Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?
It was always my dream to be a park ranger. Ever since I was a small girl, I imagined myself out in the wilderness, wearing rugged boots and heavy clothing topped off with a nondescript brown hat. Flowers and trees and plants as far as the eye can see. I never knew if I would realize my dream. I worked hard toward it, but life interrupted.
That’s what I told my Acting 101 class as I pretended that I’ve always wanted to be a park ranger. While it’s true that I love plants and trees and the grass beneath my feet, mosquitoes have an unrequited love for me, and I do not like the smell of leaves, nor being cold at night. Sleeping in a tent? I’ll pass, thanks.
My performance earned me a round of applause. They believed me.
What is something others do that sparks your admiration?
It’s not really what others do, it’s who others are, that sparks my admiration. A person can do something, but that doesn’t mean it’s the essence of who they are. If someone consistently does something, without outside provocation, it’s a manifestation of who they are. You can tell a lot by a person if you watch them in the grocery store parking lot. Fully able-bodied people who return grocery carts are Real Ones. What’s that saying? Character is who you are when you think no one is watching? Yeah, that.
Look at daily prompt with the perfect Saturday/Caturday morning question.
My favorite cartoon is not a moving cartoon but a cartoon figure.
It all started when my father brought me home a pencil case with her image on it. He had been traveling again, and found this on his travels. I must’ve been four years old, at a time when the brain is impressionable. We also had cats, so it seems like it was a foregone conclusion that this character would become my favorite, and it extends to present day.
Hello Kitty (original design)
Once, I had a cat named Kitty. During the time of her years in my home, there was a TV commercial that repeatedly stated, “Hello Kitty!” It was a rather annoying commercial, actually. But the cat kept hearing her name and turned her head toward the humans in the home as if to say, “What?! I’m right here! Stop this thing saying hello to me.” She was so annoyed. And it was amusing.
Kitty (four pounds of badassery)
If you haven’t guessed by now, my favorite cartoon is Hello Kitty. For many years, I didn’t know Hello Kitty has a twin sister, nor a pet cat (?!?!). She also has a boyfriend named Dear Daniel, but he’s kind of sketchy. He has that tomcat vibe. You know the type: they only come around when they want to see you. They don’t call, they don’t text, they’re just out here on the streets looking cute talking to all the girls. He has that stray cat strut. Mmm, hmm.
Dear Daniel (See? Sketchy.)
I am an adult. And I am not ashamed to say Hello Kitty can be found throughout my home. She’s in my car, hanging from my rearview mirror. She’s on my floor mats. I have several items of clothing with her face on them. I contemplated a tattoo, but never followed through with it. At least not yet.
Chococat, another Sanrio cat, gets a shout out today because he is a friend of Hello Kitty, it’s Caturday, and he’s cute.
Yes, I work with them every day. Oh. You mean the kind that live outside? Sure, I see them, too. Now, Daily Prompt, it’s nap time. You’ve been asking questions like this all week and I think you’ve had too much sugar. It’s probably the gummy vitamins. Time to go sleep it off.
Most importantly, I excel at bumping into inanimate objects and asking for forgiveness for my transgressions from said objects. The objects usually accept my apology, but not before inflicting nasty bruises on one of my limbs. Do the objects ever apologize for this bodily harm? Nope.
I am great at singing – in a terrible voice – to my plants, who each have names and who bloom better when they’re spoken to. For example, Chris, Princess Peaches and Penelope are all in bloom right now. They are Christmas cacti. Of course, the blooming has nothing to do with the time of year, it is all due to my singing.
I’m well known for naming my cars and my house appliances. For example, my new refrigerator is named Elizabeth, and directly across from her is Mr. Darcy, the stove. Elizabeth stands there, tall and proud, minding her business. Mr. Darcy stares at her from across the room. He seems frustrated. Maybe that’s because he’s anchored to the wall.
I’m world-renowned for talking too much when I’m nervous, which often gets me into a pickle, which is unfortunate because I don’t like pickles.
Finally, you can ask any of my cat children and they’ll tell you: they each have 10 to 15 nicknames what I prattle off one after the other, whenever the feeling strikes, in that dulcet singing tone I possess.
What is one thing you would change about yourself?
The vitamin manufacturers know exactly what they are doing. They are making very expensive candy. It’s an outrage. Fifty dollars for a thirty days’ supply of CoQ10 gummies?! This supplement, as well as others, are recommended for me to take due to my chronic migraines. Vitamin D is necessary and very important for bone and immune system health. Probiotics are essential for gut health. Turmeric is amongst the most beneficial supplements due to its anti-inflammatory actions. Vitamin B12 is recommended for energy, and a host of other essential nerve functioning processes. Biotin is helpful for hair loss and fingernail growth. I could go on, but I will spare you, because I’m going to run out of space to type if I continue extolling the benefits of gummy vitamins (which is a very weak argument, let’s be honest).
Before you believe me to be complaining about all of this, you should know that when I lay out each of my gummies on my morning napkin, I have an order in which I chew them. Some brands are delicious, and some brands are trash. I eat the yucky ones first. I save the two best for last: the turmeric and the vitamin D. I alternate between these two until they are (gasp!) gone. There comes a point every morning where I reach for one more only to find an empty napkin. With a frown I glance at my white napkin with its yellow stain from the turmeric, and I want more gummies.
I am a willing participant in this scam that is known as gummies with a bit of vitamins sprinkled in them. I am an active gummy vitamin addict. And I have news for you: I’m going to do it all again tomorrow morning.
Not even the lure of Santa visiting the night before could get this toddler out of bed. Mommy and Daddy had to come gather a grumpy groggy me to see the presents under the tree in the morning. Me, probably: “This is cool and all, but can I just go back to bed and see these in a couple of hours?”
If left to its own devices – which means not needing to work – my body would wish to be a night person. It has been a night person in the past, especially when I was a teenager. But now…I’m lucky if I see 9 PM. Welcome to adulthood. Sleep is interrupted and brief, something is always broken or needing to be replaced, and you have now become an afternoon *person.
*subjective use of the word. May be substituted for caffeine-fueled skin bag with sputtering, smoke-spitting brain.
“It's Amy,” I said. 