Prompts 162-163

162. Imagine you are planning a trip across the continent on which you live. Assuming you have unlimited time, resources, and energy, what will be your mode of transportation?

I’ve always wanted to drive the entire length of route 1 from Maine to Florida. When I was a kid, we spent many summer trips in Maine, and I remember being fascinated to discover that route 1 went all the way to Florida. I thought it was only in Maine. I don’t have any specific locales along the route I want to visit, but if I’ve got unlimited time and resources, I might as well stop in every town! Then, once we’ve gone all the way down route 1, we can fly back to Boston and drive route 20 out to Oregon.

I’m not sure what it is about road trips in particular, but I’ve always enjoyed driving long scenic roads. It probably comes from the trips to and from college when I would visit home. That was 150 miles through mountains and lakes. Those trips could feel long at times, but if I was driving for the sake of adventure and not just getting from point A to point B it wasn’t so bad.

I like flying, but when you have unlimited time and resources, it would seem silly not to take advantage of it. Sure, you could get across the continent in a matter of hours, but then your journey is over. So give me the keys, crank the music, and let’s drive!

163. How do you soothe yourself when you are upset?

I am a fairly laid back person. It takes quite a bit to upset me. How I soothe myself varies slightly depending on why I am upset. If I am angry, I will put on loud music and go for a walk to cool my head. If I am sad, I will put on nostalgic music and make some tea. If I am anxious, I will put on some downtempo or ambient tunes and sip my tea in a darkened room while focusing on my breathing.

Obviously there is a theme here. I primarily soothe myself with music and beverages. Of course, I also sometimes write my frustrations out, but always with the music. And when all else fails, I snuggle up with my cats and my husband and let myself cry out whatever is bugging me.

Notes: Not much more to say on these. I guess the usual obvious questions follow: how would your characters prefer to travel cross-continent; how do they soothe themselves when they’re upset? What sorts of things have you seen other people do that you could use as inspiration for your characters?

Have a great night! I will see you tomorrow!