September 2023 Prompts - Part 1
Oct. 4th, 2023 09:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fauxklore1 – World Letter Writing Day: Do you still write actual letters to anyone (email doesn't count!)? Did you have penpals when you were young(er)? Do you miss receiving actual letters in the mail (or any mail other than junk/flyers)? I write letters now and then. I’ve done Month of Letters in February several times, for example, which involves writing a letter to someone every day that month that has mail. I also send cards to people for various occasions. I had pen pals briefly as a pre-tween. I think that I found them from magazines like Young Miss or Sixteen, but those relationships never lasted very long. I get real mail once in a while, e.g. postcards from a few friends.
2 – Bring Your Manners to Work Day: Bring Your Manners To Work Day was created by The Protocol School of Washington to remind people of the importance of treating people with courtesy and respect in the workplace. How important is it to you to have fulfilling relationships both with colleagues and customers/clients? Have the challenges posed by COVID changed how you view the concepts of courtesy and respect in the workplace? Courtesy is always important - both in the workplace and outside it. I’m still friendly with some people who I used to work with.
3 – World Beard Day: Beards -- yay or nay? It depends on the beard. I like a nice, well-trimmed one. I am really attracted to mustaches.
4 – Mouthguard Day: Have you ever had to wear a mouthguard, either because you practised a certain sport, or as protection because you tend to grind your teeth at night, or for some other reason? No.
5 – Be Late For Something Day: Does the mere thought of "celebrating" this cause you anxiety? Should lateness ever be celebrated? Lateness is rude and annoying and should not be celebrated. Sometimes, it is unavoidable. In that case, you should call to apologize if at all possible.
6 – Fight Procrastination Day: Procrastination can really be the bane of our existence, with another day coming around the corner, there’s no real reason that we can’t put it off till tomorrow is there? What are some of the things you do to fight putting off those things you keep putting off? To-do lists? Setting your alarm for earlier? Enlisting friends or family to give you a hand? I try to set deadlines for things I have to do. But, I admit I procrastinate far more than I should. I’m particularly prone to procrastinate on making telephone calls, because I often find them unpleasant.
7 – Buy A Book Day: Do you buy books or are you pretty much a borrower -- be it from the library or friends and family? What was your most recent book purchase? Did you buy it for yourself, or as a gift for someone else? I do buy books, both for myself and for other people. Most of the time, I’m buying either book club books or something I see while browsing and just have to have. I think the last book I bought was The April Robin Murders by Craig Rice and Ed McBain, which was among the used book selections at The Mysterious Bookshop in New York.
8 – Star Trek Day: Star Trek speaks of a hope-filled future where our nationality no longer matters, and yet each of our personal heritages is still something we can be proud of. We are all citizens of the same quadrant of the galaxy, and at the end of the day that’s all that matters. Are you a Trekkie/Trekker? If you are at least somewhat "into" Star Trek, which series have you watched at least some of? Do you have thoughts on the JJ Abrams reboot films? I’ve only watched the original series and the first couple of movies. I did also go to a Star Trek convention with friends when I was in high school.
9 – International Sudoku Day: Do you sudoku, or are you more of a crosswords puzzle person? I do sudoku now and then, but I far prefer crosswords. I am particularly fond of variety crosswords and cryptic.
10 – Arts in Education Week: Every year beginning the second Sunday in September, National Arts in Education Week celebrates the transformative powers of creative skills. Sadly, governments everywhere are cutting arts programs in schools, citing budget concerns, or to favour more "career-oriented" programs. Did you take any type of art courses in school (art, music, dance, etc.)? What benefits are there to arts education? Art and music were mandatory through junior high. I was also in chorus and orchestra / string quartet in elementary school. I took ballet after school in elementary school and took dance as one of my PE electives in high school. I also belonged to the modern dance club in high school. When I was in college, I took ballet as part of PE, and took several dance classes at a local studio, as well as folk dancing a couple of nights a week. I’ve continued various forms of dancing off and on throughout the years and have taken an occasional art class or workshop, too. I value creativity very highly. Both music and dance also teach teamwork.
11 – No News is Good News Day: From where to you get most of your news? Do you find the daily onslaught of usually pretty bad news overwhelming? Do you take, or have you taken, breaks from news – essentially avoiding all news as much as possible? I usually skim the news on-line once or twice a day. When I go on vacation, I tend to avoid the news as much as possible, though I might check baseball standings. That’s because of my grand unified theory of politics, economics, and the American League East, which is best summarized as The New York Yankees are the Source of All Evil in the Universe.
12 – Day of Encouragement: Are you the type of person who naturally tries to encourage others when they need it? Does anyone in your life do the same for you? I try to. And I think my friends try to encourage me.
13 – Defy Superstition Day: From throwing salt over your shoulder if you spill some, avoiding stepping on cracks in the pavement, to worrying about black cats, the world is full of superstitions. Even if your rational mind knows these strange dictates have no influence on your life, are there any superstitions you do find yourself observing? Have you ever done something considered a superstition that actually happened, e.g. you broke a mirror and then had seven incredibly unlucky years? I have only two significant superstitions. I believe it is bad luck to open an umbrella inside. And it is seriously bad luck to put a hat on a bed. I know these are ridiculous, but it doesn’t stop them from making me uncomfortable if one should happen.
14 – Live Creative Day: Live Creative Day encourages us to let the world see our creativity all day long. How can you bring more creativity into your daily tasks, either at work, or at home? I’ve always wanted my world to be more like Broadway musicals, where everyone breaks into song and dance at regular intervals. I’m not really sure how to apply that to my day to day life, however.
15 – International Day of Democracy: How would you rate the health of your country's democracy and democratic institutions (assuming you live in one!)? What could be done to strengthen your country's democratic institutions? I see a lot of threats to American democracy. We got trouble, with a capital T that’s just a T that stands for Trump. The most important things to do are educating people about what the constitution actually says and encouraging them to vote accordingly.
16 – Locate an Old Friend Day: Do you have an old friend with whom you've lost touch? Have you tried to find them via social media (e.g. Facebook, LinkdIn, etc.,) or asking other mutual friends about them? I’ve lost touch with a couple of old friends and tried to locate them. I know what they are doing professionally, but it seems inappropriate to call them at work. Hmm, I just thought about someone else I would like to get back in touch with. And, I just found him on Facebook!
17 – Indoor Plant Week: This week marks the start of National Indoor Plant Week. Do you have indoor plants or do you prefer to do outdoor gardening? Do you have a green thumb, or do you seek out plants that are difficult to kill? I firmly believe that anybody who gives me a plant needs to also give me a gardening service to care for it. I’ve tried having an herb garden now and then, but it’s just too hard to deal with given how much I travel.
18 – Read an Ebook Day: Are you partial to ebooks? What are some advantages of ebooks over other formats? What sort of ereader do you use -- kindle, kobo, tablet, other? Are there some types of books that really don't work as ebooks? I much prefer paper books. Maybe I’ll change my mind when if I ever get all the way through the ones I have in my house.
19 – Talk Like a Pirate Day: Do you have a favourite book, film, or TV show about pirates? I’m not really interested in pirates. There’s an amusing take on pirates in one of Alexander McCall Smith’s 44 Scotland Street books, however, when Domenica (a sociologist) goes off to study them.
20 –Fried Rice Day AND Pepperoni Pizza Day: September 20 is both Fried Rice Day and Pepperoni Pizza Day. Which do you prefer? Do you make your own fried rice and/or pizza, or is it take-out only? I don’t eat pepperoni, so fried rice it is. I do eat pizza - generally with mushrooms and black olives, however. I can make both but am more likely to buy them.
21 – World Gratitude Day: For what (or who) are you grateful? I’m grateful for having interesting people in my life.
22 – World Car-Free Day: Would it be possible for you to go entirely car-free today? I often go car free for several days at a time. I live across the street from the metro and can walk to a lot of places, too.
23 – Redhead Appreciation Day: Why are redheads frequently made fun of or maligned (e.g. some cultures have believed that women who have red hair are witches, there's a "Kick A Ginger Day")? Do you like red hair? Do you know anyone with red hair? I like red hair. But I’ve reached the age where pretty much everyone has grey hair. My maternal grandfather was allegedly a redhead when he was young, but we don’t have any color pictures.
24 – World Rivers Day: Do you live, or have you ever lived, near a river? Are the rivers in your area under threat from climate change? My dorm at MIT overlooked the Charles. I live reasonably near the Potomac and, when I was working, was able to walk along it at lunchtime frequently.
25 – Better Breakfast Day: What does your breakfast usually consist of, and in what ways do you think you could make it a better breakfast? Typically, I have cereal and fruit. I’d like to have a hot breakfast more often, but I’m not a morning person by nature, so only manage to do that when I travel.
26 – Piano Month: September is Piano Month. Did you ever take piano lessons as a kid (or even as an adult)? If yes, do you still play? If not, do wish you had? Did you learn any other instrument? I took piano lessons for many years. I also took viola for a couple of years. This is really worth an entry of its own.
27 – World Tourism Day: When you visit a new place, do you hit all the main tourist attractions or do you prefer to travel off the beaten path? Do you live in a place that has any famous tourist attractions? I like to go to a mixture of places. I’ll typically hit some of the major tourist attractions, but I’m also good at finding quirky places to go to. I live close to Washington, D.C., which has a lot of tourist attractions. There are some of them I haven’t ever made it to, but I’ve been to a lot.
28 – Good Neighbo(u)r Day: Are you a good neighbour? Do you even know your neighbours? Have you ever had any really bad experiences with a neighbour? I’m quiet and try not to cause trouble. I know a couple of my neighbors. I had a couple of bad experiences with neighbors many years ago, involving domestic violence. There were a few times when I had to call the police, e.g. when my next door neighbor’s boyfriend tried to throw her off the balcony.
29 – Ask A Stupid Question Day: There's no such thing as a stupid question except for the one you choose not to ask. When you were in school, did you hesitate to ask questions because you were afraid they were stupid questions? Did you make fun of other students who asked questions that struck you as stupid? As an adult, do you still hesitate to ask questions you think are stupid? Do you find yourself secretly hoping someone else will ask the question so you won't have to? I think a bigger problem is people who ask questions to try to show off their knowledge, rather than out of a desire to learn the answer.
30 – International Podcast Day: Are you a podcast fan? What are some of your favourites? How do you find out about new podcasts that might interest you? I’ve never managed to find the time to listen to podcasts.
2 – Bring Your Manners to Work Day: Bring Your Manners To Work Day was created by The Protocol School of Washington to remind people of the importance of treating people with courtesy and respect in the workplace. How important is it to you to have fulfilling relationships both with colleagues and customers/clients? Have the challenges posed by COVID changed how you view the concepts of courtesy and respect in the workplace? Courtesy is always important - both in the workplace and outside it. I’m still friendly with some people who I used to work with.
3 – World Beard Day: Beards -- yay or nay? It depends on the beard. I like a nice, well-trimmed one. I am really attracted to mustaches.
4 – Mouthguard Day: Have you ever had to wear a mouthguard, either because you practised a certain sport, or as protection because you tend to grind your teeth at night, or for some other reason? No.
5 – Be Late For Something Day: Does the mere thought of "celebrating" this cause you anxiety? Should lateness ever be celebrated? Lateness is rude and annoying and should not be celebrated. Sometimes, it is unavoidable. In that case, you should call to apologize if at all possible.
6 – Fight Procrastination Day: Procrastination can really be the bane of our existence, with another day coming around the corner, there’s no real reason that we can’t put it off till tomorrow is there? What are some of the things you do to fight putting off those things you keep putting off? To-do lists? Setting your alarm for earlier? Enlisting friends or family to give you a hand? I try to set deadlines for things I have to do. But, I admit I procrastinate far more than I should. I’m particularly prone to procrastinate on making telephone calls, because I often find them unpleasant.
7 – Buy A Book Day: Do you buy books or are you pretty much a borrower -- be it from the library or friends and family? What was your most recent book purchase? Did you buy it for yourself, or as a gift for someone else? I do buy books, both for myself and for other people. Most of the time, I’m buying either book club books or something I see while browsing and just have to have. I think the last book I bought was The April Robin Murders by Craig Rice and Ed McBain, which was among the used book selections at The Mysterious Bookshop in New York.
8 – Star Trek Day: Star Trek speaks of a hope-filled future where our nationality no longer matters, and yet each of our personal heritages is still something we can be proud of. We are all citizens of the same quadrant of the galaxy, and at the end of the day that’s all that matters. Are you a Trekkie/Trekker? If you are at least somewhat "into" Star Trek, which series have you watched at least some of? Do you have thoughts on the JJ Abrams reboot films? I’ve only watched the original series and the first couple of movies. I did also go to a Star Trek convention with friends when I was in high school.
9 – International Sudoku Day: Do you sudoku, or are you more of a crosswords puzzle person? I do sudoku now and then, but I far prefer crosswords. I am particularly fond of variety crosswords and cryptic.
10 – Arts in Education Week: Every year beginning the second Sunday in September, National Arts in Education Week celebrates the transformative powers of creative skills. Sadly, governments everywhere are cutting arts programs in schools, citing budget concerns, or to favour more "career-oriented" programs. Did you take any type of art courses in school (art, music, dance, etc.)? What benefits are there to arts education? Art and music were mandatory through junior high. I was also in chorus and orchestra / string quartet in elementary school. I took ballet after school in elementary school and took dance as one of my PE electives in high school. I also belonged to the modern dance club in high school. When I was in college, I took ballet as part of PE, and took several dance classes at a local studio, as well as folk dancing a couple of nights a week. I’ve continued various forms of dancing off and on throughout the years and have taken an occasional art class or workshop, too. I value creativity very highly. Both music and dance also teach teamwork.
11 – No News is Good News Day: From where to you get most of your news? Do you find the daily onslaught of usually pretty bad news overwhelming? Do you take, or have you taken, breaks from news – essentially avoiding all news as much as possible? I usually skim the news on-line once or twice a day. When I go on vacation, I tend to avoid the news as much as possible, though I might check baseball standings. That’s because of my grand unified theory of politics, economics, and the American League East, which is best summarized as The New York Yankees are the Source of All Evil in the Universe.
12 – Day of Encouragement: Are you the type of person who naturally tries to encourage others when they need it? Does anyone in your life do the same for you? I try to. And I think my friends try to encourage me.
13 – Defy Superstition Day: From throwing salt over your shoulder if you spill some, avoiding stepping on cracks in the pavement, to worrying about black cats, the world is full of superstitions. Even if your rational mind knows these strange dictates have no influence on your life, are there any superstitions you do find yourself observing? Have you ever done something considered a superstition that actually happened, e.g. you broke a mirror and then had seven incredibly unlucky years? I have only two significant superstitions. I believe it is bad luck to open an umbrella inside. And it is seriously bad luck to put a hat on a bed. I know these are ridiculous, but it doesn’t stop them from making me uncomfortable if one should happen.
14 – Live Creative Day: Live Creative Day encourages us to let the world see our creativity all day long. How can you bring more creativity into your daily tasks, either at work, or at home? I’ve always wanted my world to be more like Broadway musicals, where everyone breaks into song and dance at regular intervals. I’m not really sure how to apply that to my day to day life, however.
15 – International Day of Democracy: How would you rate the health of your country's democracy and democratic institutions (assuming you live in one!)? What could be done to strengthen your country's democratic institutions? I see a lot of threats to American democracy. We got trouble, with a capital T that’s just a T that stands for Trump. The most important things to do are educating people about what the constitution actually says and encouraging them to vote accordingly.
16 – Locate an Old Friend Day: Do you have an old friend with whom you've lost touch? Have you tried to find them via social media (e.g. Facebook, LinkdIn, etc.,) or asking other mutual friends about them? I’ve lost touch with a couple of old friends and tried to locate them. I know what they are doing professionally, but it seems inappropriate to call them at work. Hmm, I just thought about someone else I would like to get back in touch with. And, I just found him on Facebook!
17 – Indoor Plant Week: This week marks the start of National Indoor Plant Week. Do you have indoor plants or do you prefer to do outdoor gardening? Do you have a green thumb, or do you seek out plants that are difficult to kill? I firmly believe that anybody who gives me a plant needs to also give me a gardening service to care for it. I’ve tried having an herb garden now and then, but it’s just too hard to deal with given how much I travel.
18 – Read an Ebook Day: Are you partial to ebooks? What are some advantages of ebooks over other formats? What sort of ereader do you use -- kindle, kobo, tablet, other? Are there some types of books that really don't work as ebooks? I much prefer paper books. Maybe I’ll change my mind when if I ever get all the way through the ones I have in my house.
19 – Talk Like a Pirate Day: Do you have a favourite book, film, or TV show about pirates? I’m not really interested in pirates. There’s an amusing take on pirates in one of Alexander McCall Smith’s 44 Scotland Street books, however, when Domenica (a sociologist) goes off to study them.
20 –Fried Rice Day AND Pepperoni Pizza Day: September 20 is both Fried Rice Day and Pepperoni Pizza Day. Which do you prefer? Do you make your own fried rice and/or pizza, or is it take-out only? I don’t eat pepperoni, so fried rice it is. I do eat pizza - generally with mushrooms and black olives, however. I can make both but am more likely to buy them.
21 – World Gratitude Day: For what (or who) are you grateful? I’m grateful for having interesting people in my life.
22 – World Car-Free Day: Would it be possible for you to go entirely car-free today? I often go car free for several days at a time. I live across the street from the metro and can walk to a lot of places, too.
23 – Redhead Appreciation Day: Why are redheads frequently made fun of or maligned (e.g. some cultures have believed that women who have red hair are witches, there's a "Kick A Ginger Day")? Do you like red hair? Do you know anyone with red hair? I like red hair. But I’ve reached the age where pretty much everyone has grey hair. My maternal grandfather was allegedly a redhead when he was young, but we don’t have any color pictures.
24 – World Rivers Day: Do you live, or have you ever lived, near a river? Are the rivers in your area under threat from climate change? My dorm at MIT overlooked the Charles. I live reasonably near the Potomac and, when I was working, was able to walk along it at lunchtime frequently.
25 – Better Breakfast Day: What does your breakfast usually consist of, and in what ways do you think you could make it a better breakfast? Typically, I have cereal and fruit. I’d like to have a hot breakfast more often, but I’m not a morning person by nature, so only manage to do that when I travel.
26 – Piano Month: September is Piano Month. Did you ever take piano lessons as a kid (or even as an adult)? If yes, do you still play? If not, do wish you had? Did you learn any other instrument? I took piano lessons for many years. I also took viola for a couple of years. This is really worth an entry of its own.
27 – World Tourism Day: When you visit a new place, do you hit all the main tourist attractions or do you prefer to travel off the beaten path? Do you live in a place that has any famous tourist attractions? I like to go to a mixture of places. I’ll typically hit some of the major tourist attractions, but I’m also good at finding quirky places to go to. I live close to Washington, D.C., which has a lot of tourist attractions. There are some of them I haven’t ever made it to, but I’ve been to a lot.
28 – Good Neighbo(u)r Day: Are you a good neighbour? Do you even know your neighbours? Have you ever had any really bad experiences with a neighbour? I’m quiet and try not to cause trouble. I know a couple of my neighbors. I had a couple of bad experiences with neighbors many years ago, involving domestic violence. There were a few times when I had to call the police, e.g. when my next door neighbor’s boyfriend tried to throw her off the balcony.
29 – Ask A Stupid Question Day: There's no such thing as a stupid question except for the one you choose not to ask. When you were in school, did you hesitate to ask questions because you were afraid they were stupid questions? Did you make fun of other students who asked questions that struck you as stupid? As an adult, do you still hesitate to ask questions you think are stupid? Do you find yourself secretly hoping someone else will ask the question so you won't have to? I think a bigger problem is people who ask questions to try to show off their knowledge, rather than out of a desire to learn the answer.
30 – International Podcast Day: Are you a podcast fan? What are some of your favourites? How do you find out about new podcasts that might interest you? I’ve never managed to find the time to listen to podcasts.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-05 12:15 pm (UTC)Procrastination is one of my worst habits. I try to counteract it with to-do lists and finding ways to make tasks I don't want to do more bearable. For example, I listen to podcasts while housecleaning.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-05 11:59 pm (UTC)I often feel so overwhelmed by writing a to do list that I end up procrastinating more.