What positive events have taken place in your life over the past year?
I would have to say that the most prominent positive events of the past calendar year would be my choice of myself for my fortieth birthday.
Category: Wordpress Prompt
Prompt Answer: Favorites Place To Go In My City
What is your favorite place to go in your city?
As usual, I have a very roundabout answer to this. The too long, didn’t read version answer is “it depends on the city”.
One hundred and fourteen addresses since my birth in June 1985. I only really remember 1992 and onward, to be honest. Seven was a defining year; my little brother Mal was born that February. It was the beginning of my parentification, but I love him so much and am so proud of who he has become and the life he built for himself.
So. Where I am now? It’s the public libraries or this amazing local ice cream place that has some of the best damn ice cream I’ve ever had. Like, lemon cardamom, blackberry with lime, and cherry almond flavored. In Chicago, it’s Chiu Quon in Chinatown. Cash only, but fucking amazing food for as long as I can remember.
Prompt Answer: Favorite Websites
What are your favorite websites?
When I was younger, my favorite website was the Ask Jeeves search engine. If that doesn’t throw you into the way back machine, I don’t know what will.
I also really enjoy reading from AO3. That is the shorthand for the website “Archive of Our Own”.
Prompt Answer: Podcasts
What podcasts are you listening to?
I am not currently subscribed to any, but I am open to suggestions!
Prompt Answer: Historical Event I Find Facilitating
What historical event fascinates you the most?
The historical event I find fascinating is Little Ice Age (LIA) of the North Atlantic area that spanned about four and a half centuries.
(And gods help you if you read this. I’ve forgotten how much I enjoy writing informative things. It isn’t in APA format, but that is a moment of restraint on my part.)
Continue reading “Prompt Answer: Historical Event I Find Facilitating”Prompt Answer: Family Member
Describe a family member.
My younger brother, alphabetically:
Amazing, brilliant, cheerful, dedicated, enthusiastic, friendly, generous, hardworking, intelligent, jovial, kindhearted, lovely, magnanimous, noble, outstanding, polite, quirky, resilient, selfless, talented, uplifting, vibrant, wonderful, xenial, young at heart, and zestful!
Prompt Answer: Working On
What have you been working on?
Myself.
Prompt Answer: Proud
What are you most proud of in your life?
I am proud that I’m still here.
Prompt Answer: Lost
What would you do if you lost all your possessions?
I don’t have to contemplate a hypothetical situation here.
When you lose everything…
Just start again.
Prompt Answer: Changed Mind
What’s a topic or issue about which you’ve changed your mind?
Long ass tory time: back in the early to mid aughts, we were pretty housing unstable. That’s a very nice way of saying we were homeless. Like, really bad.
Continue reading “Prompt Answer: Changed Mind”Prompt Answer: More Of
What could you do more of?
Sleep. And remember to hit publish before midnight.
Prompt Answer: Favorite Album
What’s your all-time favorite album?
I’d have to say that my favorite album, certainly the one with the most positive memories attached, would be Harry Belafonte Returns to Carnegie Hall. Just… so many good memories.
Prompt Answer: Lesson Learned
Share a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life.
Y’all know that phrase that people regurgitate when things go wrong? It doesn’t seem to matter if it’s a stubbed toe, burned dinner, missed bus, or catastrophic accident. People spit out the “well, everything happens for a reason!” Usually with a well-meaning, gentle smile.
It makes me want to throw things.
Technically, everything does happen for a reason, in the literal sense. That reason is that people make choices of all kinds with or without thought to the potential consequences to themselves or others.
Choice: some guy drove home with a blood alcohol of legally dead. Resulting consequences: my grandmother died and he got a scant eleven years in prison.
Choice: my abusers hurt me. Consequences: I have complex post-traumatic stress disorder and a hatred of bodily fluids.
Choice: I chose to make the best choice for myself and leave Indiana. Consequence: I now live in Wisconsin and am happier than I have maybe ever been.
Everything doesn’t always have a reason beyond chance. Nothing is for certain. But that doesn’t mean that we avoid trying to make better choices when presented the opportunity.
I wish I learned that “everything happens for a reason” is simply someone usually trying to express “I’m sorry this is happening to you, I don’t know why, or how to necessarily help, but I care”.
Postmark Wonderland 