Mastodawn

First Day of “Hype for the Future”

On November 1, 2025, I started my “Hype for the Future” series as futoTopFlex, with a massive success at personal identity and expression with minimal pronouns whenever possible. By avoiding pronouns to the greatest extent possible, the “Hype for the Future” series has been able to expand more safely and has also been able to avoid the creepiness of similarly obtrusive plan models.

elfstricheins Dec 13

Der Zauber des Neuen

Erzähle uns von deinem ersten Tag – in der Schule, an der Arbeit, als Elternteil usw. Das ist #sozusagen das Buzzword Nr. 1 wenn irgendetwas Neues beginnt: Die Erzählung, dass dem Anfang immer ein Zauber innewohne. Photo by Jeffrey Czum on Pexels.com Doch wohin verflüchtigt sich dieser - oftmals sogar bevor man seiner gewahr werden konnte? Dem Neuanfang wohnt vielmehr immer ein Abschied inne. Das Neue braucht seinen Platz und behauptet seine Wertigkeit. Da muss das Alte weichen. […]

https://anwaltsblog.wordpress.com/2025/12/13/der-zauber-des-neuen/

Shortwave Listening Dec 13

My First Day at writing Reception Reports

My logbooks of the 1980s are long gone, but most probably, the first reception report I ever wrote went to Radio RSA in Johannesburg, South Africa, on December 6, 1985. But I beg your pardon, I should explain what a reception report means in this context. This is what a reception looks like. "SINPO code" is mentioned without further explanation, but you can find one on Wikipedia.

So that’s a reception report. My second reception report – that’s what my chaotic QSL card archive suggests today – came from the Netherlands, but just like Radio RSA, it "confirmed an African country", as we used to say, as I had listened to Radio Netherlands on 9715 kHz, from its Madagascar relay (picture above). That was on December 8th, and that was a Sunday, and that means that I listened to "The Happy Station Show", usually produced and presented by Tom Meyer at the time.

The QSL card from South Africa was a bit of a disappointment, because it showed garden snails, rather than something spectacular from, say, Kruger National Park.

Yes, garden snails. Seriously. But it is still my first-ever QSL card.

Having a QSL card from South Africa felt kind of sensational all the same – I had never been on a plane yet, and the distance to the country felt unimaginable. I used a typewriter to write reception reports (aka listening reports), and those were probably of some help for many of the shortwave broadcasters at the time, especially when you lived in their target areas. In contrast to nowadays, they couldn’t turn to a remote receiver on the internet then, to check the quality signal in the targeted regions.

Here’s another QSL card. It isn’t one of my earliest, as I wrote my first reception report to Voice of Vietnam on June 16, 1986, but it remains particular to me for several reasons. First off, it was handwritten – my other two favorites were typewritten. Secondly, I’m not sure if I have ever seen a handwriting as beautiful as this one, certainly not on a QSL card. And also, the "Voice of Vietnam" was the first shortwave broadcaster I ever listened to. They didn’t have German programs at the time, so I happened on a transmission in English, probably on 10040 kHz. That was a few years before 1986, probably in 1981. The programs weren’t exactly fascinating, but knowing that this was a station transmitting from Southeast Asia felt exciting.

It still does, even though I’ve been to East Asia countless times since, and even though the internet has made the world look so much smaller.

It is still international radio rather than the internet that gives me a sense of how big the world is in fact. You wouldn’t want to walk it afoot, and you can’t walk its lakes and oceans anyway, unless you are Jesus.

There’s no first day of that kind of walk in my life, but to me, writing my first reception report feels about as special as my first day at school or at work.

#africa #dailyprompt #dailyprompt2151 #radioNetherlands #radioRsa #shortwave #vietnam

Glowith – Glow Every Day, Grow Every Way Dec 13

The Day I Became a Mother

Tell us about your first day at something — school, work, as a parent, etc. The day I became a mother, I didn’t feel ready.I felt small. Nervous. Overwhelmed. I remember lying on the hospital bed, heart racing, hands trembling.Everyone around me kept saying, “Don’t worry, it will be fine.”But no one can really prepare you for the moment your life changes forever. Before my baby came, I closed my eyes and prayed silently.Not long prayers—just simple words from the heart:“God, […]

https://aarya045.com/2025/12/13/the-day-i-became-a-mother/

The Theoretical Doctor Mar 22, 2025

My First Day In Medical Posting – Tagging Day 1 | Housemanship Diaries

Tell us about your first day at something — school, work, as a parent, etc.

My Morning Routine Being A House Officer Leader In The Surgical Posting | Housemanship Diaries

An article regarding my morning routine while being one of the surgical leaders in my fourth posting of my housemanship journey.

The Theoretical Doctor

Financia Dec 13, 2024

My First Day at Work: A Mix of Excitement and Growth

Tell us about your first day at something — school, work, as a parent, etc.

The first day of any new journey leaves an indelible mark on our lives, and for me, that day was my first day at work. Stepping into the professional world was both thrilling and nerve-wracking—a moment filled with a sense of accomplishment and a healthy dose of self-doubt.

As I entered the office, I couldn’t help but notice the bustling energy of the place. The clatter of keyboards, the soft murmur of conversations, and the confident strides of seasoned professionals made me realize I had just stepped into a whole new world. Holding my bag tightly, I navigated my way to the reception, where I was greeted with a warm smile. My manager soon arrived, introduced me to the team, and took me through the day’s agenda.

While everyone was friendly and welcoming, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of being a novice in a room full of experts. Setting up my workstation was a task that felt far more complicated than it should have, and understanding the company’s systems seemed like solving a complex puzzle. But I reminded myself: every expert was once a beginner.

The turning point of the day came when I successfully completed my first task—a small but meaningful achievement. It boosted my confidence and gave me a sense of belonging. Lunch hour brought another pleasant surprise when I struck up a conversation with a colleague who shared some tips on adjusting to the workplace and making the most of the learning opportunities ahead.

By the end of the day, the initial nerves had started to fade, replaced by a sense of accomplishment. I realized that the first day is not about perfection—it’s about showing up, trying, and being open to growth.

Looking back, that day taught me the importance of stepping out of my comfort zone and embracing the unknown. Every journey begins with a single step, and my first day at work was that step—a small yet significant beginning to a path filled with learning, challenges, and growth.

What about you? Do you remember your first day at something new? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments!

#dailyprompt #dailyprompt2151

Inside the Red Head's Head Dec 13, 2023

Daily writing prompt Tell us about your first day at something — school, work, as a parent, etc. View all responses

First day at school was 10000 years ago, so that’s too long to remember anything useful.

First day at work… the last first day at work was July 12, 2004. I spent the whole day in new hire training with about 20 other people. Months later I learned that others in the new hire group referred to me as “the old guy.” Nice.

First day as a parent… I can give you a couple along that line, but I am not actually anyone’s parent. I’m Bellana and Harry’s step parent, so that will have to do. I’ll give you a snippet from the first time I met them and the first official day as their legal step father.

The first day I met them was September 2007. Jen and I had been dating for about six months and that made me eligible to meet the kids (according to the rules agreed upon by Jen and her ex husband). Jen prepped me by saying that Bellana (age six) would be outgoing and social, while Harry (age four) would be shy and probably wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me. We met at a Chuck-E-Cheese’s near my office in Framingham (pour one out for our Framingham building which the company sold a few years ago).

Outside of the building, Harry came running up to me to show me a paper he worked on at pre-school that day. He was very outgoing and wanted to share everything with me. The exact opposite of what we expected. Bellana hid behind her mother and barely said a word. Again, the exact opposite of what we expected. By the end of the night I realized that these two kids were more important to me than just about anything on Earth. 16 years later that is still 100% the case. That was a really good night.

The first day as their official, legal step father was, of course, our wedding day. Harry (now age six) was a Junior Usher. He hung out with me all day before the ceremony. He wore a tuxedo and he looked like a million bucks. He was very nervous about the whole thing, but he did help give Jen away during the ceremony and it was pretty much the most adorable thing ever. Bellana (now age eight) was a Junior Bridesmaid. She spent the pre-ceremony time with Jen so I didn’t see her, but she wore a bridesmaid dress and she was absolutely adorable too.

At the reception, they had fun like the rest of us. They danced, they ran around, they were pretty much the stars of the show. Bellana twisted her ankle near the end of the evening so that was the only negative. Everyone circled around her to try and make her feel better. After the reception was over and Jen and I were about to leave for the honeymoon, Harry had a tough time. He didn’t want his mom to leave. He was very upset. Eventually he came around and he handled the separation well enough. It was tough leaving him behind though. It was tough leaving both of them behind.

There you have it. A few first from my recent past. Well… the first day at work was over 19 years ago, and the first day with the kids was 16 years ago, and the wedding was 14 years ago… so not that recent, I guess.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2023/12/13/first-days/

#dailyprompt #dailyprompt2151

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