Quote by Mendalla

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

It’s very Pingly.

I just submitted. Time for a nap.

Thanks for setting up and glad the doc visit went well, Ape.

It was wild getting out of Avatar last night right when the temps were plummeting. It's -8 here now, a little snow. I'm sure it's worse where a lot of you are. Stay safe. T has one more day of office work. I'm sealed inside with the cats. Hehehehe.

I loved the movie. Gotta do 3-D, big screen. It's SO immersive that way, and after awhile your brain just gives in. I can't wait for more folks to see it so I can talk about it, but I won't give anything away.

Lazy day today. I will polish up my comp--which seriously channels the energy of Ping!--and maybe even submit today.

Peace! Merry Christmas everyone.

It's a weird and interesting trick. I wrote extra-shaggy, and so hit 1400 but knew I could cut quite a bit. I just kept taking passes, cutting more words with each pass. Those last 200 were hard. I'm at 997 and am going to plump it back tomorrow. I'm counting words in MS Word, I hope the count doesn't change when I paste it in here.

Quote by WriterGirl

Hopefully you are a better editor than me. My word count always goes up when I edit.

Oh, don't I know! 1078 words. Kill your darlings.

Quote by Mendalla

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

Down to 1210.

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

Quote by redwriter

I have written a story it is in draft form in the comp page awaiting a picture. One of the characters sees himself as a nerd and I discovered it might be me (although he's only 25) but I am having a hell of a job getting the required picture onto the story page. Just plain copying got it on my Word page and I thought transfer would be as easy. Can anyone advise me (without calling me a nerd--I know that already)

Has this been solved yet? If you hover the cursor over the pic, right click, choose save image , and save it to your desktop (remember the name of the file!). Then when you go to submit your story, you browse to the photo you saved and select it.

I have a premise and no ending, but I will f around on the blank page and try to find one.

Seeing the 4:10 Avatar today. I'm excited: big dumb 3-D fun! I might be a little late--I hate commercials--but will definitely be in the theater by 4:20. Talia will not be joining me, though she will be dropping me off and picking me up.

Christmas chores are mostly done. I'm in vaycay mode.

Sara! The Mets got Correa!!!

Let's look for that ending. Coffee and a snowman cookie please!

Quote by Mendalla

I have a mixed approach. Usually, I try to refrain from reading before my own entry is done but sometimes there's an entry that just screams "read me" or I am not sure if I am entering so I start reading earlier.

I couldn't get that to load at all - like 2 hours!

I still don't have an ending....

Quote by Mendalla

This is, after all, the guy who made the two best Terminator movies and Aliens which are not exactly pacifist movies so this is not really a problem for me. I actually consider T2 : Judgement Day to be his best movie. The original Avatar was, until the final battle, one of his less violent movies, though, (still more violent than Titanic) so I can see why some might react that way if this one is more vintage Cameron.

Got my ticket for tomorrow, right before the cold front hits.

T2 is his masterpiece, I agree. I loved Aliens, but am lukewarm on Titanic and most of the rest.

I think I’m in.

<insert furiously typing cat gif here>

Quote by Mendalla

I would be interested to hear a review. I loved the worldbuilding and visuals in the original and there was some good acting but found the story itself a bit meh.

I might sneak it in tomorrow.

I'm really scared to read any more comp entries, I have no ideas and am very impressionable. I might try to start something now. Cool to see the comp gaining traction!

Good morning everyone. Thanks for setting up!

I don't have a clue about a comp entry, but something might pop up between now and deadline. I am wrapping up Christmas stuff so will have some time. Especially during the 48 hours where it will NOT get above 0 Thurs and Fri.

I'm also trying to fit in a stealth afternoon matinee of Avatar 2 this week. I am weirdly psyched.

Workman all over the house now. I was crabby about it yesterday, today I am just resigned to it.

Coffee! Sara's cookies! Yum!

So wait, is the comp exactly 1000 words? No more, no less? Does that include the title!?

Hope everyone is well. So sorry about the Zoom funeral, Gill. That sounds depressing and rather soulless. My Dad's memorial was in the midst of Covid, so I get it: we almost went Zoom ourselves (we did try to have a Zoom stream of it, but we didn't have enough bandwidth).

Long week, heading into Christmas. Most of the chores are getting done though. Saw an EXCELLENT radio play of It's a Wonderful Life last night. It kinda kicked me into the Christmas spirit.

Workman at the house for the next several days. Erg.

A coffee and a cookie!

Dead battery

In a while, crocodile.

My daughter's 20th (!!!) birthday today. We are not celebrating because she just made manager where she works, after a month, and she has to work. We celebrated yesterday. She got an iPhone and a deeply cool framed Sweeney Todd poster form the 1978 Angela Lansbury production. ♫ Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd / He served a dark and a vengeful God ♫

Quiet day as a result. Talia's back is out so I am helping her all day.

Coffee, cookie, seize the day!

Thanks for the setup Ape.

Back from Cali.

Cold as f here, AND Talia’s car battery is dead, AND her back went out at work, so she is not having a good day. Me. I am lazing in bed with a cat in my lap. She had to take my car, so I can’t even drive up to help her.

Two rejection slips in two days. One of them was very nice and complimentary, but that only makes it sting more. I thought I had that one in the bag.

Coffee and a cookie please.

I am OFF to California!

Quote by gillianleeza

It has not been a good week. I sorted out my Mom's issues and was attending to my own home when my cat became very ill. He had a stroke, and we had to say goodbye. We lost his brother about six months ago. I hope they are together again. It's too quiet without him. I'm used to sleeping with him curled up next to me, so I can't sleep. They were both wonderful cats, very friendly, and so much fun to watch them play and interact together. Apollo enjoyed Thanksgiving with everyone fussing over him. He lived a good life for sixteen years.

I am so sorry Gill. Crushing to lose a pet.

Thanks for the set-up Larry. Long day today, and packing for Cali. I leave tomorrow to join Talia!

Coffee please, and a cookie!

Ooh, a contest! I’m bummed about my less than stellar recent effort at a comp on another site, but I do love flash.

That sucks ab the fraudulent bank accounts Gill. Sadly that behavior is everywhere. Happened to me about this time last year.

Lots of errand running today, getting ready for Cali. I don’t love busy days, but I am psyched for the trip.

Coffee would be wonderful,

Quote by Mendalla

Bit late but I am still first one in. Putting on a nice pot of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. Teas are Irish Breakfast and Earl Grey. Hot water is ready for hot chocolate or other teas and hot beverages.

Need to reboot my writing process and refocus a bit. Actually got through two chapters of reading a novel last night, something that might get me back on track for writing, too. Pulling the plug on some social media (including a site beginning with L) for a while to help with focus.

Later, alligators.

Good for you Ape, for both the reading and the writing. And thanks for setting up!

Talia is in Cali, and I am joining her on Saturday. So I am being a good husband and cleaning the whole house over the next few days. I don’t hate cleaning, though vacuuming annoys me. Annoys the cats too.

I watched a movie with a couple online friends last night. It was really fun.

Finishing up a story this morning. Then let the cleanfest begin!

A coffee and a Santa cookie please!

No one in today. Coffee and tea and cookies are ready to rock.

Just found out my daughter's car needs a new transmission. Gah! That on top of the damn house sinking has me contemplating going back to work. Life is expensive.

Anyway. Coffee would be helpful.

AnnaMay, have safe travels!

Talia is off to Cali today too! I'll join her in exactly a week. In the meantime, my first official act as a bachelor is too...take a nap. It was an early flight, and I need some sleep.

I hope Saturday finds everyone doing something they love.

I'll skip the coffee, but I'd love a cookie!

Very, very windy night last night. T had a hard time sleeping, and I did only a little better. Plus, she's leaving for Cali tomorrow (I'm joining her in a week), and we are both exhausted.

Only a little less windy today. Want some wind, Sara?

Pushing through to the end of a story today. I get to describe an airplane crash!

Gimme coffee and cookies please.

We have a Keurig that I never use, Gill. We have a complex relationship. I will use it for a cup as I brew a pot.

Still reeling from a major home expense. We can take the hit, but it's a little scary. Today should be chill, after yesterday's inspections and decisions.

Glad you are feeling better, Sara, if slowly.

Time to make the donuts. Coffee and a shortbread cookie would be cool.

blinks I can do this. adds coffee grounds to thingy in percolator, plugs it in, sets up hot water and teas, puts out cookies after accidently eating 5 or 6 There.

I got woken up early by potential contractors, so I am irritable. More irritable that we are gonna have to spend a ton of money shoring up the foundation of the house. Meeting with two guys today to make the final decision.

So, I'll try to write til duty calls.

I hope everyone is well.

Molly, I do hope you got coffee and tea started when you came in to post this on the bulletin board! Ah, there it is.

Nice, snowy day here. I have therapy, but other than that, no chores. A difficult scene is coming up today (an airplane falling out of the sky). I don't know how to do it. luckily I have all day to figure it out.

A coffee and a star cookie (thanks for making cookies even while sick Sara!)!

Quote by gillianleeza

I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving had a good one. Mine was wonderful but busy and hectic. We loved having my youngest son and his wife visiting from Germany. It was her first Thanksgiving. We had 18 people for Thanksgiving dinner. My middle son and girlfriend were able to say a few nights, and my oldest son and his wife made it up for the day. Everyone left yesterday, so today, I am doing nothing, mostly. Have to do all the laundry. Christmas will be a smaller affair.

I hope everyone's week is off to a good start.

Sounds like a wonderful Thanksgiving. Ours was much smaller, but very chill and enjoyable.

We are now starting to gather ourselves to pack for a trip to LA! It should be fun, but it's gonna be a hectic week (Talia is leaving a few days before me to be with her Mom) (the cats are trembling).

A coffee and a cookie would be awesome.

Quote by DenimAngel
Feeling like a truck ran me over today .

Are you sick? Hope you feel better.

Thanks for the set-up Mr. Ape. Sunny and mid 50s today, so I suppose I need to go out and rake leaves, though I really want to stay inside all day. Duty calls.

Thanksgiving was small and chill. Eating leftovers for days.

A coffee would be nice. And a turkey cookie!