Friday, January 16, 2026

Friday Writings #210: Great Combination/Collaboration


Greetings, dear poets and storytellers. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you see the phrase “great combination/collaboration”? The first time I saw the words, I thought of Good Omens, a collaboration by two of my favorite authors; then I thought about rice and beans (I was missing my island). Today, when I reread the words, I was craving sugar, so… I thought of peanut butter and jelly on warm bread and (now my mouth is watering, so I best move on).   

Don’t you just love it how our thoughts and environment affect the way we see things? Well, I do. I think it’s one of the things I love most about writing prompts. The same words, images, thoughts… can inspire so many different (and interesting) things. With that in mind, for today’s optional prompt, I invite you to write about (or find inspiration in) a great combination/collaboration. 

As always, add the direct link to your response to Mister Linky. One post per participant, please. 369 words maximum (excluding title), for prose and for poetry. You may share an old piece or a new one. You may write to the prompt or to a topic of your choosing. Visit other lovers of words. Read what “combination/collaboration” brews out of the muses. Let them know what their words brew out of you. 

 

photo by Dragne Marius, on Unsplash


photo by Nima Naseri, on Unsplash

 

Next week, we will invite you to write about the time of day you like best, and why.  

Friday, January 9, 2026

Friday Writings #209: Start Where You Are

 


Hello, Word Artists and Admirers! Starting something new can feel awfully intimidating, especially if it's the beginning of a big something, or really out of your comfort zone. For instance, as a kid I wasn't all that active. I'd much rather be curled up on my bed, reading a book, than running around outside. This was okay for a while, but as I got to my teenage years, I realized this was not a winning strategy for my self-confidence, not to mention my future health. 

In those days of yore, VHS workout videos from Blockbuster or the library were a thing, but I was pretty self conscious using the one VHS player in the house, located in the living room where everyone could see. What I did have though, was my own boombox with a dual tape recorder and a bedroom door that closed. It wasn't long before I figured out that if I could cobble together my own choreography to my favorite radio songs, I could put together a semi-decent work out. 


Of course this was one of the songs I danced to

Did I ever get the firm physique of my dreams with my homebrew workouts? No, not really. But I used what I had around me, achieved the basic goal of getting into better shape, set the foundation for a sustainable exercise practice, and I had a heck of a lot of fun doing it.

So for this week's option prompt, I'd like you to take inspiration from this quote by Arthur Ashe, "Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." Interpret it any way you'd like, through poetry or prose, as fiction or non-fiction Just remember, one piece per person and keep it to 369 words or fewer, please.

Next week, we will invite you to write about a great combination/collaboration.