They gagged me because I held a microphone and had an audience. My meagre influence made them feel threatened. What are they trying to conceal? Why do they wish to hide me from the world like a dark secret? They don’t want to be overshadowed by someone who can think independently. They don’t want me … Continue reading Two sides of a gag
She did not attend his rallies to boo him — that would have kept him at the center of her days. She did not write furious letters. She testified for eleven minutes, plainly, without theater. Then she drove home and did not look up the verdict. She simply closed the page.
I'd like to build a machine that could scan the roughly 50,000 thoughts that cross my mind every day. And I guess one or more of the 50000 will help me design it. How many of my thoughts are mundane, everyday matters? And how many are brilliant enough, with a spark to change the world? … Continue reading The Machine That Could Scan My 50,000 Daily Thoughts
Welcome back! We have been interpreting images for the last two weeks, so let's play around with the rhythm and structure of words for a change. PROMPT #441 = Parataxis and Hypotaxis Two techniques—parataxis and hypotaxis—can completely change the emotional texture of a scene. PARATAXIS is writing without conjunctions. It places clauses side by side, … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #441
I picked up the spirit of two lines from Jim's prompt piece. We are in a stage of moral transition. Why have a moral compass when one can drift along and see where life takes us? So, here is a story where the protagonist plays the Devil's Advocate. Rajiv Menon worked in a gleaming glass … Continue reading Devil’s Advocate
Sheena was a gift from God to her mother, who had been childless for five years after her marriage at the ripe young age of 18, and was being lambasted for infertility. Her mother’s position was precarious as her maternal grandfather told her she would be welcome back home, only if she visited with her … Continue reading History and Story
Welcome to changing seasons, and all that accompanies it! PROMPT #436 You need to wear your hat of a prose artist or a poem constructor, and see what works better for you. I give you a stanza of a poem that should be expanded to prose. Make it a story, anecdote, memory, non-fiction or any … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #436
The celebrity conducting a famed chat show is flummoxed by the same photograph placed in the offices of three of her interviewees. Could there be a connection? Anaita, a Parisian model; Sandy, a startup founder in Silicon Valley; and Saraswati, a Professor of Psychology at an international university, conducting classes in India. The research team … Continue reading Three Believers
WordPress has a curious way of motivating its writers: “You are on a --- day streak.” For a time, I lived by that counter. I posted every single day — more than 500 in a row — just to keep the streak alive. The challenge was simple: don’t miss a day, don’t break the chain. … Continue reading The Ledger of Life
Welcome back! PROMPT #431 This week, we are taking a rather broad look at AGE-ING, and the relationship between generations. Whether you see yourself as young, old or somewhere in between, examine your relationship with those on the other side and base your piece on that. I give below an excerpt from The Marginalian by … Continue reading Reena’s Xploration Challenge #431
