Tuesday – Anything Possible _ Kreative Kue #159 by Keith Channing

January 30, 2018January 29, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 23 Comments

In Keith’s words.

“Using this photo as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t often work.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or website, next Monday.”

The photo.

“Will you stop giggling. I’m trying to hear.”

“I can’t help it. That last Jal-jeera went to my head.”

“I guess the fact that it is only spices and no alcohol is lost on you.”

“Say what you want, but that cumin packs a punch. Where are we anyway?”

“If you’ll stop babbling maybe I can find out.”

“Hey look. There are crowds of people along the highway.”

“It appears we’re in some kind of parade. What are you doing?”

“I’m going to wave my hat. They’re waving at us.”

“Yeah, I see that. Notice no one is smiling though.”

“Oh, that’s a little creepy isn’t it.”

“I would say. Hold on. I’m getting a signal. Yes, this is Channing. Who’s this? Uh huh. So how did we get here? We are in a damn parade. We are on a float. It’s not a float? Okay, roger that, Channing out.”

“Who was that?”

“Believe it or not that was Century Base One.”

“What’d he say.”

“For some reason, we took a wrong turn at Waypoint Beta and are now on our way to a sacrifice.”

“A sacrifice. I’ve never been to a sacrifice.”

“You idiot. Of course, you’ve never been. We are the sacrifice.”

“Why can’t I remember?”

“Remember what?”

“The trip from the Jal-jeera joint to here.”

“Don’t feel alone. I can’t either.”

“What do we do now?”

“I’ve set your transponder to section four. Now let’s get out of here.”

“I think I gave my transponder to that pretty girl.”

“What pretty girl?”

“The one in the Jal-jeera joint.”

“The one with the blond hair?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I guess she and I will be in section four.”

“Where will I be?”

“My guess is hot water. See ya,”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “Movement”

January 27, 2018January 26, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 50 Comments

“It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again and this week’s prompt is “movement.” Now I have to Explain. Linda Hill says we can’t just use the word movement, but our prompt has to be about a movement. So if you would like to join in, please visit Linda’s post and find out all about it. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2018/01/26/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-daily-prompt-jan-27th-2018/

“What are you doing?”

“I just came from Linda Hill’s place and have this week’s prompt.”

“So why the long face?”

“Well, the prompt is movement.”

“So? Sounds like a snap. For someone your age who is always worried about a bowel movement you should do well.”

“Very funny. No, you see we have to work in not just the word but an actual movement.”

“Ach. So I was on the right track with that comment about your age.”

“Okay, I’ll give it to you. Seriously I can’t think of a thing.”

“Eye movement.”

“Huh?”

“You could describe eye movement when a person is in the REM stage of sleep.”

“Get serious who will care about that?”

“How about the Woman’s Rights Movement?”

“I’m the wrong gender. Not an expert and don’t think I can speak for how women feel.”

“Okay, fair enough. How about history. The Temperance Movement?”

“I drink too much.”

“The Labor Movement?”

“I don’t work.”

“Gadzooks. Help me out here. States Rights Movement?”

“Not a Tea Party member.”

“AntiWar Movement?”

“Not old enough.”

“Civil Rights Movement. Now don’t tell me you aren’t involved in that.”

“Okay, you may have hit on one that I can talk about.”

“Is there another one?”

“I suppose I could talk about the Environmental Movement.”

“Is that still a thing?”

“You wouldn’t know it but, yes. We are all going to die from plastic poisoning.”

“Okay. How about one more. How’s the Burger Movement sound?”

“The what?”

“You and I move from here and get a burger.”

“Fries with that?”

“Of course.”

“So much for the Health Movement.”

“We’ll do that tomorrow.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #158

January 23, 2018January 22, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 36 Comments

yIn Keith’s Words. “Using this photo as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment* or email it to me at keith@channing.info before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t often work.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”

The photo.

“I don’t have a coat on my arm.”

“You don’t need one.”

“I don’t have a beard.”

“You don’t need one.”

“I don’t have a white checkered shirt.”

“You don’t need one.”

“Blue jeans?”

“Nope.”

“What kind of apprenticeship is this anyway?”

“You are a photographer’s apprentice.”

“Sounds impressive.”

“Of course it is.”

“I don’t have a camera.”

“You’ll grow into one.”

“So what should I do other than use this phone?”

“Forget the phone. Make clicking noises.”

“Clicking noises?”

“Yes like this, click, click, click. Every time you take a picture make the noise.”

“I should take pictures?”

“You need to practice. Make the noise.”

“Click, click, click.”

“Not so fast, you need to rewind after every shot. Like this, click, whrrrr. Got it?”

“Click, whrrrr. Click, whrrrr. Click, whrrrr.”

“That’s it. Now let me see the photos.”

“What photos?”

“The ones you just took.”

“I didn’t take any.”

“Why not?”

“No camera.”

“Are you going to take this apprenticeship seriously or not?”

“Okay, here they are.”

“Hmmm. Could use a little more light. Try again.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #157

January 16, 2018January 15, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 40 Comments

In Keith’s words. “Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keith@channing.info before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t often work.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”

The photo.

“Why are you on top of that box?”

“Are you kidding? Do you know how many shoplifters are out there?”

“What good does it do to stand up there?”

“I can look over the crowd and spot them before they can rob us.”

“Sounds good in theory. How is it working so far?”

“Right now there is a pickpocket checking out a guy’s wallet.”

“Where?”

“See that’s the problem with you a slouched in that chair. You can’t see anything. He’s over to the left. he looks like a shark ready to have a meal.”

“That guy in the olive colored jacket?”

“Yes, the one with the mustache.”

“That is a police officer, you idiot.”

“He sure doesn’t look like one.”

“He is undercover looking for thieves.”

“I guess you have to look like one to catch one.”

“Yeah, he is even carrying a baby so as not to stand out. Now come down from there before you hurt yourself.”

“Where would you get a baby?”

“Are you serious.? Quit with the questions and get down.”

“Wait there is a guy with a backpack.”

“All the way across the aisle. I don’t think he is a threat.”

“By the way. Do you see that set of stairs on top of Omar’s tent over there.”

“I see them. So what?”

“I think I’m going to ask Omar if I can borrow them.”

“What for?”

“To make it easier to climb up on my box.”

“You and that box ought to run away with each other. You know that?”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Different Kind of Prompt

January 13, 2018January 13, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 37 Comments

It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again. This weeks prompt is a little different. Linda Hill asked us to sit down at our writing place and pick up the nearest book, newspaper, note, or anything with words and choose the sixth, seventh and eighth word on the page and that is the prompt. The nearest thing with writing to me is an instruction sheet on making better characters. The sixth word is like the seventh yourself, and the eighth birthdays. So these are my prompt words. If you would like to run yourself ragged and join this fun please visit Linda’s blog and read how. It is easy to go insane. Here is the link.

The Friday Reminder for #SoCS & #JusJoJan Daily Prompt, Jan. 13th, 2018

“Looks like we are in a real pickle.”

“How so?”

“This week is a matter of life and death, right?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The prompt. We get it right or we die is what I heard.”

“Who told you that?”

“No one had to tell me. With a prompt like the one in the title, it is clear.”

“So explain it to me.”

“First of all the advice to ‘like yourself’ is something that sounds like a Dr. Phil moment. If that is the case then shoot me.”

“You are missing the commas my, friend. Those are two words like and yourself. Makes an easy prompt.”

“Easy for you. So what do you do with birthdays? Not birthday mind you, but birthdays.”

“You could build a story around how you have a like for birthdays. Not just any birthdays but those for yourself.”

“Oh man. I’m going to put something like that together and you think I won’t be laughed off the stage.”

“Okay then, how about this? When you ask yourself what you like about birthdays what comes to mind?”

“Are you serious. This is the big leagues of the prompt world. Do you know how many big-time bloggers read this stuff?”

“You sure they read it or just hit ‘like?'”

“Let’s assume they read it. I’m not in the mood to be a laughing-stock on Saturday. If you think this prompt is so darn easy why don’t you do it yourself?”

“Okay. Here goes. If you like birthdays, treat yourself to a lollapalooza the next time around.”

“Damn.”

“Damn what?”

“You’re good.”

Tuesday – Anything possible – Kreative Kue #156 by Keith Channing

January 9, 2018January 8, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 47 Comments

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.

The Photo.

“Can you hurry up?”

“One minute. I want to remember this moment with my friends.”

“You’ve taken about twenty photos already. It’s time to leave. We will miss our train if we don’t go now.”

“Do you see how the flower turns toward me when I start to take a picture?”

“No, I don’t see that at all.”

“I think these flowers would like to come with us.”

“You have got to be kidding me. They are planted here.”

“See that fence. Why would you have a fence if they weren’t trying to keep them here?”

“Uh. Maybe to keep nuts like you out of here. You see the no picking flowers sign?”

“Yeah, I saw it. That’s like putting a no touching the prisoner’s sign in a jail. They don’t want any escapes.”

“Listen to yourself. I think you need some help.”

“If we grab as many flowers as we can hold we might have a chance to free most.”

“Where do you get these ideas?”

“I hear voices.”

“Voices?”

“Yes, voices.”

“Okay, now I’m concerned. Where do these voices come from?”

“From the little leaves all around me. They say. “Take me home. Take me home.”

“You sure that’s not your phone.”

“I’m sure.”

“Well, I’m going to leave now. Coming with me?”

“Can I bring a friend?”

“No. It is against the law.”

“Even a little friend?”

“Like one of those leaves?”

“Yes.”

“Fine if you must.”

“Hear that guys? Who wants to go with me?”

“For heaven’s sake.”

“I can’t make up my mind. They all want to go.”

“Look. I’ll get you a package of baby spinach if we leave now.”

“That will do. Let’s go.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “eco”

January 6, 2018January 5, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 29 Comments

Yes, you read the headline correctly. This weeks prompt is “eco.” Linda Hill advises that we go find a word the begins with eco or has eco in it. If you would like to grow your own set of hives and want to join this group visit Linda’s blog and read how. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2018/01/05/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-daily-prompt-jan-6th-2018/

“so what did she say?”

“That we need to come up with words that start with eco or have eco in them.”

“Not too tough. I can think of ten right off the top of my head.”

“Yeah right. I can’t think of one. Wait. Economy.”

“Wow, you are a regular linguist.”

“Can you do better?”

“Humm how about economic, ecotourism, ecospecies, ecosystems, ecospheres, economised, economise, economized?”

“Okay pretty good. Where did you get those?”

“Looked em up on Google.”

“NO FAIR. You are cheating.”

“Okay, so you want to fail the prompt?”

“Well. no.”

“Go ahead. look up words that have eco in them.”

“I don’t feel right about that.”

“Go ahead you whimp.”

“Okay. Yikes. Antieconomic, arecoline, arecoline, arecolines, autecological, autecologies, autecology.”

“Have any idea what those words mean?”

“Not a clue.”

“Doesn’t matter. Our job is done.”

“What are you talking about? We haven’t done anything.”

“We completed the prompt and did economically.”

“But not with what I would consider proper decorum.”

“The speed is what you can reconcile.”

“I won’t accept that for a millisecond.”

“Hold your precoded principles and lose the prompt.”

“Okay, you win. I will recode to win.”

“Recodification is next to godliness.”

“Right.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #155 by Keith Channing

January 2, 2018 ~ John W. Howell ~ 35 Comments

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”

The Photo.

“Where did you put the key?”

“Under the mat as usual.”

“Under the mat. Are you sure?”

“Yes, of course, I’m sure. We always put the key under the mat.”

“I know I know. Well, the key is missing.”

“No kidding Sherlock. Look closer, and you’ll see the house is missing.”

“Okay, now I think we have a problem.”

“What gave you a hint?”

“There is nothing in our slip but a seagull.”

“Which tells you what, Inspector Clouseau?”

“Someone has run off with our houseboat.”

“Bingo. I think you’ve got it.”

“What do we do now?”

“I think we need to call the police.”

“What are they going to do. Our house could be in Singapore by now.”

“Come on. How many houses do you think are floating down this canal. It shouldn’t be too tough to find it.”

“I suppose you are right. After all, there aren’t a lot of houses with a red and blue paint scheme.”

“Now, you can thank me for the color choice.”

“I suppose. And you can thank me for leaving the bathtub drain unplugged.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I think I see the tip of our roof.”

“Where?”

“Just below the surface of our slip. see it?”

“You idiot. How many times have I told you to make sure to close the drain?”

“Well, at least no one stole our house.”

“Thank you for small miracles.”

“Oh, and I found the key in my other pocket.”

“Twice Blessed.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “Resolution.”

December 30, 2017December 29, 2017 ~ John W. Howell ~ 35 Comments

It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday and this week’s prompt is “resolution.” Linda Hill says we can use the word any way we want. (My chest swells with the idea of such freedom.) If you would like to join this happy band of delusional souls go to Linda’s blog and see how easy it is to slip from reality. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2017/12/29/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-30-17/

“You say you want a resolution. Well, you know. We all want to change the world. You tell me that it’s evolution…”

“Hold it.”

“What?”

“What are you doing?”

“Singing about a resolution.”

“Resolution? You gotta be kidding me.”

“No. I’m not. What’s the problem? Great song by the Beatles.”

“Why is it I can count on you to somehow get everything in life confused?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The song. It is about revolution, not resolution.”

“Wait. What? You sure?”

“OMG. Yes, I’m sure. Here listen to my phone.”

“I’ll be darned.”

“I could only hope.”

“Why do these guys want a revolution?”

“It was a song written during turbulent times.”

“Don’t you think a resolution would do the trick?”

“A resolution by whom?”

“Well, I was thinking of Congress. You know the old ‘we are resolved’ kind of thing.”

“And who would pay attention?”

“Hmm. Good point. Okay so how do we start a revolution?”

“I think if you want to start a revolution all you have to do is make a resolution to stand on the corner and sing.”

“That was cold.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #154

December 26, 2017December 25, 2017 ~ John W. Howell ~ 26 Comments

Using Keith’s words. “Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keith@channing.info before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here – pingbacks don’t often work.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or web site, next Monday.”

The photo.