challenges

What’s in a dream?

I’m not sure how vivid and clear dreams are to many of you, but for me – not so much. 

Though there are times I will wake up and know what I was dreaming about; or I will be in that “sleep” that’s not really sleeping, but not really awake, and have some ideas of dreams. 

There are many people I know or I follow on social media/in the blogging world who seem to have strong memories of all their dreams. Well, at least a lot of them. 

Dreams are interesting, though, that’s for sure. 

While doing some dream research for this post, it seems dreams aren’t a continuous thing that happens throughout the night. I recall reading somewhere that dreams only last a few seconds and then move on. Not sure where I read that, but it appears to be wrong. 

Maybe I dreamed it. 

According to Wikipedia, dreams are most vivid and memorable when you have them and maybe wake up during your REM sleep phase. But a dream possibly could last for only a few seconds, but could go on upward of 20-30 minutes. 

It seems, to, we only have a few dreams per night. I always thought we had them non-stop from the time you drifted off to the time you wake up. It seems, though, that isn’t true. 

It all makes better sense now, too. 

I’ve had good and bad dreams in my life. Some are very lifelike and others are beyond reality. I’ve also gone nights where I wonder if I had a dream at all. 

Dreams are a crazy thing and if you Google it, you can read about dreams for hours. There are even tips on how to remember dreams – starting with a dream journal and telling yourself what you will dream about before going to bed. 

Does it all work? Who knows. 

All I know is I couldn’t tell you a dream I’ve had in the past week, though I do know I’ve had a few. 

Have you ever wondered, though, if everything we’re doing is one big dream? 

Something to dream about anyway …

This post is part of the 2020 20 Days of Chill Writing Challenge hosted by A ‘lil HooHaa. Please check out the link if you’d like to see others or join in. You don’t have to do every theme if you don’t want! And for those participating, take a moment and check out the other participants! 

20 Days of Chill: 2020 Day 10

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

I like cheese. 

I mean, I really like cheese. 

I’ve pretty much said if it would prove to help health, I’d find a way to live on fruit and cheese. I’m pretty sure, however, that wouldn’t do well for health, so … I tend to not live on those items. Though I do love to add it to my diet when I can.

That being said … 

This challenge started in 2015. For a couple of years prior, I had participated in a challenge hosted by “We Work For Cheese,” a fun blog I had happened upon a few years before. The challenges were loose and fun. The owners of the blog were engaging and humorous. But the challenge ran its course and was stopped. I decided the following year to start this one up as I liked the idea of the challenge – a loose one where interpretation was key. The themes I pick may not be as whimsical and off-the-wall that the We Work For Cheese Challenge once had, but I do try and make sure the themes are very open and able to be not-so-serious. 

The challenge itself has dwindled over the years, but I still enjoy the aspect of it. My lack of blogging the past couple of years definitely hasn’t helped, but maybe as I start to build back up it can grow once again. 

Thing is – blogging is different now than it was when I first found the We Work For Cheese challenge, as well as when I first started this one. Blogging is more of a business to many, and challenges like these aren’t always something people do. I do intend to try and do some other challenges I’ve found and get back into visiting other blogs and into the personal writing again. 

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. 

Cheddar. 

One of the finest cheeses one can have. I like most variations and always like trying it whenever I can find it in different areas. Doesn’t matter the color – white or orange – cheddar is the cheese of choice. 

What say you?

This post is part of the 2020 20 Days of Chill Writing Challenge hosted by A ‘lil HooHaa. Please check out the link if you’d like to see others or join in. You don’t have to do every theme if you don’t want! And for those participating, take a moment and check out the other participants! 

20 Days of Chill: 2020 Day 9

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

Oh, this should be a good one. 

This is a hotbed topic, and likely will be for years and years to come. Social media, in all its glory, be it good or bad. 

Social media, the easiest and sometimes most toxic ways to get news and current events. 

Social media, the tool that can be used for so many positive things, and one that can be used in some of the worst ways possible. 

Social media. 

Let me say this – I am a fan of social media. On the flip side, I also hate social media. It’s all about how and when it’s used. 

For example, I’m not a fan of the younger generation always being on it. Or the scramble for likes. Or my generation or older feeling they have to share everything or be some source of news. 

In moderation, social media can be a great tool. 

I’ve blogged since 2005. I used to use (and host) message boards for years in the late 1990s and early 2000s. I got my first domain name (hoohaa.com) in July of 1998 and was always interested in ways it could be useful. 

I joined Facebook in December 2005. Twitter followed in November 2008. I joined Instagram when I got an iPhone in October 2011. And I jumped on Snapchat (though, to be fair, I don’t use that often) in September 2012. I have been on Flickr, as well, for many years. 

So yes, I like social media. 

What I like most about it is being able to keep up on things. With Twitter, it’s something to follow sports and other newsy things. Facebook is friends/families and blogging items. Instagram is a moshpit of photos. 

I like that. 

What I don’t like, however, is the cesspool that much of social media can become. I don’t talk about controversial things (politics anybody? Religion etc.) because it doesn’t lead to good. I tend to mute people who are too overbearing with political and controversial things because, honestly, it’s not something I’m going to discuss on a social media platform. People’s minds don’t change and they also tend to forget everything they are saying is in a public forum (usually). People get highly passionate about things, even when the facts don’t side with them, and it can become highly combative and profanity laced, all depending on the situation. 

It’s just not fun for me. 

Even politicians and sports figures and other pop culture people utilize social media in negative ways, and that gets tiresome and old. 

Even beyond the controversial things, oversharing of things can get highly boring and tedious. So it comes down to how much one needs – or wants – to see with social media. 

There’s so much good with social media. Mixed in with it, like anything else, is negative. In the end, your own social media comes down to how you utilize it. 

Feel free to connect with me using the social media icons on the right side of my blog!

This post is part of the 2020 20 Days of Chill Writing Challenge hosted by A ‘lil HooHaa. Please check out the link if you’d like to see others or join in. You don’t have to do every theme if you don’t want! And for those participating, take a moment and check out the other participants! 

20 Days of Chill: 2020 Day 8

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!

It’s Fri-yay!

The day many work for in regard to the work week. The day leading into the weekend. The day that when you “clock out” means a few days off and ready to roll. 

This day used to be a lot bigger to me. 

I remember the younger days. Hitting up the bars. Staying out all night. Whooping it up. Ahh, when you could hang. 

Now, let me say this. I can still stay up late. But that usually means tooling around on the internet or watching Netflix. It doesn’t include boozing it up and getting all crazed. 

I’m not sure the last time I was truly in a bar, let alone on a late Friday night!

But Fri-yay … 

It’s still a day to aim for. 

Maybe it’s just me, but usually – like 90 percent of the time – Fridays are somewhat calm at work. People seem more relaxed and not on edge. They know what’s coming. They know what they worked for. And here it is … it’s upon us. 

I’m sure Fridays would take a whole new meaning, though, if the United States had a four-day work week. Imagine Friday-Sunday off? 

A guy can dream. 

Anyway, it’s funny how as we age, Friday, as well as the weekend, has a new meaning. Where it once was a time to truly let loose and get the most out of those days has turned into being able to put my feet up and take naps. And try and get a few extra walks in. 

Mmmm…. naps. 

The reality is, Fri-yay … Friday … whatever you want to call it, changes with time and people. We all change. As people grow a bit older, paths change. People change. Friends come and go. Interests change. With that, priorities change. And when that happens, you move into different parts of life. The Fridays of past will not be the Fridays of the future. 

And that’s OK. 

Over the past year or so, I’ve seen a lot of change. In me. In others. In our world. Some for the better. Some for the worst. And a lot of times, with no warning and no reason. But there’s been a lot of change and that’s what life does. It changes.

So do Fridays. 

Maybe this Friday is one of those ones to make a drink. Watch some Netflix and maybe reflect. Or look at new adventures. And realize in this world. Fridays are still awesome, but sometimes you have to make them be awesome. 

How about your Fri-yay?

This post is part of the 2020 20 Days of Chill Writing Challenge hosted by A ‘lil HooHaa. Please check out the link if you’d like to see others or join in. You don’t have to do every theme if you don’t want! And for those participating, take a moment and check out the other participants! 

20 Days of Chill: 2020 Day 7

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” A ‘lil HooHaa on Facebook! You can also follow me on Twitter @softball29!