5 Things I Wish I could Do More Everyday Friday Round-Up

Daily writing prompt

What do you wish you could do more every day?

View all responses

Not worry about the destruction of American democracy. I am working very hard to turn my despair about what’s going on into action. Making those calls, going to town halls, showing up at demonstrations, and trying to encourage other folks to do the same – that’s what helps me not fold up like a wet paper doll. I bought three new protest t-shirts, one of which I’m wearing at the moment. Pretty classy, hey?

Engage in more cerebral pursuits like reading books and magazines and things not on screens, large or small. I read an actual book at night before I go to sleep. That’s it. It’s pitiful. I do have three books going, though – an Ann Cleeves book, a book about courage, and another one about being civil to people whose political positions are bullshit.

Swim. There’s no excuse for not swimming a lot. It’s not unforgiveable but it is stupid.

Excuse me I have to take a break to check Facebook and Threads.

Drink. I am still drinking very little after several years of drinking quite a bit. Sometimes, I miss the hit of hard liquor (in my case, rum) but it passes, much like the still frequently present urge to light up a cigarette passes. That is not what you’re doing anymore, dear. That’s what I tell myself. It’s been working. Still, absent all the negatives, I wouldn’t mind slugging one back, especially lately (see my shirt).

Take very long hikes in the woods or alongside a big lake with my dogs. There is nowhere to walk with dogs off leash anymore except the dog park. But the dog park doesn’t fit with the image in my mind’s eye of hiking over the moors with my dogs galloping in the distance and coming back to me when I whistle. We don’t have moors here and I was never that good a whistler, but we do have a dog park where today there was an enormous tree blown over in our path which made me constantly look up waiting for catastrophe. A metaphor pretty much for everything.