I grew up on cartoons.
If it was animated, I watched it. Even Johnny Quest. No. Not Johnny Quest. But just about everything else. Remember Wonder Twins? Did you root for the Really Rottens? Have a crush on Wilma Flintstone and Judy Jetson?
Oh – just me?
When I fly, I bring along the book 300 Writing Prompts. If I sit next to someone cool, I ask them to thumb through the pages and pick me a prompt. And then I write. Right there, in the book. In pencil. Until I fill up the page.
My seatmate, a Cal-Santa Cruz undergrad on her way to an internship in DC – chose this prompt for me.
What would your answer be? Leave it in comments. Or better yet, post about it! You can get 300 Writing Prompts through this link. They’re not paying me or anything. I just dig the prompts!
Q: If you could spend a day living the adventures of any cartoon character, which one would you choose?
I thought of Woody Woodpecker (my childhood fave), Hong Kong Phooey and Underdog (keeping it old-school!), Roger Rabbit (c’mon – Jessica Rabbit?). Foodies Wimpy (I’d gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today) and Winnie the Pooh.
But the best choice is obvious: Fred Flintstone! Why?
1-COMFY CLOTHES
Sure, I’d be barefoot, but I’d also be business casual for work.
2-BRONTOSAURUS RIBS
They look delicious and come in my kind of portions.
3-STEADY JOB SITTING ON A DINOSAUR
And work doesn’t follow you home unless you carry brontosaurus snacks with you.
4-BARNEY
It’s good to have the best pal, especially when you get to be the tall one.
5-WILMA
She’s fashionable, fit, kind, and kind of a fireball at times. Sigh.
6-FUEL EFFICIENT CAR
Yes, you have to break with your bare feet, but you save money not having to buy new shoes or brake shoes!
7-DINO
Man’s best friend in Fred’s day was cool because dinosaurs don’t shed hair everywhere, like today’s man’s best friend does.
8-ANIMAL APPLIANCES THAT TALK
I’d treat our mammoth/kitchen sink combo like part of the family!
George Jetson was also an honorable mention. I’d love to live in the future and always thought Judy Jetson was dreamy. In the end – the caveman life won out. I’ll need extra barbecue sauce with my brontosaurus ribs, please.
What about you? Which cartoon character would you trade shoes (or no shoes) with for a day?
Just a dad ... 
pink panther. always wanted to be a detective, and a bit bumbly, but with good intentions.
That’s a good one, Beth! There were definite rocky spots, but he always seemed to come out on top.
My pick would be Inspector Gadget! So many cool gadgets to try out, so little time 🙂
Good one! Even just to reach to the pantry for another bag of tortilla chips would be stellar.
Princess from G-Force (no, not the guinea pig movie). It was early anime. She wore a pink dress and white go-go boots, rode a motorcycle, and kicked ass!
Actually it’s funny you did cartoons today – last night I was thinking I wish I could draw “cartoon life”…as my vacuum exploded plaster dust all over the living room I had just dusted…
Sounds quite cartoony, in fact – you should write about it, Jenn! Or do a comic strip.
Glad you specified, Jenn! I don’t know it, but I’ve not been close to anime. She kinda sounds like you (only in sassy green boots.)
Scooby Doo. I loved their hippie van and my favorite character was Daphne and Scooby. I love that he talked. Sometimes I wish dogs could talk. Scooby Doo rut-row 😬😃
Scooby would be good! Daph was a dream. I didn’t care for Scooby Dum or Scrappy Doo. I saw a Farside comic that translated what dogs were saying when they barked, and it was a consensus: “Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!”
I could go for a Scooby snack.
Haha that’s funny. When I was a kid I used to talk like Scooby. I’m not sure why but I thought it was funny! 🙂 LOL
I think you should talk like Scooby as an adult, too, Michelle.
Trust me I do. I have a lot of voices I use. LOL 🙂 Laughing now 😀
Laughing like Barney Rubble or Woody Woodpecker, though?
I have a very loud laugh. My girl used to make fun of me and then she started laughing loud like me. Kinda funny to me! 🙂 LOL I like Barney’s laugh its hearty like mine! 🙂
Why laugh if it isn’t loud? Love that she sounds like you too now. Cartoon laughs are the best.
I feel the same way. All my life my family always said my laugh was so loud it embarrassed them sometimes. I really don’t know any other way to laugh. Happy Alex does it too! LOL hehe
You already mentioned some of my all time favorites. I don’t know how you pick just one lol. I love how no matter what craziness ensued Mr. Magoo always came through unscathed and oblivious. I’m envious of Scooby and Taz’s voracious appetite. Plus, I love that even though he’s wild and crazy Taz has a sweet tender side and loves music too. 😉
I want Popeye and Bam Bam’s muscles and strength. Jerry, Roadrunner and Speedy Gonzalez’s genius and speed to get things done while having a damn good time. Inspector Gadget’s trusty, loyal dog Brain for being so smart and always looking out for those he cares about.
And Sam the sheepdog because he knows how to just chill and relax even when you have to choke out a pesky wolf named Ralph to do it every once in awhile. He doesn’t get loud, unnerved or let it mess up his day. He just handles business and returns to his meditative state lol. I wanna be like Sam. 🧘♀️
It’s tough to narrow it down, Gina! But the foodie in Fred made that easy for me. Mr. Magoo was kind of awesome.
I already have Scooby’s and Taz’s appetite! How about Foghorn I say I say how about Foghorn Leghorn?
I get the Speedy Gonzalez combo at nearly every Mexican restaurant I visit for lunch. Another vote here for Inspector Gadget!
Sam the sheepdog and also Yosemite Sam deserve mention.
Foghorn Leghorn 😊You got me in my tender spot with this piece. I don’t really have many material posessions I would be tempted to grab if the house caught fire but I would be a bit 😥 if I lost my glass collection.
I don’t know if you remember but Hardees and Pepsi put out those Looney Tune glasses back in the early 70’s with all the cartoon characters. Some of my cherished childhood memories are sitting at my grandparents kitchen table and picking my favorite characters to use each meal.
So to honor and remember my time with them I collect those glasses at old mountain antique stores when I go. It’s a fun treasure hunt to see which ones I can find that I don’t have yet.
Thinking of all these characters reminds me of laying on their shag carpet, face propped in my hands in front of their big floor model t.v watching Saturday morning cartoons. Thanks for the nostalgia, priceless memories 😍.
I remember those glasses! I loved them. I see them in thrift shops. We used to get them with jelly in them, too, and they had a different character on the bottom of the glass.
Those were the days, weren’t they, Gina?
Road Runner. Cracks me up just thinking about the outsmarting going on – ha! Great Post – Happy Day – Enjoy 🙂
Meep Meep! I saw a T-shirt that depicted Wile E. Coyote with the roadrunner clenched by the throat in his fist. It read, “Meep Meep my ass!” Happy day to you too – glad you enjoyed this!
What a fun prompt and give it up for cool seat mates! Wow, totally don’t remember as much about the flintstones as I thought I did. Like the talking appliances. But I do remember Barney and Wilma and overall of all the cartoons you could have chosen, you picked a good one! PS: are Saturday morning cartoons still a thing?
I need to email my seatmate this link as promised, Charlotte! I did a bit of research on The Flintstones, but the Wilma stuff was all from the heart.
I saw a spoof of The Flintstones that featured a pelican as the toilet. Poor thing.
I think kids stream their cartoons 24/7 probably. Or play Fortnite instead.
How about the mom cat on the Aristocats — can’t recall her name right now. After all, everybody wants to be a cat!
Definitely Jane Jetson. She had cool push-button appliances and Rosie the maid to do all of the housework
I loved the Flintstones! The Jetsons were cool but I preferred the Flintstones and loved the detail that went into their home and appliances.
The families were so similar, but it seemed Fred’s boss was less jerky than George’s. You couldn’t go wrong either way!
I like that your seatmate on the plane picked the prompt. I like your answer. I think Winnie-the-Pooh would be pretty awesome too though!
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
She was pretty cool to do that, Lauren. Glad you liked my answer! It got her thinking, too.
Winnie the Pooh would be cool. All that honey.
Hahah…this was fun to read Eli! I still watch my fav cartoons sometimes 🙂 Scooby and Tom & Jerry! I loved Dino from Flintstones!
Thanks, Cristina! We’re never too old for cartoons. Plus we watched Tom & Jerry and all the violence and turned out okay, didn’t we?