Twittering Tales #159 – 22 October 2019

About the challenge: Each Tuesday I will provide a photo prompt. Your mission, if you choose to accept the challenge, is to tell a story in 280 characters or less. When you write your tale, be sure to let me know in the comments with a link to your tale. This is important as I have noticed that some of the ping backs have not been working. If you would prefer to post your tale in the comments (some people have very specific blog themes but still want to participate), I am happy to post a link to your site when I post your tale in the Round Up.

A final note: if you need help tracking the number of characters in your story, there is a nifty online tool that will count for you at charactercountonline.com.

I will do a roundup each Tuesday, along with providing a new prompt. And if for some reason I missed your entry in the Roundup, as I have occasionally done, please let me know. I want to be sure to include your tale.

Finally, have fun!

Twittering Tales #159 – 22 October 2019

This week’s Photo prompt comes to us from Pexels at Pixabay.com. What’s the story here? I have a feeling you’ll tell us…in 280 characters or less, of course! See you next week at the Roundup. And thank you for your patience. I am in the process of moving…buying a house…downsizing…and selling my old house. Oh, and working my usual insane hours. I may not respond to you right away, but I promise to read every tale and comment a word or two on Sunday when I start putting the round up together. Have a great week!

Photo by Pexels at Pixabay.com

Vincent365

“Ya suppa’s gettin cold Ira!”

“I told you Ma, just a minute!!!”

Online, Ira was Vincent365, an intrepid traveler who captivated his many followers with wild adventurous tales; all none the wiser that he was 33, jobless, a loser who lived with his mom.

He signed off. “I’m comin Ma.”

~kat

280 characters

Twittering Tales #158 – The Roundup

Awesome roundup everyone! There were a few common themes. Some bittersweetness and humor. As usual, you all were brilliant! Thank you so much for joining in. I love seeing what you come up with!

Photo by Mikechie Esparagoza

Starting us off…
Wish It, Do It
Judith dreamed of being an artist, her paintings featured in galleries, drawing critical acclaim far and wide. But she had bills to pay. Her little shop’s walls were filled with her creations. One day she’d be a real artist she sighed. Too bad she didn’t realize, she already was.
~kat
280 Characters

By Reena at ReInventions by Reena:
Writer’s Haven
The signboard is fascinating – INSPIRATIONS
“Why don’t you put up some notepads and a coffee bar?”
“Why should anyone need that here?”
“You’ve so many writing prompts.”
The owner is rich now, and has published a book. She even rents out writing devices. Just a change in perspective…
(279 characters)

By Graham at Graham is Just My Name:
She woke up every morning tense and tired, and before facing the day, looked for inspiration on Social Media.
She hung them on the wall.
Then she met Ted.
He took them all down and replaced them with a single photo of the two of them with big smiles and three words.
Love conquers all.
(279 chars)

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Inspiration Wall
It was her inspiration wall. Whenever she went to a curio shop or an antiques fair, which was quite often, she would buy wooden plaques with inspirational sayings on them. She would pour herself a glass of wine, sit opposite her wall, wonder why she felt so uninspired, and cry.
(278 characters)

By Suzette at Suzette B’s Blog:
Everyday is a fresh start
I wake up say a prayer and hustle
Only minutes to savor freshly brewed classic Italian coffee.
Then, as we each rush to our car,
I think to myself, “we rarely enjoy the little things lately
How great life would be if we lived a little bit of it everyday?”
Total characters: 280

By Di at Pensitivity101:
The Board of Positivity and Love.
33 characters

By Radhika at Radhika’s Reflection:
Every Day is a Fresh Start
The near fatal accident, changed business honcho Vikram’s life forever. Changing priorities, he decided to enjoy the little things. Grateful that he was still alive, he followed the motto of Live, love, laugh and realized Life is beautiful when you count your blessings!
Letter count :270

By Lorraine at Lorraine’s Frilly Freudian Slip:
Life Begins After Coffee *
“I love it!”
“happy wife, happy life!”
“darling,” she cooed.
“you are so worth it!”
“this is our happy place!”
“every day a fresh start!”
the new vacuum hummed to life
“dreams don’t work unless you do,” she sighed.
(209 characters)

By Mike at The Bookish Recovering Know-It-All:
Failing Forward
The last thing I expected to see was my own advice hitting me in the eyes on my way to the lawyers. But on my way to the lawyers office to finalize the papers closing my business, all I could see was the collection of placards on the back wall. It’s time for me to “Fail Forward”.
(280 characters)

By Tien at From the Window Seat:
“Why are you adding all these new inspirational signs in our house?”
I blinked at her. “What? I thought you were the one putting up the signs!”
We stared at each other to see if one of us would start laughing, revealing the joke.
We shrieked when a new sign materialised.
“It’s me!”
(278 characters)

By John at The Magic Shop:
None of them changed nothing for Jim, his life still sucked. A nowhere job that demeaned him, an uncaring  family and his continuing loneliness.  Signs of postive words are useless if they were written by someone who doesn’t know Jim’s pain. Yet, he still stares at the plaques waiting for an epiphany.
(300 characters)

By Larry at East Elmhurst A Go Go:
Inarticulate
Understandably, Fred was sick of all the catch phrases. He lived in a state of absolute horror of bad English. Facebook, Twitter, they always have so many catch phrases. He died and went to Hell. Not surprisingly, he was bombarded, in the waiting room, with bad English.
(274 characters)

By JoeM at Does Writing Excuse Watching?:
Happy Wife, Happy Life
I found a happy woman and made her my wife. Then I learned that I was supposed to keep her happy. I hadn’t realized that.
I tried this and that. She says I didn’t. Finally, I made her happy by letting her go. She says she’s having a happy life but the saying hasn’t worked for me.

By Melanie at Sparks From a Combustible Mind:
Commercial Artist
Reba looked at the finished board.   She wasn’t completely satisfied, but then what artist ever was?   Overall her entry for “Optimism – The Concept” turned out very well, she thought.   Reba hoped the judges would agree and award her first prize.  She could really use the money.
(character count 280)

By Regina at Help From Heaven:
You Are So Worth It
Carol hugged a tearful Janet, after her boyfriend had quit her. Janet apologized for taking Carol away from her books. “You should be studying, not caring for me.” Carol responded, “There’s nothing more important to me right now than being your friend. You are so worth it.”
(276 characters)

By Tessa at Tessa Can Do It!:
Still Alive!
“Where’s the gold, Ron.” the director asked angrily.
Ron remained quiet.
“Did you search them when you took them out of the car,” the director demanded.
“No!”
“Where’s the car?”
“Compactor!”
“You fool, the gold is probably hidden in the car. Lock ’em up in Sue’s office and go see,”
278 characters

By Jan at Strange Goings On in the Shed:
Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do
Morpheus grimaced in exasperation. The quality of material coming through was poor. They wanted miracles without putting in the effort. Humanity was lacking in imagination and a good work ethic. They misunderstood his role as the god of dreams. It was a “two-way street.”
(271 characters)

By Lisa at Tao Talk:
Please Don’t Go!
Dot loved getting opinions from everyone, but she had never followed anyone’s advice; yet it was still valuable in that it confirmed she had chosen the right course of action to begin with. Billy begged her not to ride the Titanic. I wish for once she had taken advice.

By Kitty at Kitty’s Verses:
A House to a Home
Sipping hot tea for warmth, she wondered how different it’d have been if she hadn’t left her partner for money.
As always her ego was in her way of reconciliation.
Too bad, he’d have welcomed her readily.
A place is defined by the people living in, never the other way.
Would she see?
280 characters.

By Jude at Tales Told Different:
Our Place
With her we always find it
A place suffused with fragrant happy colors, vivid and joyful in their spectrum
A place ensnared in sensual smells that prance and trance all over,
exciting and enthralling.
With her, we spiral in elusive magic
Spilling insecurities and spewing inhibitions
We live, laugh, love
For this is our happy place

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
The Wall of Love
I was worried when the old fella next door didn’t show. We normally chatted every day.
His wife suffered with crippling arthritis for many years and rarely ventured out.
They said she’d been dead for weeks. He lay down beside her under their special wall. A testament to their love.
(280 characters)

By Deb at Twenty Four:
Lunch time again and she almost groaned in despair, the company were always taking things a bit far.
She sighed, she’d thought a job in motivational slogans would be inspiring but now she was thinking of a career change – tombstone sculptor had a nice ring about it.
(265 characters)

By Sadje at Keep It Alive:
He was here today all because two people fell in love and decided to enjoy little things, live love and laugh. He told her you are so worth it but she said dreams don’t work unless you do. Now both of them live happily, and separately.
Character count: 236

By Hayley at The Story Files:
Unstuck
It had taken ages to get the positive canvas wall complete in my studio. Now. every time I came in one or more of the canvas would be on the floor. I blamed it on the sticky strips but something more was going on, somebody that wasn’t keen on happy messages.

By Angie at Angie Trafford:
Words of Wisdom
We filled the wall with all the words to promote self. They were meant to make you feel better. Alison looked at them and sighed. They only made her feel more worthless. Simple words were not enough to combat depression.
Character count: 217

By John at Broadsides:
Noted:
I note the note on the notice board, notarised by a notary, and noting that notice parties’ notes , even when they are notarised notes, should not be posted on the notice board.

By Kristian at Tales from the Mind of Kristian:
Take the Plunge
He used to live in a bubble; his wall plastered with positive signs to help him on the road ahead.
He’d felt trapped, wanting to scream.
In order to live you have to step into reality.
Looking back, he’d made the right choice, there are no greater regrets than for a life unlived.
[279 Characters]