Lists
1. Top Ten List of the topics, moments, and subjects you've always wanted to write about, but thought was impossible or too scary to actually write about.
(1) An alternate ending to World War II
(2) Future society (non-fiction, projection)
(3) Future world (science fiction)
(4) ‘Measuring Life’ – key metrics for healthy living
(5) Social commentary
(6) Patterns in human history
(7) Fixing injustices
(8) The simple, real story on the relativistic twin paradox for the layperson
(9) Genetics gone wild (fiction)
(10) Satirical essays of past and current events
2. Top Ten List of meals you've made with love for someone or were made with love, for you.
(1) Lobster and shrimp red sauce with fusili pasta
(2) “Super Taco” salad (meatless)
(3) Fried steak, mushrooms, onions, and garlic in olive oil
(4) “Super fruit” salad
(5) Mushroom venison stew
(6) Baked scallops, bread crumbs, wine, and butter
(7) Post surgery scrambled eggs with pork chops
(8) “Walford” salad
(9) Jarlsberg fondue
(10) Chestnut soup, polenta torte with roasted squash, peppered Brussels sprouts with grapes, soybean croquettes with cranberry orange and red wine sauce, salad of fresh herbs and greens, apple pie and pumpkin cheese cake with caramelized walnut and ginger sauce (vegetarian Thanksgiving meal)
3. Top Ten List of Significant Moments (big or small, life-changing, epiphany, or slight shifts in the way you see the world) in your Life
(1) Signing up for military service
(2) Getting married
(3) Deciding to go to Tufts vice MIT
(4) Changing majors and colleges at Tufts (Engineering to Liberal Arts)
(5) Reading H. G. Wells’ Outline of History
(6) Taking command of a military unit
(7) Starting the practice of yoga
(8) Completing a marathon
(9) Teaching public junior high school
(10) Attending my parents’ funerals
4. Top Ten Most Significant Conversations in Your Life
(1) “Should we get married?”
(2) “Do I leave military service now?”
(3) “Pros and cons of buying one house over another?”
(4) “Should we have children?”
(5) Foreign travel choices
(6) Talks with my mentor, George Yount
(7) Childhood sociopolitical discussions with my brother-in-law Pat
(8) Spend or save discussions (and how much)
(9) “Who is God?” conversations with my Reverend uncle
(10) Talking to my father about his prejudices
5. Top Ten Things You Love The Most in This World and One Reason Why
(1) Moderate to difficult physical activity, preferably outdoors, because it clears my mind and releases stress
(2) Having extreme thirst quenched by cool, clear water because it satisfies the most fundamental survival urge a human can experience
(3) Self-planned foreign travel involving staying in people’s homes as much as possible because it provides an opportunity to better understand the culture
(4) Apple pie, because it reminds me of my mother
(5) Al Stewart’s music and lyrics because his lyrics are thought-provoking and often include interesting historical figures and/or events and the music powerfully fits the lyrics
(6) Practicing yoga because it keeps me in touch with how my body is responding to what I’m doing to it
(7) Solving any type of problem (involving people or puzzles, for example) because it gives me a sense of accomplishment
(8) A competitive chess game against an equally-skilled player because it challenges my mind
(9) Seeing justice carried out because life is not always fair so it’s good to see humans not contributing to unreasonable outcomes
(10) Beethoven’s symphonies and similar pieces of art, music, science, or other constructive creativity because it reminds me just how good humanity can be
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5 comments:
Wow! What a list. You did so much.
Can you start to think about the items on your lists and think of one that pops out at you today? Maybe start writing--for 5 minutes--on that one item and see where you go from there.
Frank - quite a broad range. It was tough to choose:
Reading H. G. Wells’ Outline of History. I find this compelling because it is a significant moment in your life. Was it the first time you read it? Did you have to read it in school? Did someone recommend it? I haven’t read it, but it is on my book shelf. That makes me want to read it? I couldn’t remember how it got on the bookshelf, but it is my husband’s. I asked him where he got it? His mother gave it to him. That makes it even more intriguing for me to read it and find out why you found it so significant.
Chestnut soup, polenta torte with roasted squash, peppered Brussels sprouts with grapes, soybean croquettes with cranberry orange and red wine sauce, salad of fresh herbs and greens, apple pie and pumpkin cheese cake with caramelized walnut and ginger sauce (vegetarian Thanksgiving meal). Wow. It sounds delicious. Do you cook it every year? Do many contribute to its success? Was it a one time Thanksgiving? What is it served on? Who attends this Thanksgiving? Is everyone vegetarian?
Seeing justice carried out because life is not always fair so it’s good to see humans not contributing to unreasonable outcomes. I find this compelling because it makes me feel uncomfortable and I’m not sure I understand it, so I want it explained. “Seeing justice carried out” makes me think of revenge, a vendetta, the actual act. How do you define an unreasonable outcome? What’s an example. Is there a specific incident that made this something that you love?
Dear Frank. Sorry I am so late commenting on your lists. I see you have already chosen your top one and have already delivered the next assignment! You are an over-achiever and I am always lagging behind...
What I was interested in the most are the following:
Jarlsberg Fondue: I have been living in Switzerland for 5 years so know a lot about fondues but have never heard the Jarlsberg one. What is it? Is it as comforting as regular fondues? When do you prepare it? When do you eat it? And how do you feel after eating it? (which is the biggest determinant of a good fondue).
Attending my parents’ funerals: This must be the worst experience to go through in life and I dread for the moment when it will happen to me. But I do believe writing about it would be full of emotions and rich with memories from your childhood etc.
Self-planned foreign travel involving staying in people’s homes: I hate packaged vacations and always try to travel without a plan and a fixed itinerary. I was interested in learning more of where you went and how you get to stay in people's homes. Do you visit friends or knock on people's doors. In general a wonderful theme.
Frank--
The top three things from your list that I'm most intrigued by:
1. the chestnut soup, etc. . . veg Thanksgiving and what led up to that. How is it different from the Thanksgiving you grew up with? How establishing your own Thanksgiving was a way of claiming your own rituals and adulthood.
2. attending your parents' funerals--this might be really painful to write about, but it seems like important moments in everyone's lives
3. yoga--I'd be interested in learning about your relationship to yoga, the ways you might have resisted doing it--how the body might continue to resist the practice. This might make for a great first person essay for a yoga magazine. . .
Excellent work--very creative and thoughtful.
What popped out at me:
- genetics gone wild- very interesting theme. I love contemplating science and how it has the power to change how we live
-the marathon- I too run marathons, and believe it is so emotional and such a personal thing. I'd love to hear more
-your dad's prejudices- what were they? what prompted the conversation? how did you respond?
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