Monthly Archives: May 2023

Writing About “The Other Half”

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Yesterday took me to Columbus for an Ohio Bankers League Marketing Forum. It was a much needed break from routine and opportunity to gather practical ideas and inspiration.

We had a terrific moderator who started the day by leading us through a series of exercises to get the creative juices going. One exercise involved choosing from a set of writing prompts like “write the lyrics of a bad rap song” or “that day in Paris.”

I chose the prompt “the other half.” Here’s what I wrote:

The beautiful young man lives in the lap of luxury. He moves gracefully through a world of his own design. His meals are served on silver platters and exactly to his liking.

His days are filled with activities that soothe his soul. His day is occupied with studying nature, practicing yoga, long naps and other forms of self care. He is a man of means with seemingly unlimited resources and the cost of his extravagant life is of no consequence to him.

The young man is demanding of his staff yet forgiving of their incompetence. This can be a source of frustration but he chooses peace over anger, zen over impatience. Being a man of privilege affords him perspective and he chooses kindness when possible.

He is the other half. He is my cat.

So that’s what I wrote and I was pretty pleased with the results given that we had just a few minutes to pull it together.

Yesterday was a timely reminder that writing can and should be fun, at least part of the time. Most of what I write is utilitarian and the creative parts are often rushed. I really want to prioritize making writing fun again.

By the way, the writing prompts came from “642 Things To Write About” by San Francisco’s Writers Grotto. There are tons of books and websites dedicated to writing prompts so there’s no shortage of inspiration to help you get started.

Are you a writer? Is it fun or is it painful?

Payne’s Restaurant

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If you’re ever in Gas City, Indiana and have a hankering for some British food, I have just the place for you. Payne’s Restaurant is located just off I-69 on the outskirts of town.

Their menu is constantly changing and uses a lot of locally sourced ingredients. Plus, the atmosphere is cozy and service is great.

I’m going to preface the rest of this by saying that I am not their target market. Their menu is very meat heavy and there were no vegetarian options on the menu the day I was there. Luckily, I sometimes eat fish so I chose the fish and chips with a garden salad.

The fish was divine. The fries came flavored with vinegar. I don’t like vinegar. And the garden salad consisted of some vegetables and croutons with no greens and doused in vinegar.

It wasn’t quite what I expected.

All the same, I enjoyed the atmosphere and the fish. If you’re a meat eater, you’ll have lots of interesting things to choose from so give it a whirl! Ok is, they have a Garfield statue out front!

I asked the waiter how a British restaurant run by British people ends up at an interstate exit in rural Indiana. He said the owner came to Indiana for the James Dean stuff and just never left.

Follow them on Facebook to keep up with their news!

Working With Scout

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When I work remotely, I typically sit at the desk in my home office where there are two screens and room to spread out all my stuff. I have been away from home a lot lately and there has been very little time in my home office or at home in general. Between work, family and friends, it has been busy here and I find myself coming home later every day.

Yesterday was a work from home day. Scout typically sits in the window in front of the desk or seeks the warmth of my laptop at least in the early hours of the day. Yesterday was different though. Instead of keeping to his habits, he wandered the house like a little lost soul, periodically coming to check on me and sit on my paperwork.

I finally took the hint and moved to my comfy chair. This is what he wanted because cuddled up next to me is his happy place. This chair-and-a-half has a nice big ottoman, arms wide enough to balance my paper stuff and room for the house panther to relax.

He immediately hopped up and made himself comfortable, making a point to keep two paws on me at all times. He fell into a deep sleep, snoring loudly and occasionally sighing as though he had never rested so well.

All was right in his world.

In the grand scheme of things, it takes so little to make him happy. A nibble of fish, a catnip filled mousie and a place to rest next to his person is all he really needs.

We could probably learn a lesson or two from our pets. It’s the small things that make them happy and, most likely, all they really want is time with you. Beyond that, nothing else is worth the worry.

Cambridge City, Indiana

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I stopped for a picture here because I just liked the scene. The viaduct and the Chug-A-Lug Pub sign make a shabby but eclectic combination. Truth is, Cambridge City, Indiana isn’t a city at all. Their population peaked at around 2,500 in 1970. Today, about 1,750 people call this quaint town home.

Located along the historic National Road, I have antiqued here before. When I was there in April, it was just to drive through – although I did meander off the beaten path for a few minutes.

There are several nice murals that tell the story of the town’s history.

I live in Vinton County so I always look for this place along the National Road.

Worshipers were beginning to arrive for services at the Methodist Church when I was passing through.

The place is just quaint and lovely and clearly a source of pride for its residents. It seems like a nice place to live and it’s proximity to Richmond and Indianapolis are a plus to me. Residents can access the culture, healthcare, jobs and other amenities of the cities while maintaining their small town lifestyle.

It’s one of several cute small towns along the National Road in Indiana. If you’re a road tripper, I recommend following this route to get a taste of the kind of Americana you’ll only find in small rural communities. It’s a special experience so hit the road, brake for pictures, stop for diner pie and, as always, enjoy the journey.

One Cool Cat

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If you are a fan of Garfield, you might enjoy following the Garfield Trail in Grant County, Indiana. I told told you about that yesterday. There’s also an exhibit about creator Jim Davis at the Fairmount Historical Museum.

This museum is mostly a destination for James Dean fans but they do have a room dedicated to Davis and his lasagna loving feline Garfield.

I told you a little about this place when I wrote about the exhibits regarding James Dean. They seem to be rebranding the James Dean memorabilia as the James Dean Museum. You’ll find a description of that collection included in this story.

The exhibit really is small but it includes some Garfield memorabilia.

Plus there are some comic strips and a few professional tools that belonged to Davis.

And, of course, part of the Garfield trail resides here. It’s Garfield dressed as James Dean!

I’m guessing this is the most photographed five foot tall James Dean impersonating cat in the world!

Indiana’s Garfield Trail

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Garfield creator Jim Davis was born in Marion, Indiana and grew up in Fairmount. Educated at Ball State University, Davis had a career in advertising before creating Garfield in 1978.

His native Grant County honors Davis and his famous feline with large statues located around the county. These fiberglass statues are about five feet tall and depict Garfield in all kinds of fun outfits.

They’re pretty spread out so seeing them all in a day would be challenging. Still, I saw a few!

This one in Gas City honors the history of the gas and glass blowing industries of the area. It’s outside the Carnegie Library.

This one is located inside the Marion Library. It was one of my favorites.

This gardening Garfield is actually located at Minnetrista in Muncie.

Want to drive the Garfield trail? Click here!