This
meme was started by Delores a long time ago. Computer issues led her
to bow out for a while. The meme was too much fun to let go, and now
Words for Wednesday is provided by a number of people and has become a
movable feast.
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... We can use some or all of the
prompts, and mixing and matching is encouraged.
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, which includes cheering on the other participants. If you are posting on your own blog - let me know so that I, and other participants, can come along and applaud.
This week's prompts are:
- consider
- rather
- superstitious
- paraskevidekatriaphobia
- table
And/or
- bigots
- different
- gender
- hyperbolise
- teeth
Charlotte (MotherOwl) has given us Dahlia Yellow as the colour of the month. If you can also incorporate it into your stories she (and I) will be grateful.
Have fun.
Amanda was miffed. Really miffed. She admitted that she was rather superstitious and that paraskevidekatriaphobia (goodness what a mouthful) was something she suffered from but Alan was being a pain about it.
ReplyDelete‘ You bloody women are all the same’ he ranted. ‘If you spill salt on the table you have to throw a pinch of it over your left shoulder and Friday the 13th (sorry petal, Friday the 12b) is something to dread. If you would only consider just how stupid it all is…’
Through gritted teeth, Amanda replied ‘Alan, which of us is being stupid now. You are hyperbolising. My superstitions affect me, not you. And gender has nothing to do with it. We are all different. Some men have superstitions of their own you know – like that racing driver – we both know the one I mean – who only wears red underpants on race day. So stop being a total bigot about my beliefs or I will throw out all your red undies and replace them with dahlia yellow ones.’
Oh EC - great ... and what on earth colour would Alan go? Dahlia Yellow in shame ... cheers Hilary
DeleteWell done, with your particular brand of dry humor. That p word is a mouthful.
DeleteHugs, Sandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Ha! I love it. And I chuckled when I looked up paraskevidekatriaphobia on the internet, and discovered that the doctor who had coined the word had joked, "When you can pronounce it, you're cured." :-)
DeleteVery clever! I'm going to have to look up that para..word myself.
DeleteNicely done! Yes, there are plenty of men with funny superstitions about their games and sports.
DeleteLove It. I can see those yellow bikini underpants now. Too funny! I took a chance and did all 10 words. What fun! You know I love flashes.
DeleteHaha, Yep. Do that. Red undies are the worst!
DeleteHa ha ha ... glorious!
ReplyDeleteHi EC and Sean ...
ReplyDeleteI went into a card shop and asked for paraskevidekatriphobia birthday cards for my god-daughters (one real, one honorary – there's a story there) … I'd mastered how to pronounce that funny word … the shop assistant looked at me in rather blank amazement … what on earth are you talking about? It got worse – she'd never heard of that description … nor had cards for me to buy …
Such is life – plan B had been considered for October 13th …
The dinner table had been set for 14 – an extra seat … so thirteen wouldn't be sitting down for dinner.
But I was superstitious … and needed to make sure my other half would be happy with my arrangements … if not plan B might have to come into play … similar to my 2018 WEP 'Change of Heart' post … ah well – I'll wait til I need to bring that into play …
Cheers - and I do have cards for god-daughters ... especially for another born on the 13th - me ... not this month though. I'll be around to read entries - Hilary
Hilary Melton-Butcher: I am not surprised you could find a card. Perhaps there is a market for paraskevidekatriphobia cards - and for other phobias too. Big smiles.
DeleteHilary, as for your plan B and the extra seat: Herewith I offer myself to become your Quatorzième / Fourteenth.
DeleteJust read in a French journal of 1870 that a John Andrew Malketh when moving to his last dwelling six feet under left 500,000 francs after working as a quatorzième for 35 years.
I'd be right there with the shop assistant. Well done, Hils.
DeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
If no one turns up for the extra seat is it still bad luck? I have trouble finding decent regular birthday cards!
DeleteIt's so hard for the shops to get good help these days...
DeleteThanks for the smile and the fun story!
Did you find them in a shop, or make your own? Now that I can see. My sister was born on the 13. But I've always considered it a lucky day. My birthday is on the 4th, but 13 according to numerology is also my lucky number. Anything that adds to 4. 22 - 13- 31. All good!
Delete@ Sean - thanks ... you'd be welcome; but hasn't it been difficult making sure you're the quatorzième(th) ... if that's the right way to 'say' it?! Interesting job to always be a guest at gatherings of 13. Thank you - you've sent me down a rabbit hole ...
Delete@ Sandra - I was surprised she hadn't heard of the superstitious 13th - but perhaps I didn't ask her in a simple format?!
@ River - my SIL makes sure we have a spare seat if there are 13 for a meal. I agree re cards ... one does need to be creative in thought to find appropriate ones - not sure if I've succeeded that way ...
@ Messymimi - I think she might have been one of the owners ... but glad you've got a smile!
@ Yolanda - nope ... my creative thought came into play ... so they've got 'odd' cards!! Numerology ... I never got to look at that subject in any depth - possibly a good thing ... but glad you and I are together there ... 4 and !+3 ...
Thanks for your thoughts here ... cheers Hilary
We sure need cards for those poor persons born on a paraskevidekatriaphobia-provoking day!
DeleteFun stories, including yours :)
ReplyDeleteDeniseinVA: Thank you. I expect and I hope that there are more to come too.
DeleteI'll hop to it.
ReplyDeletemessymimi: I look forward to it.
DeleteIt will be over here.
DeleteThis month the thirteenth happens to fall on a Friday. And? Do I suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia? Nah. Rather than being
ReplyDeletesupersticious I consider the day a lucky day, looking forward to quite a few excellent books on my birthday table.
And now for something completely different.
Those bigots hyperbolising gender speak and thus excessively maltreating the language I sucked from my mother's breast, I wish they grow very, very old and that tomorrow all their teeth fall out, but one dahlia-yellow ... for permanent toothache.
permanent toothache is a wicked curse, I should know.
DeleteSean Jeating: Happy birthday. I hope that your birthday table is too small for the pile of books. Your second snippet? River is right. That is a wicked curse.
DeleteUi ui ui ui, Sue. There are still two days to go. But fortunately I am not supersticious. ;-)
DeleteIt's a nice little curse, isn't it? And I did not even add: '59 minutes per hour. ;-)
I would also like you wish you an early many happy returns of the day, and so many books you will have to buy another bookshelf to hold them all.
DeleteNow that's a nice mean curse. LOL Happy Birthday!
DeleteHi Sean - are you on Friday too - happy birthday, if so ... I consider the 13th very lucky ... and especially a Friday. The curse is maggoty! Thanks for the info thought - cheers Hilary
DeleteHappy birthday and many books!
DeleteWell done, Sean. Great use of the challenge-words:)
DeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Ladies, thank you all. My heart like a falcon rose up to the sky. ;-)
Deleteparawhat???
ReplyDeleteRiver: A phobia about Friday 13th.
DeleteAll three stories contained paraskevidekatriaphobia - good for them!
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh: Isn't it lovely that so far Sean's challenge has been met.
DeleteLucky Day
ReplyDelete"Do you want to go alligator hunting today?" Greg asked his wife.
Shanna smiled. "You realize it's Friday the 13th."
"I've promised for months now. Besides, you aren't paraskevidekatriaphobia. But if you'd rather wait until next week. I'll consider taking next Friday off, too.
"Are you kidding? I'm not superstitious. I consider the 13th my lucky day. I'm game, let's go. We've been here for a year and I still haven't seen one, but they're in the news all the time. I'll get Charlie's lease if you'll get the camera. It's on the table in the den.
*****
Shanna wandered around the apartment in a daze, then the doorbell rang. After she accepted the delivery of Dahlia Yellow Star, she recalled the last twenty-four hours in detail, and the tears flowed like the water from the spigot.
It wasn't the shock of Greg's death hitting her so hard but the uncalled-for accusations from the detective investigating what he called a brutal murder.
Would he apologize after he viewed the film, or would he still want to prosecute her to the full extent of the law? What a rude bigot of a man, she thought.
When he claimed she had hyperbolized the horrific details of her husband's death. Shanna wanted to knock the dull gold tooth from his mouth. Thank goodness she thought better of it and instead handed her camera to the young lady beside him.
"This shows the exact details of what happened. And nothing I've said was hyperbole. I hand this to you because obviously your youth and gender will ensure a different outcome than what this," she looked at the startled detective, "Neanderthal is hoping for."
Shanna stood. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to make arrangements for Charlie."
"Don't you mean Greg and Charlie?" the Neanderthal asked.
"No. That film will prove my husband tried to feed me to that beast. I'll call Jenny. Apparently, she wanted him. He's all hers, well, what's left of him. If not for Charlie...well you'll see."
I apologize if I went too long. I hope you enjoy!
DeleteYolanda Renee: Not too long at all. Love it, and I wish Jenny joy in what is left of Greg. Poor Charlie though.
DeleteNot at all long - what a 'fun' story! Loved it ... thank you - Hilary
DeleteWow, what a story, quite an unexpected turn of events.
DeleteRoald Dahl comes to my mind. ;-)
DeleteThat's quite a twist. Excellent job!
DeleteI'm sorry I don't have anything to contribute at this time, but I appreciate learning a new word. It's a great one.
ReplyDeleteBe well, EC.
Rawknrobyn: We all appreciate Sean giving us a new word - even if I at least am unlikely to remember it.
DeleteThe brain is working again...
ReplyDeleteI’m told that when you learn to say the word PARASKEVIDEKATRIAPHOBIA that you would be cured. Now what do we CONSIDER that RATHER long word is? I’ll lay it on the TABLE and tell you. It’s a word to do with Friday the 13th, a SUPERSTITIOUS thing!
Margaret D: Your brain is indeed working again. Nice use of the prompts too.
DeleteHi Margaret ... the brain has worked ... well done - Hilary
DeleteSpot on.
DeleteHooray, she got it! ;-)
DeleteAnother great take!
DeleteNicely done!
DeleteThank you all..
Delete(I'm getting here really late!)
ReplyDeleteI would table my fears and consider myself to be rather superstitious, but not fearful, about paraskevidekatriaphobia or triskaidekaphobia.
Mike: It is great to see Captain Taciturn back again - and to learn that he is not filled with these particular fears.
DeleteNot late ... and I always love your 'takes' on the prompts - it's one long word to type let alone say and you've given us two ... ! Cheers Hilary
DeleteTriskaidekaphobia at least is both easier and shorter :)
DeleteMike, I'd like to discuss this with you over a pint of Guinness in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
DeleteYou're still on time, that's what is important. And you did your usual excellent job.
DeleteWoot. Woot. Good job;)
DeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be different and sink my teeth into the hoopla presented by gender difference bigots who hyperbolise a non problem.
May your teeth be radiantly healthy and powerful. ;-)
DeleteMike: I hope this comment goes through. I would like to bite the bigots rather than just the hooplah they cause.
DeleteWell done. Love the one sentence win!
DeleteBigots just make me tired.
DeleteWell, how luckty can you be? My story of Susan and the Ghost House actually happened on Friday, February 13th (1976).
ReplyDelete
DeleteCharlotte (MotherOwl): I have read and delighted in the serendipity of your story and Sean's prompts. Hopefully this comment will post. Blogger is not playing nicely with me today.
I consider bigots
ReplyDeleterather superstitious.
For example, paraskevidekatriaphobia
Let's lay that on the table.
Also, they are frightened of gender and hyperbolise everything different.
They are forever showing their teeth.
Look at this wonderful party! So many people love to come and play with you! Me too. Have a safe and a happy day my friend
Cloudia: This is such a fun meme. I am thrilled to see you playing with us. And wonder how many things bigots are afraid of...
DeleteGood one, Cloudia.
DeleteExcellent work!
DeleteSuperstitious is one way to put it, but I'd never thought of it that way.
DeleteGreat blog
ReplyDeleteRajani Rehana: I do wish you left different comments more often.
DeletePlease read my post
ReplyDeleteRajani Rehana: I read it yesterday.
DeleteGran inventiva tiene las personas que han participado, contando esas buenas historias.
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo
Miradas desde mi lente: It is a fun game. Perhaps you will join us some week.
DeleteMine is published here.
ReplyDeleteCindi: I have read it - and shuddered.
DeleteNot sure if my previous comment went through. Just here reading comments and enjoying them.
ReplyDeleteLux G.: This is the only comment that arrived (and yes I checked the spam folder). I am glad that you enjoyed the stories people have created. I do too.
Delete