Mosaic Member Names Challenge, All forms of writing apply Options

[Cleo_Serapis]

Hi all.  

I had been planning to post this challenge soon, and then I read this awesome reply that Dove made in 'The Basilica' in response to Angelinasky's welcome tile.

So, now seems like the perfect opportunity to start this challenge!  

Thanks Jessica and PLEASE post your Alice in MM Land. It's very good!  

Best of luck all!

~Cleo    

[Guest__*]

Dear All

In order to do this challenge I had to research the names, so I have posted this list, of all members who have posted 100 + messages.

Apologies to those who have not quite made it onto this list, but 21 seemed quite enough !

AkhenhatenII
Alan
Amethyst
Aphrodite
Arnfinn
Athena
Attila the Hun
Brahms
Cleo
Cybele
Don
Dove
Eisa
Jox
Just Daniel
Michelle
Orion
Pygmalion
Siren
Zeus

Love
Alan

[Guest_Dove_*]

Welcome...welcome...welcome...and what marvelous timing! I fear I'm always late...late, late, late. My clock has stopped so I borrowed Ms. Rabbit's (Cybele) but to no avail. She never stops in the courtyard as often as I need her. Bill (Amethyst) keeps her plenty busy, what with coming to rescue her from blustery April winds or carrying her away from the demons at the rainbow's end, who want to burn down her house. I think that I'm just always so busy painting the roses red. Or maybe time isn't quite polite here. The surreality of it all makes everything seem like a labryrinth, but really it is just a matter of finding the right small door. But dear, oh dear...I fear I'm growing with my conversation instead of shrinking down to the point.....Your just in time for tea! Here's a cup. Please sit down...pick any chair...do not worry, they won't bite.

There's Mr. Caterpillar (Jox) who might share his mushroom with you...but I wouldn't trust that sly smile, he might turn into a butterfly at any moment and poof! you could be flown off into another world that threatens to strangle you with possessed fax machines cords and poisoned sardines. But if you do decide to sit with him, please...please...do not mentioned Wales. It might be any kind of whales, too. I do not know for I've never tried. One mention, and off he goes, steam comes out of everywhere (But I do not really know from where. The doctor's call it the Cardioicymru syndrome.) and he spits such riddles which spin, spin, spin your mind until you're swimming in tears (Whether from happiness or sadness at his upside-down state).

Then there's the Mad Hatter (Arnfinn) and the March Hare (Zeus) who are nice and are like "the 3 muskateers minus 1".  You could sit in between them, but beware of Mr. Hare. Into his salad you will go, and you will be forever singing "Twinkle, twinkle little bat" with his pet Dormouse (Brahms) who whispers his words and is always lamenting. You can find him hermitting in his tea pot, trying to decide if he wants to sip coffee, hot chocolate, tea or ovaltine today...but falls asleep until the next teatime before he can decide. Then, Mr. Hatter likes to color peoples feet. He thinks it is all a figment of his imagination but....now I have a purple foot and one green one. I think it's his attempt to delete racism....or maybe its a new art form.

The Queen of Hearts (Cleo) sits at the head of the table and leads us all with her "Off with their head!" motto if we do not follow the rules. But we all know that even though her crown is just a little helter-skelter, she is really sweet as a tart.....and no matter how "tough" the rules, we will follow her to the pyramids and beyond. Beside her stands her King (Imhotep), in the shadows but always present to voice a little pip. With all their attempts at chivalrity, they can not control the Tweedles...that is Tweedle Dee (Alan) and Tweedle Dum (AkhenhatenII).

Tweedle Dee just had a birthday but is getting as loopy as Tweedle Dum, who thinks he is over two centuries old. They are both right at nothing and wrong at everything....or do I have that inside out? At this point, I'm just hanging onto reality by my fingernails.

At the other end of the table is the Gryphon (Athena) who always has some words of wisdom to share. She is long time friends with the Mock Turtle (JustDaniel) who is the King of Pun and will never pass up a chance to burrow himself in a challenge or tom foolery.

Hoovering above us all, is the Chesire cat (Aphrodite) who, with a lopsided smile, was the inspiration for the Queen. Even though she does like to freefall in and out of this wonderland...she always waltz's right back in (Sometimes just her head). Her tail swishes rather curiously over the Duchess's (Michelle) head. She, too, thinks that the cat is a figment of her imagination. Maybe one of the bubbles that brings along thoughts full of white and silver seas, and rhyming morals.

The rest of us are here and about, just one of the many cards in the deck or is it one of the many tiles on the wall? But there is plenty of time to meet everyone, so please choose a seat! You must. For we all would like to hear your words, but I fear some of us may not agree with them.  That is the how the world spins, though, especially on this side of the glass. We all agree, though, that now is the time to speak in verse and to not fear the Jabberwocky (writer's block).  Since you've had some tea....what do you mean you haven't had a cup? I've been filling you up since I started and I'm plenty full (of?) myself. Okay...you can have some more. Just take it with you, to browse around with, and if you have time take three hops backwards in your bunny slippers on the checkered grass to play croquet (Mount Olympus board) with some of us. As to me, I'm off to continue painting the roses red. Maybe my muse will hit me with something brilliant (Usually its just little rocks that turn into cookies labeled "Eat Me") today and I could sit down for some tea.



*I only used the centurions and praetorians for the main characters.

[Guest_Zeus²_*]

  
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Carnegie Hall. Tonight we have the honor to present a reading
of poetry by that distinguished writer Zeus Deuce, (²) to be narrated by that famous comedian George Carlin and accompanied
with the background music by our symphony playing the title song , by Frank Sinatra, “ It Was A Very Good Year”.

It Was A Very Good Year

When I was seventeen
It was a very good year
(bet AkhenII, Alan and Arnfinn thought
so too, have a beer)
It was a very good year for small town girls
(don’t blush- Cleo , Dove and Aphrodite with your little curls  )
And soft summer nights
( yes Michelle, and Cybele, such pretty sights)
We’d hide from the lights
(that includes you Don, looking trim and lean)
On the village green
When I was seventeen

When I was twenty-one
It was a very good year
It was a very good year for city girls
(Slickers like you Amethyst and Siren, wearing your pearls)
Who lived up the stair
With all that perfumed hair
(Orion and Pygmalion- don’t you both wish
you were 21 again, feeling it’s just begun)
And it came undone
When I was twenty-one

When I was thirty-five
(bet Jox is rolling in clover now, beginning to thrive)
It was a very good year
It was a very good year for blue-blooded girls
( ahhhh yes our lovely ladies, Athena, and Eisa, their hair done up in swirls)
Of independent means
We’d ride in limousines
(this is how Brahms got started, Mr. Jive)
Their chauffeurs would drive
When I was thirty-five

And now I think of my life as vintage wine
from fine old kegs
(and now here we all are
reminiscing, drinking wine, and feeling a bit divine)
from the brim to the dregs
( don’t forget Just Daniel, feels like he has two new legs)
( and cheers to Aurora and Dove for getting us here)
And it poured sweet and clear
It was a very good year
(the year we  joined MM, let’s all cheer)

It was a mess of good years
(as for Z², he is still chasing girls
his hair in  grayish whirls)

(And so here too see,
the members name list from A to Z.)

Music fades, spotlight dims, curtain down, audience rises in a
frenzied standing ovation, shouting “Author-Author”
“how can we join MM??”

[Guest__*]

Dear Larry

Brilliant spoof, very well used to meet the challenge !

Love
Alan

[Cleo_Serapis]

REMARKABLE PIECES!  :dance:  :dance:

Dove, Ms. Jessica: Brilliant take on ALice in MM Land I must say - you have a wonderful knack for story telling! Thanks for sharing that tail...errr ummmm..I mean TALE with us! NOw now, you must do another with the member names? Perhaps a parody on "The Cat in the HAT", OR "Hanzel & Gretel?\"?

Larry - what a great parody!!! Sorry I didn't get to reply to your email earlier, what with being pampered by my slave boys all day, I had little time to myself! Tee hee!  :speechless:  :wizard:

These are awesome tiles!

Thanks for coloring our Mosaic in Style!  :cloud9:  :operagal:  :cheer:  :sings:

~Cleo  :pharoah2

[Cleo_Serapis]

Christmas in Chell

Unto all things, large and small, a little chaos must fall.

In the meadows of Chell, winter had laced the landscape with idyllic ice and sugared dreams.  The ponds of the Bronze Dragon shimmered, and reflections of Aurora lit a path to the waters of IceFire.

The Elders, Isis and AkhenhatenII, were waltzing to an old tune on ice, and the swooossshhhhh, schwip, schwip, swooossshhhhh, schwip, schwip of their own follies added to the majesty of seasonal sounds.

“What do you know about the event this year,” Isis poked at Akh’s red-dyed wool sweater. “I seem to have forgotten the tune and the tranquility?”

AkhenhatenII toe-picked (his skate) and came to an abrupt stop. “Hmmmm, I can’t remember, my love,” he shrugged and escorted her to a waiting bench. “What is it we are supposed to do again dear?”

“I know not,” she frowned. “Have you a copy of the Chell Scroll in your pack? Surely, the event will be listed?”

The elder thought for a moment, the light in his eyes growing brighter by the second. “Yes, I DO have it,” He lifted his beloved with ease toward the stars of Orion. “We must go there,” he pointed to the far end of the pond. “Where our boots are!”

“Now, now Akh, save your strength for the—ummmmmmmm, what is it called again, Chell celebration? I wish I could remember!”

As they read the Chell calendar, they discovered their dilemma. The 25th of December was missing. December 24 was on Wednesday, and December 26th was on Thursday. “What happened to the 25th?” They both exclaimed.

“We must bring word of this chaos to our king and queen at once,” Akh rolled up the sacred scroll and tucked it back into his pack. “Hurry! Put on your boots and gather the horses!” Akh exclaimed with a fearful inflection.

When the Elders reached the town square, the Basilica was booming with shoppers. Something was different though. All their bags were filled with similar goods ~ scented firewood, cocoa, teas, coffees and baked goods.

Aphrodite and Athena stood at the door to Atum’s Annex and greeted their kinfolk. “Good day to you, kind Elders,” Aphrodite waved. “Why so troubled a look on this fine day?” She sensed chaos and rightly so.

Akh started to speak, but his words could not be found. The scroll unraveled itself, and fell from his pack onto Athena’s foot. “Ah, do you need a new scroll perhaps? We have plenty in stock,” she stated quite proudly. “We make them right here ya know. It’s our specialty.”

Aphrodite ushered the two inside. “How about a nice cup of tea? Come in and warm yourselves, the fires always welcome new sitters.” She poked and prodded the cinders, and a few moments later, a fire was born…again.

“Where are the other scrolls? Please, just find the scrolls,” Akh quipped.

What was not written could not be written, for all the scrolls in Chell were missing the 25th of December. There would be no toys, no jingle bells, no children’s laughter, no wrap to get lost in, no mistletoe, no reindeer and no Santa Claus, Saint Nick, or Kris Kringle coming to town. There would be no manger, no angels, no wise men, no baby Jesus to celebrate the Holy Day. It was simply erased from the scrolls of Chell.

“We must find Imhotep and Cleo_Serapis at once,” Isis cried. “The 25th is missing! See for yourselves.” She passed the scrolls to all who had entered the store.

Zeus² had heard the commotion and ordered his guards to find the Royals. Atila the Hun and Jox saluted in Chell style and took their leave. Along the town road, they met Alan, Arnfinn and Atlantis’s Prince Cailean. They exchanged small talk and each took a different path that lead to the same end, the castle of Chell.

“We must reach the Royals by nightfall to save the spirit of all that was, of all that is, and all that must remain, here in Chell!” Alan shouted as he bolted with his horse Cybele and vanished into the night.

Michelle was enchanting a dove with her cousin Nefertiti when the towering bells of the castle began to ring... and ring... for no reason. “What chaos has befallen our kingdom this time,” she asked the dove. “Must they always ring those blimey bells so loudly!”

The dove replied, “It is the spirit of Christmas they seek, princess. It has been lost. The scrolls speak not of it.”

The two royals finally realized that the dove was right! They had not been caroling, shopping, or decorating for Christmas! No one had! No one remembered… until today.

Once the Royal family had been told of this chaos, Pandora was instructed to use her powers to re-write all of the scrolls of Chell before the next sun of Ra awakened.

As it was written, so it was done. A new day dawned in Chell, and the townspeople remembered the spirit that had been lost unto them. They sang carols. They gave to the less fortunate. They baked and drank merrily. They shopped. They decorated. They celebrated with family and friends the Holy Savior and brought tidings of joy to all.

They shall never forget the 25th of December again. Their spirit could no longer be broken, ravaged, forgotten or misplaced. It was within them all along. They just needed to walk the path of light to discover it again.

 :dove:  :holly:  :dove:  :holly:  :dove:  :holly:  :dove:  :holly:  :dove:  :holly:  :dove:  :holly:  :dove:  :holly:  :dove:  

© 2003 Lorraine M Kanter *All rights reserved by L Kanter as an unpublished work.

[Guest_Jox_*]

Good show Jessica, Larry and Lori,

And no one (yet) has been rude about "Jox" (save Tom in an early crit!)

Take care,

James.

[Guest__*]

JOHN FOX’S TRAP

John Fox had an unusual obsession, but then, it could be said that all obsessions are unusual. He was a compulsive collector of trivia.

He did specialise. He collected trivia about the ancients, the famous, and anybody else he considered important. As can be seen, this allowed quite some latitude for acquisition, and was to be his ultimate undoing .....

As examples of John’s collecting, we have an original Dove (in fossil form, from Mount Ararat), the bell from the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, spelled the Italian way, Cybele, a cherished icon of his TV-watching mis-spent youth, namely a Mutant Teenage Ninja Turtle carapace, which he proudly refers to as Michelle, the Siren from Don Corleone’s car, famous for the incident in which, when suddenly surrounded by G-Men, the Don was heard to exclaim “Eisa innocenti-arrrgghh” while pulling out his last tommy gun, which led directly to the use of so-called “sudden-death” overtime (extra playing time in level games) in American football, in his honour.

John also collected tat, although one would never dare tell him that. He gave pride of place to a 1960s modern painting, all squares and squiggles, entitled “Zeus Haranguing Aphrodite and Pygmalion on the Unexpected Success of a Young Gladiator against the Lions”. This picture, an “Athena” print, is so vague in it’s portrayal that the viewer must by necessity supply untold measures of his own interpretation, and its title so unwieldy that it has become known simply as “Just Daniel”.

Another pride-of-place item is the arnfinn by which the movie makers were able to control the shark during the making of “Jaws”. This was a complex electronic and mechanical device, unique in the world when it was made. Similar technology was later used by NASA on its moon buggy. It is a little-known fact that the astronauts nick-named their buggy “Attila the Hun” because it was so difficult to control, always dashing off on new conquests all by itself. Luckily its slow speed, and the giant steps for mankind permitted under the moon’s low gravitational pull, meant that it was easily caught. NASA deemed this mechanical oddity worthy of suppression, news-wise.

This suppressed news nearly did leak, though. In a worthy example of man’s ability to get things wrong in a chinese whispers manner, the phrase “giant step for mankind” became a household phrase !

Now to explain John Fox’s downfall. First, it must be told that John Fox had a young grandson, who, as children will, concatenated John Fox into “Jox”, and this name stuck. Jox, then, as we must surely call him, eventually went too far with his acquisitive obsession. He had an amethyst from the tomb of AkhenhatenII, and late one night, when he was shall we say, listening to the intoxicating inner music of Brahms and Liszt, he compulsively rubbed the gemstone “chanting “Cleo, Cleo, wherefore art thou Cleo” (he never was too hot on his Shakespeare), and went Alan over Orion over his masses of accumulated junk, falling finally into his cellar.

The trap door, which he had attempted to grab to prevent his fall, slammed shut after him, and there he was, incarcerated in his own basement for a whole week, until a postman heard his feeble cries. No permanent damage was done to poor Jox, but it was years before the story ceased to reverberate aroung his circle of family and friends, and even after that, his cellar was universally known as ....



wait for it .....




scroll down .....




just a little more .....





JOX’S TRAP !

Alan McAlpine Douglas, who can’t resist a challenge (no, NOT the MM one, but Jox’s ! )  :devil:  :idea:  :angel:[b]

[Guest_Jox_*]

I, of course, should have anticipated that Alan would have had his creative juices stimulated. (What a horrid thought!).

Well, this celebration of the bravest Scotsman to have ever lived is very welcome.

You skilfully wound so many characters in there Alan - I especially liked Cee-bell! (Reminds me of Fawlty Towers, somehow).

Well done and another courtly, jesterish piece.

By the way, Alan - I see that Lori is collecting toy boys now so there may be a promotion for you!

James.