Road Trips Don’t Have to Be Boring

While listening to radio music during a recent road trip, my attention wandered, and I realized I was on the verge of becoming sleepy enough to pull over. The weather was terrible — no day to step out of the car without an umbrella.

At least if I wanted to stay dry.

Siri to the Rescue?

Not as in rescuing me if I drove off the road. That would be too much to expect. But maybe I could have some fun with him. Yeah, him. I changed his voice. After years of hearing female responses, it seemed like a good idea.

I travel with my iPhone in a holder that attaches to the air vents so that face ID is always active. A quick “Hey, Siri,” and my male personal assistant is ready to assist me.

Most of the following Siri prompts will generate different responses at different times. For many, you can continue the thread by saying, “Tell me another.”

Warnings

1. Spending too much time with Siri while you’re on the road can consume a lot of cellular data.
2. Background noise in a vehicle may interfere with Siri’s comprehension.
3. If you don’t receive the response you expect, you might have to spell a word or words in your prompt.
4. You may receive different answers when you’re connected to WIFI, because Siri will often provide internet resources rather than or in addition to verbal responses.

What Does This Have to Do With Writing?

We acquire plot and story ideas from every experience: listening to the news, talking with friends, browsing social media … Sometimes the best ideas occur while we’re gardening, walking, or watching people in the mall.

Have you ever brainstormed with other writers? Although the Siri process isn’t brainstorming, it forces your mind into new areas, sometimes makes you laugh, and spawns new ideas.

Many writers have discovered that listening to music or background noise stimulates their brains. Exchanges with Siri can provide another brain-stimulation tool.

The added plus is keeping you alert while you drive.

And Now for the Fun …

If you don’t have an iPhone, try your phone’s AI:

• Samsung’s personal assistant is Bixby.
• Amazon has Alexa.
• Microsoft has Cortana.
• Google? No catchy name, but rumor is that you can assign it a nickname.

If you own a phone not in the preceding list, try an internet search for:

• does [brand name of your phone] have a personal assistant

Note that capitalization of words doesn’t seem important to modern search engines.

Getting to Know Siri

• Are you intelligent?
• Can you laugh?
• Do you get tired?
• Do you have any pets?
• Do you understand sarcasm?
• How much do you cost?
• How much do you earn?
• How much do you weigh?
• How old are you?
• How tall are you?
• Tell me a riddle about Siri.
• What do you dream about?
• What’s your favorite animal?
• What’s your gender?
• What’s your favorite date?
• What’s your favorite flavor?
• What’s your favorite number?
• Who’s the best personal assistant in the world?
• Who’s your daddy?
• Who’s your favorite author?
• Who’s your favorite person?
• Who’s your mama?
• Why is Siri so smart?

Relationships

• Can I kiss you?
• Do I look fat?
• Do you have a significant other?
• Have you ever been in love?
• How do I look?
• Talk dirty to me.
• What are you doing later?
• What are you wearing?

Personal Assistants

• Do you know Alexa?
• Do you know Bixby?
• Do you know Cortana?
• Do you know Google’s personal assistant?

Music

• Can you beatbox?
• Can you rap?
• Can you sing?
• I see a little silhouetto of a man.
• What’s your favorite song?

Miscellaneous

• Can I borrow some money from you?
• How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
• Is Santa real?
• Knock knock.
• Make me laugh.
• Recite a haiku.
• Tell me a joke.
• Tell me a lie.
• Tell me a pun.
• Tell me a tall T A L E. (tale spelled out to avoid Siri thinking you mean tail)
• Tell me a tongue twister.
• Tell me the truth.
• What came first: the chicken or the egg?
• What’s the meaning of life?
• What’s zero divided by zero?
• When is the world going to end?
• Why did the chicken cross the road?
• Windows or Mac?

What About You?

Have you created or located other Siri prompts that will make us laugh or think?