof
— Petting Twitch
— Listening to Plato’s audios on his website
— Walking through a forest or by the ocean
— Candlelight
— Meditating (on those rare occasions I do it anymore)
— Wandering around a bookstore for a few hours
— Cross-stitching with quiet music going (and a glass of wine — which I have been known to spill on my work, then it wasn’t so relaxing!)
— Watching the movie of Jane Austen’s Persuasion when no one is at home to bug me (with a bottle of wine)
— Harp music
— Sitting by a roaring fire
(Actually all those wines are just as likely to be hot chocolate. Depends on my mood. 😀 )
Saw them on this tour, btw. Awesome!
~
What things bring me pleasure?
— An overnight get-away with Lord Drollery
— A night out at a nice restaurant with Lord Drollery
— Going to the ballet
— Going to the symphony
— Picnics
— A night out with the girls
~
— Going to a club or bar and just listening to the music
— Visiting a museum or gallery (with the exception of the Holocaust Museum in D.C., which greatly disturbed me)
— Ren faire’s
— The yearly Scottish Highland Festival and Games south of Salt Lake
— Seeing anything Celtic (Celtic Woman, The High Kings, The Wicked Tinkers…)
— Cruises with interesting shore excursions
— Road trips
— Seeing Taiko drummers or Riverdance
— Talking to people
— Writing
— Autumn
— Reading poetry or listening to it being read
There are probably other things I could add to both lists, but that’s a good start.
Impromptu Promptlings 
In my (obviously limited) experience, whilst things people like are objective, they are also fairly regular-similar sorts of people like similar sorts of things. I’m not sure what this adds I’m afraid, I just thought it was an interesting point… Thoroughly enjoyable post as always!
Best, Matt
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well I think you’re really right about that. PLUS you’re a guy! But experience doesn’t count anyway because it should be where you’re coming from now. Post a couple things from columns A and B on here if you get a minute. I’d love to hear about your life that way. Young adults’ lives are so different today than they were when we were growing up. I think we need to be enlightened! 😀 {{{Matt}}}
LikeLiked by 1 person
Better late than never I hope… Relaxing things includes showers, lying in bed, sitting on the bus, and looking out a window or at a view. Things I enjoy include cycling, walking, friends, and beauty (I know, fairly broad). Sorry for the delay in response.
Best, Matt
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my dear Matt, your conversation is ALWAYS WELCOME here! You can jump into these challenges any time any where. I was so relieved to get your email and know that you’ve just been swamped with school. I’ve so enjoyed following your blog and getting to know you. I have several more books on my TBR list thanks to your wonderful reviews. Chin up at school and give ’em hell! 😀
Hearing from you brings up something Fimnora at Quantum Hermit and I were talking about in regards to how folks come and go on here. Might do a post about it.
Hugs my friend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much for your kind words and wishes! I think that a post about that topic would be very interesting to read, I for one would be fascinated to take a look.
Hugs to you too!
Best, Matt
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh! And you sound like the perfectly well-rounded young man to me! Great answers! Especially the looking out the window one! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reading your second list helped me to remember how many things give me pleasure. I needed this today. I want to get on with my own lists, but please forgive me if I don’t manage it. I’ve slipped into slowmo. Everything takes longer than it should.
On top of everything else, I decided that the only way to find out what was wrong with me was to self-diagnose. I came to the conclusion that I had cafeine poisoning, and have given up coffee. All that has happened so far is that my symptoms have become worse.
I need to buck myself up with a couple of humorous posts, but it currently ain’t happenin’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t be so sure that’s what’s going on. I’ve been poo-pooing a lot of symptoms since last September (a whole year) and my diabetes doc is now doing some tests to see if I have Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (https://www.adrenalfatigue.org/what-is-adrenal-fatigue). When that happens it’s usually because your body has too much stress hormone (cortisol) and it can wreak all kinds of havoc. Read that little article. I have every symptom on there. And you’re under so much stress right now, I wouldn’t be surprised.
And don’t worry about these challenges. The world will NOT stop spinnin’ (as Plato says) if you don’t do them. Just find your calm center and try to work from there. {{{Janey}}}
LikeLiked by 1 person
I checked out the site.
mty thoughts are all over the place and I’m feeling really emotional and unbalanced. I keep getting engulfed in floods of tears. There are things that I want to say, but I don’t want to get gushy. I would like you to understand and accept that your support makes a huge difference in my life. When I wrote the tribute to my readers you were uppermost in my mind.
I’m going to look into AFS. Thank you for pointing me in that direction.
As for the challenges – I think I need them. Last week’s challenge helped me to face up to an ancient issue which was already in the throes of boiling over. Your sandbox helped me to address it in a relatively harmless way, and once the pain dispersed all I felt was righteous, overdue anger. The sand broke my fall.
I’m so glad to know you…
LikeLike
I’m sorry. I knew you were struggling with your health, but I didn’t realise how much. All I ever do is blather on about myself. Make sure you take care of yourself, and don’t concern yourself too much about me. Sending my love {{{Calen}}} x
LikeLiked by 1 person
You know I’m ALWAYS glad when I can help give someone a leg up. You’ve got a special place in my heart, girl. I don’t pretend to understand all your challenges, but I’m not scared to hear about them, either, and I won’t be judgmental. I just consider you part of the family! 😀 Love and hugs to you, my friend.
LikeLiked by 1 person
xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are so much more cultured than me
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not really, my groovy dude. We both like the arts. Just different ones. And we’re allowed to like more than one, right? I bet you’d LOVE Taiko drummers. Especially if you sat in the front row of the theater and took your shoes off! 😀 They’re awesome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Harp music?
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’ve never sat and listened to harp music? Here’s one with rain and thunder. I love this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Sandbox 4 – Relaxation and Pleasure | The Wishing Well
All good ones!!! Wandering a book store…me too!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
(Especially if it’s a Barnes & Noble with a Starbucks attached to it! Which ours is. 😀 )
LikeLiked by 1 person
I could spend hours there!!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: The Sandbox Writing Challenge 4 — Relaxation & Pleasure | Impromptu Promptlings