I was really happy to see this prompt. I really needed a laugh today.

8. What is the funniest book or TV show with which you are familiar?

The funniest TV show that I’m familiar with is The Good Place. It’s a great example of comedy that keeps me laughing over and over again. In fact, I think I might watch an episode tonight.

Yesterday was horrible. Absolutely horrible. That being said, I want to keep this post light.

7. Do you have any unpopular opinions or dislike something that many people like?

I don’t like pineapple on pizza.

6. What is or was your relationship with people from your parent’s generation?

I feel I get along with people of all generations.

When it comes to people of my parent’s generation, I feel that I get along with most of them. A lot of the ones I talk to now seem to want to share their stories and feelings.

This one was pretty easy to write.

5. What is the most memorable job you’ve held?

The most memorable job that I’ve ever held was working at a company called Unify. It was a small company that had a long history of products.

It was during the time that I was working there that I met my wife, got married, and had children.

The company had moments of boom and bust and it was the people there that made me want to stay. Ultimately, we had a bust quarter and I learned the hard way that a business is a business.

I was laid off with a number of other people.

I still feel it sometimes. The loss of identity as a provider for my family - especially at that age - echoes in a lot of the things I do and never in a good way. The friends that I had when I worked there do contact me occasionally, but it’s definitely not the same.

I thought this was going to be a happier post.

This one was pretty easy to write.

4. What woman in your family do you most admire and why?

I admire my wife the most. She is the glue that keeps our family together. When I hit rock bottom, she stuck by with me.

I don’t like to think about where I would be without her.

This one isn't as heavy as the previous two answers.

3. Why do you like your favorite restaurant?

My favorite restaurant is Red Lobster.

It’s not because of the cheddar biscuits or the wonders of what they can do with fried food.

It’s because it’s the restaurant that I introduced my girlfriend-now-wife to my parents.

I had this image that even if things went bad, I would at least have a decent meal.

It went well and every time I drive past the location, I think of it fondly.

I'm continuing with the series by Lou Plummer and trying not to get too worked up over the format of the posts.

2. On what subjects are you outspoken and on what subjects are you mostly mute?

I read the prompt and thought about the times that I would shout out about how pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza. I feel that pineapple is too sweet to be on something that so savory. The juices from the pineapple spread throughout the pizza and you can’t separate it the same way you could with other toppings like mushrooms or olives.

I’ve even gotten in a couple discussions on how pancakes are better than waffles because of how many varieties you can find in different cultures around the world.

But no one has heard me speak out about the genocides that are happening. Do you know what my stance is on climate change? Health care? How about workers rights?

No, I don’t think I’ve used my website for any of those.

Even though they effect me, I go about my daily writing and web surfing feeling that “those bad things are bad and I’m sure we’ll all get through it some how.”

I feel that’s ultimately the issue.

When it comes to being outspoken, I find myself using my inside voice.

Lou has put together a nice list of writing prompts on his website. It seems like a perfect time as I was looking for something to write about.

1. A road trip you’ve taken that was memorable

I remember the first trip that I took with my children to Disneyland. My wife and I drove through the night in a rental car with two sleeping kids in the back. Both of us taking turns driving and trying to find our way through the darkness of a long drive.

I don’t remember all the stops but I remember getting to our hotel early the next morning to find out that the room that we had reserved had been given to someone else so we had to move to a room that a smoker had used the day before or try to find another hotel.

A lot of bumps before we even got to the park.

But it was worth it to see the girls having such a great time.

I have pictures, but not enough and the memory fades day by day.

I only have the feelings left.

If you are looking for inspiration to write more on your personal blog, then I would like to point you to this upcoming event put together by Apple Annie.

What is it? Weblog Posting Month, 2024! If you use weblog.lol, or otherwise have a personal blog, you should absolutely participate in this month-long blog posting extravaganza!

I am hoping to have a theme of Making it Happen in May, where Ill write something about self-improvement or promoting Mental Health Month.

Discovered via Robb Knight on Mastodon.

This is the first interview in Technical Writing Chats, a series where I speak with technical writers about their day-to-day role and how they got started in their career. Today's interview is with Ally Sassman, a Senior Technical Writer at New Relic. I sincerely hope you enjoy!