Tag: dailyprompt

Nothing

Daily writing prompt
What do you do to be involved in the community?
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I sometimes respond to these questions of the day by saying I am not playing along. Usually the reason is because I have an answer but don’t want to share it with the public universe. Today I am not playing along for a different reason… the reason is because I just don’t have an answer.

I thought about it and I guess I am just not involved with my community. We were to a small extent when the kids were little. We went to school functions, we participated in youth sports, we showed our faces outside of our house. Those sorts of things. Now that the kids are grown ups? I vote. That’s a way to be involved in the community, I guess. When that schmuck set off an M80 in the middle of our street that one night I went outside to investigate and talk to the cops along with the rest of the neighbors. That’s being involved I guess.

Other than little things like those? No, nothing I can think of. I put out the garbage barrels and take them in after the pick up. I pay my taxes. I was available for jury duty yesterday but the state sent me that magical letter saying I didn’t have to show up. That’s about it.

I mean, I am here if anyone needs anything. Like, if anyone wants a bluesy lead guitarist for some local event I am your guy. Beyond that? I’m probably just going to stay at home like a normal middle aged red head. That’s just the way it is, right?

Day Job

Daily writing prompt
What’s a job you would like to do for just one day?
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When I was in college, also in the dark days between college stints, I did a lot of temp work. Having jobs for one day only is something I have some experience with. It is not something I would ever chose to do again. In the interest of day dreams and this discussion though…

I could handle being a professional musician for a day. I mean, sure, I’ve been paid to play music a whole bunch of times in the past, but I’ve always been an amateur at best. Not even that, more like a hobbiest who got lucky a few times. I never played a gig that payed enough to consider a living wage. My pay outs have been more like beer money. It sure would be nice to make music for a living, even if it’s just for a day.

What else… It would be fun to be an astronomer for a day. Maybe pitch in on the search for the theoretical planet nine. It could be out there, somewhere. I could go for being a photographer for a living for a day. I have a day off this week and I was hoping to play photographer but… you guessed it… rain. I wouldn’t mind being a professional computer programmer for a day. Wait… what?

Okay. It’s Monday and I have a ton of stuff to get done before work. You know… work as a computer programmer. Har har har. Happy Monday everyone. May your job, school, responsibilities, whatever take it easy on you so that you can have a good day. Mondays suck, but let’s rise above it and get through it all.

Nope

What are your favorite brands and why?

I hate the term “brand.” I passionately hate the term “brand.”

It feels like a citizens united bullshit attempt to humanize corporations. It’s evil and vile and it makes me sick.

Apple and Gibson guitars.

People I Admire

Daily writing prompt
List the people you admire and look to for advice…
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This is a new question, more or less, but it’s going to get a familiar answer. Many, many times since I started playing this daily writing prompt game have I answered with a list of the people I admire and look to for advice… so today’s answer is familiar.

  • My wife. Obviously.
  • My step kids. Obviously.
  • My father. Obviously.
  • My siblings. Obviously.
  • My close friends. Obviously.
  • Coworkers.
  • Extended family.

So different question, same answer. The usual, right?

Vote

Daily writing prompt
Do you vote in political elections?
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I sincerely hope that everyone who uses wordpress.com and responds to the daily prompts lives in a place where voting is something they have the right to do.

Do I vote? Yes. Always. Well… there have been the occasional city/town elections over the years when I have failed to cast my vote, but they are few and far between. These days in the United States of America it is especially important to exercise your right to vote because so many of the people gunning (pun intended) for power here are fascists and if they gain control our days of having a vote will likely end. We are on the brink of oppression here and have been for longer than most of us realized. Now that it’s clear, we still have half of the country who are in favor of giving up our constitution in favor of a cult. Yeah. Fascism is a bitch. Fuck them all.

I used to say that if you pass on your right to vote then you give up your right to bitch about what the politicians do. That used to be both an accurate response and a smart ass remark. Now it seems incredibly understated and naive. Voting is the only option at this point. Do it. Take away the fascists’ legal route to power. Vote them out. All of them.

Sorry for getting all heavy and shit. It’s Friday, I was hoping for something light and breezy today but this is what they gave us. Fuck fascism. Fuck the maga cult.

Direction

Daily writing prompt
What gives you direction in life?
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GPS. Get it?? Damn, am I funny! WOOHOO!

I don’t know what gives me direction in life. Does anyone? Does anyone have any direction or are we all just flailing away, blind and clueless? Are the people who claim to have direction just deluded and chasing fairy tales around through life? It seems that way to me.

I guess, like everything else in my universe, what direction I get comes from my family. Jen and the kids. Where they go, I follow. When they need, I try to get. Simple as that. I probably take direction from work too, but is that life or just profession? Is there a difference?

I can say for sure that I do not take direction from the stars or the calendar or any fairy tales. I am as clear on that as clear can be. It makes me sad that I know that a significant portion of the responses to this daily prompt are going to say exactly that. That is pretty depressing to me. Is such a reaction in some part a source of direction? No, I don’t think so.

I’m more and more on team flailing away blind and clueless here. What’s a red head to do, you know?

Quote

Daily writing prompt
Do you have a quote you live your life by or think of often?
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I like to borrow my quote-to-live-by from the keyboard player for Spinal Tap. He said, “have a good time, all the time.”

No… sorry, I can’t back that up. I’m full of it. I don’t live my life that way. I more live my life by a quote from the drummer from Spinal Tap. He said, “the law of averages says you will survive.” Actually, Marty DiBergi said that, not the drummer. He said it to the drummer and the drummer agreed… and then shortly after the drummer exploded on stage.

So that might not be a good quote to live by either.

Google used to have a good quote and I would like to say I try to live my life by it, even if Google does not. Google said, “don’t be evil.” I would expect most of us could live by that pretty successfully without much effort, but if that is the case how does one explain the maga cult and the rise of fascism worldwide? That’s the exact opposite of don’t be evil. That’s a bunch of psychotics embracing evil and being as evil as humanly possible all day long.

Crap.

I guess I don’t really have a quote to live my life by. I love my wife and I love my kids and I love my family and I love my friends and I try to be a good employee and a good supervisor and I try to play the guitar as much as possible and I try to embrace the chaos that is the occasional run-on sentence.

Other than that… I guess… have a good time all the time.

Holidaze

Daily writing prompt
What is your favorite holiday? Why is it your favorite?
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Like most American kids my youth was spent living for Christmas. You know, presents and shite. As I got older my opinions changed. Xmas changed from a joyous celebration to a months long stress-fest followed by one happy, wonderful day. It dropped way down on the list of favorite holidays.

Thanksgiving ceremoniously took over the top spot on that list. Meeting Jen and having a couple of kids in my life brought new life to Xmas, a new perspective and all, but I still saw Thanksgiving as my fav. Quality family time, good food, a happy celebration. All of those things make it my favorite.

Weight loss surgery has changed the perspective again. I can’t really partake in the Thanksgiving feast the way I used to. A tiny bit of turkey, a tiny bit of stuffing, a bite of mashed potatoes and I am stuffed like you’ve heard about. It doesn’t actually change anything, I just feel oddly self conscious.

So does that change what I see as my favorite holiday? Not really. A little? Does that move Halloween into the top spot? If the kids were still trick or treating it might. I really enjoy being the guy who hands out the treats at our house, but I enjoyed bringing the kids out more. So Thanksgiving still tops Halloween. Memorial Day is a contender, but only by association. We got married near Memorial Day so to me the holiday is more representative of our anniversary. 15 years, this year. We’re going to celebrate with a little trip.

So I think the answer to the question of the day is the same one it has been since I was a teenager and Santa Claus stopped being a thing. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is the best of them all. At least for a middle aged red head living in the United States.

Camp Concussion

Daily writing prompt
Have you ever been camping?
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Back in the early 80’s I was a Boy Scout. You bet your sweet ass I’ve been camping.

I don’t think I was ever very good at it, if that’s even a thing. I always enjoyed the little trips. Tents, cabins, whatever. Tents in the winter time are a pretty sucky experience. Warm cabins? Now we’re talking. Except for that one time.

It was the dead of winter. The weather was super cold but the cabin was warm. The lake was frozen and we were going to try ice fishing. First we tried sledding down the steep, icy hill that had the path from the cabin to the lake. I wasn’t the first to go. The adventurous, athletic types lined up to go first. I was the awkward fat kid and I stayed near the back of the line.

All of the other guys were laying down on the sled and going head first. They were flying down that hill at crazy speeds. I was too chicken for that. I sat upright with my ass toward the back. My first run down the hill was awesome, at first. Then gravity combined with a really low coefficient of friction conspired to do their thing. The weight was at the back of the sled and wouldn’t you know it, the sucker spun around. I was now flying down the hill at a million miles an hour (estimated) backwards. It was exhilarating. Until the tree, at least.

I hit a tree while traveling at about Warp 8.5. Slam. Crash. My head slammed into the tree, very hard. I didn’t pass out, but it knocked me for a loop, I tells ya. Ouch town, population me, Bro. The adults packed me into someone’s car and drove me to a doctor. I had a concussion. I was a tad loopy for a day or two. I slept well, at least.

I don’t remember if that was my last Scout camping trip or not. It might have been. It would probably make a better story if it were. I quit the Boy Scouts when I was in the eighth grade. I gave it another try about a year later, but I didn’t last long enough to go on any camping trips. I am pretty sure that this concussion was my second and last. I was six when I had the first one and that was ice-related too, but I’ll share that story another day.

I guess the follow up question here is would I ever want to go camping again. The answer is never say never, but it’s a safe bet I have packed my last tent. Done and done.

The Best Time of Day

Daily writing prompt
When do you feel most productive?
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I’ve actually thought about this topic quite a bit in recent years. I may have even written a post or two before. The answer is, simply, that I used to know the answer but I don’t anymore.

In my younger days I was 100% a night person. Through high school and college (all the different times) and even into the start of my career in programming I did my best work at night. When we got to 8:00, 9:00, or even later, my brain would clear up in some weird way and everything became noticeably easier for me. Writing, working on math, reading comprehension and retention, analysis, writing music, playing music, it all worked better later at night. That was my time to do my best work. It was clear and obvious and it always worked for me.

Today? I still can do good work later at night, but is that when I am most productive? I think now it might be early in the morning. I had to change my daily routine after the gastric bypass surgery. I needed to start exercising every day and I needed to make sure I had breakfast, where for decades prior to surgery I rarely if ever ate breakfast, and that lead to my days starting earlier and earlier. Now I find that very early in the morning, we are talking sunrise early, I am able to get a lot done. First it was exercise, then it was exercise and just random things around the house, then I added guitar playing and writing and recording, and now I even sometimes will log into work a few hours early and get some things done.

It is a really odd feeling for me. I had about 50 years worth of feeling like a vegetable early in the morning and now I’m suddenly full of piss and vinegar* at the start of the day and I don’t know what to think of it. It also means I need to go to bed earlier in order to not be comatose by lunch time, which by extension means much of my usual best time of day is spent sleeping! What the hell is up with that, Robert?

So the answer to the question of the day is an honest I don’t know. Can a person have two most productive times of day? Or is it possible that my best time is slowly transitioning from the traditional time to a new time? I don’t know. If I ever figure it out, I’ll share the news with you all.

*I am pretty sure I have never used the phrase, “piss and vinegar” before. I don’t think I have ever spoken it or written it or really even thought it… and somehow using it here makes me feel like more of a senior citizen than I have ever felt prior. I am 10 days away from my 53rd birthday… is it possible that on some subconscious level I am totally buying into the idea of being a crusty, grumpy, old man? It very well could be!