\"Writing.Com
*Magnify*
Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/profile/reviews/centurymeyer35
Review Requests: ON
626 Public Reviews Given
630 Total Reviews Given
Public Reviews
Previous ... -1- 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... Next
1
1
Review of Illogic  Open in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (3.0)
Very cute. However, it can be beefed up a little.

I know, I know: it's just a joke, and you can lose your listener's attention if you carry on too long. I agree—BUT...

...This isn't an oral joke, it's a written one. You can definitely build a cute little story around this. It's a great opportunity to practice a flash fiction piece: 300 words or fewer. Just as writing a review is good practice, drabbles (100 words or fewer) and flashes are excellent opportunities to practice the craft, too!

This is a funny piece of writing, but every piece of writing is an effort that deserves attention. Even if it's not an update of this piece, I hope you Write On!

--Jeffrey
2
2
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Tokeo,

We usually write poems about what we didn't get to have, what we lost. This poem lamenting someone else's loss is quite beautiful. I'm not sure if this was just a relationship separation or something worse; to me, it rather seems that one person is saddened by someone having taken their own life. In either context, it is a very strong poem.

The repetition of "We would've" keeps the reader tightly reminded that these things never happened, but they had a chance to happen. There was a permanent loss somewhere which makes me think of suicide—"stolen away from me", "didn't have the time"—that prevented all these wonderful things.

Quite a wonderful, if sad, poem.


This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.

3
3
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
Bill,

This story is strongly reminiscent of Stephen King's Christine, wherein a car has a malevolent consciousness of its own and eventually kills its owner. Rather too much, perhaps, if I may be so bold.

You've written this piece well. Mike is a believable character. His phone. Where was his phone? It's lines like these that give reality to characters. Every reader has lost their phone and gone searching for it in urgent frustration! And the urgency of the conversation, with the phone dying further allows us to identify with Mike.

His descent into obsession is gently conveyed, which is nice, since his demise is gentle, too. But you portray his final moments as well as you portray his frantic search for the phone in the beginning. You've a knack for making your characters believable as everyday people.

Your mechanics—spelling, punctuation, formatting—all seem to be in good form.

One thing you might want to look at is that the wife lists the add as only one previous owner. She would have known there were at least two, wouldn't she? That's about the only thing I would fix in this, aside from the very close semblance to Christine. Perhaps introducing some type of manifestation of the previous "many careful owners" would provide some more original context? Maybe a good reason why the car is evil and murderous to those who restore it? In any case, it's something for you to ponder, at least.

This a well-written story with engaging action and an identifiable character. Good work, Bill.


This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.

4
4
Review of Inheritance  Open in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
What an ending! Can't really blame the parrot. I wonder how many times he's repeated: "don't go with strangers!"

This was very well done. I was disappointed when it ended; I had already forgotten I was reading a flash. Good job, my friend.

--Jeffrey
5
5
for entry "PathologicalOpen in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (4.5)
Jeff,

I like this admission of guilt that contains no shame whatsoever. I think this lurks in all of us, the urge to embellish or even downright make things up. I don't think the origin is always nefarious—possibly not even usually so. When I was a kid, it was to get attention or stay out of trouble. But the former is what was, and is, most embarrassing: the need to have a similar story, an anecdote to fit the occasion. I still remember, over 40 years ago, when my father called me on it at the family table. I still feel that shame.

But I also remember the painful need to be relevant, and I still feel it.

Dio wrote: "You can hide in the sun till you see the light." Your poem seems to speak more to the, well—pathological cases of lying, the need to lie to address some broken inner need. Why move out of the darkness? Because your lies are even more effective when you tell them in the sunlight. "...With malicious eye askance to watch the working of his lie on mine, mouth scarce able to suppress his glee at one more victim gained thereby." Eliot seems to have known your character well.

I like this poem for its ability to be applied across a range of lies from white to black. It makes the reader consider his own communications and ponder his own level of honesty...and the depths of his own pathology.

There were a couple places I might suggest some slightly different choices:

~ "Prevarications" is a correct word for this, but somehow it felt like too expensive of a word for the rest of the poem. It seems to me to be a five-dollar word among three-dollar words—haughty, I guess, is the word I'm looking for.

~ Immediately on the heels of the above, "genuine honesty" is repetitive. Honesty is, by definition, genuine. I rather think the modifier could be pruned without damaging the line.

Overall, this is a very thought-provoking poem. As I move into my day with a big meeting to start with, I will bear it in mind to keep my anecdotes and relations on the up-and-up. Glad I got to read it this morning, Jeff.



This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.

6
6
Review of letGo  Open in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
Freewrite,

Wow, this is packed tight. Each word here is important; nothing is wasted. I frequently offer others advice on economy of words in poetry, but you exemplify it here.

The stages of a life from the very cradle are offered as packets to teh reader. I think I get them all; I get the jist at least, but I feel like that's not enough. Some of the stanzas (or my own mind) are a little too dense for me to wring every meaning from them. For instance:

a tag striking those who come and are now named
a sound in the background where it is printed
a register unheard issuing the form
Intro show


I think this is about the birth certificate being printed for a baby. Mostly because of "Introo show." Otherwise, it could be a toe tag in the morgue from a death in the delivery room—mother or child.

Other lines are exquisite in their brevity, because they still manage a wonderful description. "Out and about for the arc-lightened joining..." What a way of describing meeting at night. Whether this is with a group or just two people is touch unclear in my mind, but the line really stood out for me.

This poem about the arc of life is very well-written, if just a bit too lean for me. But if this is outside your comfort zone, I can't wait to see read what is inside it!


This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.



NOTE ON MY RATING: I gave 4 stars because I really feel like the parts I didn't get are because of my own inability to dissect it. It didn't seem fair to ding you for that. JM
7
7
Review of Life is Good  Open in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
Jacky,

The pride we take in our children as they are growing and learning is, to me, akin to new love: it's fiery and fierce, prone to fits of passion and frustration. But when we see all their hard work pay off, it's like the 10th or 20th year of love. Stronger than ever, but no longer blazing. It's a bed of banked embers, warming, affirming, gentle...but strong as mother rock.. That's the feeling this evokes for me.

I font it humorous, as well, that there's so much homework for the teachers as for the kids. Man, I hated homework—so much so I didn't do it and almost failed a grade or two. I would grumble about how unfair it was. And yet I never made the connection about the homework teachers have to do.

This piece left me with a calm contentment, and that's a great way to start what is going to be a make-or-break day for me. Thank you for sharing this with us.



This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.

8
8
Review of Craving KitKat  Open in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (5.0)
Wildfire,

This was a wonderful story of surface-level paradoxes and insightful investigations. When I first started it, the many paradoxical statements, such as: "part fully grown, tougher than nails, strong in her own right, temptress and vixen, yet part playful, silly, wide-eyed innocent, with a good bit of wild-child" reminded me at once of "She's Always a Woman to Me" by Billy Joel, and "Heaven and Hell" by Black Sabbath. And that kinda fits the character, doesn't it? Half metal, half mood music.

In my opinion, you were right up next to the too-many-comparisons line, but still on this side of it. You could probably find two or three opportunities in the second half to edit them out, since the reader has already had several examples in the first half. That having been said, however, those comparisons define the character so well! We only know she has red hair, a small frame, and an attractive rear end. That's all the physical info we get. But you give her such wonderful definition through Henry's perceptions and understandings of her and through sketches of her backstory that she becomes a fully-formed character.

Henry, on the other hand, is furniture. He's supposed to be. He's KitKat's support, a safety, a known quantity. All we need to know is that he is there—is there, will always be there. He is the negative space that defines her asylum. His character is written perfectly for this.

So much of this story is written in negative space, in inversions. The abused individual finds safety in a crowd of perceived abusers. The wild one needs freedom to survive, but is willing to be domestic if she is not expected to be. Wild will settle for calm so long as calmness is not demanded. Paradoxes and inversions. It's really quite fascinating, and not a little confusing. Really neat writing.

I think the way you unspooled the story was great thematic structure. After each dichotomy, we got a little more explanation. The went from a jerk to a tease, to a victim, to a survivor...to a person. The story itself bloomed backward, what was awesome, from a writer's point of view. I've written a lot of flashback stuff. But this kept the reader in the present, even while the backstory was being revealed.

Your mechanics--spelling, punctuation, presentation: everything was on trim from what I can see. Good choice on the large font with adequate paragraph spacing. It made a huge difference for my old eyes, no joke.

Her flippant "I'm more" mirrored by Henry's "you're everything" is a wonderful close. She's not tame, she's not broken. She's safe; she's loved; and she's safe to love him.

My favorite line in the whole piece was this: "It was the pink suede elephant perpetually in their personal space." What a perfect adaptation of that trite old phrase. Simply perfect!

This was a great story that was very cleverly written. It was enjoyable for a reader in me and the writer, as well. So glad I found this today. And I'll be even more glad if you decide to Write On!



This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.



9
9
Review of Writing and Me  Open in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Chrysii,

First of all, welcome to our community! I hope I'm neither the first nor the last to extend our pleasure that you've chosen us with whom to share your writing journey. This is a community of writers and word-players.

There are many activities, prompts, and contests to stimulate your creativity as well as challenge your craft. I'll offer a couple of my own preferences at the bottom of this.

There's nothing like doing something to learn it, and that includes writing. The people on this site are all here to support, encourage, and help each other. That ranges from gentle comments and guidance to scanning your stuff with a microscope. I am confident you'll find the level of support and comradery you desire here on WdC.

There's a few things that will help you settle into the community: reviewing and interacting. Your Newsfeed will give you all kinds of opportunities to interact with others based on a variety of topics regarding writing. Reviewing other writers' output does two things: it allows you to explore new methods you do or do not like; and it allows you to practice writing be writing back to the original author what you thought of their story. That sounds a little convoluted, but you'll that it's pretty simple.

Here's some activities and areas I strongly recommend for you as a newer community member:
~
"Daily Flash Fiction ChallengeOpen in new Window. - This is good for learning how to be very succinct. You have to tell a story in 300 words or fewer.
~ "The Writer's CrampOpen in new Window. - This is great for getting good at thinking fast—an entire short story in 24 hours. (This is one I'm struggling with right now...but it's fun!)
~ "I Swear I'm Cool Somewhere!Open in new Window. - This is a fun forum for letting your imagination go, but capturing the good time on paper (or on the screen, as it were).
~ "The Adam West ConspiracyOpen in new Window. - This is a contest I host. You're welcome to take a look and see if you want to play along.
~ "The Contest ChallengeOpen in new Window. - Last one. This is kind of a hub for several different contests.


I hope to some of your writing soon. Whatever pace you choose, though: Write On!


This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.



10
10
Review of Julia  Open in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Sam,

This is masterfully done, sir. Well written and perfectly paced, it is a complete and compelling story in just 300 words.

It's so safe, locking oneself away inside one's own head and heart. Cutting the world off. And it's okay for a day or two every now and then. But the main character here has lost the key to let herself back out. I've been there, so this touches me on a personal level.

A fellow author on here is offering guidance on writing certain parts of my stories in "negative space." The meat of your poem is the emotion of loss as expressed by a character that does not appear in the story. That's brilliant use of negative space!

This hit me very hard: "But you don't." That one simple sentence communicates sadness, exasperation, and even a bit of accusation. It's very powerful. In this same vein, the lack of any info as to why Julia is in this place allowed me to simply accept it without asking any questions about it.

This is just a fantastic flash fiction piece, Sam. Bravo!


This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.



11
11
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
Xenos,

You capture the willing outcast very well in these extended verse-lines. I don't like people, in general, because they are as mean and small as the people of the town and docks you expose here. Sailing on my own seas of writing and reading, I am safe, and insulated...but alone.

The potential religious implications are intriguing. Of course the symbology of being the only one who can stay above the water by his own power is clear. Also, we see the character "fishing for men" at the docks to follow him in the ways of the sea. The sea itself provides everything for him, as God is said to provide for the wanderer who spreads His word. But the others are not worthy, and stay behind with hunger for the Seafarer's peace. The hunt for his Magdalene is interesting through this lens, suggesting that love of the flesh and service to a higher power, such as the sea, are at odds with one another—also portrayed in other literature and histories by the vows of chastity taken by monks of various orders.

The ending is rather abrupt, and offers no resolution. If this is part of a longer work, that makes sense. But the incomplete search for the Princess of the Waves and the simple restatement of his oneness with the Sea leaves little for the reader to extrapolate.

There's a couple of things I think could make this a little better.

~ I think your presentation of verse might be better achieved by using a more classic mode with line breaks offering rhymes at the ends of each line. The reader finds the rhythm and the rhyme, and has a hard time focusing on the story because he is constantly trying to catch that rhythm throughout the lines.

~ Your rhythm is irregular throughout. It holds to a loose framework, but it's like a flight of steps where some risers are less even than others: the reader trips and stumbles over some of them. Perhaps working with classic line breaks, as mentioned above, would help identify areas of opportunity to even out that flow.

~ There's some punctuation that can be tightened up. Although, at the same time, most of it is spot-on. But some of it did trip me a little, so I wanted to mention it for your own reference.

This is quite the tale of tragedy-turned-triumph. We wonder where he goes, where he flows, and how much about "alone" he knows. Perhaps we'll find out in later installments.

Whether we find out more about the Seafarer or not, Write On!


This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.

12
12
Review of Monster  Open in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
E,

This is an unhappy accusation to more than just one generation: forgetting is the first step in forgiving, and some things are simply beyond forgiveness. A step farther: forgetting is tantamount acquitting, and thence to abetting. So, the story asks us, what crime do we commit by recording?

The dreariness of the main character is unforgivingly set by your bleak setting. One can feel the dampness, the cloying chill. Even in the Archives, the wet cold of stone is felt. Pervasiveness is represented clearly and palpably, symbolizing the even more chilling pervasiveness of the subject matter of crimes against humanity.

The implied microcosm of those crimes—sketched memories of the characters family—remind the reader that we are not detached from tragedy; we are simply waiting our turn. This principle is sickeningly applicable it today's society, maybe even more applicable than the timeframe of the story. We don't hold anyone accountable, we just watch and document and wait for the next breath of poison gas to be breathed by parliaments and presidents and dictators (as though there’s a difference between any of them). Your use of negative space is absolutely instrumental here, leaving the reader to interpolate what might or might not have happened.

You mention banality more than once. As I read, I have to face the fact that I, too, am culpable. "Yep, there's another murder in Indianapolis. Thirteen this year, but who's keeping score? Speaking which, how did the Colts do this week?" It's all just another boring part of living. And that is terrifying! The level to which we are willing to accept catastrophe and evil is staggering and seemingly irreversible. Stories like this remind us, for a moment, that we have a responsibility to stand up and scream...but the moment passes, and read the rest of the sports page.

"Hatred is created when people gather." Holy hell. That's so true. Through Liebert, you put your finger directly on the sickened pulse of the matter. I've felt this way for a long time, but never have I been able to distill it this well. It's the central problem, the reason I'm an introverted near-hermit. We see it every day, read it every day—when we can be torn away from TikTok and sports scores. "Generals gathered in their masses" sang Black Sabbath. True. And aren't we all the generals of our own wars against time and fate. And so we create hatred in our "black masses."

The futility of shame and accountability is clearly demonstrated throughout. Tommy logs the notes, the daily journals, the feelings. But time and banality and cheerful young clerks wash it all away, whitewash it with rationalizations, blur it through lenses of time. "Washing. Always washing away." This action of washing, we must interpret, is not to clean wounds but to erode responsibility and accountability. To creepingly dislodge and carry away guilt and memory, seeping like mist into our hearts make the gall of iniquity into watercolor representations, the flares of pain just faint halos in our hearts until there is nothing left for us to choke on.

Would I suggest doing anything differently in this story?


~ Perhaps giving paragraph spacing between the one- and two-line punches toward the end.

~ The font difference in the journal's written section might be managed a little better, the unwritten part placed in the same mono-spaced font. That part is thought, true, so it could go either way.
Just an observation.

~ If I might be so bold, I will note that the description of the scenes might be a little too much, maybe by a sentence or two. The brushstrokes are already heavy. I recognize the necessity of emphasizing the seepage and the dirt, but there is enough of it that it almost obscures the accusation within the storyline itself.

This is another incredibly delivered indictment of humanity at its worst. In the darkest of times, the human monster demonstrates how much darker it actually become.

Bravo, sir. Bravo.


This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.

13
13
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
This is one of the best contests/activities on the site. It offers a fun environment to practice tight writing and the delivery of a punchy point in limited prose; and that is a skill we can take forward as we build larger stories and avoid the risk of wandering off the storyline.

--Jeffrey
14
14
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Bill,

You know, after this story, I almost sent this review via carrier pigeon! This is as creepy as an episode of Black Mirror.

The opening few incidents are interesting, in that they capture the reader's attention. They make the reader ask: "Okay; and...?" Aside from the title, there's nothing apparent to tie these little vignettes together. However, I feel like that is a strength here. It keeps the reader wondering. Well...this reader, anyway.

This story is arranged in a non-linear chronology. We see the effects before we know the cause. As I noted, that draws the reader in deeper so the beginning can be told. I did that once, but as I reread the story, I realized it was just confusing. Yours, however, is very clear at the end.

I particularly liked this line: "Portfolio value: zero dollars" The basic portfolio of life nets out to zero if you base your fulfillment in dollars and cents. So what if you lose it, in that case, perhaps.

I think the analogy is clear here that the phones themselves are a trap for us. The phones are the virus. They may not actually be leading to our physical deaths, but they are leading to social detriment (the friends going off the cliff), health issues (symbolized through the insulin overdose), and even financial problems (the investor's plummet). And we are spreading the virus with each new phone, each time we download a new widget or hook up a new gadget. We're showing our friends, supplying them to our children, making them more and more a ubiquitous part of our days, like pants and shoes. It's a spooky thought when one stops to ponder it...but it's easy to drive the thought away by simply swiping left and watching another cat video, patiently awaiting our own turn to fall into a proverbial tar pit.

I really don’t see any areas I would recommend changing or adding to in order to improve this story. It’s tightly written, grammatically sound, and punctuated with precision. The theme is delivered convolutedly, but it becomes deadly clear in the end; I think that is great thematic presentation. The conclusion is sound, both wrapping up this story, and leaving a forward-looking picture for the reader to extrapolate for themselves.

I just reviewed another piece about a young woman scrolling on her phone in almost complete depressed apathy. It could have been a lost vignette from this story! The fact that this can be tied to a lot of other stories about phones being the root or the catalyst to problems might or might not be intentional, but the reader is able to —and perhaps helpless not to—apply that. For that reason, this story will stay i the back of my mind. That's a huge part of great writing—the reader will remember your work no matter what other piece he reads.

Write on! (but...maybe use a regular computer to do so... *Wink*)


This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.

15
15
for entry "A Day in the LifeOpen in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
iKïyå§ama,

What a wonderful blog about the apathetic state brought on by world-weariness. I never watch the news, because only about 8% is germane to me anyway. It's just a who's who of killings and ravings.

Opening this by ignoring the spider on the wall calls to our atavistic disgust and fear of the totally alien spider. It freaks a lot of us out and sends some of us screaming. The speaker here isn't fond of them but is simply too exhausted to do anything about it. It is implied that this exhaustion is not a physical thing, but a mental thing.

The addiction to virtual connection is frighteningly demonstrated. Using the ubiquitous cat videos as an example of this fixation was perfect because they are representative of the useless garbage we focus our attention on these days. (For me is chihuahua videos, all of them saying the same thing, but all of them reminding me of my own little guy—who's sitting right next to me anyway!)

But let us take a closer look at that sneaky webslinger on the wall. Whether intentional or not, Spidey is representative of the insidiousness of this scroll-ful culture: it spins webs and ensnares us in mind-numbing, fearmongering, echo chamber-like content, stealing our active social lives and sucking the blood from our joie de vivre.

And when we've read the last news story and the cats' balls of yarn are all unraveled, what is left of us? Why, nothing, really. We are exhausted from the baffling bull**** on our screens, and we are left unfulfilled, apathetic, and just plain tired.

You packed one helluva punch in just a few words, my friend. Very well done indeed!


This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.

16
16
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
Mriana,

This was a lovely tale of misunderstanding and misinterpretation. I'll admit that I saw it coming a mile away, but that did not lessen the enjoyment of how the characters interacted in the situation. I was reminded of TOS's episode "The Naked Time," where Riley hijacks the intercom makes the entire ship listen to him sing "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" one...more...time!

As I read, there were some character interpretations I'd like to note—although, it should be noted that I am not a watcher of this spin-off:

~ In your story, the innocence of Naomi is nicely contrasted against the crew's rather less-than-innocent interpretations of the scene. We find ourselves eager to eavesdrop on the officers, as well.

~ The Vulcans behaved more passively than one would expect. Their lines seemed to be inconsequential, just a way to throw some Vulcan lingo into the mix.

~ The crew outside the door was borderline insubordinate in their behavior. I know it was for effect, but accidental eavesdropping might have been a better fit a starship crew.

~ Janeway's ire was very well played. A good commander will show her emotions, but will not inflict them on others.

With regard to the writing itself, I liked how it was driven by dialog. I recently did a flash fiction that way, and I found it a little difficult to stay away from narration. Quite the skill, and well deployed here.

The innuendo, while predictable, was fun to play along with. I enjoy playing that game, seeing how close I can walk that line before backing off or stepping over. You did well promulgating and navigating the double entenrdes.

Overall, this was a humorous story that demonstrates minding one's own business is the best policy.



This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.

17
17
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (5.0)
Carly,

Careful, Mr. Tumnus is on the way! Hopefully there's some nice Turkish Delight waiting for you up ahead.

I haven't been to Narnia in decades, and even then I only got through a few books. But I loved them! This trip back through the wardrobe was a pleasant visit back to fourth grade.

I do have one question, though: why in the world did Sam want to meet you inside a closet, for heaven's sake? Unless he's already on the other side and waiting for you. But did the door you came through open to the same place?

Dammit! Now I have questions! I need more! I could see this becoming a series of flashes. Well, looks like you've got me at "Hello." *Wink*


This review offered by
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*
18
18
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
R,

This rings so true with me! The third line, "A God to the man who sculpted him," that cuts so close to the bone. I believe that if there is a god-figure it is in the heart of each of us, displayed only int eh good we do; and the devil, so to speak, is manifested by the evil we do. "God" and "devil" are just shorthand for stated of being and ways of behaving. Therefore, we have sculpted God for ourselves!

Now it should be understood that I find no fault with faith. Each person believing in their own version of the god-figure is beautiful, in fact. It is the imposed theocratic efforts "to keep them shackled in the chains of religion" that I can't tolerate.

Let me comment on the writing briefly.

~ The middle part, which is certainly prose rather than poetry, is begging to be reworked to fit the rest of the poem. It's where the turn is, where the absolute most important part of the poem is (except for that wonderful third line).

~ You might also consider letting the second to last line go away. "Stupid" just doesn't fit the rest of the vocabulary in the poem. It sounds argumentative and petulant compared to the rest of the pointed, deliberate verbiage.

~ This is totally this reader's opinion, right here. Consider single-spacing some of your lines together, like stanzas. Let them capture complete thoughts—not terribly unlike that middle paragraph, only grouped as lines.

This is an angry, direct commentary about religion and the fallacy of the origin of God vs Man. I strongly identify with it (having just published a book of poetry called God and Man), and I commend the construction of the argument/statement.


This review offered by
An animated signature
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.


19
19
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (4.5)
Very nice! I like the uncertainty of the boys' demise. I always love stories that start in the middle of the action. Making my own backstory is half the fun for me.

This is a mostly dialog-driven piece, which really makes it impressive. Driving action using mostly just talking is a skill I DO NOT have; I love to see it used well by others.

Good job fitting a tightly-written scene into such short parameters.

This review offered by
An animated signature
Jeffrey
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.


20
20
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (2.5)
Derrick,

This is a horse of several colors! Part essay, part blog, part poem, it reads with a thoughtfulness that tends toward a sad imagistic outlook at the end.

This line: "we have good times by wasting good times" stood out to me as particularly profound. Money is made to be spent; food is made to be eaten. Are not good times meant to be wasted? Or are we using the wrong vocabulary in this conversation? Perhaps the only waste of a good time is not to have, not to spend like emotional currency. As one singer put it: "Hold on loosely, but don't let go."

Your sly use of the quote by Queen was nice, and it touched on a different topic—living forever. I would advance, however, that that discussion could be pared out of this poem. It is not germane to the discussion of intuition.

I am going to challenge you: adjust this somewhat. Adapt it into the editorial that it wants to be. Give us your thoughts in a narrative format so that we are not distracted by looking for meter or rhyme. It is perfectly "acceptable" to end an article with a bit of verse for a powerful close, and I think the end of this piece would do just that.

As a poem, I think there is a lot of massaging that needs to be done; but as a conversation or collective statement, I think you are well on your way to making a good point. (One other thing, though, make sure you're trying to make just one point; save immortality for another piece where you can focus exclusively on it.)

You propose an interesting topic, here, to which I don't have a ready answer. Intuition allows us to borrow trouble from tomorrow so we can add it to the worry of today; but lack of intuition leaves us to step into quicksand without ever having suspected it was there. I suppose every gift has a b-side of curse with it. Perhaps the summation to the point is that what we do with our intuition is what makes it a curse or a gift. I'm no philosopher, but that sounds right to me. At least...that's what my intuition tells me. *Smile*



This review offered by
An animated signature
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.


21
21
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
Dan,

Absolutely it's a threat. It's the only form of legal extortion left: do what I want or I'll do what I can to ruin your life by ending your days in office, Mr. Mayor! *Wink*

This was fun—well, for me anyway. The writer almost getting brained and then almost breaking a leg to avoid it, that was funny.

There's something about this lighthearted piece that is not so lighthearted, though. That's the reminder to the reader that community action is not someone else's job, it's all of our job. And rather than ranting across the dinner table, we need to speak directly to power about the issues we feel they need to address. Shame on me for complaining about the unsafe corner outside my house, because I've never written to the street department to fix it. (True story.) So there's a pill of reality and seriousness in this piece, and I respect that.

Nice piece, Dan!

This review offered by
An animated signature
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.

22
22
Review of Pay Attention  Open in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Alexis,

Wow, I am immediately reminded on e. e. cummings by this. This poem is not a giver—that is, it doesn't give its meaning away plainly. One has to think through this one for a moment. Well...I did, at least. And what I take away is a very interest message, quite counterintuitive to what we are often led to think: don't hold onto this moment. Embrace the moment as it comes, experience it as much as you can, and then let it go so that the next moment is fresh.

The use of the word "vanity" is interesting in this poem. It could represent the gloating graspiness we all seem to share, that urge to hoard things and say, "This is my memory!" Poetry is not always just a painting, though; sometimes it is a sharp tool. I would not be entirely surprised to find that the "vanity" spoken of in this poem is aimed at an individual of whom the casual reader is unaware.

I particularly like your use of negative space in the presentation of the poem. It has a fleeting feeling, a flowing feeling. The end seems to want to be let go, as though it's slipping downward like sand in an hourglass. Catching the eye is as important as catching the mind, as you demonstrate so well here.

The message I take from this is very intuitive and very true: don't try holding on too tightly to something you are enjoying right now, because you risk missing the enjoyment of things to come.

Very well done, Alexis.


This review offered by
An animated signature
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.


23
23
Review of Haiku  Open in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
Vera,

You present two very different poems here, both of them nice.

The first much more closely follows the Japanese "rules" of haiku, juxtaposing two images to create a statement. The rising of the sun symbolizing emerging life contrasts against the falling leaves, yet there is beauty in it. Very nice.

The second haiku less closely follows that pattern. In fact, one might question of this is really haiku at all, due to the repetition of an entire line. You may want to be careful there; that really does transgress the rules of the form.

This is a very enjoyable couplet of haiku. Enjoy the summer. And while you're at it—Write On!

This review offered by
An animated signature
——————————
*Strong**Floral1*"WdC SuperPower Reviewers GroupOpen in new Window.*Floral1**Explode*

Please note that my reviews are intended to be
respectful and encouraging.
If you feel I have been rude, cruel,
or otherwise inappropriate,
please report this review to a moderator.


24
24
Review of Changing Tunes  Open in new Window.
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
I've an odd sense of humor. Along with "see ya later," amd "love you," I'll often tell my kids: "Wear clean underwear!" Hey—at least it entertains me! *Laugh*

I like this little conversation, particularly because it reminds me of the goofy little repartee we each have with our folks. It also reminds us that sometimes the things that don't matter actually DO.

--Jeffrey
25
25
Review by Jeffrey Meyer Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (4.5)
Well! We seem to have a schizophrenic Phantom on our hands. No wonder Barron felt threatened; he had some dim awareness of the other persona lurking in the back of his mind. One wonders if it was himself leaving the notes in the dressing room, the way it was Gregory Hines leaving voice messages to himself in Dead Air.

Gotta say, kudos to the detective for staying cool under pressure. Had I been the detective, I'd've pushed your story past 300 words because you would have had to have written in a change of pants for me!

Fun story.

--Jeffrey
358 Reviews *Magnify*
Page of 15 25 per page   < >
Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/profile/reviews/centurymeyer35