PROMPT: Don’t Understand

Daily writing prompt
What’s something most people don’t understand?

Computational Fluid Dynamics. Also, Nuclear Lensing.

PROMPT: Technology

Daily writing prompt
How has technology changed your job?

Technology has changed everything, for good and for ill. It’s the source of our vast growth in productivity, but also at the heart of our modern crises (e.g. I’m almost certain that no caveman ever experienced “imposter syndrome.” But like other crises of modernity, I suspect that technological dependence and an ever-continuing trend toward ultra-specialization are its cause.)

I count myself fortunate to be of an age to (probably) miss the (rapidly approaching) day when machines and artificial intelligence do all “productive tasks” better, faster, and with far less energy consumption than a human being. I don’t think most of humanity will be prepared for that day, and it will – in all likelihood – go down catastrophically. [I think we’re seeing the cracks in the dam already.]

I spend more and more time with the only technology-proof sector of which I’m aware: building a more capable human being.

I believe if every person spent some time learning skills like primitive living (sustainable wilderness survival skills) or unarmed martial arts (that train against armed opponents) society would be much better off. I pick these two as examples of skill sets that give practitioners a deep confidence in themselves [not in themselves + technologies that they can’t build, can’t fix, and which they don’t really understand.] I suspect that the core self-empowerment that would result would ease away much of the general shittiness of character we are increasingly prone to see in the world, shittiness that — like all shittiness — is ultimately rooted in fear.

PROMPT: No

Daily writing prompt
How often do you say “no” to things that would interfere with your goals?

I say no to all sorts of things regularly, for good or bad. I have a [sometimes] unfortunate proclivity to default to no. I move through life like an aircraft carrier, not prone to quick turns or rapid adjustment to unexpected circumstance. I need prepping for course changes and plenty of time. But it does tend to keep me on my objective.

PROMPT: Secret Skill

Daily writing prompt
What’s a secret skill or ability you have or wish you had?

Mind control. I can control my mind with my mind.

[NOTE: I’m not sure what “secret” has to do with it. Anything one blabs across the internet is — by definition — not a secret. Though the skill I mention takes place in a purely subjective realm, so — in that sense — might remain unknown to the general public.]

PROMPT: Weather

Daily writing prompt
What is your favorite type of weather?

Partly cloudy.

PROMPT: Influential Teacher

Daily writing prompt
Who was your most influential teacher? Why?

I’d say my first full-time martial arts teacher, because I was young enough to have considerable open domain in which said teacher could be influential and because the lessons were so diverse — from kinesthetics to ethics to culture to psychology.

By “most influential” I think one means having had either the broadest or most profound influence. (I favor the importance of the latter, the lessons that stick with one and which inform one’s philosophy of life.) This definition favors earlier teachers, but as I don’t remember any specific lesson taught by a specific elementary school teacher, they’re out (though I learned useful things from them and they ranged from competent to quite skilled as teachers go.) The earliest profound lesson I received through scholastic education, one that became a core tenet in my philosophy of life rather than just a skill, was in high school — and in my junior or senior year at that.

As with books, if I can take away one profound lesson from a teacher, I consider my experience well worth the time and energy. And most influential isn’t necessarily the prime criterion for a teacher — and certainly doesn’t necessarily mean best or most skilled or most in command of a diverse array of knowledge.

PROMPT: More Every Day

Daily writing prompt
What do you wish you could do more every day?

Have epiphanies. They are quite hard come by.

PROMPT: Tattoo

Daily writing prompt
What tattoo do you want and where would you put it?

I have no use for any tattoo, anywhere, thank you very much.

I’ll leave it to the teens and twenty-somethings to believe there is some image or phrase that will always and forever capture their essence. I’ve been through too many versions of myself and came out accepting the Buddhist / Taoist notion that everything, everywhere [even the self — if there even is such a thing] is in constant flux.

PROMPT: One Word

Daily writing prompt
What is one word that describes you?

ALIVE!

PROMPT: Compliment

Daily writing prompt
What was the best compliment you’ve received?

“You have good posture.”