September is National Courtesy Month, but not so much on our highways. It seems like everyone is in too much of a hurry to let a car change lanes or to pull over on a narrow street. Do road work and detours lead to stress rather than courtesy where you live? Are horns blasting and tempers flaring? Think back… was driving as challenging when you were younger? How have things changed? Share your road rage stories forward.
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This Week's Prompt
Road Rage (8 Stories)
September is National Courtesy Month, but not so much on our highways. It seems like everyone is in too much of a hurry to let a car change lanes or to pull over on a narrow street. Do road work and detours lead to stress rather than courtesy where you live? Are horns blasting and tempers flaring? Think back… was driving as challenging when you were younger? How have things changed? Share your road rage stories forward.
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Upcoming Prompts
Games People Play (1 Story)
In 1964, psychiatrist Eric Berne’s book, Games People Play, was a best-seller. He was talking about psychological games, such as “See What You Made Me Do” or “Let’s You and Him Fight.” Did you ever read this book and/or play these mind games? What about real games such as poker, scrabble, chess, or ping pong? Think back … what games stand out in your memory? What games do you play now? Share your game stories forward.
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Nannies and Babysitters
Everyone with young children leaves them with a sitter sooner or later. Some families have full-time nannies or foreign au pairs, and some only the occasional teenage babysitter. Think back . . . to your childhood or that of your kids, or to your own experiences as a babysitter. Do you have any memorable tales of good or bad childcare situations? Share your nanny or babysitter stories forward.
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Potpourri (Writer’s Choice)
Several people have written to us suggesting prompts that they want to write about. Some are ideas that we have already used, and we don’t want to repeat them just yet for all of our writers. So, this is Writer’s Choice week. Think back . . . to any topic that strikes your fancy. Look at our list of past prompts if you need inspiration. Share your Writer’s Choice stories forward.P.S. At the end of the week, you can move your story to the appropriate prompt, or you can leave it in the Potpourri. Start Writing
Hacks and Scams
High-tech hacks and scams, from phishing, to ransomware, to worms and viruses, are happening all the time—even to Retrospect with bogus emails. But cons have always been with us, in person and door to door. Have you or loved ones been conned, hacked, or scammed? Maybe you foiled a scam, and if so, how? Think back … to yesterday’s cons or recent cybercrimes. Share your hacks and scams stories forward.
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Past Prompts
An Unforgettable Person (10 Stories)
There probably was someone in our lives whom we just can’t forget. Whether lover, teacher, friend, celebrity, or even a stranger whom we encountered, that someone made a lasting impression, for better or for worse. Think back … Who was your unforgettable person? What made them unforgettable? How might they have influenced your life? Share your story of an unforgettable person forward.
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Kindergarten (9 Stories)
Kindergarten is the beginning of formal education and this is the time of year when many children make that important first step into school. What has happened to the “children’s garden”? Do you agree with its increasingly academic expectations? Do you think children are missing out on learning through play? Think back… what was kindergarten like for you or your children? What is it like for kindergarten students today? Share your kindergarten stories forward.
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Weather (9 Stories)
"Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it" is an aphorism attributed to Mark Twain. In recent years, we have seen an increase in tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes and every other kind of weather disaster. Think back . . . how did the weather affect you when you were a child? Is it different now? Is there anything we can or should be doing about it? Share your weather stories forward.
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Woodstock (8 Stories)
50 years ago, on August 15-17, 1969, more than 400,000 people gathered at Max Yasgur's farm for the festival known as Woodstock. It is considered the rock festival for the ages, and one of the defining events for the Baby Boom generation. Did you go? Did you wish you had gone? Or did you deliberately stay away? Think back . . . what were your thoughts about Woodstock at the time? What do your kids or grandkids think about Woodstock, if they even know about it? Share your Woodstock stories forward.
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Genealogy (10 Stories)
Genealogy is all the rage these days. Whether or not they use websites like Ancestry.com or 23 and Me, lots of folks are tracking down ancestors and uncovering relationships and family ties. What are the pros and cons of the surge in DNA testing? Have you or anyone you know made a life-changing discovery or gained meaningful information this way? Think back… What did you know about your family history growing up? Share your genealogy stories forward.
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