Congrats on 50,000 words, Verbs.

Quote by JamesPBear

Hey there, everybody? Anyone got a spare idea for the competition?

So far, my mind is a blank. But then again, that's pretty well normal for me.

Here’s a fun albeit monotonous exercise for sourcing an idea:

Using a thesaurus and/or dictionary and/or some Wikipedia-type platform, investigate key words from the comp post. For example, research the phrase, Reboot, one of the competition’s must-use key words. You’ll start clicking on links to interesting things related and not. If you allow yourself to get lost down that cyber research rabbit hole, you’ll find an idea (or several). The more you personalize this, the more success you may have. I find it’s best to go into this exercise with an open mind as to not bias or cloud one’s judgment, and a drink or several to help keep that mind open. There ya go! I gave you a fun reason to drink.

This exercise isn’t guaranteed to work, but if you give it a go, it may, and I hope, it helps.

Verbs, I disagree with Ape. My experience with healthcare out in the great white western provinces of Canada is accommodation. Any concerns we’ve had about anything from acne to hemorrhoids and all bumpy things in between, the medical service for me and my family have been exceptional, including end of life care.

Once, I even had a sexy doctor that repeatedly showed me where my prostate was. And it wasn’t even during an exam! It was. I’ve often wondered if that was her way of showing interest in me, providing a male-centric screening service, or she was preparing me for domination. Funny thing, and this is true, after tapping and jiggling a little, she removed her fingers, tossed me a tissue, smacked my ass, and told me to clean up. My vote is appropriate Dom in an inappropriate situation. She no longer practices medicine here. I wonder why? 🤔

Fair warning: My comp is dark.

I just learned that if you hold down many alpha and numeric keys, you are given options. For example, if you hold down the zero, you get a degree symbol? How the hell did I not ever know this? Ugh. 🙄

Today, like so many days lately, it is - 1000° C. No need to go outside. Dogs can crap on the floor. I’m okay with that.

Did you see the cool degree symbol? It’s f’n embarrassing.

Regrets? I’ve had a few, but then again, too few to mention. I think that’s a lyric of some sort.

Comp idea chosen? Check.

Getting more snow today? Check. Expecting 10+ cm.

Yellowstone season finale? Check. Less was more. Next season is set up nicely.

New motorcycle delivered? Nope. Not yet. Winter hooligan shenanigans still must wait.

Family still healthy? Check. Keeping the old voodoo fingers crossed to ensure the fam remains that way.

Have A Groovy First 2022 Monday!

Selector of Themes… we’ll done.

Hopefully, this cool idea will attract a bunch of entries. $250 USD first place prize is nothing to sneeze at either.

Let the games begin!

2022 Dakar started today. If you search that on YouTube, you can see some day one highlights. Epic stuff. Apart from the bikes and ATV’s, and hyper-cool racing cars, this year sees the first all-electric sand gobbler.

Very, very good theme for the new comp. Well done, selector of themes. Sounds like a GoT title. Master of Whispers, Gobbler of Sand, Selector of Themes.

Anyone watch 2022 NYE fireworks displays on YouTube? There was one live feed we watched. Spectacular!

Anyway, off to ponder.

Bed. Early. Nothing good happens after midnight. NYE is so overrated.

Strawberry or cherry licorice?

For those of you that know dementia, you know how dehumanizing it can be. Someone I know is struggling beyond their own behavioural acceptance. If they knew what they were doing, stuff clearly beyond their control, they’d jump off a building. It’s horrible to witness because we know how horrified they’d be by what they’ve done and are doing.

Being aggressive to other residents, including scratching them. Trying to escape in a nighty and slippers in -30 C weather. Collecting dolls, carrying them around like real babies, and demanding formula because the babies are starving. Knocking over and smashing a 60” flat screen TV at 4:00 am. Knocking or pulling out three (separate incidents) of her teeth (no indication of any violence, blood, or facial damage). Breaking off plugs and leaving the live metal tabs sticking out of the socket. Thankfully, no one was electrocuted. There’s more. This all happened this week. It’s been rough on those that love and care for this person. Very rough.

New Years Eve is upon us! Best use of fireworks in a movie. I have three. Silver Bullet. Rocket to the werewolf’s/priest’s eye. A Quiet Place. To make more noise so you can make some. Apocalypse Now. Stoned Immaculate on the river. Good way to distract from an immoral and rudderless war.

Well, the variant has reared its ugly viral head in our parts. Soon, all of Canada. School Xmas vacation has been extended for at least one week. This will help curb the advance, allow more time for schools to better prepare for safety, including handing out N95-type masks to all staff and students, and supplying millions of COVID quick tests. It seems like overkill but ask the millions that have died from Covid-related symptoms if it is.

Anti-vaxxers now account for almost all of those hospitalized and dying after contracting COVID. Those vaccinated generally suffer much less if they contract COVID. Of course, there are exceptions but very few. One would think the dots would be connected.

Segregation is dangerously upon us. Will grudges be held? Will people say, “I remember when you refused to get vaccinated and put everyone, including our and your own children at risk. That’s not something we’ll forget.”

It’s already happening. Families have fractured. Friendships have ended. Too many good people have died a pointless death.

On that cheery note, time for some decaf tequila. Surprisingly, every liquor store and bar has some. Lucky me. I have some too.

Stay safe.

Here’s a cool exercise I recently read about but have never explored. Maybe you’ve heard about it.

Select a television episode you enjoy and write it as a story, dialogue and all. Describe the setting, characters, plot, etc. as if you were writing THAT story. Use the visual as your mind’s eye; the dialogue and narration as your own. Once you’re done, read your story, have others read the story, and then watch the show. Then discuss. It could prove to be an invaluable self-teaching tool, or a very f’n big waste of time. I think the former, by a humongous margin.

Glad to hear the thoughts on M4. Maybe I’ll see it, maybe not.

After watching The Ring with my kids (we all were underwhelmed, seriously), my daughter said there needed to be more carnage and death. 😳 She’s twelve in March.

I’m seriously impressed. She has such an excellent grasp of Hollywood versus reality. No nightmares. No jump scare antics or effects. Ice water runs through her veins.

So, we then watched another two Christmas movies, A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place 2. I still think both are excellent movies. She says they were, “Interesting.” I think I’ve found my thriller-horror muse. If I can write something that scares the bejesus out of her, I’ve possibly succeeded as a storyteller and writer, but failed miserably as a father. No guts! No glory! Therapy can deal with the rest. 😜

I really want to watch Dune but I don’t want to commit to three hours of something I may dislike. I’ll wait until the time and mood is right. Same with, The Hobbit. I know it’s not as good as LOTR, and I fear it may tarnish that masterpiece. But my son really, REALLY wants to watch it (and the other Hobbity movies) with me. We started. To be continued…

Another movie I’ve avoided on principle is Guardians of the Galaxy. Just more stupid Marvel/DC/whatever crap. But sooo many people and reviews speak highly of this movie. If I go into it with extremely low expectations, as I would, then maybe it might be okay. I’m being drawn to it like gravy to mashed potatoes and stuffing.

Lastly, my son and I really enjoyed, Venom. It was funny and Tom Hardy was wonderful in it. I sense the sequel is going to be watched before school returns after the now, COVID-19 variant extended Xmas break. Yup. Kids are getting an additional week so the schools can better prepare for everyone’s safety.

My Africa Twin operator manual.

Superb! Glad you two are enjoying Succession. Verbs, as Gill can attest, season one is only the beginning. 😜

Started episode one of Peaky Blinders, from now on to be referred to as Pesky Binders. Disappointed that Tom Hardy doesn’t enter the series until season two, but that’s how they get ya! I’ll chip away until I get there.

Introduced my daughter to a glaring omission from my favourite TV show list: Banshee. I was giddy explaining to her what was going on, as if reminiscing about friends from the good old days. Banshee is an excellent character development example of what can be done. I can’t recommend this show strongly enough.

The Young Pope, the first season, is another superb show. Gill knows this show. One word: kangaroo. Season two was okay, but shouldn’t have happened. Limited series, you greedy bastards. Limited means… oh well. There won’t be a season three. There shouldn’t be.

However, The Man in the High Castle on Prime has won my attention. Outstanding concept. What if Germany and Japan won WWII and divided North America between them? So far, really freakin’ good.

Coming soon…

After Life, season three with Ricky Gervais.

Ozark, the last season, part one. Promises to be spectacular.

Billions. I don’t know if the series will survive after last season’s surprise finale. I’m not sure I want it too, except I’d miss seeing Maggie Siff every Sunday. When she’s dresses and plays a Dom… oh my.

Comedy-Disaster. That’s how Netflix described it. At the very least, it was highly entertaining. It has a little of everything. But Jennifer Lawrence. Wow. She more than holds her own. She dominates the screen. Some amazing performances. Not the best movie, but very, very far from worst. The juxtaposition of metaphor is…I don’t know. I don’t have the words. It just saddens me.

Merry XMAS Everyone!

This time of year always spawns good writing ideas. My kids decorated gingerbread cookies using a zombie theme. SPECTACULAR. Zombie Santa with his zombie reindeer, well, in Canada, they would be zombie caribou, properly spelled, cari-boo.

Take care, stay safe, and hold those close that, this year especially, need it most.

Billion. I have plans. 😉

Could you be in a relationship with/love someone with I’ll-gotten money?

Yes.

WYE swim with sharks?

Considering Peaky Blinders. It keeps popping up on my radar. I know nothing about it other than it’s a period piece that that Bane/Venom dude is in it and he’s violent. Probably worth a look.

I bathed today. I’m less offensive than usual.

We. Are. So. Done.

Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin bread. That’s it.

No longer winter. Can’t ride my motorcycles. But I’ve just modified a new purchase to rectify that glaring error of nationality and residential judgment.

Clearly, Sprite and her evil voodoo powers has something wicked to do with this.

(Wakes. Wonders why Verbs is standing above him with a indelible black marker. Rubs head discovering half is shaved to the leathery scalp, one eye brow is missing, and has strong scent of ink under his nose. Thinks he hasn’t look this good in years.)

Sugarcube, lover of animals, thanks for the b’day wishes. I think you’ll appreciate this: We received a lot of snow yesterday and today. It just stopped. One of my favourite things to do is to take my dogs to an off-leash area where the snow drifts and collects in certain areas. We (my kids and I) then jump in this deep snow and our dogs follow us, sometimes momentarily disappearing due to the depth. We then run up and down this hill, jumping off into the deep snow and digging ourselves out only to do it over again and again.

If dogs could smile…

We all are exhausted once we’re done. Some hot chocolate and molasses cookies for the humans, something more canine appropriate for the pups. After we get home, remove our winter gear (our pups have new coats with heat-reflecting foil on the inside $135!!!), and new boots ($90!!!) to protect their pad’s from salt and freezing, we (dogs ON me) snooze on the couch with the fireplace on toasty low. That’s the bestest birthday gift I can ever wish for and get.

Did I leave my car keys here?

(Staggers in and falls on his face after tripping on the rug again. Subsequently falls asleep.

Zzzzzzzzzz

(Staggers in, looks around, trips on rug).

“Who put that rug there, there on the floor?”

Yup. Drunk already and it’s barely 8:00 am in Pingville. Happy Birthday to me. LOL.

The kids and I are digesting our gross Denny’s Grand Slammers. Mine was free ‘cause, ya know, it’s my birthday. My daughter and I shared mine. I can’t people eat all of this. Yikes.

Anyway, gotta go. Liquor store opens soon… 😉

I’m currently at Denny’s with my kids eating my greasy, salt-lick of a FREE Grand Slam breakfast. Yes, today is my birthday. Has nothing to do with the SS update. Possibly also a temporary lapse. 🤣🤣🤣

Larry of the big sand.

Speaking of sand, deserted island question - for the duration of your solo extended stay…

Listening to your favourite musician or watching your favourite TV show? (Ignore the illogical of that obvious being you having electricity, an iPod or Television or, you could watch or listen to either on your phone that always has a charge and signal… but you can’t phone or receive calls… nor can you send or receive texts or emails… nor can the phone be traced…

Sigh. I suck at this AND that. 😁

Quote by verbal

Pingu, I think my advice was that "a bad writer blaming the reader is like a bad lover blaming his partner." But a good take on writing. I'm really finding that critique groups are helping me too, as you said. You have to find the right fit: a group that challenges you but doesn't break you. That's true of so many things. But I've found it very helpful. Not just for the feedback, but the support and comradery. Much like this place. Writing can be a lonely business.

I hope everyone is well. Still trying to wake up. I think today is the only day I'll write this week. Christmas is approaching quickly!

Coffee and many, many cookies please.

Okay Hoover. Hoover, not boomer, because you suck. 😁

I think one needs humility to write. Don’t blame, self-shame. Oh wait, that was the blond guy in that Tom Hanks movie with the tire chains around his leg. But I hear ya. Your advise went deeper than you thought, much like what you think of your love making. 😳

🤣🤣🤣

Come on. It was right there. I had to swing at that soft ball.

From now on, I shall only speak in metaphors. This shouldn’t last long. I only know a few.

I bought another motorcycle to ride in the winter. What the hell is wrong with me?

Nuthin’ some throttle therapy won’t manage.

Two. Confusion and Denial. Once flew over Midwest Unrest, but that doesn’t count.

Quote by verbal

They’re talking about rebooting Six Feet Under on HBO. Grrr. It would make irrelevant perhaps the greatest finale in television history. The show was a little uneven, but when it worked (as in the finale) it was perfect.

Alan Ball is involved. No nothing yet. Just talks. I too hope it dies a quick death. Leave the legacy alone.

That darn Jellystone. Episode eight (tonight) was really good until the end. More stupid unbelievable stuff. So dumb. What’s with the overcompensating white saviour complex? Too much soap opera logic. The show is better than that.

And yet I still watch…

Motorcycle Therapy - A Canadian Adventure in Central America. Actually, I was gifted the audio book so I’m listening.