Sorry, but the only excuse that’s coming to mind is when Donald Trump tried to explain away the meme in which he was portrayed as Jesus. I’m not sure it’s even an excuse, but claiming he saw himself as a doctor is really rich, and on brand.
Tag: dailyprompt
Identifying Factors
Daily writing prompt
Do you think we’re shaped more by our experiences or by who we are?
Yes.
It’s not a 50-50 split, though. We inherit traits and tendencies, and a happy childhood doesn’t necessarily equate with a happy life. Environmental factors like stability, nurture, socialization– love or the lack thereof– all have a role to play. Our choices along the way, the exposure we have to the world around us, incidents and accidents and health challenges all contribute, one way or another, to who we are, who we become.
Some are better at learning and adapting than others. Some rise above difficult beginnings, others do not. Memories and experiences either serve as motivating factors or stumbling blocks, but we are all molded and shaped, to some extent.
I suppose one could say that our experiences shape who we are, and what we inherit genetically doesn’t necessarily doom us or guarantee smooth sailing.
Either/Or
Daily writing prompt
If you had to be an animal for a week, which one would you be and why?
Either a bald eagle– because they can fly and soar and ride the thermals– or a dog living with a loving, caring family, because that sounds like a pretty nice situation.
iPhones and Implants
Daily writing prompt
What’s a piece of technology you’re convinced will exist in 20 years?
Maybe a flat screen TV. Gotta have something to watch movies and sports on. It makes me wonder how big they may yet get– literal wall units that measure in feet instead of inches? With audio options that will test a dwelling’s structural integrity.
Or maybe someone will develop a high-tech paint that dries and serves as a UHD surface for much improved projection units, which would take the place of the monstrosities we cart home in massive boxes and hang on our walls.
I imagine there’d still be some sort of communication device that may or may not look like today’s smart phone. Twenty years… that’s a long enough time for things to evolve considerably, or just go away.
Hardly Any, I Think
I’ve read and reread sections of The Bible over the years, but other than that, I don’t think I’ve ever read any book more than once.
If I were to reread something, it might be To Kill A Mockingbird or A Separate Peace. Maybe 1984, given the current atmosphere around here.
Drastic Measures, Sometimes
I’m not that familiar with TV and movie villains, or real villains, for that matter. Well, except for people like Hitler and Jim Jones and Vladimir Putin. I know that, in general, people we consider evil are convinced of their own “good” intentions, their own beliefs and zeal for drastic measures and certain results. I suppose one could argue that the “villain” moniker is a matter of perspective, but I don’t believe that is relevant in every instance.
Anyway, the one person who did come to mind is from V for Vendetta. V at one point says that people should not fear their governments, but governments should fear their people. Or something to that effect. I seem to recall hearing this being spoken lately, or seeing it in print, and find it to be of some relevance, given what we’re facing here in the U.S.
Living under the thumb of a repressive, oppressive dictator wannabe has led to anger and revolt. Donald Trump appears to relish the role of troublemaker and fearless leader, and can easily be dismissed as a shallow pretender who never grew up, who always needs to get his way. But he wields great power and as such commands our attention– even if it’s the people around him, lurking in the shadows, who are more scary and focused and zealous.
In any event, such hard-headed conviction and delusions of grandeur exact a toll on the person harboring such beliefs, and eventually the oppressed win the day. Even if, agonizingly, it takes a while.
No Urge To Roam
In a place untouched by strife and petty bickering and climate change.
In other words, right where I am. Because there is no such untouched place. We can always visit other places, but I’m content to stay put.
Enough Already
Honestly, only as a frame of reference, only as it provides contrast to moments of calm and relative peace. I’m tired of chaos, since that’s pretty much all we’ve been getting since 2016.
There’s a difference between the chaos of hosting a houseful of families with children for a long weekend and the constant drumbeat of manufactured drama and insolence and blatant incompetence of a second Trump term. Both come with a shelf life, but the former is a bit easier to tolerate.
I’m at the point where it’s a big No to even a small amount of chaos. I’m tired of it, I abhor it, at least in the context of daily dealing with this gaggle of shysters and low-lifes we loosely refer to as “leaders.”
It does make for some interesting viewing if one is watching a World Cup match, though.
Older and Newer
Daily writing prompt
What’s a lesson you’ve learned recently that shifted your perspective?
I’ve mentioned this in different contexts, and it’s not a recent learning, but one that has led to significant personal reassessments. After reading Sapiens, by Juval Noah Harari, my view of religious faith changed. A certain doubt took hold. I suppose one could say that it was a mistake for me to pick up the book in the first place, but it was there to read and I had heard good things about it. It ended up changing my perspective on lifelong beliefs and practices. Or perhaps it was just confirming doubts I had already been harboring.
A more current revelation is that the 4th of July I’d prefer to observe has nothing to do with what’s going on in this country at the moment. The current leadership is useless and hateful and uninspiring. I am simply remembering and honoring the events and people associated with what went on in the late 1700s, when a group of leaders put their names on a remarkable document– an act of defiance that would have gotten them hanged if things had worked out differently. Such courage and conviction and imagination are nowhere to be found among this present-day hodgepodge of sycophants and pretenders.
Z land
Lately, I’ve started going to bed earlier. I also try to limit fluid intake after a certain time, in hopes of getting up less during the night. I don’t eat anything heavy after supper, maybe apple slices or dry cereal or a bowl of microwaved popcorn made in a Pampered Chef silicone family sized popper. I turn on one of those tall, rotating floor fans and keep it on low, just to get some air movement.
That’s about it.
3 Cents' 