One Week of Pleasing and Angry Things
The list could be longer, but here it is
Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter — What if? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers prompts —
The Exercise:
Over the period of a week or so, write down ten things that made you angry, but don’t try to explain why. Over the same time period, do the same for ten things that pleased you. Be very specific. Statements like, “I felt good when I woke on Wednesday morning,” are too vague to carry any conviction~~ and this could have happened to anyone. “I ran into Ms. Butler, my third-grade teacher, in the Star Market, and she said hello to me by my right name” is specific and could only have happened to you.
The Objective:
You may not use most of what you’ve written down, but you will have practiced viewing your immediate world as a garden full of fictional seeds.
Things that pleased me:
Spending time with grandchildren in general!
Running into my grandson with his 2-year-old at the park
Time spent with friends at water ceremony
Date nights with hubby, dinner out on Friday night, and etc., on Sunday
Visiting my daughter and her children at the land they are building on
Meeting regarding service, the meeting about trauma training, the curriculum training meeting, and an exhibit of my sister’s pottery at a museum.
Speaking with my son on the phone about plans for the next few days.
Lunch out with my sponsor and good friend, and meeting a new friend.
Watching and hearing some cute reels on Facebook
Laughter yoga on Mondays
Things that made me angry:
I got charged for a latte when I had hot tea
Not remembering someone’s name that I’ve known for years
Not being able to ride my motorcycle due to my allergy to the smoke outdoors
Not ever right away remembering a great-grandson's name, Greyson, or not pronouncing a new great-granddaughter's name, Kasja.
Being allergic to beef, animals, and smoke. I want a cheeseburger! And I would like to be friendlier to dogs and cats, especially. It is the itchy ears, upset stomach, headaches, and overall sick feeling that comes, even with one or two daily allergy medicines.
Certain things on the news and on my online sites I bump into that are disgusting. I can’t stay there, but the first time is enough to make me angry. Most of the angry moments in a week are from this. Okay — it’s politics and the current administration.
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First published by Mercury Press on medium.com
About the Creator
Denise E Lindquist
Retired, working part-time as a Native American culture consultant. I have an MSE, and an ABD. I write on Vocal, and Facebook. Poetry, non-fiction mostly, and working on fiction. Wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.
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