Category Archives: Random Thoughts and Musings

November 12, 2019

Twittering Tales #162 – 12 November 2019

By Kat Myrman

Twittering Tales

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 #162 – 12 November 2019

For this week’s photo by rawpixel at pixabay.com you are challenged to fill in the word cloud. It can be a 1 word statement, or an entire conversation. Keep your tale under 280 characters and be sure to link it to this post so I can find it when I put together the roundup. Have fun!

No Words

Communication class assignment: Spend an entire day without speaking. Find alternative ways to communicate and record your observations.

“So, how did the day go?” the professor asked Team 1.

Each team member held up a blank cardboard word bubble.

“Clever!” the professor mused.

~kat
274 Characters

Twittering Tales #161 – The Roundup

img_5619

Photo by Michael Gaida @ Pixabay.com

Starting us off…

Lost and Found
Adam had wandered off the path. Now he was lost. The food Adam had wandered off the path. Now he was lost. The food and bottled water he’d packed were almost gone.
“At least I’ll have shelter tonight,” he sighed.
Suddenly a light pierced through the ceiling.
“Hello Adam,” a voice boomed,”I’ve been waiting for you.”
”Oh my god!!!!”
“Yes?”
~kat
278 Characters

By Lorraine at Lorraine’s Frilly Freudian Slip:
Hallelujah Chorus
within rusting walls of an abandoned factory
he fashioned a stage from wooden pallets
shafts of dust-specked sun the afternoon spot-lights
in his post-apocalyptical opera house
sang wordless arias to audiences of bats, rats, spiders
they applauded; feeling, not sound, the joyful noise (280 characters)

by Neel at Neel Writes Blog:
TIME TO EXIT
Jolly loved the spotlight.
In her mind’s eye, the world was her stage, its denizens her subjects.
That was before the accident.
Before the amputation, before the death of her dreams.
Jolly tightened the noose.
She heard the applause.
It was time for her to take a bow.

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
The Blinding Light
Chilled to the bone, he started to gather branches from the warehouse floor to use as kindling to build a fire. When a blinding light shown down directly upon him from a high window, he thought it was a godsend. But it was a beam from an alien ship and he was instantly vaporized.
(280 characters)

By Jan at Strange Goings On in the Shed:
Fallen
Things don’t turn out well for this fugitive.
Menhit knew her trail of bloodshed would eventually end. But, she hoped not like this. The Fallen who rejected sanctuary were condemned to death. There was to be no exception. So be it. The Light burned with a pain that was searing. “No reprieve” were the last words she heard.
(277 characters)

By Larry at East Elmhurst A Go Go:
Ring A Ding Ding
Tom, a Sinatra fan, worked alone in a warehouse. He took advantage of his breaks by perfecting his lounge lizard routine. Crooning to an imaginary audience, he traded barbs with invisible Sammy, Joey, Peter, and Dino. All went well until one very scary moment in the spotlight. (280 characters) 

By Tessa at Tessa Can Do It:
Lights in the Night
Hearing helicopters in the distance prompted Ron and his family to move quickly for shelter. The graveyard was too open.
“Do you think they know we weren’t terminated Ron,” Linda asked.
“Well, the fact that the gold also disappeared may have been a hint. Stay out of the lights!”
278 characters

By Lakshmi at Mukhamani
The emptiness in his life troubled him.
He was always searching. He knew something special was waiting for him.
That morning the abandoned theatre had pulled him. There was chaos everywhere. But the light streaming down filled him with light. His search was over.
He exulted in joy.
(280 characters)

By Jude at Tales Told Different:
(I’m posting…though this is a bit over the  280 character limit ;))
Grief delved into his darkest essence,
and there it awoke evil, wicked with revenge
Those thieves had plundered his house,
desecrated his treasures
befouled and besmirched all he held precious
but worst of all, they’d taken his wife,
and with her, his life

He tracked them to that warehouse,
straddled by rage and armed with hate,
compulsed to destroy!
And as the light dawned upon his brutal carnage,
he stared and yelled into its mocking facade,
for all stayed dark within his heart,
and revenge left only tears and a void he could not fill

By Haley at The Story Files:
Piercing
It was fun to mess around in the abandoned factory. There were holes to jump, beams to climb and ‘treasures’ to be found. They were playing there when the Earth began to shake, white beams pierced down from the sky and everyone started disappearing.

By Rugby at The Bag Lady:
Action!
The light’s too bright, I can’t even see the floor!
That’s the point, Bob, you’re supposed to be in a trance! Didn’t you read the script?
You only provided the audition page. I don’t know what my character’s motivation is.
Uh, Bob, I don’t think you’re right for this. Next!

By Sadje at Keep It Alive:
“I’m here” he shouted loudly. There was nothing in response. He stood up and shouted again, “I am here. Now what am I supposed to do next?”
Just then a shaft of very bright light entered the deserted building.
He felt himself being sucked towards that alien light.
Character count: 263

By Willow at WillowDot21:
It had been six weeks since the invasion.Dan had been living on his wits traveling by night hiding by day. He had been on his own since day nine. He had seen the factory from the road and decided to camp there a while. It was about 2am when the beam struck. He could hide no more.
(280 Characters)

By Reena at ReInventions:
have you ever been there
where you wanted to be
then hated it?

have you ever been caught
indulging in a
secret rendezvous

wanting to be
in the spotlight
then caught unaware

have you ever welcomed
help out-of-the-blue
with gratitude

have you ever felt
warmth of light
where ignorance dwelt

By Graham at Graham is Just My Name:
I’d worshipped her from afar until she consented to my company, and gave up everything to be with her.
I arranged the visit to the great shaft of light and stood in the shadows while she bathed in the spotlight.
Then I grew out of that delicious infatuation and never saw her again.
(280 characters)

By Di at Pensitivity101:
Neil stood on the stage under the spotlight, spread his arms wide and starting singing When You Wish Upon a Star at the top of his voice.
137 characters

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
The Health and Safety inspection for the opening of the new children’s dance studio wasn’t going well.
Everyone thought somebody else was going to organise the clean up.
Someone would be in deep trouble!
Who was responsible was anyone’s guess.
I’m sure somebody knows.
I don’t. Do you?
(280 characters)

By Jim at MindEscapes.net:
The factory where Drew worked already had several safety complaints this quarter. The frayed load straps that caused the large slab to fall would be yet another.
This was the third workplace death this year but it no longered mattered to Drew. Heaven welcomed him home.
268 characters

By Deb at Twenty Four:
He had stood in the light with his arms wide, embracing the moment. He had really felt it and given it his all, but they wanted more.
Disappointed Lewis scratched his head, how was he meant to act like it was an alien abduction when they wouldn’t even wear the mask he offered.
(277 characters)

By Kitty at Kitty’s Verses:
Contrasting Stark
With nothing, I embark,
Biding time while it’s dark,
Whatsoever, I’ll make a mark,
Making a circle from an arc,
Umpteen people to remark,
About my lack of spark,
Please stop and hark!
You’ll be surprised with the contrasting stark.
226 characters.

By Kristian at Tales From the Mind of Kristian:
A Sudden Sun
For a century they’d lived underground, since the nuclear disaster that blocked out the sun nearly destroying everything.
It took all his bravery to climb up into the ruins. Suddenly, the wind made the window curtains wag. Then, for the first time in a century, the sun shone.
[277 Characters]

I enjoyed your tales this week, even if we did get off to a rocky start. Inexplicably, the WordPress gremlins shut off comments for the post. Sorry if you were inconvenienced. Once I realized what had happened, I made a quick chat appeal to the WordPress support line. They were very helpful, walking me through the process to restore comments. But by that time, several of you had already written your tales, ping-less tale at that! I visited several of your pages to see if you had written a tale for this week. I am sorry if I missed you. Please let me know, so I can feature your tale in the next roundup. As always, thank you so much for participating. See you again next week!

28 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Flash Fiction, Random Thoughts and Musings

November 5, 2019

Twittering Tales #161 – 5 November 2019

By Kat Myrman

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 #161 – 5 November 2019

This week’s photo prompt is by Michael Gaida at Pixabay.com. There is most certainly a story here. Simmer on it a while or tell us the story that pops into your head. You have a week and 280 characters to tell it. Have fun and I’ll see you at the roundup!

Photo by Michael Gaida @ Pixabay.com

Lost and Found
Adam had wandered off the path. Now he was lost. The food Adam had wandered off the path. Now he was lost. The food and bottled water he’d packed were almost gone.

“At least I’ll have shelter tonight,” he sighed.

Suddenly a light pierced through the ceiling.

“Hello Adam,” a voice boomed,”I’ve been waiting for you.”

”Oh my god!!!!”

“Yes?”

~kat

278 Characters

Twittering Tales #160 – The Roundup

Photo by Kahll at Pixabay.com

Starting us off:

One Foot In The Grave

“I don’t like it. Are you sure this is the place?”
“That’s what they said.”
“Nobody’s here. We should go.”
“Wait! I hear something.”
“Oh god! This is creepy. Let’s go!”
“Give it a minute.”
“For what? Are you crazy?!”
“SURPRISE!!!”
“Happy Birthday!”
“I’m gonna kill you. I hate surprises.”
~kat
279 Characters

By Reena at ReInventions:
Make Space
“I like the idea of constructing something on a grave. It shows the world does not end – someone else will replace you.”
“Hmmm… thoughts of recently retired people….   Letz place flowers n leave…”
Dad died a day b4 my son was born. The tombstone carries a picture of his grandson.

By Graham at Graham is Just My Name:
The Mission
The winter air wrapped him in an icy embrace.
Shivering in his military overcoat, the cold night vision goggles cut into his face.
His eyes strained beyond the gravestones when he felt something and jumped.
“Woah!”
“Happy Halloween.”
“That’s not funny.”
“Cue graveyard cackles.”
“Idiot.”
(280 characters)

By Lady Lee at Lady Lee Manila:
Oh So Spooky
oh so spooky
as I entered the house rats dived
oh so spooky
then the front door shut as I plea
a foul stench came as I arrived
I fainted but then I revived
oh so spooky*
(162 characters)

By Suzette at Suzette B’s Blog:
A testimony to life
These pale stone tablets record individual lives lived.
Lives whose sacrifices taught us love and wisdom
These stones are both, a symbol of their entry into eternal life
and, a living testament to their wisdom and their love which will live in our hearts, forever.
Total characters: 280

By Di at Pensitivity101:
This Halloween the graveyard got its own back!
46 characters

By Regina at Help from Heaven:
The House in the Cemetery
Kathie hated visiting Aunt Betsy’s house. It was the only time she had “accidents” in the night. Mother told her that her cousins weren’t afraid to go to the outhouse. Kathie responded, “Mother, the ghosts know them, but they don’t know me. Who lives in a cemetery, anyway?”
(275 characters)

By Rugby at The Bag Lady:
See how the light shines on them? Think they’re special people under those stones? I mean like angels or somethin’?
Nah, just moonlight. That cross all by itself, weird! Wonder if that’s somebody rich. Stepping close, two boys sink into ground—laughter heard. Halloween prank done.

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
I warned them!
They had been practising the same song all evening.
I told the conductor that if I heard that song one more time they would regret it.
He just laughed.
He raised his baton, the choir took a breath and the first notes filled the air.
They’d all be singing a new song now!
(280 characters)

By Larry at East Elmhurst A Go Go:
Such an Offbeat Tryst
Every day Edgar said he met Lenore, his long distance romance. One day we, his friends, followed him. By long distance we assumed he meant fifty or so miles. Little did we know. He met Lenore at the local St. Casimir graveyard. She died in 1846. At least they’re happy.
(276 characters)

By Lisa at Tao Talk:
The Halloween Dance
She was dressed as a belle
Jimmy said, “You look swell!”
While she danced in his arms
Jimmy, bursting with charms
Laughing, led her away
Where the dark shadows play
When she told Jimmy, “No”
His strong hands grabbed her throat.
Once a year on this night
Bessy gives him a fright
BOO!
[274 characters]

By Kitty at Kitty’s Verses:
Eternal Learning
While alive,I sought the approval of family and friends,
Death taught me the essence of solitude,
Life ain’t about comparison, as much as it is about individuality.
162 characters.

By Willow at WillowDot21:
“Come on, we’re late! Cutting across the cemetery will save twenty minutes. I know it’s almost dark but I am more afraid of Mum than the dead.” James said jumping over the wall. “No” shouted Paul. James was home in 15 mins. Paul however was never seen again.
(278 Characters)

By Neel at Neel Writes Blog:
TIT FOR TAT
“I’ll send you to the cemetry”,  lashed Vikram over the phone.
His bete noire Indra replied, his voice matching in menace, “Yeah, sure, you swine. But before that, you need to be alive”.
A second later,  a bullet shattered his brains.
From across the road, Vikram smiled.

By Tessa at Tessa Can Do It:
Where In the Hell?
“Where in hell have we landed,” Ron asked Linda.
“I don’t know, you have the control in your back pocket. You must’ve hit the wrong button since it was pre-programmed with the next destination.”
“Joey, were you playing with this?”
“Yes dad, I thought it was my phone, sorry.”
271 characters

By Lorraine at Lorraine’s Frilly Freudian Slip:
Drop Dead
Bob declared, “Even if it kills me, I’m going to have an even more creepy, heart-stopping, scream-fest Halloween yard display this year than last.”
His neighbours agreed; Bob had really outdone himself.
“Too bad, though,” they said, “he had to die trying.”
255 characters

By Melanie at Sparks From a Combustible Mind:
Julia sat on her headstone. It was cold, but that was usual. Julia was one of a dozen spirits here who hadn’t moved on. She moaned softly, appropriate for today. Halloween. The veil would thin and her neighbors and she would dance in the moonlight among the gravestones.
(character count:  277)

By Jude at Tales Told Different:
They Come
The hour of hallows struck
moon, pale as shame
air redolent with decay
the leafless branches groaning and moaning laments of despair,
the night frozen, cold as rejection,
ghastly ghosts clawing from their graves
putrid with revenge

By Mike at The Bookish Recovering Know It All:
As the witching hour drew closer, he saw the headstones begin to glow with a preternatural light that he’d only seen once before. On the night of his own rebirth, 5yrs ago. Sod and dirt began to move. A boney hand reached up to take his. “Tag. It’s my turn now. Your time is up. ”
(280 characters)

By Sadje at Keep It Alive:
Now What
The equipment was in place. The night vision cameras were recording. She was besides herself with excitement. Time ticked on but nothing happened. “What is the meaning of this”the producer yelled “You said there would be ghost sighting for sure”
I guess they knew we were filming!
Character Count: 280

By Christine at Stine Writing:
The Halloween Dance
“Why’s there only one stone that’s a cross?”
“Who knows? Maybe this isn’t a real religious cemetery.”
“But aren’t they all religious in some way?”
“Sure but it depends on the religion. Not all religions want a cross, I don’t think.”
“Well, I sure wouldn’t want some plain old stone.”

By Jim at MindEscapes:
The Cemetery
Sally hated walking past the cemetery at night but sometimes life made it necessary. Like tonight, when she missed the last bus home. It wasn’t a long walk, just creepy. She was halfway past when the ground at the cemetery’s edge burst open and out poured a stream of ghosts. Boo!
280 characters.

By Kristian at Tales from the Mmd of Kristian:
Lonely Girl
She laid out the picnic cloth on the damp ground and passed around the victuals.
It wasn’t the place most people would choose to have a family picnic, among broken tombstones, many just about to keel over, but it was her family plot and she wanted her dearly departed around her.
[279 characters]

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Bad Karma
“I don’t think I want to do this,” Al said.
“But it’s our Halloween tradition,” Ed said. “We pick a cemetery and tip the tombstones.”
“Did you read the dates on these? 1858, 1863. They’re really old. It just doesn’t seem right. It’s bad karma.”
“And karma’s a bitch, right?”
“Right!”
279 Characters

By Deb at Twenty Four:
They’d been standing here for hours, uncertain what to do next. The letter had told them to be there at midnight, that then they would be given the option to repent.
Then they would be free to go.
“What does it say again?”
“Matchbox car graveyard.”
“That’s what I thought you said.”
(280 characters)

Excellent round of tales this week! Thank you to everyone who took time to tweet! I hope to be back full time soon! Moving day is three weeks away! Hope to see you next week at the roundup! 😊

25 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Flash Fiction, Random Thoughts and Musings, Twitter Tales

October 22, 2019

Twittering Tales #159 – 22 October 2019

By Kat Myrman

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]

 

50 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Challenges and Writing Prompts, Flash Fiction, napowrimo, Random Thoughts and Musings, Twitter Tales

October 15, 2019

Twittering Tales #158 – 15 October 2019

By Kat Myrman

Twittering Tales

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 #158 – 15 October 2019

This week’s photo prompt by Mikechie Esparagoza at Pexels.com offers a wall full of possibilities. Use one of the sayings as your title and build a tale around it, or incorporate several sayings in your tale. Have fun! I’ll see you at the roundup next week!

Photo by Mikechie Esparagoza at Pexels.com

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

Before we get into this week’s Roundup, a throw-back to Lorraine’s at Lorrraine’s Frilly Freudian Slip. Her tale “bearly” made it…well, not really, but I couldn’t resist. It posted just hours after I posted.
Teddy Bear’s Picnic
After the last incident, the park rangers put up warning signs:
Keep your distance. Please don’t feed their addiction to selfies.
(130)

Twittering Tales #147 – The Round-Up

astronomical-observatory-4520900_1280

Photo by noelsch at Pixabay.com

Starting us off…

“Coffee, I need coffee,” Marcus grumbled as his head bobbed, smacking the metal desk.
As the java brewed, monitors in the observation room started flashing. The alarm system blared. The sprinkler system busted loose. The lights popped to dark.
“Shoulda made tea,” Marcus hissed.
~kat
280 Characters

By Reena at ReInventions:
Transgression
The security checks are stringent, yet I put up with it to reach that building.
I don’t know a soul there, but the windows it opens to other worlds are refreshing. Bodies become insignificant, as the vastness of the universe engulfs.
I  hope now to transgress my smallness someday.
(279 characters)

By Fandango at This, That, and the Other:
Watching the Universe
“This is the Gran Telescopio Canarias, the largest telescope on earth,” the tour guide said.
“What are those men looking at?” a boy asked.
“They’re astronomers. They’re looking at the universe.”
Looking at a monitor, the boy said, “No, they’re watching Stranger Things on Netflix.”
(278 characters)

By Jim at Mindescapes.net:
Galactic Golf Emporium
Welcome to Galactic Golf Emporium! You’ll find all of your golfing gear for all of your golfing needs!
Hurry in today for our astronomically great deals. Low low prices you have to observe with your own eyes!
Tee off to greatness, improve your game. Your black hole in one awaits!
280 characters

By Kitty at Kitty’s Verses:
Trying Something New
I wouldn’t mind dancing all day, a visit to the observatory wouldn’t excite me, I grumbled to my friend.
Getting to know how the universe evolved, I dance to my heart’s content near the clouds.
Coming out of one’s comfort zone hurt none, my friend chided.
253 characters

By Hayley at The Story Files:
Ghost Research
The lab had been built in an old observatory, in the middle of nowhere which was perfect for the holding and research of ghosts.
The only problem was so far they had been unsuccessful in actually capturing and keeping the spirits!

By Angie at Angie Trafford:
Heavens Above!
“Touch nothing,” the head astronomer warned as the left the room.
The new technician’s chair collapsed and he landed on the controls. “Ow and Oops.”
Returning, the head astronomer stared in disbelief at moving machinery. “I told you not… Wait, what’s that?”
Character count: 270

By Sadje at Keep It Alive:
It was true! Now they had seen it with their own eyes. The building which was heavily guarded in the sector 51 was where the aliens were being kept. The plan was to let the drone cameras take pictures to prove their authenticity. Too bad they never got to see those pictures.
Character count: 275

By Suzette at Suzette B’s Blog:
A lens to the heavens
The observatory, a beacon to the search for visitors.
But, we are visitors, too. The earth is our temporary home.
The shiny island dome, a working human monument exploring the Divine canvas created by –the Author of all life.
In Whom we are all truly “at home”
Total characters: 280

By Regina at Help From Heaven:
So Many Stars!
Janna was bored! What’s the big deal about an observatory? She could look at the night sky at home. But when the roof opened, her jaw dropped! “So many stars,” she screamed. She had never seen anything so beautiful! They were like diamonds spread on dark satin!
(264 characters)

By Jan at Jaquintinwriter:
First glance
Interesting
First thought
What is it?
An Astronomical Observatory
Location
Canary Islands
Spain
Atlantic Ocean
Day visit
Stargazing
No thanks
Pass this vacation
No desire holiday travel
Sorry this gal
Science little interest
Passing thought
Excellent topic
Research paper
CC: 268

By Graham at Graham is Just my Name:
In the back of the van, his chest tightened, and his breathing was harsh and laboured.
Were they near the summit?
The cable ties savaged his wrists.
The grubby blindfold rendered him sightless.
“When do we get to the observatory?”
“We passed it 5 minutes ago.”
Not long know he thought.

By Rugby at The Bag Lady:
Look at that! Thinking they’re smart, trying to see us from some lame observatory telescope, way down there. If we could be seen that easily there would be no more science fiction movies!
Don’t knock it Joe, if they knew we looked and acted like them, they’d be so disappointed!

By Lisa at Tao Talk:
It had lain asleep in the earth for millenia. Arcturans left it here as a fail-save device should their experimental subjects threaten planet viability. Made of osmium, it was armed with neutron blasters. When fracking began at the north pole, the giant awoke to save earth.
[277 characters]

By Lorraine at Lorraine’s Frilly Freudian Slip:
“bet vos non scitis; cognitionem stellarum”
betcha didn’t know:
Wallace, Idaho is the center of the universe and
La Palma, Canary Islands, is the site of the secret Starbucks’ taste testing facility.
(132)

By Di at Pensitivity101:
How do you like your eggs?
Boiled, fried, poached, scrambled or tinned?
70 characters

By Joe at Does Writing Excuse Watching?:
Canary Islands
The world’s largest telescope was built in the Canary Islands. King Juan Carlos I of Spain officially inaugurated the telescope July 24, 2009.
With the King and his guests in attendance, the first object photographed, due to an error in the declination setting, was this canary.

By Larry at East Elmhurst A Go Go:
Such a Friendly Debate
Jim and Sue were sky diving. To pass time on the way down, they gossiped about the round building below. “I think it looks like roll on deodorant,” he said. “I think it looks like a pinky ring,” she insisted. “At least they’re happy this way,” their friends all agreed.
(272 characters)

By Lauren at LSS Attitude of Gratitude:
Money ant Privilege Know No Boundaries
What do you mean I can’t purchase that? It is on prime beach front land. I want it. Get it for me.
But madam, do you not realize that it is owned and operated by the scientific community?
I have never let that stop me before. My last name means money. I WILL get what I want.
(280 characters)

By Peter at Peter’s Pondering:
The crime had remained unsolved for 40 years.
Someone had stolen the largest ballpen, as verified in the Guinness Book of World Records.
They’d left the shaft and ink sleeve propped against the Eiffel tower.
Now the giant ball had been found. Hidden in plain sight all these years!
(279 characters)

By Mike at The Bookish Recovering Know-It-All:
Popcorn Up!!
Ok sir, just so I can get this for my report, can you go thru the story one more time please?
“It’s like I was saying officer. We were just sitting down to watch the movie after putting the Jiffy Pop on the stove. It was one of those MCU movies that everyone’s watching, when…”
(280 characters)

By Tien at From the Window Seat:
Into Space
Everyone believed that building the observatory on the mountain was a good idea.
The mountain was very tall and that was about as close to the stars as the astrophysicists could get.
That was until Earth lost its gravitational force and the mountain began to float into space.
(274 characters)

By Tessa at Tessa Can Do It:
Caught Again!
As they pulled the car around to the back of the shed, they noticed a car was following them. Not sure where it came from or if it was a danger, they pulled around the shed and went out the other side, which they soon found was blocked and they were hauled back to headquarters.
279 characters

By John at Broadsides:
A unique configuration of solar panels adorns the new extinction refuge, designed not just to catch the sunlight but also reflections from the deep winter snows. Ideally located to re-fuel electric cars using the nearby roads, the refuge was opened by Greta and named, “ Hus of bolde”*
*House of Balls”

By Neel at Neel Writes Blog:
CELESTIAL SIGHTS
“I look up. Study stars. Search for answers.”
“Interesting!”, replied Karishma as she stared out from the upper deck of the all metal dome shaped structure.
“Will you’ve time?”
“For what?”, replied her fiancee Akash.
“For us. For more mundane earthly matters?”

By Prathiba at Prat’s Corner:
Tourists
“We asked for a place people would not note at all”
“You asked for a place to hide the spaceship”
“Not a tourist place like this”
“You only need it the night, why waste it in the day”
“How does attracting people help?”
“Are you kidding? Don’t you know the earning from tourists”

By Deb at Twenty Four:
She sighed deeply, “Well I suppose it has possibilities, the view is excellent.”
“And there’s space if relatives want to visit.”
“I guess so,” She murmured, “But you do know its an observatory?”
“Oh is it?”
Perfect for hunting aliens, he thought with a smile.
(255 characters)

By Shweta at My Random Ramblings:
Pride Goes Before a Fall
They were extremely proud of the new observatory.
One-of-a-kind, unparalleled technology.
They had every reason to be proud.
But the shiny, silver dome proved to be their Achilles heel.
What was meant to monitor their extra-terrestrial neighbours had ended up attracting them instead!
(280 characters)

By Kristian at Tales From the Mind of Kristian:
Among Us
It was the largest telescope, built to find extra-terrestrial life.
A waste of money, in my humble opinion.
Why bother trying to find aliens, when they’d already found us?
They were already walking shoulder to shoulder among us, their kindred had infiltrated the White House.
[275 Characters]

Nice round up everyone. I loved your impressions of this photograph. Jiffy Pop? I have to admit it looks like that novelty from the past. I remember watching the bladder on these little aluminum popcorn poppers expand like a balloon. It was like magic. Then, there were a few aliens, a ghost, golf, a few frightful tales, inspiration and a chuckle or two. Thank you to everyone who participated! I hope you’ll give this week’s photo prompt a try. See you at next week’s round up!

71 Comments | posted in Random Thoughts and Musings

October 13, 2019

döstädning

By Kat Myrman

döstädning

I am a tree in autumn,
limbs stiffening from
dawn’s first frost,
clinging wistfully to
the dying remnants of
summer, old photographs,
books, trinkets, effigies
of a life lived long and
full, roots deeply
entrenched in the
familiar, yielding to
the wind whispering, it is
time to let go, to render
to yesterday its relics,
to turn the brittle page
in naked abandon, to rest
my soul in the cool present,
to sleep, to dream of
another glorious spring

~kat

Döstädning, which means “death cleaning” in English, is a method of downsizing and organizing from the Swedish author and artist Margareta Magnusson. Death cleaning isn’t about getting rid of all your stuff, but rather streamlining your life so you’re only holding onto what makes you happy.

I am moving from my big two story home in a month into a sweet little one level home on a hill in foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Hence, I’ve been a little less prolific in my writing here, obviously preoccupied with the details of moving. I am hoping my daughters appreciate my efforts to leave a smaller footprint for them to dispose of when I’m gone. And as for the years I have left (which I hope are many) I am excited to begin a new, simpler chapter. Peace!

Here’s my new view…

19 Comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Digital Art & Photos, free verse, nature, Poetry, Random Thoughts and Musings

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