Tick-Tock Goes the Clock

I recently was rearranging some things in my house and moved a old clock from the living room to the bedroom. In the process, the grandfather clock started ticking and continued to do so for nearly three days.

The grandfather clock was one that belonged to my maternal great grandfather. It needs to be wound every so often and I don’t recall the last time I had it running. As I moved it from one room to another and repositioned it, it started to tick tock, tick tock. The pendulum swung back and forth and the familiar tick tock continued. Every hour, it would chime to tell what hour it was….every half hour, chiming once to tell you it was half past the hour.

I didn’t think it would continue to run for more than a few hours. I was amazed to hear it still ticking for the next three days before finally winding down. I paused and reflect while I lay in bed that this was the same familiar tick tock sounds that my great grandparents had listened to while they were still living. The chimes on the hour and half hour were the same ones that graced their home for who-knows how many years. And I found that to be really cool.

I’m trying to decide whether to leave the clock in my bedroom or move it back to the living room. While the tick tock of passing seconds is soothing, the chimes on the hour and half hour can startle one in the middle of the night. Perhaps there is a switch of some sort that can be disabled for the nightime hours. I will investigate and use the key to wind the clock back up for another cycle, chimes or not.

Once again, I just found it fascinating that the clock had survived lo these many years in good working order. And the fact that here in 2024, I’m listening to the same sounds that they did at least sixty years ago. Such is a part of the amazing world in which we live.

David Lee

House Cleaning

Neatness has never been one of my strong suits. Here of late, I’ve started making the effort to get things cleaned up and cleaned out around my home. It’s definitely not an easy proposition, but one that I’m hoping will make my house more like a home.

Cleaning the house has never been an easy task. The longer it goes without caring for housekeeping, the more disorganized and messy it gets. Matters aren’t helped by the fact I go to flea markets and estate sales and pick up even more stuff. Over the past month, it’s finally gotten to the point that I’ve decided to make a concerted effort to get things cleaned and organized.

My hot water heater recently breathed its last breath and I had a friend coming over to inspect and possibly fix it. I realized the clutter in the kitchen, where the hot water heater is located, made it impossible to get to. So my kitchen was the first place the cleaning and reorganization began. Although I haven’t gotten it as organized as I’d like, it at least looks a lot better than it did.

I’ve made a start on getting both the living room and bedroom cleaned and organized as well. There were so many odds and ends in both rooms and I’ve realized it’s going to take quite a bit of time to get things the way I’d like it. There is quite a bit of stuff that I’m going to donate or throw away. Much of the rest of it is going into what I’m calling a “catch-all room”, which is now nearly filled.

I realize my house didn’t get this way overnight and that it’s going to be a time-consuming process to get it all done. But I’m happy to say I’ve at least made a start on the process. With my mind working the way it does, clutter seems to be par for the course. So I’m also working on tidying up each day instead of letting it build up as I have.

Small steps…baby steps, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

David Lee

Writing Prompt of the Day – Sept. 6, 2024

Daily writing prompt
How do you relax?
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I like to write in my journal and read books, mostly nonfiction. For the past three years, I have also taken daily walks of about four miles. While I’m walking, I listen to music or podcasts. I also like to hang out in local coffeeshops, read, write, and people-watch.

Day One of One-Hundred: The Journey of Life

I recently went on a hike on a trail just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. What started out as a short excursion turned out to be a five mile trek across some challenging trails. It occurred to me while I was on my journey, that life too can be that way.

I was just going to go on a short jaunt for a small part of the marked trail and return to my creekside chair. I started on the trail, taking a few pictures, and before I knew it, I had gone half a mile. It seemed not at all too difficult, and the posted sign said the trail was a five-mile loop, so I decided to continue.

The trail has a creek running alongside it most of the way, which allowed me to take pictures of several small waterfalls. But the fact this was a mountain trail also meant there were quite a few rocks along the way. I navigated those the best I could and continued the course.

By the time I finished the five-mile course, my shirt was thoroughly drenched with sweat and my feet were aching. It seemed that the second half of the course was the most difficult, as I have become tired of the more strenuous parts of the hike. Along that path, I reasoned that it was a lot like life.

Over the past three years or so, life has seemed to be one big life event after another. Just when things seem to be settling down, something else comes along. Some of the events are in quick succession and some seem to take a while to develop. But just like the trail I was traveling, there are some parts that are easier to navigate than others.

Once you reach a certain point of the trail, you realize you’re going to have to continue until its conclusion. In life, when you are experiencing some unsettling event, you realize you’re going to have to see that situation through until its end. It’s important to pace yourself and not let the utter exhaustion get to you. It’s necessary to take a short break from time-to-time and rest. Above all else, keep your faith strong and trust the journey.

David Lee

Daily Writing Prompt

Daily writing prompt
Where did your name come from?
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My name is David. I once upon a time asked my mother why I was given that name. She said I was named after David of Old Testament times. I think that’s an appropriate name. Given my life’s story, I have slayed several giants in figurative terms. I even have two pictures of me when I was in elementary school when I was name school prince and king. So I did actually on two different occasions have a crown to wear. David: giant slayer, cave dweller, writer of Psalms.

David Lee

False Start…Let’s Try That Again

Back on May 7th, I declared that I would be writing in my blog for one hundred days. Well, there’s been one post since that time. Life sometimes gets lifey, and as a result, I haven’t done much writing on this blog. And so on this day, I recommit to writing on my blog for one hundred consecutive days. Please be assured that I do continue to write each day. I have filled several volumes of journals during these past several years. But on this day, I’ll make a pledge to post at least something each day.

David Lee

Creature of Habit….

I am told that I am a creature of habit. I’ve realized the truth about that statement. From the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep (or attempt to), I do a lot of the same things over and over.

Morning Routine…

When I wake up each day, first thing, and before the stampede of thoughts of what’s to be done each day, I try to remember to pray. As a member of the recovery community, I have a third-step prayer and a seventh-step prayer that are a part of my waking routine. These prayers let me know that whatever might transpire that day, it’s a part of a bigger plan.

Next, it’s time to take my daily medications. I know it’s important to keep up that regimen to stay healthy. I also l look to see which meds are in short supply and when necessary, order their refills online.

I then do my social media posts for the day. I’ve got two readings from books that I’ve shared for the past eight years. I also post two positive affirmations from separate pages to give hints on what might make people’s days more productive. I also post what I call “pennies” which quite a few aren’t actual puns, but are humorous in nature. I have more people say they look forward to the humor each day than comments on any of the other posts that I do.

Next, I have a set of four online games I play. I start with Wordle, where you try to figure out what five letter word they’re posting. I’ve played this game 357 times and have a 91% success rate. At one point, I had 32 consecutive correct guesses.

The second online game I play is Connections. It has a group of 16 words that you try to place together in groups of four. Their commonality may have something to do with what they’re used for or how they are spelled. This is probably the most challenging of the games I play.

The third game I play is Strands. It’s an online word search where all the words you’re looking for have to do with a certain theme. Today’s theme was “Cut and Color” and dealt with gemstones. I was able to get it solved and for words you find that aren’t a part of the overall theme, it gives you bonus points to earn hints.

The final game I play is a mini-crossword puzzle. It is usually fairly easy and only usually contains 10-12 words. It also keeps track of how much time it’s taken you to come up with a correct solution.

I also in the morning have to remember to brush my teeth. It’s the last thing I do before getting ready to head out for the day. I don’t know how long this wake-up process takes, but it’s what I have found is the best way to start the day.

David Lee

One Hundred Days of Writing Renewal…

I have decided that I will once again be on a journey of writing blog entries for one hundred days. I did this two years ago and thought this would be a good opportunity as we prepare to begin the summer season.

I will, on some days, be using the WordPress writing prompt they supply each day. On others, I will attempt to offer something more original. Over the past twenty-one plus years, I have written in my journal nearly every day. I rarely go anywhere without my journal in hand. While typing on the keyboard is a bit different feel, I’m thinking it will be just as helpful.

My intent is to make this one hundred consecutive days of entries, although if it is like the last time I attempted it, not every day will find an entry. I’m hopeful that I’m able to stay motivated enough to produce some entries worth reading.

Day 1 of 100

David Lee

Writing Prompt…

Daily writing prompt
What do you do to be involved in the community?
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I am involved in the recovery community and attend meetings on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. I find that the fellowship and programs they offer are instrumental in my continued building of a positive lifestyle.

I also substitute teach two-to-three times per week. I know this is a paid position, but it does keep me connected to the community at large.

I also go to coffee shops in our area. I have made a lot of friends at each of the shops I frequent and this is an important part of my daily life.