Quote by Verity

Happy Christmas everyone. I hope the new year gives you everything you need. Regards, Verity.

Hey, nice to see you. Hope all is well. Happy Christmas and all the best from the ape.

The song was originally by British rockers Slade, this version is by German band Blind Guardian.

Not likely. My taste in cars tends to be pretty basic (I currently have a Honda Civic LX, the base model, on order). I like looking at the 100K+ cars but no real interest in spending that kind of coin on transportation.

WYE give up your car and rely on transit, bike, etc.?

This week's Tuesday mailing was 30 Magazines That Accept Poetry Submissions. Since I knew we have a few poets around here from the previous comp, thought some might like to see the list. There's also some contests but many are getting awfully close to the deadline. As always, read carefully. Some of these target specific demographics, others specific genres or themes. There are some general interest ones, too.

https://authorspublish.com/30-magazines-that-accept-poetry-submissions/

Oo, eleven. Now the chase for a top ten spot really begins. Heh heh.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Hanukkah, and whatever you might be celebrating this season! It may be cold outside, but we're nice and warm in here.

And happy writing in 2023!

Cool, fun stuff.

Coldest day so far this winter here. -20C going up to -5C. So I've put some nice hot Nicaraguan coffee on along with pots of steaming English Breakfast and Lemon black teas. Kettle is ready if you prefer another variety of tea, hot chocolate, or our homemade instant coffee drinks.

Bundle up, folks (well, except Annie who's in summer-y Oz). It's brrrrrrrrrrrr out there.

So I have been playing with DALL-E, the AI art generator from OpenAI (same folks who created the much talked about ChatGPT). And for fun, I asked for "closeup pencil sketch of a beautiful snowflake" to see what it might come up with that could be from Jenn's sketchbook in my comp story. So here's some samples. I don't think any of these are the "perfect, beautiful snowflake" from the climax, but they could be some of her early attempts.

While I do like Pablo in his way, I love Constable's moody landscapes, so him.

Painting or sculpture?

6221 (snowstorms are fun ... not)

Quote by JamesPBear

Now we have 10, eh? Then maybe I have a chance of cracking the Top 10 this time!

EVERYONE STOP! NO MORE SUBMISSIONS, PLEASE!

Oh come on. Where's the fun? We need at least 16 (which has kind of been our usual in previous comps) to make things interesting.😊

And with all the snowflakes blowing around out my window right now, I feel like I need to get a magnifier or microscope and look for either a perfect, beautiful snowflake or one with a serial number. 😜

(If you don't get the joke, read the comp entries)

Landscapes. Grandad was a landscape painter (hobby, not primarily an artist) and I have always been fond of the Group of Seven, a school of Canadian landscape painting.

Oil or watercolour?

Good morning. Blowing light snow here. Not much accumulation yet but it is supposed to last the day.

So, I'll put on some nice hot coffee and teas (Assam and Christmas Tea, which is chai-ish but also with some fruity bits). Kettle is ready for some other hot bevvies. Marshmallows restocked for the hot chocolate crowd.

Cool new tea thing: Make a pot of oolong (premium Fujian oolong preferred), put a bit of cream in your cup, add the tea. Makes a nice creamy oolong. Yummy.

Quote by WriterGirl

(Shakes you awake) You are NOT taking a nap after your horror-flake story kept me awake last night. You tell me a sweet, lovely, gumdrops and snowflake fairies story RIGHT NOW, Verbal! 😠

Oh come on, we get enough of those this time of year. A little darkness in the mix never hurt. Of course, it takes a lot to freak me out (But I still haven't forgiven Ping for his winning story in the 2021 Halloween comp. That one even freaked me out.😨)

Quote by redwriter

Thank you, Scott. I was astounded at how easily that worked out after my hopeless attempts yesterday. I believe it is now being verified 9or not) Anyway, I am in your debt forever. Thanks too to Molly for your kind offer. Of courzse, I am blaming the laptop for these recent failings--it couldn't be me, could it? Could it?

Rule number 1 of IT: It's always the computer's fault. 🤣(Yeah, I've been using that line for probably 30 years now)

Quote by verbal
I will polish up my comp--which seriously channels the energy of Ping!--and maybe even submit today

Okay, now I get this statement. Very Ping that story is. 😀

Quote by AnnaMayZing
Not only was I in Germany, I was in Munich. Nightwish played at the Olympiastadion not so far from where we were staying. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go and am still kicking myself.

Yeah, I had to take a pass on their Toronto date on the North American tour in the spring (had an appointment that day that ended up getting cancelled at the last minute plus general concern about travel still at that time).

Got a pleasant surprise. An ultrasound that I thought would not happen until after my vacation in January happened this afternoon. Guess someone cancelled. I found out a 1:45 that a spot was available at 2:45. And the technician was on time, too.

Quote by redwriter

I think I have tried every conceivable Copying, Uploading , gliding and I still cannot make a connection. I had no bother initially in just plain copying to Word page before I started writing. But that simple technique didn't work and neither has anything else.

Let me give this a shot. Below is a copy of the write your own story screen. The text of the story (but not the image) gets pasted into the box at the bottom of my image marked "Story". For the cover image, you need to have a copy saved to your computer. Then you click the box marked with a camera and "Cover Image". That will open a "File open" window where you can click on the file, then click Open. This will upload the picture and set it as the cover picture.

It would be mine, all mine. Mwahahaha! I would keep the knowledge as limited as possible until I had plans in place. After that, people would get their gifts (probably immediate and some extended family, depending on amount maybe some organizations I support) and then anyone can know because the money will already be spoken for.

WYE try living "off-grid" (ie. generate own electricity, water from a well or lake, etc.)?

Quote by verbal
It's -8 here now, a little snow. I'm sure it's worse where a lot of you are.

We aren't due to get hit until overnight or tomorrow now. Not bad out at the moment. I went out to pick up a falafel wrap for lunch, and it was 5C and cloudy. Not even showers even though there's a 70% probability according to my weather app.

Well, I imagine they put some kind of trackers in those now (probably something more sophisticated than an Airtag) so I would hand it in assuming they would probably be able to find it anyhow. Would rather not inadvertently SWAT myself.

WYE join a "secret society" (Masons, Rosicrucians, etc.)?

Sorry I'm a bit late. Had to see my doc. Need to book an ultrasound of my hernia so he can put that with the referral. And got some new scrips. I am starting to need one of those little drug boxes that has a slot for each day. 😕

I am caught up on my comp reading (one of the benefits of the 1000-word limit is that it is easy to burn through a few before bed each night) and have dropped comments on all of them. Now awaiting more (taps foot and looks at watch😜).

Coffee is a Jamaican dark roast. Teas are Red Rose and Earl Grey. There's still some homemade instant cappuchino and latte mix along with the usual hot chocolate. Kettle is boiled and ready.

Quote by WriterGirl
Buttercup purred when I told her about it

If the cat likes it, it's a go.😊 Maybe I should get one. I'd probably get a black cat and call it something metal like Nightwish (my favorite rock band right now).

I am now caught up on reading and commenting and my own entry is in, so some new stories would be nice. How's it going folks?

Quote by Ceebees
the word counter active in google docs

This me. I like Google Docs for straight up writing. Google's Workspace apps are my go to for personal use nowadays.

It is almost a game after a while, bang go those words, whoosh go those words to make it up.

No, but that could be generational. I would likely submit a resignation and do the proper two weeks (standard notice in Canada).

WYE move a long distance just for a new job?

Quote by verbal

First draft is done. It's 1400 words. I've got some editing to do.

Wow. And I thought I overshot on my first draft. You got me beat big time. 🤣

It has been known to happen. There are actually a few hip-hop and rap artists that I like.

WYE sing karaoke in front of a crowded room?

Dropped The Berry Girl for now so I can highlight Sketching Snowflakes, my entry in the current Picture a Thousand Words comp.

Of those two, and assuming we are talking museums, natural history (which is science to a point).

Modern art gallery or something more historical (say, the Met vs. MOMA in NYC)?