Thursday, November 14, 2024

November Writing Prompt

Brought to you by… being wide awake at 3:08 in the morning because my CPAP machine smelled weird…

1. Three things you’re grateful for:

1: indoor plumbing 

2: words

3: TV (not gonna lie)

2. What advice would you give your children about being a teenager?

I try to keep my advice to a minimum because I don’t feel like it really helps. Their brains aren’t fully developed, and they really just want to be listened to and validated - not told what to do. But I do often encourage my kids to be “invitors” - invite people to come with you who might be overlooked or forgotten. Watch for the kids who might be lonely or feel left out, and realize that sometimes people look like they are being included and like they have a lot of friends, but loneliness doesn’t always appear how you think it will. 

3. How do you define family?

I’m pretty “dictionary” about it. People related to one another through blood, marriage, or adoption. I don’t get fancy about “family.” It’s people you are related to, whether you like them or not. 

4. What events have brought you and your family closer together?

In my “family of creation,” we’ve grown closer together through family vacations and doing activities and outings together. Also, COVID was definitely something that brought us closer. Literally and figuratively.

5. A time you pulled an all-nighter

I don’t think I’ve ever pulled an all-nighter. I’ve stayed up really late, but I don’t think there has ever been a time in my life when I didn’t sleep at least a little bit between one day and the next. The closest I’ve probably my ever come to an all-nighter was when the final Harry Potter book was released, and my friends and I got a hotel room and stayed up as late as we could reading our books after buying them from Walmart at midnight. 

6. Do you believe in fate?

Somewhat. I believe in divine intervention.

7. Something you have questions about

Many things pertaining to the gospel and the Church

8. A time you felt rejected

When I was finishing my degree, I asked someone if she could watch my two youngest kids for a few hours so I could study. It wasn’t for a specific day or time, I just asked if there was an opening during the last two weeks of my semester that she could help me out. She told me she didn’t have time. I was shocked and started crying. 

9. Have you ever broken a bone?

I’m not going to answer this.

10. What do you do in your free time?

This.

11. Something you’ll never forget

The time we went to Disneyland when it was closed for COVID and stood outside the gates. The plaza was completely empty. 

12. The best meal you’ve ever cooked

Thanksgiving 2020 (I didn’t know I’d have so much to say about COVID in this post).

His (smoked) & hers (roasted) turkeys

13. What’s your favorite room in your home?

Probably the living room. 

14. The best date you’ve ever been on

Our Disneyland trip for our anniversary

15. How do your parents describe you as a child?

I have no idea.

16. If you could go back in time, what would you do?

I would go back and save my Littlest Pet Shop and Little People toys.

17. Would you describe yourself as spontaneous?

Yes. But I am a very responsible version of spontaneous.

Laurel, Christie, and me spontaneously attending the grand opening of the new Cafe Rio. 


18. Do you have any famous family members?

Nope.

19. Your favorite sport to watch

I can’t think of a sport I like watching.

20. Describe the day you moved away from your childhood home

I got married and moved out. I honestly have no memory of moving my stuff from my mom’s house to Scotty’s and my first house. 

21. A song that makes you cry

“Skin” by Rascal Flatts

22. Your first roommate 

At my dad’s house, I shared a room with my three step-sisters. Does that count? Then eventually one of my step-sisters and I moved to a different bedroom. One thing I’ve always been grateful for is that I always had a bedroom and a bed at my dad’s house. 

23. If you had to live in a different decade, which one would you choose?

I’d go back to the early 2000’s. I thrived there. Or maybe even the 90’s. Am I allowed to pick a decade I lived through? I never know the rules for these hypothetical things.

24. What do you know about your mother’s parents? 

A lot. I grew up across the street from them, and I spent several days a week at their house. They were very involved in my childhood.

25. Something you think you could never do

Serve on a jury. 

Don’t get me wrong - I have jury summons all the time. Pretty much every 2-3 years I get called up. But I don’t think I’ll ever be selected to be on a jury. Not because I’m intentionally trying to get out of it but because I really do have a lot going against me when it comes to jury selection. Plus I’m usually far enough down the line numerically that I know I don’t have to worry about it. I think last time I had just duty I was juror #60, and I knew they’d have a jury picked long before they got to #60.

26. How would you describe a boring evening

I would describe it as… well… boring.

This is a dumb question. 

27. Your dad’s favorite saying 

He says “oink” while he burps

28. A relationship you would like to improve

I would like to improve my relationship with each of my kids. Things aren’t bad, per se, but I feel like they could be a lot better.

29. Some small moments from today that brought you joy

It’s 4:00 am, and I’m wide awake. There is no joy yet.

30. A time you found it difficult to forgive someone 

I had a friend who asked me to split cheese fries with her in 2007, and she never paid me back. I’m still mad. It goes far deeper than cheese fries, though. This friend was a taker, and the more time I spent with her, the more I realized there would never be reciprocity in that friendship. 

No comments: