DISCUSSION THREAD -- FEBRUARY 2022 -- 75 Word Writing Challenge

[Parson]

@BigJ .... The World Beyond Your Head .... B.J. helps us consider the effects of really deep thinking and true living vs. faking it.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

BigJ: A thought-provoking consideration of a classic philosophical dilemma.

 

[HareBrain]

The word-count pixie would like to remind people to be careful with letting software do the counts for their entries. We've had to remove an entry where (we think) the automated word-count made an error. Always count "by eye" to be sure, and as always, let a moderator know if you have any questions.

 

[Elckerlyc]

Well, I'm in. After all.
My Muse claimed she needed a sabbatical. So, she left me, just when I needed her most. For 3 weeks I have been staring at this challenge and the word 'Fake,' with no other thoughts than "Obviously, I am the fake." I considered skipping this months Challenge. But no, no, no... Better Fake than Nothing.
So I cheated faked the fake a little.

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Well, I'm in too with another fake entry.

 

[Abernovo]

I have to say Abernovo seems to be worryingly well equipped and I suspect some mob activity in the distant past, but what happens in a mob stays in a mob, so I won't ask.

Not at all, Bowler, and I'm positive there is no evidence.... I simply used to work outdoors. Honest.

I have a story, almost finished. It's been almost finished for a few days. I'm struggling to finish it, as I've been blessed with a *mild* dose of Covid, along with the resultant brain fog, and complete loss of energy/get-up-and-go. There is a word I was thinking of to describe the state, but it's gone. I rest my case.

 

[Parson]

@Elckerlyc .... Pinch Me .... E.C. shows us to be terrified when the fake takes living shape.

@M. Robert Gibson .... Another Conversation With Walter Rego .... M.R.G. writes us writers a tale which doesn't seem fake at all.

 

[Parson]

@MatthewKusza .... My Name Is Actually Gill .... M.K. reminds us that double fakes are better than single fakes.

@Bowler1 .... Workers of the world, unite .... B.1 brings us to a world where a "holodeck" is a perk, or is it a fake perk?

 

[Bowler1]

Not at all, Bowler, and I'm positive there is no evidence.... I simply used to work outdoors. Honest.

Yes indeed, outside work with hand held tools, nothing better in my view.

Note to self, to punch post after copy and paste or you don't get to enter the 75 word competition. Senile moments aside, I'm in and posted.

 

[The Judge]

I don't know if it's my warped sense of humour that the idea of faking it led me straight to the scene of Frank Drebin breaking up with his girlfriend... Fortunately, the Chrons family-friendly policy kept me away from call-girl robots and on the straight and narrow. Well, the not-quite-straight and narrow, anyway, with a story that's just a little bit Grimm.

 

[Astro Pen]

In an interesting Drebin crosslink we also find Leslie Nielsen in Marionettes inc. "The Ray Bradbury Theatre" Marionettes, Inc. (TV Episode 1985) - IMDb

 

[Ursa major]

​

The challenge has now closed to new entries and the poll is open at the link below:

POLL -- February 2022 75-Word Challenge -- READ FIRST POST!​

​

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

I have voted for @Astro Pen .

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

OK, quite a long short list this time:

Victoria Silverwolf (Where can I get those magic bullets?)
Mosaix (Because I like a man who is good with his wand)
Phyrebrat (Yuck! But very well done)
Parson (Truthful skeptic please)
M Robert Gibson (I love a good pun!)
The Judge (The woodsman never dressed as a girl before? He would say that wouldn't he!)

And in the end I went for........Mosaix!!!!

 

[Parson]

@The Judge .... Little Red Riding Who? .... T.J. reminds us that it's the most fun to fake a faker.

@chrispenycate .... Cameoflage ... C.P. versifies laying in between poetical lines.

@Abernovo .... Smoke and Mirror .... A.N. sees the seeds of a coup d'état figured in the code room.

@Ursa major .... Putting the Dupe in Duplicate? .... U.M. answers the question, "When is the best time to fake it?"

 

[Hugh]

I can't remember a month when I've liked as many entries or thought the standard was so high. My initial list of possibles numbered seventeen and I could have voted for several of these in other months.

Nevertheless I was certain about my winner: @reiver33 : I just loved the subtlety.

With some effort I reduced my long list to the following that caught my eye:
in no particular order
@DF17
@redzwritez
@Victoria Silverwolf
@Marvin
@Peter V
@Phyrebrat
@Christine Wheelwright
@Cat's Cradle
@johnnyjet

As I said above, for me, the stories this month were particularly good. I'd like to have listed many more but I try to keep to a personal top ten.

 

[johnnyjet]

Virtually every story was top notch and/or surprising in some way. Tough to narrow down. However, my Long List, Short List, and *** Favorite ***:

Deadeye - Victoria Silverwolf
Just Go, You’ll Meet Someone - Cat's Cradle
Dream ending - Astro Pen
Hollow existence – Marvin
Oops… - Dragonsnark
A Job Well Done – Aknot
Dramatis Personae – Guttersnipe
*** The Emperor’s Thing – Ashleyne ***
Sleight of Hand – mosaix
A Better Yesterday - reiver33
Year 473 - Generation Ship Endeavor – Parson
The Wooden Monarch – Daysman
Another Conversation With Walter Rego - M. Robert Gibson
My Name Is Actually Gill – MatthewKusza
Little Red Riding Who? - The Judge

 

[sule]

Shortlist:
In the blink of an eye by Luiglin
Who chooses the chosen ones? by WSDuffy
My Name Is Actually Gill by MatthewKusza
Little Red Riding Who? by The Judge

Vote:
A Better Yesterday by reiver33

 

[farntfar]

My Short list
Just Go, You’ll Meet Someone by @Cat's Cradle
A Job Well Done by @Aknot
Sleight of Hand by @mosaix

With the vote going to Mosaix

I also very much liked
Dramatis Personae by @Guttersnipe
Another Conversation With Walter Rego by @M. Robert Gibson
Little Red Riding Who? by @The Judge

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

Lots of faking good entries this month. Who knew there could be so many faking variations?

A few favourites:
Little Red Riding Who? - @The Judge
My Name Is Actually Gill - @MatthewKusza
Open Casket - @Phyrebrat
Alien Invasion. - @nixie
Don’t Water the Fake Plants - @johnnyjet
In the blink of an eye - @Luiglin

Vote to
Dramatis Personae - @Guttersnipe