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

[Christine Wheelwright]

Hoping that no conspiracy theories arise from the fact that @Parson and I voted for each other at almost the same moment.

 

[Elckerlyc]

Hoping that no conspiracy theories arise from the fact that @Parson and I voted for each other at almost the same moment.

Now there's a fine example of optimism!

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

I did a quick and dirty chart of the votes received relative to the order of posting the stories. ie The order in which most voters will read them.
Quite revealing. nearly half the votes have gone to the first six stories posted.
It is quite stark, the first six have 12 times the votes of the second six!
I'll leave the reason for you to hazard a guess at. But it may relate to modern attention spans.

View attachment 125878

I've noticed this phenomenon in past months. Its a generalization of course, but perhaps those who get in early have a great idea thrusting itself forward, bursting to be released. While the later entrants are scraping the bottom of the inspiration barrel, the feared deadline rapidly approaching. Having said that, many great winning stories have been posted on the final day.

 

[Parson]

Imagine my shock when I discovered that there were four stories I hadn't given a mini-review.

@Provincial .... Persistence of Vision .... This is a story that takes a whacky humorous turn that I liked.

@Elckerlyc .... The Optimizer .... This is a story that sounds as though it might have been told to some Pharaoh somewhere.

@The Judge .... Welcome Home .... This is a story about hope winning out even against the evidence.

@Ursa major .... Hast Thou a Vista? .... This is a story which made me look again and the title and go "Ursa, Ursa."

 

[Parson]

I'm shocked again!! A vote from @Christine Wheelwright. --- In spite of the raised eyebrows we are now experiencing.

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

.... but I'm still really fuzzy on what "retrofuturism" means

I think that was an interesting issue this month. A lot of folks veered towards the steampunk vibe. For me; I see retrofuturism as the result of taking today's cutting edge technology and extrapolating it into the future (which is actually a mistake). So, on the old Star Trek series we see a starship being piloted by pushbuttons, pilot lights and dials. Warp drive and interstellar travel is visualized as a non-tangible concept, but the visual representation of the technology (on the bridge) is firmly grounded in the 20th Century. I think that is an example of retrofuturism.

 

[ColGray]

I really enjoyed the stories this month and the theme of optimism is a great one -- it's tough!

My finalists were:
The Infinite Optimism Drive - @Christine Wheelwright -- lovely mix of absurd and empirical and fun
Hope - @Laura R Hepworth -- Automaton hybrids with a purpose, mixed with deft prose
Taking a Flyer - @Cat's Cradle -- societal change level optimism grounded and made digestible in a single person
They Paved Paradise - @paranoid marvin -- illustrating that the problem with viewing progress with rose colored glasses is missing all the red flag.

Ultimately voted for Hope as I like a bit of dark cloud in my optimism and felt like this balanced progress, retrofuturism and a pending storm cloud in a way that really worked for me!

 

[The Judge]

A lot of Interesting stories this month, though as ever some I simply didn't get. However, with the theme of retrofuturism I was hoping for entries which showed an element of the past with its future-inspired technology being brought into the present/future, and with some relationship between them. As to optimism, well, at least we didn't have much in the way of out and out pessimism for a change!

Anyhow, my shortlist:

Azzagorn -- The Early Optimist​

Cat's Cradle -- Taking a Flyer​

ColGrey -- The Weight of Brass and Sky​

mosaix -- Here Be Comets​

Stable -- Lithography​

I enjoyed all of them, but for me the one which brought in past and present/future and their associated technology best was the stone age computer by Stable. (By coincidence Stable has voted for me, I see, but just to confirm that had no bearing on my voting.)

I thought it was about time I did a Best Title Award, as I've not done one for a while, and this time around it's a tie between CC and mosaix -- both of them very clever and very apt for their stories, while ColGray scoops the inaugural award for Best Title for a SFF Novel!


As for mine, lots of Hopeful Plastic Robot thanks for the lovely mentions/shortlistings Victoria, Provincial, johnnyjet and CC, and a myriad of Very Optimistic Flashing Lights thanks for that wonderful vote, Stable! Oh, and More Optimism for Robotic Awakening for the ninja votes mosais and BigJ!

I suppose this could be based on a long-running TV series, based on a movie, based on The Tempest - but it could also be based on an earlier kids' Gerry Anderson series.

Could be...

 

[THX1138]

Mine was a 1940's version of Star Trek. Why not?

Now then, time to catch a ride on Bowler1's gnarly hundred-mile-high wave.
Wow, that's one big pipeline, dudes! And it looks like it starting to crest... Um, this doesn't look good.
WIPEOUT!!!.....

 

[paranoid marvin]

Thanks so much nixie for your vote! And also to Starbeast, Astro Pen, Hugh and johnnyjet for your shortlistings.


Of ourse many, many thanks to our constant reviewers for their kind and considered words. Meaning that everyone receives some hope - and dare I say optimism - regardless of votes and mentions. The Challenge wouldn't be the same without you.

 

[mosaix]

I have a stealth vote from @Phyrebrat. Many thanks.

 

[Elckerlyc]

Retrofuturism combined with Optimism. I found that best expressed in @Stable´s Lithography.

As a very close second comes There Be Comets from @mosaix

 

[Provincial]

SEKRIT SANTA IS BACK!


Hi folks! Have you been nice this year? Or have you been very, very naughty? Bowler1, I am looking at you!

Well, that's the formalities over and done with. Regardless of your position on the naughty/nice spectrum, you are cordially invited to take part in this year's Sekrit Santa, where people exchange anonymous stories rather than gifts. It's great fun, and it's best when lots of people take part. Oldtimers and newbies, welcome one and all. Only you'd better get a move on, because the clock is ticking. We're starting rather late this year!

If you would like to take part, or you just want to know more, please click on this link:

IT’S TIME FOR SEKRIT SANTA 24!

And then sign up. All of you!!

 

[THX1138]

So, is it safe for me to be optimistic in saying that Cat's Cradle is the victor this month?

 

[mosaix]

So, is it safe for me to be optimistic in saying that Cat's Cradle is the victor this month?

Can't see why not.

Congratulations @Cat's Cradle?

 

[The Judge]

So, is it safe for me to be optimistic in saying that Cat's Cradle is the victor this month?

Yep, the poll is officially closed, so even though the usual announcements haven't yet been made, CC is definitely the winner!

Congratulations, CC! And to mosaix for a sterling second place!


Re my story, in case it wasn't clear, the character is making a 1950s looking robot as part of her degree course in robotics in the hope its presence will register with and perhaps awaken her father who is in a kind of persistent vegetative state but has a response to videos of the Gerry Anderson TV shows he loved watching as a child.

As Provincial recognised, the robot was based on the image of Robby from the 1956 film Forbidden Planet, the re-imaging of Shakespeare's The Tempest (though I confess if I ever saw the film, or Lost in Space in which much the same robot appears, I've forgotten everything about them!) but the story touched more on Fireball XL5 which I was a bit young for when it was shown and the only thing I remember is the theme tune. (It was the later shows, namely Stingray and Thunderbirds, which were integral parts of my childhood, but sadly have no robots in them!) The title came from the rather wavering "Welcome home" which was a catchphrase of a puppet in XL5. For some reason I thought it was said by the robot, which made it perfect for the story but the Judicial Helpmeet corrected me, as it was said by Zoonie the Lazoon, who I didn't remember at all, but I left it as I couldn't think of anything better!

 

[mosaix]

Can't see why not.

Congratulations @Cat's Cradle?

Congratulations @Cat's Cradle!

This time without the question mark!

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Congratulations @Cat's Cradle

 

[Astro Pen]

Congrats to cats. Well done @Cat's Cradle

ps in the rush I forgot add @ColGray 's beautiful semi poetic piece to my short list. If we had 3 votes it would have got one.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Many congratulations!