Prompt: Fill in the blank and run with it. Or just submit it as a single sentence. Writer’s choice. “The chatter in my head is like a ______…”

Prompt: Tell the story of your life in exactly six words.

Scattered success sorta says it all

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"How much?" she asked, seeing me.

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I thought it, now I do

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Move over, fear. Here comes love.

Prompt: Take any of the below quotes from In The Mood for Love and use it as inspiration for a scene, reflection, microfiction, poem, or perhaps moody letter to your ex-lover.

“She dresses like that to go out for noodles?” Dave turned his phone around.

“Oh Jenny? She never needs an excuse to dress up. She’d put on a gown to go walk the dog.”

“Huh. Some women just go out seeking attention, don’t they? I’m glad my wife doesn’t.”

Donovan was quiet. He stared at Dave, his childhood friend of twenty years, seated across the table from him. Their forks clinked against their plates.

The starkness of how their lives had diverged rushed in the fill the silence. College years spent frequenting the ballroom scene had set Donovan on a path to becoming the city’s famed drag queen. Donna Debussy was his alter ego.

Dave, who did a stint serving in the marines, returned to their hometown and graduated from college four years after Donovan. Intent on making up for his perceived lost time, he quickly settled down, marrying his college sweetheart.

“Dave. Every woman wants to feel seen. And your wife is no exception.”

Prompt: Pick one (or more) of the following clichés and write a new phrase to express the same sentiment. Zaniness encouraged.

her heart sank… like her phone crashing to the pavement

easy as pie… easy as prime day

avoid like the plague … that's so Temu

the elephant in the room …. those TikTok dancers filming

like a fish out of water … i had a find my phone moment

in the nick of time … i don't know why i snoozed my meeting alarm

when push comes to shove … i had to mosh pit my decision

find the silver lining … maybe i'm eligible for an upgrade

BONUS:

peter pan syndrome… still on his parents cell phone plan

Prompt: Freewrite a diary entry of a version of your life that’s currently playing out in another universe.

Counsel for the Bureau log date 20161120:

All is well as the Bureau retains its untouchable status. Someone filed a baseless lawsuit against the Bureau, and it was immediately thrown out by the court without the Bureau needing to file a response. We released the admissions results today, the lowest rate of all time. It appears that today's graduates are becoming dumber and dumber despite spending even more money on education.

Someone died, but it doesn't immediately appear that his family or the public has claimed we're responsible. The Bureau continues to profit. And I continue to earn far more than my old classmates are currently making. So all is well.

Counsel for the Bureau log date 20180522:

All is well as the Bureau retains its untouchable status. We released the admissions results today, the lowest rate of all time. Shortly after swearing in this generation of admittees, one of the recently admitted counselors made public comment that he would make us pay. He alleged that the Bureau was responsible for the death of his friend, but I couldn't find any instances where we were held liable for anyone's death. It is unlikely that this man will make us pay for anything, as the courts continue to find the Bureau not liable for anything and the Bureau continues to profit, and so I continue to profit, and so all is well.

Counsel for the Bureau log date 20230920:

Tomorrow the high court of appeal is threatening to remove our immunity from baseless claims by people claiming to be disabled. That man who threatened us all those years ago because his friend died found out we covered up our separate treasury where we keep our profits. I'll make the arguments that I can, but I've started applying to jobs outside the Bureau. I know not for how long this institution shall survive...

We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.