Muse Wars 2011 - Challenge 2

Originally started by Melissa @ The Things I'd Tell You, the Muse Wars continued through eight challenges and then faded into oblivion. I did attempt to kick start it again last year, but and again this year. The Challenge #1 is here. Now closed.

Rules:
Open to all and sundry, you need to link below in comments.
First to list sets next challenge and chooses new picture..
Anyone can join in, you just need to write a story as your interpretation of the photo in 500 - 1000 words.
Can be of any genre - let your mind fly free.
You can pass listing on to next on list but MUST be passed within 24 hours of previous challenge closing.
Next challenge must be set within seven days of completion of previous challenge.

You have 14 days to complete.

Oh, and I have not worked out a new linky tool. Post your entry in my comments and I'll edit this post to show each link. If there are any. Okay?

Muse Wars 2011

Challenge 2

Write your hearts out! Ready, set, GO!

Oils? Seriously, Oils?

If you are wondering why there is one oils song on loop it is because of this post I have linked elsewhere. Need the song to singalong, lol.

Eat It All Out.

Sorry. Won't be for long.



Here.

Go. Read. Yes, I entered, but am sad to confess it was a piece I had already written, and probably doesn't meet the criteria. Just too busy with work, meeting hot bloggers and sick kids. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Just one criticism: Tork, next time add a linky list or something similar. It is a pain in the arse to go cut and paste all the links to read the other entries. Just sayin'.

Off to spend my time reading the competition entries.

Muse Wars 2011

Originally started by Melissa @ The Things I'd Tell You, the Muse Wars continued through eight challenges and then faded into oblivion. I did attempt to kick start it again but failed dismally. But I'll try once more.

Rules:

• Open to all and sundry, you need to link below in comments. First to list sets next challenge. Anyone can join in, you just need to write a story as your interpretation of the photo in 500 - 1000 words. Can be of any genre - let your mind fly free.
• First to link sets new photo for next challenge. Or can pass it on to next on list but MUST be passed within 24 hours of previous challenge closing.
• Next challenge must be set within seven days of completion of previous challenge.
• Will allow 5 days to complete - so starts Sunday evening, ends Friday night.

Oh, and I have not worked out a new linky tool. Post your entry in my comments and I'll edit this post to show each link. If there are any. Okay?

Here we go:

MUSE WARS 2011

Challenge #1

Go for your lives!

Come back to add: extended to Sunday, and to add our first entry (and the Muse War Challenge 2 organiser):

Kakka - menopausal mumma

Madmother - Little Woven Words

Suzi - Under The Windmills

Well Whoa! And Hot Damn!

Okay, well here's the thing. I won! Yep, I won Challenge 67 on Blog This. Now, apologies are necessary for the lag in my realisation... this old Madmother had forgotten to update the link in my blog list to the new address. Woops. And I must also thank my friends adoring followers for voting for me. I honestly thought I was second, but must have been a last minute surge in the votes, lol. All that threatening cajoling on facebook must have had an impact...

No, really. You mean you missed it? Oh, well I did seriously consider a bit of biffo blackmail, but then it slipped my mind. Like most things. I guess it must have been this face that swung it for me. How could you resist:

But here's the thing. I now have to very quickly, as time is fast running out, come up with a new challenge. Any ideas? Cause I'm drawing a blank.

Anyone?

How about something like:

If you won the lottery, what would you do?

What betrayal has had the greatest impact in youtr life?

What has been the most positive influence in your life?

Show us yer tits (photographic challenge)?

Yes, I am kidding. But desperate. Hmm, maybe it's not such a bad...

Blog This Challenge 67: Sepia - I think not?

Blog This

Challenge 67

Share your favourite sepia photo with the world.

Your photo can be of anything, just keep in sepia tones!

Boy 2 is my most colourful child so it is ironic I am entering a sepia photo of him into this challenge. It is one I think captures him in all his glorious quirkiness. Ah, my son, my beautiful second son.

Voting Starts: 10th February

Voting Ends: 17th February

Go here and vote - after all, how could you resist this face?

PSSST... my brand new camera only arrived today and Big Boy has not brought it home yet so I could not use it for this challenge.

Blog This Challenge 60 - Life's Hard Lessons

Life is Too Short

Blog This Challenge 60

One of the certainties in life is death. My mother, Wise Woman, always told me life is too short, make the most of it, do not let the small bad things detract from the big wonderful ones. This is the hardest of lessons you will ever learn. I guess it is another way of saying stop and smell the roses.

God decided to try and instil this one in me at a young age of fifteen. He took my sister. Suddenly, brutally, bang - gone! My whole life changed and I became an only child. My parents fell apart and I, the only remaining child, had to attempt to keep our lives functioning in some semblance of normalcy. It was my first life lesson in grief, and my initial experience of life IS too short. Other losses followed, and today I am once more living this life lesson. I buried my mother on Tuesday. The woman who gave me a life has left mine. Not in my heart or my head but in the physical.

Some of you are sitting, reading this and wondering "why on earth at such a time as this would she be doing this challenge?" Simple. Because one of the biggest ideals my mother has left me with is so very important: Life is short. She would hate me feeling the way I do (and I do, believe me, right now I feel like my guts have been ripped out), and be telling me to look at my blessings. They are many. I had a wonderful mother who loved me deeply and shared my life for nearly forty seven years, I have a beautiful family, we live in a glorious part of the world, I have true, loyal friends who support me and hold me above the waves when I sink.

This is not coming out as I intended. What I am trying to tell you is to love those near as much as you can. Hold them, laugh with them, live with them. In the moment. The bills will end up paid, that job will eventuate, the problems will be resolved. Sometime. Children grow up, people die, life changes so EACH new day take time to smile, feel good about yourself, change those things that drag, take control of life on your terms. Live, Laugh, Love. A very Wise Woman once taught me those very things.

Vote, Vote, VOTE!

Shameless grovelling here! The Blog This 50th Challenge is open to vote on. I have two entries. Both have been put in Poll # 3 under strange names.

The entry for THIS blog is under Meandering Mother (What the?), the entry for my Roller Derby post is under Mad Mother. People - it is NOT two words, it is one. Not once has Blog Pissed got it right. The popular group, you know the ones they consider in the clique, NEVER have their names mis-spelt or incorrect. *Sigh*. Yes, it may be petty but it does irritate!

Now to vote you do need to press the little button next to one of my two entries and then press vote down the bottom of Poll 3. You don't need to be a member, or even an Aussie BUT you can only vote once! And voting ends TODAY!


Please. I'll even play nice with the other kids quietly for a while...

Fifty? Waddya Mean FIFTY?

Bejeebus - how to scare a forty something sliding rapidly towards fifty mad female peoples! Mention the F word in a challenge title.

Yes, don't go into shock readers, I am about to dip my toe back into the icy waters of the Blog This challenge system again. I know I moaned and whinged in the past about *ahem* some of the lack of hoopla for winners of the Blog This challenges (well, I was entitled, I did win four challenges, and am pretty sure I was runner- up in one other but by the time it was announced... Ah well, all water under the bridge now) but I figured new crew, new era? Yeah?

So, it's the big FIFTIETH CHALLENGE!

We have open slather to post anything, so long as it equals the big 5-0.

And I sit here with absolutely no bloody idea what to write about! Everyone else has already covered it all. I have to keep up the level I set in my other *cough* winning entries, and let's just say my high-jumping days are long gone, so I'm off to fetch the ladder.

*Cue booming James Earl Jones voiceover*

Now presenting The INSPIRATIONAL LADDER...

Thanks James!

By golly Miss Molly, it worked - I think I have it!

I give you:

FIFTY SONGS TO BE COVERED

 BY THE CAST

 OF GLEE!

Yes Glee! The show! Oh come on, everyone's heard of Glee, even Madonna... Now this is not going to be your average list, but one in keeping with my warped perspective on life. So hold on to your panties peoples, it's gonna be a rocky one.

I could go though each one and nominate a cast member, and I will for a few, but let's face it; half the fun will be you picking which of your favourite Glee-ites could take on what song and own it. And for any lyrics you don't know (being young-uns, some of you) do remember Google is your friend.

1.  Shaddap You Face - Joe Dolce. Perfect for Sue Sylvester, let me tell you.

2.  Holiday in Cambodia - Dead Kennedys.

3.  Sweet Transvestite - Tim Curry, Rocky Horror Picture Show. Hell, the options on this one are endless!

4.  Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again - The Angels

5.  I Touch Myself  - Divinyls. Would love to see the virginal Rachel tackle this one, lol.

6.  My Sharona - The Knack

7.  Blue - Eifel 65

8.  You Talk Too Much - George Thoroughgood.

9.  Boom Boom - Paul Lekakis

10. Happy Birthday - Altered Images

11. Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus

12. Tubthumping - Chumbawamba

13. Who Let The Dogs Out - Baha Men

14. Gimme Dat Ding - Pipkins

15. Pushbike Song - Mixtures

16. Black Betty - Ram Jam

17. Pop Muzik - M

18. Cotton-Eyed Joe - Rednex

19. Cool Cool Change - Midnight Oil

20. Rock Lobster - B52s

21. You'll Always Find Me in The Kitchen at Parties - Jona Lewie

22. Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes

23. Lump - Presidents of the USA

24. Oompa Loompa Song - Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory

25. How You Gonna See Me Now - Alice Cooper

Halfway - woot woot! So what do you think so far? Interesting?

26. Pressure Sway - Machinations

27. I Got You - Split Enz

28. Cars - Gary Numan

29. Computer Games - Mi-Sex

30. Bony Maronie - Hush

31. Der Kommissar - Falco

32. Cum On Feel The Noize - Slade

33. Evie (Parts 1, 2 & 3) - Stevie Wright

34. Out of Mind, Out of Sight - The Models

35. My Humps - Black Eyed Peas

36. Believe It or Not - Mike Post

37. Hungry Like The Wolf - Duran Duran

38. Spirit Got Lost - Mental As Anything

39. Bang Your Head - Quiet Riot

40. The Bitch is Back - Elton John. Now you would automatically think Sue for this one, but me I prefer Terri, Will's wife to take the lead.

WooHoo (as Tigger would say)... Final TEN.

41. Nutbush City Limits - Ike & Tina Turner

42. Pump It Up - Elvis Costello

43. I Need a Lover - Johnny Cougar

44. Anarchy - Sex Pistols

45. Choir Girl - Cold Chisel

46. Dirty Deeds - AC/DC

47. Stupid Girl - P!nk

48. Take on Me - Aha

49. Boys Light Up - Australian Crawl

50. Living Doll - The Young Ones feat Cliff Richard. Ensemble finale methinks? Agree?

So, who did you pick for what? Hmmm?

Don't forget the important bit now: if my fifty got your inner Glee glowing, go vote for ME!

HERE

 I will be grateful...Mwahahahahahahahahaha. And I promise not to sing.

Blog This Challenge 40: Rehashing a past Blog Moment.

Tell your readers about a weird co-incidence, freaky story or a six-or-less degrees of separation moment!

BLOG THIS

I am rehashing a past blog post as this is a topic I wrote about a few months back. Freaky, really. One could even say it is a weird co-incidence that I wrote this exact entry months prior to the challenge being set.

Do do doo do... do do doo do.

(Bad imitiation of Twilight Zone theme song, lol)

My Challenge 40 entry is here:

Six Degrees Of Separation

 
 

Blog This Challenge 39: Ode To The Pure of Heart

After a break from entering I am enticed back into the

Blog This Challenge Arena

 by Challenge 39: The Good Deed.

It goes like this:

So friends, tell us about a good deed you have done for someone or vice-versa. Or how someone elses' good deed that you have learned about has affected you.. did you learn from it? How did it make you feel? Was it a disaster? Did it uplift you?

Now, I could bore you senseless big-noting myself, revealing my actions but to be honest, even though I am a take charge sorta gal it is not why I do it and I'd rather remain a little discreet.

Please stop laughing.

Seriously... STOP LAUGHING!

I can be discreet thank you very much.

Instead I am going to tell you of my own personal good deed merchant. Oi, you in the back there... no yawning, and I can do without the commentary. Waddya mean, "here she goes again?"

Whilst God has sent my oldest son some pretty big bloody hurdles to overcome in his genetic makeup, he also decided to throw in some complimentary awesomeness to go with the awetismness. In fact, I have a walking, talking look for the best - how can I help little ray of positiveness at times. I suppose I better now back up these incredible claims with some evidence, even if purely anecdotal. After all, you have all been deluged with the dramas, the struggles and the dark side of Asperger Syndrome so it may be a little hard to believe this declaration of good deeddomness.

Example one:

• We are mean parents (according to the powers that be: Boy 1 and Boy 2), our children have to earn their pocket money. Boy 1, aged seven, had managed to work his way into the princely sum of five bucks. Now our little school only manages to hold tuckshop on one day a week. Boy 1 was insistent he HAD to take his whole five dollars to school with us this day. Not on tuckshop day... So I asked him the big question. "WHY? "  His answer (whilst looking at me as if I was an idiot... I should know, surely?): "Because I might meet a poor person on the way and they would need it more than I do!" Jeez Mum, get with the programme!

Example two:

• Boy 1's wallet was stolen at a shopping centre. He put it down whilst looking at one of the centre aisle stalls of books, it had twelve dollars he had saved over three months. In his purity and lack of the understanding of human nature we spent many hours, days, weeks explaining to the little seven year old that NO. They would not bring it back because it was not theirs. No. They would not realise their mistake and hand it in. It was gone. A harsh lesson to the pure of heart. After many tears he comes to me one morning (and yes, every morning it was his topic of conversation during this period of learning about the brutality of reality). Instead of the ritual of would they bring it back today he surprises me by being calm and resolved. "Mummy. I think they didn't have any food for their kids and so they needed it to buy some. And they didn't have a spiderman wallet either. So it is okay now."

I know this is turning into another of my mammoth essays, so I will limit my little deity's words of wisdom and good deed delivery to just two more examples...

Example three:

• Starts with a betrayal. A friend turns and months of hell result. Years of therapy are undone. My child disintegrates before my eyes. Heartbreaking. Finally, with the help of some amazing professionals we begin the climb back. I am not ready to forgive and forget, because I feel betrayed also. But once again, my son leads by example, and shows me how much he has grown through the experience. He begins to allow the betrayer back in. His aide questions the sensibility of this. I can only put it in his words: "Mrs **. Even bullies get lonely. And how is a bully to learn what is right and wrong if they do not have a friend beside them to show them how?"

Example four:

• He is being teased at school. I, being the mature adult I am, suggest a taunting comeback. I get the look. And am firmly put in my place by an eleven year old. "If I do that MU-UM, it makes me like him. I am not like him and I will not call him names. He will grow out of it if I ignore him."

Yep, he is my own walking, talking good deedonator.

This is my entry for Challenge 39. This is my son.

Muse Wars Challenge 6 - The Sunset

Originally started by Melissa @ The Things I'd Tell You, the Muse Wars continued with the 2nd challenge set by Tanya(me) @ Meaninless Meandering From a Madmother, and the 3rd by Kakka @ Menopausal Mumma, the 4th challenge by Lori @ Random Ramblings of a SAHM, and the 5th challenge by Gemma @ sometimes you just need to vent.


 The first person to link their story to this post  @ Menopausal Mumma, will win the right to choose the next photo and set Challenge 7.


Are you up for it? Anyone can join in, you just need to write a story as your interpretation of the photo in around 500 words (although this limit was removed by Melissa in the first challenge so it is merely a suggestion).
 
 "Can Mummy see us too, Daddy?"  "Yes Tim, I think Mummy can see us too." "Pink is her very favourite, isn't it Daddy." "Yes son, I think God may have given her a pink sunset specially because she loves it so much." "God is nice isn't he Daddy. I think I will like Heaven."

Gerard took a deep breath, bracing himself for the next onslaught. This was a lot harder than he had ever imagined, and he had thought it through on so many sleepless nights. The innocence and unconditional love of this child swelled his bruised heart, giving him strength to go on. The summer breeze playfully tugged at their identical close-cropped brown curls.

"Daddy?"
"Yes son."
"Do you think God knows who I am?"
"I think God knows exactly who you are Tim."
"That's good. God must have a very good memory to know everybody musn't he Daddy. Daddy?"
"Yes Tim."
"Does God know Mummy is my Mum?"
"Oh Tim, of course God knows she is your Mum. Don't you have the exact same green eyes and big smile?"
"Do you think Mummy is smiling now Daddy? Right now?"
"I don't know Tim, I hope so."
Finally his son runs out of constant questions. They stand together in synchronised silence watching the spectacular sunset, waves quietly lapping around ankles, wet sand squishing underfoot. The light slowly begins to fade as God's afternoon sky display draws to a close.

Gerard turns to his child in the dim evening glow. "Time to go, eh Tim?"

"Do we have to Dad?"

"Show is over matey, we better head back."

"TIM! GERARD!"
A tiny figure frantically waves from the top of the beach near the carpark. The calls grow louder and louder as the distant figure rips off their shoes and begins to run down to the water.

"TIM...GERARD!"
They squint, unable to make out the face clearly, they both begin to wave frantically.

"TIMGERARD" All three run, heading to each other from opposite directions.


"Mummy!" Gerard stands back allowing his son to leap into his mother's arms. Tina smiles over their child's shoulder, his small arms clenched around her neck.
"Did you see the sunset Mummy? Did you see it from the doctors? It was for you, full of pink from God."
"I saw it from the window Tim. It was beautiful. A happy pink sky."

Gerard gazes questioningly into the sparkling green eyes of the mother of his child.

"A happy pink sky?"

"Yes. A happy pregnant pink sky. A girl baby sky, maybe?" Gerard joins in the embrace, encircling his wife and child in strong arms. After so many failed attempts over the last six years, they had given up hope. This, this, was an unexpected blessing from God. A bolt from the blue.  A happy pink girl sky, he thought, I can deal with that. I can definitely deal with that.