Tag: dailyprompt

Worry

~ Veselin ~ Leave a comment
Daily writing prompt
What are you most worried about for the future?

I was an expert worrier.

However, the sense of worry got severed somehow and I absolutely don’t want it back. It’s like losing the sense of smell when you’re in a poorly-smelling toilet. Imagine living in the Bog of Eternal Stench. It smells awful but you can get used to it. The sense of worry is gone at the moment. I don’t miss it, and I don’t want it back. If I worry about anything, it’s worry coming back and going through my defenses.

I know several risks – economic, political, health, and age-related. But I don’t currently worry about them because worrying won’t change anything. I know a new thing could make me worry again but it has to be new. I refuse to come up with imaginary future scenarios that affect me in a way that matters.

Some movie references:

What makes a teacher great?

~ Veselin ~ 4 Comments
Daily writing prompt
What makes a teacher great?

The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.

— Plutarch

Looking back to what my math teacher did, she would come to class, give the new material, and then give us the hardest task from the book for this new material. We had to learn how to solve problems rather than what was in the last lesson.

I’ve not been able to reproduce anything like that with my kids. I tried teaching my first kid multiplication (or something similarly complicated) and he ran away by crawling when he was 2 and forgot how to walk.

How do you want to retire?

~ Veselin ~ 12 Comments
Daily writing prompt
How do you want to retire?

I don’t want to retire. My plan is to follow in my mom’s footsteps. She works in her 70s and I admire her for that.

I believe a person needs a reason to leave the bed in the morning, and working is a good reason to be awake, especially if you work on something you believe in. You keep the brain occupied with meaningful goals so it’s not occupied with other things like anxiety and problems. The brain doesn’t like to stay empty, it will fill itself quickly if left unattended. I also believe that you lose what you don’t use.

Retirement doesn’t sound appealing. There’s no remote island, beach, or resort where I’d rather be.

Do you remember your favorite book from childhood?

~ Veselin ~ 9 Comments
Daily writing prompt
Do you remember your favorite book from childhood?
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Looking back, it has to be one of these 3:

  • Pippi Longstocking
  • The Three Musketeers
  • Winnetow

Pippi was one of the books that hooked me to reading, Winnetow introduced me to adventure books – pirates, Wild West, and such. The top choice, however, must be The Three Musketeers.

Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D’Artagnan are unlikely friends, united by their shortage of money and willingness to duel. They are all extreme in some way and represent a few distilled qualities that complement one another. Their paths briefly cross, create beautiful moments of courage and bravery, and drift apart because of tragedies and traumas. It’s written in small chunks, chapters that have their own merit as short stories. This made it a good book for a 7 or 8-year-old with a limited attention span.

I’m not sure if I read The Three Musketeers more times than Pippi, Winnetow, or the other 4-5 books I would read each summer break but it aged well. The last time I got it in my hands and read a few chapters, they were captivating and great. It was less than a decade ago.