Daily Prompt | BulgingButtons

November 16, 2013
by BulgingButtons 12 Comments

Daily Prompt: FAQ

For today’s interview, we will be talking to Lila, the adorable nearly four year old labrador retriever – shar pei mix. Lila has agreed to this exclusive interview so that her adoring fans (all six of you) can get to know her better.

BB: Lila, thanks for sitting down with me today.

Lila (tilting head): Did you say sit? Or down? Because I heard both. Which do you want me to do? I can do both, you know.

BB: Yes, Lila, I know. How about down?

Lila (laying down, tail thumping): See? I did it. I’m a good dog.

BB: You’re a very good dog, Lila. Let’s talk about your past a little bit. Do you remember when you were a little puppy?

Lila: Oh yes. I had lots of puppy brothers and sisters. They were all warm and wriggly and squirmy and squeaky. I loved that. And we all had a momma and she was big and warm and she had food for us. Ah, it was a good time in my life.

BB: So you were a happy little puppy?

Lila: Of course. All puppies are happy.

BB: But when I met you, things had changed.

Lila: I remember that day. You and the boy came to see me and you took me in the play yard and I showed you how pretty I am from every side.

BB: Yes, you did. You were very pretty that day.

Lila: Am I still pretty?

BB: You’re the prettiest girl in the world.

Lila (tail thumping furiously): I love you.

BB: I love you too, Lila. Do you remember what happened before you met us, while you were waiting for us to find you and bring you home?

Lila (sad, downcast eyes): Yes. I was taken away from my brothers and sisters and my momma. I don’t remember too much after that, but somehow I ended up in a giant room with lots of kennels full of frightened dogs barking all the time. It was ugly and noisy and terrifying. I was so scared there I didn’t know what to do. Someone came by and said I had to go on a special list called an E-list. I didn’t like the way they said it.

BB: You were right to be scared, Lila. An E-list is not a good place for a puppy to be. But someone came and got you off that E-list. Someone from an animal welfare group. They knew you would grow up to be a wonderful pet someday.

Lila (happier): Yes. I got to ride in a truck from that scary place to a smaller place that still had lots of dogs, but there were lots of people there to help out and play yards to run in and it wasn’t as noisy or scary. But I was still alone in my kennel most of the time. Until my first family came. They took me home and I was so happy, at first.

BB: Then what happened?

Lila: I don’t know exactly, but it didn’t work out. They took me back to the place with the play yards and they said good bye. They said I just wasn’t working out for them. I was sad to see them go. I like people.

BB: I know you do. You’re a good girl. Then you met us, remember?

Lila: Yes, I remember. I didn’t want to scare the boy because I could tell he was a little nervous around me, so I played it cool, remember? I didn’t jump or bark or nip or anything. (wags tail furiously)

BB: You played it cool all right, until you got in the car to go home with us and peed on the seat, then started barking.

Lila (eyes slightly downcast): I was a little excited. (single, hopeful tail wag)

BB: It’s okay, Lila. You’re a good girl. (insane tail wag)

Lila: You didn’t say that at first.

BB: You were crazy at first. You were eight months old and you were naughty, naughty, naughty. But you worked hard at puppy school every week, and you went for long walks with me and the boy, and we went to the dog park a lot to help you get some of your energy out. We got a lot of exercise in that first year together. Remember that?

Lila: Yes! I love walks. Can we go on a walk? I’m ready. Just put on my leash. LET’S GO! (wag, wag, wag, jump up, circle, wag some more).

BB: Ok, Lila, let’s go.

Today’s WordPress Daily Prompt: Interview someone — a friend, another blogger, your mother, the mailman — and write a post based on their responses.

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November 10, 2013
by BulgingButtons 7 Comments

Daily Prompt: The Perfect Game

I’ve always enjoyed playing games. Let me clarify that statement a bit. I’ve always enjoyed playing board games. I also like word games and guessing games and many other types of games, but some games I definitely do not enjoy.

I do not enjoy the kinds of games that people play with each other’s emotions. I do not enjoy the types of games that are often referred to as office politics. Forget those games. I appreciate clear and honest communication. Games should be left for recreational purposes only.

As a child, I played lots of games outdoors in the neighborhood. We were always running around, getting plenty of fresh air and exercise. Some of the games were “real” like Spud and kickball, while others were the product of our collaborative imaginations. Bean soccer was one such made up game. I don’t recall the rules, but if memory serves me, there were many. We didn’t have an obese generation, because we were all outside playing, as long as the weather would permit.

Where I grew up we often had bad weather. Since my generation did not have computers, video games, or more than three television stations (none of them with non-stop children’s programming), we had to figure out other things to do. I loved to read, draw, and make things, like legos or crafts. I also loved board games. I remember playing Careers and Life as a little girl, thinking about what my future would hold.

I never lost that love, and was thrilled when, as a young twenty-something, I worked with a group of people who would regularly hold a game night. We would bring our favorite games, break up into groups, and play. My favorite game of that era was Trivial Pursuit, hands down. My brain has always been crammed full of useless trivia, and this was my opportunity to let some of it out! Of course there were snacks and beverages, and lots of laughter. I remember those game nights fondly.

As a middle aged quilter, I had the wonderful opportunity to go on several quilting retreats with some remarkable people. Our group also had quite a few women who loved games, and we would bring some along. We would take periodic breaks from sewing to organize a game. Balderdash was a particular favorite with this group. The laughter and chance to let down our hair was priceless.

As a young mother I engaged my son in board games. They were wonderful for learning to take turns, count, and make decisions. They also helped him to develop his attention span, and learn to handle both winning and losing with grace. Most board games are more fun with three players, so his father was frequently recruited as well. We spent many happy times playing Candyland and Chutes and Ladders. Over time those games were replaced by Sorry and Clue, then Risk and Monopoly. When he was very small someone gave us a Pokemon Master Trainer game. We held on to it until he was old enough (I think the box said seven but I’m pretty sure he got it when he was four or five). It was probably his favorite board game. He loved Pokemon, and this game delighted him. After all these years I’m pretty sure we still have it somewhere.

I still enjoy the opportunity to take time away from real life and totally connect with others by playing a game. We are all focused on the same thing, there is no technology pulling our attention away from one another, and we put our other concerns on hold for a short while. I think I will always enjoy playing board games. Oh, and if we’re playing Trivial Pursuit, look out, I’m still pretty good.

You’re set to play poker (or Scrabble or something else . . .) with a group of four. Write a story set during this game. Or, describe the ideal match: the players, the relationships — and the hidden rivalries.

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November 9, 2013
by BulgingButtons 12 Comments

Daily Prompt: Connect the Dots

Scour the news for an entirely uninteresting story. Consider how it connects to your life. Write about that.

The news is full of all sorts of stories from the horrifying to the absurd. The story I chose caught my eye because it was about a father’s unwillingness to take his child to McDonald’s and the fallout from that decision. Really?

In a nutshell, it’s about divorce, choices, and outside interference from psychologists, lawyers, and judges. It’s not about McDonald’s at all. Here’s the story: Dad gets almost 5 year old for dinner once a week. Boy wants McDonald’s for dinner. Day says no. Boy tantrums. Dad says anything BUT McDonald’s or no dinner. Boy chooses no dinner. Dad returns boy to mom. Dad deemed unfit parent. Dad’s visitation with son is on the line and Dad sues psychologist who recommends limiting visitation. Big. Ugly. Mess.

How sad that a parent can’t say no to his child without being accused of something sinister. Of course this isn’t about going to McDonald’s or not going to McDonald’s. It’s about finding an in, a chink in the armor, the Achille’s Heel, of your adversary. I’m sure son was upset at being taken back to mom without dinner. I’m sure mom was unhappy that son was upset and unfed. But somewhere, she had a flash of brilliance and used the incident to further her own agenda of limiting son’s exposure to dad. Maybe she has good reason. I don’t know these people. Maybe dad is an awful person on another level. But this isolated incident is not indicative of anything troublesome. In fact, I think it’s decent parenting. Sometimes we say no, and we mean it. That is an important lesson for an almost five year old.

I’m so glad I was able to teach those types of lessons to my son when he was small without any fear that his father would somehow twist them and use them against me. Would the incident where I walked out of the grocery store with a screaming three year old, my full cart stashed in the beer cooler (at the manager’s suggestion) have caused me to be labeled unfit? Would the scolding and swat on the bottom after running away in a busy mall have labeled me abusive? I don’t know, but those incidents could have been twisted and transformed into something ugly and harmful.

I think we are too quick to want to further our own agendas without looking at what is best for the greater good, in this instance a boy who really needs love, guidance, and limits from the adults who love him.