© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
haphazardcreative.com is my home on the internet. Please join me there this site is only a legacy site.
Thankful Thursday
Category: List
Recent Missives
I have not posted in a while, but that does not mean I am not working. I am doing things on Facebook almost every day. I wanted to share these few things and show I have not forgotten my blog entirely. Much has been happening and I do not always feel like fighting with this interface. It eats my artwork, for no good reason. I don’t post anything not my own, so it makes me quite upset.
I hope you will enjoy these entries. I am doing some videos now too. If you want to see them you do not have to be my friend on Facebook to find them. Just look up my profile JoAnn J. A. Jordan and they are public so you can view them.
I am grateful:
- It appears Mom will be able to come home from Rehab soon.
- I found music calms me being here alone.
- I can still write.
- The dogs are here to give me animal support.
- I made a friend who actually is not many miles away.
If you would like to work creatively, think of something that appears to be a monster in your life. Make a representation of that thing, either by writing about it or creating art or photography that visualizes it.
Please follow my blog to get alerts of my posts. I am not as regular with them as I once was, but sometimes I have things to communicate.
Thank you for reading. I hope God most generously blesses you in all you attempt and do. Remember you are precious and very important. You have a purpose and you deserve respect.
Always,
Jo Ann
Thoughts in the dark of night
I wrote this while most were sleeping. It was one of those times when sleep eluded me. Perhaps having a new pen had something to do with it too. I hope you can read my scribblings.
Worth More Than The Stars
You may not realize
How very important you are
In the eyes of those
Who love you completely,
And God who created you
To be His own chosen child;
No matter your mistakes, sins,
You are treasured beyond your imagining,
You are counted among the precious,
Priceless people who are never forgotten.
You are worth more than the stars.
This photograph has nothing to do with the subject recounted above, but I thought it grand.
My doggy, Hope, who is my close companion now because it is raining and she is afraid of rain.
I am grateful:
- I have my Mom for whom to care.
- My dog is a very loving animal who helps me deal with problems.
- There are beautiful ink pens in the world.
- I am reasonably good at writing.
- My new keyboard and mouse arrived on Monday.
- We have central heat and air to keep us comfortable.
- There is plenty of food in the house.
- I have very recently secured a part-time job as Copy Editor for local publications.
- My friends have encouraged me when I could not believe in myself.
- My son will soon come off recruiting duty which is his wish.
If you have the time, write a short list of things for which you are thankful. I find detailing my blessings improves my mood and makes what I lack seem less important. You might find it beneficial as well.
If you need a prompt, consider doing as the handwritten part of this entry suggests and handwrite something. If you send someone a letter or card, I guarantee it will brighten their day.
Creativity is your natural state. Open yourself to the inspiration around you, put your mind and hands to work adding something beautiful to the world. We need what you have to share. Someone might be looking for exactly what you have to say. So get busy and create a work of art in whatever form you choose.
If you have enjoyed this blog, I invite you to explore more pages, follow it, so you get email updates, and come back to visit often.
Always,
Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Days Passing
Fair days of Autumn
When chill spices soft night air
We remember youth;
Every moment held wonder
Derived from pleasures we gained.
Do what you can do
To bring you success closer,
Make your dreams come true;
You have power, ability,
Creativity enough
To accomplish whatever
You can imagine your own.
I hope you are having a wonderful week. Mine has been a mixture of enjoyable and troublesome. I lost a nose pad on my glasses and got an awful headache, but I went today and had the nose pad replaced. I am grateful I was able to have that done.
If you need a prompt for your writing look at the picture above and think what Autumn means to you.
I am grateful:
I am can drive.
I have plenty of clothes.
I had a credit with Microsoft store that allowed me to get some neat apps.
I voted early in the month.
Hope’s check up went well, and I was able to pay for it this year without borrowing the money.
Thank you for visiting my blog. If you enjoyed what you found here, please subscribe.
Always,
Jo Ann
A Weekly To Do List
I created this today and thought some of you might find it useful. If you like it and want to, print it for your own use.
I have to work a bit more on the small calendar in the lower right-hand corner, but otherwise, I like it well enough.
Always,
Jo Ann
One Step, One Handhold, At A Time
01/04/2016
You get your prompt at the beginning today. You were not expecting that, were you? I usually make you wait so you read what else I have written…
Climbing is hard work, but each milestone along your path brings special gifts which encourage you to continue. What have you gained as you work to fulfill your dream? What has inspired you to reach greater heights? Share your accomplishments to motivate yourself and others.
Now create something from this prompt. You are a creative person and have the ability to complete anything you desire. This is a simple exercise.
Get busy!
I stayed up all night. This seems to be becoming a pattern. One crash night and day, then one night and day into night and on to the morning staying up. Might be a little manic going on here. Watching it closely. I also seem to have an overabundance of ideas soaring through my mind.
Going to share a few thoughts I have been entertaining with you all. I have never considered journalism as an outlet for my talents, but since I have been reading The New York Times and Atlanta Journal – Constitution fairly regularly, I have come to think I might have something to contribute in this format. I know many writers got their start in the business through newspapers and periodicals. I am a little afraid my credentials will not stand me in good stead in this market, but all they can tell me is no. I have heard no before, and guess what? It has not killed me. I am tough, well, at least I can dodge with the best of them. I have no college degree, but have done a great deal of self-motivated learning through reading and free courses online. I have no particular publishing credits, but I have edited and published a desktop produced magazine. I have written since I was a very young child. This is my life. Words carry me, nourish me, move me toward achieving my purpose.
I have worked as a volunteer Publicity Chairman for Sweetwater Camera Club doing page layout and design for almost four years with a local ad funded magazine called The Chapel Hill News & Views. I doubt they will pay me, but I think they might be willing to publish some articles. I have not asked yet, but I have some ideas. I am thinking of doing some public interest pieces and some health articles. I have ideas of people to interview.
The question is; do I have the skills necessary? If you have an opinion, please share it with me in the comments below.
I am reading a new motivational book, which I will cover in more detail later, but it reinforces the ideas I have been having about doing something that gets me more into public view. I cannot have significant impact on people’s lives without widespread publication. Blogging, and social media alone are not enough to reach many. I want to encourage, inspire, motivate, and empower others to become creators who influence their destinies through what they create. I think I have ideas worth sharing.
I hope that by helping others I can also help myself and become self-sufficient. I want to share my challenges, but I want to overcome them so they no longer define me. I want to be measured by what I accomplish, not a disease I cannot control. I have struggled, but I want to shine. God willing, I can do things that in my own power are not possible.
I am doing a gratitude list again today. Join me by noting your blessings. It seems to bolster my positive attitude and you may find it helpful to you too.
I Am Grateful:
1) I went to physical therapy, although I really did not want to go.
2) I gave the staff some bookmarks and a box of cookies.
3) I helped a friend today.
4) Even though I have been very negative lately my best friend has not deserted me.
5) I started reading a great motivational book on Kindle.
6) I did not lose my stylus though it dropped out of my phone case several times.
7) Hope talked to me when I came home. She is so adorable.
8) My mentor and I talked a while this evening.
9) Since SunTrust was closed, I came home sooner than I planned.
10) The SYNC system in the Explorer worked better than ever.
This space held a poem yesterday. I am not convinced I can poem today. I shall try:
As I Climb
I am blessed with
A gift the Creator wants
Me to share freely,
Or I do not believe He
Would have given it to me.
I need to pull up
Through my depths of poverty,
Becoming myself
Sufficient to support my
Own needs without assistance.
I am strong enough
To carry my own heaviness
Without you others
Looking after me without
Wanting to do, charity.
I know I have worked
And my benefits are mine,
But some are jealous;
They see me as parasite
Unworthy of such little.
I want more, freedom,
Choice to have the many things
Denied me so long,
I want health, I want wealth, and
I want to hold my head high.
So now undaunted
I will climb much higher up
Reaching lofty prize
Of the life I have long dreamed
I deserved to live and share.
I am blessed with
A gift the Creator wants
Me to share freely,
Or I do not believe He
Would have given it to me.
© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Monday, January 4, 2016
I finished up just at midnight. Pardon this poem if it is a bit crass. I hope you enjoy most of this bit of thinking in ink. I have done a poor job, I am afraid, but I am a bit tired this late. Sleep, the pillow and sheets call.
May each of you create your dream come true. Please take time to subscribe to this blog if you enjoyed reading it. I would love to hear from you if you would leave a comment.
Always,
Jo Ann
So Are You With Me?
01/02/2016
We are together for day two of this adventure if you are reading this right now. That is exciting because I want you to follow along. More than that I hope you will also take action on your own. I would like you to take a few minutes each day to write. Maybe it would just be a simple recounting of your day, or you could write a poem, story, memory, anything you want really. Just be creative. You have so much to share with the world, which only you can communicate. You are so unique and we need your voice. It adds so much to our communities, please get busy.
Once upon a time I wrote an entry on this blog every day for a year and a half. I cannot promise I will do that again. If you look at the past entries here, you will see that I have taken quite a while off. I think I am going to do things a bit differently this time. I want to do the entries on my tablet or my computer instead of handwritten journal pages. This may change, but it is my current modus operandi. Look at that, I actually used Latin, ha ha.
I stayed up all night. I seem to do this quite often recently. I enjoy the peace and quiet of the hours when Mom is sleeping. I am also able to keep watch over her. I need time to myself, I steal it in the darkness. I seem more creative in the wee hours of the night. Sometimes I write what I consider very good statuses and poems on Facebook overnight. If you follow me here, you might like to friend me on there. Send me a message and I will answer your request.
I have managed to keep my weight to 135 pounds for over a year now, down from over 200 pounds on December 6, 2013. I believe having a Samsung Galaxy Gear and the MyFitnessPal app have helped a great deal. Walking miles each day has been instrumental too. Here is a picture to illustrate the difference in my appearance…
The second photo is me today. Not the best lighting for taking a good picture. I am not great at selfies. Cannot ever seem to get that right. I try, but it seems an impossibility for me.
I am going to add a gratitude list today. I hope you will join me in taking a few moments to note your blessings. It seems to help me stay more positive and you may find it works for you too.
I Am Grateful:
1) Christmas is over.
2) The new year has begun with all its open days to fill with accomplishments.
3) I am able to read and write because of an excellent public education overseen by some outstanding teachers.
4) I have begun working on Otherwise Entertained again.
5) Mom has finally started moving around a bit more after almost two months of mostly inactivity.
6) I have some wonderful tools to employ in creative activity.
7) My dog, Hope, who is nine and a half years old is doing well. She is a joy in my life.
8) I have been listening to more music lately.
9) The weather is cooling off after unseasonable warmth and I am able to wear long sleeves.
10) God is good all the time and in all ways.
Now I am going to ask you to do a few things. First, if you enjoyed reading this, please follow my blog and leave a comment if you have time. Secondly, get your own self busy and do something creative today. You have all the talent you need for it. I have faith in your ability and you should too. Share your ideas and creations with the world. The world needs everyone’s input. You will change lives, including your own.
Always,
Jo Ann
Progress Report and New Beginning
I have made a great deal of progress since December 6, 2013, just walking and watching calories. I am down from 200 pounds to 179.6 pounds as of this morning.
Today, I am starting 10 Week Body Change. I had to take measurements and a photo to begin.
Weight: 179.6 pounds
Hips: 43 inches
Waist: 38 inches
Left thigh: 25 inches
Right thigh: 25 inches
I know that is pretty awful, and maybe too much information, but I want to come back with progress…
It is a good thing I already made some significant changes, because sodas are taboo, as are artificial water sweeteners… Gonna be some difficulty with that, but at least I have somewhat weaned myself.
The food choices look pretty good, but some things are gonna be challenging.
My new goal is 120 pounds… That should be quite a change.
We shall see…
Here is what I look like today:
I am so grateful to have come this far… Now I have more to look forward to accomplishing.
Always,
Jo Ann
I Have Been Productive Today
Of course I stayed up all night, but I took a nap between 7:00AM and noon. During the dark hours of the morning I had a burst of creativity. I hope you will enjoy the following offerings…
Deserted
Wondering where you
Might be hiding on this night
When all the stars shine
With such brilliant clarity
Above this earthly coldness.
I have no chance to
See your face among the others
Lingering so near
Because you are now absent,
Doing whatever you do.
I wanted to reach
Beyond these four lonely walls
So I could somehow
Share in the wonderful life
You are so richly living.
I am totally
Lost among those few ignored
By your provision,
You are moving far away
Into tomorrow’s distance.
Your greatest treasure
Alludes my outstretched fingers,
No effort of mind
Can make your goodness return
At this moment to grace me.
Wondering where you
Might be hiding on this night
When all the stars shine
With such brilliant clarity
Above this earthly coldness.
© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Monday, October 28, 2013
I found these weeds attractive. I sometimes think God’s greatest creations grow wild.
Otherwise Entertained (6)
She lettered in chorus during her freshman, sophomore, and junior years. Before she completed high school in the first quarter of her senior year, she took a trip to Washington, D.C. with the chorus. There was a competition held there for groups from all over the country. Tony insisted Morgan go, even though she was hesitant to leave him.
The trip was memorable because she visited some of the highlights of the city. She wished the time spent in the Smithsonian Museum had not been very limited. There was so much to see. The Washington and Lincoln monuments were inspiring. When she sang in the National Cathedral, she found its glory overwhelming. The Capitol was gorgeous, as was the White House, but she was disappointed in the great mall. The litter everywhere detracted from the beauty of the area.
She did not call home to talk to her husband often because long distance was so expensive. There was a dance, but she sat to the side in her royal blue dress, only watching the others. She was often left alone when her roommates decided to do something interesting. She shopped for things to take home to Tony and her parents. She found a tee shirt for Tony, a necklace for her mother, and a carved pocketknife for her father. She also bought commemorative postcards. Traveling by bus was not very pleasant, reminding her of the harrowing times she had spent on school buses through the years.
When she returned home, she and Tony celebrated by going out for steaks and drinks. Morgan loved feeling her husband’s arms around her again. She had felt uneasy while so far away. She belonged back where love surrounded her.
She thought of this trip when they were planning their vacation. She hoped to go back and take time to see everything Washington contained, but Tony wanted to go to Panama City as they had on their honeymoon. Morgan could not argue. She had enjoyed the first trip tremendously, except the motorcycle accident. She had scraped herself up quite a bit and chipped a front tooth. He did not seem to realize his recklessness had caused her harm. She hoped the vacation would be more relaxing.
They checked in to the Fontainebleau in the early evening after driving most of the day. She and Tony showered together, taking their time, before getting ready for supper. They ate seafood in the restaurant and then went swimming in the indoor pool. The full moon hung huge in the sky as they walked the sugar white beach. She gathered shells, even finding a starfish and a sand dollar. They only had three days and those hurried by like the seagulls flying over the ocean. She managed to avoid sunburn on her pale skin because Tony kept her slathered in Coppertone. She did the same for him because he also had a light complexion.
On the drive home, they narrowly avoided an accident because Tony fell asleep at the wheel. Morgan’s scream probably kept Katie from sustaining significant damage and might have saved them from injury as well.
She hoped this time she would be pregnant, but it did not happen. After all their lovemaking, it seemed a baby should result. She began to think something was wrong with her, even imagining she might be cursed.
© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Monday, October 28, 2013
I am grateful:
1) Alex arrived in California safely.
2) Laying out the Sweetwater Camera Club pages for the Chapel Hill News & Views has become considerably easier.
3) I am enjoying writing Otherwise Entertained and believe it may develop into something significant.
4) Window 8.1 works better than I expected.
5) I am getting some use from my Adobe Creative Cloud membership.
You are highly creative, gifted with the ability to fulfill your dreams. All it takes is consistent effort. Make sure you take the time today to share your talent with the world. You never know what blessings you may bestow on others through your work. So many people are looking for something to allow them a few moments of escape, you can provide this gift.
As a prompt, write about someone who left you alone and how it helped you grow. You might write a poem, a story, a journal entry, or even a note for future use. This should be simple because everyone has suffered abandonment.
Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope it entertained you. If you enjoyed your time here, you might want to enter your email address above and subscribe to Chronicles. As I indicated, the snippet from Otherwise Entertained above is the sixth part. The whole story is on the blog, so you might want to catch up by reading the earlier pieces if you are new here. The archives contain a great deal of material you might enjoy, so feel free to explore.
I hope you have a totally awesome day and return here often in the future.
Always,
Jo Ann
Ramblings Of A Sleepless Mind
You are not required to stay up all night to reap the benefits of my activity. Please just follow along…
I want to start up my business again, but I don’t have any capital to begin… I guess dreaming is the best I can do. I wish I could win the lottery, but somehow I think that is unlikely since I do not buy tickets… If wishes were horses, beggars would ride…
My dog, Hope, has expensive tastes, she likes pistachios. I can hardly afford them for myself, what am I supposed to do now that the dog begs for them whenever I get the bag out?
What’s on your mind? Funny you should ask, because I have been thinking about trying to start my magazine up online. It would be a literary and art magazine showcasing a wide variety of talent as it was when I published it in print form. I do not know if I have a wide enough network to gather submissions, and I am not sure I have the discretionary time to afford all the effort required, but I am considering it. I have the prerequisite software for it and I think I might be able to secure web hosting… Am I ready to take the reins as editor and publisher again? It is not an easy job, for writers are sometimes troublesome, but I like a challenge… I wonder if I am too old to begin doing it again. It is a huge task and requires diligence… So that is what is on my mind…
Have you ever noticed that as a usual thing every other version Microsoft releases is great? Take Windows 98, great; Windows Millennium, not so good; Windows XP, great; Windows Vista, not so good; Windows 7, great; Windows 8, not so good; Windows 8.1, decent… Why do we beta test for them on every other release? Seems like their software engineers would get it together every time. Maybe they need to quit rushing out versions and wait until they have a solid release…
I just realized it was after 2:00AM… I am wide awake and feeling creative. Why is it that nighttime seems to be the time of ideas for me? I want to be a morning person, but it just does not work for me. I am a hopeless night owl. The daytime world just does not have the appeal of after dark… Is something wrong with me? I wake up when the sun goes down… not the greatest attribute.
I should have known coffee in the afternoon was a mistake, but did that stop me? Not in the least did it dissuade me… Sometimes I disregard the better part of my judgment. So I am up and feeling full of energy halfway through the night…
Why am I still in this place when I really want to move forward? Maybe fear is stopping me, but what is that about? I fear failure, because it is very hard for creatives to succeed. I fear success, because it would overturn all sorts of things in my life. I want to perfect things before I bring them out before others, and that keeps me in a stalled state, because really I can do nothing perfectly.
I am determined to get past these barriers to achieving the life I want, but it is hard… One step I can take is being positive, another step is to gather the material for what I want to accomplish. These are easy things and I should be able to do them, one small step at a time.
I am capable and I believe that my dreams can become a reality, so as I advise others, I must make the effort and continue going forward…
Going With The Flow
Rolling, that is what happens
When you allow time to wash
Over you without resistance,
You roll forward creeping into
Places you never realized you
Were really meant to go.
Time overtakes you and takes
You over the rough spaces
Where intention would not
Allow you to succeed without
A great deal of extra effort
You might unwillingly expend.
Your perfectionism cannot
Hinder you because the momentum
Comes from beyond yourself,
You drift on currents that lift
Your fragile spirits up higher
Than you ever imagined going.
You roll, a creative force,
Unstoppable, moving through
Both time and space with only
One idea to carry you onward,
A positive declaration that you
Will finally accomplish your dreams.
© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Adjusted the settings on my mouse… Now this clunky mouse works like the best I have ever had. Who knew tweaking the software could make such improvements? Now I think I love the Logitech M705. It is like having a whole new mouse.
Just fixed a cup of coffee because I have decided I want to stay up all day… Should be no problem, the night is nearly over and daylight will soon arrive. Now if only the coffee cup cools down enough that I can drink from it…
Mom gave me some pens she has not used. Ink pens! Gel pens! I love free pens… My Mom is the greatest! Happy, happy, happy!
If you wish to achieve, you must first believe! You can exceed any goal you have decreed! Just continue forward and your effort will manifest what you are working toward!
Coffee! In a seasonal cup, coffee, what more can you ask for?
Fulfilling A Need
What do we want?
Poems!
Where do we get them?
We make them!
How do we do that?
We engage our creativity!
Who benefits?
The people of the world!
Why does it matter?
It wakes people to happiness!
When can we do it?
Now, because time is slipping by!
What do we want?
Poems!
© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Invitation Only
Come! Whispered on the air,
Inviting you to join
Others already there…
Come! Such gentle care
Exhibited for all,
Do you want to share?
Come! Do you dare
Accept the invitation,
So very fair?
Come! Do not delay
Make your choice right away
While you have the chance today!
Come! Christ beckons,
The Spirit encourages,
Come as your heart reckons!
Come! While time makes way
Because the moments flee quickly
Hearken now for seconds slip away.
Come! Your choice cannot wait,
Be fast to answer the quiet call
For it urgently decides your fate.
Come! Whispered on the air,
Inviting you to join
Others already there…
© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
These are the nighttime, early morning, ramblings of a restless mind. You should join me at Jo Ann J. A. Jordan on Facebook if you would like to follow my adventures there… Lots of things make it there that never see the blog. I only put it all here today because I thought you might like to experience the process.
I am grateful:
1) I have equipment that helps me reach my creative potential.
2) I am old enough to choose my bedtime, most of the time anyway.
3) People still visit my blog, even though I am no longer doing the Creativity Project.
4) Life is a gift we can enjoy in the moment.
5) People are a precious blessing when they touch my life.
As a prompt, write a how, what, when, where, who, why poem. If you need an example, reread the one I did above. If you are a visual artist, instead of poet, picture something that explore at least one of the aspects. I know you can do this, and I bet you will enjoy it. Your creativity is at least as bountiful as mine.
Thank you so much for visiting Chronicles and reading this post. You might find it enjoyable to browse the archives. There is much material contained there. If you like what you found here you can subscribe for email updates by entering your address in the space provided.
I hope your day meets your expectations. Generally you get out of the hours in direct proportion to what you invest, so make each moment special.
Always,
Jo Ann
Chronicles 