PROMPT: A Year Ago

Daily writing prompt
Is your life today what you pictured a year ago?

Definitely not. There are – literally – robots on the streets where I am today. There were cows on the streets where I was a year ago.

I don’t find picturing the future to be a productive endeavor. A year from now the robot wave will have hit Bangalore and cattle in the streets may be a fixture of Atlanta (because raising one’s own cow will be the only way to afford beef.) [Not to mention, there’s a significant chance that I’ll be in neither of those places.]

PROMPT: Skills or Lessons

Daily writing prompt
What skills or lessons have you learned recently?

Shopping for crazy. I’ve become aware that – during some time periods, it’s mandated that there be one bat-shit insane person per subway car — and that, if there are more than that, they need to spread out evenly and give the stage to one among them — a Car Crazy Champion, if you will. After riding in a car with a urine-drenched crack addict who paced the length of the car eating (and sloshing) some pungent food from a Styrofoam container, I realized I should have been in the next car with the very nicely dressed and clean-cut man in what seemed to be a self-created and self-imposed uniform reading aloud from the Bible. I no longer concern myself with what car gets me closest to the appropriate exit, rather I shop around for the least objectionable crazy.

PROMPT: Cities

Daily writing prompt
What cities do you want to visit?

As many of the ones that aren’t war-torn or underwater as I possibly can.

PROMPT: People Say

Daily writing prompt
Tell us one thing you hope people say about you.

I hope they say, “He was kind of loud, never kept to himself, and we always thought he might be a serial killer.”

PROMPT: First Day

Daily writing prompt
Tell us about your first day at something — school, work, as a parent, etc.

Today is the first day of the rest of this week.

PROMPT: Performed

Daily writing prompt
Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?

Performed? Not yet. (Unless you count “Crowd Member Milling About [with No Lines] – #7” in an Elementary School Christmas Pageant.) Given a speech? Yes. Unless it is completely impromptu, it is nowhere near the top of my list of horrifying life events.

PROMPT: Physical Activities or Exercises

Daily writing prompt
What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

I never met a one I didn’t like.

PROMPT: Admiration

Daily writing prompt
What is something others do that sparks your admiration?

Have intense confidence that they can achieve anything, but only when they’re not an ass about it. So, have humble confidence or cool confidence?

PROMPT: Cartoon

Daily writing prompt
What’s your favorite cartoon?

Currently, probably Rick & Morty. In my youth, I was Looney Tunes over Hanna Barbera, especially Roadrunner, Yosemite Sam, and Marvin the Martian.

PROMPT: Less of

Daily writing prompt
What could you do less of?

Contemplating the unknowable.