The lovely Delores at Under the Porch Light
has been running this meme for a considerable period of time, week
after week. Computer issues led her to bow out for a while and I took over. When Delores' absence looked like being more permanent I begged and cajoled for other volunteers to provide the prompts, and Words for Wednesday became a moveable feast.
In July River from Drifting through Life hosted, Jacqueline at Randomosity in August. During September the challenge has been posted by Susan at the Most - - of Every Moment, and this months prompts were created by Margaret Adamson and her friend Sue, but published here.
Essentially the aim is to encourage us
to write. Each week we are given a choice of prompts: which can be
words, phrases, music or an image. What we do with those prompts is up
to us: a short story, prose, a song, a poem, or treating them with
ignore...
Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog. I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme. If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.
This weeks prompts are:
Some of us put our creation in comments on the post, and others post on their own blog. I would really like it if as many people as possible joined into this fun meme. If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.
This weeks prompts are:
Balancing
Epic
Caustic
Ubiquitous
Warmth
Film
And/or
Despondent
Publican
Equanimity
Set
Blunder
Gate
Going to have to think on that one...
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: I would be interested to see what your thoughts produce.
DeleteLooks like a good one for the week. Greetings!
ReplyDeleteBlogoratti: Margaret and Sue chose some challenging words didn't they? I hope you will play with us.
DeleteI've never been very good with one word prompts. They rarely get anything rolling with me. I normally need at least a sentence or an idea.
ReplyDeleteRobert Bennet: I am always fascinated by the very different directions that prompts take people. There may be some that will work better for you this month - and I hope you will play.
DeleteThose words could lead to some interesting things.
ReplyDeleteMason Canyon: They could, couldn't they? I am looking forward to seeing where they take people.
DeleteEquanimity? Hmmmm. Must give it some thought. Good word choices.
ReplyDeleteSusan Kane: Equanimity is something I would like to see, and experience, a lot more often. And yes, they are great choices.
DeleteSounds very interesting. I've been loving your choices.
ReplyDeleteMary
mxtodis 123 ~ Mary: These aren't my choices, but they are very interesting indeed.
DeleteMy life will never be made into a movie, epic or otherwise, something I accept with complete equanimity. I am no hero, and my life mundane. I am not in the slightest bit despondent at not finding my 'fifteen minutes of fame' either. Life in the shadows suits me best. I really don't understand how celebrities manage the balancing act. On one hand the ubiquitous media presence waiting for the smallest blunder and on the other the need to have some semblance of a private life.
ReplyDeleteWhile they are on set, I suppose it is fair enough that they are on display. Even there, I am more interested in how they convey the warmth of their role as a publican, or the panache with which they spit their caustic lines than I am their weight or their love life. Sadly it seems I am in the minority. Booze and drug-fuelled scandals, poor dress sense and plastic surgery contribute at least as much to gate receipts (and salary) as the actor's skill at their craft.
Awww....I thought you'd come along and be a Karcrashian with me, EC!! :)
DeleteGood use of the words...well done. I'm in the minority with you...we'll leave being a Karcrashian to the Kardashians...they've got the act down pat! :)
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DeleteLee: I am familiar with the word Kardashians, but wouldn't know them if they knocked at my front door. Which suits me just fine.
DeleteAlexia: Not a hero. The heroes are the ones that live with incredible burdens and keep on keeping on. To hear their pain, to sometimes share their pain, and to reach out to them is much less demanding.
DeleteThis is fabulous, no, FABULOUS, EC. I love it :D
DeleteRiver: Thank you.
DeleteTruly awesome, EC! :)
DeleteOkie-Dokie....here's my tale for today.....
ReplyDelete" Feeling DESPONDENT he’d stolen a few rare minutes to be alone.
As he sat in the WARMTH of the late afternoon sun trying to gather his thoughts together; trying to SET them into some semblance of order, he felt convinced he’d made an EPIC BLUNDER by becoming a PUBLICAN. Often he wondered if he’d been cloned, because he’d become so UBIQUITOUS; worse still everyone else expected him to be everywhere at once! There was no end to it.
At all times, with his staff and with the pub’s raucous customers he tried his utmost to act with EQUANIMITY.
Difficult though it was, he tried not to let his wife’s constant nagging, her non-stop, corrosive CAUSTIC remarks wear him down.
The poor man conducted himself like a juggler on a tightrope, BALANCING as best he could the comedy of errors that was his life. Out of control mayhem enveloped him. He felt there was no escape.
Often he thought if his life was made into a FILM Oscar-winning actor Jack Nicholson would be the perfect choice to play him. Nicholson proved many times he could play crazy better than the rest!
A wry smile played at the corners of his mouth as he opened the back GATE and walked away into the sunset leaving the mess that had been his existence for the previous15 years to the rest of them to sort out.
To hell with them, he yelled out loud to no one in particular As he picked up his step, he began to whistle. Freedom…."
Lee: I love it. I hope he finds a calmer, more comfortable world. One where he can listen to himself, rather than everyone else.
DeleteI love this too, to have him walk away, to be free and leave the troubles to his caustic wife, maybe she'll realise, too late of course, just how badly she treated him.
DeleteThis is my first story using the first set of words.
ReplyDeleteI had worked in the FILM industry for past 10 years and had been very fortunate to have had regular work. Every Director and cast member I had worked with were very professional and easy to get one with. However I had accepted a major part in the EPIC film called The Storm and soon discovered the Director had a very CAUSTIC tongue. Little did I know it but the following 6 months that we worked on this film certainly turned out to be a very stormy environment.
Each morning when the cast arrived, we had no idea what form he would be in and seemed to lash out at everyone without provocation. Fortunately the leading man who I played opposite had a great WARMTH and charm about him and helped me cope with the many rages of the Director. However we were constantly on the alert as the Director was a bit too UBIQUITOUS on set. Performing to the best of our ability and trying to avoiding the wrath of the Director was turning out to be a fine BALANCING act.
Margaret Adamson: I wonder whether the warmth between the film's stars will develop further, and whether the Director will learn some manners.
DeleteI am really looking forward to your take on the second set - and to both of Sue's.
Aaah, directors and their child-like tantrums...
DeleteLooking forward to seeing what you clever types will make of this!
ReplyDeleteALOHA
ComfortSpiral
(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")
Cloudia: I would really like it if your clever self joined in too.
DeleteHere's my effort:
ReplyDeleteDespondent and alone, the publican sat balancing his empty glass on his palm. Should he have another, or would that be risking losing the last of his equanimity? Once again he had been the focus of his wife’s caustic remarks. This was nothing new –they seemed to be ubiquitous these days. It was just one blunder after another. How was he to know that the good set of fish knives was not supposed to go into the dishwasher?
Maybe, he decided, there would be warmth and a refuge at the cinema – that new epic film sounded good.
His mind made up, he took his jacket, went out through the snug, and opened the gate.
Alexia: Another sad man, lashed by the tongue of his wife. I wonder where the sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me phrase came from. It is completely untrue. Words can, and do, leave scare.
DeleteI hope your publican enjoys his film. And the sanctuary of the cinema.
Another caustic wife. Perhaps someone should feed them a batch of bad beer. Accidentally of course.
DeleteAnd I have to add that I think that the work you do to help others IS heroic!
ReplyDeleteAlexia: Thank you.
DeleteThere are some great pieces here.
ReplyDeleteI especially liked yours, EC.
Vicki: I am endlessly fascinated by the directions the words take different people.
DeleteSecond story using the second set of words.
ReplyDeleteEvery afternoon at 3.00pm, Charlie would leave his home and SET forth to the pub.
George, the PUBLICAN at The Fox and Hounds knew Charlie would come though his doors at precisely 3.17.pm and he would have a pint of Guinness and a tot of whiskey ready for him. Over the years they had built up quite a friendship, however George was getting worried about the changes in Charlie’s character and manner when he had a skinful of drink in him.
One day, Charlie made a real BLUNDER by making a pass at George’s wife. Without another word spoken, George came from behind the bar with great EQUANIMITY, took Charlie’s arm and escorted him off the premises.
When Charlie’s wife heard their GATE opening she became very DESPONDENT. Each day, Charlie returned drunker than ever and had started threatening her, accusing her of being unfaithful. She wondered how much more she could take of this treatment.
Margaret Adamson: This yanks on my heart-strings. There are too many Charlie's and too many wives in similar positions. And alcohol is the excuse not the reason.
Deleteyes I haveto agree with you.
DeleteI am currently Balancing with Equanimity being away from home, the Ubiquitous irons in the fire that go with it, and enjoying the Warmth of my grandchild after an Epic three hour journey.
ReplyDeleteSandra Cox: Your character has much more energy than I do. After an epic journey I would need a break before interacting with a small person - who all seem to have excess energy.
Deleteexcuse me while I look some of these definitions up, sweets! xxx
ReplyDeleteMy Inner Chick: I hope you will come back and play. Hugs.
DeleteOh, I love Susan's blog and the idea of Words for Wednesday. I myself have a Words for my Wednesday series where I usually post favorite quotes and sayings on Wednesdays. Lately, I've been learning all about the BALANCING. In fact, I very much appreciate the blog comments you have been leaving me while I've been attempting to balance my new schedule. It really means quite a lot!
ReplyDelete2justByou: You have been juggling rather than balancing. I hope life settles down for you soon.
DeleteI am taking a deep breath and joining in the play. It looks too interesting not to! First set of words:
ReplyDelete"The world's weather is teetering on the brink - a balancing act tipping ever closer toward epic failure. The ubiquitous use of fossil fuels will ensure more than momentary warmth for the human race." The speaker's tone was caustic as he addressed the audience of unbelievers, but they sat placid and unmoved by his words. Helplessly, he paused and wiped a film of sweat from his forehead.
jenny_o: Loud applause. Truth is woven tightly through your use of these words. Thank you.
DeleteThank you, EC, for always being encouraging.
DeleteAnd I enjoyed your piece as well - and agreed with your sentiments about celebrities.
I love this game. I just got your post in my feed, and a short paragraph popped up in my head. It's fun. I want to do it again. Here it is:
ReplyDeleteMy life has been a BALANCING act lately. One day I’m writing an EPIC fantasy novel. The next day, I apply my writing skills to a CAUSTIC little fable about UBIQUITOUS aliens. The day after that, my newspaper article about a local surgeon extolls the WARMTH of his heart and the dexterity of his hands. Every day, something new comes along. Tomorrow, I might start writing for FILM.
Olga Godim: It is fun isn't it? And for the next month there will be a prompt (or prompts) here each Wednesday (Australian time). That sounds an incredible balancing act to me - one requiring a heap of discipline. I hope each venture meets the success it deserves.
DeleteI like this.
DeleteUbiquitous?
ReplyDeleteay-yi-yi
River: Week after week you pull some amazing stories together. I have every confidence in you.
DeleteIt is a challenge to do a word Balancing act of
ReplyDeleteEpic proportions. Nothing burning or
Caustic and avoiding something so widespread it would be
Ubiquitous. It should be so filled with so much
Warmth that others would want to make it into an award winning
Film.
The main character would be a Despondent tax collector.
The downtrodden Publican could not maintain his Equanimity
that was all Set due to a Blunder
he made before ever reaching the Pearly Gate.
Grannie Annie: Love it. And the despondent tax collector particularly. I wonder if his mood would improve if he got to keep his take?
DeleteInteresting choice of words. Looking forward to read more about them.
ReplyDeleteLux G.: There are some very clever people doing wonderful things with the words. Love it.
DeleteBe interesting to see how the words turn out in a story, poem...
ReplyDeleteMargaret - whiteangel: There have been some great contributions already.
DeleteBalancing my life while I finish this not-so-epic novel has channeled my somewhat caustic wordage into a nether region of ubiquitous snarkisms, lacking warmth. Perhaps the perfect fodder for a film.
ReplyDeleteRiver Fairchild: Snarkiness is always good. And who needs warmth?
DeleteHi EC - oddly enough my next post's title contains the word 'ubiquitous' ... just have to wait 2 days before it pops up - but up it will ...
ReplyDeleteCheers til Friday - Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: I am looking forward to it. I learn so much from your posts.
DeleteI normally blunder when I do games like these but I love to see what smart people come up with!
ReplyDeleteSonya Ann: You are way toooooo hard on yourself. Not a blunderer at all. The other smart people have done some amazing things this week haven't they?
DeleteThanks for the prompts, they took me places I didn't quite expect!
ReplyDeleteHBF: The place the prompts took you to, was powerful, honest and raw. And ultimately hopeful.
DeleteThese 2 stories are from my friend Sue who along with me, are giving the word prompts this month. (She is not a blogger).but I have been encouraging her to write all over the summer time.
ReplyDeleteThe UBIQUITOUS, heavy, nostril stinging stench of CAUSTIC soda permeated the whole cellar. The blanketing WARMTH from the boiler made it difficult to breathe.
Slowly, carefully BALANCING precariously on the rickety staircase, we descended into the darkness. It was only 10 steps in all but it felt like an EPIC journey into hell. Our flashlights painted ominous shadows on walls which were dripping with a FILM of brown sticky condensation and cobwebs.
Suddenly a skeleton fell from the ceiling at our feet. I admit I screamed out loud!
Oh yes, there was no getting away from it our Mum and Dad did a belter of a Halloween!
The family pile looked very delapitated and unloved. Death duties had hit us hard. The family portraits that adorned the walls of the stairwell told a different story of days gone by.
Frederick, the fourth earl, magnificent on a white stallion. Jeremy the seventh earl, resplendent in tartan with a BLUNDER bus gun at his side to see off those pesky poachers. John, my father, in his service uniform proudly displaying all his medals. And now me, Elizabeth, sole heir and a woman to boot!
I was totally DESPONDENT about being able to hang on to our home, and for all its size it was my home.
OK. OK I said to myself, this is a bad situation but if I could keep my cool, my EQUANIMITY, I was sure I could sort it out.
My miracle happened via a scruffy looking young man I saw loitering, taking photos of the house through through the sagging wrought iron GATE.
I summoned all the courage bestowed on me by generations of FitzWilliams and challenged him.
Turned out he worked for a FILM company and the local PUBLICAN had told him about the hall over a pint of his best when he said he was looking for locations. He had travelled straight over and knew immediately he looked at it that it was exactly the SET his producer was looking for.
It seems that Angels come in all shapes and sizes! Mine came in the form of a scruffy young man, without a wing in sight.
The Hall has now appeared in many different guises and is also a wedding venue. In fact, the Angel and I used it for our own wedding.
Margaret Adamson (and Sue): Thank you so very much. Love that the hall was saved.
DeleteGood luck writing! I'm digging away on a novel project right now. "Blunder Gate" would make a good Fantasy parody title all in itself.
ReplyDeleteJohn Wiswell: I hope your novel is going well. Very well. And you are right about Blunder Gate as a title.
Delete"This will be EPIC," my friend said. He was always saying such things. The big plan guy, the hit it big guy. Epic was one of his favorite words, in fact. "We're going to FILM it," he continued, his excitement a little contagious, and sell it to a reality show. "You want to be in on this," he said, a challenge edge to his tone.
ReplyDelete"Yeah right," I thought.
What can I say in my defense? I agreed to his plan. I'm a slack liner, see. I like walking a slack line across crazy spans for thrills. The SET up was ready. I'd be doing my BALANCING act across a slack line attached to the balcony of our favorite brew pub on one side extending across the parking lot to the pole that held a blinking gaudy neon sign. The sign read "DESPONDENT Hearts Brew Pub and Casino". In smaller letters below, it read "Free Yourself of Care". And we did that there, drinking ourselves into a blizzard of nothingness several times a week. The plan was once I reached the pole, I'd slide down it gracefully as a finale.
Maybe my undoing was when the PUBLICAN handed me my 4th pint right before I stepped onto that line. I'm not sure. I stepped out the poster child of EQUANIMITY, the last pint held high in one hand, a silly grin plastered across my face, an alcohol induced WARMTH numbing my limbs and sensibilities My buddy was ubiquitous, first on the balcony to get shots, then rushing down to get better angles. Drunks poured out of the bar and were chanting and when I didn't move fast enough for their liking, the caustic jeers and beer bottle hurl began. I was the target..
It wasn't me who made the big BLUNDER. My buddy says it made the movie! Now we're viral he tells me. All I know is when I woke up I thought I was seeing Saint Peter at the Pearly GATE and it was time to put that debate team stint to work to get by him.
See, a big rig rolled into the parking lot just as I was about midway. He saw me a little too lot and veered off, hit that pole, which came crashing down, taking the slack line with it, leaving me hanging onto thin air, so to speak. Seemed like I hanged there awhile, before gravity grabbed hold. "Uh oh". I thought, "this might really hurt." It did.
A broken, a broken arm, head trauma, too.
But we're viral now so life is good. So my friend tells me. I'll be recuperating for a few months. The police want to speak with me too.
All good, yup!
Strayer: Brilliant. We have all known people like your narrator - and his friend. And the 'friend' never seems to get the bruises and breaks.
DeleteThat is so true, EC. We do all know those people. I had forgotten about Words for Wed. It's such fun!
ReplyDeleteStrayer: It is a heap of fun - and will feature here all this month. I am looking forward to seeing what Margaret and her friend Sue offer us next week.
DeletePublican is much better than Republican!
ReplyDelete