Do you ever get that itchy feeling that you ought to be up to something but cannot quite put your finger on what, exactly, that something might be aside from some nebulous notions that flutter like butterflies in the summer sun inside the space most folks store their brains?
Yeah. That’s the prevailing feeling I am getting these past few days: an Ought which is disappointingly lacking in Substance.
Maybe it is just my rebellious nature itching to get out and do something in light of the recent events that have taken place in my hometown (I moderate my activism to protect my family, but would act up significantly more if I had only myself to be concerned about).
But that does not feel quite right. If I got involved with current activist events, I’d probably sign up to marshal more than agitate anyway. That feels closer to the heart of this indecipherable vibe I am feeling. Spirit/soul work of some sort, perhaps?
Well, let’s not worry about solving my conundrum. It’s very likely something I need to get at myself without external help. That’s the kind of vibe it is; internal stuff.
However, going back to the original thought at the head of this post:
How often do you feel you ought to be doing something, but cannot think of what that something might be? Frequently? Never?
And, if you do, are you always able to eventually resolve what that thing is? Or do you just let it go and hope that it comes to you a little clearer after you give it room to breathe?
Do you ever get vague hints from wherever vague hints are born? Or does the realization come directly/not at all?
37 responses to “Half-penny thoughts — 09jan26”
I feel that way a lot. Just usually have to let them pass. I give them up to menopause induced anxiety.
I can only imagine what layer of complication that adds to the situation. Letting pass seems to be my tactic as well, but sometimes it can decide to really nag me. Like now.
I’m sorry. It does suck.
Ugh short answer (cause I’m bloody knackered tonight) yes. Abso-fucking-tely. It’s something that plays around my mind too – it’s a hard balance staying safe but also helping to make things better.
*Abso-fucking-lutely… 🤓😴
Yeah, I just have these vague notions that won’t settle down long enough to make sense of just what it is my two brain cells are trying to tell me. I swear, it’s like they aren’t even on speaking terms at times…
😊
Hey, if you feel up to it… that old song I mentioned awhile back could use a base track 😜. I have practiced enough to record them and feel comfortable with hearing them. Stay safe over there! Sorry such a short response.
Vocals that is
Are you looking for assistance in mixing/engineering it? You might have not gotten the news that I am a sucky singer if you’re looking for a vocal contribution 🤣. I only sound good when I’m drunk and I sound even better when YOU are drunk. And seeing that I don’t drink anymore… You didn’t want to have to get drunk every time you listen to your own song, right? 🤣
I have been working on vocals, no music. You can sing too if you want 😁😜
Not if I don’t want to be arrested for being a professional disturber of the peace, I can’t. 🤣
If you did the music, I could sing it live (with speakers) at every stop across the country, AND post videos of it on YouTube. LMAO. 🫨🤦♀️🤪 That’s actually a terrifying thought lol…
🤣 I won’t stop you. But I don’t know how wise it would be to play my music loudly. People tend to throw things at me when I do. Heavy things. Sometimes sharp.
LOL. 😁Would that be your family? 🫢
Strangers at times… It’s eerie. Uncanny even. And then neighborhood dogs start howling…
Oh, well the last time I sang outside… my kids yelled at me and tried hiding. LMAO. Strangers just looked at me but didn’t have a hostile reaction. I was singing the Raven song on a hiking trail during foliage season.
You survived without too many wounds. 😊
LMAO, turns out I have had the song on my “practice list” but failed to do so. 🤪🤣WOW, that needs work! It totally might work to shut people up for a few minutes and stop fighting though? You know, a silent awkward pause. 😁
I know only too well when I ought to be doing something, and what it is. I’ve learned to distract myself with trivia, to the point that the trivia becomes the thing I ought to be doing … It’s a bottomless pit without an answer. 🙁
At least you know. Then you can go about with the avoiding of it! 😉
I guess. I suspect you should let the nagging feeling do its thing in the background. It’ll make itself clear when it’s ready. 😐
Yeah, pretty often. It’s usually just this vague feeling that I should be doing something, without any clue what that something is. Sometimes I eventually figure it out, but only if I stop overthinking it. If I try to force an answer, nothing happens. If I let it go, it either clears up on its own or just kind of dissolves.
That’s common for me, but every once in a while it does the nagging thing in the same way as wondering if you left the oven on when you’re not home 😊
Thanks!
Oh my gosh, yeah, I get it. It’s a bit more nagging at that point, almost enough to make you crazy
Yep! Exactly.
Have a great evening, Jennifer.
You too, Michael!
I need to get on with this short story project, and get started on a new novel (or, actually, maybe an old one that needs a lot of work.) I’ll do it, too-my Mansfield novel took it out of me, but I’m very proud of it and proud that I wrote the whole thing from scratch in 2025. I’m not quittin’ now😜🕴
Glad you’re at least able to have a sense of what you are needing to do. I’m still itching my skull about the matter. I was hoping it was the music thing I just did, but nope! Still itchy.
Good luck in 2026. I can see where Mansfield could tap you, believe me. What was the final page count? It had to be up there in the 500s or so, if not more.
That’s a function of keeping things simple. That book ended right at about 300 pages. Just about perfect. It will be hard to recreate that feeling-I’m dreading trying a little bit.
300-400 pages is about right for most novels, agreed. Don’t try to recreate the feeling, just let it flow and it will likely have the same sense.
Good luck man, several of us are rooting for you.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Michael. You are so right about just letting it flow. I don’t think enthusiasm can be forced, nor should it be.
Nope! Besides, you do a great job without fussing about it.
it happens. Usually for an entire day. Best to try not to ponder too much as, I find, this invariably leads to waking up fretting the following day!
I try not to think too much about tomorrow. Best laid plans and all…
How often do you resolve that feeling? Or does it usually fade?
I find that if I try to resolve this feeling it tends to make things worse – I end up doing nothing much other than fretting that I should be.
They usually fade over night tbh.
That seems to be true most of the time for me as well.