Daily writing prompt

If you could be a character from a book or film, who would you be? Why?

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The low hanging fruit might be Tom Sawyer or Atticus Finch, from the days when I read something besides non-fiction.

But since it’s fresh in my mind, I’d have to go with Dr. Martin Ellingham, from the British tv series Doc Martin. He’s a quirky GP, a former top surgeon in London who developed haemophobia, a brilliant diagnostician, a person with impeccable credentials but also a product of an unhappy childhood– at least with his parents. He seems to know only one way to be– rigid though honorable and forthright in his speech and behavior, learning his way in his role in the small but charming English seaside community of Portwenn.

I guess I identify with the Doc’s cold professionalism, or his strict understanding of his purpose, his work– which doesn’t mean he doesn’t have room to grow in matters of the heart, or work on his sense of humor or his ability to read a room.

Daily writing prompt

What animals make the best/worst pets?

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I would think anything other than the conventional dog, cat, or bird wouldn’t make the list of best pets. A horse is a beautiful animal, but it’s difficult for me to consider a horse a pet. It’s more like a companion, or 4-legged colleague.

I’ve seen the YouTube clips of “pet” mountain lions and wolves and deer, etc. But in general, worst pets would probably be a ferret, snake, most any wild animal– any big cat, bear, wolf, chimpanzee, alligator, wolverine, shark, jellyfish, or a tick.

And I’m sure there’s disagreement on most of this. Except maybe the tick.

Daily writing prompt

What job would you do for free?

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First thing that comes to mind is a taste tester at Starbucks.

Daily writing prompt

What Olympic sports do you enjoy watching the most?

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Winter– ski jumping, Biathlon, for some reason, maybe hockey and luge. Summertime– certain track and field events, and gymnastics. I’m not as glued to the TV during the Olympics as I used to be.

I’m heartened by the stories of good sportsmanship, and I like the underdog stories– the medal winners who surprise everyone because they defy certain odds and perform beyond expectations.

Daily writing prompt

How would you improve your community?

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Advocate for and support the music and arts efforts and the multi-purpose theater, vote for wise land use and open space; utilize our location next to a river, remind people that we live in a beautiful area that has a certain character and its own bit of fascinating history.

Daily writing prompt

How have you adapted to the changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic?

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Remote learning or working from home are no longer things I need to consider. Apart from sometimes feeling apprehensive over when the next one will arrive and if we’ll be close to ready for it, I guess there hasn’t been a lot to which to adapt, personally. The memories are still relatively fresh, though, with regard to supply chain vulnerabilities and the counter-productive divisiveness, i.e. the plethora of opinions that existed and still exist concerning precautions, vaccine efficacy, etc.

Maybe it’s made me more aware of hygeine considerations and taken away the stigma of wearing a mask in public if I’m sitting in the doctor’s office with a cold. I still have and use my Zoom subscription, and I’m liking the contactless payment option when I get gas or check out at the grocery store.

Daily writing prompt

What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?

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Get up at 5am, hit the bathroom, pour my cold brew, then head downstairs to write– first in a daily journal I’ve been keeping sporadically for decades, but religiously since 2017, then here in WordPress, until 7am or often after. The first hour is usually taken up with the journal and getting a start on the Daily Writing Prompt, or sometimes completing that.

When I first started what became this routine, I was still a full-time pastor, and I found the early morning quiet time good for the soul, a welcomed refuge. Anymore, it’s still the best time of day, but it’s getting a bit more difficult to answer the bell at the crack of dawn.

I can’t give it up, though. It’s one of the few things I’ve been disciplined enough to turn into a habit.

Daily writing prompt

Which aspects do you think makes a person unique?

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Some people can roll their tongues, others can sing on key, and others can’t do those and other things. Beyond those sorts of traits, even identical twins aren’t completely identical, and other factors come into play that contribute to a person’s uniqueness– environment, differences in upbringing and perceptions, brain development, dietary choices, chemical imbalances, and so on.

The twins I know are fraternal, so physical, facial likeness doesn’t exist. They differ in personal habits and preferences and points of view as well, but they appear to be each other’s best friend and confidante.

Apart from twins or triplets, etc. and differences in physical appearance and even vocal inflections and tone, each of us is our own collection of behaviors and perceptions, products of our upbringing, of parental guidance and socializaton or lack thereof. It’s like we each arrive with our own specialized software, slightly or greatly varied, that informs how we receive external stimuli, how we see and hear things, and how we respond and react and make decisions.

Daily writing prompt

If you could have something named after you, what would it be?

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Some sort of educational facility– medical research or music.

Daily writing prompt

What makes you laugh?

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A laughing baby, certain SNL skits and Weekend Update, some animal videos, certain comedians, passages in books, jokes, my siblings, my wife, other members of the family, certain situations or turns of phrase that show up in dreams.

Every now and then, I’ll see something online that makes me crack up. The eyes water, the nose runs– it’s a great release. On occasion, I’ll think of something from a long time ago that made me laugh, and it’s like I’m hearing it for the first time.