Various ramblings by the small hobbit

Today's thefridayfive  questions:

1. What is your all time favorite book?
Difficult to answer, but generally when I answer this question I say The Seamstress (also known as The Time In Between) by Maria Duenas

2. What is your all time favorite movie?
Casablanca, no question!

3. What are you reading right now?
Their Finest (Lissa Evans), Plenty Under The Counter (Kathleen Hewitt), Mrs Plansky's Revenge (Spencer Quinn), Small Gods (Terry Pratchett), and The Balkans: Nationalism, War and the Great Powers 1804-1999 (Misha Glenny)

4. What is your favorite show on TV?
Call The Midwife, which is about the only thing I do watch on TV

5. What is the last movie you saw in the cinema?
Conclave - at the end of February.

This week's thefridayfive 

1. If you were a crayon, which colour would you want to be?
Bright cheerful orange

2. Which colour do you think you would be regardless of what you wanted?
Probably a sensible blue

3. Would you rather be used and get blunt, broken and lose your wrapper, or not be used and stay pristine?
I'd much rather be used - what is the point of a crayon otherwise?

4. Would you rather be in a small set of crayons or a large set?
I don't think I'd mind - as part of a small set I'd be a standard blue and be used a lot, as part of a large set I'd be a more specific shade and have a more specific role - either way's fine.

5. Would you rather be Crayola, or a different brand?
I'd go for Crayola - if I'm going to be a crayon I'd like to be able to do a good job and not crumble too quickly

This week's questions from thefridayfive 

1. Did the house where you grew up have a newspaper delivered regularly?
Yes, and my weekly comic as well.

2. Have you ever subscribed to an actual print newspaper?
No.  Used to buy the local weekly rag from the local shop.

3. When was the most recent time you physically picked up and read a newspaper?
I don't remember, but it would almost certainly have been a free paper, so maybe the Standard in London

4. Do you pay for news online now?
Yes, but because I use the puzzle page.  I sometimes read the news as well.

5. Do you have any saved newspaper clippings?
A few very old ones, which relate to the family.

This week's thefridayfive questions: 

1. What type of mood are you generally in on a rainy day?
At the moment, fed up, because it seems to be always raining or about to rain.

2. What are your favorite things to do when the weather is gloomy?
Stay indoors!

3. Have you ever been kissed in the rain?
Very probably, but not recently - why get any wetter than necessary.

4. After the rain stops, do you continue what you were doing, or do you run outside to do something else?
Get the bins in before it starts raining again.  Generally continue what I'm doing.

5. What is your favorite drink/food to have when it's raining outside?
Cake and tea/wine (depending on time of day)

This week's thefridayfive questions, since it's NaNoWriMo this month

1. Where do you get ideas/inspiration for your writing?
Quite often I'm working for prompts from challenges, or exchanges with suggestions from the recipient.  Sometimes I'll want to follow up an idea I've had in a previous work, or there'll be a request as to what happens next and I, too, want to know the answer.  And sometimes, as my regular readers will be aware, they'll be from the deepest recesses of my mind, where no-one with any sense would venture.

2. Do you have a favourite place to write?
Generally on my laptop on my table in the living room, but sometimes I'll write a drabble in a notebook while sitting in bed.  And if I'm away then wherever I can find if I'm in the mood for writing.

3. What are your tricks for getting through writers block?
I'll write a set number of words a day, 50/75/100 (remember I write ficlets generally) so they story still progresses.  This works because I write linearly and simply say 'what are they going to do?' and they might drive along the road, turn to someone and ask a question, or put the kettle on.

4. Favorite genre to write? Do you have a different favorite genre for reading?
Depends partly on my mood.  I like writing and reading casefic or action stories (not of the fighting variety).  But also crack.

5. What is something you really want to write but haven't gotten around to yet?
I have an untold story in my Spooks 'A New Start' series, which has been waiting for months for me to write, mainly because I haven't a clue what will happen.  I'll probably use it for ushobwri WiP month next February.

This week's thefridayfive questions

1. Most everyone will recommend a book or two to read, but are there any you would tell people to avoid?
No.  I might say I didn't enjoy something, and even share why not, but my preferences are not your preferences, so unless you ask my opinion and I know specifically what you like then I wouldn't tell you as a general point to avoid something.

2. If you take a book on vacation, are you more likely to take something you haven't read yet or an old favorite?
New - I very very rarely reread.  And when there is limited space for books, since I must take some clothing, they'll be new.

3. Do you read any genres by the season? Like horror around Halloween? Cozy Mysteries in the Winter? Romance in the Summer?
Not genres as such, but December is the time for Christmas stories - I have a number lined up ready for this December.

4. If you read a lot of Fiction do you prefer an author that has a series with the same character(s), or do you prefer stand-alone stories?
Yes!  I like both.  Many mysteries do have the same detective, whether professional or amateur.  Glancing through the books I've read this year, I'd say it's about 50/50.

5. Is there a book that you wish you could read again, but experience it like it was the first time?
Not that I can think of.

Last week's questions from thefridayfive 

1. Have you gotten everything done that you had hoped to do during the first half of 2024?
Generally yes: I've read half the books I listed for this year; I've listened to several audiobooks; made good progress with the online short courses I take; crafting is coming along nicely; writing is on target, including the number of words.  Grant applications both for Gloucestershire Bundles and the church are ticking along.

2. Did anything exciting or unexpected happen to you during the first half of 2024?
Lots of small things.  I've taken part in a baptism service for four people aged from 7 to 18.  I've stood on a tank and handled a decommissioned sten gun.  The Daughter got a first class degree.

3. What big plans do you have for the second half of 2024?
I don't really do big plans any more.  Going to Daughter's graduation this month.  Otherwise just seeing what comes up - it tends to happen.

4. Have you taken, or are you planning, a vacation this year?
Yes, have been to the Ardennes and Normandy and we're booked to go to Chester and Llandudno in October.

5. Have you ever wanted to be one of the people writing and posting these questions?
No, I'm happy answering them, but I already belong to two comms where I need to come up with questions and inspiration, without having more commitments.

Last week's thefridayfive questions:

1) Is summer a break for you, or is it busier?
Um, yes!  There is a break from our Tuesday afternoon toddler/after-school club during the school summer holidays (late July and August) but we're running a three morning holiday club so...

2) What's next for your travel plans?
Going to Normandy with The Daughter the last week in June

3) What have you spontaneously done lately?
Stood on top of a tank.

4) What's your favorite way to unwind after a long day?
Internet puzzles/jigsaws, knitting and cross stitch while listening to audiobooks/radio programmes

5) What's in your pockets?
Handkerchief, stray bits of paper, other small odds and ends which were going somewhere but I forgot about them

It's presidents' day in the US, so in honour of the long weekend thefridayfive posed these questions, which I am answering although not in the US!

1. Have you ever been the president of anything?
No, although I am Treasurer and Trustee of Gloucestershire Bundles, a charity which is needed even more these days.

2. What do you think is the most important leadership trait?
Ability to listen to all sides, keep the differing views together as far as possible and still get things done.

3. What time period did you find the most interesting to learn about in history class?
I didn't like history at school, but now find it fascinating.  Over the last few years I've taken several free online courses on history, with an emphasis on European history and how everything connects, but also events worldwide.  The more I learn, the more there is to find out.

4. What's something you think about doing, but you haven't gotten back into in several years?
Drawing/artwork.  A few years ago J gave me a box of hard pastels which I enjoy drawing with, but don't seem to have the time.

5. If you could add one more random holiday to February, what would it be?
Stay Indoors and Keep Warm and Dry Day

Today's thefridayfive questions:

1. What is your current main mode of transportation? e.g. car, bike, subway, walking, etc.
Car and walking, occasionally bus or train

2. Are you satisfied with your current main mode of transportation (answer to question 1)? Why?
Yes, because I wouldn't be able to get where I want to go otherwise

3. Do you think you'll change your means of transit soon? e.g. buy a car, get rid of your car, walk more etc.? If so, why?
Very unlikely. I walk when I can but generally I want to go more than a mile away

4. If time, distance and money were not factors, how do you prefer to get from point A to point B?
Teleport. I like walking, but for most journeys it would be simpler to just be there without the travel

5. What was your worst transit experience?
Generally travel by train. I like train travel, but the railway companies leave a lot to be desired.  Last time on the way to London, they cancelled the following train and spent the whole time apologising for being crowded, not improved by one-third of the train being reserved for first class.  Coming back they decided to split the train (to make a longer train they join two shorter trains together) about quarter of an hour before it was due to depart and then left everyone hurrying to get on at the far end of the platform. Customer service is non-existent.