The Bouncy Castle in Space

Smish

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Oh, WOW! Smish. That sounds amazing. And I don't want the Amazon cards, thank you very much. I'm much more interested in Timothy's book, even though I've already read it.

Ooooh, I can't wait! Hope it's an easy contest, 'cause sometimes I don't do so well with pressure, you know?

:D

You'll know tomorrow!
 

Morrell

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Congrats Spiral!
And yay for a whole year of prompts!
Sissy, hope you get good news soon, before you bite off all your fingernails! Waiting is sooo hard.
I'm bouncing around Omaha tonight... heading out for M's Pub in a few minutes. Tomorrow we tour Creighton.
 

MsJudy

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oy, I need some bouncies!

16-year-old leaves for Italy and Greece on Wednesday. After we drop him off at the airport, 12yo and I head on to SF to see the Academy of Sciences. No better place to take a geek like him! Aquarium, planetarium, butterfly dome and reptile exhibit, all under one of the world's largest living roofs. Too cool.

But between now and then, I have so much organizing stuff to accomplish. Being the mom sure can be exhausting!
 

Smish

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Have fun, Judy! :Jump: :Jump: :Jump: :Jump: :Jump:

But come back in time to participate in the big contest! :D
 

Ferret

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oy, I need some bouncies!

16-year-old leaves for Italy and Greece on Wednesday. After we drop him off at the airport, 12yo and I head on to SF to see the Academy of Sciences. No better place to take a geek like him! Aquarium, planetarium, butterfly dome and reptile exhibit, all under one of the world's largest living roofs. Too cool.

But between now and then, I have so much organizing stuff to accomplish. Being the mom sure can be exhausting!

Have a great time! It sounds fun--except for the butterfly dome. *shudders* Butterflies give me the creeps.
 

sissybaby

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Well, Judy, I'd love to go along with either party - but the Greece, Italy trip sounds like my preference.

My 10 yo would choose the science trip. He loves it when I take him to Botanica or Science City.

Have a great trip! and don't wear yourself out entirely. You have my deepest respect for the job you're doing, both as teacher and single parent.
 

swachski

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Ooh cooleo, a contest! With that incentive, there will be lots of awesome shorts to read. Can't wait. :D

Judy, I envy your kids. What great experiences for both of them. My 16 yr old is at a 2-week engineering camp. Talk about geeks. And my 13 yr old would probably prefer Italy and Greece (for the great food -- he's my personal chef.)
 

jtrylch13

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Judy,

I envy both your kids' trips, but Europe sounds the best. I'd be a nervous wreck if my 16 was going on an international trip with out me. But, I'd be a nervous wreck about everything, that's just me.

I second Sissybaby's sentiments about the job you do as a teacher and a single parent. I was a single parent for my entire first marriage and then after the divorce, so I can understand how that goes, but being a teacher also is amazing! Oh, and you write too! You must be Super Woman! I love the song Superman by Five for Fighting. It's how I feel sometimes about all I do and how it isn't always appreciated. Let's have three cheers and some bouncing for all us Super Women on AW! Hip-hip hooray! (Bounce) Hip-hip hooray! (Bounce) Hip-hip hooray! (Bounce)
 

MsJudy

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I'd be a nervous wreck if my 16 was going on an international trip with out me. But, I'd be a nervous wreck about everything, that's just me.
Lucky for me, his best friend's mom is EXTREMELY anxious about everything, so she stays on top of all the details. As long as I don't let her get me too freaked out, I can rely on her to remind me of everything I miss (like how much all the excursions on the cruise are going to cost...)

Let's have three cheers and some bouncing for all us Super Women on AW! Hip-hip hooray! (Bounce) Hip-hip hooray! (Bounce) Hip-hip hooray! (Bounce)

I second that! Woo-hoo!!!:hooray::hooray::hooray:
 

Smish

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CONTEST DETAILS POSTED

Find them here!

The prizes are AWESOME! I'm looking forward to reading all your entries!

:TheWave: :TheWave: :TheWave:
:TheWave: :TheWave: :TheWave:
 

Smish

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Yowzers, guys! The grand prize is now $50.00! AND timp's book, autographed by the amazing man himself! AND a copy of Absolute Poetry (and man, some talented poets hang out at AW!). AND a copy of KTC's book!

The second and third-place prizes aren't too shabby, either ($25.00 and $15.00).

:Jump: I :Jump: expect :Jump: you :Jump: guys :Jump: to :Jump: all :Jump: enter! :Jump:
 

sissybaby

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Good Gravy, people!

How can anyone resist prizes like this? Especially since we all write, anyway. It's almost like - I don't know - getting paid for doing what we love!

But the temp. is going to be 112 again today, so it's already too hot to bounce except in my head and heart.

Sadly, I have NO IDEAS yet, so I'd better start wracking my brains.
 

Smish

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My thoughts exactly! I'm excited to read all the responses. :D
 

Kitty Pryde

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I've already started writing something that I find highly amusing. Public opinion may differ :D

Last night I got to work on my new bike and it was terribly exciting. It was ladies-only night, which was nice, a very different sort of energy in the room. And good sense prevailed, and one of the volunteer folks told me to choose a different bike that needed less work done on it. So now I am working on a blue and white road bike. Its niceness will need to be disguised more, though, so I am thinking to get some rainbow stickers. Because who doesn't like rainbows? :D Between bike excitement and new job excitement I could barely fall asleep last night. It's a boring life but it's thrilling to me!
 

swachski

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Breath, Sissy. ;) You've got 19 days to come up with something awesome.

We need some prompt prompts. You know, brainstorming exercises. Any advice? :idea:
 

Kitty Pryde

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Write a one-page or less character sketch of a kid who would think or know that the lunch lady hates him.

What sorts of conflicts might a villainous or hateful lunch lady cause?

This school is unusual in some way because...

Our best tools to combat lunchroom villainy are...

Our hero has a pretty useless magical power. What is it?

A fourth grade teacher has been teaching her class something that she shouldn't have. What was it?

_________ should never be brought to school. Our hero brought it anyway. What was it? Why did he bring it? And what happened?

Magical salisbury steak. Go!
 

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Kitty, you rock. But if you get too many rainbows on that new bike, they're going to make you move up here to North Cal, with the rest of us wacked-out hippies.
 

Smish

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:roll: I love you guys.

And Kitty, slap some rainbows on there, for sure! :D

And great prompt prompts, Kitty! :Thumbs:

Remember, guys, your entries just have to include that sentence. You don't have to really focus on the lunch lady. And the story doesn't have to take place in a cafeteria. It can just be a random comment, but of course it should be relevant in some way. ;)

Can't wait to read your entries!
 

swachski

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Love the prompt prompts, Kitty! :roll:

And salisbury steak really is magical, isn't it?

But then again, it can also be tragical. :D
 

sissybaby

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Thanks so much, Kitty. You rock! And I've enjoyed your pictures of you having a good time on vacation!!!!

Mine will be non-funny, but not tragic enough. And I suck at magic, except for magical salisbury steak (HA!)

I'll figure out something, but your prompt prompts is very helpful. I wouldn't have thought of any of those.
 

Kitty Pryde

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*takes no responsibility for any fictional salisbury steaks, either magical or mundane*

I finished my story this morning. It contains no meaty school lunches of any kind. I suppose I ought to sit on it for a few days to see if can make it better :D Or wait, is that what you do for eggs, not short stories?
 

Smish

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I would advise against letting eggs sit for a few days.

Eewwww.