Friday, September 3, 2010

Friday Challenge...

It is Friday here in Nova Scotia and that means a challenge is in store for you, dear readers. Because we have a bit of a holiday feeling around here - it being the eve of both a hurricane and a long weekend, I'm going to make it more playful than um....deep.


Here is my last week's horoscope from Rob Brezsny who is a fantastically and dementedly brilliant astrologer. I'm a Sagittarius:
"In the movies I've seen that depict battle scenes from hundreds of years ago, every army has numerous soldiers whose job it is to carry festive flags and pennants. If this is an accurate depiction of history, what does it mean? That powerful symbols were crucial to inspiring the troops' heroic efforts? That touches of color and beauty lifted their morale? That they were more inclined to do their best if inspired to imagine they were participating in an epic story? Whether or not my theories apply to what actually happened back then, they apply to you now. As you go forth to fight for what you believe in, bring your equivalent of an evocative emblem."

I would like all of you dear readers to design your own pennant, flag or emblamatic device to encourage you when you feel your energy besieged by the enemies within - hopelessness, exhaustion, distraction and a decrease or surfeit of ego. You can either draw or assemble this pennant as a collage or simply describe it in words.
I will, using an outside adjudicator (step-dot) choose the most vivid and inspiring one and award the creator with a most suitable prize!
Have fun!

Extra Extra - Read all about it!!
 Haiku Challenge from Hatsheput: The Writing of a Novel - go join up and write a haiku - here is mine:

Waiting for Earl to arrive
I ponder weather
He won't blow me a kiss though.

also there is a barbeque over at Karen Jones Gowen - Coming Down the Mountain - if you're wanting to see new blogs and meet new friends put on your virtual party clothes and see what's happening. I'm bringing peach pie...

20 comments:

Liza said...

If you can have fun with the hurricane, I'm going to take a page from your book and try to do so too. It's really the clean up I dread...but, oh ho...I have to work tomorrow. Perhaps I'll miss out on the worst! :)

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

What a great idea! I love the idea of having a battle flag. :) And I hope the hurricane will suddenly head back out to sea and not in your direction, Jan. Take care!

Elspeth Futcher said...

That's what I need- a standard to wave as I head into battle! I love this idea.

Hopefully Eric will blow himself out before he hits Nova Scotia. Stay safe!

Jan Morrison said...

Hi Liza - hope Earl left you alright! Nothing happening here yet not even rain. I just battened down the chickens and told them that although it would be stinking hot in there with the window closed they'd be happy I did it come morning! We put all the canoes on the ground, brought in the chairs and tied the barbeque down. There then. We always have flashlights and candles so that is no biggy and we have lots of water and food and boozey fruit!

Elizabeth - yes, a battle flag! I want to see yours for sure. What will be on it? A barbeque perhaps...

Elspeth - that's Earl, my ducky, not Eric. I just imagined some poor guy named Eric receiving your hex and blowing himself out! Yikes...
Yes, I thought you'd like this you anglophile you...

Ann said...

What an idea. A banner standard.

Hope Earl has changed his travel plans.

Have been enjoying the BBQ. Lots of lovely blogs being discovered.

Brenda Drake said...

Beautiful banners. Enjoyed the post. Stay out of harms way.

The virtual BBQ has given me the opportunity to visit some wonderful blogs. Nice to meet you!

Angie Ledbetter said...

Can tell ya all ya need to know about storm preps, being from Louisiana! Dropping by from Karen's BBQ, and now following the blog and your tweets. Nice to "meet" ya. :)

Carol Kilgore said...

Wave your battle pennants at Earl and tell him to go back to sea. My Live-In Handyman is a Sagittarius :)

Stay safe and have a great weekend.

Wendy Tyler Ryan said...

Interesting haiku. Didn't know you could change the 5-7-5- to 7-5-7.

Arlee Bird said...

Reciprocating the follow and visit you gave to my blog.
I'll have to come back and check what else you have going here later.
I think things like war were more symbolic in the past than they are now. Now it's getting either more scientific and faceless or just random and chaotic, depending on which side you are fighting on. When two really scientific sides start fighting then it will scary for the world. Maybe we should starting writing haikus as epitaphs.
Wow, that got me off on a weird train of thought. Catch you later.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Unknown said...

That haiku really does intrigue me. so much left unsaid.

Talei said...

Hi Jan,


Thanks so much for stopping by my blog too. I do love a good haiku too!

I hope Earl stays away from our BBQ! Have a lovely weekend.

Talei ;)

Jan Morrison said...

All- well we're up and it's windy but no sight of Earl-dom yet! Still supposed to get at least a lick of a tropical storm - weather office says:
"At 5:00 AM ADT the centre of hurricane Earl was located about 180 kilometres southwest of Yarmouth and is moving northeast at 44 km/h. On its current track Earl is forecast to make landfall near Western Nova Scotia this morning."
I'm in Eastern Nova Scotia but we are a thin province. It's now raining...
Ann - yes, despite weather it is a lovely BBQ, meeting all sorts of nice types and of course hanging a bit with my old friends like you!
Brenda - thanks and nice to meet you too - I'll drop over and have a morning coffee at your place...love these extended parties!
Angie - Louisianna eh! Glad to meet you as well. We've weathered quite a few storms in the past years but don't have the history you all do! I'll drop by your place this morning too -put the coffee pot on.
Carol - oh my dear bones is a Leo born the same day as Madonna and couldn't be more different (thank goodness).
Oh Wendy - you probably can't - I just did it backwards. eek - that makes it a ukiah! It was late and I was tired...
Lee- yes, let's put the humanity back in war - hmmmmm....! That's why I was talking about inner battles!! So glad you could drop by.

Taryn - thanks - Earl has arrived just now - it is raining like anything and I just hope my dear tomatoes survive. They don't care for Haiku!

Talei - oh we'll have to wear our wetsuits for a bbq here I'm afraid...you come on in and have a bit of peach pie!

Claire Goverts said...

The battle flag is a cool idea. Good luck weathering the storm, at whatever level it ends up being. We are supposed to get the edges of the system moving through here this weekend. (I'm in NY state, near Lake Ontario).

Thanks for stopping by my blog. :)

Marguerite said...

Hi Jan, Another Cajun gal, over from the BBQ. So nice to meet you and discover your great blog! Hope you fare well in the storm!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

I've always liked your attitude and it shines in both the haiku and the idea of making banners. What a fabulous idea. Of course, I have no idea what mine should be!

RaShelle Workman said...

Love the banners and the haiku. Also I absolutely love, love your backround!! It's amazing. =D

Hart Johnson said...

Oh, GREAT assignment, Jan! This looks like FUN! Now I will just have to figure out my symbols and such!

Jan Morrison said...

Hi Claire - did you get any storm? Not sure where it went when it left here...
Marguerite - thanks for coming by! We fared great...
Come on Tricia - I want to see your banner!
RaShelle - thanks! The background is one that is on blogspot so you can have it too - I like it as it looks a bit like around here...
Tartlette - I thought you might like this one - it appeals to those of us who like Harry Potter, Middle Earth and days of yore!

Violette said...

I love this arty idea. I will be making one but not right away cuz I am a little busy lately. I am loving your blog and will be following it.