My Creative Everyday

I did my first Instagram live during the London Marathon on Sunday. I've posted some videos on my YT channel, TIkTok and on my YouTube IG highlight.  Yesterday's marathon video, which is on the top of this blog, took 7 hours to make. That's not including the hours of recording I did. The London 2022 highlights video which I made at the beginning of the year took around 5 days.  In 2023, I'm learning video making. It feels like I'm improving. :p One of the TikTok versions got 2k views, which was thrilling.  The marathon had an amazing atmosphere, with heart-warming moments and some that put a huge smile on my face.  There are many stories within the story of the 2023 marathon. I think that's why I became fascinated & excited about it this year. The participants were inspiring, entertaining and showed how amazing everyday people can be.  The route has remained largely unchanged since the marathon began in 1981. It includes many of the capital’s landmarks. You ...

Dark tourism is visiting places where some of the darkest events of human history unfolded. Dark tourism is also known as Thana tourism (as in Thanatos), black tourism, morbid tourism, or grief tourism. One definition is that it is tourism involving travel to places historically associated with death and tragedy.  It includes: genocide,  assassination, incarceration,  ethnic cleansing, and war or disaster. Broadly, there are 6 types of dark tourism. These are: War/Battlefield Tourism,  Disaster Tourism,  Prison Tourism,  Cemetery Tourism,  Ghost Tourism,   and  Holocaust Tourism. Did you know, one of the most famous destinations for dark tourism is Chernobyl in Ukraine? The town became famous in April 1986, when a nuclear reactor exploded. Thousands of ppeople were exposed to radioactivity. Tourists visit an area known as the exclusion zone,  In fact, Pompeii is one of the longest standing dark tourism activities, beginning 250...

Question: Why didn't the cat cross the road?  Answer: Because she wanted to go to the bus stop.  I'm hoping to see chickens one day, but they are a very rare sight on London streets! ♡  ♡  ♡ Cat Drama I was taking photographs and video of this cutie because I'm a cat lover,  when a passer-by told me they thought it was a missing cat. She'd seen a poster about 10 minutes from where we were.  We tried checking her collar, then went online and found the poster, which had also been added to a local Isle of Dogs FB group. The cat didn't respond to the name. It looked like the cat in the poster, and another passer-by stopped to say he thought this was a missing cat. He'd seen the poster too!  I replied to the post and passer-by number 1 called them. It went to vm.  We both didn't know what to do. Passer-by number 2 left on the assurances we were taking care of the cat.  Not long afterwards ... I had a reply on FB. It wasn't the missing cat. Hopeful...

   Words don't flow. I'm stuck when it comes to writing about grief. My latest book, This Silly Bench , circles around the subject, referring to memorial benches and the sensation of wandering, numbness and struggling to grapple with emotions. I've tried to face the spiral, to not be overcome by tears, but even after all these years, it returns in waves, dragging me back in time, like a Taylor Swift song, I am young again, and unable to comprehend, turning it over like a restless pebble. I try again and again, always wondering if my efforts are futile and there is never an end to it, this thing,  grief . It is not so intolerable any more, but it still hurts.  I came upon a wonderful writer, Liz Carthy, who  used metaphor to describe her pain. It articulates some of what I have gone through, though I often feel like it is not for me to speak about because it wasn't my child that died, it was someone else's and it is as if there is something not quite right for me...

  Some of the 50 points of advice from an 80-year-old man, plus others Henry Cavill didn't mention:  1. Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out. 😇 2. Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all that they have. 🙏 3. When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go. 🤗 4. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know. 🥳 5. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did. 💪 6. Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped you. ❤️ 7. Always accept an outstretched hand. 🤝 8. Wave at the children on a school bus. 👋 9. Begin each day with some of your favourite music. 🎶 10. Don’t expect life to be fair. 🫠 I first saw a snippet of the Henry Cavill 50 points from an 80 year old on TikTok . I've included the original GMA interview he did at the top of this post.  I tried to do an Instagram remix on this...

  This tip will save you money if you want to buy fresh flowers or plants at Columbia Road Flower Market.  Go at the end of the day!  There are bargains as sellers pack up. If you're happy to buy something that might end up in the bin and it hasn't been someone else's first choice, then it's worth it.  I love buying long stem roses or lillies.  The sellers are friendly and it's a market that's definitely worth visiting.  Watch the YouTube video I uploaded this week which I've included at the top of this post. I'm enjoying being creative on different platforms.  Please subscribe to my channel too. It has lots of videos about nature, London and fun facts.  Have a great time at Columbia Road flower market and share your tips in the comments of this blog or through any of my social media.  -------------------------------- E.M. Blake is the author of 'Dilly Dally Sally' and 'This Silly Bench.' She's also on Twitter and lots of other social...

Welcome to Wellness Wednesday, where this  foodie is trying to take care of her diet, and no, it doesn't involve sacrificing deliciousness for healthiness. As someone who loves food, I've always found it challenging to strike a balance between indulging in my favorite flavors and making sure I'm treating my body well. But over time, I've come up with some strategies that work for me. And by "work for me," I mean they make me feel like I'm living my best life while still fitting into my jeans. The Usual Healthy Eating Tips I've followed all the usual tips: 1. Embrace the power of herbs and spices.  2. Getting creative with veggies. 3. Treating myself, but doing it mindfully.  4. Making meal prep a fun activity, not a chore. 5. And finally ... I'm not taking it all too seriously. At the end of the day, food is meant to be enjoyed. Yes, it's important to take care of your body and make choices that support your health, but that doesn't mean yo...