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Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After

Rediscovering Life after Retirement

Categories: Craft and Create

5 Minute Friday Writing Prompt: Moment

5 Minute Friday Writing Prompt: Moment

 

Fellow writers and readers, I am giving the 5 Minute Friday Writing Prompt with Kate a second try.  Last week was my first FMF post and those of us participating wrote to the word leave.  Today’s word is moment.  In pondering this prompt, I just kept thinking about how everything can change in a moment.  Things can go from good to bad or bad to good…in a moment.  I thought another moment and here’s what I came up with…

In the immortal words of Peppa Pig…ready, steady…GO!

Forever on the Hips

 

This week I tried to dress up a bit more for the monthly grocery shopping and a follow up doctor’s appointment.  I added earrings, and cute shoes, and a swathe of my new Geller bronzy-blush to both cheeks.  But I didn’t feel my best.  Something about my body has changed in the last year or so.  Can’t really blame it on Covid.  And it’s not really weight gain.  Just weight in a new place.  A different place.  Have always had rounder hips but now I have a matching tummy to go with them.  Delight!!

So, I am trying to exercise more.  Running on the treadmill, doing my sit-ups and leg lifts, a couple of Hazfit weight workouts, swimming, and my virtual reality Supernatural workouts 4 times a week.  But that alone won’t work.  Because I keep reaching for the ice cream and the gingersnaps.

I need to remember the old adage:

A moment on the lips, forever on the hips.

 

And done…STOP…just under 5 minutes.  Not my best writing but it shares what’s been on my mind this week.  And on my stomach!!  Feels like I am carrying around one of those small, round watermelons zipped up in my jeans.  Hoping to get my nibbling under control this week and for the weeks to come until I feel better.

Your Turn

 

Have you ever tried doing a timed writing experience?  Or writing to a prompt?  I have always liked writing to a prompt because it makes me put on my thinking cap.  Last year, I was enjoying writing to prompts provided by Maria at the Krafty Planner each month.  Might go back to that again some as we finish out 2023, but I am trying to do more journaling and creative writing without prompts.  Five Minute Friday is kind of writing to prompts but not exactly.  And then there’s adding the timer which makes me nervous!!  Poor little Lucia is having to do math sprints with a timer in second grade.  I feel her pain!!

Off to bed.  Reading several good books that I am about to finish. Time for a book review post.  Thank you for coming by. Enjoy your Saturday and Sunday, friends…oops, forget to publish this Friday night…enjoy your week!!

Hugs and kisses,

leslie

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About Leslie Roberts Clingan

I am an aspiring blogger and children's author, wife, mother, daughter, sister, - in-law, responsible pet owner and recently retired elementary school librarian. I hope to figure out the next chapter of my life as I transition from crazy, busy work world onto totally idle retirement and now to something in-between.

Comments

  1. Nancy

    August 21, 2023 at 12:20 am

    What a fun idea, never tried it.
    And I also put on weight on my tummy over sudden. I hate it.

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts Clingan

      August 29, 2023 at 9:07 pm

      Seems like all of us who have survived menopause are finding that we have a tummy we didn’t have before. Ugh. I am upping my crunches and situps game but not very enthusiastically.

      Reply
  2. Lisa

    August 21, 2023 at 9:14 am

    I’ve got to get myself under control, too. Thanks for your thoughts today . . .they made me think, too!!

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts Clingan

      August 29, 2023 at 9:03 pm

      Just finished 4 more gingersnap cookies. At least they aren’t iced. Or super sweet. I am exercising more but not tracking my Weight Watcher points like I should. Everyday I say, ‘today is the day.’ And then it isn’t!!

      Reply
  3. Joanne

    August 21, 2023 at 2:11 pm

    I haven’t tried prompt writing since I was in school.. I’ve often thought it would be fun or even to time myself and just do a stream of consciousness writing as my thoughts often seem to jump from one place to another.

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts Clingan

      August 29, 2023 at 9:01 pm

      Come write with us!! You are a good writer and I bet whatever you come up with would be an entertaining read.

      Reply
  4. Sandra K. Stein

    August 21, 2023 at 6:02 pm

    Loved “everything can change in a moment. Things can go from good to bad or bad to good…in a moment.” So true

    Your post made me chuckle because not only could I relate to the “moment on the lips, forever on the hips,” statement, but because I had just taken a couple of gingersnaps out of the cookie jar to snack on right before reading your post, haha.

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts Clingan

      August 29, 2023 at 8:58 pm

      High five, girl. I just ate 4 more gingersnaps. Will I ever learn? Thank you for leaving me a comment. Off to discover your blog!!

      Reply
  5. Marsha Banks

    August 22, 2023 at 1:03 pm

    Oh, I have your little round watermelon’s larger cousin installed at my house. I’ve never had a flat stomach, but this is mind blowing (and clothes altering)!

    The five minute challenge sounds like a good idea, but I’d take that amount of time just trying to plan it out. You can take the teacher out of the classroom…well, you know the rest!

    Have a wonderful week, Leslie!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts Clingan

      August 29, 2023 at 8:50 pm

      That’s my problem with the five minute prompts…I need planning time. Grand planner over here. So I look at the prompt, think for a few minutes and then write. Some of the participants use quotes in their writing…I feel like they must do a little research before they write in order to find the quotes. Or maybe they just have quotes filed away in their brains.

      Reply
  6. Jennifer

    August 25, 2023 at 1:25 pm

    Those five minutes go quickly – but you did a great job of expressing your thoughts. And my thoughts (probably the thoughts of many of us)…how does that weight just move around and readjust? I’m totally blaming the gingersnaps!! Oh my, don’t think I could have those in the house and be safe! Did you think about doing today’s FMF?? Either way – have a great weekend ahead my friend!!

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts Clingan

      August 29, 2023 at 8:32 pm

      LOL I just ate 4 gingersnaps. Yikes. I missed last Friday’s FMF. I saw the prompt…can’t remember it now, but didn’t feel even the least bit able to think of something to write to it. Will try again this week.

      Reply
  7. Amy Johnson

    August 26, 2023 at 8:14 am

    I think you’re too hard on yourself. You look amazing and are a perfect weight.

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts Clingan

      August 29, 2023 at 8:30 pm

      Thank you so much, my friend.

      Reply
  8. Em D

    September 8, 2023 at 7:00 am

    I adore gingersnaps! My favorite brand makes them suuuuper crunchy. They also make a great lemon snap, but the gingers are my favorite. When I was pregnant with Maggie(-docious) I ate them with buckets of milk as my go-to protein source. I have a lifetime of bad habits. Been contemplating that all the things I find delicious (this week it’s Trader Joe’s elote corn chips 🤌🏼) I eat as if it will be wiped off the face of the earth tomorrow. It’s like everything, including reading…once I start….
    But yeah…my clothes fit but not the way I want them too…and Blue Moon has definitely impacted my belly.
    You may be noticing the same, but from your photos…you continue to look fabulous and how great that you exercise with such commitment! 🙌🏻

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts Clingan

      September 9, 2023 at 7:39 pm

      Thank you, my friend. I think I have post-post-menopause tummy. I have been out of menopause for quite a while, thus the post-post. But this tummy has just become an issue in the last year or so. Continuing to try to up my exercise game, but just wipe out the last of my gingersnaps and will need to remedy that in quick order when I grocery shop on Monday. In the meantime, some butter cookies are making a satisfactory stand in.

      Blue Moon. Mmmmm. Shock Top, too. Many summer days I prefer beer to a glass of wine. I had a pecan beer in New Mexico years ago and have never found it again. It was delicious. Probably a good thing I can’t get it anywhere!!

      Reply
  9. Stephanie Block

    September 21, 2023 at 7:00 am

    What fun! I love the idea of a writing prompt!
    And may I just say, the belly begins in perimenopause! Ugh, I’m there! I do find that the more cardio I do the worse it becomes. I think it has to do with cortisol. Maybe shifting the focus to walking and lifting weights might help?

    Reply
    • Leslie Roberts Clingan

      September 27, 2023 at 12:33 pm

      Thank you so much for coming by my blog. And thank you for the advice about the perimenopause tummy. Grrr. I have been out of town and overindulged but things are really out of control now. Need to try walking more and continue to do some weights. Thank you for that good suggestion.

      Reply

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In what felt like the blink of an eye, I have gone from full-time wife to my sweet husband, hands-on mom to my two beautiful daughters and elementary school librarian to a retired, empty nester with lots of time on my hands. Join me on my journey to rediscover who I am. Glad you are here...
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