Hi folks
So, I awoke to be reminded by the clock on my stove vs. the clock on my phone and computer that “Hey, the clocks got turned back an hour last night” (thank you, Apple - also thank you, stove, or I’d be wondering why everything seemed just a bit off - also, I thought they accidentally eliminated Daylight Savings Time through legislation last year? I need to do some homework, I guess Congress reset it while no one was looking just like they undid it and surprised everyone including themselves. Clearly we have bigger problems now but… that’s gonna bug me.)
At any rate, I got an extra hour of sleep without trying, so I must have needed it.
And I guess you all also got an extra hour of writing time, but hopefully you also gave yourselves a break, intentionally or accidentally like myself.
SPECIAL NOTE:
Even though it’s an off-year, a lot of states still have elections, some of them quite important. However, all of them are important really.
So, for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week, there’s amnesty on the noon Central Time deadline.
If you’re voting early or day of or you’re helping out by working at the polling place, and that’s the reason you can’t quite make that noon deadline one of those days, I won’t be a stickler.
No questions asked. Election Day amnesty applies. Just get out there and vote.
Thursday we’re right back to the hard noon Central Time deadline.
But for Monday 11/6, Tuesday 11/17 and Wednesday 11/8 - so you don’t have to choose between writing and voting, there’s some wiggle room on the deadline those days.
(Also, if you happened to vote early November 1 through 5 and that’s why you missed the deadline that day - I will also be persuaded, just let me know.)
Here’s one resource where you can check if you have an election of any kind this year:
https://votesaveamerica.com/be-a-voter/
In Minnesota, we do. Every city and county in the state is a bit different but there’s something going on. Me, in Minneapolis, I have a city council election, for example.
It’s not Congress or President, but honestly, the local level is where things start getting weird first - the weird school board people, the out there city council people, the loony judges (in Minnesota, we elect a lot of them, they’re not appointed), the strange and confusing ballot measures that they slip in during off-year and low turnout elections to get unpopular things done they can’t do through regular means.
So if you want to be sure schools are safe for queer and trans kids, and that adults aren’t randomly banning books, and that women have control of their own bodies - keep an eye on the local elections, too. (I know, I probably sound either like an anchor on MSNBC or a conspiracy theorist, apologies.)
I have to do some homework on my ballot before tomorrow morning.
Minnesota is a lovely state for voting - I’m actually a terrible procrastinator this year. I could have voted as early as September 22nd and here I am skating in on the last early voting day of Monday November 6th.
For the cadre of writers located in Minnesota, if you are not registered, we have same day registration. You can vote on the same day you register if that is Monday or Tuesday.
https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/register-to-vote/
The Minnesota Secretary of State website is full of all the information you need about voting - including a sample ballot tool with includes the names and offices of everyone running and links to their campaign websites (if they have one) so you can learn more about them.
https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/
https://www.sos.state.mn.us/elections-voting/whats-on-my-ballot/
But regardless of how you vote, the important thing is that we all do so.
Democracy only works if we participate.
Otherwise, you’re just letting someone else decide who gets to make all the policy decisions that impact your life and the life of those you love.
My goddaughter, who cannot yet vote, guides the way I think about all of my voting decision.
So again, deadline amnesty for three days only (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)….
Vote first,
Write later.
Please vote.
I thank you.
VOTING PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT OVER
Now, let’s get you that writing prompt…
*****************************************
Challenge #6 - Art Gallery Titles
Due: Tuesday, November 7th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)
I often find inspiration where I least expect it.
I was meeting a friend for coffee last weekend and at the coffee shop there was a bunch of art on the walls. Now, I couldn’t afford any of this art on my budget, and it was all pretty goofy and strange, but some of the images were fun so I went looking for the titles that went with the numbers.
And the list of titles was quite fun, and I thought, “Oh, I bet I could get an idea out of these, even without seeing any of the pictures they refer to.”
Some of my favorites:
“Where’s the Giraffe?”
“Negotiated Brunch”
“Mortimer and the Rewind”
“Bird In The Mirror”
“Here I Am”
“Yellow Dude and Co.”
“Leroi and the Catch”
The overall exhibit was called “Spring Into Life”
And here’s the rest of the titles, if my selections don’t catch your eye:
“Lollipop Leroi”
“Flight of the Mushplum fairy”
“Bag Dragon”
“Shroom With A View”
(or, What if E.M. Forster Dropped Acid?) - that’s me, don’t blame the artist for the joke.
“Cycloptopus”
“Wizard of Schnoz”
“Bodhitree”
“Cerebellar Fellar”
“Minko and the Sclubs”
“Free Swim”
“Doc and Buddies”
“It’s a Family Affair”
The artist’s name is Jenn DeWald if you want to check out her images as well
https://www.facebook.com/Jenndewaldart
Take any or all of that raw material and run with it.
Or, as usual, ignore me and write whatever you want.
Just write something.
*******************************************
If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can try 2021’s challenge #6:
Bigfoot By Moonlight
Or try 2022’s challenge #6:
Mascots
Or,
you know, just ignore the prompts altogether and write whatever you
want - as long as you’re writing and turning it in by the deadline,
that’s all that matters for the challenge :)
******************************************
Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)
Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play
Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt
No. Really. I Mean It. Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt
Don’t Forget To Vote: Tuesday, November 7th (or If You Can, By All Means Vote Early)
Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)
Don’t Stress About Thanksgiving
Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”
Don't Stress About What You're Turning In Each Day
************************************
How to submit your work for Challenge #6
You have options. They are:
Save your script as a PDF or Word Doc and send as an attachment to an email sent to ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com
OR
Copy and paste your script in the body of an email and send it to ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com
OR
Post
your script online (as a Google doc, or in a blog post, on your own
personal website, etc.) - email a link to this script to
ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com
(If you’re going to Google doc
route, just make sure to have the document public, or give permissions
to our email address to open it)
When emailing us, make the subject line of your email - Challenge #6
(That just helps us sort through the email more quickly)
(Or, you know, just reply to this email if you want :)
OR
Post the link for the online document option above in the comments
section on this very blog post for this very challenge on the writing
challenge blog below
Again, this is: Due: Tuesday, November 7th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)
****************************
And,
just to reassure you, no, we are not going to be sticklers about you
following these directions down to the minutest detail - the important
thing is that you write, and then that you share it with us, so we can
keep track of who’s writing every day.
We will be VERY
understanding about technical difficulties and how they can screw up
making the deadline on the first few days. No need to fret about
anything except the writing (and hopefully that’s not something causing
you to fret too much either :)
Also, no, there is no penalty for
finishing and submitting early - but it also isn’t a race, so give
yourself all the time up til 12 noon Central Time on Tuesday to write if
you need it. When you’re done, you’re done.
Again, remember, it
doesn’t need to be great, it doesn’t even need to be responding to this
prompt (the prompt is just there so you’re not staring at a blank screen
to start with no idea what to write about :)
Doesn't even need
to be complete - you could have the beginning or the middle or the end
of an idea, maybe two out of three but not all, that's still fine. This
is all about getting things started, you can write more later. You have
24 more days to build on whatever you come up with today, if you want.
Just get anything on the page, even if won't make sense to anyone else,
as long as it make sense to you.
It just needs to be something.
**************************************
And that something can be:
Lights up.
Derek comes upon and empty corral and says, “Where’s the giraffe?”
The Cycloptopus slivers across the stage and admits, “I don’t know, man. Sorry.”
Lights down.
The End
That’s always your escape hatch, every day.
That’s your base line.
Build on it.
Have fun.
Don’t stress.
Make an impulsive decision and run with it.
Breathe.
You’ve got the day.
Just write.
Matthew A. Everett
Literary Director
Threshold Theater
(he/him/his)
The video trailer for Threshold Theater's first virtual play reading in the New Play Reading series (back in May/June 2021), our reading of “Spellbound” by Matthew A. Everett - Thanks to his mischievous friend Jeffrey, who’s begun dabbling in witchcraft, Micah has accidentally dosed his best friend Auggie with a love potion. Which might be fine, if Auggie wasn’t straight, and married, or if Auggie’s wife Sarah wasn’t pregnant, or a practicing witch. With the help of Duncan, who runs the local metaphysical supply store, the race is on to whip up the antidote before anyone does something they’ll regret. Now on our YouTube channel
Support Threshold Theater on Give to the Max Day, November 16th
(Or feel free to give early, any time between November 1st through 15th)
Here's the link: https://www.givemn.org/story/Kssucf
Coming Monday, November 20, 2023 at 7pm:
If you’re local in the Twin Cities in Minnesota, come and join us for Threshold Theater's
seventh live play reading in the New Play Reading series. Like all good
LGBTQ+ theater companies, we begin our new season of programming with
"Mediocre Heterosexual Sex" - which is a play by Madison Wetzell.
Location: The Black Hart of Saint Paul
- 1415 University Avenue West, St. Paul, MN - Doors at 6:30pm, Reading
begins at 7pm, Audience discussion to follow the reading -
About the
play: Four hours after her girlfriend dumps her, Erin switches her
Tinder setting to dudes because she hates herself. She quickly meets
Aaron, who is straight, conveniently nearby, and only too happy to
indulge her masochistic fantasies. To translate this deeply ambivalent
first hetero experience, Erin seeks the advice of the only straight
people she knows, a couple in a Dominant/submissive relationship. A
vexed exploration of gender, sex, power, and kink.
Coming Spring 2024:
“4Play with Threshold Theater”
Dates and venue still TBA
Featuring:
Amsterdam, by Collette Cullen
Bluetooth, by Liz Dooley
Hurry Up and Wail, by Anna Ralls
Just for Context, by Bethany Dickens Assaf
The Weird Ellen Prom Queen Trendsetters, by Elizabeth Shannon
Coming for Pride Month 2024
Monday, June 3, 2024
Monster Girls at Sunshine Donuts, by Dani Herd
A
vampire, a werewolf, and a Frankenstein's monster walk into a doughnut
shop... Meet Louise, Tally, and Elsie: the crew behind Sunshine
Doughnuts! The ghouls have fallen into a pretty pleasant spooky routine
for themselves; pouring coffee, baking doughnuts, arguing over
Scooby-Doo cartoons, having crushes on their regulars. Along comes an
unexpected late night visitor to throw everything into question.
Sometimes it really sucks how much your past can come back to bite you!
"Write. Find a way to keep alive and write. There is nothing else to say."
- James Baldwin
"Writing is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as the headlights, but you make the whole trip that way."
- E.L. Doctorow
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