Hi everyone. I have been quite tired over the past few days, so didn’t do much writing. I’m still proud to say that this is my sixth blog post in January. Considering that some months in 2024, I only published five posts total, this is good.
Anyway, regular readers may remember me participating in the Wednesday Hodgepodge for a while. I stopped doing that, because I didn’t like it that the overwhelming majority of participants’ posts were heavily Christian-based. Now though, I seem to have found something to replace it with: Kymber’s Get to Know You. Here are the questions for this week and my answers.
1. What is the most memorable activity you did with your family as a child?
Not an activity we did as a whole family, but play-based learning with my parents comes to mind. For example, my father taught me to calculate squares using computer chips he’d been removing out of the devices himself. I also remember us looking at maps together. My mother also made little books in large print for me to learn to read when I was about four. Here in the Netherlands, children don’t usually learn to read until they’re six, but I was a precocious learner. My parents will probably be proud to see me list these “intellectual” activities.
2. What quality do you appreciate most in a friend?
Acceptance. I want to be myself with a friend and if they aren’t willing to accept that, fine but they aren’t my friend. I will also accept my friends for who they are. I don’t mean that mutual annoyances can’t happen. They happen between me and my spouse, who I consider to be my best friend, all the time. However, when it comes down to it, we accept each other for who we are.
3. What is one characteristic you received from your parents you want to keep and one you wish you could change?
My mother jokes that I inherited all my positive qualities from my father and all my negative ones from her. I was almost going along with it, because indeed the first positive characteristic I thought of comes from my Dad and the first negative one from my Mom. However, I’d like to boost my Mom’s self-esteem a bit (should she ever read this) and lessen my Dad’s. Therefore, I’d like to keep my Mom’s creativity and get rid of my Dad’s snobbishness.
I agree that acceptance is very important in a friendship. It’s good to accept people for who they are. 🙂
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Thanks, Kay.
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I have had a horrible history with friendship over the decades. They usually end up with me giving way more than the other person, and they always end badly. I’m at a point now where I gauge how a friendship is doing based on how authentic I can be, or how much of ‘myself’ I am able to share with a person without feeling judged.
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I feel you. I haven’t had friends other than my partner in years.
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I made that mistake as well. Figured I didn’t need friends as long as I had my husband. So when he walked out on me I was completely alone. No support. No help. It was terrifying.
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I’m so sorry about that. Unfortunately, I’m not very good at making friends and consider myself lucky to even have my partner.
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I was exactly the same. 🤞it works out better for you.
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I guess you’re feeling wordy lately as you’ve found yourself blogging more. Whatever fits the mood, right?
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Thanks for that observation. I think my blogging more is a sign of my somewhat improved mood.
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Loved your answers Astrid! Acceptance is a great quality to like in a friend!
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Thank you, carol anne!
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Great answers, Astrid! I’m so glad you like my little game prompt.
I think those are wonderful memories with your parents. It’s so nice how they made learning such fun and creative.
I hadn’t thought of acceptance, but of course, that is very important in a friendship.
I like how you gave your mom a break there, and that you want to keep her creativity. Your parents both sound amazing!
Thank you so much for playing. I wish for you a Happy Friday and Weekend!
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Thank you for commenting. Unfortunately my upbringing wasn’t what I’d have wished for to say the least, but there were positive aspects to it, like I shared here.
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I’m sorry for your upbringing. And I’m glad you can look upon some things that were good. That must be difficult at times. I really appreciate your participation. 🌸🌸
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Thank you! I am indeed glad there are some positive things about my childhood I can look back on.
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❤️❤️
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I like this and have copied the questions, opened the link to Kymber’ s blog and will do a post with my answers over at my Random Stuff blog.
I have to say I liked your answers, acceptance is so important we need to be ourselves around people
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Thank you for commenting and I’m glad I inspired you to do this thingy too.
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