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Writer's pictureMark Sanders

300 Random Prompts: Day 12

Today’s Random Prompt: Periodically, we have tension build up in our lives that requires a release of some kind. Some people cry; others punch; some find a creative outlet. What is your release?

Writing fiction—Have I mentioned lately that I’ve just published my third novel? Writing it was a joy, and I’m really looking forward to starting a new novel in January. In the meantime, this year’s Blogtober project was a blast, and these random prompt blogs have kept me in the daily (mostly…) writing groove, which helps keep me sane.


Playing drums—I played in a church worship band for years, and I’ve done live gigs playing both Christian and classic rock music. Now I’m relegated to solo practice with my headphones and my playlist, but I’m ready to sit in whenever someone needs a drummer.


Long-distance running—Undertaken in a dark personal time for me as a desperate attempt to relieve daily panic attacks, it’s become a way to connect with my local running community over a series of (mostly) 5K races that help manage my T2 diabetes and keep the Reaper at bay for another 2-3 decades.


Watching television—Have you seen ANDOR yet? Disney+ saved the Star Wars franchise from itself by emphasizing story over spectacle in four series that eclipse everything but the original trilogy and have even rehabbed the legacy of the well-intentioned but misguided prequels.


Cooking—Thank God for Alton Brown, my inspiration for cooking whose simply instructions have freed me from recipes and enabled me to channel my creativity into a way to bring my family together around the dinner table.


Gardening—Moving to a new house in a neighborhood that emphasizes curb appeal, I dedicated myself to simply keeping my home’s plants and shrubs alive through a brutally hot summer. Along the way, I found out my skills weren’t as hopeless as I previously thought.


Acting—Like my drumming, I lack the talent to do this kind of thing for a living, but in the family of community theater, I’m a reliable character actor with a knack for physical comedy and the willingness to do whatever it takes to make the show more entertaining. Dream roles yet to materialize include Prof. Harold Hill (The Music Man), George Bailey (It’s a Wonderful Life) and Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice: The Musical).


Branson trips—Sure, it gets made fun of, but it includes Silver Dollar City, the home of Missouri’s best collection of roller coasters, the Showboat Branson Belle, and a host of entertaining attractions that include singers, comedians, magicians, curiosities, animal life, shopping, restaurants, and just about anything else for a fun weekend that won’t break the bank.


Beach vacations—I’ve only been to one beach, and that’s Destin, Florida, and clear blue water with white sand beaches is reason enough to go back again. Sure, there’s other places to go, and I hope to make it elsewhere some day, but all things considered, it’s one of the most relaxing places I’ve ever been.


Naps—Anathema to myself as a toddler (according to my mother) and only taken in my young adulthood when I was sick, at age 54, now I understand why my own grandfathers liked to nap in their recliners in the afternoon: it’s necessary.

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