Everyday Canvas

Frustration, Kiddy Games, and Overwork

September 18,19, and 20

Prompt: What's a current frustration of yours?

My current frustration is not having enough time or quiet to write. I used to do better, but nowadays, I have to do more things in real life and I get interrupted every five minutes or so by someone, something, or other, and there goes my writing out the window.

Prompt: What was your favorite game when you were a kid?

When I was a kid? That’s so long ago that I barely recall. We mostly made up our own games.

One favorite pastime for me and my favorite cousin and bf was sitting nicely and quietly in the same room with the adults and attaching an off-color or bawdy meaning to any most used word in the language such as “thing” “people” “say.” When the adults used those words in totally innocent sentences, the meanings would end up being bizarre or hilarious, and we’d giggle.

Another one was we’d take a schoolbook and a notebook or sheets of paper (to act as if we are doing schoolwork) and write down exactly the words the adults spoke. In later life, this helped me to do schoolwork and take dictation because I could write so fast. Even in old age with arthritis in my fingers, I can still write much faster than my husband.

We’d also hide some item that is widely used like a guest’s overcoat or someone’s shoes or anything and watch the adults scramble for it.

Come to think of it, we were terrible and delinquent somewhat, but we passed ourselves off--very professionally, I might add--as well-behaved, model children. The only one we couldn’t fool was my mother. I guess she knew what my internal organs were made up of.

Prompt: "I'm a captive of my own ambitions." Patsy Kline What is your take on this quote?

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When someone is too ambitious and works far too hard to make his dreams and goals become reality, they might lose sight of what may be truly important to them like family and relationships.

Such a person, possibly to prove to himself how good he is, can start early and work late, pushing aside everyone and everything, including his physical and mental health. Some diseases like shingles and depression can happen because of the stress one puts on himself.

It is something else if the person truly enjoys hard work. That may be beneficial, but if a person pushes himself to do hard work to reach his goals against his own welfare and best judgment, he may end up losing his freedom and happiness, as if he is in a prison held captive by his own ambitions.