Quote by Ping
Hey Every-Body,

Anyone see the Field of Dreams special the other night?

I only saw the entrance from the cornfields and all the players take the field. Still emotional. Damn music and father/son thingie.

Gotta go. Later…

Quote by gillianleeza
Trying to get all my outdoor tasks done as early as possible this week. It has been in the high nineties with lovely accompanying humidity, so it's too hot and dangerous to be outside working for long.

I hate to wish time or summer away, but I am tired of sweating because I walked outside.

I hope everyone is doing well. I'll be in the corner catching up on some reading and eating some cookies.

Now I'm eagerly awaiting the change over to the new platform.

Have a good day, and stay cool, everyone.

Cheers!

Quote by Ping
Lovin’ the injection of energy on the site.

As per Nicola, the new look SS has an ETA of a few days. After several years of dormancy, we’ve had a few competitions, and with the latest competition, and now the Challenge, SS is on the right track. Funny thing, a disco song about survival just popped into my head. New members. Old members revived. All good stuff. I can see the voluntary offering of ten dollars per annum to cover the cost of competition prizes. The more entries, the more in the kitty to help offset operating costs. But patience. The good ship SS needs to get launched and be reintroduced to the sea first.

What do y’all think about a competition-challenge repeating pattern?

I like it. Have a gap of a week or two between each. One involves judging and some formality, and the other is a friendly outreach for common-themed stories. I haven’t done the math, but this formula could see four to six of each format each calendar year. Now that it appears SS survived a near fatality, it needs to better look after its health. Consider competitions and challenges like regular exercise. They help to keep the interest up and creative juices flowing. Okay, that sounded way dirtier than intended.

Anyway, busy day today. Thanks to those that read my latest. I’ll respond in kind shortly.

Rump, I’ll take a travel mug of that pine tar you call coffee. Darn. I just thought about something. The only batting cage our area has was removed the make way for progress and ‘the public good’. Tragic. It’s something I’d love to take my kids too and swat away our daily frustrations. I guess it’s the driving range we go… until a new batting cage materializes. Sadly, my kids are not allowed to partake in the local offering of ax throwing. I’ve seen them play darts. No ax throwing is probably a good thing.

Good day to you all!

Quote by Tams

Quote by Violet_the_Verbose
I both love and hate that there's no deadline. As I always say, I'll get to it... eventually.

You have until the end of next week! Better?

Quote by rolandlytle
Hi my friends.

I have been off my rocker for a few days but started feeling better last night. I am falling so far behind on my reading. Please accept my apology.

I love my father, but he believed in so many of the right-wing conspiracies like Covid-19 was a hoax. So he did not get the vaccine. Last week he got sick. He would not go to the doctor because he did not think it was serious. My sister and her husband, who live with my father, made him go to the hospital on Sunday night with labored breathing and a fever. When they arrived My sister and her husband had their temperatures taken to get in the hospital and found out they both had fevers too. All three were tested and were positive for Covid-19. Last night my father died of Covid-19. My sister and her husband both had their vaccines. My sister still has a slight fever and a sore throat and her husband no longer has any symptoms. Next week I will be going to Charlotte, NC with my family for his funeral.

I am heartbroken and upset. I can not help but think my father threw his life away because of the lies he listened to and believed.

Until I return from the funeral, I will not be writing much, but I will try to read some. I am sure that reading your stories will help keep me sane for the next two weeks.

Death is a part of life, just like birth, happiness, love, and tragedy.

Till later. Be safe, happy, and continue being the great people you are.

Laughter is healing, so remember; chameleons who can not change color are suffering from reptile dysfunction.

Quote by LucaByDay
I've been meaning to pop over and have a mooch for months. Finally summoned the resolve and conjured a profile (which I have yet to completer.)

I'm hoping a change of colour will inspire me to write a bit more than I have of late. The well has run dry.

Great to be here. See you guys about.

Quote by Ping

Quote by elizabethblack
Has anyone have any ideas for a comp story about Tam's baby with Verbal and/or Ping? Monsters, horror, sci-fi?

It’s true love, baby. Like real men, Verbs and I didn’t have to do a thing. Tams did all the work. Well, I did say it was immaculate conception. So, really, no one did anything. It just happened.

Oh God, I just know it’s mine!

Quote by etairay

My dad finally retiring ..😃🙌🎊 finally!!

Quote by Ping

Quote by Tams
Thanks for the coffee set up, Larry.

Despite my botching of the english language (and yes, I agree there are far too many confusing words), Mrs Rambles has kicked off the first-line story challenge with a wonderful piece. Which can be found here: https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/micro-fiction/-the-invisible-girl-.aspx

I'm fighting some sort of cold. I'm fully vaxed but went to the walk-in clinic over the weekend, just to be safe. Tests came back negative for covid and the delta variant, so I guess there are still other viruses out there all vying for our attention. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have minded giving it to them. But now I can't help but wonder if every time I get sick, I will feel the need to get tested. Ugh...

Hope you all are having a wonderful start to the week!

Could only be one other thing… you’re pregnant.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

If it’s a boy, please name him, Verbs. If it’s a girl, please name her, Ping.

If you have one of each, or more, any variation of PinglyVerbs or VerballyPing will do nicely.

Immaculate conception. What a concept!


Just spent three hours in the dentist chair. A very old (probably older than our mother-to-be) crown broke. Lots of prep. But we’re good to go again until the permanent crown is made.

Toffee, gum, and anything sticky and chewy, please. I want to test my dentist’s proficiency.

Smile. It’s Monday. No more Olympics.

Quote by elizabethblack
This weekend has been very hot, sweaty and hot, humid and hot. Spent it with husband visiting a vast number of antique malls in PA. Not very good a/c in these old buildings and just walking and walking and every now and then saying "how about this?" To which his usual reply is "nah, we have too many of those". Nice motel though with thoroughly European feel. Only open a week and lacking a few things "that got delayed in the supply line". Lovely breakfast and more hours slogging through more antique malls.
Finally home and feet up for maybe a week.
Oh, and Verbs - welcome to my world. How does it feel being one above the Nationals? Sorry. Don't even get me started on why, why, why the trades were made to the Dodgers. Gnashing teeth every time I think about it.

Quote by DenimAngel
Hi everyone
A beautiful day here
A large coffee would be fantastic
Me and miss Molly the monkey are gonna help in the church nursery this morning.
Scott that's a good idea I'm sure each animal who visits have an idea what they like .

*Moving the old cookies to the emergency cookie tins behind the counter and filling the cookie jars to the tippy top with fresh cookies.*
In Big Bird we have pecan divines, oatmeal raisin cookies, chocolate orange cookies and snickerdoodles
In Cookie Monster we have ginger snaps, white chocolate supremes, chocolate covered cherry cookies and hot chocolate and marshmallow cookies
In Elmo we have lemon cookies, double chocolate hazelnut ,m&m cookies and snickerdoodles

*Giving the adorable critters fresh water and treats*

Off I go to deal with little humans
Stay safe everyone!

Quote by Mendalla

Quote by Verity
Oh my, Mr Mendalla. How could you think such a thing about a sweet old lady like me.

Never said it about you, just about that story. And if mine was in any way an influence, you are welcome. I don't think I have ever been cited as an influence (other than a bad one ) before.

Quote by Tams
I really like your idea Verbs, but I am (among other things) extremely tech-challenged. I want to avoid creating more work for the mods by having to help insert pics into the body of the story.

I also like Ping's suggestion. My fear (pun intended) is that Halloween is right around the corner and I wouldn't want to step on the toes of a possible future comp. I do like the thought of keeping the stories light and fun.

My idea is that I will throw down an opening line. So many fantastic stories start with killer first lines; Call me Ishmael...or...Mother died today, or maybe yesterday; I can't be sure. Not saying mine is killer, but it seems like it will be fun to see where each person takes the line.

Here is what I have come up with for rules:

- I will give a first-line prompt, every story must have that line as the open.
- From there you are free to take it where ever you'd like and in whatever category and length you choose.
- Please make sure to follow storiespace guidelines for acceptable content.
- Please include Inspirators as a tag. Make sure it is spelled exactly that way so when we click on the tag, it will isolate all of our stories on one page.
- This is just a challenge and all for fun, no prizes or awards will be given out.
- There is no time limit for entries.

Here is your first-line prompt...have fun with it!

"To everyone in the room, she seemed like just a normal girl wearing Vans, bluejeans, and a red hoodie."

Quote by Tams
Morning All!

drums fingers on counter waiting for the coffee to finish brewing...decides to sneak a GF cookie for the wait

I'm having post-comp blues. The energy and buzz when those comps are active make it so much fun. Plus for some reason, my brain gets more active when there is a prompt to work off of. What if we did a friendly Inspirators story challenge thingy? Anyone have ideas for a prompt?

I tend to gravitate toward these categories(but I'm certainly open to anything):

- Thriller
- Horror
- Fantasy
- Romance

Just a thought...hope everyone is having a great day...and look at that, the coffee's done percolating.

Quote by Rumple_deWriter
Happy Hump Day to all Inspirators. The coffee pot has been rinsed and dried as has been the tea kettle. Today's coffee is from the Big Mamou Coffee Co. located near the fabled town of, Little Mamou. Water is from the nearby Atchafalaya River. Enjoy.

Some of the baseball teams Inspirators pull for won: Padres, Diamondbacks, Braves, while others such as the Mets Royals, and Nationals did not. Probably a great object lesson there but it escapes me.

Time to fill my mug, grab some of Sarah's cookies and wander over to the corner table to spend some time wool gathering.

Later, Inspirators.

Quote by rolandlytle


Jeff, you are going to love watching Baez play. He plays the game with the heart of a gladiator, the talent of a hall-of-famer, and the joy of a little boy. His defense and baserunning are gifts from Olympus. If you forgive him for his strikeouts, he is day in and day out the best in baseball.

Saw my brain doctor today, and he said over the last six months, I have shown only a minor decline in my tests. So I did not dare tell him I had not slept since Saturday night. I have had insomnia since high school. So I have been binge-watching 'Grimm.'

Have a great week, my friends.

Quote by Tams
Wow... So many talented writers and so many excellent stories! I'm honored to be sharing the podium with Verbal and Thespian. Everyone who entered deserves a round of applause.

Thank you to everyone who read my story and especially those who scored and left a comment.

If I know Verbal, he's already blown his winnings on Godzilla posters for the ceiling above his bed.8WT6wVYMdJ18FZ2W So, a round of sarsaparillas on me!

Quote by Mendalla
Reading a graphic novel series called Once & Future. Basically, what if King Arthur's return was horror rather than fantasy. Arthur is what we would call a "lich" in D&D, basically an animated skeletal monster commanding a "round table" of similar horrors. Merlin just showed up but seems to be something else entirely. Arrayed against Arthur's evil are Bridgette Macquire, an elderly monster hunter who is supposed to be living in a seniors' home, her grandson Duncan and a historian named Rose (who kind of got sucked into the story by dating Duncan).

The underlying idea seem to be that it is not so much people coming back to life as their stories, with many variations possible on those stories. Beowulf has made an appearance, and the last chapter that I read (I am partway through volume 2) ended with the appearance of his foe Grendel. Beowulf is sent against Duncan and Bridgette by Arthur who describes them as "monster and mother", creating an allegory for Grendel and his mother. Not sure how Grendel is going to fit in, yet, but he is currently outside Bridgette's home. Good stuff. The last volume is up for a Hugo (one of the most prestigious sf and fantasy awards) this year and the series has picked up other awards and nominations as well.

Author is Kieron Gillen, a British comic book writer, and the art is by Dan Mora. Both creators are multiple award-winners.

Quote by rolandlytle
Hello everyone

Congratulations to all of the entries to the contest. Every story was excellent. I would have pulled out every hair on my head if I had to make those choices.

Sometimes, when I read a story, I can not think of a single thing about that story that has not already been said, and I wind up not commenting. I read every story in this competition, and everyone was excellent, but I did not comment on three of the stories. Two of those three non-comment stories won awards. Either that was a big coincidence, or the judges must think my praise is negative towards grading.

A couple of cookies and tea, please.

Bryant (SFG), Baez (NYM), and Rizzo (NYY) all hit home runs in their first game for their new clubs. I wish them well.

Have a great day, my friends.

Quote by Ping

Quote by verbal


Drinks are on me! And while no alcohol is allowed in the coffee shop, I hear a rumour that Ping is passing out limoncello shots from the trunk of his car out in the parking lot. It's that 1979 Monkey-sh1t green Ford Pinto out there. No, wait, that's my car!