Daily writing prompt

What would you do if you won the lottery?

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Assuming it’s a substantial amount… before claiming the prize, try to remain rational, keep as tight-lipped as possible, get some guidance on the best way to proceed, and make a couple of lists– people and organizations with whom we might want to share the winnings, and things we want to do or buy.

Personally speaking, my material list would include a place with a bit more acreage, with space for a wood shop, and a pickup truck. And fitted golf clubs.

If it was only a couple of bucks, then just buy more tickets and hope for the best.

Daily writing prompt

What books do you want to read?

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Preferably nonfiction, though I’d still like to cross War and Peace off my “to read” list.

At the moment, I’m reading Barack Obama’s first volume, A Promised Land, and it has taken a while to get through. Until I finish it, I’m only perusing the new titles at the library (we sometimes stop after going to the Y) but not taking anything home. This one needs my undivided attention.

What sometimes happens is that I will borrow from the library or download books from Prime and read them on my iPad, but then I end up ordering my own hard copies so I can underline and otherwise mark them up.

I try and mix up the genres of nonfiction, having recently read Jim Bouton’s classic Ball Four for the first time, along with another baseball book by Joe Posnanski; books by Adam Higginbotham, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Rachel Maddow, and Jon Meacham. I think I’ll probably look for Pete Buttigieg’s most recent offering– Trust— next, but only after finishing the Obama tome.

Daily writing prompt

Write about a few of your favorite family traditions.

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This is more difficult than I first thought. Currently, besides the usual birthday celebrations and a big Labor Day picnic we sometimes attend, it seems a couple events have the makings of tradition– our son and his family travel here from Maine for Thanksgiving, and we have Christmas morning with our other son and his family, who live only 5 miles away. Of late, a theme has been surprise visits to or from our daughter and son-in-law in Colorado. And for the last two or three years, we’ve gathered at our local son’s place for the Super Bowl.

Historically, Sunday dinner after church was a tradition for years; Christmas Eve at Mom and Dad’s with a big spread and a late church service; afternoon coffee and baked goods (we’ve come to call it fika) was a regular feature when we were visiting Mom and Dad, continued religiously by Mom after Dad died. I often still get the urge to “have a little something” mid-afternoon.

It seems like we’re less bound by traditions anymore, or maybe we’re just starting new ones that haven’t really settled in yet.

Daily writing prompt

What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?

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Being retired, I suppose I have nothing but leisure time. If I had to pick one thing, and conditions allowed, I’d probably give a nod to being out on a golf course somewhere.

In reality, there are several things that vie for top spot– taking a day trip, even if it’s just doing errands and having a meal out; working on a project of some sort, whether woodworking or cleaning and rearranging; visiting with family, near and far; playing the piano; working in our small yard, mowing grass, keeping things looking cared for; reading; putting a puzzle together; cooking; as much as I swear off such a thing at times, checking the newsfeed on my iPad; and sitting still, taking in the sights and sounds of an average day.

Daily writing prompt

Name an attraction or town close to home that you still haven’t got around to visiting.

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The Eagles Mere toboggan slide. It’s weather-dependent, of course, because hundreds of 12-inch thick slabs of ice are needed for the run itself, and it ends on a lake that has to be thick enough to support the weight of many riders.

This winter, folks are actually talking as if it might happen. Fifty seconds of exhiliration, a quarter-mile long. A tradition since the early 1900s.

Daily writing prompt

List five things you do for fun.

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1. Write
2. Play with the grandkids, which is both fun and exhausting
3. Play or watch golf
4. A meal out with my wife
5. An occasional woodworking project

Daily writing prompt

If you could make your pet understand one thing, what would it be?

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If I had a pet, most likely a dog, I would try to impress upon it that I don’t want it hanging around the dinner or breakfast or lunch table waiting for a handout. Nor would a countertop heist or nosing through the trash can be acceptable.

I realize dogs and cats and others would eat all day if we let them, but there’s always been something about this that truly annoys me. Maybe it’s that I feel like the animal really only has a one-track mind, only cares about us as providers of food, and any emotional attachment is one-sided, mere projection on our part. It’d be nice if that wasn’t true.

Daily writing prompt

Write about your first name: its meaning, significance, etymology, etc.

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According to ChatGPT, the name Jeffrey originates from the Old Germanic name Gautfrid or Godfrid. The exact etymology is somewhat debated due to its multiple regional origins, but most settle on elements meaning “divine” or “god,” and “peace.” Some associate it with Old Germanic roots meaning “territory of peace.”

Over time, it evolved into variations in Old French as Geoffroi or Geoffrey and entered English after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name became popular in medieval England with various spellings, including Jeffrey, Geoffrey, and Jeffry. It continues to be a common name today, and is oftened shortened to Jeff.

I already knew some of these details, but to actually write them down is providing a certain affirmation, or at least serving as a reminder, regarding assignment or gifting of names. Maybe names carry weight, mean something, even serve as indicators or guides or some sort of spiritual influence. Maybe they offer hints as to why a person is the way he or she is.

This might be assigning too much credit or power to a mere name, but I have had a penchant for peace my entire life, apart from any conscious effort to live into my name. It is often an undercurrent or outright central topic in my writing. I spent 26 years in the ministry wrestling with a sense of call to do “God’s work,” even though I currently find myself wandering in a desert of doubt.

Maybe name-giving is no trite matter.

Daily writing prompt

What’s your dream job?

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I’m not thinking about that anymore. But looking back, I’d have to say my dream job would have been something that I enjoyed most of the time, something that allowed us to pay the bills and put money away for the future.

Maybe a meteorologist, or an astronomer at a large observatory, and part-time college instructor.

Daily writing prompt

What makes a good leader?

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A good leader is invested beyond the shares in the employment package, understands the business, remains curious, isn’t above or afraid of admitting that he/she doesn’t know everything, values the workforce, has a functioning moral compass, recognizes the importance of listening, and has the capacity, when needed, to make concise, informed, and difficult decisions.