The prompt is “What do you love now, that you hated when you were younger?” There’s only one thing that comes to mind but it is the exact opposite. Something I enjoyed as a child is something I hate now.
I used to love being in a tub. Toys, suds, blowing bubbles, I loved it all. However, the older I got (read: going to school) and the less time I had (read: homework and sports) the more impatient I got with filling the tub, etc. The shower gained appeal. Later on, I wanted to use less water to help the environment. I am a quick shower person. Filling the tub and not enjoying is just silly.
The prompt is “What do you do to improve your sleep?” Around 10pm, I go upstairs. I retire, as we say. Upstairs, there are no TVs, no dishes, no office with my computer and work files. Upstairs the lights are low. It instantly calms. I change, I grab a book, and with my tea on the nightstand, I settle in for an hour or two of reading. The only lights on are reading lights. As soon as I get drowsy, I turn them off and I sleep like a baby.
Now, my choice of books is what has surprised many a friend who asked. What kind of genre or story would help me relax so I get drowsy? I like a good story to transport me to another world. And the best worlds for me to forget about my day and to let other people’s problems play out in front of me, are either the court room or a thriller.
I love a good legal drama where motions and briefs fly around the clerk’s office. A judge hammering for quiet only to encourage an even more objectionable exchange of arguments until both parties are in contempt of court. Or, a race to save or find someone, something. A puzzle, a maze of information, potentially across different time periods with lots of digging into archives.
To some, the excitement will keep them up. For me, it engages my brain. I let the characters drag me into their world and take me on their race against time. I write briefs with the fictional lawyers, find the mistakes, anticipate the replies, consider the possibilities, and just when I have the answer, my eye lids get heavy. I fight, of course.
I try to stay awake to remain in the judge’s chambers. I keep looking in old archives until the dusty pages make my eyes want to close. I give in.
I quickly turn off the lights and replay the last pages I read in my mind. And when I wake up? I find the bookmark at a page I cannot remember. It makes me smile. Because reading did the trick again.
Since a few weeks, I have been using a big, oversized tote. My small purse is lighter and can be worn cross-body. This tote can carry a busload, is bulky (esp. considering that I have to struggle to be 5 feet) and no cross-body options. However, I need it.
In May, my mom, who is in her 90s, broke her femur. As you can imagine, it threw many schedules from the entire family out the door. Many calls across time zones, everyone in preparation mode, and a whole medical team pondering what is best for a person this old. I tip my hat to them.
With light anesthesia, they set her leg and she is recovering. Slowly, but she is getting better. She has found her strength, her will to live, and is literally putting one foot in front of the other. I kept my cell phone on, notifications on loud and vibrate, just in case. I have been glued to my phone more than usual.
A few other things happened health-wise that kept me home-bound or glued to my phone. Maybe that’s where the roomy tote comes in.
I bought it at the Museum of Modern Art when we were in New York. On the picture, the tote seems to have structure but it really is a soft fabric tote. I love the colors and despite its size (it is really big) I bought it.
To give it shape, I put a large purse organizer in it. The double handles did not work for me. I cut off the longer orange handles, made them uneven for an artsy effect, bought primary color big buttons, and use them to hold down the remaining part of the handle.
Tote modification and photography AdS
Now you may wonder what I carry around in such a big bag. You’d be surprised to learn that the organizer inside does not carry more than what my small cross-body purse did.
The book I’d usually carry in my hand is now in the tote but other than that, nothing much changed. But I have the option.
Knowing that I have space to switch items around, to add a few things even if the bag gets heavier, to have the freedom to not be limited, maybe that is just what I need. I am not confined or limited in anything.
This simple big tote visualizes the options still available to me. Small changes are there, affordable and available after a tad of creative thinking. A simple item can give support, structure. It signals there’s room for more. Room the breath. I love this tote.
The prompt is “Who is your favorite blogger to follow?” and I have a beef with it.
It wants you to name a blogger without regards to the consequences for that blogger. That blogger you love might not be blogging to gain notoriety. That blogger might just be writing to vent, for relaxation, and is not searching for more readers or to be placed on people’s lists.
There are plenty of bloggers I follow who keep a low profile, protecting their privacy as much as possible while sharing their lives online. They are just getting their thoughts out without wanting to be elevated as someone’s favorite.
So, before you answer this prompt, think. That too counts for those who write these prompts.
One of the worst ways to affect an entire country is to mess with their electrical grid.
If I had the budget and of course, all the contractors lined up, I would get all wires underground. It will be a hassle, lots of broken up roads, but in the end, I do believe we are better off.
My Writing Journey 
