Today's Writing Prompt: Grown Up

Write about a way in which you act grown up...but wish you still acted like a kid.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Sara

I don't take my clothes off on the front lawn anymore, and I'm pretty sure the magic left my life when I stopped doing that.

Congratulations, Sara! Great, funny answer (and I found myself thinking of it when my preschooler was happily running through the house in her birthday suit the other day! Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Today's Writing Prompt: Opportunity Cost

Economists talk about "opportunity cost*." What was the opportunity cost of a decision you made?

*Opportunity cost definition: "The cost of passing up the next best choice when making a decision." (Quoted from Investor Worlds.)

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: grizzly9

I accepted a job in a small market that has limited opportunities rather than staying in my familiar large market where there are more career opportunities. I really boxed myself in, especially as this job is not meeting my expectations. One silver lining is that it was a kick in the pants to get on with working on my writing skills and doing something with them.

Congratulations, grizzly9! I'm sorry your job isn't what you wanted it to be, but it's great that you're writing more! Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Today's Writing Prompt: Giver

Write about a special gift you gave.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: H.K.

My mom and my teenage son always had a close relationship. For Christmas I gave my mother a framed picture of my son at 3 years old sitting on my mother's lap and they were looking at each other laughing. The look of adoration on both of their faces for each other were priceless and I'm glad I caught it on film.

Congratulations, H.K., on another win! I could picture this photo and I bet your mother treasures it.

Friday Fiction: Museum

Write a brief bit of fiction that takes place in a museum (past, present, or future.)

Friday Fiction is your opportunity to write a short (short, short, short) story. Many participants use more than one minute for Friday Fiction prompts, and I open up the One-Minute Writing of the Day contest to entries of various lengths.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Kate

I fell into that painting so fast that I could not control what would happen next. Steve caressed my hand, and I became suddenly annoyed that he was more interested in touching me than appreciating the massive, awe inspiring work that was jumping off the wall at us.

I started to cry. The colors were smashed together but also jumped apart, and I wanted, more than anything, to heave my body up against the whole thing just to be closer to it. By this point, my tears had turned to sobs, and poor Steve was beside himself.

"Kate... maybe we should find you a bathroom... or..."

"I'm fine!" I snapped back.

Steve found a bench and politely waited for me while I collected myself in front of the painting. When I sat down next to him, after I had finished crying, he took my hand into his lap, wiped my hot, puffy cheeks, and said, "Are you okay?"

I looked into his eyes, grey flecked with green and brown and sympathy. I stared down at his hand after that for a while, before I told him simply, "My mother painted that."

Congratulations, Kate! I love the emotion in this piece. Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Today's Writing Prompt: Break

What item you own do you secretly wish would break so you could upgrade it?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Dan Felstead

I would buy a new computer at the drop of a hat...but I always have to wait till it breaks in order to justify it to my wife! So I am sitting here turning my computer off and on, pouring coffee on the keyboard and touching all the circuit boards after I rub my feet on the carpet...in hope it will crash.

Dan

Congratulations on another win, Dan! Good luck on your inadvertent coffee spillage....

Today's Writing Prompt: Time travel

If you could travel back in time to any historical event, what would it be?

Thanks to Me (no, not me!) for submitting today's prompt! Visit Me's blog, Everything, Everything, and More.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Wrier: Eric

I initially was going to wish to go back to 50 BC and be a servant to Cleopatra until I discovered they were eunuchs. So much for that wish! But it would be a fantastic time to witness the creation of the pyramids and artifacts.

Congratulations, Eric! Your eunuch "realization" made me chuckle. Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Today's Writing Prompt: Computer

Write about a creative way you'd like to destroy your computer when you're having technical problems.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: the_girl

I would find a Programmer to program my computer to control a backhoe. Then I would hook my computer up to the backhoe and press the “Start” button. Then when all is quiet and the moon is full I would watch as my computer digs its own grave. Two feet by three feet and 20 feet deep should do it. Then I would drop my computer in the hole while its still hooked up to the backhoe with a 25 foot cable and sip on some wine while my former computer buries itself in the cold earth.

Congratulations, the_girl, on your win! This response was awesome--perfectly, hilariously macabre. Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Today's Writing Prompt: Smart

In what area do you wish you had more natural intelligence?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Roderckdhu

I would gladly trade
some of the ability
to calculate
least ordinary squares
for some of the ability
to know the hearts of men
Lamont Cranston
I am not

Congratulations on another win, Roderckdhu! I liked the poetic way you wrote your response (although the way I want to be smarter is in learning who Lamont Cranston is....)

Today's Writing Prompt: Swimming

Write about a memory you have that involves swimming.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Moggie711

I love the sounds of being underwater. Echoes of murmours; playful screams that bounce of the pool walls before jutting into the water like lightening that disipates into the earth, silenced by mock blue chlorined water. Sounds of legs flappying frog like to move white flesh through the water and hands slapping the surface.

Congratulations, Moggie711! I enjoyed your sensory response. Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Friday Fiction (a day late!): Monster

Write a brief bit of fiction involving a monster.

Friday Fiction is your opportunity to write a short (short, short, short) story. Many participants use more than one minute for Friday Fiction prompts, and I open up the One-Minute Writing of the Day contest to entries of various lengths.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: JenPB

I had the itch to get away, but they followed me everywhere - to work, home, the kitchen, even the blessed bathroom. I couldn't shake them. Their long, dark, rough hair against that pale skin gave me the creeps, but what could I do?! It had been days; I was beginning to lose my mind; I started to run, screaming, from the car. But my daughter, the sense of reason, called me back.
"Mom! I think it's time to shave your legs!"

Congratulations, JenPB! What a fun bit of comical writing...one that is unfortunately not fictional to a lot of us! Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Today's Writing Prompt: Compliment

What is the last compliment you remember receiving?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Call Me Cate

He held me close to him, brushed my hair behind my ear, and told me my eyes were beautiful. His proximity along with the Australian accent made my knees weak.

And then I woke up and Simon Baker was no longer whispering sweet nothings in my ear.

Congratulations, Call Me Cate, on another win! I guess you can consider this your "consolation prize" after finding out it was all a dream....

Today's Writing Prompt: Odd plant

If you could plant something non-living and make it grow (such as planting a dollar and growing a money tree), what would you plant?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Christine

It's funny, isn't it? We say that people sow the seeds of mistrust, so they must exist.

But where can we find the seeds of trust? If we could sow trust, so many of the world's peoples could finally live in peace.

Congratulations, Christine! This is a great response. If you find any of those trust seeds, let me know.

Today's Writing Prompt: Inheritance

What trait or feature do you wish you'd inherited from one of your parents (but didn't)?

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Amy

I was actually adopted and for a long time I didn't know what I inherited from whom.

I found my birth mother in 1998 and learned her story. I hope that I inherited her selflessness and sense of right. She did the right thing by me and I am forever grateful.

Congratulations, Amy, on winning! This is a great response. I'm glad you could find your birth mother and that she was able to make that tough decision, years ago. Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Today's Writing Prompt: Bargain

Write about a great bargain you've gotten.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Marc

I signed up on an online dating site a little under five years ago.

I never paid a cent but got four years of laughter, love, and peace out of it.

And, as of last Saturday night, a fiancee.

Beat that.

Aww, Marc, congratulations! I'm so happy for you and your fiancee! You're right, that's a pretty tough bargain to beat.

Today's Writing Prompt: Rebellion

Write about a time you remember rebelling from your parents or guardians.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: rainylakechick

In fifth grade I stayed home sick from school and opened all my Christmas gifts that were under the tree. Every last one. Then when it came time to tape them closed, all I could find was electrical tape. So I used that. My folks never said anything... 20 years later I confessed to my mom. She was shocked! She never noticed that black tape!!

Congratulations, rainylakechick! I can just imagine this scene--and I think it's amazing you got away with it! (You must have been a pretty good gift wrapper--despite the black tape.) Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Today's Writing Prompt: Shirt

Many people describe a generous person as someone who "would give you the shirt off his/her back."

Creatively rewrite the saying. " A generous person is someone who would give you ___________."

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Paula

A generous person is someone who would give you the seat at the table with the view of the street the first time you eat at a café in Paris.

Congratulations, Paula, on the win! I can imagine this scene and would love to hear the story behind it. Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Today's Writing Prompt: Good news

Write about some good news you heard recently.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Dani

You're hired!

Congratulations, Dani, on the win--but more importantly, congratulations on the job!! Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Friday Fiction: Green

Write a brief bit of fiction involving money.

Friday Fiction is your opportunity to write a short (short, short, short) story. Many participants use more than one minute for Friday Fiction prompts, and I open up the One-Minute Writing of the Day contest to entries of various lengths.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: beckiwithani

We had broken into an old warehouse to steal the dynamite. Joan set the charges, then ran back to join me behind an abandoned car for shelter.

3...2...1...BOOOM! I didn't know it would be that loud. We both waited, dazed, until our ears stopped ringing. "Do you think anyone heard that?" I asked with a small chuckle.

"That's not funny." Joan had a harder time than I with finding the humor in our situation.

We walked through the hole in the wall. We'd guessed correctly - this took us right into the bank's vault. "Perfect!" Joan breathed a sigh of relief when she saw hundreds of neatly-bound stacks of bills. "These will last us for years, if we can manage not to get them stolen."

Linen and cotton. That's what they make bills out of - linen and cotton. Perfect for soaking, spinning, and weaving. All of the textiles within a few days' walking distance had been looted and used over the last eight years. With winter approaching, our shirts hanging off us in rags, we were desperate for something to use for clothing. So we loaded up our wheelbarrow and walked out onto the silent street, listening carefully for gangs of Ramblers. We might be the last generation on this ghost town of a planet, but we were going to keep going as long as we could.

Congratulations, beckiwithani, on another win! I love this--I think it could be a great piece of an apocalyptic novel.

Today's Writing Prompt: Home

How do you feel when you walk into your home after an out of town trip?

It's great to be home from my vacation. I'll be naming One-Minute Writing of the Day winners again starting with yesterday's post. Thank you to those who helped me with prompt ideas while I was gone!

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Emma

Walking into my home after an absence is walking back into the familiar, but also seeing my place the way a stranger sees it. After being away, everything seems both fresh and new and I really see my home as though seeing it for the first time. And then it settles back to being its own familiar self.

Congratulations, Emma! I really related to your response. Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Today's Writing Prompt: Night out

What would be your perfect night out?

I'm back from vacation. Thank you so much to Sabrina, Just Me, Mission Kid, Barga, & My Teacher Hat for helping me out by submitting prompts for me to use while I was gone! You can always send your prompt ideas to cbethblog (at) gmail (dot) com.

One-Minute Writing of the Day:
Writer: Kate

It would start with a tandem bicycle ride, of course. Followed by picking daisies together in a starlit field, then laying in the grass and watching a convenient meteor shower. The occasional brush of his hand against mine. Then we would build a fire, and by its light, we would read aloud to each other from some incredibly witty book. And occasionally, he would lean over and tell me just how much he adores me.

Congratulations, Jen! I love the whimsical, dreamy nature of your response. Feel free to put a One-Minute Writer WINNER! button on your blog!

Today's Writing Prompt: Quote

In 100 years, what one statement would you like others to remember you as having said?

I am on vacation this week, and I'm using prompts that have been suggested by readers. Thanks to Just Me for this prompt. Check out her blogs, Can I Count on You GOD? and Born Barefoot.

Today's Writing Prompt: Pick up

Create a pick up line. (Keep it family-friendly if you post it here!)

I am on vacation this week, and I'm using prompts that have been suggested by readers. Thanks to Just Me for this prompt. Check out her blogs, Can I Count on You GOD? and Born Barefoot.

Today's Writing Prompt: Wondrous

Mankind has done wondrous things. We built the pyramids, went to the moon, and have explored the deepest depths of space. Describe something wondrous that you have done.

I am on vacation this week, and I'm using prompts that have been suggested by readers. Thanks to Barga for this prompt. Check out Barga's blogs, Whalertly (personal website); The Smoke Screen (all about pipes and cigars); Sailing the Ship (about the Columbus Clippers); ABCs of Columbus Sports (sports column); iWant, iNeed (tech column), and Blogcritics (Barga's product reviews.

Today's Writing Prompt: Silence

Describe silence.

I am on vacation this week, and I'm using prompts that have been suggested by readers. Thanks to Just Me for this prompt. Check out her blogs, Can I Count on You GOD? and Born Barefoot.

I'm sorry for the delayed post today--I made a mistake in setting it up in advance. Hope you're all enjoying your weekends!

Friday Fiction: Teacher

Write a short, fictional piece about a teacher.

Friday Fiction is your opportunity to write a short (short, short, short) story. Many participants use more than one minute for Friday Fiction prompts, and I open up the One-Minute Writing of the Day contest to entries of various lengths.

I am on vacation this week, and I'm using prompts that have been suggested by readers. Thanks to My Teacher Hat for this prompt! Check out My Teacher Hat's blog.

Today's Writing Prompt: TV

Write about a classic TV show you wish would come back on.

I am on vacation this week, and I'm using prompts that have been suggested by readers. Thanks to Mission Kid for this prompt. Check out her blog, Livin' Life in the Fastlane (literally).

Today's Writing Prompt: Room

Describe your ideal writing and reading room.

I am on vacation this week, and I'm using prompts that have been suggested by readers. Thanks to Just Me for this prompt. Check out her blogs, Can I Count on You GOD? and Born Barefoot.

Today's Writing Prompt: Cover letter

Think of a job you would love to have, and write a brief, creative cover letter telling your future employer why they should hire you.

I am on vacation this week, and I'm using prompts that have been suggested by readers. Thanks to Just Me for this prompt. Check out her blogs, Can I Count on You GOD? and Born Barefoot.

Today's Writing Prompt: Place

Write about a place you remember clearly from your childhood, that has now drastically changed.

I am on vacation this week, and I'm using prompts that have been suggested by readers. Thanks to Sabrina for this prompt. Check out her blog, nouns make verbs....

Today's Writing Prompt: Talk

Write about the last really good talk you had with someone.

Today's Writing Prompt: Discrimination

Write about a time you witnessed discrimination, and reflect on your reaction to it.