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Category Archives: Challenges

Spend it, spend it all!

time and moneyPhoto by Joe Belanger

NaBloPoMo Friday, November 1, 2013
If you found one million dollars in the morning and had to spend it by nightfall, what would you do with the money?

If I had a million dollars
Well, I’d buy you a monkey
Haven’t you always wanted a monkey?

Oh, no, wait. That’s what the Barenaked Ladies would do if they had a million dollars. If I had a million dollars, I’d start out predictably, paying off the mortgage and my student loan, then writing checks to help family and friends realize some of their dreams. I’d rip up the carpet upstairs and put down hardwood floors, then go on a whirlwind curtain shopping expedition. I’d pay someone to design and build a deck and landscape the yard. I’d book the hubby and me on the Queen Mary 2 for our dreamed-of round-the-world cruise. I’d find a pair of jeans, a pair of boots, and a swimsuit that truly fit and wouldn’t bat an eye at the price tags. I’d buy the most expensive steak from Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Gordon Ramsay Steak, and Food Lion and do a side-by-side taste test to determine once and for all if the price really does affect flavor (I’m guessing not as much as they’d like me to believe). I’d show up at my local Habitat for Humanity build with my hammer and a big fat check to fund their next project. I’d buy boatloads of books and oodles of school supplies to donate to kids in the local shelters. I’d make the day (year) of the guy panhandling on the corner. Lastly, I’d head to the neighborhood gas station and spend the rest of my million to fill up the tanks of anyone who could get there before nightfall.

I’m not sure I have a really good concept of just how far a million dollars will (or won’t) go these days, but it sure would be fun to find out!

NaBloPoMo November 2013

 
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Posted by on November 1, 2013 in Challenges

 

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Gratitude Photo Day 1: Color

photo 2

The fall colors have become much more intense in the local area over the past couple of days. The blazing red of this burning bush (actually a whole row of them) could not be ignored! I’m grateful that the strong winds that blew through over the last 24-hours didn’t tear them away before I could capture them (although they’d certainly make a brilliant carpet)!

30day photo challenge

 
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Posted by on November 1, 2013 in Challenges, Photography

 

Travel theme: Stone

Check out more stone photos or play along with Ailsa’s photo challenge at Where’s My Backpack?

 
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Posted by on October 27, 2013 in Challenges, Photography, Sunday Best

 

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Travel theme: Brown

Trolled the archives to play along with Ailsa’s weekly photo challenge at Where’s my backpack? Sure wish I had my box of Crayola crayons to correctly name all the shades!

 
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Posted by on October 20, 2013 in Challenges, Photography, Sunday Best

 

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Looking out for Number 1

anger
ME, ME, ME!

Horns honking, birds flipping, curses flying, guns blazing.

Decency, respect, and compassion the exception, not the rule.

Selfless acts now worthy of the 6 o’clock news.

What are we becoming?

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Katherine Paterson, author of Bridge to Terabithia, wrote, “It’s like the smarter you are, the more things can scare you.” Inspired by the quote, this weekend’s Trifextra challenge is to write 33 words about something scary. 

Blogger’s note: I came across the above photo on several other blogs and websites, but have been unable to find the original source to which to give proper credit.

 
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Posted by on October 19, 2013 in Challenges, Observations

 

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A mother’s worst nightmare

trolleysPhoto copyright Janet M. Webb

“Have you seen my baby? My baby? Have you seen him? Sir? SIR!? Did you see someone take my baby? He was right here in the cart. I just bent down to get a case of soda and now he’s gone. WHERE’S MY BABY?”

“Ma’am, I’m the store manager. You’re causing quite a scene. Other customers are frightened. What seems to be the problem?”

“My baby! He’s missing! Someone’s taken my baby! Please! Help me! Ryan! RYYYANNNN!!!”

Leanne sat bolt upright in the inky pre-dawn gloom, sweaty sheets tangled around her bulging abdomen.

I’m going to be a terrible mom.

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friday-fictioneers

Exactly 100 words for this weeks’s Friday Fictioneers photo prompt. 

 
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Posted by on October 18, 2013 in Challenges, Fiction

 

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A fluke is worth a thousand pukes

fluke 2011_resizePhoto from Rufford Foundation

“Welcome to the Babuyan Islands! I knew you’d love it.”

“Love it? I think I just puked up my toenails. Does your grant money cover Dramamine?”

“Funny. As soon as you see the first spout, you’ll forget all about being seasick. Camera ready?”

“Always. How many re-sights did you guys log last year?”

“Fourteen. Our photo IDs prove the humpbacks breeding here are migrating to feeding grounds off the coast of Russia.”

“Does it get old, squinting through those binoculars day after day, on the off chance that in this roiling ocean you might actually spot a fluke?”

“Never.”

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In honor of its 99th challenge, Trifecta has mixed things up a bit. Instead of using the third definition of a provided word to construct a story of 33-333 words, participants this week are free to use any definition of any word found on page 99 of the Oxford English Dictionary to tell a tale in 99 words. One lucky winner will win a $99 gift card…provided there are at least 99 participants! If you’d like to play for a chance to win, head on over to Trifecta and link up!

 

I’d never heard of the Babuyan Islands until this challenge. Turns out they are a small archipelago, part of the some 7,100 islands that make up the Philippines. The islands are beautiful, but largely undiscovered due to their remote location. Getting to the islands is a challenge…the Pacific is particularly rough in that area…unless you are a whale. Humpbacks and at least 12 other cetacean species favor this northern Philippine locale as a breeding ground and/or stop on their migratory journey. The Rufford Foundation website, particularly Jo Marie Acebes’ final report detailing the results of her project funded by an RSG grant, provided the backstory for the above dialogue.

 
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Posted by on October 15, 2013 in Challenges, Fiction, Tuesday Tales

 

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