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Characters

What makes a good character?

Someone mysterious? Boring? Risqué? Over-the-top? Untouchable? Surreal? Perfect? Ludicrous? Rude? Quiet? Professional? Heart-felt? Needy? Brash? Sexy? Offensive? Kind? Alien? Square? Thoughtless? Thoughtful? Dreamy? Inept? Quirky? Confident? Artistic? Argumentative? Stubborn? Creative? Constructive? Forward-thinking? Magical? Business-minded? Helpful? Shut-off? Energetic? Charismatic? Disabled? Old-fashioned? Forward-thinking? Imaginative? Colourful? Radiant? Beautiful? Ugly? Robotic? Moronic? Warm? Cold? Holier-than-thou? Devilish? Inappropriate? Risk-taker? Stick-in-the-mud? Comical? Interesting?

A mixture of all? Just one? Maybe a couple?

There are a lot of ‘interesting’ characters that call by this blog that could easily fit into the list above. Myself included… Tom Merriman’s a character, don’t forget. OK. Maybe ‘interesting’ was the wrong choice of word.

My characters are all adaptable. They try to fit into a number of different scenarios. Some they take to like a duck to water, and others they’re like a fish out of it.

But they are still characters. Surreal creations that exist in Universes far, far away. Surreal lives with surreal existences that desperately need for their surreal stories to be told.

But are they good characters?


I don’t know. They’re all a work in progress.

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Why Am I Doing It?

Why bother?

What’s the point in doing all this blogging?

What purpose does it serve?

For a couple of visits a day, why spend hours creating a different blog post every day? Is it worth it?

Those are the questions, amongst others, that went through my head when I read a recent comment over on Splodge and Splatter, one of my other blogs. I’m sure the question wasn’t intended in the way that I first took it, but it certainly made me think of these questions.

Several years ago, another blogger (who I no longer follow but is still active in the Blogosphere) asked me if I would consider posting less frequently. The blogger in question rarely visited my blog beforehand, so my posting frequency shouldn’t really have concerned her. I gave her my reasons as to why I post as often as I do, and she never responded. Apart from seeing her face dotted around Blogland every now and then I haven’t heard from her since. This was the first time I asked myself the question, Why Bother?

I enjoy blogging. I enjoy writing and being creative. That’s why.

I may not be the world’s best writer / artist / photographer, but I don’t see that as a reason to stop. I keep on keeping on, because with each post / picture / painting there’s just a chance I may get better.

There’s a chance that I may provide a spark of inspiration to somebody else who feels they aren’t good enough.

I may just give someone a smile when they really need one.

I may, however inadvertently, provide an answer to someone else’s stumbling block with something they are working on.

I like the connections I get through blogging. Connecting with people all over the world, who I would never have the chance to otherwise ‘meet’. I always say ‘as and when’ when it comes to visiting my blog, because I am aware of my limitations, and I’m also aware that there are millions of other (most likely better) blogs out there and there simply isn’t enough time to visit everyone.

I don’t have time to visit all of the blogs I follow either, but it isn’t personal. None of it is. It’s just the way it is.

I apologise if you’ve stumbled across one of my rubbish posts, or a boring post, or a rushed post, or a silly post, or a post you weren’t expecting. The post was where my creativity was at at that time. Not one of us can be perfect every time.

I’m grateful if you’ve enjoyed a good post (or a bad one!). The comments and likes I receive are received with gratitude, and help me to Feel Good, which is my motto and has been since the very first day of this blog.

My intention, regardless of my post, is to try and share that Feel Good factor. In blogging, I believe we should all try to share a little light around the world, whether through stories, jokes, photos, pictures, music or any other part of the creative spectrum.

It’s too easy to get bogged down with all the darkness and negativity that is constantly being bombarded upon the world. Balance that with the light, and the world isn’t half as bad as we are made to believe it is.

Why bother?

That’s why.

Blogging is far more than just posting, but the posts help.

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The Standing Order

For a group of secretive people they are certainly easy to infiltrate.

These robes I bought from that flea market down the road are very itchy, but at least they hide the fact I’m not wearing one of those medallion things they have around their necks. Not that they will look in my direction anyway, but I’d better not scratch myself just in case. It’s really tempting, though.

It’s frightening how they just stand there, individually or in pairs, totally unaware of the biting winds and heavy blizzard. Frozen. Rooted to the spot like statues. At least I’m under cover here! Ha! Under cover… I like that.

I know that they’ll start moving again when the midday bell tolls, and then the next lot will come out. I just need to be still and patient. Act like I’m one of them.

I like how the sunlight comes through the windows like that… it looks too warm for these bitter temperatures, but it still gives off a warm glow. Maybe they concentrate on that. I wonder how they keep these massive windows clean. Especially up the top there. Perhaps they’re self cleaning.

I wish I knew what time it was. I can’t feel my feet.

Look at the light. Look at the light. I think it’s working!

The light doesn’t seem right for midday, thinking about it. How long have I been here? I bet they’ve hypnotised me and forced me to join their number. I hope not. I only want to see what it is they do when they go inside. Oh no… what if they have hypnotised me and had me running around like a chicken? I don’t feel like I’ve been running. I wouldn’t be this cold, if I had.

C’mon… c’mon. Toll bells! Toll! I can’t feel my hands now.

Ah! At last!

No, wrong – it’s a hand-bell from inside. What was that? Three… four… five… six. Six rings.

Now the clocktower is ringing.

Actually, where is the clocktower? I can’t see it from here – it must be behind me. But the sound from the tolls is ahead of me. It must be an echo. That’s odd.

Ah, they’re moving now. They’ve formed a line ahead of me. I’d best try and join them. Nonchalantly does it. Good job I watched how they walk… I’ve got that off to a tee. Just need to speed up a little and then I can slip in there, behind. Made it. They’re still looking forward and haven’t seen me.

What was that? I thought these were a silent order. There it is again – definitely a voice. Sounds like “Order of Six”.

Oh.

This is the Order of Six.

I make the number up to seven. They obviously know I’m here.

A bit of mystery I feel for this week’s What Do You See? challenge from Hélène; link below.

Weekly challenge

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So, we all have a purpose?

Are we here for a reason?

Or are we merely just here?

Do we work well with society?

Or do we just fit in?

Can we really achieve better things?

Or live with what we have?

Six Questions for Six Word Saturday.

Six Word Saturday

Although seven, actually, including the title…