Daily writing prompt

What is your favorite place to go in your city?

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I live in a small town. The nearest city is 35 miles away, and we go there to shop, on occasion.

When we lived closer to Philadelphia, we would drive in to the Broad Street area and park, walk around Market Street, have lunch at the Reading Terminal Market, then walk through City Hall, stop into the lobby of the first Comcast building, walk around Love Park and then make our way down to the Art Museum, ascend the Rocky steps, and take in the view looking out over the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, back toward Center City.

On a couple other occasions, we’d drive down to the 6th Street area and walk around The National Constitution Center, wait in line to see the Liberty Bell, find a street vendor selling cheesesteaks, then enjoy lunch sitting on a bench in the shadow of Independence Hall (it was always closed for renovations when we were there).

Great ways to spend the better part of a Saturday.

Daily writing prompt

What’s the first impression you want to give people?

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I guess it would be that I’m engaged in the moment, and listening. That’s what I’d like, in an ideal world– that I can hold peoples’ attention, that people find me worth talking to and taking seriously.

Daily writing prompt

What book are you reading right now?

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There are a few in progress on the iPad– Abundance by Ezra Klein, Who Is Government? by Michael Lewis, Murder the Truth by David Enrich, and Startalk by Neil deGrasse Tyson. I also downloaded The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway. It’s been a while since I read that one.

I’m finding it difficult to read books on the iPad, though, and I think I get carried away with its highlighting feature. There’s something about having a harcover copy in my hands that feels more normal, somehow.

Or maybe my attention span is just shot to hell.

Daily writing prompt

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

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Somewhere that had four distinct seasons, probably not northern Maine or North Dakota, though they’re both beautiful. I think I’d probably stick around the current neck of the woods, somewhere north of I-80 in Pennsylvania. I’ve come to like the location, the temperate climate, the lay of the land, proximity to family.

It’s not like we can’t jump in the car or get on a plane if we want a change of scenery.

In a little over two years, I will have spent as much time in PA as I did in MA. It’s growing on me. Besides, I can’t imagine living anywhere but the U.S., despite the current ugliness in D.C.

Daily writing prompt

What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever found (and kept)?

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I found a good sized rock, maybe milky quartz or something similar, on Mt. Washington, and carried it down with me. For some reason, I wanted a souvenir of the climb, and this fit the bill. I’m not sure I realized, at the time, that it was probably frowned upon, or maybe illegal, to remove pieces of the mountain, but it was such a cool-looking specimen and I figured no one would miss it.

There’s probably something else, but it’s not coming to mind at the moment.

Daily writing prompt

Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met?

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I met Bobby Darin backstage after a performance in Framingham, MA in the mid-1960s. Our accordion teacher took a bunch of us to see him.

Daily writing prompt

What is good about having a pet?

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Hmm… they can be company, and guardians. They can be examples of loyalty and grace. They can provide some humor, tease out the caregiver in us, and they are a connection to the non-human life on earth.

Daily writing prompt

Name the most expensive personal item you’ve ever purchased (not your home or car).

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Together, my wife and I recently ordered a stick built shed to replace the one that was falling apart in the back yard. Personally, I guess it would have to be a camera or a component stereo system. I’ve parted with a fair sum for a lot of woodworking tools, too.

Daily writing prompt

What podcasts are you listening to?

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I don’t listen to many podcasts. The only time we cue anything up is if we’re on a road trip, and then we listen to mostly Stuff You Should Know, and an occasional Pod Save America or Fresh Air. They do help pass the time, relieve some of the monotony.

Daily writing prompt

What was your favorite subject in school?

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The only class that stands out in my memory is high school Spanish. I’ve talked about this in other contexts here, but I believe it is because the teacher was such a standout individual. Mr. McGregor was passionate, intense– which wasn’t always fun– and he sincerely cared about us and that we worked to get better. He did not suffer apathy very well, but he also had a way of keeping things light, making it… fun. Spanish was one of the rare As on my report card, and it was because Mr. M taught it well, and I understood the process.