Chat (Cookies and tea allowed in this room) Showing 2,351-2,400 of 2,921

[Arun]

My +1 for the poem too :-) Congrats!

[Connie]

Congrats Ryan! I read all the poems and can honestly say I like yours the most.

[Ryan]

Thank you, Arun. Thank you, Connie. I'm so grateful for all the support and nice feedback.

[Angie]

Hey guys! I don't know where else to put this, but I learned something really cool in school this week. Did you know that ants don't actually eat the crumbs/plant bits we see them carry away? They actually take it back to their ant hills to feed to their "gardens" of fungi, which they then eat. I just thought that was the coolest thing :)

[Guy]

Indeed it is! I did not know that and thank you for sharing it.

[Ryan]

Very cool, Angie! I love stuff like that. Thanks :)

[Connie]

Really? How interesting.

[Edward]

For those of y'all interesting, I've started a new group called the Writers' Training Field, which is basically just an assortment of word and story games. One could use it a bit like Brain Age - a mental work out to flex your wordplay and similar intellectual muscles before cracking down on writing. It's also just a lot of fun.

It's public, so anyone can join wherever they like and jump right in. Some games are classics, some are lesser known, and a few are outright experimental.

[Guy]

Sounds like fun, Edward.

[Ruthie]

Hi.. I was just browsing some of the activities in this group, especially the Games section. I kind of want to suggest this game I have in mind. I don't know if you've seen one like this before, so tell me if my idea is not so original, after all.

Anyway, the game goes like this:

1) One person will write a paragraph that is a beginning of a story. She/He cannot say the genre, plot or anything about the story - just one paragraph.
2) The next person will continue the story with another paragraph, and so on and so forth. They can add twists, subplots and other characters if they wish, as long as it's contained in one paragraph.
3) This will continue on and on. If one person decides to end the story, she/he must write a new paragraph for a new story. And the games will continue.
4) Plot twist: all paragraphs must end in a cliffhanger (...), except the ending paragraph.

No word limit - just something to stir the minds, and keep the creative juices flowing.

So, what do you think?

[[deleted user]]

Hi Ruthie! Thank you for your suggestion. I like the cliffhanger part haha I'll let the other mods know, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible :)

[Ruthie]

Thanks, Leslie. Hope they like it too. :)

[Ryan]

Cool idea, Ruthie. I'm in :)

[Nadia]

That sounds like a lot of fun.

[Guy]

This sounds like fun! I would be a participant too. Or would that be better expressed as a 'player'?

[Connie]

I've done this before (informally) in other face-to-face writing groups and it is really fun!

[Guy]

Congratulations to M on his being on Amy King's poetry competion for June! Excellent poem, M. :-)

[Garrison]

Excellent poem indeed, M! I hope you win the whole contest! :)

[Ruthie]

Congrats, M! I wish I could vote, but I am not a member of that group. But if I could, I'd definitely vote for you. Good luck! :)

[Garrison]

I'm about to post this blog entry on my Deviant Art account and thought it'd be nice to post it here as well:



***MY 30TH BIRTHDAY***

Even though my mother jokingly says it’s June 3rd in Greenwich, England, I still have one night of being 29 years old left. Tomorrow (in Port Orchard, Washington), I hit the big 3-0. Three decades of weird stuff has all culminated into this moment, whatever that may be. People have asked me if I’m worried about growing older or if I’m going to be traumatized by my new age.

The answer is no. The number 30 is just that: a number. It’s no different from 25 or 18 or even 60. I’m still going to be Garrison Haines-Temons, or Garrison Kelly for those of you who read my work on a consistent basis. I used to think turning 21 was a big deal until I remembered that I don’t like alcoholic beverages. Turning 18 was a big deal too until I remembered that I hate cigarettes even more. Being in my 30’s is going to be met with the same modesty as any other year.

In hindsight, it’s a good thing I already chose my career path of becoming a professional author. When you’re trying to be a singer or an actor, making it big while you’re young is essential to the success of your career. If you’re an author and you haven’t made it big yet, don’t sweat it, because a lot of authors don’t get published until well into their middle ages.

While it is true that my only published work is through vanity presses and those works were published prematurely, I’m not bitter about not yet being traditionally published at age 30. Even with all of this writing and reading experience under my belt, I’m still not ready for the limelight. Occupy Wrestling has only seen one pair of critical eyes and I need more in order to make it 100% sharpened. Same thing with my contemporary drama short story collection American Darkness.

The day will come when other beta readers will give me their true opinions. Until then, I’m happy with being 30, because there’s so much more ahead of me now that I’ve accomplished the little things I have. And if I’m still feeling bad about being an “old man”, I can just remember that I have a baby face and I still make birthday present lists every year for my loving parents. Even at the age of 30, I’m still just a big kid at heart and that’s the way I like it. We’ve got ears, say cheers!

[Ryan]

Well Garrison, my dear friend - it is also the 3rd down under in the land of Oz, so I'll take the opportunity to be the first pirate to wish you a very merry 30th birthday!

Mate, I admire your positive outlook on life and agree with you whole-heartedly! I have no doubt you will have publishing success in the future - your perseverance guarantees it. Thirty is a great year - enjoy it with careless abandon ;)

[[deleted user]]

Happy Birthday, Garrison! May your life be filled with so much joy, peace and love :) Welcome to the 30s club :P

[Garrison]

You two have been awesome to me ever since I joined the group in late 2013. Thank you so much! :)

[Arun]

Whoa! Happy Birthday! Welcome to the club of 30s :-)

[Garrison]

Thank you very much, Arun! :)

[Guy]

Thirty, eh? Congratulations on having made it this far! ;-)

[Garrison]

Thanks, guy! I hope to make it much further. :)

[[deleted user]]

Yes, Al :) Though chat has been free-flowing, can't say the same for the cookies. I want brownies, by the way :)

[Guy]

Cookie or kookie?

[Connie]

Happy Birthday Garrison I hope your loving parents get you a super awesome gift. I think with your eclectic interests it would be fun shopping for you!

[Ruthie]

Happy Birthday, Garrison!! 5 more years and I'll see you in club 30's.. :)

I wish you happiness and good health. Cheers to your 30 years and for the next 30 years!!

[Garrison]

Aww! You guys are awesome! Thank you all so much! :)

[C. J., Cool yet firm like ice]

Happy Birthday Garrison! My brother knows what you are talking about as he is in the same boat (he turns 30 in July!). Hope you have a wonderful day and keep on shining, buddy!

[Garrison]

Thanks, CJ! Thirty is a magical time of life and should be enjoyed to the fullest extent. :)

[Garrison]

Hey, everyone! From this coming Monday until the Wednesday after, I’m going to be on vacation with my best friend Susan to Long Beach, Washington. If Long Beach sounds familiar to everyone, it’s because I went there last year and did a whole bunch of fun stuff like play on the beach and drive go-karts. This year, I’m going to do all of that again.

The reason I’m telling everyone this is not to brag, but because it has implications on that week’s story contest. Due to my vacation time, I might be able to pump out something that week, but I also might not. The only days I have to work with that week would be Sunday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Sunday will probably be used preparing for the vacation and the last three days will probably be spent in recovery mode. If I don’t submit an entry for next week, it’s because I’m out in Long Beach having a good time for my 30th birthday. See you all soon!

[Angie]

Have fun on your vacation, Garrison! Make sure to stay safe, too :)

[Angie]

My SAT and ACT are now behind me for the summer, so I fully intend to submit something for this week's short story contest. If I haven't gotten anything up by Thursday, will someone bug me to get it done? I really want to get back into the swing of things :)

[Guy]

Congratulations! No bugging from me, sorry. But it is so much fun to write here that you will not need to be bugged. (Odd. 'Bugged' fits the next word transformation.)

[Garrison]

Thanks, Angie! And congratulations on passing those tests! :)

[Garrison]

There's been a change of plans regarding the three-day vacation. It's been cancelled altogether. But when one door closes, another one opens. I'm definitely competing in next week's contest.

[Marie]

Too bad Garrison, I know you were looking forward to it.

[Garrison]

I was, Marie. Oh well.

[Angie]

Thanks everyone :) And maybe you can write a vacation themed story this week, Garrison?

[Garrison]

It's a nice thought, Angela, but I have an idea of what I want to do already. :)

[Angie]

Can't wait to read it, Garrison :)

[Garrison]

I'm getting ready to post it right now. :)

[Marie]

Oh, I need to go check out the new topic!

Ooooh, that's a good one. Hmm, what to write about? Tough decision, I have so many story ideas that have a metaphorical or a physical knife in the back that it's hard to decide.

[Garrison]

Why not have both? Hehehehehe!

[Marie]

Perhaps my friend. Perhaps...

[Garrison]

Whichever you choose, don't forget to splash a little blood on your canvas. Like the heavy metal group Hellyeah always says, "Sangre por Sangre, Blood for Blood"! Hehehehehe!