Saturday, October 13, 2012

Age of Mars

Sorry for the little delay.  We were on the road.  Here is the first portion of our first story...


“Are you sure you want to do this?”
            Edna looked up at the team leader, whose brown eyes were narrowed on her face in concern.  It wasn’t the first look she’d received since volunteering to join the mission.  Not only was she the oldest woman ever to go into space, she was going to be part of the first American team to land on Mars. And though she was loathe to admit it, she couldn’t blame people for worrying.  Sixty-five wasn’t exactly an ideal age to travel the galaxy.
            “Astronaut” had never been a regular part of Edna’s vocabulary until a year ago, when her good-for-nothing, scumbag of a husband finally ate his last quadruple cheeseburger and followed that cow to the other side, leaving Edna free for the first time in almost fifty years. Of course, Edna preferred the term “explorer” to “astronaut.”  The latter sounded too pretentious when used in everyday conversation, such as at the grocery store or a trailer park community picnic. Not that she’d been to either any time recently.  No, Edna hadn’t stepped out of the NASA training center for what seemed like months, now.  Ever since NASA had requested volunteers.
            “You know there’s still time to change your mind,” said the director as he handed her a helmet that matched her G-suit.
            “What, you still think that just because I’m older than you and dumber than you, that I don’t have what it takes?” She could only take so much concern before it really started to get on her nerves.
            “Now, Edna, you know I don’t think that. All of us on the team have watched you prove yourself in every test you’ve been given. Why, you kicked butt on the flight simulator.  And the underwater walk was a piece of cake.  I’m just worried that centrifuge training might be a little more difficult to handle.  We’ve never had anyone with your particular...um...characteristics go past four g’s.  And you know you need to get past 6 to be able to go.”
            That was the end of the line.  Edna hadn’t spent the last five decades being trampled into her trailer home’s threadbare carpet just to let some teenage-looking, know-it-all mission leader tell her what she already knew.  She was too old, too stupid, and too blonde.  Even if it was from a bottle to cover the gray.
Edna’s gaze raked over him in irritation.  “Watch me, little boy.”
            With that parting remark, she pulled the helmet over her head, clipped it shut, and stalked off to the centrifuge.
Watching her walk away with an attitude the size of Mount St. Helens, Gary Williams, team leader for MM1, Mars Mission One, struggled not to laugh.  She was a tough old broad, but she hadn’t experienced anything like this before.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Let the games begin! (Story 1)

Dear Readers,
I hope that within the next few days you come into existence. Why? Because I have finally figured out how to post a multiple choice quiz on the blog! (Please don't cheer so loud, my kids are taking a nap.) For those of you who don't know what is going on, please refer to my original blog post.

Below are some options to help set up our first story. You have until 5pm on Monday, Oct. 8, to place your votes. I will then create the first part of the story and post it by or around 5pm on Thursday, Oct. 11. At the end of each section, there will be a multiple choice option asking what should come next.

This is the first story and the trial run, so expect some occasional problems. As with most things, it should run more smoothly with time. Also, just in case you didn't read my original blog post, please be aware that I am not a published writer, nor am I an editor. There will undoubtedly be a punctuation or grammatical error from time to time, so just deal with it. Any issues with the storyline, however, are your fault.

Let's have some fun!
Eeny Meeny

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Back in Business

Dear Readers,

It has been WEEKS since my original post. And what have I accomplished? Nothing. Zero. Zip.

Actually, the real story is that immediately after I created the blog, I decided to figure out how best to format the multiple choice section of my posts, so as to make it easy for participants to vote. Unfortunately, I was first stumped and then distracted. And then I just plain forgot about it. Slacker, I am.

A special thank you to the gentleman who commented on my blog. I have been re-energized, thanks to you, and will immerse myself again in the development of my rather silly idea. Things should be up and running in the next day or two, or as soon as I solve the multiple choice dilemma. 

Cheers,
Eeny Meeny

P.S. On a side note, my fluffy, young adult fiction novel is almost finished. So I haven't been totally remiss in my writing.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Sleeping Tigers

Dear Readers:

At this precise moment you do not actually exist.  And that is okay.  I am typing this letter with the hopes that long after I've posted, you will magically appear.  Hey, a girl can get lucky, can't she? 

This particular blog is the result of a late-night, can't-sleep-because-the-baby-keeps-waking-up-crying, brain dump.  As I was lying in bed, exhausted and unable to sleep for trepidation of the next screaming wake-up call from the room next door, I thought to myself, I should make a blog that I actually write in (I keep forgetting to write in the family blog).

You must know that I am not a writer.  I am what you would call a "wanna-be" writer, complete with lack of writing education, no publication, and very little experience outside of college research papers.  I am at home during the day with two little children, and my brain craves creative outlets for the frustrations that oftentimes develop after changing dirty diapers and cleaning up messes all day.  At first, I thought I'd write a book.  And I am!  Nothing fancy, mind you, just a fluffy, immature, young-adult fiction novel complete with a dashing prince and evil wizard.  You would probably enjoy it if you didn't plan to get anything out of it other than a fun read.  At least, you would if it were finished.  Which it's not. So, yeah... I came up with this new blog idea instead.

In this blog, I will write short stories in several pieces.  After each piece, you, the readers, will vote on what comes next.  It's kind of like those choose-your-own-adventure books that came out a couple decades ago.  You get to participate, and I get a creative outlet for my brain.  We all benefit!

Be forwarned, I do not guarentee good writing, nor do I guarentee a good story line.  The writing is my fault, the story line is yours.

Cheers!
Eeny Meeny

P.S. The first section of the pilot short story will come in the next couple of days.