Daily writing prompt

Describe one habit that brings you joy.

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Wait, a habit that brings you joy? That isn’t how habits work, is it? Also, didn’t we just have a question about routines? Isn’t that the same question we have here, more or less?

Habits that bring me joy… is spending time with my wife, Jen considered a habit? That’s the thing that brings me joy. Spending time with my step kids as well, but they live far-ish away now so I can’t call that a habit either. Not if I actually know the definition of the word.

Technically speaking, what is the definition of, “habit?”

noun

1. an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary:the habit of looking both ways before crossing the street.
2. customary practice or use:Daily bathing is an American habit.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/habit

Do things that are almost involuntary give one joy? I don’t know. I don’t think I like this question. Daily bathing isn’t something that brings me joy, but not smelling like rank B.O. might. Is that a good enough answer?

Daily writing prompt

What are you curious about?

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• I don’t know why, but I am curious about vegetarianism. Not really, just sort of. Where do vegetarians get their protein? I’ve done some Googling and the answers I’ve found don’t make me want to try it, but a small part of my already teeny tiny brain wants to spend a week test driving. I think the idea of Impossible Burgers, or whatever they are called, are part of the attraction. Could I go veggie if I trick myself into thinking I am eating meat? Does that defeat the purpose? I am betting that going that route would be too expensive anyway.
• What did I eat last night that triggered stomach pain this morning? Is yesterday’s migraine somehow involved? I can’t imagine how, but this is the second migraine in a row that was followed by stomach issues the next day.
• Can I get my two Doctor Who binge watches to the point where they both switch Doctors this weekend? The NuWho probably can. I’m mid-way through season seven and it switches from #11 to #12 at the start of season eight. The original series will be tougher. I have half of season three to get through, and the switch from #1 to #2 happens on the third serial of season four. I might be able to do it… probably not.
• When we go to Bar Harbor next weekend will we be able to pull off a sunrise from Cadillac Mountain? That’s the first spot in the continental United States to see the sun rise, but it hits really early and it involves driving to the top of a mountain. I don’t know if we’ll be able to get there in time and still get some sleep.
• We are going to Bar Harbor next weekend (as just stated) and back to Orlando next month. Where else should we travel to? Probably nowhere as it’s all too expensive, but there are so many places still to see.
• How long will I keep playing this wordpress.com daily writing prompt game? No clue.

Daily writing prompt

Write about a random act of kindness you’ve done for someone.

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I looked up today’s question last night before I went to bed so that I could think on it a bit. Unfortunately, nothing is springing to mind that doesn’t involve money, and that feels kinda icky to me. We’ve done the occasional thing like paying for the people in line at the drive through behind us, or at the toll booth behind us, or little surprise things like that. Nothing really important, just petty little money things.

I would say the best thing we’ve done, that also involves money, used to happen at Christmas time. The pandemic has put an end to the tradition over the last few years, but eventually we’ll do it again. We used to pick a restaurant at random, a week or two before Christmas, and go out to dinner. We would then leave the waiter/waitress a massive tip. Like a 200-300% tip, depending on the dinner bill itself. We would then dash out as quick as we could so that we’d be in the car and gone before the waiter/waitress would see what we left.

Do random Christmas gifts to hard working people count as random acts of kindness? I think so, in the true sense of Christmas, but in the actual Christmas spirit of gross consumerism? I don’t know. It works for me, I guess.

Daily writing prompt

How would you describe yourself to someone who can’t see you?

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Didn’t we just do a writing prompt to describe ourselves? Like… three or four days ago?

So the answer is simple. You can’t see me, right? Picture Stephen Hawking’s brain, Jimmy Carter’s emotional range, and a youngish Brad Pitt’s body… only a lot taller.

That’s about as clear a picture* as I can give you without visual assistance.

*yeah, yeah, that’s the ticket. Not sarcastic at all. Crystal clear.

Daily writing prompt

What traditions have you not kept that your parents had?

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There aren’t a lot of family traditions that my parents kept that I do not. The big one that comes to mind is religion. My parents were raised catholic and they raised the three of us to be catholic. Somewhere along the line I realized I didn’t believe any of it. Even when I was going to church every Sunday as a kid, I don’t think I believed any of it. I went through the motions, but I never felt it. My brother is still faithful. My sister… I don’t really know one way or another. Me? Atheist. The tradition I don’t keep is going to church.

Rant beginning

I thought the whole priests-systematically-raping-children-then-covering-it-up-for-each-other thing would have brought more people to my way of thinking, but I also thought fascists running the government would have brought people to my little corner of the political spectrum (closer to it at least) but that didn’t seem to happen either, so what do I know.

Rant over. Sorry.