Category: Creativity

A Christmas Quarrel

“You can’t go on strike. You don’t have a union.”

Thus spake Lofty Ghost, the host of the annual meeting of ghosts in a disused warehouse on the edge of town. Every year the spirits wanted a few days off. People aren’t scared at the holiday period, they complain. We should get time off, same as the living, they demand. Jasper Ghost made an impassioned plea.

“After the Queen’s speech, Morecambe and Wise and a full dinner, folk are too full of beans to even half-scare.” Continue reading “A Christmas Quarrel”

19th Photographic Competition

After my stunning, but totally fortuitous, triumph in the previous Photographic Competition, I believe it behoves me to suggest a theme for the next one and pronounce judgement upon everyone’s efforts.

In order to allow the next competition setter (mug) to organise a Chrimbo theme, if they so wish, I propose that the deadline is Wednesday 21st December.

Since it has long been an interest of mine, I suggest the theme of “Flight”. Any variation on the theme will do, planes, balloons, airships, birds, insects, kites, old, new, you name it, as long as it is capable of getting into the air.

Just to get the ball rolling, but doubly disqualified because it is (a) displayed by me and (b) because it is not mine, here is a new aircraft under development.

Augusta-Westland AW609
Things to come?

So, come on chaps and chappesses. Get clicking or rummaging through the archives!

Entries in the comments section, as usual.

November Creative Writing Winner

It has become customary for the competition adjudicator to begin with a laudatory paragraph about each submission, highlighting their best features – and a very civilised custom it is, too.

However, the entries for November are of such a uniformly excellent standard that I have decided to throw custom and convention out of the window.   Instead, I shall highlight the few blemishes I uncovered, since it was the only way I could find to discriminate between such superb essays – my initial reaction was to declare them all joint winners!   I hope our five skilful authors will not be unduly discombobulated by this unusual approach, and I urge them to take my remarks with at least a modicum of salt. Continue reading “November Creative Writing Winner”

The Steadfast Tin Soldier, a pome

(With apologies to Messrs. HC Andersen and R Dahl)

One Yuletide Eve, in days of yore (when children all learned fairy lore)…..
No! Mercy me! How mem’ries fade! In telling you his escapades
I quite forgot that time before: a birthday, when the boy received
A troop of soldiers –  now displayed upon a table near the door.

Continue reading “The Steadfast Tin Soldier, a pome”

The Fog. Nov CW compytishun.

Dave failed miserably to shut out the excruciating din of his fellow councillors. The fog inside his head was a real pea souper which showed no sign of lifting anytime soon. Why did he insist on the tequila chasers with every pint last night? Rob, his partner in crime from uni had called out of the blue, saying he was in town on business and they should get together for a few ‘sherbets’ and  a catch up. It had been a good night, they yakked endlessly about the old days, where people were now and who’d done what to whom. He vaguely remembered staggering through his front door around one a.m. and little else. Continue reading “The Fog. Nov CW compytishun.”