Round Robin Story Challenge

I've had this idea floating in my head for a while and I decided to experiment here and see how it worked. My idea works kind of like the blog version of a chain letter, with a creative twist.
I'm sure my readers (all three of you) have heard of the concept of a "round robin" story; that being where someone begins a story, tells it to a point, and then someone else picks the story up, telling it to another point, and passing it on.

So who's up?

Here are the rules:

1. I'm going to provide the opening of a story and then "tag off" to someone I know with a blog. That person will (hopefully) be willing to run with the idea, write a bit, and then tag off to someone she knows, who will hopefully tag off to someone she knows, etc. Hopefully, through the "she knows three people who knows three people, etc" idea, we can make this idea reach well beyond the boundaries of the few blogs we know, allowing us to meet new people and, hopefully in the process, write a decent story.

2. In order to keep things organized, everyone who participates in this challenge should title the blog post "Round Robin Story Challenge", that way it's easy for people to find if they try to browse through the stories. At the top of your post, before the story, please link back to this blog (so people stumbling across the middle portion of the tale can go back from the beginning) and at the end of your story, post a link to the person who you are "tagging" off to, so people can find the next installment.

3. It's probably a good idea to ask the person you plan to tag to if they want to participate in writing the story (although I didn't. My tag partner is completely unawares) or at least try to pick someone you know is a good sport. If you do tag off to someone who doesn't wish to participate, either tag to someone else or, even better, ask them if they will make one post with the title and link back to here, and then tag off to someone else. Any way we can expand the scope is a good expansion.

4. I'm just going to write the opening sentence because I'm lazy (and because I'm anticipating getting tagged back at some point) but I'm hoping you guys will write at least several paragraphs per session. Feel free to write as long as you want.

Have fun and let's see how far we can take this...

The Dancing Bear
The bear came to me again last night in my dreams, dancing in a ray of moonlight outside my bedroom window. I felt no fear in seeing him there. I knew he would not harm me. But I also knew, somewhere deeper, that to go to him would be my death...

There you go. The first bit of our journey. Kate, my biggest (read only) fan, I'm tagging off to you. Have fun!

Kate's Blog

Random Thoughts: Electric Boogalou

What do you do when you have been ordered to blog but have nothing to say? Random Thoughts comin' atcha.

Saw Todd Snider in concert last night in Huntsville. This is the fifth time I've seen Snider live since discovering him at Nashville River stages several years ago. Great, great live act. If you're reading this blog, your mission is to go find some Todd Snider and listen. If you like folk/alt-country at all, you'll love him. Think John Prine with a more cynical sense of humour. He closed last night's show with a cover of "Mr. Bojangles", written by his admitted hero Jerry Jeff Walker. I LOVE the original version of this song and I love Jerry Jeff Walker but Snider's voice matches the song so perfectly that I think he actually surpassed the original. He's got a world-weary tone to his voice that comes from far too many trips to rehab and far too many miles traveled. It fits the song well and makes an already melancholy song even more so. Go listen. Now. Trust me.

Staying with the music theme but switching genres, Queensryche has finally released their new album, a sequel to their landmark 1989 album Operation Mindcrime, which graces my cd player often to this day. Of course, in keeping with Griffy luck, it comes out at the same time as the afore mentioned Todd Snider show, forcing me to make a financially based decision. It's like choosing between your children. Snider won out, but hopefully I'll be able to pick the 'Ryche album up soon. Being broke sucks.

Yes, I know jumping from folk/country to heavy metal is a pretty big leap. As my wife will attest, my music collection suffers from a severe case of multiple personality disorder. Putting the whole thing on random is likely to bring up Johnny Cash followed by Celtic Frost followed by B.B. King followed by something from one of my Monty Python albums followed by L.L. Cool J. Hazards of being a radio guy I suppose. My tastes go all over the map.

I've never really been known as a fashion maven. My wife has to match my clothes for me (although that's easy since, given my druthers, my entire clothing collection is black or grey. I look like a chubby Johnny Cash some days...). Anyway, I'm hoping one of you more fashion-conscious left-coasters can help me with this one. What's the deal with the day-glo plastic shoes with all the little holes in them? I see them everywhere lately so I'm assuming this is the new fashion. What is their purpose? They look as if they would glow in the dark so they might be good for jogging at night. What function do the holes serve? Or is it just fashion to have shoes with holes in them now? I hope so because I have two or three pairs of shoes with holes in them sitting in my closet. They're my fishing shoes but if they're fashionable, I might put them up on Ebay. Do you think smelling like Duck River mixed with my feet will lower their resale?

Andy Warhol just called me. He says reality television's 15 minutes were up a while back. Am I the only person who doesn't watch this tripe? Apparently I am. People at work look at me as if I have leprosy when they are discussing the latest elimination on American Idol and I can only stare blankly at them, having never heard of any of the contestants and only vaguely knowing that Simon's the mean judge and Paula Abdul isn't nearly as hot as she was when I lusted after her in the 80's. I just don't get it. And don't even get me started on Fear Factor, my sister-in-law's favorite show apparently. And I don't know why it's her favorite show. It's about people climbing to dangerous heights and eating seemingly inedible foods. Having a 4 and 3 year old, I'd think she'd see enough of both of those things to satisfy her. I was at their house once when the little one ate a bar of soap. Not put it in his mouth, mind you. Bit, chewed, swallowed, and went back for more. How many people on Fear Factor could do that? I guess I just don't get the appeal of the whole reality thing. I don't even like living in my own reality. Why the hell would I want to live in someone else's?

Did I mention that Todd Snider was really cool last night? Have you checked him out yet? No? Go do that now. I'll wait.... .... .... ... Got it? Good stuff, eh? You can thank me later. I accept cash or Paypal.

I don't have anything else interesting to write about (not that I had anything interesting to write about before) so I'll sign off now. Be well.

-Gryph

"It's hard to kick the door down, when you ain't wearing no shoes..."
-Todd Snider

NP: Queensryche "Suite Sister Mary"