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Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Aug 24 03, 18:54

Hi all.          

We want to extend an invitation to put on your creative muse hat and offer ideas for upcoming challenges.

What would you like to see?

Let us know by REPLYING in this tile please...

Thank you for helping us build the Mosaic!
Mosaic Musings Staff              

Posted by: Jox Sep 14 03, 14:53

Hi,

Firstly, let me congratulate Cleo on being so inventive - stimulus material of poem and picture, extra tasks incorporated by requiring certain words, etc. It is very hard to keep thinking up ideas for challenges and we ought all to help here.

So, here's my "six-penneth" - hope they are of some use...

Two images (or pieces of writing) with similar theme - write about the contrasts.

Anniversaries - what they mean to you / to society / etc.

My Christmas. (maybe a little later in they year) Remember that Aussies have barbies down the beach on Crimble Day.I don't know about you but I'm down the pub etc.

Newspaper headlines as stimulus.

Someone travelling - experiences, attitudes etc.

My favourite / most disliked relative / friend (no real names please!)

My favourite / most feared animal.

Similar with sports / flowers / anything.

Write about fear / hate/ joy / sadness / etc

"My brown bottle"; "My purple toothbrush"; "My grey van! etc etc

My journey around the inside of a ping-pong ball

How life on this planet differs from life on Earth (when I left it!)

Life on Earth - from the point of view of a Martian / dog / tree

Why white is better than purple. / Why rough is better than smooth etc

It was another ten years after that fateful day that I realised...

Before death I never believed in heaven. How wrong I was!

My fav writer - why I like her/him

My part in the rescue attempt - rescuer and victim

Humans - an owner's Guide - by a dog

The plot to kill the King / The king kills the plot

Meet the smilies - Tommy, Geoff and Amanda

etc etc etc

Hope this helps, Cleo...

If you want any help refining or setting any of the tasks etc I'm happy to oblige. regards, Jox.

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Sep 14 03, 15:09

WOW Jox!  

These are GREAT!  

Thanks very much for offering such a variety of ideas!

Personally, I like the 'life inside a ping pong ball' AND 'my life on the planet x'...

We will certainly be using some in the future at least!    

Take care for now!
~Mosaic Musings Staff              

Posted by: Don Dec 24 03, 19:45

An exceptional point that Cleo is likely to run thin of motivational material as she is the prime pump.

Jox has a surprisingly long list.  His "My journey around the inside of a ping-pong ball" struck my fancy, although I've not a clue how I'd use it.  Like a new coin, it is certain to find a purchase.

Although a slight modification of one listed by Jox, a mundane, or perhaps obvious, is "My Favorite Christmas Gift"  Since many are not Christian, the theme might be better framed as "My favorite Gift."  To expand this trope, the gift could be received or given. The subject quickly expands beyond material gain, just as the Christian motif is our savior gave us salvation. Since that historic event, that faith is saddled with only being saved in His name.

Considering strings attached to gifts opens up a Pandora's chest of creative possibility.

Was anyone given a traveling ping-pong ball?

Don

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Dec 25 03, 06:53

Thank you Don and Happy Holidays!      

These are a wonderful spin and something we should use, I agree! Perhaps the first January challenge will be themed around your/James gift idea?

Excellent!        

Stay tuned!
~Cleo  

P.S. My newest favorite gift (from Christmas): A new pewter egyptian chess set this year from Imhotep. AWESOME!

Course, it's really a TIE with the gift of all our member interactions right here on MM as well!        

Hugs and happy holidays Don!
Cleo      

Posted by: Don Dec 25 03, 08:46

Apparently u doo play chess, Cleo.

Before Thanksgiving I stumbled upon a solid glass set with a beveled mirror board.  The dark squares and pieces are etched to look frosty.  Opponents are clear and sparkle in sunlight. I could not refuse the opportunity.

Our local head librarian is a chess fanatic and invented an official opening. A challenge for your spare time...

MERRY SEASON  TO ALL

Don

Posted by: Jox Dec 26 03, 21:33

Don, I've submitted a poem about the inside of a golf ball (similar idea). It's in the tough crit forum now if you are interested in my take on that subject.

Many non-Christians exchange Christmas presents too - especially many agnostics and atheists. Other religions are often more reserved.

I didn't understand your comment about being saddled with JC as saviour? Surely Christianity is but one branch of mono-deity religions, all of whom worship the same God - Islamic, Jewish and Christian faiths have that same God don't they? Muslims regard Jesus as a prophet (like Mohamed) I believe. I appreciate that Christ is absolutly central to Christianity (axiomatic) but does that really detract from The One God and His purpose? Just a thought.

Good to see your suggestions, Don.

Cheers, James.

PS: Opening move... King's Knight to King's Bishop Three...

(I don't have a chess set in front of me - so I hope that is correct!)

(I'm a very poor player and only get a game about every five years - so be gentle with me, s'il vous plait!)

Posted by: Don Dec 27 03, 13:27

Good Day Jox,

I certainly will look at your poem about the inside of a golf ball. Sounds like a long, gummy string story.

In early sixties I read a modest mathematical essay on trajectory control of dimples on golf ball surface.  I kept biting my tongue, "Yeah, like someone knew enough to apply them before you analysed them, after the fact."

Gifts are a hallmark of civilization and excess resources.  One may conjecture that initial gifts were sacrifices to propituate ancient concepts of dieties.  In this sense they weren't our modern idea of gift. It was say a necessity in hope that Possidon wouldn't flood your coastal port.  Americans are said to traditionally expect next gift to be grander...where does it stop? With inflation why should it?

We are prone to think recipients appreciate gift more than giver. I began with Christmas gifts because it is recent reference.  It is assumed everyone has recieved and given gifts sometime for whatever.  Divorce religions from gifts.

Let us go with a gift makes a person happier, which they multiply with smiles and good mood.

I assume comment that you claim failure to understand is, Just as the Christian motif is [that] our savior gave us salvation [through grace].  Since that historic event, that faith is saddled [loaded word] with only [cocking the gun] being saved in [actually through] His name.

Is it more reasonable if I had written that, "Personal salvation is only granted to individuals dedicated to living morally according to a set of rules?"  It is doubtful we will encounter a benefit without a price.   At least that is the way we are indoctrinated to believe.   The price may easily be translated into a sacrifce or attached string.  My honest assumption is you were polite in saying you did not understand because my phrases were harsher than conventional conversation.

I really did not intend a connection to monotheism.

Reading Dante's Divine Comedy, the first level of Hell contains individual that lead a good moral life, but before BC and ignorant of JC.  Their only suffering is knowledge of the kingdom of Heaven and knowing they cannot enter.  Well...I must say this judgement seems more cosmic than heavenly and similar to a retroactive tax.  In closing, we will never trump faith with logic.

Your chess move (King's Knight to King's Bishop Three) is valid and verified by upacking a set. I am also a poor player and reply with Kp to K4 and resign in confidence you will win.

Don

Posted by: Jox Dec 27 03, 13:55

Hi Don,

I have a feeling that this is another thread I have subverted. Nevertheless...

I didn’t know that was what the inside of golf ball contained! My whole poem assumes them to be hollow. As you can tell, golf is something I know nothing about!

Things have moved on since the 1960s Don. Not...

This Christmas we have had the Mathematical theory of how to perfectly cook a turkey and, earlier in the year how to toss a pancake. All tosh, of course, I don’t need some academic to tell me how to be a tosser.

Gifts do indeed, pre-date Christianity I assume and, yes, sacrifices are gifts.

You are correct... I completely misunderstood what you were saying - thanks for the explanation. I was not being polite, I regret to say!

Is it more reasonable if I had written that, "Personal salvation is only granted to individuals dedicated to living morally according to a set of rules?" It is doubtful we will encounter a benefit without a price. At least that is the way we are indoctrinated to believe. The price may easily be translated into a sacrifice or attached string. My honest assumption is you were polite in saying you did not understand because my phrases were harsher than conventional conversation.

Well, there is both a religious and a practical argument there! As regards the latter, I think that (in general and aggregate) a society does tend to reap rewards for its efforts. Of course, there are numerous examples which undermine this but if we take the extreme and imagine that no one did anything then we would have no food, no shelter and no society.  Many people do very nicely for little effort and very many make a huge effort and have a rotten life - but the aggregate - society - does gain from the effort.

In terms of the religious message - I am not religious, therefore do not believe in personal salvation, so the message was neither harsh nor lenient for me.

I think that logic always wins over faith. Logic has, when allowed, dismissed religion from being the controlling power of societies. Nevertheless, personal solid faith cannot be shaken by logic because those with that faith will not allow logic (no matter how compelling) in. However, who cares? People who are religious should be free to practice, providing that it does not dominate the lives of others.

Over the centuries logic has eaten away at magic, superstition and religion very convincingly. Indeed, that is partly because those aspects of humanity employed logic themselves to explain matters (they still do). So they have been “hoisted by their own petard”. Science has embraced logic - and logic science. Today we frequently see scientific theories also being undermined by logic.

Chess - thank you for looking it up! I’m delighted that you resigned so early - saves me the humiliation of being beaten quickly!

Cheers, James.

Posted by: Charon Dec 30 03, 19:34

What a delightful dialogue.

I don't necessarily agree, but delightful and insightful.

With regards to logic versus faith, my reply would be that I don't have to see electricity to know that it will kill me.  Nor do I need to stick my hands in a fire to understand it will burn.  

The first thing I learned in physics was don't believe in logic or it will kill you.  I also learned as a flight instructor don't believe what your eyes and brain tell you or you will die.

As one who has survived many, many near brushes with death (air plane crash, shootings, huricanes, tornadoes, stabbings, I have seen the miracle of birth and lost a wife to that same miracle), and the results afterwards.  I have come to believe there has to be a reason.  What or why, I don't know, but there has to be a reason.

Call it faith, sounds good to me.  I do find comfort there and to me that is what is important.

I agree with your statement Jox, that religion should not dictate to society, but the opposite is true as well.  Society should not dictate to religion.  How do you find a happy medium, don't know.  The "civilized" world has been at war for what, about 6000 years now, trying to figure out how to do exactly that.

Silly world, but you gotta love it, for where else are you going to go?

By the way, I have a chess set, actually two.  One I made myself, the other is famous baseball players from the past.  The two kings - Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner.

da Hun

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Dec 30 03, 19:42

I've been enjoying this tile! Thanks guys!
BTW - Cleo - 1 Imhotep - 0 on our new Egyptian chess set, - I finished him off with only an obelisk (rook), Nefertiti (queen) and of course, Akh (king)........ Sillies! :p

Posted by: Jox Dec 30 03, 20:10

Hi Butch - great to see you joing in this thread I seem to have subverted. (Sorry, Lori!)

I am sad to hear of your life's woes. I mean that; we live in the commercial/tv age of big white smiles and happy ever after. Too often we ignore the pain. I was reminded of this, this Christmas when a relative died and an on-line friend of mine lost her husband.

In frequent postings on MM I speak out against Christianity. However, this is only because I meet so much Christian writing or comment. In actual fact, I see Christianity as just one opporssor of society. I won't run through my individualistic theory in depth nor try to justify it here and now but (briefly) it runs something like this...

1. Societies need leaders. (Anarchy is useless).
2. Leaders emerge.
3. If >1 leader emerges, conflict ensues.
4. Top leaders emerges.

Now, throughout history different groups around leaders have built power-bases.

1. Magicians / Shamens / Witch Doctors. (all forms)
They were de-bunked by...
2. Priests. (all religions)
They were debunked by...
3. Scientists. (all sciences)

All have a tendancy toward white robes (at least in the West) and all understand the Universe and have (or are reaching) the ultimate answers.

Frankly, I believe none of them. Each may have some grains of truth for those who believe in such things - but, actually, I have no belief in ultmate truths either. (Think how many "truths" have been debunked).

And, yes, I do need to see electricity at work to know it works. All this talk about molcules and atoms - quarks, charms, ups and downs.. I suspect is as much bunkham as The Virgin Birth. I have no faith in either. Actually, in some ways, The Virgin Birth seems more plausable. (I am more suspicious of, and  dislike science more, than religion because it affects me more).

As regards believing my eyes - yes they can deceive. I am willing not to believe my eyes but I am not willing to believe anyone elses's unless I believe them and have some insight myself. I tell you, if man's progress in knowledge had been left to me, we would still be considering what fire was.

I simply have no faith in anything whatsoever - except a few friends and my faith is not really faith at all - it is experience. For example, I never worried about my partner walking in the woods with our two previous dogs. They would leave other humans totally alone - unless anyone attacked her, in which case they would try to kill them (and probably suceed). That is based upon watching them never bothing with people unless they did anything to us.

Oscar Wilde - The cynic is a person who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Makes sense - I am an economist.

Sorry, I know nothing about baseball (except the football (soccer in America) ground in my home city of derby was called "The Baseball Ground" because it was erected for baseball in the late 1800s but it never became popular so it was bought by Derby County Football Club instead. It is just being demolished as they have a new ground. (I also know virtually nothing about football (soccer), by the way). However! I am most impressed that you made a chess set yourself... is it a Staunton style or what else?

Posted by: Jox Dec 30 03, 20:13

Lori,

I finished him off with only an obelisk

Ouch! Painful. Is that what they call The Cleopatra's Needle Finish?

James.

Posted by: Charon Dec 30 03, 20:59

I've been enjoying this tile! Thanks guys!
BTW - Cleo - 1 Imhotep - 0 on our new Egyptian chess set, - I finished him off with only an obelisk (rook), Nefertiti (queen) and of course, Akh (king)........ Sillies! :p

Way to go, put those men in their place.  Ooops, hey wait a minute I'm a man.  Come on Ihop, work on those moves, dude!  Try the knights gambit.  Course I have no idea what I am talking about, read it in a book once.

da Hun

Posted by: Charon Dec 30 03, 22:46

James,

I especially liked your comment:

As regards believing my eyes - yes they can deceive. I am willing not to believe my eyes but I am not willing to believe anyone else’s unless I believe them and have some insight myself. I tell you, if man's progress in knowledge had been left to me, we would still be considering what fire was.

I myself, had I been in charge, would have named fire – chocolate.  Then whenever someone yelled chocolate everyone would come running, to get a bite.

With regards to faith and logic, I have my own tales that help me understand faith, whereas the logic makes no sense.  Pardon my intrusion as I share with you the following:

As I mentioned I survived a plane crash in western Nebraska.  As one of the five survivors (two died), you wonder why you survived.  Why did you sit in that particular seat and not one of the others?  What if, what if?

Two years after surviving the plane crash, my wife and I moved to a new home.  This home was located in a small town, out in the country, over a hundred miles away from our former home.  We moved to eastern Nebraska.  

Upon settling in the small town, my wife took our youngest daughter to the local dentist.  He informed us our young child should see an orthodontist and provided a long list of names of ortho-specialists in the nearby very large city (over 500,000 people).  My wife randomly selected one and appointments were made.

During their second visit to the ortho-specialist, the doctor asked my wife if she would remain in his office as he had someone who wanted to visit with her.  After a brief delay, in walked a young nurse, who introduced herself to my wife.  She was the wife of the pilot who died in our plane crash.  

Now here is where the story really gets interesting.  After hugging and crying the two started to talk.  The flight we were on was a chartered aircraft.  Of the seven people, six of us worked for the same company.  During research into the cause and celebration of surviving the crash, the one family that was never a part was the pilot’s, for after all we had no idea who he was, having only met him on the flight out and back.

Well it seemed the wife and her young daughters, 14 and 16, had not been provided details of the crash.  They were not privy to the information we were.  The wife of the pilot had read in the newspapers that I had stayed awake throughout the ordeal and wondered if she and her daughters could meet with me.  It seems the two daughters were suffering, so much so, that they were becoming rebellious and their grades were suffering.  My wife readily made the appointment and arrangements were made.

They arrived at our house, twenty miles away from theirs and we talked for over three hours.  They listened, asked questions, then we hugged and cried, and they left.  

A couple of years later my wife saw the pilot's wife again.  They hugged and shared pleasantries; then the pilot’s wife told my wife what had happened in the past few years.  It seems that after our meeting, the two girls turned their lives around, they became honor students, involved heavily with school.  One was preparing for college and the other had made the varsity softball team.

Why did I survive?  I don’t know.  Of all the people aboard that plane, I was the only former pilot.  I could tell everyone exactly what happened and how.  I was the only one not to suffer a serious head injury and the only one to stay awake through the whole thing.  Oh I was injured, very badly, but I survived to tell the story and am the only one who loves to talk and write stories.

Faith?  I’m not sure, but what made us move to that small town, see that doctor, select that orthodontist, who had that nurse working for him?  Logic?  I think even Mr. Spock would have a problem with this scenario.

I could go into other stories as well: Why did my company transfer my small department to a new location 10 miles away?  Why on only my second week driving to my job, did I take a different route?  Why did I decide that morning to buy a cup of coffee, when I don’t even drink coffee?  And why was I there, when a scared young girl jumped out of her car, ran up to me, and asked me to help her for she had just been shot?  Why was I there to take her into safety and treat her wounds until the EMT's arrived?  Why would I remember a certain car that had passed me earlier, that permitted me to identify the young man that had shot her?

Sorry to take up so much space, but as you can see – it’s a wacky world.  Faith – logic, you try to explain.  Luck?  

You for sure don’t want to know why I believe in ghosts, as that story will make you have goose bumps and make you stay awake at night.

da Hun (the adventurer)

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Dec 31 03, 07:35

Way to go, put those men in their place.  Ooops, hey wait a minute I'm a man.  Come on Ihop, work on those moves, dude!  Try the knights gambit.  Course I have no idea what I am talking about, read it in a book once.

da Hun

Posted by: Jox Dec 31 03, 07:45

Butch,

Hi again Butch,

Just one thing you forgot - that chess set you made??

Your story is fascinating, tragic and rewarding all at once. Have you ever written a book about your experience? Would you wish to?

I could just leave matters there but I think your answer deserves a response.

What you say does, indeed, seem an implausible chain of coincidences. Nevertheless, from the information which you gave I cannot see it as anything other than that. What we tend to forget when focussing upon these strange happenings / chains is all the other seconds, days, years in which we live but don't experience such strong coincidences... nor all the other people who don't. We, understandably, focus heavily on the event(s) in our own lives (or those that we have found out about) without once saying "Amazing; I've had no life-affecting coincidences this month". I hope you see my argument... chance alone makes some coincidences highly likely - and when they do occur we seize upon them and analyse them and remember them. The rest of our non-coincidence lives we don't consider in a similar way to balance these.

For you these happenings reinforce your faith. For me (an outsider) they merely (in this respect) serve to illustrate co-incidences. However, in the sense of being a fascinating story I would be most interested to read more. Needless to say, I do hope that you are over the physical and psychological pains to the best degree you can be.

Now, ghosts. I don't believe in them so please fire-away... I'd be very interested but unlikely to be frightened. Heck, what was that noise...

thank you for the posting, Butch. Cheers, James.

Posted by: Dove Jan 10 04, 19:08

what about a duet challenge? you would get more voters and interaction with the new people on the board hopefully.

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Jan 10 04, 19:22

Posted by: Dove Jan 10 04, 21:15

it can be any kind of criteria...but ones of the rules needs to be that you pair up with someone else on the board to create your piece...be it a story or a poem.

you get more votes (hopefully) because double the people vote.

you get more interaction (hopefully) if a couple of the older writers pair up with a couple of the newer writers.

Posted by: Jox Jan 11 04, 06:08

Hello all,

Re: Dove's suggestion...

There are many cases where writers collaborate.

In the USA most sitcoms are written by a pool of writers all "chucking-in" jokes etc. In the UK many top sitcoms have been written by pairs of writers. Here, soap operas are written the way in which the Americans write their sitcoms - ie team-writing.

There is a best-selling UK novelist - Nicki French. Excpt Nickki French does not exist; it is two people - one a female (Nicki someone) and a male (someone French). It works; though (as far as I know) it is a unique arrangement for top-selling writers.

Axiomatically, all these writers work tête-à-tête. Dove’s suggestion would imply on-line collaboration.

I am not sure I agree with one of Dove’s suggested motives for this concept - viz: more votes. I don’t think that is a suitable motive for writing - few people manage to write successfully when motivated by cash or fame alone.

However, the concepts of involving more people, producing better intercourse between writers - especially in an educational sense but that would go both ways; older writers have more experience (assuming they have been writing for a long time) but younger ones may have fresher perspectives.

I think this idea has merits. I would suggest that the criteria for the competition be fairy loose - it is hard enough for some writers to cope with tight criteria, let alone when they are struggling to collaborate. (I have a particular problem with convergent thinking - I, therefore, admit a vested interest here). Also, I would suggest that the competition have, say, double the time to allow for communication and other snags. (Another competition on more usual lines could be held during each of those two months in parallel).

Well done Dove for the fresh thinking.

I’m rite chuffed; never begun a paragraph with “However” before I don’t think. Did anyone notice? If not it suggests that we’ve just blown-up another arcane rule of grammar!

James.

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Jan 11 04, 08:33

Yes, I think this idea would work! I do have concerns also about the voting, ! It seems that currently we average 6.6 entries per challenge (through Dec) and 10.7 voters each.

I would love to see the participation increase along with the number of votes! Even if a member doesn't POST a tile, I would still like to have their votes in the polling. I always send out PM's to 'remind' everyone to play and vote, but alas, this doesn't change the participation.  

We are always looking for feedback (like you are giving) :pharoah2 as well so we make and sure to offer something for everyone. We won't know what members want unless they tell us.

I Do agree that a 'duet' challenge is intriguing, and it would need more time - say 30 or 45 days? Would we tell all what the topic is to be?

P.S. I've just added a statistical tile in Mosaic Scrolls regarding Pandora averages...

Great idea!  

~Cleo  

Posted by: Don Jan 11 04, 08:58

Hi Cleo,

I would guess that if statistics are not changing the same people are envolved.

How would pairing come about.  Perhaps those willing to give it a go put their name in a hat and administrators split them into high and low age groups and draw from each bucket randomly.  If I were to enter such an arrangement it would probably be futile for me to find an MM partner.

Another question is how many of these dual authors simply write their own story within same published book or similar cover?  My spouse source says most dual author issues come out around Christmas and each author has individual story.

Ching, ching.  My two pennys are yours now.

Don

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Jan 11 04, 09:22

Hi Don.

Well, I would think this is something we should 'throw out there' to the members. I was actually thinking of something similar. I envision a sign up thread perhaps, where perhaps a mentor would team up with a member? For example, you and I could team up, Aphrodite could team up with John, or Butch or Jessica....We'll have to come up with the 'rules' I suppose based on the sign up sheet.

Once we have enough interest, then we'd have to come up with the topic (unless we leave it open) but I think a topic is easier. For example, Shadow Poetry does a weekly subject write on a yahoo group that Lindi and I partake in ocassionally. This weeks topic is "The Author of Forever" over there. In the past, they've had some really neat topics - like "Alphabet Soup", "Voices on the Boulevard",  "Beyond the Sleepy Crest Moon", "Driftwood and Feathers" to name a few. Of course, we cannot use these unless I ask permission, but it gives us something to think about. Perhaps we should start a thread on topic ideas like these - a few words combined?

Anyway - just my two cents...
~Cleo

Posted by: Don Jan 11 04, 10:05

Cleo,

That was a whole quarter instead of a couple of cents.

Your fertile brain is awake and working.  As we say, "That is why you are paid the big bucks."

Did not know there were that many staff members swimming in Pandora's pond to pair with.  Recognizing that your name partnerships to be purely example, I am willing to work with a total stranger--if they agree.  This is an opportunity to meet and expand contact among MM members. Win or lose, who cares...that much?

Your poor sport speaking,

Don  

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Jan 11 04, 10:27

"The big bucks" - he's not talking about me, !

Iamges can sometimes spur a topic too - I just started a short story one and lo and behold the idea popped into my head from looking at a newspaper pic of a train station and an empty bench! I was so busy writing last night, I finished it!

Yes - collaboration is the winning move!

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Jan 11 04, 09:41

Hi all.

This tile will be to ADD replies for ' word phrases' for potetential challenges in the future.

Thanks! We appreciate your input!  

~Mosaic Musings Staff            :roman:      

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Jan 11 04, 09:56

Just make up phrases too!  :sun:

"Lost in a Fog"

"An Unforgettable Dream"

"Whispers from the Deep"

"Echoes of the Moon"

"Midnight Muse"

"House of Stone"

"The Mars Campaign"

"Prevention Pot"

"A Poet's Pondering"

"The Chalupa Conspiracy"

"Starlight Seranade"

"Blueberry Brocade"

"Enemies of the Fall"

"Rainbow Rapsody"

"Flight of the Incredible"

"Byzantine Boxcar"

"Raindrops of the Heart"

"The Lottery Give-away"

"Seasons of Change"

"The Age of the Clones"

"Message in a Bottle"

"Fields of Tears"

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Jan 11 04, 10:22

Perhaps even movie titles, song titles, book titles can stir the muse?

A Winter's Tale

Rush Hour

Armageddon

Men in Black

The Perfect Storm

Air Force One

Clear and Present Danger

A Beautiful Mind

The Firm

Remember the Titans

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Jan 18 04, 13:39

Looking at the TV Guide and there's a lot of funny Movie titles that I'll bet will stir the muse..

A Rumor of Angels

The Chocolate War

The Shamrock Conspiracy

Hidden Agenda

Get Reel

Black Rain

Love Is All There Is

House of Games

Blast from the Past

The Devil's Advocate

Valley of the Dolls

The Color of Love

House of Dreams

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Mar 14 05, 06:17

Any ideas for more Pandora challenges are sought. Please post your thoughts here...

TY!

Posted by: Jox Mar 14 05, 06:37

Hi Lori et al,

Some ideas or part-ideas.

All are prose or poetry...

Travel incorporating six global landmarks or six cities or six countries etc.

That idea can be extended:

Six plants / animals / rivers / famous historical characters / chemicals ' metals / Trees etc etc.

And six is only a suggestion - easy ones could be more; hard ones fewer.

And the six don't always have to be prescribed - writers could provide their own six (but with web-links to any obscure ones). This would set us all researching and Googling - important tools for writers.

EG:

==============================================

Pandora for Month X, 2005...

Write a work about travelling around the world.
Chaos element: incorporate six rivers, each from a different country.
Please provide web-links to info about any lesser-known rivers - or just keep them all very famous!

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The other ideas could be incorporated in similar ways...

You're travelling in Australia.
Write a work, incorporating six distinctly Australian animals.
Please provide web-links to info about any lesser-known animals - or just keep them all famous!

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Another idea: write about your favourite poet  / writer / painter / composer / musicians...

Six different artists or four different works by one artist.

Web links to obscure parts please.

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You've been asked to commission a picture to please your employer

Chaos: Write about how four different artists would approach it.

etc.

always poetry or prose - All these can be made into any format. Three (ojk poor and qvery quick) egs:

Poetry

Mist swirled around half-hidden ships;
Turner moulded colours and light
upon their bows; waves jumping out
to turn us sea-sick from the sight.

Prose - Factual

JMW Turner is the foremost painter in terms of melding the colours of light to produce realistic effects from unrealistic brush-work. His ship paintings use "wrong" colours often but the result is both wonderful and stunningly realistic.

Prose - Fiction

Turner was in his studio one day when the Martians arrived. They brought him pigments unknown on Earth - deep Ghongo from Neptune, Ultra-Red from Mars itself and, most precious, Pluto Purple Plotz - a colouring so lusterous and delicious that man would nearly kill for Turner's paintigs.

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Any use, Lori?

Remember six almost anything can fit these parameters - and six is not set in stone, either.

James.

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Mar 19 05, 07:27

Thanks James.

Will use in a future challenge!

Cheers!
Cleo

Posted by: Ephiny May 19 05, 15:37

Hi

Just a quick suggestion if ever you're looking for one on a challenge

Writing a story of a set amount of words..but the first line of the story has to be the first line of a novel (stating the name of the novel and author of course)..or something along those lines...

Just a thought!!

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Aug 14 05, 08:40

Fran commented this idea in jgdittiers piece, Of Mars and Men in Herme's Homilies...

This sounds like a possible future Pandora's: a poem (form?)/fable/drabble/other form to say what are the 3 greatest things (human achievements?) we would show alien visitors to delight them?

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Aug 14 05, 08:53

I had sent a PM asking if anyone had ideas for Pandora and here are some of the responses I received:

Charon (Butch): oncorporate the line from the Loreena McKennitt song: NIGHT RIDE ACROSS THE CAUCASUS, 'Cascading stars on the slumbering hills'


Don: Write a defined number of Clerihews (AUG challenge)


Psyche (Sylvia): I've received images of a glacier breaking in Argentina and plan to use them in a Pandora or a flash jam with a specified scenario.


Nina: write a poem or story and the topic must be a colour (or words to that effect)


Jox (James): Pandora Themes: (Not snippets)
Shipwreck
The Unexpected Visit (can be to or from)
"Not a cloud in the sky"
Beachcombing
My trip on the Space Shuttle
A conversation with a Yeti (or Big Foot) (or Nessie)
My time travl trip
The shopping trip
"The trouble with newts" said the professor...
The most memorable lecture
How I won tv's "Millionaire"
What is the point of poetry?
My duties as an orchestrial triangle player
I woke up invisible


Ephiny (Lucie):  How about a response or follow up to the first line of a novel of members' choices..
or
a short story of a set amount of words that must include two lines of a well-known poem..i.e. the story must relate to the poem, like a character's reaction to it, or why those lines mean a lot to him/her
or
(this was suggested recently at a creative writing group I sometimes go to)..a story that must begin with a line set out in the challenge (the ones we had to use were "my aunt Jane was found playing Stravinsky in the wardrobe and "my uncle Hughie fell off some scaffolding and became a surrealist")!!
or
each person chooses two or three lines of a poem of their choice and write a response or continuation of it..


Billydo (Mike): Pandora or flash: Write a response to the following: 'I've only seen Paris in the daytime, and where I was, was a burb like any other dull suburb in any city.'


Thanks all!  :pharoah2
~Cleo  :dance:

Posted by: ohsteve Dec 11 05, 04:17

Cleo  I have seen all sorts of ideas for chalenges and heve other sites i post at pose some, most are straight forward but some ar a little out on the edge.... i have tried wriiting to a theme, a theme with words given , or a team challendge everyon comes up with two lines and the poem has to make sense, or puts in two words and after ten start writing using those words... write about a picture best iterpertation wins... find a poet that every one has to do a take off from  with apologies to the poets...or series of pictures and a poem fro each one but they have to interrealte with the picture and each other....start a challeng with the begining of a poem  first stanza and the let the poets finsih it in how they think it sohould go,...want more pm me or email me...
Steve

Posted by: Cleo_Serapis Feb 7 06, 18:42

Thanks Steve.

yes - of course I'd like to hear your ideas too. Would you like to chat via PM?

Cheers
Lori :pharoah2