Discussion thread - SEVENTY-FIVE WORD WRITING CHALLENGE August 2013

[Victoria Silverwolf]

littlecypher -- Blood is thicker than water, they say; but it seems that the lust for power is thicker than blood. Our loyalties are severely tested when we face the temptation of gaining rank and command at the expense of those who trust us.

TacticalLoco -- In the game of politics, it seems that many players seek a balance of power, assuring that nobody completely dominates the others. However, when a new and unanticipated factor comes into play, all bets are off.

BetaWolf -- Forced into unfamiliar circumstances, we cling to that which comforts us. Paradoxically, we can derive comfort from the fact that another depends on us. We are driven to survive, and even thrive, when we carry such responsibility.

 

[stormcrow]

Thank you Victoria. I'm pleased you got that from my entry; I'm another in the liking-your-deeper-comments-approach camp!

 

[Ursa major]

Sadly, I've had to pull one of the entries for being over the word count limit.

To those who've not yet entered, please make sure your entries do not exceed 75 words.

 

[BetaWolf]

Thank you, Victoria, for the kind words.

 

[Perpetual Man]

Victoria: What happened? All of a sudden "pithy" reviews became downright insightful and almost as long as the 75 word wonder.

Loving it!

Perhaps part of it was Perp's announcement of his leave of absence, Parson?

Part of the reason for the change in my comments was, indeed, as a tribute to Perpetual Man. It also seemed to me that it would make more sense for me to offer what might be considered meditations upon the themes revealed in these brief stories rather than to attempt true literary reviews.

It was really touching to read this (in a mad, strange kind of way), thanks especially to Victoria for taking it on herself. I know how much time and effort it takes, and she does it so well.

I'm lurking...

This month has stumped me quite a bit, but with a lot of hanging around, at the moment, I've got plenty of time to think on it.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

johnnyjet -- In a world which can seem threatening, it is tempting to withdraw into the security of isolation. As Simon and Garfunkel sang, "Hiding in my room/safe within my womb/I touch no one and no one touches me." But what price do we pay for the safety of a deserted island?

jastius -- At some time in the future, humanity will have to face the consequences of its constantly increasing population. Even if the rate of growth is slowed, the sheer number of people on the planet is sure to strain its resources sooner or later. Can we face this problem rationally, or will we be driven to desperate measures?

 

[jastius]

thank you victoria, as always a very insightful and complimentary comment.

 

[Perpetual Man]

And there we go, mine's up. Something a lot different to my normal type of thing. And quite hard to comment on, I'd think.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Perpetual Man -- Thinking about the past, it's fascinating to wonder what things might have been like if some little change had happened. Reading the works of Archimedes, one is struck by the fact that he came very close to inventing calculus two millenia before its time. What if Hero's aeolipile had been more than a clever toy? Would you be reading this on Mars?

 

[Perpetual Man]

Thanks Victoria, now I'm wishing for what might have been?

 

[johnnyjet]

Thanks, Victoria, for the insightful comments on my piece. For this month's entry, I felt more limited than usual to get everything I wanted to say within the 75 word limit.

 

[Mr Orange]

well got mine up.... may be a bit random and couldn't get the formatting as I wanted, but it's done...

 

[Starbeast]

I'm in too. I took a quick glance at the others and I see a lot of goodies out there. I'll have to come back and read them all carefully.

 

[I_Voyager]

I hope you guys don't mind I decided to make my first post my contest entry! I don't know if you guys consider "I" to be a word. If so, I might be a word over. Easily rectifiable though. I'll let you guys be the judge of that!

 

[TacticalLoco]

Welcome I Voyager.
Interesting, good first story but, I'm afraid I do count 76 words.
Let's see what the Judge says.

 

[jastius]

I counted it as seventy five on the nose, tactical loco , but I-Voyager what is going to sink you are the hyphens... but you can get rid of the a 's, all three of them in the description of the entertainment unit, without losing any meaning to the piece. that would put you at three words down down from seventy five...

 

[Ursa major]

Whatever the word count is**, it's set in stone, as the post - any post - can only*** be edited for one hour after posting.





** - The matter is being considered.

*** - Other than by mods; but if a mod edits a post after one hour has passed, even their own, in a Challenge entry thread, that falls foul of the Challenge rules.

 

[The Judge]

Let's see what the Judge says.

The Judge says she wishes people wouldn't interrupt her tea break by making her count words...

Anyhow, at this moment, both my assorted and servile minions and the Great Bear's myrmidons are combing through dictionaries, books of English usage and various incunabula prior to setting down with the Staff Room abacuses. They'll be reporting to us as and when tea break is over -- and we're running short of millionaire's shortbread here, so that might be soon unless we get fresh supplies parachuted in.

 

[jastius]

wups, sorry judge and ursa, didn't look at the time stamps...
i am not really awake yet as i just got home and to sleep about seventy thirty this morning. tea.. what a civilized idea.
sorry about the cookie shortage judge, i have fudge striped shortbread here but i don't suppose that is any help for your tea.
too bad, they are just taking up space in the cookie jar.

i think the tan-gold one has been in use before and i have heard of the other one in some books if it helps.

 

[I_Voyager]

The Judge says she wishes people wouldn't interrupt her tea break by making her count words...

Anyhow, at this moment, both my assorted and servile minions and the Great Bear's myrmidons are combing through dictionaries, books of English usage and various incunabula prior to setting down with the Staff Room abacuses. They'll be reporting to us as and when tea break is over -- and we're running short of millionaire's shortbread here, so that might be soon unless we get fresh supplies parachuted in.

Tea!? What are my tax dollars paying you for!
I'm not too worried. I figure there ain't no thing wrong with the first entry being a little out of step. I do think tan-gold and electro-carbon would be one word.In the instance of tan-gold, I just didn't want her flesh to loose the skin quality to the overpowering description of gold. With electro-carbon, I just wanted to make reference to some kind of carbon nano-tube which holds onto electricity and emits light. If the mods want to consider these two words or one, it's their power to do so.
Otherwise, I don't mind what I wrote.