dailyprompt – Page 39

Blogging

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When I first started posting here, I didn’t think of it as blogging. I was away from the public eye or so I thought and at the time I had next to no viewers, readers or “likes” for that matter. It was alright with me because everything was low-key and I could write about whatever I wanted to.

It was fun, it was a way to get my frustrations out and at times my anger out as well and a way to clear the path forward. I had taken a fall and I was trying to find my way out of that rabbit hole and what better way to do this than to get it all out there, the good, the bad, and the ugly! I was literally putting myself out there, lock, stock and barrel.

Then those “likes” started rolling in and I realized that people liked what I was writing about and some were in the same boat as I was and it was a way for us to grow and get better together. However, it got a little uncomfortable because at times I felt like I was on full display with my hurts, wounds, and feelings out there for all to see. The other aspect was that there were many out there who had walked the same path I had walked and were looking for ways to get a grasp on life again. I continued and now I do get more likes than I used to, the site is “booming” as I was told earlier this week and it is doing fine.

It is not about the “likes,” it is about life from my perspective and what I have done to get myself back on track and back on the journey of life and if my story has helped someone than my writing or blogging has been well-worth the effort.

Daily writing prompt

Why do you blog?

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The Interview

I decided to interview Chachi, the cat. He’s quite a character and probably has LOTS to say about his life as an indoor cat and mommy’s sweetheart and buddy.

ME: “Are you ready for the interview?”

HIM: “I sure am. Shoot!”

ME: “Tell me about your life. What could be better?”

HIM: “That’s a big question and you probably don’t want to know. Here goes….I love my life and I love my mommy but I need a companion. One of my kind.”

ME: “You mean a friend to play with?”

HIM: “Nope. Someone I can BOSS around.”

ME: “You boss me around, isn’t that enough?”

HIM: “Yeah, but you’re not that easy to boss around. I need someone who will sit quietly and agree to everything I say.”

ME: “You mean you want to be a dictator?”

HIM: “If that’s what they call them, then yes. I have no power in this house and I need POWER!“

He stands up, runs his paw over his face and turns his big expressive eyes on me. It’s a gaze that’s unwavering and it tells me he knows what he is doing.

ME: “Power like in what you do to those stuffed birds?”

His stuffed birds are a mess. Some have their stuffing halfway out and some have parts missing! Like I’ve said before, the little guy has this passive-aggressive thing going.

HIM: “Sort of. My mommy is nice but she’s weird at times. She lets me have my way but sometimes it comes to a screeching halt and I better behave or else! This is not being BOSS but a slave. Cats were not made to be slaves. The Pharaohs viewed us with deep respect and they believed that we were divine beings. Their admiration for us was so great that they dressed us in jewelry and mummified us upon death. Furthermore, anyone who harmed us were severely punished. They considered us to be magical creatures.”

ME: “Hmm….you sure are one smart kitty. I guess that’s why your other name is Einstein?”

HIM: “You got that right!

He gives me this side-eyed look and sprawls on his back all the time looking at me.

ME: “How can I make your life better?”

HIM: “Easy, agree to everything I want and you’ve got it made!”

Time to end the interview. Little Macho was back on his horse and it was time to show him who is really the BOSS.

ME: “Go play Chachi. I’ve got things to do.”

HIM: “I knew it! You never listen, that is your problem amongst other things! “

That was the end of an uneventful interview. The little brat is sitting in his window seat and contemplating, Mutiny on the Bounty! Oh well, some days are better than others and I have no intention of making him the BOSS!

Daily writing prompt

Interview someone — a friend, another blogger, your mother, the mailman — and write a post based on their responses.

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Calm and Ready?

It is hard to describe what I am feeling right now. A mix between calm, unrest and ready to tackle anything. If that makes sense.

There is an inner peace within which comes from having done my daily walk in nature. The cool breeze and grey cloudy skies helped to get me there. It wasn’t a calm day because rain is in the forecast and the weather is doing its dance between wind and the expectation of rain. It definitely suits the mood I am in now.

I am at peace and I am calm but something within, just beneath the surface is doing something else. There is a certain uneasiness and I guess it stamps from the unknown. The unknown is a scary place especially if it could go the wrong way and that is my situation right now.

Trust and believe that all will be well is what I tell myself but that inner place where calm exists has to come to the forefront and stay there for a while. Whatever I am doing right now helps but just for a short time and the voice within, the one that speaks to me in a loud voice wants to get rid of the calmness because that is what it does best. I tell it to take its place where it belongs but it isn’t listening very well for some reason.

There are three things I am grappling with right now and that is the unknown, distress and unrest. It is a mixture of feelings that are topsy turvy at times and at times where it needs to be. However, I know it will right itself out because it always does, one way or another.

Daily writing prompt

How are you feeling right now?

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Meditation

The habit of doing my meditation practice two or three times a day has helped to calm my mind and to give me a new perspective on life. When chaos reigns, I go within.

A walking meditation helps. I may be doing the physical act of moving but my mind is doing something else. I zone out and let nature do its thing. When at home, I find a quiet place, it is usually in my bedroom where I sit comfortably on the bed and close my eyes only to find that there is another realm I can escape to. I start out by calming my mind and body. A couple of deep breaths does the job well. Then I go within, at first it is dark and that’s ok. Other times, I have a lot of junk that needs to be cleared out. This takes a few minutes to reel the mind back. Then peace walks in and we sit together for a while, sometimes 15 minutes and sometimes half an hour.

Meditation helps me to focus better, to throw out what is not necessary and more importantly what doesn’t serve me but most of all, it brings a certain serenity to my being and I find that if done on a daily basis, it can make you a stronger and more balanced individual. It definitely helps to improve my quality of life.

Daily writing prompt

What daily habit do you do that improves your quality of life?

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My Last Online Search

Ever since I was told that I needed another test to know for sure if there is anything wrong healthwise, I have been constantly Googling! It’s nothing new, I love researching on anything and everything.

Now, I had a reason to find out as much as I possibly could about this upcoming test and I’m pretty sure that when I show up there, I will have a Ph.D on the subject at large or at least I will have my eyes and ears peeled for what they will put me through and ask questions that will show them (the doctors) that I do have some knowledge about the procedure and I will not be led blindly like a lamb to the slaughter, although I do feel like one.

Anyway, I have done my research, I am armed with knowledge and I know what is coming up as far as the test goes. The radiation that will be injected into my veins will be minimal and according to my sources (Google) it says that it will be in your system for a day and with lots of hydration afterwards, it should be flushed out just as quickly. However, the outcome is something else altogether. I WANT TO KNOW and I don’t want to know. Does that make sense?

In the meantime, I am doing my part to stay healthy, doing my walks religiously, staying stress-free and meditating for all I’m worth. My research shows that stress could make the situation worse so anything that ups the stress factor is out the door! Yes folks, I’m a hypochondriac but it’s better than walking in with the blindfold on.

The last thing I searched online had all the major hospitals lined up one after another. They all have something to say on the matter and some go in one ear and out the other and others I am taking to heart. The internet is full of disinformation and misinformation as you well know but if you know what to look for, you have some valuable information at your fingertips.

Daily writing prompt

What was the last thing you searched for online? Why were you looking for it?

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TV Shows

I wasn’t allowed to watch a lot of TV as a child. Much of our time was spent gathered in the living room listening to mom and dad droning on about life as a Christian child. Along with it came Bible study and prayers.

Most kids our age were gathered around their TV sets lost in a wonderful world of make-believe but for us, it came much later and only if we had been good kids. Who decided if we had been naughty or nice? You guessed it!

I recall a few that my parents thought were good shows to watch. They liked Magnum P.I. for some reason, probably for the same reason I did. No one could fake that cute smile! The A-Team was liked by dad so we sat right there as he watched his favorite show. The Miami Vice guys were something to watch. I loved Sonny Crockett! Cartoons were my favorites. I don’t think I had any favorites. I loved them all. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! and Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids comes to mind. I can’t recall the rest!

It wasn’t all bad, the childhood I mean. I created my own fun and you don’t want to know what that was! Let’s just say, I was a little terror and I could give those TV shows a run for the money!

Daily writing prompt

What TV shows did you watch as a kid?

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Favorite Time of Day?

Any time of day can be a favorite time if things work out right and all is going well. However, my favorite time of day is when I am feeling calm, collected, mind free of worries and with Chachi, the cat, by my side. Add a day with beautiful blue skies, a light breeze and not too hot and you’ve got my favorite kind of day.

Ok, let’s see. I love mornings when I am up early and the world is still asleep. Listening to the birds in the trees and the constant cooing of pigeons on the rooftops is soothing and my mind is at rest. Any time my mind is at rest is a good thing so mornings do that. Chachi’s purring is an additional bonus to that feeling of contentment.

Afternoons are a time when sometimes it is hectic and sometimes I am halfway through things. It is not a peaceful feeling. I don’t take naps in the afternoons as most people around here do because if I do I wake up feeling groggy and not rested at all. I usually spend the afternoons writing, cleaning or doing whatever mundane stuff that needs to be done or needs taken care off.

Evenings, I love at times. Sometimes it is calming as the day comes to an end. Sitting outside and watching dusk approach is a nice thing to do and listening to the day settling down is another beautiful thing. This is also the time when I do my meditation practice and sometimes my breathing routine. Calming down and clearing my mind is of the utmost importance before going to bed for a goodnight’s rest. Evenings are all about bringing the day to a close with intention and preparing myself for the rest that is to come. Sometimes it is my favorite time of day as well.

It changes from time to time and it all depends on what I have going on. Days without chaos, hustle and bustle and a constant churning of the mind on how to fix things, take care of things and bring things back to normal are not my favorite times. Take them out and you’ve got my favorite time of day!

Daily writing prompt

What’s your favorite time of day?

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Hainanese Chicken Rice

I came upon this dish when I was in Singapore and a group of friends took me to the hawker center. It was loud, crowded, and chaotic. We headed to this stall run by an old “uncle.” He was a nice man with a toothless grin but I was told that what he served up was heaven itself. I wasn’t too impressed but decided to try it as I had told myself to try everything once, as far as food goes and I was going to do just that.

The dish came and the sliced up chicken looked bland. It looked like plain boiled chicken served up with some boiled rice and several small dishes of sauces and for good measure some cucumber slices were added to make it look healthy. Nothing spectacular but let me tell you, what followed was mouth-wateringly scrumptious and it is one of my favorite recipes of all time! This dish evolved from the Hainan district in southern China and has become one of Singapore’s most beloved dish. I can understand why, one mouthful and you are hooked, line and sinker!

Here’s the recipe, a little time-consuming but worth the effort.

For the Chicken:

1 small chicken

1 tbsp. salt

12-14 cups of water

4-5 slices of ginger

2 whole scallions

Ice

For the Rice:

2 ounces chicken fat (taken from the cavity of the chicken)

1 tsp neutral oil

4 cloves garlic (minced)

3 cups uncooked white rice (washed & drained)

chicken stock (from making the chicken)

2 tsps salt

Ginger-garlic sauce (can be bought ready made)

Sweet Dark Soy Sauce (can be bought ready made as well)

Chilli Sauce (store-bought as well)

Instructions:

Wash chicken. Pat dry and lightly rub with salt and set aside.

Bring water along with ginger and scallions to a boil. Add chicken, breast side up. Adjust water so that the chicken breast is just slightly above water.

Once water starts to boil, lift chicken out and drain water from cavity. Lower chicken back into pot, bring the water to a a boil again. When it is JUST starting to boil, turn the heat down. Cover the pot and let simmer. Turn heat to the lowest setting.

Cook for 30-35 minutes. Now prepare the ice bath. Stick a toothpick in chicken to see if it is done. If juices run clear, it is cooked. Lift chicken out, drain water again and lower into the ice bath. After 15 minutes, the chicken should be cooled. Completely drain, cover until ready to serve.

To Make the Rice:

Heat a wok, add chicken fat with 1/2 tsp oil. Stir-fry and then add the garlic, then add the uncooked rice. Stir for about 2 minutes, turn off heat. Transfer rice to rice cooker. Add the poaching liquid from chicken until it reaches the ‘4’ line (3 US cups = 4 rice cooker cups). Stir in salt, close lid & press START.

ASSEMBLE:

Add chopped up chicken to plate. Add a scoop of rice with a side of cucumbers. I usually add diced pineapple as well. Serve the sauces in small sauce bowls for dipping.

It is finger-licking good!

Daily writing prompt

What’s your favorite recipe?

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My Book

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I don’t get excited about much these days but this one did get me up there. It was an email from the publisher stating that the provisional publication date is August 28th! The long wait is coming to an end and I can’t wait to see the finished product.

It is a children’s book and the storyline is far from what is being sold out there. There is no violence and the theme hinges on adventure and friendship. I got two offers for the book but went with the one I thought would do a better job of promoting the book. The sequel has already been accepted and Chachi, the cat, plays the lead role in that one. I’m waiting to see how the first one does before starting on the next one.

It is exciting news and that is what is happening to get my “happy hormones” in a state of excitement! I think writers love to see their work on display. There is something about seeing all that hard work up on the screen or on paper that gets you all excited! At least, it does with me.

Daily writing prompt

Tell us about the last thing you got excited about.

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A City of the Future

How would I design the city of the future? I would base it on love, empathy, compassion, kindness, and equality, things which are sorely lacking in today’s society. My future city wouldn’t make it to the Architectural Digest but it sure would be a wonderful place to live in.

It would take us back to when people reached out to people instead of having their noses in whatever gadget that kept them going. Old-fashioned? Not really. It would still have all the modern amenities since we are so used to them but that human touch needs to come back front and center. Keeping that in mind, social services would be a big part of the city and social amenities like clubhouses, community centers and the like to foster human relations would be readily available and will make up a big part of the infrastructure. Perhaps, a city where people would have to put away or step away from their gadgets for a day and do without. There will be nature parks all over the place and lots of places where one can go to take a deep breath and just relax. Outdoor activities to tone the body will be plenty, relaxation would be a big thing and places where people can congregate to have a friendly chat or two will also be available. The focus will be on human interaction of the nice kind.

I don’t like public transportation so cars and private vehicles will still have a place in this future city of mine. I’ll be looking more at the social aspects and how to make it a wonderful place for everybody and not just for a select few.

Daily writing prompt

How would you design the city of the future?

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