Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue 296 by Keith Channing

January 26, 2021January 25, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 57 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 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.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.”

The photo.

Kreative Kue 296

“I’m not sure I can run anymore.”

“You have to. We need to make it to the yard.”

“What’s the rush?”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

“No, I’m not. Are we late for dinner?”

“No, dinner is hours away.”

“I give up. Why are we running?”

“You didn’t see that thing by the woods.”

“What thing?”

“That monstrosity with the black eyes and glowing nose.”

“You mean the carrot?”

“Carrot? What are you talking about?”

“It’s a snowman with a carrot nose.”

“What about those coal-black eyes.”

“You just said it.”

“What?”

“Coal. The eyes are made of coal.”

“Nah, uh.”

“Un-huh.”

“Whew, let’s stop running.”

“Thank heavens. I can hardly get my breath.”

“So you’re saying it was a snowman.”

“Yup.”

“How’s he get there?”

“That old guy with the beard built it.”

“The one we live with?”

“The very same.”

“The author.”

“Yup.”

“Why would he build a snowman?”

“For a story.”

“Not much of a story.”

“What if the snowman came alive and was chasing us?”

“Now that would be a story.”

“Don’t look now, but we better get to running again.”

“This is fiction, right?”

“I’m not hanging around to find out. I’m going to bug out. You with me?”

“Well ahead of you, my friend.”

Tuesday – Anythings Possible – Kreative Kue 295 by Keith Channing

January 19, 2021January 18, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 80 Comments

In Keith’s words.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.”

The photo.

Kreative Kue #295

“Look at that.”

“I know. Crazy, wouldn’t you say.”

“Out in this kind of weather.”

“No hat even.”

“Would serve her right.”

“What would serve her right?”

“If she got picked up in the talons of a giant snow owl.”

“I wouldn’t mind seeing that.”

“You making a challenge?”

“No, I just said I wouldn’t mind seeing her picked up in the talons of a giant snow owl.”

“You know they don’t believe in giant snow owls.”

“So who would know?”

“I had the same thought.”

“Why don’t you do it then?”

“Then what?”

“Beats mice, I’m sure.”

“To eat?”

“I’m just saying.”

“Ew.”

“Okay, then forget it.”

“You know something?”

“What?”

“You and I don’t have enough to do.”

“Guilty. Let’s think of something else.”

“Like maybe a sheep.”

“Yeah. A sheep in a snowstorm. Now that would be a real challenge.”

“You’re on.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “First Thing”

January 16, 2021January 15, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 47 Comments

First thing this morning, I ran into Linda Hill. She had something wrapped in old newspapers. “Is that fish,” I said.

“Fish? You better hope not. This is your prompt for this week.”

“Oh, my goodness. Why is it wrapped in newspaper.”

“Cause I ran out of birthday wrap.”

“It’s not my birthday.”

“Just as well then. Here take it.”

“Thanks, Linda. Goodbye.”

Here is this week’s prompt. Your prompt for #JusJoJan and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “first thing.” Start your post with the words “first thing” and go from there. Bonus points if you end your post with the last thing. Have fun!

“First thing I noticed? Gee, that’s a hard one.”

“Just say whatever comes to mind.”

“Well, the first thing I noticed when we met each other was your complete obsession with the Saturday prompt.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, we had our first date, and you insisted on reading your response to the prompt. I can even remember the prompt.”

“What was it. I don’t remember.”

“It was rutabaga.”

“Rutabaga? What did I say about rutabaga?”

“I put it out of my mind but recall you were planning on planting some.”

“Well, I never did, so how can you say I’m obsessed?.”

“Let me count the Saturday evenings we only talk about your prompt that week.”

“You serious? We talk about a lot of stuff.”

“Like what?”

“Um. Like . . . er. . . the movie we are watching.”

“And how it relates to the prompt. Let me ask you. What caused you to come up with asking me about the first thing I noticed about you tonight?”

“It is the prompt this week.”

“See, the prosecution rests.”

“That’s not the whole thing.”

“What else.”

“We get bonus points if we end the post with “the last thing.”

“Let me help you with that.”

“I thought you didn’t like the prompt stuff.”

“Let me say good night, which will be the last thing.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #294 by Keith Channing

January 12, 2021January 11, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 49 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 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 also mention it in a comment here.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.”

The photo.

Kreative Kue

“Where is our bus?”

“I don’t see it.”

“What are we going to do now?”

“I don’t have a clue. Maybe we can catch another.”

“I thought this was supposed to be a lunch break.”

“Yeah, me too. Looks like it was just a quick stop. I told you we should have gotten a translation book.”

“This rain isn’t going to make it any more comfortable.”

“The fact that I’ve grown webbing between my toes should tell us something.”

“Webbing?”

“Just joking. It’s been raining so much. I think we are going to need to tread water soon.”

“So, back to the bus. What should we do?”

“Hold on, I have the tour operator’s card here. Let me call them.”

“Oh, thank heavens. Yes, call them.”

“Hello. This is McGee calling. Bob McGee. We are stranded at a bus stop. How soon for the next bus? You’re kidding? Yeah, we know that now. Yes, sure, put us on that one. Isn’t there anything sooner? Okay then. Thanks. Bye.”

“So that didn’t sound good.”

“The next bus is tomorrow at this time.”

“Twenty four hours in this jungle outpost? There’s no place to sleep.”

“Well, we will just have to make due. The guy said we should never have gotten off the bus.”

“That makes me feel so much better knowing that. So what do you suggest?”

“What do you have in that bag?”

“My dirty red bandana and my harmonica.”

“Perfect. We are saved.”

“How so?”

“I’ll just thumb a diesel down before the next rain, and we’ll sing songs to the driver. We’ll sing every song the drive knows.”

“You sayin’ the windshield wipers will be slapping time?”

“Now, you’ve got it.”

“Gee, Bobby. It does sound good.”

“We are making memories, kiddo. The kind where you might want to trade all your tomorrows for a single yesterday.”

“You have such a way with words, Bobby. Put out that thumb, and let’s get going.”

***

Thanks to Chris Christopherson for writing, Janus Joplin, and Johnny Cash among others for singing one of my favorite songs, “Me and Bobby McGee.” Here is Janis

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Sky’s the Limit”

January 9, 2021January 8, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 57 Comments

It is Stream of Consciousness time again, and here comes Linda Hill. She has a balloon on a string and an envelope attached to the string. I’ll bet it is the prompt for today.

“Hi, Linda. Want to come inside.”

“No thanks, John. I just need to deliver this prompt.”

“I like the balloon.”

“Well, grab the envelope and open it. See you.”

“Bye, Linda. Now let me see. I’ll open the envelope. Oops, the balloon just got away. Wow, look at it, climb. The sky’s the limit for that sucker. Let me see what the note says.”

Your prompt for #JusJoJan and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “sky’s the limit.” Write about something that has or seems to have no end. Enjoy!

“Hey, why are you looking up at the sky?”

“I just lost a balloon.”

“A balloon. What kind of craziness are you up to now? Oh, wait. The Saturday prompt, right?”

“That’s right. It came from Linda Hill on the end of a balloon.”

“Let me guess. You opened the envelope, and the balloon got away.”

“Once again, you qualify as a clairvoyant.”

“Only you would lose a balloon chasing something as dumb as this Saturday thing.”

“The prompt is for us to talk about something that is endless.”

“Yeah, so what have you chosen? The height that the balloon will go?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“The amount of time you will spend on this prompt.”

“Very funny.”

“Okay, I give up. What is it.”

“Your criticism of my prompt activities.”

“Huh?”

“It’s endless. You are always criticizing. Never supportive.”

“Now, wait a minute. People will get the wrong idea.”

“About you?”

“No, about you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You should be writing about big endless things like freedom.”

“Freedom can end.”

“Don’t we know that. How about endless possibilities.”

“That does sound better. Possibilities to do what?”

“Do something else on Saturday besides the prompt.”

“There you go.”

“You left yourself wide open.”

“I give up.”

“Beer time?”

“You’re buying.”

Tuesday- Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #293 by Keith Channing

January 5, 2021January 4, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 69 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 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.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.”

The Photo.

Kreative Kue 293

“Okay, Ms. Watson. We need a really nice photo to go on the back of your book.”

“I don’t understand why.”

“Your readers will want to know what you look like. That’s why.”

“I’ve published ten books without a photo. Why now?”

“The publisher has decided.”

“Oh yeah, just like the title, time of publication, and everything else.”

“I have a job to do. I don’t make the rules.”

“Oh, I know that. Excuse the rant. I just feel like I have no control.”

“I can imagine. I know if someone kept telling me what pictures to take, I would feel the same way.”

“You are being told to take a picture of me.”

“I meant my own pictures. My client’s pictures are paid for by them, so they have a say so.”

“Does that make it right? How much are you being paid for this one.”

“Not much. $200.00.”

“Wow. That seems like a little amount.”

“Well, it’s the going rate for a sitting.”

“What if I doubled that?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll pay you $400 not to take the photo.”

“I have to send something to the client. They paid in advance.”

“I have an idea. You have any costumes here?”

“Only a dog costume.”

“I’ll put that on. You take my picture and send it along with $200 and make up an excuse. I’ll give you $400 to do that.”

“You have a deal. Here’s the costume.”

“It’s hot for sure.”

“Now smile, Tinkerbell. That’s great.”

“Thank you so much. I feel free.”

“You know they’ll just hire another to take the photo.”

“Yeah, but thinking of the look on the faces over there is well worth it.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “In the Corner”

January 2, 2021January 1, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 53 Comments

It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again. If you would like to join this group, visit Linda Hill’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link.

The Friday Reminder for #SoCS & #JusJoJan 2021 Daily Prompt – Jan. 2nd

My goodness, Linda Hill, fresh from New Year’s Eve, is here. She is carrying a big envelope, which I assume is the prompt for this week.

“You are right, john. Happy New Year, and here it is.”

“Thanks, Linda. Can I open it?”

“How else are you going to know the prompt?”

“Well, at Christmas, I lost out on a Bentley Convertable.”

“But the note said do not open. There is no note this year.”

“I still feel like I’m in the corner, though.”

“Go ahead, open it.”

“Okay. I’ll read it out loud.”

“Don’t make any mistakes.”

“Gee, whiz. You know how to put someone further in the Corner.”

“My job. Read it.”

“Ahem. Your prompt for #JusJoJan and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: ‘in the corner.’ Write about whatever the image or thought of ‘in the corner’ brings to mind. Have fun!”

“Would you look at that.”

“I didn’t need an image I had you.”

“There you go. Well, my job is done here. Have a good week.”

“I think my job is done too. Thank you, Linda.”

“Oh, about that Bentley turbo.”

“Yes?”

“You need to work harder.”

“Good advice. Sheesh. Watch that screen door.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Compliment”

December 29, 2020December 28, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 51 Comments

Since Keith Channing is on a break, I thought it would be fun to make another finger point prompt. Today I randomly opened Eternal Road – The final stop and eyes wide shut pointed to a page. The word that was closest to my finger was “compliment.” That is the prompt for today.

“My you look nice today, sir.”

“Huh?”

“I said, ‘my you look nice today.'”

“I heard what you said. I’m just a little confused as to why you said it. I don’t even know you.”

“I’m paying you a compliment. My name is Jim.”

“Yeah, okay, Jim. Any reason you are paying me a compliment?”

“I have made a New Year’s resolution to say something nice to everyone I meet.”

“Uh. That sounds like an admirable objective. It is a little offputting, though.”

“How?”

“With no context, when someone says, ‘My you look nice today,’ it is like you want something.”

“I was only paying a compliment, but now that you mention it.”

“What?”

“Could you loan me ten bucks.”

“See. This is exactly what I mean. You give me a compliment only to get what you want.”

‘Well, it is much better to be nice.”

“But the end result is the same.”

“I guess you are right. Okay, then does this make a difference?”

“W-what’s that?”

“Last time I looked a Glock 9mm. How about your wallet?”

“I think we should go back to nice.”

“Nah. You are right. This is a better way. I’m not even going to say thank you. It is the last of 2020. Maybe I’ll try my approach in 2021.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “Box”

December 26, 2020December 25, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 28 Comments

It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday, and this week’s prompt is “box.” Linda Hill says we can use it any way we want. If you would like to join this outrageous group of using words any way we want, visit Linda’s blog, and you can read how easy it is. Here is the link.

/https://lindaghill.com/2020/12/25/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-dec-26-2020/

“What are you doing?”

“Merry Christmas to you too.”

“That was yesterday. So what’s up.”

“I’m trying to figure out what to do with this box.”

“It is a big one for sure. Did your present come in this box?”

“I thought it was my present, but when I unwrapped it, there was nothing inside.”

“Not even a piece of coal?”

“Very funny.”

“Who gave you the present?”

“I don’t know it was sitting on my drive Christmas morning.”

“Any note?”

“Nothing. Well, there was one thing.”

“What was that?”

“One of those tags with the “to” and “from” spaces. You know the one with a Santa on it.”

“So who sent the package?”

“There was nothing on the tag.”

“Maybe someone thought they had put a gift in there but didn’t.”

“This is Boxing Day, right?”

“Yeah, in the Commonwealth countries.”

“I think whoever gave me this box intended it as a gift on boxing day.”

“The holiday did start as a way to reward those loyal servants by giving them the day off and a box of goodies.”

“Not just a box.”

“No. In fact, it looks like whoever gave you this was tired of breaking down boxes for recycling. It was easier to move it to your drive.”

“Boy, that’s not nice.”

“You can say that again.”

“Boy, that’s n—”

“Never mind. Well, I guess you’re stuck with it.”

“Unless I regift.”

“Oh please, it’s the middle of the day. How you going to pull it off?”

“I’ll put this label on it.”

“You think a Bentley Turbo label will make the difference.”

“Sure will get the heart rate up.”

“You are a devil.”

“Fo sure.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt Mini/Maxi

December 12, 2020December 11, 2020 ~ John W. Howell ~ 52 Comments

It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again, and here comes Linda Hill carrying a big and little box. I’ll bet she has a surprise for us as far as a prompt goes.

“Hi, Linda. What’s in the boxes?”

“It’s the Holiday, John. It needs to be a surprise. Put these under the tree and open them Christmas Day.”

“What about the prompt?”

“Man, you are type A, aren’t you. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “mini/maxi.” Use “mini” (the smallest of something) or “maxi” (the largest) or both in your post. Have fun!”

“Thanks for the gifts.”

“Where’d you get the boxes?”

“Linda Hill gave them to me.”

“Open them up.”

‘She said to wait until Christmas day.”

“Look around.”

“What?”

“You see Linda here?”

“Well, no.”

“So how will she know if you open them or not?”

“It will ruin the surprise.”

“What surprise is that?”