Did you read the A-Z April introductory post? With the month progressing, and Mrs Fevers’ questions (and answers) drawing me back daily I think it’s time to make a start. Today I am kicking off with A through D for my A-Z April Blogging challenge 2022.
A
Do you have [a] favourite author{s}? How long is YOUR list?
My list of favourite authors is incredibly short. This came as a surprise when I started to think about the answer to these questions, but really I shouldn’t have been too shocked. I do like variety after all.
My absolute favourite literary hero is Charles Buckowski. His style inspired a new word in the dictionary of Barefoot: Autobiograph-ictional. He writes his truth, and embellishes around the facts to make it more readable. He isn’t for everyone, but the first book of his I read, Ham on Rye, had me hooked. His works are harrowing, when you understand that the words come from his life story, but they never fail to leave me with an odd sense of hope.
My second favourite is Brene Brown. It was CC who first introduced me to her, via a TedTalk video on YouTube. When I stumbled across Daring Greatly in a charity shop I didn’t expect to read it in its entirety. At that time I wasn’t able to focus on text on a page, and hadn’t discovered Audiobooks yet. The plan was to pick it up an skim occasionally, absorbing snippets of information. Best laid plans and all that, I devoured the volume in record time. Now I have found her on Audible, watched countless YouTube videos and read (and reread) many of her books.
B
What are your bedtime rituals?
I don’t think I could possibly say that I have bedtime rituals. Truth be told, I’m not great at going to bed, or settling myself to sleep. I wouldn’t be able to tell you when this started, but I’ve always had a disordered sleep routine. Perhaps this is due to me working jobs from as young as possible where the time I got home could range from 8pm to 4am. Then depression caused insomnia, and children came with their own challenges. No matter, it’s never too late to start, right? Well, I always have so much that I want to do that getting to bed takes a back seat. As my sleep hygiene deteriorated I wanted to fix that so… I set an alarm to remind myself to go to bed. Now then, I’m not a rebellious person. I follow my own feet but if I’m going to rock the boat I consider every possible outcome. Usually. But when my phone barked orders at me, ringing the “GO TO BED” alarm, I became less inclined to haul myself upstairs and rest my head. Ridiculous, right?
Very silly, especially if you know that I love to clean my teeth. Why would I delay this pleasure, the last treat before bed. And though it’s not a ritual I do enjoy saying goodnight to Sir. A quick email as I snuggle down between my pillows, sometimes a picture shared from the day, others I’ll take one especially for him. It’s a nice way to settle.
When I think about bedtime rituals I rather hope that one day I could stop with the self-sabotaging behaviours and get myself to bed at an appropriate time. I imagine slipping beneath the covers with minty-fresh breath, setting my alarm for the morning (a full 8 hours later) and reading quietly for half an hour before turning of the light and entering dream world. But, for now, I accept that this is just another of my many fantasies…
C
Who is your favourite fictional character?
Like lovers, my favourite fictional characters are the ones I’m enjoying at the time. Unlike matters of the heart I don’t have an over-arching hero. Looking back at the books I’ve read over the years, shows I’ve watched or songs I’ve heard, there really isn’t a character that stands out above and beyond everyone else.
Perhaps the closest I have to a favourite character is in a song that I love, Backstage Girl, a woman who merges with the slutty side of me almost seamlessly. She helped inspire some erotic fiction on my part, giving an outlet for me and my fantasies.
D
Are you a disciplined person? What have you made a plan for and worked to achieve?
These are not such simple questions as I initially thought. In some areas of my life I am incredibly disciplined, in others not so much. The longer I am owned by Sir the more practise I have at planning and achieving goals. I talk about my tasks a lot on here, but effectively they are SMART goals and I am learning to achieve them. For my growth and both of our pleasure. They also give me a chance to practise failing, without being a failure. (More to come on this soon, I fear that will be an extensive blog post for sure.)
It seems like a lifetime ago that I wrote about discipline, and how it works within my dynamic. Discussion on BDSM and discipline is often linked back to punishment but, for me, this isn’t really the case. Yes, I have been sanctioned for failing to complete tasks, but as it is my responsibility to complete them. I have become disciplined in my approach to tasks- it’s a skill that has helped me achieve so much more. Learning to plan, adapt and accept that plans sometimes need to change has been a profound experience.
The header image for Kicking Off With A Through D was an idea for my Sinful Sunday post for prompt week. Instead I went for Backlit And Bound. I wonder which option you prefer?
From the story of how the barefoot sub became the woman she is today, to toy reviews, with a hefty dose of contemplation, a sprinkling of erotica and a LOT of nudity in between, you can be sure to find something to tickle your fancy at A Leap Of Faith.
A: Bukowski was an unexpected answer! I find his misogyny difficult to overcome, but I readily admit he has talent where words are concerned.
B: Sleep hygiene is something I had to force on myself. It’s hard to stick to a routine, and even harder to have a bedtime! I totally get the stubbornness about it too — been there, done that. *laugh*
C: You’re the first person to choose a character out of a song! If I have a favorite “song character” it’s probably Tommy from Bonjovi’s Livin’ On A Prayer. 🙂
D: Yes, I think SMART goals make a lot of difference. And for me, having incremental goals — or ways to “see” achievements/improvements over time – is crucial. It helps keep me motivated.
Thanks for sharing! I look forward to reading more throughout the rest of the month!
I liked your non-trivial informal answers to questions. Besides, I like your style.