From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=529">Beyond_Different</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

I am a college student and one of my professors asks us each week what new and interesting web content have we found that has inspired us to do something creative with ourselves. Of course I brought up this site and then explained to him about the "writer's challenge" and how I'm almost positive that since I found this site, that I've written almost twice the amount of poetry in 3 days than I had in the last 2 1/2 years. It is not an English class or even anything remotely artistic in any way...its a psychology class. He decided that since we really are just killing off the last two weeks, that he'd do a spin off on the writer's challenge from here and gave us a much longer set of words to incorporate into something either poetic, a story or even artwork. <BR>
So I thought I'd give you our list of words and see if anyone would like to give his list a shot..<BR>
<BR>
Creative Spark List:<BR>
Bubbles<BR>
dragonfly<BR>
rubber<BR>
pain<BR>
garden<BR>
miniature<BR>
evergreen<BR>
wings<BR>
spirit<BR>
remember<BR>
free<BR>
harness<BR>
kinetic<BR>
oval<BR>
shimmering<BR>
thorns<BR>
tears<BR>
sea<BR>
reckless<BR>
deception<BR>
smile<BR>
fell<BR>
dream<BR>
telephone<BR>
<BR>

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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=328">rhetoric</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

erin...your writers challenge attempt rocked!<BR>
I love the bittersweet tone.<BR>
<BR>
beyond different,<BR>
I am on my way out of town on business, but I will give those words a shot when I get home..<BR>
<BR>
I really do like the challenges.  I may not be happy with the result, last challenge is a good example, but I do love the opportunity to play with words.<BR>
<BR>
As for the workshopping...I would love it if we could do that.  I am game at any time to put my words on the chopping block.  I write for me, but it is a craft I would like to practice and improve upon.  Just let me know Kirk if you want to pull and strech my Blender boundaries.<BR>
<BR>
Rhet
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=4">TJ Holland</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

Missed you Riggs! Your poems always touch me in one way or another, right from the first time I read your stuff, almost 2 years ago, and got tears in my eyes. Glad you decided to post again. (I know you popped in here in October after MONTHS of absence, but you didn't stay long!)<BR>
<BR>
Smiles to ya, sweet thang!<BR>
<BR>
-Teej
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=21">the guppy</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

Echo, Kirk...ha, very nice<BR>
<BR>
off to figure out what's wrong with my pipes...<BR>
<BR>
gup
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=23">Kirk</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

Just wanted to put in my two cents...speaking as Kirk (not from my curiously-kitchen-chair-shaped throne of "Kirk, Blender-Keeper") I'm surpised people are enthralled with "writer's challenges" as much as they are.  While I see how intermitently being forced to cover a bunch of random stuff could be a creativity kick in the pants, it seems like the results too often show the marks where the piece was bent to fit in a buzzword.  It would be more interesting to me if there were fewer things to work in a piece, and maybe if some of the things were more conceptual, like "a sense of loss" or "a search for justice" rather than the more concrete things the lists are usually made up as.<BR>
<BR>
But, what do I know...I haven't written anything standalone for a long whileish.
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=520">Rogue</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

I have to agree with Kirk.  Anyone can put a word list into a poem.  And if the "train" thing from the last one proves anything, it's that most of us are going to think along the same general lines as well.  Further, since this is a Romantic Poetry board, it further reduces the variance.<BR>
<BR>
Another board I sometimes visit, used to have challenges, but instead of giving a word list, there was just a phrase or topic.  And you could use that phrase in the poem or just use the phrase to give you a frame work.  For instance, the line might be, "When she left me" or "Rainy Day Thoughts".  <BR>
<BR>
Obviously, you still have people ending up with similar thoughts, but you avoid everyone saying the same thing with the same 8 words.<BR>
<BR>
Anyway, that's my thoughts on it.<BR>
<BR>
Rogue
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=520">Rogue</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

Here's a little added thought that just occurred to me.<BR>
<BR>
Perhaps a tougher challenge would be to have everyone write a poem under a certain topic and then include a list of words that they could NOT use in the poem.  <BR>
<BR>
Rogue
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=23">Kirk</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

Come to think of it, I find "bumps" to be more interesting reads than "challenges". Many past front page picks have come from bumps of other works, since the contraint is more thematic that hitting a laundry list of items.<BR>
<BR>
Looking back at my previous entry...man, I'm having a Bad Hair Day of Grammar...
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=499">Hedvig</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

Rogue -  your <a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2001.12.04.15.08.5646">A Two Cent Rhyme </a> was absolutely BRILLIANT !!!  It reminded me of Alice in Wonderland....<BR>
You have become a modern day Lewis Carroll... So much fun to read - and a playground for the imagination !!!  BRAVO !<BR>
Please sir, stand up and take a bow !!<BR>
<BR>
. <BR>

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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=74">Echolocation</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

Rogue -- <a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2001.12.04.15.08.5646">A Two Cent Rhyme </a> is splendidly mad -- practically jumps about on the page, giggling and wriggling and tickling your tongue...
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=372">jubal29717</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

I know I am a bit late commenting on this issue, but I just wanted voice an opinion about the One Nut person who writes the rants about...well, I have not quite figured out what his point is yet.  Some at the Blender seem to get so outraged and passionate in responding to his deragatory comments.  Obviously, this is a brilliant person who wields a keyboard like a lethal sabre, but why even respond?  The bullies and attention seekers of the playground always will give up and go away to harass someone else if they are ignored.  The best way to handle people who are blatantly offensive and destructive is to simply let them have at it until they run out of gas. One Nut Jim obviously gets something out of his periodic outbursts AND the ensuing havoc.  Take away his fun by ignoring it, and he will...leave.  Just my thoughts on the matter-not judging, lecturing, or chastising.  No offense meant to anyone, including One Nut!    
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=529">Beyond_Different</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

hey what do i or my professor know..neither of us are english majors...you may ignore or delete my list if you so choose.<BR>

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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=268">Misti</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

I'm addicted to the writer's challenge. It works for me. I like reading all the creative variations inspired from a list of ten random words. The bump is a good idea, but I'm not much of a bumper. Or bumpee. 
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=13">B.K.</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

Beyond Different; I like the lists too but I like bumps or just some idea you get from something others write. It's fun and what-ever gets you writing anything is wonderful!<BR>
<BR>
Rogue; I loved your poem and had to bump it, nothing like the original but my way..ha <BR>
<BR>
Congratulations To Decembers Front Pagers! Way To GO!<BR>
<BR>
Hey Riggs; Glad to see you on page. Different for you I like it!<BR>
<BR>
Thanks Kirk for my pick.<BR>
<BR>
Jubal; I know I have promised myself that next full moon I will lock the door to the computer room and hide the key from me..ha!<BR>
<BR>
bk
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=8">Ali</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

Echo~<BR>
<BR>
'Spelling Lesson' was equisite...Beautifully composed...=)<BR>
<BR>
Love and sparkling eyes, Ali
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=2">scqueen</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

Kirk ~ You're so very right about the writer's challenge...<BR>
I find it to be a bit like an ice skating program, when the <BR>
skater absolutely has to meet the elements (Or jumps) in a <BR>
certain competition. To to me it stifles creativity snd I <BR>
feel like I'm just stuffing words where they don't belong.<BR>
<BR>
(Shut the hell up, Urenda. I happen to LOVE ice skating and<BR>
I see you laughing :-)
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=2">scqueen</a><BR>
Date: 4 December 2001<P>

Riggs, are you Rogue? Hmmm..........
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