DISCUSSION THREAD -- FEBRUARY 2023 -- 75 Word Writing Challenge

[Ursa major]

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The challenge is now closed to new entries.

The poll is now open at the link below:

POLL -- February 2023 75-Word Challenge -- READ FIRST POST!​

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[sule]

Shortlist:
The Addict in the Alleyway by Cat's Cradle
Jason’s Roadside Petrol Station by therapist
What to Do With Brain Droppings by johnnyjet
…but a second-hand emotion? by Luiglin
Recycling… by mosaix

Vote:
The Life of a Chief Sanitation Engineer by Peter V

 

[Parson]

@The Judge .... Immortality .... This story made me think about me think about a Sisyphus situation of one's own making.

@Ursa major .... The Waste Lamp -- a Shanty by L.E. “Tears” Yacht .... This story made me wonder if wishes were more than they seemed.

 

[Yozh]

Shortlist:

@Ashleyne "Do Zerlwaglans Dream of Flesh Humans?"
@THX1138 "Phoenix"
@Cloudy_Day "Lament of the Waste"
@mosaix "Recycling"
@Marvin "Kicking the Can"

Vote: @sule "You're Better Off"

 

[nixie]

Favourites;

@paranoid marvin

@Hugh

Vote

@mosaix

 

[AnRoinnUltra]

This is one of the small handful times in the few years I've been voting on Chrons where picking a story was easy.

I really liked:

The Spoils by @BT Jones , very relevant to today.

The Rise and Fall of Wasteman by @Elckerlyc Thought it would make a cool longform story.

Jason's Roadside Petrol Station by @therapist Good bladder required.

(no name) by @Ambrose You've nobody to blame but yourself.

A Mission To Savour by @paranoid marvin An author on form.

Rock & Roll Don't Mind by @Far Stranger It's a dirty job but someone's gotta do it.

Eco Warrior by @Bowler1 But who's gonna clean up the mess.

Wasted Days and Wasted Nights by @Parson I want a pair of translation specs.

Voted for:

You're Better Off doing It Yourself by @sule , well played.

Thanks all for all the stories, and thanks to the reviewers.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Thankyou AnRoinnUltra and nixie for the shortlistings, and many thanks to Pyan, Artoriarius and Snicklefritz for really making my day with your votes.

My shortlistings go to Peter V for a thought provoking tale, to StilLearning for a story that made me laugh and sule for an inventive take on the theme. My vote is for BigJ, which is a tale for the ages.

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

Mentions this month to:

@Troyzan787 (reminded me of a garbage patch in the Pacific, which I've actually seen)
@Cat's Cradle
@BT Jones
@BigJ
@mosaix

And my vote goes to @Ashleyne

 

[therapist]

My small list
Salvage by @Victoria Silverwolf
DO ZERLWAGLANS DREAM OF FLESH HUMANS? by @Ashleyne
The Life of a Chief Sanitation Engineer by @Peter V

My vote
Eco Warrior by @Bowler1

 

[Bowler1]

@Bowler1 .... Eco Warrior.... This story stopped me in my tracks, asking "Could it ever come to this?"

It took me a while to work up an idea this month, and I caught myself out a little when done. Would this happen? Like Parson I worry it might, but regardless, Parson's review was on the money for me this month.

And I'm on the board after a long dry spell, so thanks therapist for the vote. I'll be back to vote myself when the rugby finishes, but rugby first.

 

[Parson]

Thanks for the mention @AnRoinnUltra. Much appreciated.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Parson: A wry reminder to consider all possible interpretations of a situation.

Peter V: An example of the vital importance of all special skills.

StilLearning: A Rabelaisian comedy of errors.

Hugh: A grim warning of what the near future may bring.

The Judge: A powerful example of a life poorly lived.

Ursa major: An intricate dance of literary allusions and speculative content.

______________________________________________________________________________________

In a bit of a hurry, vote goes to THX1138.

 

[Parson]

It's off to read and vote. Sorry to say there are not the requisite 42 stories, but I know that there is some quality and so it's all good.

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Shortlisted because it is:


The Rise and Fall of Wasteman by @Elckerlyc .... A very unusual story with a real surprise for an ending.

.... but a second-hand emotion by @Luiglin .... A story which goes in a very unexpected direction.

Waste Thief by @C.Robin .... A thief stealing waste story was the last kind of story I expected.

A Mission To Savour by @paranoid marvin .... A story with a really clever "got ya!" ending.

Eco Warrior by @Bowler1 .... A story whose main character went so against my expectations it shook me up.

The Life of a Chief Sanitation Engineer by @Peter V .... A story with a clear moral: everything is important.


Vote

Eco Warrior by @Bowler1 because it spoke about waste on more than one level and I found that refreshing among all the "garbage" stories. (Yeah, I had to go there.)

 

[THX1138]

Short List:
@BT Jones
@Elckerlyc
@therapist
@JS Wiig
@emrosenagel
@Peter V A very close 2nd.


Vote for @Cat's Cradle

 

[Peter V]

I have a quiet Sunday and time to actually give a reason for my vote (of which I have been somewhat lazy with recently).

Below are the primary contenders, though if I am honest, I could likely have listed the majority of stories here for one reason or another

@ Shyrka a poignant tale which at its heart, is the very opposite of waste.
@ Troyzan787 I like the imagination on show here and a message regarding consequences, no matter how insignificant an individual act may appear.
@ Cat's Cradle I almost find myself hoping for a robot or android entry from CC and I was not disappointed. What made this one was the simple response from our metal friend which spoke volumes.
@ BigJ a mirror for the real world and futile waste.
@ Luiglin I found the sacrifice in this entry unsettling. Comfortable or not with our protagonists choice, it affected me.
@ Marvin We know where the portal leads and I can imagine the panic after the sixth body... very clever entry and a great title.
@ emrosenagel the matter of fact acceptance of body parts falling off... intriguing.
@ Parson here lies a message about the perils of excess and how blindly one can embrace them.
@ Hugh I think this is something we can all identify with in our ageist society... we tell the young that (hopefully) you will grow old one day but they are blind to the reality which unfortunately approaches like an express train!
@ The Judge a waste of a life perhaps? Even an immortal one.
@ Ursa major I think Eliot would be chuffed with the reworking of title and author. Very clever but am I smug to be revelling in spotting this?

UM was very close for L.E. “Tears” Yacht (brilliant) but my vote goes to Marvin for his portrayal of an imminent catastrophe.

 

[Marvin]

Honourable mention for:

@AnRoinnUltra - Puts the average mistake at work in a new light.
@emrosenagel - Yuk.
@mosaix - Ultimate recycling.
@Peter V - Every action...

Vote goes to:

@Troyzan787 - A new circle of life.

 

[Bowler1]

My very short list was JS Wiig, PM and Parson, with PM getting my vote.

Vote

Eco Warrior by @Bowler1 because it spoke about waste on more than one level and I found that refreshing among all the "garbage" stories. (Yeah, I had to go there.)

Voting is fun and something I highly recommend, which is why I pride myself on actually and finally casting a vote - with a not so friendly nudge in the ribs for Parson.

 

[Wayne Mack]

A lot of interesting takes on the theme, several humorous and several twist endings. I finally voted for:

What to Do With Brain Droppings @johnnyjet​

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Quite a few also stood out for me:

War Never Changes @BigJ​

If in doubt, wipe it out @AnRoinnUltra​

Jason’s Roadside Petrol Station @therapist​

Auxilatores Earth Upgrade @Starbeast​

A Mission To Savour @paranoid marvin​

Dumpster Diving for Tulips on Typhon 7 @Christine Wheelwright​

Recycling… @mosaix​

 

[Ursa major]

Very clever but am I smug to be revelling in spotting this?

I'm pretty sure that I'm not allowed to tell you something pertinent to the answer to your question....

 

[StilLearning]

Thank you everyone for my monthly flash fiction anthology - it's much appreciated as always, and as always I'm well entertained

Shortlist:

@Shyrka : Reclamation

@Elckerlyc : The Rise and Fall of Wasteman

@BigJ : War Never Changes

@therapist : Jason's Roadside Petrol Station

@johnnyjet : What to do with Brain Droppings

@paranoid marvin : A mission to savour

@mosaix : Recycling

My votes was a photo finish between mosaix and Shyrka, with Shyrka just coming out ahead.