Sunday, September 30, 2012

Tell us a story: my beautiful laundrette

What is the most exotic or far-flung place where you've done laundry?

Saturday, September 29, 2012

My idol

Who did something this week that earned your admiration?

Friday, September 28, 2012

Life together (5)

When you aren't feeling 100% — whether physically or emotionally — can you count on your partner to pick up on how you are feeling, and adapt accordingly?

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Life together (4)

What is one routine thing that you and your partner enjoy doing together?

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Life together (3)

How is your life together organized? Do you have specific chores for which you are each responsible, or do you just get around to things when they become an issue?  Are your two styles compatible in this regard?

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Life together (2)

Does your home have adequate space for the both of you, or are you constantly tripping over one another? Is this a source of comedy, or conflict?

Monday, September 24, 2012

Life together (1)

This week's questions are about couples, and people in close relationships living together. If you aren't living with someone now, perhaps you can use this week's theme to reflect on past cohabitations, like college roommates, old romantic partners, or even a sibling who shared a room with you.

Are you a generous sharer of physical space, or does your partner/roommate have to beg for a shelf in the medicine cabinet?

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Tell us a story: animal antics

Have you ever had a pet that had an amazing trick it would perform on command?

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Neglected

What is the area of your home that you always avoid tidying or cleaning?  Does this part of your home correlate with a neglected part of your inner life?  How might that be improved by a cleanup of the physical space?

Friday, September 21, 2012

Success (5)

No one attains success completely on their own. A singing star has a backup band, and a champion athlete has coaches and trainers.  Who would you count as the Most Valuable Player on your team, the person who has contributed the most or supported you the most on your path to success? 

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Success (4)

Do you feel pressure to live up to a specific idea of success defined by your family, friends, or peer group? Does your idea of success line up with theirs, or do you have your own personal definition of what counts as successful?

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Success (3)

What person (real or fictional) comes to mind, for you, as the ultimate picture of success? What specific accomplishment or attainment of theirs stands out for you as the key symbol of their success? To put it another way, what specific thing stands as the undeniable proof that they are indeed successful?

Now, would this same specific thing work as a measure of success for you?  Or would your own ideal success lead in a different direction and take a different physical form? 

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Success (2)

Yesterday you identified one key obstacle or handicap that limits your success. Now, think about this question: Who else has had to face that same obstacle or handicap?  Think of people past and present, people you know and also people you've heard about indirectly, who've struggled with difficulties similar to the one you face. Are some of these people considered successful?  What were their strategies for dealing with this obstacle? 

Monday, September 17, 2012

Success (1)

Are you as successful as you want to be?  If not, what are the main handicaps, obstacles, and circumstances that keep you from reaching a greater level of success?  Of all of those things that hold you back, which is the most important one?  Which obstacle would you most like to remove? 

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Tell us a story: lost treasures

Have you ever lost something, driven yourself to distraction looking for it, only to find something else that completely captured your attention instead?

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Wisdom check

Are you wiser today than you were five years ago?  If you are, what's a recent example of something you did differently as a result of your greater wisdom?  If you are not any wiser, what could you do differently in order to gain wisdom from your new life experiences?

Friday, September 14, 2012

Your life story (5)

Now that you've thought a bit about your life as a story, what other people have stories that follow a similar trajectory?  Think of people you know, people you've heard about, and even fictional characters.  Whose story traces the closest parallel to your own story? 

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Your life story (4)

What is the overall tone of your life story?  Is it humorous, for example, or serious? Is it gritty or heroic?  If you had to pick a movie genre, where would your story best fit: romance, action, mystery, or comedy?

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Your life story (3)

Imagine that the chronology of your life is simplified and told in story format. How old are you when the main part of the story begins?  How much of your life could be quickly skipped over without losing anything essential from the narrative?

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Your life story (2)

If you think of your life as a story — a reasonably short and coherent story that people might sit and listen to — which area of your life is central to the story line?  Is the story about your work, for example, or about the people you interact with?  Is the story about larger events or trends that you played a small part in?  Where would a storyteller look to find the most interest and drama?

Monday, September 10, 2012

Your life story (1)

Imagine telling a group of people the story of your life.  In your story, what is the central conflict that moves the action forward?  What key theme ties the story together?

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Tell us a story: namesake

Is there a story behind your given (first) name? Were you named for a relative? For someone famous? Someone your parents admired? If you don't have a true story about your name, tell us a fictional one about how you might have gotten it.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Party time

If you decided you wanted to hold a big celebration, what are a few of the things that you could use as an excuse to celebrate?

Friday, September 7, 2012

Your living space (5)

How alive and energetic is your home?  Is it a place that sees lots of movement and activity, or is it a tired, confused, and cluttered space, where lively activity would seem out of place?  What part of your home feels the most active and energetic?  What part of your home feels the heaviest or the most cluttered? 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Your living space (4)

How many different places have you called home in your adult life?  When was the last time you moved?  How permanent does your current home feel?  Do you expect to stay for the rest of your life, or do you expect to be moving somewhere else in the near future?  In general, what would suit you better — being permanently settled in one place, or moving around a lot?

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Your living space (3)

Do you live in pleasant and positive surroundings?  Does your home feel comfortable and secure?  Do you feel safe going outside?  What are some of the things you like and things you need that are conveniently located close to home? 

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Your living space (2)

Looking at purely practical considerations, does your home provide what you need?  Is it in the perfect location for you?  If not, what general area would be better, considering the locations of your job,  the people you know, and other places you like to visit?  Does your home have appropriate space to support the things you do?  Is it financially suitable for you, or does the cost of your home throw your finances out of balance? 

Monday, September 3, 2012

Your living space (1)

Every home has its own distinct personality. What is your home like?  How well does your home suit you?  Does your home line up with your personal style and values?  Does it support you in being who you want to be?

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Tell us a story: timely advice

Tell us about the time when you were in the right place to offer someone advice that kept them from making a serious mistake, or helped prevent a small problem from turning into a big problem.  What was the situation?  What advice did you offer?  And what might have happened if you hadn't been there to help?

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Choice of chores

If you had a choice of three repair jobs, each using a different tool, which would you pick: patching something with duct tape, unsticking something with spray oil, or demolishing something with a hammer?