DISCUSSION THREAD -- September 75 Word Challenge

[crystal haven]

Thank you for the review, Perpetual Man.

 

[Ursa major]

If Ursa posts something in the next few days, it is going to be really spooky ...

Don't worry: there's no chance of that happening.

 

[Abernovo]

Don't worry: there's no chance of that happening.

Er, Ursa? Historically, isn't the next post from a person that says that normally their challenge entry, inspiration having suddenly struck?

 

[Ursa major]

Yes, but I'm an inveterate procrastinator (and I lack the badges, thus proving it), so even if I suddenly became a-mused, there isn't going to be an Ursa challenge entry until much closer to the deadline.

 

[Bowler1]

This month is turing out to be a smelly month, there is quite a lot of poo about. I'm proudly guilty of that myself, but I'm surprised that funny = poo for so many of us. I suspect it might have something to do with our potty training, I say suspect because I can't remember my potty training. I'm glad to report that 99.99% of the time, my potty training has been successful.

 

[Ursa major]

Sounds like it's become automatic, Bowler, as if you're just going through the motions.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Is it me or are we having a lot of crap discussions this month?

 

[Lilmizflashythang]

That's cause we are. It's what happens when there's too many people without an appreciation for Rom-Coms, or other comedies. Sorry.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Stratosaeros – A nice bit of reversal as we get to see an opposite to our perspective of things, where we came first and the dinosaurs replaced us (or could it be they came back after we did ourselves in). Not only does the juxtaposition provide a thought provoking humour but there is also the reason for mankind’s demise – that is funny in its own right. Really enjoyable entry.

Phyrebrat – And then we have this little beauty, a humour that might slowly melt your brain, rather than laugh out loud. Very clever with some lovely touches – the annoyance of the protagonist that his other half kept tidying things, the name of the cleaning fluid, and of course the payoff. The box. Is the dinosaur dead or alive? Only opening the box will reveal the answer, but until then either answer might be true...

JoanDrake – Ouch. There is something very frightening at the thought that something could be so tenacious that it could survive through the epochs and return in the same way to threaten our own species, almost as though the makers of cigarettes are something more than human. Or dinosaur. A smile maker indeed.

EricWard – There is something amusing in the thought that alien beings might be so different from us that they do not truly understand life on our world, just as we might not recognise them as life. Indeed finding a historic record of life might to them seem an ideal starting point of learning about our planet, after all there is very little older. Of course the truth is a stone is just a stone.

Parson – As a few people have said this was unexpected from Parson, but that does not make it a bad thing, rather an entertaining romp through the motions as it were. It is well thought out, tells a story rhymes fantastically and is a lot of fun. What more could we ask?

 

[Parson]

Perp -- Thanks

But I am a bit flummoxed about how many people thought this was "unexpected" from me. Toilet humor is universal (note the number of stories resorting to it) and Parsons certainly are part of the human race with all of its foibles and smells.

On the more reflective side: I think a lot of us have resorted to toilet humor because of the 75 word limit. Most subtle jokes need more background if they are to communicate. We are reduced to those jokes more slap stick in nature, (Puns, toilet humor, the farmer's daughter, etc.) which tickle our more basic nature.

 

[Ursa major]

So we're left with slap and tickle?


(Who knew dinosaurs would prove to be so cuddly?)

​

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Perp -- Thanks

But I am a bit flummoxed about how many people thought this was "unexpected" from me. Toilet humor is universal (note the number of stories resorting to it) and Parsons certainly are part of the human race with all of its foibles and smells.

I wasn't in the least surprised, what bloke doesn't like toilet humour, parson or not?

 

[Azzagorn]

Thanks Perp I've enjoyed this month.

 

[Bowler1]

I wasn't in the least surprised, what bloke doesn't like toilet humour, parson or not?

How true...

 

[Parson]

I wasn't in the least surprised, what bloke doesn't like toilet humour, parson or not?

Well, my father does not crack a smile at these sort of jokes. He is in fact appalled by them.

 

[chrispenycate]

I’m going to have to hold my hand up and say that I can’t place the original as Chris put it, but it does not stop me being blown away by the way he makes something like this work, especially with all the names coming together, making sense and rhyming!

Not really surprising; the 'original' came out in 1957, and was number one in 1958. About when I was discovering science fiction.

But it's a song. I might not be a poet, but I can do songs. Of course, it might be more effective if I recorded a backing track so you could sing it. So thanks very much for the nice things you said about it, but it's something I knew I was capable of; bit of a cop out as regards the "challenge" side.

 

[Culhwch]

On the more reflective side: I think a lot of us have resorted to toilet humor because of the 75 word limit. Most subtle jokes need more background if they are to communicate. We are reduced to those jokes more slap stick in nature, (Puns, toilet humor, the farmer's daughter, etc.) which tickle our more basic nature.

I think this is it exactly. Toilet humour certainly isn't my go-to usually, but with only seventy-five words I felt like it was that or puns and wordplay, and I'm not smart enough to do that...

I should also apologise for my likely terrible Latin, however I will lay the blame for that at Google translate's feet!

 

[stratosaeros]

Stratosaeros – A nice bit of reversal as we get to see an opposite to our perspective of things, where we came first and the dinosaurs replaced us (or could it be they came back after we did ourselves in). Not only does the juxtaposition provide a thought provoking humour but there is also the reason for mankind’s demise – that is funny in its own right. Really enjoyable entry.

Thank you Perp, I appreciate the feedback. This was my first entry in these competitions sense I just joined in September. It is very appreciated how welcoming this forum is.

Also I was not sure if the Jersey reference would be too localized, I hope it fared semi well.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Perp – What can I say? There was one extra dinosaur used in this unfunny production and that was a Thesaurus (And that was probably funnier than the story)

TSP – One of the other topics that seem to be popular is the meteor bringing an end to an era, of course the inventive uses brought up across the challenge have been nothing short of phenomenal, and this is no exception. The story had me at fried pterodactyl wings, but there is an underlying sadness in the way a renewable fuel source is discovered just as the end is nigh. Makes you wonder if it is a universal apathy toward the end, I mean who listens to those predicting doom eh?

Al – What is huge to some creatures is miniscule to the other. The final weapon, the most powerful thing in the world to one species is but an annoyance to another. And basically that is what we get here a poor defenceless creature wiped out with a casual movement of something infinitely larger. Loved the dinosaurs on a picnic!

Cul – And back come the poop jokes. I’m not sure about what it is, whether it is the way the story is told or the words used at the end that I laughed out loud here, spraying water at the computer screen. I don’t think there is much needed to be said about the story other than it caught me by surprise and I don’t know why!

 

[MemoryTale]

Great comments as always Perp, and many thanks for mine.

I liked Als - reminds me of the bit in Hitchhikers when an entire alien war fleet is eaten by a small dog.