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.

Daily writing prompt

If you could un-invent something, what would it be?

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Nuclear weapons, or any implement of war.

If possible, the megalomaniac gene, unless all the monsters in the world are victims of the same deprived and depraved upbringing.

Pharmaceutical commercials.

Daily writing prompt

Where can you reduce clutter in your life?

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The top of my bureau; under the bed; getting rid of books I don’t use anymore; taking the time on bad weather days to sort through boxes we’ve been taking with us since we moved the first time; refraining from using any horizontal surface as potential storage for stuff that should be hung up, or given or thrown away.

In a less concrete sense, jettisoning anger and my ever-present tendency toward cynicism.

Daily writing prompt

What is your favorite animal?

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Someone else’s dog. There’s a part of me that would love to have a friendly pooch around, but we’ve gotten used to coming and going without having the worry of finding a kennel or paying for food and vet care.

In the animal kingdom writ large, I’d have to say just about any bird. Flying of course comes naturally to them, but my landbound soul is envious. I often find myself wondering what it would be like to join them, whenever I see one riding the thermals or just moving from tree to tree.