being the mostly inane ramblings of me with occasional bouts of lucidity and flashes of genius also plagiarised useful stuff
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
#Encore
As the Battle that started in the Valley of Megiddo spread to the rest of the planet and all human life was destroyed, the grey watchers spoke for the first time since the Big Bang. They turned to YHWH and said just two words, “Bravo! #encore”
Monday, December 30, 2019
#cocoon #Bio
#Cocooned in his brand new Range Rover Sport, warm, comfortable, whisper quiet, motorway almost free of traffic, everyone else fast asleep, Andy didn’t realise how fast he was going until it was too late. He never knew what hit him.
*based a true story that involved a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth and no crash
Sunday, December 29, 2019
#circus #Guru
On a rare trip into the world he heard the cry, “Run! The animals have escaped!”
Most ran, some helped one old guy just sat unconcerned, watching.
“Not my #circus, not my monkeys,” he shrugged.
“I like that, I can use that” thought the guru as he ran pursued by a bear.
*This is the fourth outing for the guru character
Can I call myself a writer yet?
Clearly it's been a while and yet the stats show that people have been viewing this page. I'm guessing it's because I've been a lot more active on Twitter recently as @J_D_Hathaway and there's a link in my bio. Partly that's been because of time off work due to illness and surgery and after my mum died and now for a nice long break at Christmas.
During this time I noticed that a few of the people I followed kept posting a hashtag #vss365. It took me a while to figure out what it was: a daily prompt word to get people to write a story within a single tweet. I followed for while longer and then started searching for the hashtag to see what other people had written and began to wonder if I could do it. I Googled(tm) vss365 and found this website https://vss365today.com/about that explained it and that there really were no rules. That definitely sounded like something I could have a go at.
I started on November 30th and since then haven't missed a day (I might in future). I've been looking forward to the daily prompt and although I struggled with some of them more than others it has been a joy trying to think of new things to say about "icicle" or "suave" that other people haven't already said. Some of them have been quite poor and some have had lots of people liking them - to me lots is 15 or 20. This new endeavour has also seen my twitter following grow from about 150, which took 10 years, to over 500 in the last month, which is almost unbelievable.
I've learned new words, had great interactions with #WritingCommunity, who are just some the the friendliest and most helpful people on Twitter, bought new books, had new books bought for me, enjoyed myself researching the meaning and etymology of words or the current maximum velocity of a spacecraft (67 kps after a gravity assist from the sun). Long may it continue.
P.S. If you want to have a look at just my #vss365 stuff this link https://twitter.com/search?q=(%23vss365)%20(from%3AJ_D_Hathaway)%20-filter%3Alinks%20-filter%3Areplies will do a search on Twitter I would love feedback on any of them, especially what I can do to improve. Who knows, one day I might have the guts to try writing some flash fiction or a short story.
During this time I noticed that a few of the people I followed kept posting a hashtag #vss365. It took me a while to figure out what it was: a daily prompt word to get people to write a story within a single tweet. I followed for while longer and then started searching for the hashtag to see what other people had written and began to wonder if I could do it. I Googled(tm) vss365 and found this website https://vss365today.com/about that explained it and that there really were no rules. That definitely sounded like something I could have a go at.
I started on November 30th and since then haven't missed a day (I might in future). I've been looking forward to the daily prompt and although I struggled with some of them more than others it has been a joy trying to think of new things to say about "icicle" or "suave" that other people haven't already said. Some of them have been quite poor and some have had lots of people liking them - to me lots is 15 or 20. This new endeavour has also seen my twitter following grow from about 150, which took 10 years, to over 500 in the last month, which is almost unbelievable.
I've learned new words, had great interactions with #WritingCommunity, who are just some the the friendliest and most helpful people on Twitter, bought new books, had new books bought for me, enjoyed myself researching the meaning and etymology of words or the current maximum velocity of a spacecraft (67 kps after a gravity assist from the sun). Long may it continue.
P.S. If you want to have a look at just my #vss365 stuff this link https://twitter.com/search?q=(%23vss365)%20(from%3AJ_D_Hathaway)%20-filter%3Alinks%20-filter%3Areplies will do a search on Twitter I would love feedback on any of them, especially what I can do to improve. Who knows, one day I might have the guts to try writing some flash fiction or a short story.
Saturday, December 28, 2019
#harmony #Space #Aliens
After 30 Jovian years the great mating murmuration ended. The #harmony of the dance over. Soon there would be babies.
On Earth, astronomers wondered why the Great Red Spot had disappeared
#vss365
The planets all spin the same way but Venus the other, different and yet a beautiful part of the #harmony of the spheres. Uranus, on the other hand is drunk. Is it because he’s the only Greek amidst the Romans?
The planets all spin the same way but Venus the other, different and yet a beautiful part of the #harmony of the spheres. Uranus, on the other hand is drunk. Is it because he’s the only Greek amidst the Romans?
Friday, December 27, 2019
Thursday, December 26, 2019
#find #Guru
“Teach me wise one. What must I do to #find myself?”
“Give your time, talents, your whole self in the service of others.” The guru watched sadly as the angry young man stomped away from the cave back down the mountain. "Why did they always think there was a quick fix?"
Wednesday, December 25, 2019
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Monday, December 23, 2019
Sunday, December 22, 2019
#icicle #Guru
From the relative warmth of the cave the guru watched the #icicles form over the entrance, one much larger than the rest.
“There has to be a metaphor there that I can use but it’s too cold to think and when I’m warmer the evidence will be gone.”
Saturday, December 21, 2019
#glow #Bio
We heard the sleigh bells jingle. We saw the red #glow track across the sky. For another year we BELIEVED. Best Christmas EVER! 50 years later I try to recreate that magic for my grandkids but sometimes I wonder what if it wasn’t my parents. What if...
#vss365
Although this was written as a "story" in response to today's #vss365 prompt, it is autobiographical
Although this was written as a "story" in response to today's #vss365 prompt, it is autobiographical
Friday, December 20, 2019
#profound #Guru
After days of fasting and prayer the holy man wrote the words, deep, #profound and meaningful for the one who should receive them. Trouble is the fortune cookie company printed millions of copies but hey, a guy has to earn a living somehow
Thursday, December 19, 2019
#virtual #Space
You’ve done this a million times in #virtual reality. Ok, that’s an exaggeration but lots and you only crashed once. What’s the worst that could happen? Yeah, but this is for real with the hard vacuum of space just inches away. No pressure. Yup that’s it.
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
#sliver #Space #Gareth
The tiniest #sliver of red on his O₂ gauge Gareth knew that rushing back to the airlock would mean his death. Alarms blaring, hand-over-hand, calm, steady, fastidiously attaching anchors at every point, he prayed to whatever gods may be listening.
Monday, December 16, 2019
#wring
Steve snuck into the girls changing room and hid in an empty locker pulling the door closed carefully he waited. Eventually they arrived giggling and talking excitedly. What he heard next made him gasp and he feared being caught.
“Now ladies, after your shower, place the towel midway in the nape of your neck, bend forward and grasp with both hands, #wring it out and then stand up quickly tucking the end like so”.
“Now ladies, after your shower, place the towel midway in the nape of your neck, bend forward and grasp with both hands, #wring it out and then stand up quickly tucking the end like so”.
It was true! They DO teach them how to do it
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Saturday, December 14, 2019
#lucid #Bio
One day in her care home my mother was singing in a foreign language. My brother-in-law asked her “What does that mean in English?”
In a rare moment of lucidity she replied “The same as it does in Hindi.”
It has been a month since she passed. I miss her.
Friday, December 13, 2019
#vow
“What part of #vow did you not understand?”
* Antenora is the section of the 9th Circle of Hell reserved for traitors to their political party or country
“I always thought of it as more of a promise to try and anyway I had my fingers crossed behind my back. It’s not like it was a pinky-swear or anything.”
“Be that as it may, welcome to Antenora Mr Johnson”
§ for the American market, replace Johnson with Trump
Thursday, December 12, 2019
#serpentine
“Join me,” she beckoned, her dark green eyes flashing fire, as she stood beyond the cliff edge near the Lizard lighthouse.
He stooped, selected a stone and placed it in a velvet pouch next to his heart.
Bound to the #Serpentine unique to Cornwall she is with him always.
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Monday, December 09, 2019
#sway #OldWest
Sunday, December 08, 2019
#velvet #Jared
Warm, peaceful, comfortable, floating in black #velvet darkness; Jared wished he could stay forever. Distant, irritating buzzing.
Not buzzing, voices; worried voices.
Not velvet, carpet.
Not comfortable, hard on the side of his face.
He slowly returned to consciousness.
Saturday, December 07, 2019
#amber #Space #Gareth
“It shouldn’t crackle,” Gareth thought “It’s Digital.”
#AMBER ALERT!
He had to look up what that meant and what to do next: wake the 2nd mate from cryo. That would take at least an hour. He went to the head but it didn’t relieve the ache in his guts.
The pixel grew.
Friday, December 06, 2019
#pixel #Space #Gareth
Thursday, December 05, 2019
Wednesday, December 04, 2019
Tuesday, December 03, 2019
Sunday, December 01, 2019
#omen #horror
Carrie wasn't superstitious and didn't believe in #omens but when she saw the raven and the owl sitting on a ladder with a black cat underneath she stepped off the sidewalk to avoid it.
The bus driver would remember the sound for the rest of his life.
The bus driver would remember the sound for the rest of his life.
Saturday, November 30, 2019
#part #Bio
They found the Ouija board in a #part of the old attic they'd never noticed before and started to play but the pointer just kept bouncing up and down.
They were about to give up when someone asked "What is it doing?" Only then did it spell
L
A
U
G
H
I
N
G
#vss365
My first ever #vss365 attempt, this story is based one one told to me by my Mum as true and happening to her. I used the idea in an essay for my 'O' Level English Language exam (yes I really am that old) and got a Grade A.
#vss365
My first ever #vss365 attempt, this story is based one one told to me by my Mum as true and happening to her. I used the idea in an essay for my 'O' Level English Language exam (yes I really am that old) and got a Grade A.
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