Thursday, February 24, 2011

Crusader Challenge-ma-bob

This is a Blogger Crusade Challenge, as presented by Rachael at Rach Writes.

The rules governing this challenge: 300 words or less, in any format, must utilize the words bloviate, fuliguline, rabbit, and blade. Also must include:

one secret: I don't verbalize it (in fact this may be the first time), but I periodically have moments of panic about my son. Just this week, he was fevery (flu, I think) and took a bath and it took everything I had not to go in and check every five minutes. He's 12, but he was born early and not quite cooked (jaundiced, feeding tube, lights), and then had the flu at 14 months and had to be hospitalized for dehydration. I can still see him with his cozy stuffed rabbit (aptly named Cozy Bunny) he carried everywhere as a toddler—so sweet and fussy... only ever really liked us. It's hard to believe we're lucky enough to have the smart, social, healthy boy he is now, but that fear lingers.

• one lie (hidden among my peers, though I cheated... it's a detail, not a whole thing)

one interesting quirk: I walk to work... and I read while I'm walking... in fact of late, I've taken to EDITING while I walk, though it's hard to write and walk, especially in gloves, but I manage (except when the temperature drops below about 20 and my ink freezes), but this is not without risks... I've been knocked in the head by low hanging branches many times (especially after a rain when they hand lower) and twice I've had serious enough falls to have injuries—once I knocked my jaw out of alignment, and once I broke a finger and sprained my ankle.

one annoying habit: While my childhood friends might tell you it is my fuliguline imitation; the walk was amusing but for over a year my (darned good) Donald Duck imitation in my speech was the norm. Currently though, it is that I am a TERRIBLE stacker. HWMNBNOTI (He Who Must Not Be Named On the Internet for the uninitiated) thinks there is a single place for a thing to go, and it should always be put there, and I don't disagree, but HE thinks it is 'away' and I think it should be where it is most likely to remind me to attend to it.

one of your best character traits: I'm not one to bloviate, but I think the single most important trait for a writer is one I have in spades... Tenacity. Call it persistence if you will, and I have that, too, but tenacity has a sense that of... even if it's delusional... and I sometimes think this writing business requires that... determination no matter HOW absurd it seems. (though I also like my silliness, even if it scares some people away)

one of your favourite things in the whole world: Going to a Harry Potter movie with both of my kids. As they get older, there aren't a ton of things they want to do WITH me AND with EACH OTHER and without other friends... Harry Potter has been an experience we all had together and because I am the serious nut about it, but they LIKE it, and their best friends aren't nearly as into it... it is something the three of us go do together (in fact I think they feel obliged, but secretly like it). We had a blast at the midnight showing of the first Deathly Hallows. (I can pull off a near approximation for Pirates of the Caribbean (*envisions Captain Jack peering through his blade* mmmm, Captain Jack...) so there will be two this summer)


erm yeah... incapable of a 300 word post (I need much more time to write something that short), but there you have it...


SQUEEEEEEEEE:  This just in!  Made first cut at ABNA!!!!

24 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Interesting challenge! I'm with you on the tenacity, but you worry me a little with walking and reading/editing at the same time--watch out for those trees!

Charmaine Clancy said...

I love going to Harry Potter movies with my kids too, I like the movies but it's more the family tradition that we've created that I love.

Gary Baker said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gary Baker said...

I love sending my kids off to a Harry Potter movie. Fantastic films, worth every penny, could be longer though.

Unknown said...

Hello fellow crusader! I am a tad bit late, so I just thought I would just say Hi! :D

1) I totally am with you on this. My son was a preemie as well. Nearly lost him 24 hrs after he was born. So, yeah, I'm protective of him as well. He's 8 now. I feel your panic when something's not right!

I can also see the walking and reading! I still do this as well! Although, I have yet to get bashed in the head, or end up in a fountain. :P I'm thinking the editing while walking is the fib? That's just near impossible!

Old Kitty said...

These are all truths - there are no lies!!! Only lovely NAKEDness!!!

Take care
x

Carol Kilgore said...

I think the lie could be the feeding tube. Maybe you should rig up some kind of antennae to warn you of low branches :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Maybe walking is dangerous for you?

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

"incapable of a 300 word post (I need much more time to write something that short)," This will go in my file of favorite quotes.
Short is much more difficult to write than long.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Not buying the Donald Duck walk - unless you do it naked.

Deb and Barbara said...

Love this challenge (and how you met it). I'd absolutely share tenacity with you ;)
B

Unknown said...

Um... you HAVE fallen while walking to work but you HAVEN'T knocked your jaw out of alignment?

Michael Di Gesu said...

Good one, Rachel.

Hart, a bit wordy.... You must hop over to my blog and read my 181 word poem for this challenge....

I LOVE the stuffed bunny. I had one as a kid only mine was almost three feet tall from foot to ears, her wore a striped vest and an jaunty blue hat.


Michael

Witless Exposition said...

Great post, even if it went long. That 300 word limit was really tough! I can only imagine how paranoid I'm going to be once I have a child. I wake up my dogs every now and then to make sure they're still breathing. (They don't appreciate it!)

I'm going to guess that you didn't knock your jaw out of alignment. Probably just because I really hope you didn't; I imagine that would hurt a lot!

Carolyn Abiad said...

I like donald Duck, but not that much! I too think that must be your lie. :)

Erica Mitchell said...

I've seen this challenge around and it'really fun to see the variations and learn more about people and interested see which is the lie. ;) For some reason when you said you walked to work a horrifying previous post by you was brought to mind. Some guy using a whip in the street...that's all I remember. Random.
It's really great to be back and thank you so much for the comment. I have MISSED you! (and your inability to write 300 words :P)

LTM said...

wait. So am I supposed to be guessing what's what in this??? I'm so confused by this challenge... Here's what I think--I think the part about your kids friends not liking it is the lie. Yes?

In OTHER NEWS---ABNA posts today!!!! OMG--I'm so holding my breath for you! SQUEE!!! ((hug)) <3

Hart Johnson said...

Ha! Sorry I've been so absent today... I've been doing TWO things... adding to my Crusader list so I can be DONE by tomorrow, and obsessing on the ABNA boards because, YES, Leigh, we find out some time today...

WELCOME to new Crusaders and big squishy hugs to the lot of you!

Jai! Another walking reader! Ha! We ARE an odd bunch, yes? Though in Ann Arbor it isn't that rare... I almost ran into a man one day because we were BOTH walking and reading.

I'll reveal my lie at the end of the day... or MAYBE I should add it invisibly! HA! Not yet, though...

Mary-that is just my twist on a Mark Twain quote, something to the effect of "sorry this letter is so long. If I'd had more time I would have written you a shorter one"

Michael-I'll get there! (YAY Cozy bunnies!)

Witless--waking your dogs?! Oh, too cute. Are they older, or are you deeply paranoid?

Erica- the whip guy was on my morning power walk, so earlier (like 5:15am) by the morning commute (7am) there are typically more people out and about.

Helena said...

CONGRATULATIONS! YAY! You made the dreaded ABNA cut!

You deserve it. Now onward and upward to unstoppable literary success and your naked domination of ABNA.

erica and christy said...

Word limits are for wimps (hehe). Go ABNA!!!!!
erica

CA Heaven said...

The writing tool that works best outdoor in the cold winter, is a good old pencil. It never fails >:)

Cold As Heaven

Missed Periods said...

Your childhood friends are crazy; your fuliguline imitation is absolutely charming.

Southpaw said...

Your post made me think of the commercial where to joggers who are texting slam into each other. I don’t mean to sound insensitive but you’ve knocked your jaw out of alignment and sprained an ankle and yet you still read and walk?

Regina said...

Congrats on making the cut. What wonderful news. Yeah!