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The woman on the Yellow Bicycle

~ Observing life from the saddle of my bike.

The woman on the Yellow Bicycle

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A day in the life of my inner critic. (Streaming, self love and other struggles)

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Posted by stephpep56 in a slippet, Uncategorized

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facebook, Inner critic, philosophy, positive thinking, self love, streaming, struggles, the yellow bicycle, therapy, whatsapp, wordpress, writing

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One day my eldest daughter and I were discussing an old film that I loved (The Sting).

We were sitting in her living room. I was facing her, describing the film, She was fiddling with her phone.

Suddenly my attention was caught by the large TV which had been playing classical music in the background. It was now starting to show the very movie I was talking about.

My mouth fell open. I turned back to my daughter in amazement.

‘Look!’ Almost shouting in my excitement, pointing at the screen. ‘That’s the film! What a coincidence! How extraordinary!’ I shook my head in disbelief.

It was my daughters turn to look disbelievingly. 

‘Mom’ She sighed patiently ‘That’s me. I’m STREAMING it from my phone’.

Streaming? I looked from her to her phone to the TV in total confusion.

I jumped from a generation of posting letters and talking on telephones that were wired to the wall, where praising yourself was seen as arrogant, into an era of smartphones, whatsapp, Facebook, WordPress and self love. 

Saturday 2nd feb.

This morning my very good friend is going to play tennis.

She voices her reluctance to get out from under the warm covers (It’s freezing out), but I know she will.

She’s that sort of person.

Courageous/determined/positive.

Before we sign off (We are communicating on WhatsApp.) She asks me how it was going with my new bike

I am ashamed to tell her it is not.

You see, unlike her, I am quite laz….

(I was about to say lazy/idle/indolent/slothful/inactive/inert/lethargic/listless/lackadaisical/good for nothing/bone idle/dull/plodding… take your pick)

Luckily I catch my inner critic just in time and tell her to be quiet.

But it is difficult.

For a start my inner critic and I don’t know each other very well.

(As I’m concerned we have only met recently! Though she insists she has known me since I was a baby.)

I’m confused.

‘Self praise is no praise’

That’s what I was taught.

Sixty two years of the knowledge that admitting to being good at something, could invite disaster on your head.

Bringing the attention of the gods on yourself was not a good idea.

They did not like competition and if they felt a mere mortal was getting uppity they would surely bring her down a peg or two or, worse still, knock her off her pedestal.

But now, seemingly, I have not only to talk about my good qualities, but to write a list of them too.

AND read them out to myself every day.

And if my inner critic sticks up her ugly head and interrupts, I have to wallop her on the head with my notebook.

But she is persistent.

‘Why are you sitting there tapping away? what makes you think you can write anything of interest’ whack!

‘Hardworking? are you kidding me? look at the state of this place’ whack!

‘Positive? where’s the book your suppose to be writing so?’

‘Kind? I don’t call wandering through woods alone kind, unless you plan to hug a tree or avoid crushing weeds as you step’.

‘Resilient? well that’s easy when you have a roof over your head and a job and enough food in the fridge’

‘Energetic? if your so energetic, why aren’t you out and about on your new bike?’

Whack whack whack!

(That last one hit a nerve)

With the yellow bike things were easier.

With the yellow bike I didn’t need therapy.

She just made me get up and out.

If I even LOOKED out the window, like a dog who see’s its owner holding its leash, she would be metaphorically scratching at the door and off we’d go.

But the new bike? She just stands in front of the fire looking shiny.

Goodness is that the time?

And look its dark out already.

What a busy day I’ve had!

‘You call sitting tapping away on that laptop being busy?’

Whack!

 

 

 

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stephpep56

stephpep56

Writer, storyteller, Artist, photographer, mother and grandmother, with a passion for living in the moment, for nature and gardening and meditatively pedalling my yellow bicycle which helps inspire my stories and observations of life. And what better place to be from and to live and cycle in then Ireland. A country filled to the brim with songs and stories, small boreens, lakes, mountains and wild seas. In between all the above I just about manage to squeeze in my real job as a nurse in a busy Hospital.

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Stephanie Peppard an and Thewomanontheyellowbicycle and the inquisitive hen 2014/2015.
This Written material, drawings, photographs and paintings are all my own original work. I would kindly ask that you do not use any of the above without my permission. Excerpts and links may be used provided that full and clear credit is given to Stephanie peppard and thewomanontheyellowbicycle and the inquisitive hen with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. thanks Steph.

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MERRY HAPPY

Yeah, Another Blogger

An Arts-Filled, Tasty And Sometimes-Loopy Jaunt Through Life

Louisa May Alcott is My Passion

Begun in 2010, this blog offers analysis and reflection by Susan Bailey on the life, works and legacy of Louisa May Alcott and her family. Susan is an active member and supporter of the Louisa May Alcott Society, the Fruitlands Museum and Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House.

A Coffee Stained Life

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wildsherkin

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The clueless photographer

Pietro Mascolo - IZ4VVE

Frog Pond Farm

Julie's garden ramblings ...

Site Title

Persevere

By Dan Sims

ALYAZYA

A little something for you.

Singersong Blog

An Aussie in County Clare

An Oldie Outdoors

Trail Blogs : Gear : Outdoor Life

Dartmoor Wild Camper

My wild camping adventures on Dartmoor.

Alex Awakens

The musings of an awakening soul

Fernwood Nursery & Gardens

Maine's Shadiest Nursery

avikingjourney

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JustUs Society

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aoifewww's Blog

This WordPress.com site is the bee's knees

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140 characters is usually enough

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WordPress.com is the best place for your personal blog or business site.

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Observing life from the saddle of my bike.

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poetry, prose and whatever you're having yourself

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for crafters: spinners, weavers, knitters, quilters etc

debooWORKS

Everything you can imagine is real. - Pablo Picasso

tinlizzieridesagain

Adventures in Bikeable Fashion

Donna Cooney

Beauty is a form of Genius

MERRY HAPPY

Yeah, Another Blogger

An Arts-Filled, Tasty And Sometimes-Loopy Jaunt Through Life

Louisa May Alcott is My Passion

Begun in 2010, this blog offers analysis and reflection by Susan Bailey on the life, works and legacy of Louisa May Alcott and her family. Susan is an active member and supporter of the Louisa May Alcott Society, the Fruitlands Museum and Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House.

A Coffee Stained Life

Photography, Gardening, Food, Art, Family, Genealogy, Coffee & Tea

wildsherkin

Once upon an island...the musings and makings of a part-time islander

The clueless photographer

Pietro Mascolo - IZ4VVE

Frog Pond Farm

Julie's garden ramblings ...

Site Title

Persevere

By Dan Sims

ALYAZYA

A little something for you.

Singersong Blog

An Aussie in County Clare

An Oldie Outdoors

Trail Blogs : Gear : Outdoor Life

Dartmoor Wild Camper

My wild camping adventures on Dartmoor.

Alex Awakens

The musings of an awakening soul

Fernwood Nursery & Gardens

Maine's Shadiest Nursery

avikingjourney

A nordic journey from the past to the present with Denmark's largest Viking war ship, the Sea Stallion.

JustUs Society

After all, who else is there... well except for aliens

aoifewww's Blog

This WordPress.com site is the bee's knees

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