During the day, dressed business casual, he spoke the words that were expected of him at board meetings. He fought for the company. More importantly, he fought for the company’s share holders. He asked “How high?” when his bosses told him to jump. He knew what he needed to do to climb the corporate ladder. He knew the game, and he was good at it. He hated it.
At night, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, his bare feet resting on the coffee table, he sat with his friends, his true peers, his companions, his ka-tet, and solved the real problems of the world. Everyone was on equal footing, every voice mattered, and they went round and round until they had talked through wealth and religion, politics and global warming. He was truly happiest in those moments because he could say what he felt, he could argue passionately for the causes he believed in, and while he friends may have disagreed, they still respected him for his opinions.
…..
At home, she played the dutiful wife. She had breakfast on the table ready for the small hands of her two children to shovel into their mouths on the way out the door to catch the bus. She made sure her husband was dressed well for work. She kept the place spotless. She had dinner ready on time every night and made sure it was both tasty and nutritious. She kept the peace. She kept her calm. She was the perfect picture of the suburban house wife, poised, refined. She controlled her wild soul.
When she went out with her friends every Friday night, while the kids stayed home with their father, she dressed in slinky outfits, high heels, glittery jewelry. The drank and danced, laughed and swapped stories from their homes. She cursed with the best of them. She spilled her drinks and didn’t care what kind of mess she was making. She unchained herself and let her spirit run free. The nights became the swirling chaos of noise and colors that she so desperately craved.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
My first thought upon reading this week’s Queen Creative Prompts for the Promptless was of Billy Joel’s song “Uptown Girl” – the dual life a person can lead depending on where they are and who they are with. That seemed to fit perfectly for “honne,” so I ran with it:

Honne is a Japanese noun referring to the behavior and opinions someone truly believes in– often displayed with one’s closest confidants.
Suggested Prompts:
- Tell us about your closest friend
- Write a poem or story about the honne we share with our closest friends
- Share a honne with us
- Introduce us to a picture concept, story, or song that represents a honne
- … or make up your own related prompt!
I love the dual sides of their personalities. I feel a little like that sometimes.
Sometimes? I am a Gemini… that’s how I go through my life every day!
Thank you for visiting both my blogs. Did you spot my shiny new badge from the prompts for the promptless hall of fame? I discovered it this morning. http://thequeencreative.wordpress.com/forthepromptless-hall-of-fame/
I may have recently had a temporary absence from blogging so this could be old news. Sue
I didn’t see your new badge, but I did find mine a week or so ago and have it done at the bottom of my site with all my other assorted badges and gizmos.
I looked for yours and missed it! Duh! Sue
Yeah, all my silly badges and awards are hard to find… way way way down there. Sometimes I forget they are even there.
As a Gemini – this title of course caught me immediately – how were you going to go with it? But I would have to agree with you – if people are truthful about themselves, everyone really is exactly what Geminis are accused of being – multi-sided. Because you truly can’t be the same person with everyone out there. We are all different, and we all have different sides to our selves.
I have a friend I met in college who is the only person I know that is himself no matter where he is or who he is talking to. At first it can be a little unsettling… but then you get used to it, and it is quite exceptional – to be true to yourself all the time.
Yes it is. As a Gemini – I don’t really feel as if I’m that much different in interactions from one person to the next – but I am able to realize how that is simply a fiction I tell myself. My husband (also a Gemini – not as disastrous as one might think) seems to be the same with most people, but I can see how he is different with different people as well. Some we will be quieter, some we will be louder. I prefer the louder me for the most part. A friend (a Taurus) of mine would tell you he’s the same with all people, but that’s a fiction too. But acknowledging that, I think, is the same as your friend – being yourself does not mean not changing/adapting according to the situation. Being yourself means you can identify what aspect is being brought forth and acknowledging that. Definitely something I can go on about, but I have a meeting!
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This hits home for me, great post!
Thanks!
I should have done a couple more sequences – from a child’s point of view: being the good student, to running wild; and then one from your point of view as well: who you tried to be for so long, and who you are.
Yes! Go on, do it…
a part 2 would be fitting for a Gemini post too
Okay, putting the idea as a draft in my dashboard. 😉
Ooooh yay!
Very good… and very true, Gemini or not.
We’re all a bundle of various personas, depending on who we’re with…
It isn’t something I ever really gave much thought until college when I finally met somebody who was themself no matter who they were around – then I had to do a lot of introspective thinking and figure out how very different I was from one group to the next – academics, raving, my brother, my parents, my friends… I had so many personas running around I wasn’t sure who I was anymore.
I think some of it is age … the older I get, the less personas I have … at this point in my life, I’m pretty much just me, regardless … I think you become more comfortable in your own skin as you get older, and realize that what people think of you isn’t as important as it once was .. that the important people will like you for you ..
Fantastic answer to the prompt, buddy.
Thanks!
I want to spend more time catching up on your posts, but duty calls. See you soon.
Have a great day!
You too!
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[…] this major milestone. She said: “This hits home for me, great post!” in response to my we are all Gemini post, and so I volunteered to expand upon it for her, and she said, “Yes! Go on, do […]