Alternative fairy tales

If you were the author of the fairy tale, what would you do about the wolf at the door?

Tell us a story: Sunday crisis

In the United States, Sunday is the worst time to have something go wrong, because the people and businesses that fix things — doctors, plumbers, auto mechanics, and so on — generally aren't available on Sunday. What was one urgent problem that you had to sit with longer than you wanted to because it happened on a Sunday (or some other time when everything was closed)?

Early symptoms

Think of one of the recent problems that erupted in your life and suddenly required a lot of your time and attention. What warning signs could have alerted you to the problem ahead of time, if you had known what to look for?

This week's theme is pointing the way.

Tell us a story: this is not a drill

At first you thought it must be a mistake, a prank, a hoax, or a false alarm. But soon enough it became clear that this was the real thing, and you had to act immediately. Where were you, who were you with, and what happened?

Duct tape and a rubber band

Sometimes problems seem too big to handle, and the best you can do at the moment is a temporary, stopgap solution. But sometimes the temporary fix works out just fine and turns out to be all you needed after all. When did one of your hasty, temporary fixes turn out to be a workable, durable solution?

Hidden strengths

What was one emergency or unusual situation when you surprised yourself by handling things that you would normally think were beyond your capabilities?

This week's theme is hidden strengths.

Tell us a story: evacuation

A few million people are away from home today to stay out of harm's way in the path of Hurricane Irene. Have you ever had to evacuate because of severe weather, flooding, or other dangers? Where did you go, and how long did you have to stay away before you were allowed to return?

Tell us a story: too close to the flames

Did you ever burn yourself, burn up something valuable by accident, or have to deal with a fire that got out of control? What was one time that you faced the dangerous and destructive effects of fire?

Out of left field

There were plenty of predictions and forecasts for 2011, but some of the year's huge news stories came as total surprises. How about in your personal life? What big changes in the past six months caught you by surprise?

This week's theme is halfway through the year.

Tell us a story: just doin' my job

What was one time at work when you felt like a real hero?

All new, and better than ever

Sometimes it takes a complete breakdown of the old order before people can conceive of doing things differently. What is something in your life, or in your community, that had to start over from scratch after the old way fell apart, and that turned out better than before?

This week's theme is beginning again.

Tell us a story: you only hurt the ones you love

When did you hurt someone — someone who trusted you — very badly?

Comfort on a plate

When you've had a really bad day, or are unhappy or sad or mad, what foods do you look to for comfort?

This week's theme is food.

Tell us a story: stop, thief!

Have you ever been a witness to a crime? How did it affect you?

Facing death

Have you ever been in a situation where death seemed like a possible outcome (for example, a car accident, or awaiting a medical diagnosis)? Did that experience change the way you approach everyday life, or did it have no lasting impact on you?

This week's theme is death.

Tell us a story: Cue the laugh track

What's the most straight-out-of-a-sitcom thing to have ever happened to you?

Tell us a story: fire drill!

Tell us about one time when your day was disrupted by a fire drill, a false alarm, or some other anticlimactic emergency. When did you experience a big interruption by something that turned out to be a big "never mind"?

Tell us a story: cliff hanger

What was one time in your life when you were left waiting for some important news, or a fateful decision, or a resolution to a tense situation?

Being prepared

At Blog Headquarters, we had an extended power outage this week -- which allowed for an interesting reflection on this week's theme of how important machines have become in daily life.

The trouble with power outages and similar emergencies is that they come by surprise. If you know that they're coming ahead of time, you can prepare and be in a much better position when the emergency arrives. It's not practical to be prepared for every possible emergency -- but what are some simple things you can do now that would put you in a better position for many different possible emergencies?

Sinking fast

What is the first sign that your energy level is dropping? Do you usually notice it yourself, or do other people have to point it out?