DISCUSSION THREAD -- November 2020 75-word Writing Challenge

[Luiglin]

Many many CONGRATULATIONS @Parson !

One of the most clear-cut winners that I remember.

And for trivia enthusiasts re Blue Meanies - may or may not be general knowledge - this species of psilocybin mushroom gets its name because the stems turn blue when picked/broken. Very popular in omelettes in beach cafes at one time and probably still are....

And in the psychedelic Yellow Submarine.

 

[Daysman]

Congrats @Parson !

So much marvelous genre dialogue dropped this month!

Thanks to @johnnyjet, @wagtail, @Luiglin and @Ursa major for your mentions.

My fave five six & vote:

@Victoria Silverwolf
@Ashleyne
@Parson
@Peter V
@wagtail
@paranoid marvin

Thanks @Parson & @Victoria Silverwolf as always for your commentary.

Have a great weekend!

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Congratulations @Parson .

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Yes, a worthy winner @Parson . It actually made me laugh out loud

And many thanks to all of you who mentioned me on your long/short lists

Now, as to my effort, can anyone spot all the references to 1950s/60s counter-culture?

 

[Abernovo]

Congratulations, Parson! Well deserved.

I'm so sorry for not voting. Something I always do when I enter, and often/usually do even if I don't have an entry. This week was a little mad at work, including call-in on my day off, and I plain forgot through exhaustion. A poor excuse.

 

[BT Jones]

Excellent work, @Parson; one on the most one-sided polls I've seen. Thanks for short-listing me. Thanks also to @TheDustyZebra for my second stealth vote. We all await your choice of theme and genre for December with baited breath, Parson!

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Yes, a worthy winner @Parson . It actually made me laugh out loud

And many thanks to all of you who mentioned me on your long/short lists

Now, as to my effort, can anyone spot all the references to 1950s/60s counter-culture?

Well, first of all, obvious references to the Beatles, the Doors, Pink Floyd, and the Allman Brothers.

Song titles: "Across the Universe" (Beatles)
"2000 Light Years From Home" (Rolling Stones)
"Interstellar Overdrive" (Pink Floyd)
"Magic Bus" (Who)

 

[Starbeast]

Congratulations Parson
@Parson


And Excellent stories from everyone who wasn't crushed and smoked by Parson.




My Story: Included..................... Beldar Conehead

Marvin the Martian.......................

and of course..........

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Congrats to Parson! I knew as soon as I read this one, Parson, that it'd be hard to beat(nik). Greatly looking forward to the December Challenge.

Huge thanks to @sule for the mention.

Now, as to my effort, can anyone spot all the references to 1950s/60s counter-culture?

To add to Victoria's list ... Woodstock, maybe, also Jefferson Starship? Hope you'll give the complete list of references, M. Robert, when we're done guessing.

edit - though they were Jefferson Airplane in the 60s...

 

[mosaix]

Thanks for the shortlists / mentions to @wagtail, @Vince W, @nixie, @Elckerlyc and @Ursa major.

And thanks to @Parson and @Victoria Silverwolf for the reviews.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Woah Parson - awesome victory; you truly smashed it this month dude.

Thanks for the shortlisting Daysman and really pleased to see another vote for my entry, thanks Ursa.

 

[Wayne Mack]

Congratulations, @Parson Your story certainly resonated with a lot of us!

Thank you for your vote, @Victoria Silverwolf
and thank you for the mentions, @johnnyjet, @M. Robert Gibson, @Hugh, @chrispenycate, @Marvin, @Cat's Cradle, @Ursa major I find it gratifying that so many got some pleasure from my attempt.

 

[Bren G]

Well done @Parson. You really swept the field !

 

[Parson]

Thanks for all of the wonderful congratulations. A victory that I truly did not expect. --- I thought "kinda cute, might get a vote or two," but never did I think 12 votes. That's more votes than I usually get in a year! If I recall correctly, I've enter every 75, save 2, since the beginning and the best I'd done prior to this is to lose in tie breaker. To say I am happy is to understate it by half.

So just in case I missed someone the first time around I'd like to thank, nixie, Perpetual Man, TheEndIsNigh, Droflet, Luiglin, farntfar, Cat's Cradle, Peter V, M. Robert Gibson, Daysman, Bren G, and Wayne Mack for voting for me. And thanks for all of those who mentioned me in the short listings as well.

I'm pretty sure I have the theme and genre picked already, but I should probably wait at least a day or two before posting it.

 

[Bren G]

Even though distracted by an altogether more time-consuming (but less watery) form of surfing, the Ursa Jury managed to get itself in gear for long enough to compile the following, and vote accordingly.

The stories are in posting order within the categories:


Honourable Mentions:

• Beam Me up, Scotty by Peter V
• Smile @ Infinity by Daysman
• The Elevator by Wayne Mack
• Flight of Fancy by Perpetual Man

Runners Up:

• The End Credits by Bren G
• Keeping it real. by Provincial
• To Bodaciously Go… by mosaix

Winner:

• Wipeout by paranoid marvin

​

Thank you for the mention @Ursa major !

 

[Perpetual Man]

Congratulations @Parson!

And many thanks for the vote @Marvin, and for the mentions I received, as always they are greatly appreciated.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

@Parson

Hopefully, Yule be too busy in December to write something other than setting the topic.

That'll give the rest of us poor sinners a chance.

Twelve votes - A ridiculous winning margin - I blame myself of course, being one of them.

Well done, though I still maintain there's a hint of autobiography involved. I was seventeen when Woodstock happened so it's quite possible for you to have actually been there.

 

[Droflet]

Many thanks to Ashleyne, for a very unexpected vote.

 

[Droflet]

Onya Parson. You hit that one right off the fairway.

 

[Parson]

Well done, though I still maintain there's a hint of autobiography involved. I was seventeen when Woodstock happened so it's quite possible for you to have actually been there.

Indeed, I was 18, nearly 19 when Woodstock happened, but I was I hick from the sticks. I hadn't heard about it until after, and it sounded like something I would avoid like the plague.

Onya Parson. You hit that one right off the fairway.

If I had it would have flown straight and true, until it turned right and landed in the rough. (assuming a 3 wood.) But, I like the analogy. Golf is a distant hope on the northern plains by this time of the year.