Tag Archives: Daily Prompt

Think Again: False assumptions

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English: The Sloping Sea Assumptions are what ...

English: The Sloping Sea Assumptions are what you don’t know you’re making. If you orient yourself by the strata in the cliffs at Flamborough Head, you may find yourself reaching odd conclusions! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tell us about a time you made a false assumption about a person or a place — how did they prove you wrong?

In my opinion, most people may never try to correct your wrong assumptions about them. Why would they? Why should they?

The only reasons they’d want to do that is if those assumptions affect them or someone they love adversely— materially, physically or mentally.

That’s good enough reason to act.

If you are in a position of power or influence, you have to be careful about your assumptions–especially about people—and whom you air them to.

Odd Trio Redux: French Game

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Portrait of Marie-Antoinette of Austria

Portrait of Marie-Antoinette of Austria (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Finished cake with roses

Finished cake with roses (Photo credit: sylvar)

Voltaire fought intolerance and fanaticism, an...

Voltaire fought intolerance and fanaticism, and was a prominent and very prolific philosopher of the Enlightenment. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Voltaire fought intolerance and fanaticism, and was a prominent and very prolific philosopher of the Enlightenment. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Time for another Odd Trio prompt: write a post about any topic you want, in whatever form or genre, but make sure it features a slice of cake, a pair of flip-flops, and someone old and wise.

“Let them eat cake” Marie Antoinette supposedly said

And that’s what triggered the French revolution.

Not true, but a great quote and story,

Justifying “Off with their heads.”

And the use of the guillotine.

They couldn’t really flip-flop in those days,

That was their cause, their commitment.

The hungry peasants waged war,

at the ‘behest‘ of Voltaire and Rousseau,

men both old and wise.

And the bloodiest revolt of that century,

produced the French republic,

a beacon of hope for America!

Oh, I love thee, Statue of Liberty!

~Linus Fernandes

Handmade Tales: Home-made food

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English: Handmade

English: Handmade (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Handmade ginger fudge.

Handmade ginger fudge. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Automation has made it possible to produce so many objects — from bread to shoes — without the intervention of human hands (assuming that pressing a button doesn’t count). What things do you still prefer in their traditional, handmade version?

Home-made food.

Food made at home with loving care and dedication.

Items stirred and mixed and flavoured by hand.

This would top the list of items I prefer in their traditional, handmade version.

Sure, gadgets such as electric mixers have eased the burden and reduced the effort taken. But the tastiest and most nutritious meals are never packaged meals. They’re the meals our mothers made for us when we were kids.

Yes, nothing should ever replace this ancient and yet modern wonder.

Handmade shmura matzo used at the Passover Sed...

Handmade shmura matzo used at the Passover Seder especially for the mitzvot of eating matzo and afikoman. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

190 Days Later: Predictions and Expectations

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New Years Eve 2012 cliché prediction

New Years Eve 2012 cliché prediction (Photo credit: bijoubaby)

Back on January 21st, we asked you to predict what day #211 would be like. Well, July 30th is that day — how have your predictions held up so far? If you didn’t reply to the prompt at the time, is this year turning out to be as you’d expected?

I have only recently begun posting in response to WordPress’ daily prompts. So the first part of the prompt really doesn’t apply. I made no verbal or written predictions but I would be lying through my teeth if I said I had no expectations of how this year was going to turn out for me.

Has it gone the way I expected?

English: Solar Cycle Prediction (Updated 2011/...

English: Solar Cycle Prediction (Updated 2011/02/03) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The truthful answer is No, it hasn’t.

Am I disappointed? The answer is Yes.

But then the question arises: What am I going to do about it?

Some might say, “Move on.”

That’s sound advice. But before you do that, there’s a process that needs to be followed because the process of letting go is hard and painful.

But you have to let your feelings hang out; vent, if you may, in a constructive manner. Let your loved ones know how and why you feel the way you feel. This  begins the healing and then you should either move on or try again. That is your decision and yours solely though external considerations may have to be factored in—things and events beyond your control.

This is my belief.

What’s yours?

Back to Life: Unwinding

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English: Effects of stress on the body.

English: Effects of stress on the body. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I Feel It All

I Feel It All (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After an especially long and exhausting drive or flight, a grueling week at work, or a mind-numbing exam period — what’s the one thing you do to feel human again?

What do I do to feel human again?

A variety of things.

  • Sleep—there’s nothing like slumber land to beat the stress out of anything.

 

  • If not too tired, go out for a walk or a run or do some light weights.
  • There’s always the idiot box where one switches off completely and let its inanities take over and mess around with my head. Sitcoms work best.

 

  • Music—western classical or dance doesn’t really matter.

 

  • Talking to somebody you love and trust is another stress-buster but that’s kind of rare. If you have such a person in your life, you are truly blessed. Unloading helps.

 

  • Reading light material.

 

  • Some people pray. Others sing, laugh, dance or play. Sometime, I do too.

That’s about all—for non-smokers and teetotallers.

What about you? What do you do? How do you become human again (as against feral) ?

Full Disclosure: Mad Scientist’s chip off the block

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A mad scientist friend offers you a chip that would allow you to know what the people you’re talking to are thinking. The catch: you can’t turn it off. Do you accept the chip?

 

So you’re offering me a chip that lets me know what the people I’m talking to are thinking?

Would I want it, especially since it can never be turned off?

That sounds much like the premise behind a Canadian serial “The Listener” where Toby Logan is a paramedic who can hear people’s thoughts.

The Good Samaritan uses his “subsonic” abilities to help the local police solve crimes.

Man thinking on a train journey.

Man thinking on a train journey. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As for me, I’d like to picture where and when this device would be useful.

With people I know and like, if I heard their unpalatable thoughts, well, I’d be put off,  probably unpleasantly surprised.

With perfect strangers, well, you don’t expect their thoughts to concern you and hence maybe I’d get an insight as to why they have those pained expressions on their countenances.

For people I know and dislike, well, it’d probably just be mere validation of my opinion of their opinion of me.

But, wait a second, what about me and my thoughts?

With all those external musings jostling for space in my overwrought brain, when would I have space and time to be with my own reflections?

Would I have to take to a solitary retreat to understand myself?

So , the answer’s no, Sir, I rather wouldn’t!

 

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/full-disclosure/

The Listener (TV series)

The Listener (TV series) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)