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Originally efforts for the 30 Day Blogging Challenge in July... now just a blog |
The 30 Day Blogging Challenge ..... lets see how far I get... Pretty far it seems! Winner (1st place) for the July 2013 "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() Second place for the September 2014 "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ![]() |
30 DBC - 20th September - Prompt: Write about someone who’s just tired of everything and finds a positive way to deal with it. Bang Bang I've been having a fight Bang All bloody night Bang Fixing this device Bang Thought I had it twice Bang But bloody technology Bang Is a load of poopology Ba…owch I've totally conceded I feel too impeded Bang So I've taken up the hammer Bang Oh such glamour Bang It was utterly useless Bang The device was juiceless Ba… aaahhh Nooo, my brain had a glitch Sob I've just found the reset switch! Sob Granted this doesn’t look like a positive outcome. But, when this person buys this device again, they'll know where the reset button is and wont need a hammer! ![]() In Other News: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Today's Yellow Brick ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ![]() ![]() Clues so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Guesses so far: ▼ ![]() ![]() I'm hoping that by the end of this challenge (30th September) I will be allowed to share. So, for the next twenty days, I will give you a yellow brick at the end of each (or most) of my blog entries. With each brick will be a clue pointing towards what my top secret secret is! You can all have one guess each day. The first person to guess correctly will win a Mystery MB from me. I will NOT tell you if you're right or wrong until I know I am allowed to announce. If I am allowed to announce before the end of the 30DBC, the clues will become more obvious. So, to sum up, use my daily clues to guess my secret. Be the first and you'll win a Mystery MB. |
30 DBC - 19th September - Prompt: Write a blog entry, or story your choice in which each sentence starts with the next letter of the alphabet starting with A. For example ~ A orange cat joined out family. Boldly challenging the older cats, he has quickly made his presence felt. Clearly, the older cats are not going to take this lying down. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() In Other News: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Today's Yellow Brick ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ![]() ![]() ![]() Clues so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Guesses so far: ▼ I'm hoping that by the end of this challenge (30th September) I will be allowed to share. So, for the next twenty days, I will give you a yellow brick at the end of each (or most) of my blog entries. With each brick will be a clue pointing towards what my top secret secret is! You can all have one guess each day. The first person to guess correctly will win a Mystery MB from me. I will NOT tell you if you're right or wrong until I know I am allowed to announce. If I am allowed to announce before the end of the 30DBC, the clues will become more obvious. So, to sum up, use my daily clues to guess my secret. Be the first and you'll win a Mystery MB. |
30 DBC - 17th September - Prompt: Write about times when you've felt good about your writing, such as when a great idea zipped into your mind. Now, look at what you have written, how do you feel. Would you save this for inspiration, later? Why or Why not. I'm not sure really. Recently (since breaking my foot) I have really been trying to get my creative juices flowing and put pen paper much more. I set myself a goal, over at Slave Drivers Inc, to write 17 poems in September. I think I've exceeded that already! I can't even begin to say that all, if any, of the poems I've written are any good. But just the exercise of starting and finishing pieces has been quite good in terms of getting ideas flowing. I've also found that while writing one poem, I might get ideas for another. E.g. "that's a cool word - it doesn't work for this, but I'll store it for later". I've not written anything of use for a few days. I think I should have done because I've had a few ideas fly out my head ![]() So, I think, maybe, right now is when I feel the best about my writing. I know the quality needs work, but you need the basics to be able to iron anything out! Even if it is just an awareness of favourite words, its a step forward... I definitely feel like i'm learning at the moment, rather than pretending, which can only be a good thing. Has writing this inspired me? Funnily enough, it has. When I've finished, I'm off to read one of my books on poetry or maybe I'll try and pen a poem ![]() In Other News: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Today's Yellow Brick ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ![]() ![]() Clues so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Guesses so far: ▼ I'm hoping that by the end of this challenge (30th September) I will be allowed to share. So, for the next twenty days, I will give you a yellow brick at the end of each (or most) of my blog entries. With each brick will be a clue pointing towards what my top secret secret is! You can all have one guess each day. The first person to guess correctly will win a Mystery MB from me. I will NOT tell you if you're right or wrong until I know I am allowed to announce. If I am allowed to announce before the end of the 30DBC, the clues will become more obvious. So, to sum up, use my daily clues to guess my secret. Be the first and you'll win a Mystery MB. |
30 DBC - 17th September - Prompt: Peter Rubin says, "The story is not what happens, the story is who happens too." By this he means, readers need to be engaged in the lives of the people they read about before the author thinks about the plot/story. Do you agree? Which is more important having really interesting characters or a really exciting plot? Do you think First, Second or Third person makes the characters more realistic to your writing. Last question, he indicates the hook is what makes your writing relevant. What do you think? ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** What, what, what?... Wednesday's Writer Discussion? Where has that come from? Today is Warchest Wednesday! Always has been! You can't just go around changing things! ![]() ![]() Hmm! I'm not really feeling my answer to this prompt coming clearly. I've always thought that the great thing about stories and their authors is that they are all different. Even if you feel like you've read "this story" before, unless its the same author, then the chances are there will be definite difference. There are so many rules about writing and, yes, many of them are right or at least make a point. But sometimes I wonder whether too many "rules", in a way, ruin writing. I'm sure there are people who write a great story but delete it because they heard that that way doesn't work. What works for one person might not work for everyone I've read loads of books where I hated the characters but loved the story... and vice versa. So... *shrug* I'm not convinced! ![]() Today's Yellow Brick ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ![]() ![]() Clues so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Guesses so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I'm hoping that by the end of this challenge (30th September) I will be allowed to share. So, for the next twenty days, I will give you a yellow brick at the end of each (or most) of my blog entries. With each brick will be a clue pointing towards what my top secret secret is! You can all have one guess each day. The first person to guess correctly will win a Mystery MB from me. I will NOT tell you if you're right or wrong until I know I am allowed to announce. If I am allowed to announce before the end of the 30DBC, the clues will become more obvious. So, to sum up, use my daily clues to guess my secret. Be the first and you'll win a Mystery MB. |
30 DBC - 16th September - Prompt: When is too much of something not a good thing? When it's the first thing you do when you get up?? No, maybe not because that would include coffee and checking WDC for writing prompts... then sitting down and answering them ![]() Maybe when you start to feel a bit like your face is being weighed down? ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Or or or when you know full well you have far too many Apple products but you've just ordered another one for good measure... ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** (this is aimed at me by the way) Ah I know, information overload. Some people love information and want to know more more more. But then this happens: ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ![]() ![]() ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Everyone wants to be happy, but everyone knows that sometimes too much of something can make you miserable. Money - you get it and it makes you happy but sometimes the price (fame/requirements/loneliness) can be too much. Glory - that can make you happy. But again, only to a point! Quick story time: In 2009 I had to have major surgery on my shoulder and the Doc told me I'd never swim again. A year later it was time for my usual "prove them wrong" piece and I went to the World Championships. I won a very unexpected gold medal! Wooo I did it, you were wrong! Happiness! A month later, I was diagnosed with depression - all my happiness had gone. I thought I knew why but it was still odd. I continued to fight on in my sport because I thought that was the one thing keeping me going. The next July I went to the European Championships. It was awful, I swam badly and I felt miserable. But while I was there, I looked down from the stands and decided I was done. I wasn't allowed to announce my retirement until October but as soon as the day came and everyone knew, I started to feel better! I didn't realise that I was depressed because I'd had enough. Nothing was wrong, per se. I mean I was number one in the World - that's never a bad thing! I'd just had enough. Too much of a good thing. In Other News: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Today's Yellow Brick ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ![]() ![]() Clues so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Guesses so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I'm hoping that by the end of this challenge (30th September) I will be allowed to share. So, for the next twenty days, I will give you a yellow brick at the end of each (or most) of my blog entries. With each brick will be a clue pointing towards what my top secret secret is! You can all have one guess each day. The first person to guess correctly will win a Mystery MB from me. I will NOT tell you if you're right or wrong until I know I am allowed to announce. If I am allowed to announce before the end of the 30DBC, the clues will become more obvious. So, to sum up, use my daily clues to guess my secret. Be the first and you'll win a Mystery MB. |
30 DBC - 15th September - Prompt: Do celebrity endorsements of particular products influence your decision to purchase and/or use them? Would you be more likely to lean toward a different brand than your usual if the company were to use a spokesperson more to your liking? In two words: No & no! I hate adverts! ![]() ![]() ![]() If I see a well known actor or music artist in an advert, my immediate thought is "sell out!" I always think it just means that work has dried up for them so they're taking what they can. Take Kevin Bacon for example. His EE adverts drive me up the wall..... [Embed For Use By Upgraded+] ![]() I am more understanding of sports people though. Its tough doing sport and making money. But, again, they're not likely to get me to buy anything either! Sports people also have it tougher as it would be easier for them to lose endorsements. One bad result and you could lose everything. Hero to zero! However, some companies choose people really badly. Nike, for example have sponsored the worst possible sports people! It really is unfortunate. Its funny but in a very wrong way. This is in bad taste, but this is a genuine ad campaign from Nike, pre Valentines day 2013: ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Another example of Nike's poor judgement on sponsorship, is this: ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** So, no, advertisements and endorsements don't sell anything to me... Well, no adverts might but the people featured in them do not. (apologies if I cause offence, just thought these were interesting!) In Other News: ![]() I also decided today was the day to give up smoking. I can't get to the shop by myself for another two and a bit weeks. So getting cigs without asking is impossible. I have electric ones that I quite like but its not the same! However, I will save tons of money so that's all good! ![]() I'm in just in a bad mood/frustrated in general - no big deal. It'll go tomorrow. ![]() ![]() Today's Yellow Brick ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ![]() ![]() Clues so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Guesses so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I'm hoping that by the end of this challenge (30th September) I will be allowed to share. So, for the next twenty days, I will give you a yellow brick at the end of each (or most) of my blog entries. With each brick will be a clue pointing towards what my top secret secret is! You can all have one guess each day. The first person to guess correctly will win a Mystery MB from me. I will NOT tell you if you're right or wrong until I know I am allowed to announce. If I am allowed to announce before the end of the 30DBC, the clues will become more obvious. So, to sum up, use my daily clues to guess my secret. Be the first and you'll win a Mystery MB. |
30 DBC - 14th September - Prompt: The Sunday Resonance: Review your peers. Tell us your favorite blog entry from your fellow challengers from the preceding week and, importantly, why. Share also with us which of your own blog posts you think stands out. Today, I've decided to get on an just write the blog. As we have seen this week, if I think about the prompts for too long, I just get carried away. Some of my blogs have been slightly OTT/random so far in this round of 30DBC. It is very obvious that I have too much time on my little hands. As it happens, I have quite big hands - I always think I have man hands! ![]() ![]() So, no picket lines, no poems about murder using emoticons and teddies, no coming up with mini guessing contests to keep my readers wondering... Nope... this is a serene blog post. ![]() Hmmm I think I have two favourite blog posts from others this week... 1) "The best way to start your day..." ![]() ![]() ![]() 2) "Invalid Entry" ![]() ![]() ![]() Both these bloggers have made me consider changing my content rating. Hmm... I wanna swear!! ![]() Now, my blogs... god knows where to start with this. What I will say is this: when I look at the prompts in the mornings, my immediate responses are normal, calm, and somewhat intelligent. Then time happens! I come back to write my normal entry, then BOOM! ![]() ![]() Again, I think I have two favourites: 1) "Invalid Entry" ![]() 2) "Invalid Entry" ![]() Okay, serene post done. I'll leave you with today's yellow brick. Although, I'm annoyed because I've just realised I've messed up my clues! Yesterday's wasn't due for a few days! ![]() Today's Yellow Brick ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ![]() ![]() Clues so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Guesses so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I'm hoping that by the end of this challenge (30th September) I will be allowed to share. So, for the next twenty days, I will give you a yellow brick at the end of each (or most) of my blog entries. With each brick will be a clue pointing towards what my top secret secret is! You can all have one guess each day. The first person to guess correctly will win a Mystery MB from me. I will NOT tell you if you're right or wrong until I know I am allowed to announce. If I am allowed to announce before the end of the 30DBC, the clues will become more obvious. So, to sum up, use my daily clues to guess my secret. Be the first and you'll win a Mystery MB. |
30 DBC - 13th September - Prompt:Describe to me the scene of the crime where the murder took place from the murderer's point of view. If you view energetic, try it from the victim's point of view. Remember it's creation Saturday and the key word is creation. Wooooahh... does this mean I get to kill someone today? ![]() ![]() Now, guys, listen close! Yesterday, Lady judge Lyn's a Witchy Woman ![]() Therefore, I feel the need to think very carefully about my next move! And with such a controversial prompt as this, I'm not entirely sure where to take it... I need some time to reflect... ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Okay... I've reflected! To make up for my outspoken behaviour with the emoticons yesterday, I've opted for this... ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() In Other News: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
Today's Yellow Brick ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** Clues so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Guesses so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I'm hoping that by the end of this challenge (30th September) I will be allowed to share. So, for the next twenty days, I will give you a yellow brick at the end of each (or most) of my blog entries. With each brick will be a clue pointing towards what my top secret secret is! You can all have one guess each day. The first person to guess correctly will win a Mystery MB from me. I will NOT tell you if you're right or wrong until I know I am allowed to announce. If I am allowed to announce before the end of the 30DBC, the clues will become more obvious. So, to sum up, use my daily clues to guess my secret. Be the first and you'll win a Mystery MB. |
30 DBC - 12th September - Prompt: We all know it's WDC's 14th Birthday. And they are having lots of parties this month. Well ,you are invited to a theme party. However the theme is rather unusual everyone must come as a human emotion. What's your costume? Remember it is funny Friday!![]() No, no, wait! That's not actually my answer, I'm just saying... It seems I've been in a rather questioning mood this week, in blogging terms. So, lets continue this, shall we? Technically, an emoticon is: a metacommunicative pictorial representation of a facial expression which in the absence of body language and prosody serves to draw a receiver's attention to the tenor or temper of a sender's nominal verbal communication, changing and improving its interpretation However, here on WDC, the term "emoticon" is used in reference to all the little pictures we see around the site. I.e. ![]() 1. The prompt either (a) goes against the language used on WDC as a whole, and/or (b) portrays discrimination towards non-human emoticons, as if they can help it! 2. It means that if I were to follow these strict party rules, I would not be welcome if I came as say a t-shirt ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() What then, I ask you, would happen if I were to arrive as a ghost ( ![]() On the basis of discrimination towards non-human emoticons, I shall not be accepting my invite, I'll be boycotting it instead!! In fact, I will be rounding up my other activist friends and making a picket line out side the party!! ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** As it happens, I WAS going to come as a very attractive beach ball. I have the padding and multicoloured plastic already here! All I needed to do was stick it together. But none of you will get to see my amazing costume! Nope ![]() Y'all have a great time wont ya! ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() In Other News: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Today's Yellow Brick ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** ![]() ![]() Clues so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() Guesses so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I'm hoping that by the end of this challenge (30th September) I will be allowed to share. So, for the next twenty days, I will give you a yellow brick at the end of each (or most) of my blog entries. With each brick will be a clue pointing towards what my top secret secret is! You can all have one guess each day. The first person to guess correctly will win a Mystery MB from me. I will NOT tell you if you're right or wrong until I know I am allowed to announce. If I am allowed to announce before the end of the 30DBC, the clues will become more obvious. So, to sum up, use my daily clues to guess my secret. Be the first and you'll win a Mystery MB. |
30 DBC - 11th September - Prompt: Does intuition exist or is it sheer coincidence? I am told there are two senses of intuition. One is the immediate awareness and the other is a mode of knowledge based on apprehension. Is it possible that someone can instinctively know with out the use of rational processes. What do you think? Or is it just a plain dumb lucky guess. Humm I've been thinking about how to respond to this prompt for hours. I now figure I should just bite the bullet and get on with it. Or, rather, I will after I eat some lunch and watch a bit of the new Dr Who while I do so! ![]() ![]() Okay, that was a lie! I went away for about 4 hours! Oops... Procrastination at it's best. I think I'm going to continue with yesterday's theme, and start with a definition (or maybe even two!). Intuition is the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning. Intuition is a thing that one knows or considers likely from instinctive feeling rather than conscious reasoning. Intuition is a thing? errr does that count as good English? *shrug* I didn't write it. I like to think I'm pretty intuitive. I tend to listen to my gut feelings quite a lot. Are they the same thing? ![]() ![]() So, I go with my gut. And I think I'm rather good at reading people and situations pretty quickly. So, I feel like I understand things before needing to rationalise them. Mostly I am right, which feeds my Ego rather nicely, thank you very much! But then, as you say, am I just lucky? Could be - its highly possible. But then there is no way to prove it either way. ![]() ![]() Of course it's real! Think about it for a minute. Your eyes take in millions of images each day. Your ears hear things you don't realise are going on. AND you are only using 10% of your brain consciously. The other 90% of your brain is sub-consciously processing all the tiny bits of info you're taking in all day every day, then feeding it to the conscious part of your brain if you really need to know it. In other words, our nervous system receives far more information than you can process or remember consciously. Your brain does a great deal of processing you're not consciously aware of. Intuition occurs simply when there's information which you've either forgotten or never consciously noticed in the first place, but which is still stored in memory and influences your decisions. I'm not saying your intuition is always right, or that its never just "luck". But, on the whole, this is the score! ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() In Other News ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Today's Yellow Brick ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** 14th October 2014 Clues so far: ![]() ![]() Guesses so far: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I'm hoping that by the end of this challenge (30th September) I will be allowed to share a top secret secretx. So, for the next twenty days, I will give you a yellow brick at the end of each (or most) of my blog entries. With each brick will be a clue pointing towards what my top secret secret is! You can all have one guess each day. The first person to guess correctly will win a Mystery MB from me. I will NOT tell you if you're right or wrong until I know I am allowed to announce. If I am allowed to announce before the end of the 30DBC, the clues will become more obvious. So, to sum up, use my daily clues to guess my secret. Be the first and you'll win a Mystery MB. |