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Right?

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Daily writing prompt
If you had an unlimited budget for 24 hours, what would you do?
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Now this is gonna be fun.

Just so you know, since there seems to be an element of magic and make believe in this scenario, my quest will rely upon those components. When all is said and done, my hope is that it touches all else with that same quality. Besides, you know me by now.

Since I know I have an unlimited budget, then I will assume I determine the timing of such a blessing. That makes this even funner. You will understand why when we get closer to the end.

First, I would need to recruit about a hundred or so people to be a part of my unlimited budget distribution team. I think once they know what I am up to, they would just do it just to do it. But I think their time is as valuable as their hearts of gold. So, as compensation for being my vaunted teammates, each would have every cent of their immediate and extended family’s debt vanquished. Cards, bills, mortgages, loans – “See ya!”

Then, together, we would embark on a venture touching many aspects of life.

We would fully fund all churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship within our immediate area for the forseeable future. Any schools affiliated with each of them would also be taken under that wing so that they could teach and grow others without worry.

Every children’s hospital, cancer care entities, hospices and rehabilitation centers – whether for physical, mental and emotional, or addictive challeneges – would also be fully funded for the unforeseeable future.

Wounded warriors of all makes and molds; soldiers, police officers, firemen, medics, ER doctors and nurses and anyone else watching over us at their danger, could all retire fully funded and supported.

Food pantries, homeless shelters and facilities that house those who lost theirs via nature or a sudden change in life, would be funded like Buzz Lightyear; “to infinity and beyond!”

Student debt?

Adios my friend.

Farmers won’t have to give up the farm to feed us.

Puppies and kitties will be cared for until the right one comes along.

My team is really smiling and loving this. I think they are in a Teams meeting now thinking of new recipients of gifts. I can’t think of everything. I know they will help show me the way.

The only stipulation I will make for any of this?

“I – (state your name) – will honor these gifts by doing the same for anyone that may have been missed, now or later. I will do it not for me, to be on a plaque, have a day with my name, or to be seated higher than anyone else.

That seat is taken.

I will do it just because.

I can, so I will.

What has been gifted to me will complete the loop and be given back”

Signature:_____________________________ Date:___________________

Maybe I am a little optimistic about everyone doing it.

But if only half did, wouldn’t that essentially raise the whole thing up? And the riches actually realized in this prompt driven endeavor have no currency or denomination that can be banked, bit coined or IRA’d.

It is purely an overdue investment in others.

Just because.

So what do I get ?

Glad you wondered about that.

Like I said, being magical and make believe, my team and I would burn the midnite oil on one specfic day to make all of this happen.

That day?

Christmas Eve.

You all know what happens next when they wake up the next day.

Right?

Yawn.

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Daily writing prompt
What’s a show that had the perfect series finale?
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I guess to me, a series is more than just a television show.

I would have to include things like Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny and Tex Avery, or Johnny Quest cartoons. Add in the Stooges. Svengoolie then on into actual series, like MASH, ER, All in the Family, Cheers, The Bob Newhart Show, Home Improvement, Seiinfeld, NYPD Blues, and the like. (there are WAY more.)

Back in the day? The Johnny Carson Show, the Carol Burnett Show, the Dean Martin Show, the Dick Cavett Show, and others. Off shore? Monty Python, Dave Allen, Bernard Hill, Bean. Movies? Star Wars, LOTR, Indiana Jones.

I cannot say I ever sat through an entire series via the boob tube. Star Wars and LOTR yes. But shows, nope. I think what tends to happen over time, is that things change. Maybe writers, artists, producers, characters and perhaps just the creativity are elements that are very challenging to maintain. Sprinkle in ego, and voila, you may end up with something never intended.

So like my cartoons?

They just lost me. Generational most likely. Too generic and not violent and sarcastic enough any more. So if an old school one is on, I will hunker down to chuckle.

But new ones? Nope.

Curly, Larry and Moe?

24/7. Later Shemps, Joe and Curly Joe? Uh, uh,

TV shows?

Trapper went home and Henry perished in a plane crash. I left too. Archie was less obnoxious when Meathead left and Edith passed. Diane left the bar, new romances began, and Woody took center stage. Michael left the office. Why would they want someone else to be Frank Drebbin? Something else shinier always catches my attention. Figures. Attention span of a gnat.

These days?

The Pitt led to a return to Madmen, and Ray and the Barones are always in the background. Bla, bla, bla.

But other than LOTR and StarWars, I have never watched an entire series. With regard to Star Wars, 4, 5 and 6 were way better than 1, 2 and 3. What were they even thinking. Obviously in a galaxy far, far away.

But I digress.

Yawn.

Dad.

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Daily writing prompt
If you could have dinner with any philosopher, who would it be?
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At first, my mind went one way. Then, shifted in reverse and took a few turns around the subject so I could better see where this was ultimately taking me. I think I have it now.

So for much of my life, there was a philosopher in my midst. Until this morning, unfortunately, I never considered him as such. A very stoic, quiet, keep to himself kind of man. Well learned academically and in all aspects of life. Adverse to accolades, attention and honors. A very dry, but profound, deep sense of humor.

He had a way with words.

You wouldn’t want to be on the wrong end of his semantical offerings. for those quips tended to be laden with genius level, forever lasting barbs. But when he shared some wisdom, like his thoughts upon looking at the yard – “you can’t grow kids and grass at the same time” – t went to the core and remained within you.

Nothing that he did, but our times together were not so conducive to much conversation. Too many distractions were brought to the huddle. More so baggage. Things that didn’t need to be with us two. My doing. A regret of mine to this day.

Then, the true philosopher came to light at his funeral. People I never knew, approaching me to share how he had changed their life. How he went beyond to help them to grow and become what they were meant to be. The moral, financial, experiential, spiritual and fatherly love he spread about to anyone and everyone.

His philosophy.

Put him in a totally different light.

One that remains shining in my life.

He passed many years ago. A date that still is unsettling to me.

And I would give anything for dinner with this philosopher one more time.

Dad.

And in that I have always been a work in progress.

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Daily writing prompt
How can you build a regular fitness routine?
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The building lay entirely within intention.

What are you willing to do – emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually – to make this how you live. Akin to making your bed in the morning. In my view, it is not at all about what you do. Moreso, it is entirely about who you become.

A little about me.

Challenged by bulk my entire life. Rigorous activity took command of it when circumstances were amenable to it. Or shall I say, I made room to allow those circumstances to appear.

Running and cycling were two of my favorites, and still are. But just not physically possible any longer. Thank you football ! I like doing the circuit training I created for PF. Trying to work that into days again is the obstacle. During Covid, I flipped a tractor tire up and down a football field for several months. Yard work is good for the core. Shoveling snow too. I love doing physical work.

Taken steps, literally, to raise the fitness level here. First, began walking with a weighted vest. Already need something heavier. The distance is increasing – already in the three to four mile range – so I will now focus on quickening the pace. In time, I think I could walk to PF, hit the circuit and walk home. That would be ideal.

Eating is being addressed as well.

Really into Cheerios, bananas and 1% milk in the morning. Some yogurt, even plain 0% is yummy to me. Lots of veggies – digging tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and peppers raw – with or without yogurt dip.

My snack driving from client to client? Hard boiled eggs. Salad burritos are good too. Never really a soda guy, cut way down on toast, steak once a quarter, mostly chicken, pork and fish. Pasta the way my bestie makes it is to die for. Maybe a burger on the grill once in a while. Tacos with black beans in the meat. Cut back on the tortilla chips.

All is in place to make progress, with the exception of increasing the portion size of the exercise while finding the correct level for portion size when I am hungry. That is happening.

But it is all a building process.

As I suggested, it is not at all about what you do.

Moreso, it is entirely about who you become

And in that I have always been a work in progress.

Don’t need to carry around that fossil anymore.

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What I felt like sharing today: what will I try to do better today than I did yesterday?

Not that I don’t like the prompts. I just felt like talking about this is all.

The past week has been trying to say the least. Some metamorphosis going on me thinks. Figures, it is spring afterall. Allegedly.

I am looking to find some peace of the internal variety. After spending so much of my life over functioning over everything, a dozen or so steps need to be taken backwards. Not so much to start over. More so, to remain in the here and now is all. Some days, I might find myself in a pair of soles from the 70’s or 80’s. Other times, I was in something so far ahead that they hadn’t even made it out the designer’s noggin yet.

That being said, there is a definite need and value to just staying right here. I may get a little agitated by the desire to go futz in the yard or design some screen to keep leaves out the window wells. The former comes as an aside when I got a spare twenty minutes. The latter is still on the drawing board. They are just fulfilling distractions.

But those have never fallen into the “over” category. More so antidotal by nature. So for today, I am going to remain right here. In my thoughts. Definitely in my words. And finally in my actions. I aim to avoid the crisis I can create within the top floor, that spills out of my lips and ends up being made into a mess.

Hallow happens to have a two week journey embracing peace and serenity. And if todays ten minutes is anything like yesterdays, then I am on a pretty dang good path.

So with regard to the actual prompt from today, my aim is to minimalize my over side into extinction.

Don’t need to carry around that fossil anymore.