Category: Commentary

Commentary, Daily Prompts

Five Everyday Things

M.A.D. Works
Daily writing prompt
What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness?
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There are many everyday things that bring me happiness, but here are my five at the moment.

  1. Quiet moments of peace Those small pauses in the day—morning light, a deep breath, a few minutes of stillness—remind me that I’m allowed to slow down.
  2. Creative expression Writing, shaping words, or even catching a spark of an idea gives me a sense of aliveness and clarity.
  3. Feeling understood When someone listens without judgment or pressure, it brings a kind of comfort that stays with me.
  4. Acts of kindness—given or received A gentle word, a small gesture, or simply being treated with softness makes the day feel lighter.
  5. Moments where I choose myself Setting a boundary, saying no, or honoring what I truly feel gives me a quiet kind of happiness that feels like growth.
Commentary, Music, Quote

The Daily 4/12/26

M.A.D. Works

“Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just one step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

Ravens are very smart birds who can recognize human faces and vocalize. They can even point with their beaks, as people use their fingers to gesture towards objects.

Commentary, Music, Quote

The Daily 4/11/26

M.A.D. Works

“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” – Helen Keller

All About Eve (1950) is the only film in Academy Awards history to have four women nominated for Best Actress Oscar: Anne Baxter and Bette Davis for Lead Actress, and Celeste Holm and Thelma Ritter for Supporting. Surprisingly, none of them won.

Commentary, Music, Quote

The Daily 4/10/26

M.A.D. Works

“Develop an ‘attitude of gratitude.’ Say thank you to everyone you meet for everything you do.” – Brian Tracy

 Ancient Greeks usually competed naked at the Olympics. According to Greek writers, this granted athletes complete freedom of motion. Fallen loin cloths were apparently a tripping hazard.

Commentary, Quote

The Daily 4/9/26

M.A.D. Works

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” – Helen Keller

 Some form of London Bridge has stood over the River Thames since the Roman invasion. The version of the London Bridge that was constructed in 1831 has been in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, since 1971.

Commentary

The Daily 4/7/26

M.A.D. Works

“There are no limits to what you can accomplish, except the limits you place on your own thinking.” – Brian Tracy

Bunnies hop and slightly twist in midair to express happiness. The movie is called a “Binky.”

Commentary, Quote

The Daily 4/6/26

M.A.D. Works

“Inspiration comes from within yourself. One has to be positive. When you’re positive, good things happen.” – Deep Roy

 Mozart had a pet scarling. The birds are very capable mimics, and Mozart purchased his after hearing it sing some of his own work. Piano Concerto #17 in G Major in a Vienna pet shop in 1784.

Commentary

Getting to Know Missy

M.A.D. Works

Are you an organ donor, if so why/why not?

Yes, I am.

For me, it comes down to a simple belief: if something I no longer need can give someone else more time, more birthdays, more ordinary mornings with the people they love, then that feels like the right choice. I’ve seen enough of life to know how fragile it is, and how much difference one act of generosity can make.

I don’t think of it as a grand gesture. It’s more like leaving the light on for someone who’s still on their way home. If my life can help someone else continue theirs, even after I’m gone, that feels like a meaningful way to leave the world a little better than I found it.

Commentary, Quote

The Daily 4/8/26

M.A.D. Works

“The future belongs to the competent. Get good, get better, be the best!” – Brian Tracy

 The one-handed syringe was invented by a nurse named Letitia Mumford Geer in the 19th century. Her design allowed people to use a syringe in hard-to-reach places without assistance.

Commentary

Getting to Know Missy

M.A.D. Works
I want to turn this into a full post and possibly develop a better prompt than the daily ones. These won’t be daily, but I’ll do them whenever I can.

What is your greatest regret?

My greatest regret is how long I spent shrinking myself to make other people comfortable. For years, I said yes when I wanted to say no, stayed quiet when something hurt, and tried to be whatever someone else needed instead of who I really was. I thought that being easy, flexible, and low‑maintenance made me lovable. I didn’t realize I was slowly disappearing in the process.

I regret the moments when I ignored my own voice because I didn’t want to upset anyone. I regret the times I let people take more than they ever gave, and I told myself it was fine. I regret how often I chose peace on the outside while creating chaos inside myself.

But the deeper truth is this: my regret isn’t about the past itself. It’s about the years I didn’t know I deserved better—from others, and from myself. I wish I had learned sooner that my needs weren’t a burden, my feelings weren’t “too much,” and my boundaries weren’t something to apologize for.

Still, even with that regret, I’m grateful. Because all those moments taught me what I will no longer accept. They taught me how to listen to myself, how to speak up, and how to stop abandoning the person I’m supposed to protect most—me.

Commentary, Quote

The Daily 3/28/26

M.A.D. Works

“Don’t Let Yesterday Take Up Too Much of Today.” – Will Rogers

According to Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Gurus, ice cream between 8 and 10 degrees Fahrenheit is the easiest to scoop. Temperatures that cold also help preserve the flavor.

Commentary, Quote

The Daily 3/27/26

M.A.D. Works

“I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” – Jimmy Dean

March and August are the most popular months for divorce filings.

Commentary, Quote

The Daily 3/26/26

M.A.D. Works

“Leaders never use the word failure. They look upon setbacks as learning experiences.” – Brian Tracy

“Even an octopus has three hearts, and one of them stops when it swims — a reminder that not everything is meant to move fast.”

Who is your hero of fiction?

Beth March is my hero of fiction because she represents a kind of bravery that rarely gets celebrated — the courage of someone who has spent her life pleasing others, slowly learning that her own presence, desires, and voice matter too.

She begins as the quiet peacekeeper, the one who smooths the edges, absorbs the tension, and tries to make the world softer for everyone else. But her arc isn’t about becoming loud or dramatic. It’s about becoming seen. It’s about recognizing that gentleness isn’t the same as self‑erasure, and that a tender heart is not a weakness but a way of moving through the world with intention.

Beth teaches that you can be kind without disappearing, loving without losing yourself, and generous without giving away the parts of you that you need to keep. Her quiet rebellion — choosing to matter in her own life — is a form of heroism I deeply admire.

Commentary

The Daily 3/25/26

M.A.D. Works

“We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou

The moon is moving away from Earth by about 1.5 inches every year. If it keeps drifting at that pace, in roughly 600 million years we won’t have total solar eclipses anymore—the moon will look too small to fully cover the sun.

What is your motto?

Unlearning what dimmed me, reclaiming what’s mine.

Commentary, Music, Quote

The Daily 3/24/26

M.A.D. Works

“We become what we think about” – Earl Nightingale

BÉALÁISTE is an Irish word for drink or toast to seal a bargain

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

I identify with Eleanor Roosevelt—someone who started out unsure of her place, but grew into a voice of strength, compassion, and conviction. She learned to stop living in the shadows and began shaping the world around her. I relate to that evolution: finding my voice, trusting it, and using it with intention.