PROMPT: Tattoo

What tattoo do you want and where would you put it?

I have no interest in tattoos. I’m with the Buddhists on “all is impermanence” and the idea that there is some message that would be poignant for the rest of my days seems silly and unlikely.

Plus I’ve seen so many bad ones: faces that look demented, Chinese characters that make no sense (and/or are upside-down or sideways.) So, no thanks.

PROMPT: Cross-Country

You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike?

Depends on the country. Singapore, Bolivia, Russia, Niger, and Vatican City present very different answers to the question.

PROMPT: Negative Feelings

Daily writing prompt
What strategies do you use to cope with negative feelings?

A practice of feeling gratitude is extremely beneficial in that regard. Simple meditative practices help one become aware of thoughts and feelings more quickly, before they are fed through rumination, making the down-spiral cycle easier to disrupt.

And, sometimes, I rant. This usually veers quickly into comedic territory and I’m reminded of the ridiculousness of taking human life too seriously, given the absurdity of being primates in pants who love shiny things. (It would be unimaginable if human life weren’t absurd.)

PROMPT: Lose Yourself

Daily writing prompt
What activities do you lose yourself in?

Any that I can. If I can’t, it’s probably a tedious work-a-day task that I’m trying to get through so that I can get back to activities in which I can lose myself.

PROMPT: Rewatched

Daily writing prompt
What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times?

Movies: The Matrix (1999), Kung Fu Hustle (2004), and – possibly – The Dark Knight (2008) and Inception (2010). [Really, I could watch any Christopher Nolan film more than once (and probably need to in order to fully get them.)]

TV Series: None. I can’t think of a series that I’ve watched more than once — except maybe in reruns as a kid, watching episodes out of sequence and on a hit or miss basis.

PROMPT: Animal

Which animal would you compare yourself to and why?

Human being (Homo Sapiens) bears the closest resemblance.

Why? For starters, humans are animals. And I think if I were put in a lineup of varied species and a random intelligent person were asked to pick the Homo Sapiens, they’d pick me.

PROMPT: 100-year-old

Write a letter to your 100-year-old self.

Dear Sir,

Of late, we find your kungfu lacks vigor and precision. We can no longer, in good conscience, keep you in the vanguard against invading Mongolian hordes.

Try to look on the bright side.

Sincerely,

Sumwun U. Yoostahno

PROMPT: Spree

Where would you go on a shopping spree?

A used bookstore is the only possible answer, but even then “spree” would generally be excessive for my volume of purchases – by common usage.

I’ve never been a recreational shopper. But, as “sprees” go, I’ve gone on more of the shopping kind than the murdering kind. Funny, those are the only kinds of sprees I’m aware of. I guess something has to die to make it a spree.