Category: Writing

Posted in 2023, life, Writing

Kindness Should Be a Daily Habit

Posted on by nancyb422

Write about a random act of kindness you’ve done for someone.

To me, kindness is something that I try to apply daily in all situations and with all people. The way I talk to people, the tone of my voice, and whether I’m paying attention or have my eyes on my computer monitor while they are talking. It’s like Mother’s Day or my wedding anniversary. I always told me son and husband, “I don’t need the fluff because you two treat me with love all year long”.

Even things like holding a door open for someone at the post office when I’m leaving is something I naturally do. If I see someone coming across the street to the post office with a large package I their arms, I’ll wait and hold the door. They appreciate it and it makes me happy to help.

A random act would be a spur of the moment decision to be kind and I’ve done those as well, but they’re more private to me.

Posted in 2023, life, thoughts, Writing

This Is What I Look Like

Posted on by nancyb422

How would you describe yourself to someone who can’t see you?

If I needed to describe my physical self to someone who can’t see me, I would start with – I’m short! 4’11” to be exact. If you could see me you might think I can’t be the age I give you. I think it’s just my height that throws people off.

I have an average face. It’s nothing that would make you do a double take if you could see me! I have blue eyes that are behind glasses every waking moment.

I have light and dark brown hair with streaks of blonde from the sun. It’s a mix of colors if you know those colors and the length changes depending on my mood.

I have fair skin that has seen too much sun over the years. If you could see me outside, I might have a hat on to shade my face.

Since you can’t see, that is me.

Posted in 2023, family, Religion, Writing

Tradition Abandoned

Posted on by nancyb422

What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?

When I read this question, I knew exactly what my answer was. Perhaps it’s not a “tradition” such as holiday celebrations (still going on!), but something that was done and passed down from grandparents to parents….

Church. I don’t go to church.

I grew up in a strong Catholic family and went to a catholic school from first to eighth grade. We went to church every Sunday for 9:15 mass. Mom, Dad, my 2 sisters and me. It was never a consideration that my sisters or I would go to a catholic high school but I went to a catholic college for my 2 year degree. More so, because the campus in the countryside was so beautiful, not because of the religion!

This is not to say there is no God in my life. I just don’t need to look for him in church. That was a tradition or structure that was passed down from hundreds of years. But so much as changed.

My wise grandmother said something to my aunt back in the 1930s when my aunt a Polak (actually German) was going to marry an Italian. Someone questioned their different churches. My family went to a Polish Catholic Church and he went to a Roman Catholic Church. Gram shut that right down! She said, “that’s a lot of nonsense. God is in every church, not just in our church!”

I’d like to think she’d feel the same way about God being found all around us and not just found in a building. We can experience and talk to Him wherever we are.

Posted in 2023, life, Writing

A Day Like Any Other

Posted on by nancyb422

Was today typical?

Since today was a work day, overall, it was pretty typical!

First thing, I organized “my stuff” into categories – bills/receipts, pre-appointment, proposal done/needs input, signed job/needs input, permit to do/done but did I pay? – and managed to get through most of it.

My energy started to wane around 1:30 as usual but I tried to keep working. It was starts and stops and a fair amount of conversation between me and our office assistant. I usually shut my door so I won’t bother her because I’m usually the one starting a conversation!

Only difference to all my other days is I had to go on an appointment at 3 pm with my husband, the contractor. Which is ok, since I did spend 20 years doing that exact thing. I’ve been spoiled since our son started working in the office and they usually do the appointments together so Cody can do the estimating. But he was unavailable and alas, I was called to step in.

I still managed to leave the office at 4:15 and head home to my non-alcoholic Stella Artois beer and my book under the pergola.

Hubs made dinner which is totally typical!

All in all, a wonderfully typical day!

Posted in 2023, Writing

This Is Who I Am

Posted on by nancyb422

How would you describe yourself to someone?

Whew this is a tough one! I keep walking away and coming back again. It’s too hard, too deep. I’ll try.

I am a Taurus and I proudly embrace all of it. I’m STUBBORN but through in the fact that I’m Polish, double stubborn. I’m loyal past the point that I should be.

I’m sensitive. Sometimes too sensitive. I can take a joke but I don’t like to be used as the butt of the joke.

I try to be positive every day and start with a positive thought as I get out of bed. Usually “thank you God for this day“.

I like to be home more than go out. I like to wake up early even if I don’t have to because I love early morning.

I’m always changing and learning about myself but these are things that have been me as long as I’ve been alive.

Posted in 2023, thoughts, Writing

Who Looks the Friendliest?

Posted on by nancyb422

If you could bring back one dinosaur, which one would it be?

My decision to bring back one dinosaur would be based on – who’s going to hurt us the least?! Those crazy T-Rexs or running, screaming bird-like things were a little to scary and wily in Jurassic Park for me!

I had to do a little google search for an answer. I found that this Mamenchisaurus sinocanadorum which is a Sauropod. It has the longest neck of all of them!

If their necks are far enough away from our heads….??

Posted in 2023, Memories, Writing

What’s Your Name?

Posted on by nancyb422

What’s the story behind your nickname?

I’ve had a couple of nicknames based on my last name but those were more teasing than actual nicknames.

The one true nickname I’ve had since high school is JakTwin which eventually got shortened to Jak. My last name was Jakiela and I am a twin. My sister and I started out as JakTwin 1 and JakTwin 2, names given to us by friends.

It was shortened to Jak by a boyfriend who loved to give people nicknames. I accepted it and it was quickly adopted by my new group of friends through him. It was so often used that his father actually thought my first name was Jackie!

When I met my husband, it was with a friend from this group (that other boyfriend long gone) and since she called me Jak, so did the man who would become my husband. His friends still call me Jak after 36 years but now he usually calls me Nancy.

Posted in 2023, life, Writing

My Morning Routine

Posted on by nancyb422

What strategies do you use to maintain your health and well-being?

I have to work out first thing in the morning for my health, well-being, and sometimes sanity.

Starting in my early 20s, I would get up at 6am, go into the living room, pop my Jane Fonda cassette tape into my player and do her workout. It drove my father crazy listening to it while eating his breakfast.

After my son was born, I would get up at 5am and do Firm workout video tapes. My sister would make a copy from a copy a friend gave her and send it out to me in California. Boy they were tough workouts but I loved them. I had to be super quiet because of my sleeping baby and husband!

Over the years I’ve done treadmill workouts, Nordic track workouts, back to Firm dvds, and Jillian Michaels. Now it’s my beloved Peloton Bike+. But one thing remains the same. I wake up at 5:10, drink my coffee, then go workout.

Not only does it help me physically but mentally, it allows me to forget about everything other than what my Peloton instructor is telling me what to do.

Posted in 2023, Goals, life, Travel, Writing

Big Dreams!

Posted on by nancyb422

What are your future travel plans?

My husband and I like to travel and we like to think about and plan our trips.

We were busy last year and early this year traveling for fun and family illness and we were both a little burnt out on air travel! We’ll be heading into the next state for a week next month at a lakeside cabin resort and towing our fishing boat. Simple plans!

But! We do have big travel plans to make for a trip to Morocco next late April/early May! My cousin and her husband own a Riad in Fez that I want to visit so much. She is the daughter of my first cousin and we hosted a couple of family get together when they traveled to the US. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen them but I enjoy following their daughter on Instagram.

Have you been there? If you have some highlights be sure and let me know in the comments!