Tag Archives: dailyprompt

Is Forrest Gump just looking for El Dorado?

What’s something you believe everyone should know.

We’ve seen Candide at least a couple of times. If by “seen,” you count the back rows of the Theatre, which is still occupied by Wicked for these dozen plus years. The stage is away aways from the topt’o the house there.

We saw Grand Hotel with Cyd Charisse uptop, too. Even from that height, she had spectacular legs.

I digress a bit, but yes, everyone should be aware of Ms. Charisse’s beauty in her Bway debut at age 70 and the steep incline that defines the Gershwin Theatre’s  seating capacity.

Candide was led by Jim Dale and a newly minted Jason Daniely and featured Arte Johnson. Its music is by Leonard Bernstein with some additional Sondheim songs.

Like Forrest, Candide falls into a series of adventures [well mis- adventures].

His naïveté, [well their naïveté] creates the disconnect between how unsettling things are and their happy-go-lucky reactions.

“The best of all possible worlds” offers many upsets to the hero [well heroes] of these picaresques

In Gump’s best world, “life is like a box of chocolates.”

Two views, two famous lines. Two innocents abroad.

Leisure time

What is your favorite hobby or pastime?

Pasttimes are crucial to keeping us involved. Hobbies often augment and eventually replace work in our lives.

Leisure activities become the “what we do” when we retire from our jobs.

For some of us, the bowling league runs parallel to our paycheck activity. It might be karaoke Tuesday that makes your week even while you’re still going to a 9-to-5.

Some of us are serious about physical endeavors, like preparing for a marathon or biking new trails.

I enjoy my classes at the gym alongside long chats with friends over lunch or coffee. Or just like that- even if we communicate by that new-fangled texting thing.

I consider writing my actual occupation now. I feel as if this is what I have grown into and prepared for in all my years past.

I have landed on a true pasttime to pass my time.

Greetings

Describe your life in an alternate universe.

I never noticed this before, but we oldies nod and smile as we pass on the street.

I was going to blame my lack of attention to this being a new phenomenon or to me being new to oldness.

Truly doubt either proposition.

It is kind of nice, a recognition of our cohort in a population of carriages or bikes.

Too much? Nah!

What’s the most money you’ve ever spent on a meal? Was it worth it?

Back in the day, a splurge was a splurge for us. Obviously, for us, this wasn’t a regular occurrence.

We ate out regularly, but our meals, while indulgent, were not usually expensive.

We had bargain lunches at one of Jean Georges’ restaurants on Fridays.

The over-the-top meals we had were for birthdays or Thxgiving. We went to one of Daniel’s many fabulous eateries a few times.

Dinner with J-G or Daniel always came with a high-ticket cost. Was it worth it?, you asked.

In a few words: Yes, for the memories.

Connecting

Describe one habit that brings you joy.

The topic was conversation and connection on Melissa Kirsch’s NYT The Morning. She called it Easy Listening. I felt the tug of  connection when her trip home took her past Worcester.

She kept going as you have to from Maine to New York.

There was more geography to recognize. Worcester, however, was where I spent four [plus] years. Formative, informing years I might add. It’s where I went to college. It’s where I learned how to grow up.

Melissa Kirsch’s rental car took me back to a kind of beginning.

To bring us back on topic, it’s the habit of reminiscing that brings me joy. 

I have a habit of taking another’s experience as a jumping off point to recall some of mine.

Makes me feel happy and, yes, connected.

Take me to the movies

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Popcorn is so comforting.

Is it because it’s remiscent of the movies? Maybe.

Although I haven’t had popcorn at the movies in 40 years.

In fact,  it’s been at least 10 years since I went to a movie house.

Popcorn is just a pleasant snack. It’s easy to pop in the mouth, one soft kernel at a time or by the handful.

The latter is messier, but still, popcorn is a neat after dinner treat.

Clean clothes?

If you were forced to wear one outfit over and over again, what would it be?

Except for having to organize either

  • a regular washing cycle
  • or,
  • many identical outfits

it’s not a bad idea, having a “signature look.”

I propose a two-tier approach based on season.

In the spring and summer, we’ll have a 6-month stint in pale clothes. Perhaps white jeans with a pastel shirt. I am partial to a light yellow blouse or perhaps just a simple red t-shirt.

Starting in the autumn, I chose a  pair of black slacks paired with perhaps that red t-shirt.

Thus, I am keeping close to the proposition. It’s one outfit with just a swap of the pants.

The red shirt would be my look,  singular and consistent.

Higher

What fears have you overcome and how?

There is a recommendation for fighting fear by leaning into it. Afraid of dogs, acquire a pit bull.

Fears tend to diminish who we are or who we can be.

My fear of heights had me cautiously approaching the railings of balconies.

Come to think of it, the rich fellow (Richard Gere) in Pretty Woman gets the penthouse suite “cause it’s the best.” He stays off that balcony til much later when it becomes necessary for winning the titular girl (Julia Roberts).

We do what we must.