PROMPT: Animals

Daily writing prompt
Do you ever see wild animals?

Sure, I just saw a bird fly past my window, and I’m fairly certain that it wasn’t domesticated.

PROMPT: Favorite Place

Daily writing prompt
Do you have a favorite place you have visited? Where is it?

Every place that I visit, while I am visiting it, is my favorite place.

PROMPT: Five Things

Daily writing prompt
Share five things you’re good at.
1.) Remaining incognito. (I conceal my identity by being no one of interest.)

2.) Calling animals. (They do not come, but I maintain that I'm effective at getting their attention. They give perplexed looks and seem to be thinking, "Why is that dumb-ass human making strange noises?")

3.) Slipping on ice. (It's effortless to me.)

4.) Conveying an air of indifference. (At any given moment, you'd probably conclude that I don't give a shit.)

5.) Eating rotisserie chicken. (It's not pleasant to watch, but I leave not a scrap of meat. It's like a sun-bleached skeleton when I'm done with it.)

PROMPT: Change

Daily writing prompt
What is one thing you would change about yourself?

I think about this in yogic terms. In the niyama of yoga there are two guiding ideas that – at first – seem contradictory. Santosha is contentment. Tapas is discipline. So, on one hand, Patanjali was suggesting one needs to accept what one is (santosha,) but, on the other hand, he was suggesting that one needs to keep the fire of self-development burning (tapas.) [Note: I realize there are different readings of these two concepts, these are the versions that have resonated with me.]

These two ideas did seem at odds until I realized that they answer different questions. Contentment is the answer to “Am I enough?” Tapas is the answer to “Can I be better?”

Long story short, I see wishes such as the desire to be six inches taller or to be a celebrity as a waste of time and mental energy. However, I see the need to be a healthier and more equanimous version of myself as an ever-present driver.

PROMPT: Night or Morning

Daily writing prompt
Are you more of a night or morning person?

Morning. Whether I want to be or not.

PROMPT: Eating Meat

Daily writing prompt
What are your feelings about eating meat?

I have no strong feelings. Everything that lives becomes food, so I don’t see a sound moral argument against meat. There is certainly a nutritional argument against eating excessive quantities of meat (which I would grant many meat-eaters do) but this is not an argument for dropping meat altogether. I accept that there is a reasonable environmental argument, but — counterpoint — it’s delicious.

I see no argument at all against choosing to eat vegetarian or vegan, so I certainly wouldn’t try to talk anyone out of their decision to do so. (i.e. The “you can’t get enough protein” argument is bullshit.)

PROMPT: Wear

Daily writing prompt
What are your two favorite things to wear?

A Jetpack and Rollerblades.

PROMPT: Technology

Daily writing prompt
What technology would you be better off without, why?

Blenders. They’re loud, annoying sounding, and we have both liquid and solid foods — there is no cause for liquifying solid foods.

Plus, I’m fond of all ten fingers.

PROMPT: Hardest Decision

Daily writing prompt
What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make? Why?

Whether or not to watch Sophie’s Choice. Because it might diminish the difficulty of all future choices.

PROMPT: Didn’t Need Sleep

Daily writing prompt
If you didn’t need sleep, what would you do with all the extra time?

I assume just a little more of all the things I already do, with a substantial amount of that time being spent in rest.

The thought, “If I didn’t have to rest I could do so much more” is one of modern life’s most cancerous modes of thinking.

Didn’t we all learn during the pandemic that when commutes and other travel / in-person time obligations go away, life fluidly swells to fill the void. Like having to learn Zoom, etc.

Life gives no free lunches, learn to live with it.