If you could meet a historical figure, who would it be and why?

Daily writing prompt

I get to pick one person from all of history. Well, that’s not going to be easy. Do I pick a musician? Jimi Hendrix or John Lennon? I have all of human existence though, so why stay with the 1960’s? I could pick Beethoven but he was deaf and I don’t know sign language (did he?). I could pick JS Bach. He had something like 20 kids so maybe I could get some relationship advice from him or something.

What about political folks? President Lincoln is the obvious choice, but I’d have to tell him that the republican party that he put on the map eventually morphed into a racist, fascist, nazi party knock off that tried to over throw a legitimate presidential election. That would likely bum him out, big time. Sorry, Abe. I could pick Napoleon, or Alexander the Great, or Julius Caesar, but knowing my luck I’d try to crack an ice breaker style joke and they’d get offended and execute me on the spot. That would suck.

I could pick some random person from a time period that is fascinating. Some dude who lived in colonial era Boston, or Ancient Greece, or Renaissance Italy, or Roman era England, and just learn about how they lived their lives. That would be pretty amazing.

Knowing me the way I do though, I would pick Neil Peart. He’s only been gone for just shy of four years, and he hated interacting with fans, but I’d just tell him that we’re all thankful for all of the music he made and that we miss him. Yeah, that would probably be my choice.

Do you trust your instincts?

Daily writing prompt

Back in the ’90’s I was in an all original music rock band and we had a song called “Instinct“. Does that have any bearing on any of this crap? No. No, it does not.

Do I trust my instincts? Hell no, I do not. I guess I don’t entirely mistrust them either, but generally speaking the first thought I have after responding to a gut feeling is something along the lines of, that was probably a mistake.

As an analyst type of guy who loves statistics, I wish I had some numbers on how often instinct is accurate vs inaccurate. I expect that it is more accurate than not, but who knows.

While I often doubt myself, when I have one of those feelings and share it with someone else, if the other people doubt me I get pissed and stand by my feelings in a nearly militant fashion. Does that make sense? No, no it does not.

I guess I am just kinda screwy that way. I can doubt me, but you can’t. Ugh, what a nut job.

Trust to your instinct
If it’s safely restrained
Lightning reactions
Must be carefully trained
Heat of the moment
Curse of the young
Spit out your anger
Don’t swallow your tongue

Written by Neil Peart, Performed by Rush