Trifextra: Week 105… “GOOD-BYE”

GOOD-BYE

“Dammit, Cheryl, I need more than 33, why can’t I have 333?”
“Well, they said 33, and you know them, Ethel. Why don’t we just say this…”

Thanks for the memories, we’ll never forget you, Trifecta. 
You introduced us to a new writing world.
Inspired us to be daring, be better writers.
We’re so glad everyone liked us.
Good Luck!

“Okay, that works I guess, but I’m still not happy, Cheryl.”
“You’re never happy, Ethel. Say good-bye.”
“Good-bye.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Goodbye… Ted

THE TRIFECTA WRITING CHALLENGE

Trifecta: Week 114… GOODBYE

“This news does not satisfy me, Cheryl.”
“What’s that, Ethel?”
“Trifecta Writing Challenge is folding their tent. I loved the writers and their stories.”
“Me too. They won’t stop writing, we’ll find them.”

*****************************

Here is this week’s prompt… Using the third definition, your piece must be exactly 33 words.

SATISFY  (transitive verb)
1a : to carry out the terms of (as a contract) : discharge
b : to meet a financial obligation to
2: to make reparation to (an injured party) : indemnify
3a : to make happy : please  

 b : to gratify to the full : appease
4a : convince
b : to put an end to (doubt or uncertainty) : dispel
5a : to conform to (as specifications) : be adequate to (an end in view)

This news does not satisfy me either.  After three  years, The Trifecta Writing Challenge comes to an end this month.  The Brainchild of Lisa Harvey, TWC has been a solid weekly platform for writers to strut their stuff.  Prompts always challenging and never boring, the number of writers submitting entries swelled, sometimes reaching 100.  That’s a lot of stories.  I don’t remember how I found TWC, but I’m glad I did.  I had been writing 100 word stories based on a photo prompt for Friday Fictioneers, many of who write stories here, and I got up my courage to submit a story to TWC… the cruciverbalist… was my first.  I learned so much about writing and gained new confidence by reading and writing at The Trifecta Challenge.  And, not only that, but I’ve made some good friends.  I’ve started submitting some stories at yeah write and still take part in FF.  I have fond memories of my time at TWC and thank the editors for all their hard work. I’m sure we’ll meet again.  When I told Ethel and Cheryl they were not happy.

Ted

Share this:

Trifextra #97… IT’S ALL IN THE NAME

IT’S ALL IN THE NAME

The Detroit Auto Show was always a basin of opportunity.

But, the myopic choice of a name by Mister Ford failed to dazzle.

Both for the new model line-up and the child.

*********************

Here are the instructions from the editors:  This weekend we’re asking you to add thirty of your own words to the following three words for a total of thirty-three.  Good luck!

myopic

dazzle

basin

Trifextra #96: BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING

“I still can’t believe you talked me into this, Ethel.”

“It’ll get warmer when the sun comes up,Cheryl.”

“That’s at seven-thirty, the store opens at five.”

“I know, and I want that big-ass-flatscreen!”

☀︎ ☀︎ ☀︎ ☀︎ ☀︎ ☀︎ ☀︎ ☀︎ ☀︎ ☀︎

The Editors of The Trifextra Writing Challenge are busy with their families this week, so they said:  ”This weekend we are assuming that many of you are slogging your way through leftovers and family bickering (or is that just us?) and thus we’re going way easy on you. We are asking for a 33-word free write.  Give us whatever you’ve got.”   

UNPUBLISHED TRIFEXTRA GEM UNEARTHED! The Wall of Water!

Walter took the stage to perform the deadliest feat of his career… The Wall of Water!  

The audience gasped as he started to drown, but the ring of his bedside alarm saved him.

***********************

The Editors at The Trifectra Writing Challenge gave us 3 words this week..ring, water, andstage… “Add 30 more, for a total of 33″ they said.”

***********************

Yesterday I came across this story written last July.  I was in the mountains and was not able to publish by the Trifextra deadline due to spotty internet.  I was ticked, since I thought this was a good one.  I decided to let it see the light of day and add to The Trifectra Writing Challenge, even thought it is a little late.  Maybe they won’t notice it’s not following this week’s prompt.

The illustration is a still from the 1953 film ‘Houdini’, starring Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.

Trifecta: Week 104 ~ AT THE MERCY OF HIS COMPANION

AT THE MERCY OF HIS COMPANION

He had been at odds with his companion for some time now.  After all, here she sits; eating his food, drinking his wine and watching his TV.  Isn’t she the one hired to take care of him? Not being able to speak has hampered his ability to express his concern.  When family visits, he tries to convey his dismay with his eyes, like they do in the movies, but to no avail. They just don’t get it.  What’s worse, they think she is doing this wonderful job tending to his needs.  The accident had left him in such sorry state.  He guessed he should feel lucky, since without her he would die.  Actually, death might be preferable to another episode of Jerry or Maury.  He had forgotten about Judge Judy, but at 4 o’clock he will be reminded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The editor’s prompt for this week…COMPANION (noun)

1

:  one that accompanies another :  comrade, associate; also:  one that keeps company with another

2

obsolete :  rascal

3

a :  one that is closely connected with something similar

b :  one employed to live with and serve another

Remember:

• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.

• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.

• The word itself needs to be included in your response.

- See more at:http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/2013_11_01_archive.html#sthash.Gry3lrf7.dpuf

TedBook: Trifextra #93: DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY!

TedBook: Trifextra #93: DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY!: DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY…  “What’s this Ethel?” “My new motto, Cheryl. Meher Baba, he’s a god.” “No he’s not, there’s only one.” “We al...

Trifextra: #60: WORD HEIST

The Scriptorium had been an easy mark.  At the subway, the sack broke, sending words cascading down the stairs to the platform.  People helped. A tiny girl brought three over, in cupped hands… Remember,  Rain, Rebellion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Triextra entry this week… 33 words + 3 more… Rain, Rebellion and Remember.

IT’S RAINING, IT’S POURING… Trifextra #55

“Where are they?”

“Where are what?”  Ethel continued to pick crumbs from the white damask tablecloth, waiting.

“The cats and dogs.”

“Oh holy Mary dear mother of God!  It’s a weather expression, Cheryl”

***************

The 33 word challenge this week was to provide a 33 word example of hyperbole: exaggeration used for effect

Trifecta Writing Challenge #66 ~ ONE LAST PIECE

Ruth hadn’t glazed a pot in what seemed like, forever.  He always did that part.  Her ‘job’ was the throwing… his, the decorating.  Such awards they had received.  But he wasn’t helping anymore.  She had decided on a simple sgraffito cut through the soft slip.  Selecting a chisel ended bamboo for her doctor, she wondered if she was up for the task.

He loved Temmoku, and though she disliked working in stoneware, it seemed only fitting.  She had found a glaze he made years ago, before she had insisted they use only porcelain.  A near-black, which could break to an iron-red at the right temperature creating a fire-change.  A bit of Titanium added as doctor to the process.  He would be so pleased.

She had decided on just their marks intertwined with his name, as she pushed through the soft clay.  No dates.

There would be comparisons, of course.  Ruth didn’t care.  This was to be her last work.  Her tears would only add to the decoration.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Trifecta Writing Challenge Week Sixty-Six : Write 33 to 333 words using the third definition of the word: DOCTOR (noun)  a : material added (as to food) to produce a desired effect ~ b : a blade (as of metal) for spreading a coating or scraping a surface

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Temmoku is a type of glaze popular in Japan.  It is used on stoneware and is a very complicated process.   Sgraffito is a form of decoration, scratching through the surface of a glaze to reveal the clay beneath, or another glaze, before firing.

I named her Ruth to honor my first ceramics teacher, Ruth Rippon.  An amazing artist and a wonderful teacher.  Nobody but Ruth would glaze her work.

           

This photo of Ruth in her studio in 1980 was taken by Kurt Fishback.   One of her most famous works is called The Lollies, and can be found in Sacramento.  I don’t know who took the photo of young Ruth above.

Trifecta Writing Challenge #67: Rat Race

RAT RACE… A Nursery Rhyme in 33 words

Life becomes struggle,
To juggle these days.
How did it happen,
I’ve entered a maze.

They say pills have helped,
Ones that they gave.
I’m really not sure,
If I will be saved.

☢☢☢☢☢☢☢☢☢☢

Trifecta: Week Sixty-Seven

JUGGLE (transitive verb)  Always the third definition… 3: to handle or deal with usually several things (as obligations) at one time so as to satisfy often competing requirements

☢☢☢☢☢☢☢☢☢☢

I wanted to write something in 33 words, since I missed the recent Trifextra.  I decided to try a poem.  After I wrote it, I didn’t know what form it was, so I consulted the Noted Scandinavian Poet,  Björn Rudberg (who nosed out ‘you know who’, to claim first post this time).  He said it reminded him of a nursery rhyme format, and that was good enough for me… I liked it.  Björn also gave me a few other tips.  If you liked it… Thank you.  If you didn’t… Blame Björn.

Plague Rat Illustration by Emily Veinglory

Trifextra #58: HER HEARTS

HER HEARTS… A 33 word story

I got a call. “I need your help making something.” “Okay, what?”

“A stone heart for Sammie.” “Sammie’s a dog.”

“I know, I want to honor him.” “Okay, then let’s do Buddy too.”

❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤

A dear friend in Sacramento had two miniature poodles.  They were brothers, and had been show dogs… Sammy had died.  She wanted to make memorial stones to place in her garden.  She had studied how to make stepping-stones, so we went to the hardware store and got a bag of cement.  Buddy was still with her, so we got him to ‘autograph’ his stone… he was not pleased about that.  Susan was so happy with them (and we had a lot of cement left over), that we ended up making some more for past and present dogs.  Later, a friend who saw them, asked us to make one for her sister who had loved Betty Boop.  It’s a nice idea, I think… Garden Art with a Meaning.

❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤  ❤

Here is the prompt for this weekend’s Triextra Challenge… “We want you to give us a thirty-three word response using the word stone as one of your thirty-three words.  You can use any definition of the word that you’d like, but we are specifically looking for serious, well-conceived entries. “

**********************

p.s.  My friend Betty made a lovely comment below… I thought I would add it to my post…

  “If you are a dog or other animal owner you know that when they are gone they always leave their footprints on your heart.”

Trifecta Writing Challenge #63: SIR WALTER

“Oh what a tangled path we weave.”

“My, aren’t you the dramatic one! But you’ve got the quote wrong, I don’t think it’s path.”

“What are you talking about, of course it is.  It’s by Shakespeare.”

“Not! I’m gonna look it up.”

“Go right ahead Miss Google-Pants.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Web, Ethel. It’s ‘web’, not ‘path’. I think it was by Sir Walter Scott, not Shakespeare.”

“Think!  Don’t you give me ‘think’, Cheryl, you know damn well who it is, you just looked it up for Christ’s sake!”

*******************************************

It seems Ethel’s Trifecta woes continue.  This week’s challenge was the third definition of Path..

3a : course, route
b : a way of life, conduct, or though

Here is what Cheryl found at Wikipedia…

TrifEXtra Writing Challenge: The Writer

The tricycle groaned and moved two more inches forward. “Who picks a word like ‘personification’ for a prompt, anyway?” Schwinn thought.

The pen skipped across the page, scratching and trying to leave a trail of something to answer the prompt. “I don’t know what to write, everything knows that doesn’t really happen right?” Bic asked.

The Writer moves the trike out of the way and looks for his pen.

***************************

Apparently… I did not read the instructions very well, apparently I didn’t read them at all, assuming this was a Trifecta Challenge… but no, this is the TrifEXtra!  Which limits the word count to 33 exactly.  So… I’m a little over.  I would not have known, except for the kind and gentle suggestions calling this to my attention by readers.  I will be more careful next week.  

Herewith my edited version:

The tricycle groaned and rolled two more inches forward.

The pen skipped across the page to answer the prompt.

The Writer moves the trike out of the way and looks for his pen.