Musical Interlude

There are a number of writing challenges out there.  Some come as suggestions in an email.  Others can be found on websites offering authors the chance to post the results.  Occasionally they seem to come out of nowhere.  

I was having a conversation with my sons about boy bands.  A pun was made that included the names of a couple of popular bands.  This ignited a spark of inspiration.  It came to me that I should try to write a story that included the names of some bands hidden in the tale.  To fit the narrative, I did alter some band names to the way they are pronounced and not the "official" names.

It is a time of war.  The government was giving massive incentives to citizens in order to get them to join the military.  So much so, there was a big time rush to recruitment centers to sign up.  The media was proud to broadcast numerous stories of victories.  The exact nature of the enemy was never announced.  Nobody seemed to want to know who we were fighting as long as we were winning.

It seemed like everyone was willing to fight and risk dying to maintain the upper hand over an enemy they didn't know.  The people came from all walks of like.  Hard workers from the backstreet.  Boys from rich neighborhoods.  Girls who had only been competitive on the pageant runway.  All for one purpose, signing up and getting their incentive.  It seemed like you only had to point a finger.  Bang, you had a new recruit.

Regardless of their background, all of these raw recruits were sent to train at boot camp.  As soon as the fresh arrivals, the new kids on the block as it were, got a quick lesson in military discipline.  In order to field the best fighting force, they would all be equally transformed from boys to men.  After a few months of intense training and combat practice, everyone would be shipped out.  Once at the battlefield, they would be given only one direction.  Win at any cost.

It would be only after a day's hard combat and numerous losses that the true enemy would be revealed.  There was no real enemy.  The troops were being commanded to fight each other.  Survivors would be sent back to the battlefield again the next day.  Regardless of who won, victory could be claimed by the leaders that kept sending recruits in to fight themselves.

Did you see the names for all 7 bands?  Can you write a sentence or phrase with another musical group's name?  Let me know what you think in the comments.

Game Time

There are any of a number of adventures you can take on a daily basis.  Various universes to explore.  Personalities to experience.  Opportunities to either help or hinder, build or destroy.  With the activity I have in mind, here are just some of the things you can enjoy.

A swarm of dragons covers the sky.  Paths through the clouds appear before them as they swoop high over the ground.  The paths curve and bend through near misses between soaring bodies.  Occasionally unlucky dragons collide or run out of sky, only to disappear entirely.  Until, at last, only one is left to rule the heavens.

Money changes hands.  Land is bought and sold.  Homes are built and upgraded.  Entrepreneurs haggle and try to make their money work hard for them.  They acquire utilities and collect fees each time their associates utilize what they have to offer.  Risks are taken that may cause an individual to end up behind bars until they serve their time or pay to get out.  Ultimately, the victor is the one with the most money at the end.

Monsters are attacking a major metropolis.  They throw buses against buildings and scatter the denizens that live inside.  Walls are toppled by breath attacks.  Unfortunate citizens are consumed by the monsters to fuel their rage.  At times, even the monsters themselves are harmed by the actions of the other attackers.  The final monster standing rules over the destroyed wasteland that remains.

Not every family is happy or particularly successful.  Some are menaced by mice, Others become trapped on a train.  There is even a chance a member of one of these unlucky families might be terrified by topiary.  The only favor someone can do for these suffering families is to help them end their suffering by shuffling off their mortal coils.

A team travels through caverns and castles.  They encounter monsters and collect treasures.  During each battle, members of the team may help their mates to defeat the powerful beast, or slip something to the beast itself to keep their "friend" from becoming too powerful too soon.  Regardless of the result of combat, laughs are shared between the teammates.

All of these adventures are very easy to experience.  Just go to your favorite local game store and pick them up.  Each one is a board or card game.  In order they are Tsuro, Monopoly, Terror in Meeple City, Gloom, and Munchkin.  In these times of digital downloads and electronic devices everywhere, board and card games can still be just as enjoyable.  Just get some friends and/or family together and have an afternoon of games.  

With a little luck, it might become a regular event.