I have been picking my writing assignments randomly from my massive database of photos. Basically, I am looking until I find one that is not my kids. So feel free to join me in writing a short story somehow including or at least inspired by this picture (shown below) . . . or stay tuned for mine sometime this week.

My family made the 5 hour trek up from “almost Mexico” to see us for the holiday. It was enjoyable to have a house full for the feast and lounge around visiting with each of them for a few days. I cooked, shopped and walked with my Step-Monster (term of endearment). I almost beat my brothers at rummikub, but MWD creamed all three of us instead. Dad and I bonded through osmosis and we both drank coffee and surfed the net on separate computers in the same room. There were …

Short story derived from the photo below.
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Four women died while Jessica Ford tried to make a decision. The number could be higher, but she knew about four. As horrible as it was she couldn’t be rushed into such a big life change. After 45 minutes alone, sobbing and retching into a trash can in her daughter’s bedroom she began to think clearly again.
It was amazing how normal the morning had started out. She had cooked breakfast and then said goodbye as Daniel headed out to drop Olivia at school on …

The other night both Emily and Noah started reciting all the lyrics to the SNL skit – Threw it on the ground.  Andy Samberg, I think. I let them watch it (except the end), but  I can’t believe how many words thew knew. I admit that I cracked up over this skit and watched it for days.  Telling my kids I was gonna throw their homework, dessert and clean clothes on the ground constantly. Hey – why are they some much better at remembering the words than I am?
Well I made them …

I think I’ll start to post my assignments via twitter (and maybe here) going forward. It probably won’t catch on right away, but maybe eventually someone else can write something based on the same picture and we can compare notes. Seems fun.
I actually started a short story today with a woman character for a change (assignment picture below). It’s dark as usual. I should acquiesce and start writing true crime stories, since MWD thinks I would be good at it. Anyways – this story is a little creepy. It will …

Short story derived from the photo below.
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“We’ll page you when we get another table going,” said the kid working the poker room desk, without even glancing up. This meant it was going to be an even longer night for Charlie. He hated waiting for a table; it could be 10 minutes or 2 hours. He couldn’t risk lingering since the goal was to go unnoticed and it was hard to be inconspicuous sitting by himself in a poker room. He also didn’t want to waste any money at the table …

I have heard many times that music is what brings us together. Really? Are you sure? When I think about it, I’m conflicted. I turn to music constantly in my life and I do bond with the other people who like or listen to things that I like. But, it’s much more complicated than that though. I won’t even go into the music “business” side of this discussion. I don’t think I am ready for that blog yet (oh, it’s coming). But, I see so many ways in which music …

The porch creaked under Luther’s weight as he sat on the top step with one leg perched under him for support and the other lazily stretched out spanning the other four steps. He was a tall, thick man and he made everything around him look miniature as he now did with the stairs and porch. It had been about 30 minutes since he arrived and he hoped to avoid going inside a bit longer. The guilt was overwhelming and everything in him told him to race back to his rented …

Sheeeww. I have a plan and I’m gonna try to follow my own rules. Even if I am not writing on my book (paused for tweaking my complicated outline). . .
I. Am. Writing. Every. Day.
So – I made up my own assignment. Based on my true hobby – photography. I take a ton of pictures. I try to keep a handle on how many I post, because it could overwhelm the 3-4 people that follow what I am up to. No one is going to look through 240 pictures …

Apparently everything has a process. I’m not very patient (shut up) and I jumped right into writing this book. This is my first actual written material over a few pages and I decide it should be a book? Technically it is a 3-book story. WTF? So I started it and I am finished with the first 7 chapters and now I have a mess!
A little more than a decade ago, I worked on databases while I was in corporate training. I was the go between for the users and …