CCC10 – Prisoner of the Password

Posted on by | 61 Comments

Every Wednesday Crispina, over at Crimsonprose posts a photo (this week it’s that one below.)

We are to respond with something CREATIVE.  It’s pretty open and there are many forms this can take, as you can see if you click here. Whatever form we do take, must keep it at 150 words or less.  I kinda had forgotten that part so I snipped here and clipped there and hope it still comes across half-assed decently.

PRISONER OF THE PASSWORD

 

“ENTER PASSWORD TO MOVE FORWARD TOWARDS THE LIGHT!” the voice bellowed.I enter my password.

“INCORRECT!” The branches closed in a little.

Right, I had changed the password recently. I enter the new password.

“INCORRECT!” More closing in.

Shit. I send a request for a new password, hoping I’ll get the email in time…

Yesss! Thank goodness! I receive it and follow the instructions…. and get … ‘Password cannot be the same as previous one.’

Seriously? Are you kidding me?

I feel the cold creeping into my bones. Shivering, I reset, hoping this one will work and allow me to go towards the opening and heat offered by the sun.

“ENTER. MIGHT I SUGGEST YOU WRITE YOUR PASSWORDS IN A SAFE PLACE?”

This forest had quite the sense of humour. I shake my head as I move closer to the clearing, entering my new password in a note on my phone.

 

Ugly Before the Beauty – Friday Fictioneers

Posted on by | 161 Comments

Good Wednesday morning, my peeps!  I was so hoping this day would bring us blue skies.  Nope.  Apparently we can’t have mild(ish) and blue at the same time.  Oh well.  Might as well take this time to write, eh?  Thank you, dear Rochelle, for keeping us coming back week after week.  And what’s this?  Where did you get your hands on this picture, eh?

To join in on our little party, click on the blue frog below to add your link.  Unsure of how this works?  Click here for the how-to’s!   I’m telling you, it’s a great challenge!


Click here to get the Frog for your Blog

Ugly Before the Beauty

 

“Oh my God!  What the hell has he done?”  Carla leaned closer, trying to see beyond the tape.

“Don’t worry so much.  It doesn’t look that bad,” assured Lucia, her head cocked to one side as if a different angle would give a better perspective.

“How the hell am I supposed to see beyond this?  Just look at it!  It’s a total disaster!” Carla wailed.

“I told you it wasn’t ready yet.”

“He said he would fix it.  He said not to worry.  He said it wouldn’t show. This is awful!”

“That’s how plastic surgery works.  Ugly before the beauty.”

 

 

Weekend Writing Prompt #89 – Silhouette

Posted on by | 93 Comments

I just finished watching a biopic of Jane Fonda and was inspired by something she said.  Suddenly I knew what I wanted to write for this challenge.

A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend.  How you use the prompt is up to you.  Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like.  Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise.  If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments.  Thank you, Sammi, for hosting this party.

Word Prompt

Silhouette

Challenge

It took me years

To reside comfortably within my own skin

No longer a silhouette of myself

I can feel my anger

I can feel my judgments

I can feel my kindness

Everything that makes up who I am

Including the fact that I just may be

Stonger and braver than the man I am with

Which is difficult for him

But necessary for me

No Water, Please! – Friday Fictioneers

Posted on by | 145 Comments

Good Thursday evening, my peeps!  Spent a few days away up in the Laurentians, taking in the fresh air, enjoying the snow and cottage life.  Back to reality…

I canna lie… looked at this hear picture for two days and finally asked my son what he saw.  A silly story was born.  Thank you, Rochelle and Priya for stumping me this week!

If you think you can play along with something original, please do!  Click on Rochelle’s name for the how-to’s and add your link by clicking on ze bleu frogue below…

©Priya Bajpal

Get the Frogue for your Blogue

No Water, Please!

“That’s a pretty jar.  Quite colourful.  What are they, love notes?”

“Nope.  Not love notes.  Not even paper.  They’re magical, though.”

“Really?  Why are some on the table?”

“I’m not sure they’ll fit.”

“Whatchu talkin’ about!  There’s lots of room.”

“Don’t be fooled.  One drop of water and the whole thing blows.”

“Hah!  What?  Do they turn nasty like in Gremlins?”

“Something like that…”

“Wait. What? You mean if I pour some of my water on these things—

“NO!  Don’t!”

Too late to stop him, I watched in horror as the pieces on the table grew into giant foam dinosaurs.

Weekend Writing Prompt #88 – Foundations

Posted on by | 76 Comments

I usually participate in these prompts when we have less than 75 words. However, I felt like writing and my thoughts went towards love. Why? Why not?

Thank you to Sammi for hosting this weekly party. It really pushes me to try different things.

From whence came my notions of what love is?

Where have I learnt what love I deserve, or don’t?

Dare I assume I should be loved in a certain manner?

We go through life with certain assumptions

Though “they” say it is best to not have expectations

That way we are guaranteed no disappointment

How realistic is that?

If we have properly witnessed what real love is

How can we not expect to believe we deserve it as well?

With foundations solidly built

We would have no need for these questions

She Dreamed of Africa – Friday Fictioneers

Posted on by | 140 Comments

Good Wednesday afternoon, my readers… First Friday Fictioneers of the year!  I know, I know, it’s called Friday FICTIONeers but my sister and niece leave in one hour and, no, I know this is not a picture of a desert, nor a vast plain but hey… it’s what I’m seeing now and it’s not what we look at, but what we see, right?  Says so right down there ⇓

 Thanks to the comedic duo Rochelle and Russell for their collaboration this week.  Do join in on the fun!  Just click on the blue frog below to add your 100-word story to the party already going on.  Not sure about the rules and regs?  Click on Rochelle’s name and get them!

Get the frog for your blog

She Dreamed of Africa

Tracy had no idea what her daughter would choose for their mother-daughter trip.  She should have known.  Sabrina had the travel bug ever since she saved all monies earned from baby-sitting and selling her necklaces to pay for her high school Guatemala trip.  Hers was a laser-beam focus when she had a goal.  No Cuba-style-butt-in-the-sand vacation for her!

“Africa?”

“Yes, Mom.  Tanzania.  Glamping Safari in the Serengeti! Then Zanzibar for the beach. We’ll learn how to surf.”

“Great white sharks in those waters, Sab.”

“So?  Can’t worry over stuff like that…”

“Can’t wait.  It’ll be a trip of a lifetime…”

The 2018 Annual Attitude of Gratitude: Bloggers Flood The Internet With Happiness & Positivity!

Posted on by | 91 Comments

Dawn Quyle Landau of Tales from the Motherland has issued the 5th annual “50 Happy Things/Attitude of Gratitude” challenge and I am more than pleased to join in once again.  For instructions on the “how-to”, please click here.  Once you’ve figured out how to do it and have been inspired to do it (Why not?  How much can it hurt to bring forth things that make you happy?) click here to add your link.

There is absolutely no order to my following list.  I have set the timer for 15 minutes and this is basically stream of consciousness stuff (i.e. as it comes, I type).  All embellishments are added after the clock has run out and I’ve spell-checked my list 😉

  1. My boys – they remind me that I am human
  2. My home – protects me from the elements
  3. My family – all the way down to second cousins thrice removed
  4. My sisters – despite whatever goes on in life, they are there for me
  5. Mom – without her, I would not be
  6. Friends who are the chosen family
  7. Blogosphere – a world I could not have imagined ten years ago
  8. The friends I’ve made on the blogosphere – I cherish the connections I’ve made
  9. Going to Old Montreal for New Year’s Eve with good friends
  10. Getting on the ferris wheel for the midnight fireworks
  11. Friday Fictioneers – for teaching me how to cut the fluff and get to the point
  12. B – for pushing me to be a better writer while becoming a close friend
  13. My ability and joy of cooking
  14. Sharing my food with those I love
  15. My boys when they help me before I have to ask
  16. My computer – as a tool to connect and write
  17. Internet – bringing the world to my fingertips
  18. Brothers-in-law who help out for stuff that I just cannot do on my own
  19. Girlfriends – to share those things that you just can’t with family
  20. Blogging community – I keep learning
  21. Rochelle for her friendship and for trusting me with her lateest WIP (and any other writings)
  22. Julie for being my “culture friend” and my trusted date for stuff no one else is interested in
  23. Feeling part of my close knit gang
  24. Food – the diversity, the sensuality
  25. My taste buds – which permit me to enjoy all the flavours out there
  26. Good wine
  27. fun work colleagues
  28. New colleagues who seemed to really appreciate me
  29. Clients who appreciate me
  30. My legs for allowing me to take my walks
  31. My big-ass bathtub for when I need to get away from it all
  32. Reading – opening my world to other realms
  33. Writing, which allows me to let go of stuff
  34. Writing prompts that push me to do better
  35. My bed, where I get the rest I need or at least pretend to
  36. My hands which are capable of so much more than I thought
  37. Heating which protects me from the cold
  38. My capacity to love no matter how many times my heart is broken
  39. Being appreciated for what I offer
  40. My wit and sense of humour – keeps me sane
  41. Travel – I need to do more; experience other cultures
  42. The communities I’ve built – virtual and real
  43. Connections I’ve made with people from around the world
  44. A cozy fire, to gaze into, to snuggle with someone
  45. Zeke – who is not getting as much love as he should but will
  46. Eyes – to appreciate the beauty around me
  47. My smile, which seems to be what people remember about me
  48. My camera, which helps me to look at things differently and record the memories
  49. Being able to express myself and be open to others’ opinions
  50. Widow’s pension, which helps to make ends meet
  51. EI which permits me to take the time to rest between jobs
  52. Working a seasonal job which allows me to take the other seasons off
  53. Sense of smell, without it, I would never appreciate food and cooking so much
  54. My body – it may be quite as I would like it to be, but it’s mine and it functions
  55. Dishwashers – because sometimes, doing the dishes just blows
  56. My car – I can go anywhere when I want
  57. My resilience – even though it’s a word that bugs the shit out of me, it is the right word for me
  58. The close friends who will always include me in their happenings
  59. My ability to adapt to whatever life throws my way
  60. My boys – I am so proud of them both for the young men they are becoming
  61. That Iain has decided to go back to school to get a diploma in electricity
  62. That Aidan has decided to pursue an education in animation (yeah, yeah, it has another title that I always forget)
  63. That I know I can count on my sisters for anything
  64. My lack of cynicism – despite the world we live in
  65. My charm that can be helpful when I screw up
  66. Dark chocolate
  67. Camaraderie – that can be found
  68. Facebook – say what you will, I have kept in contact with many because of it
  69. Book, books and more books
  70. Potential for love – I’ve not given up