dailyprompt – Page 13

Three Wishes

I’ve been waiting for some frog to come by and give me exactly this! Three wishes that could come true at a hop, skip and a jump or with a kiss. Either way, this kind of thing only happens in fairytales but since DP decided to give us a go with a genie, I’ll take the opportunity. Thank you DP but I’m lost for words and can’t think of anything!

Well, as always, let me give it a try. I think at the top of my list would be health. We take it for granted until it turns around and decides to bite us in the you know where and then we sit up and pay attention. Earlier this year, I had a monumental scare. After many tests and a monster of a machine later, I can say I am fine for the time being. So my first wish would be, “Give me good health.”

Second on the list, “love” to complete the picture. My life, on the whole, is almost perfect. I have lots of free time to do whatever I feel like doing and worries are of my own making. One thing that is missing is the special guy, not the dime a dozen variety but that one out of the ordinary person who almost fits me perfectly. I say “almost” because I know he’ll come with flaws and so will I but if there is a 70% fit, I’ll take him. The rest we can work out later. So far, the dime a dozen variety is plenty but that one elusive person is still out there somewhere. My second wish, “Please show him the way before I give up hope altogether!”

The third wish? This is a hard one. I’ll go with, “Let’s give fascism a boot out the door and never to return again!” The mother of all ills? I think so. Let’s make this world a kinder and gentler place for everyone and not just a select few.

Did I just blow my wishes away? Oh well, DP you tried, but I have a mind of my own and add being stubborn as a mule to it and you’ve got, “Wishes don’t stand a chance,” genie or not!

Daily writing prompt

You have three magic genie wishes, what are you asking for?

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Cute & Cuddly!

By now, you know who I’m talking about. If you don’t, he’s my best buddy and my little love. A furball of love and insurmountable cuteness! He is called Chachi, sometimes Einstein, and at other times Little Macho. A little British short-haired cat who thinks he knows everything and one who has lived some interesting lives.

He was a gift from the friend who passed away and believe it or not, they have the same colored eyes. Green and clear. His coat is speckled and he has the cutest little face. We have conversations together and he listens quietly and sometimes he lets out a meow as if to say, “Enough already!” He loves waking me up early in the mornings and I mean early! Scared to go downstairs by himself, he waits around until I go down the stairs and he follows. Lately, I think he is more of a scaredy cat than a macho.

He claims to have been in Cleopatra’s court and knows beauty rituals like you wouldn’t believe! He thinks I’m doing it all wrong like Cleopatra did. All the masks, the milk baths and so on are no help at all, he says. “Just be yourself!” is his mantra. He has something there but when has that ever stopped me?! I love beauty rituals and weekends are for relaxing and taking care of myself. He says that’s the path that led Cleopatra to being unlucky in love! Hmm….well, I’m no Cleopatra and when I ask him what he did there. His reply, he was a eunuch, not that his luck has changed much in this life either, he adds!

Chachi, the cat, is very much a part of the family and he knows it. He is loved, adored, and spoiled rotten, all part and parcel of loving someone or at least in my world it is. I can’t wait to find out what other lives he has led. It will be more than an eye-opener for sure.

Daily writing prompt

Describe a family member.

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My Favorite Form of Physical Exercise

I love walking. It is my go to form of physical exercise. Just 20 minutes out in the fresh air is all it takes to rev up the engine and to get my mindset in the right place. Add the serenity of nature to it and my mind gets a much-deserved break. There is a new kind of walking, called barefoot walking, not really new because I used to do it all the time in Singapore. However, I wouldn’t do it these days with whatever is down there waiting to grasp and make its way up! Nope, no thank you. I’ll stick to good old-fashioned walking with my shoes on.

The other thing I do is weight training and exercises to stretch the muscles and to keep them limber and well-toned. I use 1 pound weights, nothing too heavy but it does the job. Pilates, Barre, and Yoga workouts help to stretch the muscles out and to keep them lean and strong.

These are my favorite forms of physical exercise but I keep adding to the regiment and before I know it, I’ll be into 60 or more minutes of working out each day. A friend once told me, “Cut back on the workouts!” I whispered, “I hear you but I can’t help it!”

I’ve always worked out ever since I was way younger than I am now and I don’t see me stopping any time soon. Nirvana is just a workout away and it is, as far as I’m concerned. If you want to feel good, go for a walk, breathe for all you’re worth and keep those muscles limber, toned and strong!

Daily writing prompt

What is your favorite form of physical exercise?

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How Much To Go To The Moon?

The Daily Prompt question is, how much would you pay to go to the moon? Gawd, I don’t know! This is like the million dollar question and no one knows except for Elon I think!

I have no big dreams of wanting to go to the moon. What’s out there? Some rocks? Something unseen? A creature that I don’t want to meet? I’m fine right where I’m at looking up at the moon and enjoying it from a distance.

We did this trip many years ago. It was to Hawaii, Maui. Our little boy was with us so it meant doing things that was fun to keep him occupied. My ex had this great idea of visiting Haleakala. It is a 10,023-foot shield volcano and is 28,000 feet from base, making it the third tallest mountain in the world. To make a long story short, it was a harrowing experience driving up to the mountain top and once there, it was cold! We were way up there and surrounded by the remnants of an once active volcano, meaning rocks! However, I just found out that according to the U.S. Geological Survey, Haleakala is an active volcano and is considered active because it has erupted in the past 10,000 years! That is even worse, anyway, my ex and our little guy collected some rocks in a plastic bag and we had to make it all the way back down, me holding on for dear life!

Point is, I think the moon trip would be just the same but with a huge price tag attached to it. Sorry Elon, but I can think of better ways to spend the money!

Daily writing prompt

How much would you pay to go to the moon?

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None Whatsoever!

I’m not interested in any alternate career paths anymore. I’ve retreated from what I was doing and now I’m happy doing what I love best and that is writing and enjoying my free time.

There was a time when I wanted to travel the world as a travel reporter but then came my other career path which led to different parts of the world. I love being a homebody now.

Career paths are complicated as my son is finding out now. He is at the beginning of his career path and it is a difficult adjustment. He doesn’t know which path or rather job will take him on the right path to success. I was there once and I get him totally. Sometimes it is trial and error and sometimes it takes a narrow-minded focus. Sometimes a little bit of luck helps too. Whatever path he chooses, I know that he will find his way as I did.

As to your question, I’m not interested in anything right now. Oh wait a minute, best-selling author might be one! I don’t see a chance of that happening so again “none whatsover.”

Daily writing prompt

What alternative career paths have you considered or are interested in?

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Cataplana

I was introduced to this dish by the friend who passed away. It was my first invite to his place for dinner and he came up with a winner! I recall the house was filled with the aroma of something fantastic being prepared in the kitchen and it didn’t disappoint. Food was delicious and finger-licking good!

He made this dish that I had never had before. It was called Cataplana, a Portugese dish from the Algarve region. This seafood stew is made with mussels, fish, potatoes, sausage, saffron, smoked paprika, vegetables, spices and white wine. It is accompanied with bread and I think we had garlic bread with it.

The stew is similar to bouillabaisse or cioppino but healthier because the recipe uses less fat and has fewer calories.

He is gone now, the friend, but I do make it on special occasions. Not that often because it takes work to prepare the meal and I don’t like spending too much time in the kitchen anymore. However, when I do, I find that I have perfected the recipe and although I don’t cook it in a traditional cataplana, it still turns out delicious. What is a cataplana? It is a cooking vessel made out of copper or aluminium and shaped like two clamshells hinged at one end so that it functions like a pressure cooker.

It was a memorable meal when I first had it and it still brings back memories when I make it or try to replicate it at home.

Daily writing prompt

What food would you say is your specialty?

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George Floyd

The murder of George Floyd by a police officer brought widespread protests not only back home but globally, which in turn called for police reform and accountability where police brutality and racial injustice was concerned. Its historical significance came when Derek Chauvin, the police officer responsible for the murder was convicted and sent to prison. It also put a spotlight on systemic racism and racial inequality. Before that landmark case, it was rare “that police officers in the US are charged, let alone convicted for use of lethal force.”

George Floyd, an African-American, died after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25, 2020. The video footage that went viral showed Floyd being pinned to the ground by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, kneeling on Mr. Floyd’s neck. Bodycam footage showed Mr. Floyd saying he couldn’t breathe more than 20 times but to no avail. Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than 9 minutes and Floyd was heard further saying:

“You’re going to kill me, man.”

Chauvin: ” Then stop talking, stop yelling. It takes heck of a lot of oxygen to talk.”

Mr. Floyd: “Can’t believe this, man. Mom, love. Love you. Tell my kids I love them. I’m dead.”

Six minutes after that, Floyd is non-responsive and pronounced dead an hour later.

Derek Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. The verdict put the spotlight on police and their policing practices where people of color were concerned and it also showed “that police officers are not above the law.”

According to the NY Times, “despite the largest racial justice protests since the civil rights era of the 1960s and a wave of measures to improve training and hold officers more accountable, the number of people killed by the police continues to rise each year, and Black Americans still die in disproportionate numbers.”

Racism, systemic racism, police brutality and the murder of black men still continues. Hate finds a way to survive and in today’s climate of fascism on the rise, we’ll see more of the same all done in the name of progress or “hate” masquerading as justice.

Derek Chauvin is still in prison serving his concurrent federal and state sentences for the murder of George Floyd. He is projected to be released in 2037 for his federal conviction and 2035 for his state conviction.

George Floyd, however, will never see the light of day again. He is now a card-carrying member of the “killed by the police” club. The others were Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, who was 12 when he was shot by a police officer, Walter Scott, Alton Sterling and the list goes on…..

I’ve written about every one of these men and many more.

Major historical events? I would say those killings were major events, wouldn’t you?

Daily writing prompt

What major historical events do you remember?

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Taking Risks

I’m not a risk-taker and never have been. I weigh all the options before I venture out on something and it is never a spontaneous decision. When I was younger I got pulled into some dangerous situations never of my own making. Fortunately, it turned out for the best and I came out of it unscathed.

To answer your question, what’s the biggest risk you’d like to take? I would say, if possible, is to pack a small bag and head out to parts unknown! Perhaps, a lonely cabin somewhere surrounded by nature and nothing else. Or a small beach house by the ocean where I can go for long walks or just sit on the beach and let the day go to pieces. I would like to watch the sunset and stay till the stars come out with no fear whatsoever. Not there is a chance of that happening because, I’m not that type. The “throw caution to the wind” type. Everything is done with careful thought so I don’t see that ever happening.

It’ll stay somewhere in my mind added to all those unfulfilled wishes still waiting to happen!

Daily writing prompt

What’s the biggest risk you’d like to take — but haven’t been able to?

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What Are You Most Proud of?

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There are many achievements that I am proud of. If I had to choose one, I would say it is connected with writing.

I’ve always had a love affair with writing. It started early and by 15, I had a short story published in a major women’s magazine that made cover story. That was enough to make me walk on Cloud 9! Then followed a few more short stories all making me think that I had a talent for writing. Not everyone who writes is a writer and neither is it easy to get things published. Most times, they wind up in the dustbin or rubbish bin and never make it to the editorial desk. I was lucky that my stories did.

Later on in life, I tried my hand in the political arena. Many articles were published and I played along with the big guns. I won’t mention who they were but let’s just say, they were big enough to get world attention. I was proud of that achievement. However, I got tired of that and moved on.

Then came my stint as a Fashion Editor and it put me front and center with the beautiful people. Supermodels, actors, fashion designers and so on…. It was great at first, I loved the hustle and bustle of moving with a different circle, but again it got tiring after a while.

My current achievement that I am proud of is the children’s book. It took a long time to finish the project and I’m proud that it’s out there. I don’t know if it will make it but I guess most writers don’t care about fame and fortune. We love seeing our work in print, at least that’s how it is for me. If I get a compliment, it makes it all the better but for now, I love seeing my work out there!

Daily writing prompt

What are you most proud of in your life?

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Interesting Projects

My biggest project that I have been working on is myself. There are things I see that needs to be changed so that is a priority as far as I am concerned. It is a long and slow process but I am seeing progress so that is a good thing.

The other thing I have been working on is to reduce clutter both emotional clutter and the other kind that clutters up your living space. I don’t think that I’m a person who just collects things for the sake of collecting but I do see a pattern where clothes and shoes are concerned. Even though I go with the bare minimum where clothes are concerned, my usual and daily attire being sweatpants and sweatshirts, I do have lots of stuff of the other kind of the more dressy variety. And I keep buying whenever I see something nice. I have to STOP buying, get rid of what I don’t use and to keep things from taking over my living space! Emotional clutter is another thing altogether. I have plenty and even though I’m decluttering and letting go of things that no longer serve me, there is still enough that bugs me. A work in progress as well.

Finally, I have two book projects that I’m working on. A sequel to my first book and a novel. The sequel is finished but the novel is a headache and a half! I’ve lost the thread so I’m letting it sit for awhile. Who knows I’ll get a genius streak and I can see the ending from here!

Those are the things I’m working on. Enough don’t you think?

Daily writing prompt

What have you been working on?

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