DISCUSSION THREAD -- July 2024 -- 75 Word Writing Challenge

[mosaix]

Perhaps it's time to revisit Tudorpunk...

Just try it!

 

[Hugh]

While @Parson 's story did very well in that it garnered three votes (including my own), I can't help wondering if everyone got the wit of the last line:
Inspiration struck. “I’ll end the story with a period. Hm, perhaps a missed one?
- given the UK general use in punctuation terminology of 'full stop' rather than the USA 'period'.
But maybe everyone got that....

 

[Daysman]

Bit late, here we go...

Congrats @The Judge !!!

 

[Cat's Cradle]

- given the UK general use in punctuation terminology of 'full stop' rather than the USA 'period'.
But maybe everyone got that....

Hi Hugh. I knew Parson's story had something that I was missing (it was an interesting entry, and there was a very positive reaction to it). I didn't get what you've written here specifically though, and there's a reason, maybe.

What seemed missing at the end of the story was a quotation mark. And this baffled me, as it was mentioned it would be a period that was meant to be missing:

Inspiration struck. “I’ll end the story with a period. Hm, perhaps a missed one?

So I thought - as it was written - that it was the missing quotation mark was the true denouement of the piece, and I couldn't see what that meant. I thought it had all gone over my head. So Parson, forgive me - I think I missed out on your entry, CC

 

[The Judge]

I understood Parson to be making a pun on the word "period" with its dual meaning of (1) what we Brits call a full stop (ie the writer would end the story with a "." which is what one would expect) and (2) a menstrual period, which if one were missed would suggest the woman in the love story is unexpectedly pregnant, which -- as per the title -- no one would expect. (Except she would be expecting...)

 

[johnnyjet]

First of all, congratulations to @The Judge on a well-deserved win!

Thanks for the nice commentaries on my story by @Victoria Silverwolf, @Parson, @Provincial, @RTGR, and @AnRoinnUltra. Thanks for the short listings by @THX1138, @Hugh, @otaylor, @Cat's Cradle, and @The Judge. And a special thanks to @Phyrebrat for the surprise vote.

I never got my short list posted in time, but I did get my vote in for @The Judge.

 

[RTGR]

Congratulations @The Judge . I believe all the texts are very good and everyone deserves congratulations as well. I really enjoyed participating and I'll join in the next one too.

 

[Cat's Cradle]

Okay, TJ, that makes perfect sense to me, thank you. That's a bit wicked, and very clever!

I didn't get that, and since there was a missing quotation mark, that sent me down the wrong alley. The missing quotation mark is a typo then, I guess. There are so many stories to read on voting day that, even though I read this story at least three times, I just had to move on to the next, when it didn't click with me. But very clever, Parson!

edit just to add - by 'wicked' I meant having a double meaning, not the natural body process.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

Congratulations, Judge on the resounding victory. I prefer tie breakers and the ensuing chaos but it wasn't to be this time

 

[Provincial]

Congratulations to both @The Judge and @Lacedaemonian on excellent writing and well-deserved first and second places - I have been showing both those entries to friends and family, hope that is ok!

Tudorpunk, schmudorpunk. But don't let me influence you in any way...

 

[Parson]

I have to admit I never gave it a thought that what we in the colonies call a period would in "the land of monarchs" be called a "full stop." I just couldn't help myself when I got to the end of the story. My first thought was that the ending would be for the story to stop with a period. But when I thought of it, I had to make the pun. Perhaps? that was why I missed the final quotation mark. I didn't know I'd missed one until I went back just now and looked. @The Judge added a wrinkle I hadn't intended. My thought was that the missed period (menstrual cycle) would have been a surprise to her as well as it was unintended. But that she would then be expecting is just another delightful twist.

But let's say that the @The Judge was more than a worthy winner. She might have had the biggest proportion of the cast votes ever in a contest. Her story "had me from hello."***

***All kind thoughts will go a fluttering if a Tudor Punk theme should arise zombie like from the grave.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Many congratulations on a smashing victory, ahead of the pack from the start!

 

[BigJ]

Huge congrats to @The Judge on the resounding victory!

For my own tale, thanks for listings/mentions/whatnot to @AnRoinnUltra, @Christine Wheelwright, @Cat's Cradle, @Starbeast, @Daysman, Her Honor, and @Parson, as well as a massive thank you to @Artoriarius for the vote. And of course a tip of the hat to our growing cadre of reviewers; chocolate milk's on me if you're ever in the neighbourhood.

Unfortunately, there is a (true?) tall tale behind my story. When I was a teenager, working as a welder's helper one summer, there was a fellow who worked at the shop who was nicknamed "Chainsaw" behind his back because when his wife was divorcing him, he allegedly showed up at the house blind drunk, chainsaw in hand, and started sawing everything in half. A nifty little game I played recently called Hardspace Shipbreaker (which has you floating about in space breaking down spaceships for salvage) provided inspiration for the setting, and I was listening to a song when I heard the lyric "when love is ending, there is nothing like this pain" and I had the emotional oomph on my end to put the words together.

 

[otaylor]

Big congrats to @The Judge for the well-deserved win. What a strong field
And a big thank you for the mentions

 

[Bowler1]

Well done Judge and I backed a winner, see how clever I am - yay.

Now science fiction please, with RAY GUNS and a theme everyone secretly wants. Especially the Bear.

A few late mentions for me which are always appreciated.

 

[Provincial]

@The Judge , I just visited the Mary Rose today - on holiday in Portsmouth - so feel fully prepped for Tudorpunk if required...

 

[The Judge]

That's good!

Hope you're having a good time on your hols! We love the Mary Rose. We live not far away, the other side of Southampton, and have been several times over the years. If you're venturing further afield than Portsmouth, though, don't, whatever you do, try and visit anywhere around Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst or Beaulieu today or tomorrow -- it's the New Forest Show and the roads will be hell!

 

[Provincial]

That's good!

Hope you're having a good time on your hols! We love the Mary Rose. We live not far away, the other side of Southampton, and have been several times over the years. If you're venturing further afield than Portsmouth, though, don't, whatever you do, try and visit anywhere around Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst or Beaulieu today or tomorrow -- it's the New Forest Show and the roads will be hell!

Thanks for the heads-up! I used to live in Southampton so I know (and love) the New Forest, but it can get sooooooo crowded at times....

A friend was taking us around the exhibition. She volunteers as a guide when she isn't working and is astonishingly knowledgable, as well as an excellent communicator - so much so that we acquired a couple of hangers-on while we walked around. One of them asked a lot of questions, and she was very helpful. But she is a lovely lady so at no point did she let on that it was a private tour.

All in all, an unforgettable experience!

 

[Starbeast]

Congratulations The Judge
@The Judge

Silver Medal @Lacedaemonian

Bronze Medal @Victoria Silverwolf & @Parson

Star Wars Medals for every else.​

 

[Ursa major]

This month, my inspiration (if you can call it that) arrived unbidden (though far from unwanted) when the words, "We lack immortality only because of what kills us," popped into my head and I thought it might be just the thing for The Random Thoughts Thread.