I was waiting for my prompt. A couple of words to set me on my way. But no. The Drama Mama is trying something different. “No prompt for you,” she decreed.
At first, it was scary. Like trying the trapeze without a safety net. I felt befuddled, bewildered, directionless. It reminded me of those first few days of motherhood, when I would have sold my entire supply of tiny singlets for a prompt. A couple of words to help me navigate my path with assurance.
But life’s not like that, is it? Often we have to find our own way. Work out our own set of instructions. Find our own voice.
We take our prompts from the actions, reactions and, sometimes, inaction of others. Sometimes I wish I could ignore prompts. The wistful look in the eyes of the school’s cake stall/raffle/school magazine organizer as she laments the lack of volunteers on the committee always prompts me to say ‘Oh well, if you’re really short, let me know.’ Of course, they’re always really short. Of course, I find myself front and centre for every fundraising occasion.
Other times, acting on a prompt has been the best thing I’ve ever done. When I was 18 and working as a secretary for a magazing publishing company, a friend and I were chatting at the photocopier (as you do). Another girl, who was working as a cadet journalist at the time, ran up to us in great excitement. “I’ve just been accepted into catering college,” she trilled. “I’m leaving Friday.” She skipped off, leaving us staring in her wake. We got back to the photocopying.
“You know,” said my friend. “If she’s leaving, they’ll be looking for a new cadet. You should go and talk to the boss right now.”
Excitement rose within me – and quickly died. Why would they give it to me? “Me? Do you think so?”
She picked up her pages and gave me a long look. “What have you got to lose?” she asked.
So maybe it wasn’t so much a prompt as a challenge. Either way, I followed it. I marched into the Managing Editor’s office, introduced myself and suggested that he might like to employ me as a journalist.
It was the best move I ever made. Would I have made it without her? I really don’t know.
I’d probably still be there. Standing at the photocopier. Waiting for a prompt.
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Looking for the contest I hinted about? Well, here you go...
This idea is brought to me by the fabulous Kelly of The Miller Mix. It fits right along with my blog title, plus, it will be fun. It will run from TODAY, October 25, 2010, until midnight, November 1, 2010.
How many times can you say poop in a comment, that still makes sense? Plus, see over -----> in my sidebar? I have this handy little "Top Commenter" widget I call "Top Potty Mouths". Whoever has the most poop-filled comments (AKA a Top Potty Mouth) wins a $25 Starbucks Gift Card to be used soley for Pumpkin Spice Lattes for whatever you want. So, come on, what are you waiting for? Shoot the Poop with me, all week, and win a $25 Starbucks Gift Card. How easy is that?
Need more incentive? Okay, look over -----> on my sidebar again. See at the very top where I have the "Best Scoop of the Week" featured? You also win the honored top slot there for ONE week, Guest posting and interview optional. And? I'll even make you a Top Potty Mouth button to proudly display on your blog.
So? What are you waiting for? Bring out that inner middle school child and let the poop fly!!
6 people who like to shoot the poop:
well let see. I have a great poop story for you. It started with my middle daughter potty training. She was getting the peeing in the potty thing but not quite the poop in the potty. So I would try to watch for when she had to poop but it didn't always work. Sometimes I would go in her room and there would be poop everywhere. I mean literally poop in the hair, poop on her hands, poop on her clothes. Poop on the walls. Everywhere. lots of poop. Smelly squishy gross poop. My husband wouldn't clean up the poop so here comes mommy to the rescue. really gave a new meaning to poop scooper! So of course eventually she grew out of the playing in my poop stage but now my youngest daughter seems to have a similar poop fetish. She is getting over it now, but for a while everytime she would poop, she would tell me "poop" and when I looked at her she had poop on her hands almost everytime. She would reach in her diaper and pull out poop and tell me that there was poop. And this was like a daily thing at one point so I got pretty tired of poop to say the least. I kept reminding her to come get me when there was poop and I would change her butt. Now miraculously she is out of the "I play in my poop" phase and has managed to poop in the potty a few times! I just let her run around bare butt and she runs when she has to poop and does it in her potty. Thank goodness. Poop stinks. Lol. Now to solve the problem of the dog poop in the backyard. If we could just potty train to dog or get him to pick up his own poop, I might finally get out of the Poop business
lilcherrygirl at hotmail dot com
Wow! Good job taking advantage of the situation :)
What a fun idea! What a great guest poster today. She got a great break all at the urging of her friend who had faith in her.
Hi TDM, Oooh, I look so good over here. :-) Thanks so much for having me.
Great post, Allison. We all need to remember to leap at unexpected opportunities, large and small. x
I hope she used her best "no soup for you" Soup Nazi impersonation when she rejected your request for a prompt? Great story about listening to life's little messages. I'm glad you took your friend up. The world of journalism would be a different place without you :) Poop. Poo. (not sure what that is all about but thought I would join in?)
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