writer’s life – Page 2 – three good words

May 31, 2025May 31, 2025

It is time

How do you know when it’s time to unplug? What do you do to make it happen?

Weekdays

The Daily Unplug

e.g. No social media between 10:30 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. Put in a time-lock for the apps to help you stick to your schedule.

Weekends

Designated Analog Time

At least 6 hours without gadgets or the Internet. Ideally, 1 whole day a week without going online once.

April 24, 2025April 24, 2025

believe them the first time

Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.

Once again, too many to count.
However, there are some lessons learnt on the way:

“Haters gonna hate.” – AAVE

There will be people close to you who will hate you for daring to try. Some will do what they can to stop you from trying. And some will maliciously demoralise. Do not underestimate that negativity, it can kill off more than you realise.

“If someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” – Maya Angelou

It will save you a lot of heartbreak. Yes, you have haters, and yes, they can’t stand you, no matter how much they smile. Does it hurt? Of course it does. Believe it, though. They are showing you who they really are. Leave them in their darkness and move on. Pearls before swine etc.

“A real friend will make time. A true friend will take the time to understand.” – threegoodwords

Don’t confuse availability and convenience with friendship. Good friends are a treasure. Know you are worth the time, effort, and commitment, and you will be surprised who’ll show up and be an actual friend.

“unbothered. moisturized. happy. in my lane. focused. flourishing.” – Caeli K.

Take care of yourself and treat yourself well. You have this life. Live it.

April 18, 2025April 18, 2025

window seat

Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you.

Taxi drivers and seat neighbours on airplanes can be incredibly inspiring.

So many amazing biographies. Worth every conversation.

March 25, 2025March 25, 2025

at capacity

How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals?

Often.

Stopping for snacks is fine, but unnecessary tangents should be avoided.

Also, beware of Energy Vampires and Time Thieves:

They will ruin your peace, guaranteed.

#workit

March 20, 2025

The Ghost of Parsimonious Spigot

What tattoo do you want and where would you put it?

What is this the devilishment! Corruptor of souls! How dare you, sir! How dare you tempt the youth with such vile imaginings! Such filth! Begone, Spawn of Satan! Begone!

Client: What was that?

Tattoo Artist: Hm?

Client: There was a slight chill just now? Is there a window open?

Tattoo Artist: Ah. That’s Preacherman, our poltergeist.

Client: What do you mean, poltergeist?

Tattoo Artist: This place is 700 years old. We have at least five ghosts. They’re usually pretty chill, but then we had the extension done a couple years ago and Preacherman showed up.

Client: Preacherman?

Tattoo Artist: We had Beatrice come round, she’s the Wiccan two blocks over. Apparently, all those weird breezes we kept on having were Preacherman throwing a fit. He’s way more powerful than the others, probably because he doesn’t really know he’s dead? At least Beatrice says so. She checked the history. Apparently, there was a guy named Parsimonious Spigot who was chased down by a mob. He was one of those Hellfire preachers who hated the theatre, except with Charless II back people weren’t having Preacherman’s Puritan BS. Beatrice says the mob hung him off a pub sign right across the street.

Client: Wow. And he doesn’t know he’s dead?

Tattoo Artist: Beatrice say it’s more about believing you died? Like, if you don’t believe it, the whole dying thing doesn’t actually happen, so you stay stuck in limbo. It’s a bit complicated. Preacherman is apparently so powerful because it really hasn’t sunk in yet that he’s dead. So, he stays stuck here without actually being here, you know what I mean?

Client: I think so. So he’s a ghost without actually knowing he’s a ghost?

Tattoo Artist: Yeah. Except he’s really dead so he can’t move on to wherever people go next.

Client: Poor man.

Tattoo Artist: Don’t feel sorry for him. He burnt 15 women at the stake because someone accused them of witchcraft.

Client: No! That’s horrible!

Tattoo Artist: Preacherman is horrible. Pretty hateful guy. Beatrice says a rumor was enough for him to burn a woman to death, so, y’know, he got what he deserved.

Client: Except he doesn’t know he’s dead.

Tattoo Artist: Personally, I think he’s having a forever meltdown. I mean, imagine you’re dead but you don’t know it. That’s gotta mess with your head something vicious, right? And now there’s our place and he’s been pretty much losing it ever since.

Client: How so?

Tattoo Artist: You wanted an Ankh, didn’t you? On your ankle? You have the picture with you?

Client: Oh yes, here it is. It’s really pretty isn’t it.

Filthy Whore of Babylon! Spawn of Satan! I rebuke you! I rebuke you! See her demonic script! Witch! I banish you to the Unholy Realm! Devil’s Brood! Burn her! Burn her!

Client: Oh dear, there’s that chill again.

Tattoo Artist: That’s nothing. Watch this.

Client: Wait, that’s a pentagram and a triple 6.

THE SIGN OF THE BEAST!!! ABOMINATION!!! IN THE NAME OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD!!! I CONDEMN YOU SATANIC FILTH TO THE FIRES OF HELL!!!

Client: Oh wow! It moved! The piece of paper you wrote it on! Look! It just flew to the ground! How did you do that?

Tattoo Artist: That was Preacherman. Pretty sure he’s going batshit crazy right now.

THE FIRES OF HELL HAVE CONSUMED US!!! MERCIFUL FATHER WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN US?!?! LOOK!!! OH WE SHALL ALL BE PUNISHED!!! WHAT IMPUNITY!!! SHAMELESS IGNOMY!!! FILTH!!! TO MOVE THUS UNDER GOD’S INFINITE EYE!!! SINNERS!!! DEMONS!!! VILE ABOMINATIONS!!! SEE HOW THEY DEFY THE HOLY LAW!!! HEATHENS!!! SAVE US, ALMIGHTY GOD!!! SAVE US!!! THE END HAS COME!!! SAVE US!!! NOOOOOO!!! THE SATANIC PEN HAS BEEN RAISED!!!! WE ARE FORSAKEN!!! WE ARE FORSAKEN!!!

Tattoo Artist: So, let’s get started shall we?