April 2023 Prompts - Part 1
May. 15th, 2023 03:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fauxklore1 – International Firewalk Day: Have you ever done this strange practice? Would you like to try it? I haven’t done fire walking though I have seen it. I would be willing to do it because I understand that the whole point of it is that hot coals have poor thermal conductivity, so don’t burn you easily. But I also see no good reason to do it.
2 – Peanut Butter & Jelly (Jam) day: Do you like this typical American sandwich? What flavour jelly (jam) do you favour? I like peanut butter, but I am not a big fan of jams and jellies for the most part. If I have a sandwich with something other than just peanut butter, it’s going to be a fluffernutter (peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.)
3 – Fish Fingers and Custard Day: To celebrate Doctor Who’s strange culinary experiment this day was declared fish fingers and custard day. Would you ever try this? What odd combinations of food do you like? I can’t really imagine eating those together as one dish. But I’d be happy to have fish sticks (as we Americans call them) and then have custard for dessert.
4 – International Carrot Day: In your opinion, what's the best way to cook and eat carrots? I love tahini-glazed roasted carrots.
5 – First Contact Day: As all Trekkies know, 5th April 2063 is the date that Zephram Cochrane (and Earth) first made contact with extraterrestrials (the Vulcans). Do you think we will ever make first contact with extra-terrestrial beings? If we do, do you think the knowledge that we aren't alone in the galaxy/universe would unite Terrans, or cause further divisions? I continue to believe that life is so improbable that we may well be alone in the universe. And, frankly, I don’t think there is anything that would unite mankind.
6 – Plan your epitaph day: What message would you like your headstone to send out to the future? As tempting as it would be to have some sort of snarky slogan, I would prefer a traditional Jewish headstone with my Hebrew name and dates of my life. Now, in an obituary, I would like someone to say something about how I lived my life to the fullest and so on.
7 – World Health Day: Founded in 1950 by the World Health Organisation. What could you start to do today that will have a positive effect on your health? I could get more exercise.
8 – Zoo Lovers Day: Do you think zoos do an important job in teaching and conservation or do you think it is time to stop keeping animals in captivity? I think that some zoos do an excellent job in teaching and conservation, while others are exploiting animals for no good reason.
9 – Name Yourself Day: Maybe you always felt like your name didn’t reflect who you are, or maybe you just want to try something new. If you could re-invent yourself for one day by choosing a new name, what name would you choose? I would use my Hebrew name, Malka. But I also already use names other than my “real” name for various purposes. For example, fauxklore, which is what I use for LJ and DW, is also my National Puzzlers’ League nom. And I’ve been known by several mythologically inspired names on MUDs back in the day, e.g. Cypria, Ayesha, Astarte, and Thalia.
10 – International Safety Pin Day: Invented in 1849, where would we be without them? Or do you think there is less of a place for them in modern life than there was in the past? Safety pins have saved me from more than one wardrobe malfunction disaster.
11 – Eight Track Tape Day: Eight Track Tape Day recognizes an era that was here and gone in a short 20 years. Are you old enough to remember eight tracks? Some technologies, like the Betamax, never caught on even though they were the superior product. Can that be said of eight tracks? I remember eight-track tapes, but I never had them. I went from vinyl to cassettes to CDs.
12 – World Hamster Day: Did you know there are 24 different species of hamsters? Have you ever had a hamster as a pet? Thirty seconds of google suggests there are actually just 19 species of hamster. I never had one as a pet, but I think we had them at my elementary school and took turns bringing them home over weekends and school breaks.
13 – Scrabble Day: When was the last time you played scrabble? Was it on a board or an online version? I don’t remember the last time I played Scrabble. I played it a lot with my Dad when I was a teenager and when I came home on breaks from college. When my brother and I both lived in the Bay Area, I sometimes played with him, but he’s an annoying person to play against because he is obsessive about recording every move everybody makes, which slows things down too much for me.
14 – Look Up At The Sky Day: Go and have a look out the window at the sky and tell us what you see (if anything!) It’s slightly overcast, but sunnier than it had been earlier in the day.
15 – World Art Day: What is your favourite piece of art? Have you ever seen it or only admired it in pictures? It’s a tough choice. I’ve always liked “The Starry Night” by Van Gogh, which I saw at the Museum of Modern Art in New York probably in my early teens. But there’s also Duchamp’s “Nude Descending a Staircase,” which I love because it changed my understanding of modern art. (The trick is that the keyword is “descending” and it’s as pure a depiction of motion as I can imagine.) I visit it every time I go to the Philadelphia Museum of Art which is every few years.
16 – Garden Month: Do you have a garden, or access to a community garden? Is your garden all flowers, or do you grow herbs, vegetables, berries, etc.? If you live in an apartment, do you have a balcony garden? I don’t have a garden currently, though I have planted herbs in pots at times in the past, though not in several years. There is a community garden in the park that’s a couple of blocks from my condo, but I’m not really interested in it.
17 – International Bat Appreciation Day: Have you ever seen a bat in the flesh? Real bat or Batman, which is better? I’ve seen bats several times. We used to see them now and then when I went to summer camp. I’ve also seen the bat flight from the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas. And I once saw bats mating at the Minneapolis Zoo. Real bats are much cooler than Batman.
18 – Pinata Day: Has whacking a paper mache model for reward featured much in your life? Pinatas were something we learned about in school, but nobody I knew ever had one. I’ve seen them for sale at various marketplaces, however, both in Mexico and in California.
19 – Banana Day: are you a fan of bananas? In your opinion, what is the best way to eat bananas? I absolutely detest bananas. That’s largely a matter of texture, but I don’t find their flavor particularly appealing either. The best thing to do with one is to give it to someone who will appreciate it, preferably a monkey.
20 – Volunteer Recognition Day: Do you do any volunteer work? Do you belong to any organizations or use any services that are very dependent on volunteers, even if you don't do any volunteering yourself? In some places, students are required to do some volunteer work for school credits. Do you think this is a good idea? I do some volunteer work. For example, I am the Virginia State Liaison for the National Storytelling Network, but they are sort of doing away with the state liaison program so I am not sure of the future of that. I do volunteer with local storytelling organizations, too. I also do volunteer work relating to genealogy, mentoring members of my local Jewish genealogy society on Lithuanian research. And then I do a number of one-day activities. For example, I’ve volunteered at the National Book Festival (but can’t this year, as I will be out of town) and the USA Science and Engineering Festival and so on. I really should look into becoming a museum docent and/or volunteering at Travelers’ Aid. While I think volunteering is a good thing, forcing kids to do volunteer work for school credit only makes sense to me if there is a wide enough choice of activities for them to volunteer at that they can find something compatible with their interests. Otherwise, you run the risk of them just resenting having to do it.
21 – Coin Week: Have you ever, or do you still, collect coins? With the move to cashless payments, do you handle coins much these days? Do you have a jar full of useless coins stashed away somewhere? I collected foreign coins for years. That started with buying some random assortment from a machine at Expo ’67 in Montreal. I still have a tupperware container of coins from various trips. I also collected dimes, because my mother forced both my brother and me to choose some type of coin to collect when she saw a deal on cardboard folders for them. My dime collection got sold after she died and I think I got $19 for it. I don’t have a lot of coins nowadays, because I usually bring them to the Coinstar machine at the supermarket and trade them in for Amazon gift cards every now and then.
22 – Earth Day: this is the 53rd Earth Day. What one thing do you think every citizen of Earth should pledge to do to save our planet? I think people should at least make an attempt to recycle. I also use public transportation vs. driving whenever possible.
23 – World Book Night: World Book Night aims to change the way adults view reading by encouraging them to take the time to read during the night, when they have more time. Do you do most of your reading during the day or at night? Do you wish you had more time to read during the day? What are the main pros and cons of doing most of your reading at night? I read pretty much any time I can. If I’m doing chores during the day, I typically take reading breaks roughly every hour or two. I also usually read at least a half hour or so before going to bed.
24 – Firefly Day: Not the insect but the short lived TV programme! Were you a fan of Firefly or did it pass you by? If you have no interest in it have you ever seen a real Firefly? I never watched the TV program. I have however seen the insects often. I still want to get down to the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina to see synchronous fireflies, especially the ones that glow with blue light.
25 – World Penguin Day: How would you celebrate world penguin day? By dressing in black and white, of course!
26 – International Chernobyl Remembrance Day: Are you old enough to remember the disaster happening on this day in 1986? If you are what do you remember and if you aren’t what do you know about it? I remember Chernobyl and thinking about all the people who had to take various drugs to help prevent radiation sickness. I’ve seen tours to Chernobyl advertised more recently. (Well, not now, with the war in Ukraine.)
27 – Morse Code Day: spell out your username in morse code ..-. .- ..- -..- -.- .-.. --- .-. .
28 – Global Pay It Forward Day: Paying it forward is what happens when something wonderful happens to you on the part of a stranger, and all they ask for in return is for you to pay it forward, to do something for someone when they need it in the future. Has that ever happened to you? Not that I can think of. I have, however, sometimes sent something to somebody and asked them to send a donation to an appropriate charity instead of repaying me.
29 – International Astronomy Day: Have you ever looked through a telescope or gone to a planetarium? Do you have a favourite celestial body? I’ve looked through telescopes now and then, though I don’t own one myself. I have gone to planetaria now and then, including once telling stories at one near me. The most memorable one was in Cape Town, South Africa, because it gave me a good opportunity to learn more about the Southern Hemisphere sky. As for celestial bodies, I’ve always been partial to Saturn, because the rings are pretty.
30 – International Jazz Day: Jazz, love it or hate it? I like some jazz and dislike some. There are so many styles that I think that would be the case for most people. I tend to favor vocal jazz (e.g. I have a couple of recordings by The Cats and Jammers). I also like ragtime and Dixieland.
2 – Peanut Butter & Jelly (Jam) day: Do you like this typical American sandwich? What flavour jelly (jam) do you favour? I like peanut butter, but I am not a big fan of jams and jellies for the most part. If I have a sandwich with something other than just peanut butter, it’s going to be a fluffernutter (peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.)
3 – Fish Fingers and Custard Day: To celebrate Doctor Who’s strange culinary experiment this day was declared fish fingers and custard day. Would you ever try this? What odd combinations of food do you like? I can’t really imagine eating those together as one dish. But I’d be happy to have fish sticks (as we Americans call them) and then have custard for dessert.
4 – International Carrot Day: In your opinion, what's the best way to cook and eat carrots? I love tahini-glazed roasted carrots.
5 – First Contact Day: As all Trekkies know, 5th April 2063 is the date that Zephram Cochrane (and Earth) first made contact with extraterrestrials (the Vulcans). Do you think we will ever make first contact with extra-terrestrial beings? If we do, do you think the knowledge that we aren't alone in the galaxy/universe would unite Terrans, or cause further divisions? I continue to believe that life is so improbable that we may well be alone in the universe. And, frankly, I don’t think there is anything that would unite mankind.
6 – Plan your epitaph day: What message would you like your headstone to send out to the future? As tempting as it would be to have some sort of snarky slogan, I would prefer a traditional Jewish headstone with my Hebrew name and dates of my life. Now, in an obituary, I would like someone to say something about how I lived my life to the fullest and so on.
7 – World Health Day: Founded in 1950 by the World Health Organisation. What could you start to do today that will have a positive effect on your health? I could get more exercise.
8 – Zoo Lovers Day: Do you think zoos do an important job in teaching and conservation or do you think it is time to stop keeping animals in captivity? I think that some zoos do an excellent job in teaching and conservation, while others are exploiting animals for no good reason.
9 – Name Yourself Day: Maybe you always felt like your name didn’t reflect who you are, or maybe you just want to try something new. If you could re-invent yourself for one day by choosing a new name, what name would you choose? I would use my Hebrew name, Malka. But I also already use names other than my “real” name for various purposes. For example, fauxklore, which is what I use for LJ and DW, is also my National Puzzlers’ League nom. And I’ve been known by several mythologically inspired names on MUDs back in the day, e.g. Cypria, Ayesha, Astarte, and Thalia.
10 – International Safety Pin Day: Invented in 1849, where would we be without them? Or do you think there is less of a place for them in modern life than there was in the past? Safety pins have saved me from more than one wardrobe malfunction disaster.
11 – Eight Track Tape Day: Eight Track Tape Day recognizes an era that was here and gone in a short 20 years. Are you old enough to remember eight tracks? Some technologies, like the Betamax, never caught on even though they were the superior product. Can that be said of eight tracks? I remember eight-track tapes, but I never had them. I went from vinyl to cassettes to CDs.
12 – World Hamster Day: Did you know there are 24 different species of hamsters? Have you ever had a hamster as a pet? Thirty seconds of google suggests there are actually just 19 species of hamster. I never had one as a pet, but I think we had them at my elementary school and took turns bringing them home over weekends and school breaks.
13 – Scrabble Day: When was the last time you played scrabble? Was it on a board or an online version? I don’t remember the last time I played Scrabble. I played it a lot with my Dad when I was a teenager and when I came home on breaks from college. When my brother and I both lived in the Bay Area, I sometimes played with him, but he’s an annoying person to play against because he is obsessive about recording every move everybody makes, which slows things down too much for me.
14 – Look Up At The Sky Day: Go and have a look out the window at the sky and tell us what you see (if anything!) It’s slightly overcast, but sunnier than it had been earlier in the day.
15 – World Art Day: What is your favourite piece of art? Have you ever seen it or only admired it in pictures? It’s a tough choice. I’ve always liked “The Starry Night” by Van Gogh, which I saw at the Museum of Modern Art in New York probably in my early teens. But there’s also Duchamp’s “Nude Descending a Staircase,” which I love because it changed my understanding of modern art. (The trick is that the keyword is “descending” and it’s as pure a depiction of motion as I can imagine.) I visit it every time I go to the Philadelphia Museum of Art which is every few years.
16 – Garden Month: Do you have a garden, or access to a community garden? Is your garden all flowers, or do you grow herbs, vegetables, berries, etc.? If you live in an apartment, do you have a balcony garden? I don’t have a garden currently, though I have planted herbs in pots at times in the past, though not in several years. There is a community garden in the park that’s a couple of blocks from my condo, but I’m not really interested in it.
17 – International Bat Appreciation Day: Have you ever seen a bat in the flesh? Real bat or Batman, which is better? I’ve seen bats several times. We used to see them now and then when I went to summer camp. I’ve also seen the bat flight from the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas. And I once saw bats mating at the Minneapolis Zoo. Real bats are much cooler than Batman.
18 – Pinata Day: Has whacking a paper mache model for reward featured much in your life? Pinatas were something we learned about in school, but nobody I knew ever had one. I’ve seen them for sale at various marketplaces, however, both in Mexico and in California.
19 – Banana Day: are you a fan of bananas? In your opinion, what is the best way to eat bananas? I absolutely detest bananas. That’s largely a matter of texture, but I don’t find their flavor particularly appealing either. The best thing to do with one is to give it to someone who will appreciate it, preferably a monkey.
20 – Volunteer Recognition Day: Do you do any volunteer work? Do you belong to any organizations or use any services that are very dependent on volunteers, even if you don't do any volunteering yourself? In some places, students are required to do some volunteer work for school credits. Do you think this is a good idea? I do some volunteer work. For example, I am the Virginia State Liaison for the National Storytelling Network, but they are sort of doing away with the state liaison program so I am not sure of the future of that. I do volunteer with local storytelling organizations, too. I also do volunteer work relating to genealogy, mentoring members of my local Jewish genealogy society on Lithuanian research. And then I do a number of one-day activities. For example, I’ve volunteered at the National Book Festival (but can’t this year, as I will be out of town) and the USA Science and Engineering Festival and so on. I really should look into becoming a museum docent and/or volunteering at Travelers’ Aid. While I think volunteering is a good thing, forcing kids to do volunteer work for school credit only makes sense to me if there is a wide enough choice of activities for them to volunteer at that they can find something compatible with their interests. Otherwise, you run the risk of them just resenting having to do it.
21 – Coin Week: Have you ever, or do you still, collect coins? With the move to cashless payments, do you handle coins much these days? Do you have a jar full of useless coins stashed away somewhere? I collected foreign coins for years. That started with buying some random assortment from a machine at Expo ’67 in Montreal. I still have a tupperware container of coins from various trips. I also collected dimes, because my mother forced both my brother and me to choose some type of coin to collect when she saw a deal on cardboard folders for them. My dime collection got sold after she died and I think I got $19 for it. I don’t have a lot of coins nowadays, because I usually bring them to the Coinstar machine at the supermarket and trade them in for Amazon gift cards every now and then.
22 – Earth Day: this is the 53rd Earth Day. What one thing do you think every citizen of Earth should pledge to do to save our planet? I think people should at least make an attempt to recycle. I also use public transportation vs. driving whenever possible.
23 – World Book Night: World Book Night aims to change the way adults view reading by encouraging them to take the time to read during the night, when they have more time. Do you do most of your reading during the day or at night? Do you wish you had more time to read during the day? What are the main pros and cons of doing most of your reading at night? I read pretty much any time I can. If I’m doing chores during the day, I typically take reading breaks roughly every hour or two. I also usually read at least a half hour or so before going to bed.
24 – Firefly Day: Not the insect but the short lived TV programme! Were you a fan of Firefly or did it pass you by? If you have no interest in it have you ever seen a real Firefly? I never watched the TV program. I have however seen the insects often. I still want to get down to the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina to see synchronous fireflies, especially the ones that glow with blue light.
25 – World Penguin Day: How would you celebrate world penguin day? By dressing in black and white, of course!
26 – International Chernobyl Remembrance Day: Are you old enough to remember the disaster happening on this day in 1986? If you are what do you remember and if you aren’t what do you know about it? I remember Chernobyl and thinking about all the people who had to take various drugs to help prevent radiation sickness. I’ve seen tours to Chernobyl advertised more recently. (Well, not now, with the war in Ukraine.)
27 – Morse Code Day: spell out your username in morse code ..-. .- ..- -..- -.- .-.. --- .-. .
28 – Global Pay It Forward Day: Paying it forward is what happens when something wonderful happens to you on the part of a stranger, and all they ask for in return is for you to pay it forward, to do something for someone when they need it in the future. Has that ever happened to you? Not that I can think of. I have, however, sometimes sent something to somebody and asked them to send a donation to an appropriate charity instead of repaying me.
29 – International Astronomy Day: Have you ever looked through a telescope or gone to a planetarium? Do you have a favourite celestial body? I’ve looked through telescopes now and then, though I don’t own one myself. I have gone to planetaria now and then, including once telling stories at one near me. The most memorable one was in Cape Town, South Africa, because it gave me a good opportunity to learn more about the Southern Hemisphere sky. As for celestial bodies, I’ve always been partial to Saturn, because the rings are pretty.
30 – International Jazz Day: Jazz, love it or hate it? I like some jazz and dislike some. There are so many styles that I think that would be the case for most people. I tend to favor vocal jazz (e.g. I have a couple of recordings by The Cats and Jammers). I also like ragtime and Dixieland.
