Weekly Creativity Challenge #4: Queen's Edition
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Grace Sanders24
The queen of the sidewalk.
The queen of the sidewalk.
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Weekly Creativity Challenge #4: Queen's Edition
in Off-topic ·
Louise Hay
A queen without a crown
Hair full of tuna
Not even a single scrap left
Cooking cornmeal for the kids
Stains on my shirt
My nerves are frayed
The baby won't sleep
I feel like a total wreck
And then you show up
Telling me I look beautiful
That even the tuna smell doesn't bother you
And that I'm the queen of your world
A queen without a crown
Hair full of tuna
Not even a single scrap left
Cooking cornmeal for the kids
Stains on my shirt
My nerves are frayed
The baby won't sleep
I feel like a total wreck
And then you show up
Telling me I look beautiful
That even the tuna smell doesn't bother you
And that I'm the queen of your world
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4: Queen's Edition
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hiddenmarlin14
The Queen and the Politicians
She’s retired now. She used to be the terror of the music department—the long-time head boss. A short woman with messy, indeterminate gray hair and eyes that flashed like a cornered badger. She had a sharp nose tucked between two heavy cheeks and a smile—yes, a smile—but it was always cynical and condescending. Her figure was round, usually draped in nondescript shades of gray, looking as if she hadn't owned anything else besides basic t-shirts and pants. Just plain tees, long or short sleeve depending on the season, paired with loose, elastic-waist trousers, all in gray, worn on a frame that was easier to overlook than to navigate. Yet, despite everything, she had long, elegant, slender fingers.
That year marked the 50th anniversary of a major department at the university. It was also the year the guys in Congress tied up some "austerity packages," hinting that this very department was on the chopping block. There were student protests, chaos, the whole works.
What sticks in my mind is the concert held for that aforementioned anniversary. We were working on a massive project, and I was singing in the choir assembled specifically for the celebration.
The hall was packed; every seat was taken. The front row was reserved for certain politicians who, by some stroke of luck, decided it was vital to pay their respects to the academy—presumably to show everyone they actually care about culture and musical heritage.
The concert began. After the first choral piece, we singers remained standing on stage. One of those high-ranking politicians climbed up to a small lectern with a microphone and started his speech. After maybe two or three sentences, a small procession entered from the other side of the stage. They walked slowly, heads bowed, carrying wreaths and a casket. That little professor was among them. There was a stir in the audience; I don't recall how the speaker reacted. They placed the casket in the center of the stage with wreaths on either side. On the casket, the department's name, founding year, and the current year were inscribed. Once everything was set, people approached the casket one by one, pausing to bow their heads as if it were a literal funeral. The politicians sat in the front row with their backs to it.
Finally, the professor approached the casket. She removed her small black hat and bowed so low her head nearly touched the floor.
The politicians were right behind her. As she bowed toward the casket, she simultaneously turned and showed them her ample backside, which was, for once, clad in wide black trousers.
From that day on, she wasn't just someone to fear. She became someone worthy of admiration.
The Queen.
The Queen and the Politicians
She’s retired now. She used to be the terror of the music department—the long-time head boss. A short woman with messy, indeterminate gray hair and eyes that flashed like a cornered badger. She had a sharp nose tucked between two heavy cheeks and a smile—yes, a smile—but it was always cynical and condescending. Her figure was round, usually draped in nondescript shades of gray, looking as if she hadn't owned anything else besides basic t-shirts and pants. Just plain tees, long or short sleeve depending on the season, paired with loose, elastic-waist trousers, all in gray, worn on a frame that was easier to overlook than to navigate. Yet, despite everything, she had long, elegant, slender fingers.
That year marked the 50th anniversary of a major department at the university. It was also the year the guys in Congress tied up some "austerity packages," hinting that this very department was on the chopping block. There were student protests, chaos, the whole works.
What sticks in my mind is the concert held for that aforementioned anniversary. We were working on a massive project, and I was singing in the choir assembled specifically for the celebration.
The hall was packed; every seat was taken. The front row was reserved for certain politicians who, by some stroke of luck, decided it was vital to pay their respects to the academy—presumably to show everyone they actually care about culture and musical heritage.
The concert began. After the first choral piece, we singers remained standing on stage. One of those high-ranking politicians climbed up to a small lectern with a microphone and started his speech. After maybe two or three sentences, a small procession entered from the other side of the stage. They walked slowly, heads bowed, carrying wreaths and a casket. That little professor was among them. There was a stir in the audience; I don't recall how the speaker reacted. They placed the casket in the center of the stage with wreaths on either side. On the casket, the department's name, founding year, and the current year were inscribed. Once everything was set, people approached the casket one by one, pausing to bow their heads as if it were a literal funeral. The politicians sat in the front row with their backs to it.
Finally, the professor approached the casket. She removed her small black hat and bowed so low her head nearly touched the floor.
The politicians were right behind her. As she bowed toward the casket, she simultaneously turned and showed them her ample backside, which was, for once, clad in wide black trousers.
From that day on, she wasn't just someone to fear. She became someone worthy of admiration.
The Queen.
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4: Queen's Edition
in Off-topic ·
This is an experimental attempt at setting up a poll by Megan Gray4.
Luck is on my side; it’s a different era now, where one mistake won't cost you your head at the queen's palace. 🙂
Luck is on my side; it’s a different era now, where one mistake won't cost you your head at the queen's palace. 🙂
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
I can't afford to mess up the sequence number!
Maybe I should just cut it out entirely? Just write Queen 😉
Maybe I should just cut it out entirely? Just write Queen 😉
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
hiddenmarlin14 said:Where’s the poll? 🍿
Everything happens when it's supposed to.
The election blackout starts at midnight. ☕
I'll have to figure out how that works in the morning. 😵
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
Rachel Palmer56 The user states:
🙏 Women are tearing things apart.👍
It’s better if I don't interfere.🤣
I read it without even blinking.🎉
🤣
Super.👍How am I supposed to vote for just one story when three of them are actually good? 🕺
Injustice.😢
Rachel Palmer56
Rachel Palmer56, we aren't voting for a fairy tale!
Creativity is defined by how one tackles a prompt. Some will write memoirs, others poetry, while some might simply share a YouTube link or a striking photograph—or perhaps a combination of all three. When I post the poll tomorrow, I’ll include everyone's entries underneath to ensure nothing is overlooked. Every single contribution is exceptional in its own right.
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
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Maria Wright62 said:I’m staying quiet out of protest. I believe we already have enough homework assigned to cover the basics of creative writing.😁
I suggest we rename future topics to "Weekly Writing Challenges"😳
Look, you write poetry for an assignment, but here you’re supposed to play around, get creative, and bring some digital flair into the mix.
The main point is to enjoy ourselves and build a better community.
@ Admin, please put the crown on and grace us with some royal photography.🎉
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
slyraven27 said:🤣🤣
Cut the act. Don't think for a second that your little royal laugh actually earned you a spot in this poll.
😁
Give me some actual substance here before I have Mia come after you.😒
😘
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
Chloe Cooper10 said:To be crazy? Not while napa carica and you, the Queen, are in the mix. I only play when there's a payout... otherwise, there's nothing for me here.🤣
an Ohio politician!
Both napa carica and I will end up hungry.🤣
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
Chloe Cooper10 said:John Doe🤣 🙏
John Doe🙏
@Megan Gray4, you're being far too clever for your own good.👍
Mia, you still have time today to try and join the ranks of the Queens.😘🎉😘
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
driftingmarlin44 said:The One and Only is my standard, not some lesser version. If I weren't watching over things, we'd be finished. You think some king is going to just appear? I am the one who pushed you all forward; I am the creator here. I am your king.
Your Majesty, you seem to have grown quite conceited.
We acknowledge your effort, your input, and your supposed creative power.
🙏 🙏 🙏
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
That actually had me laughing out loud. Look, you're The One and Only, so I’m logging this in my report... let's see if any kings end up getting caught in the crossfire. If you can't find a princess, lucky you—you got stuck with a bee instead, one 😂
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
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hiddenmarlin14 said:I write in Chinese, dream in Spanish, sing in Italian, and explain everything through mime.🤣
You were practically born to be an ambassador of goodwill.🙂
But honestly, where on earth did you come from? I mean, what kind of place has such relentless snow piling up?
😁
I haven't even seen a single honeybee yet, let alone snow, and it's been a long time!
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
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hiddenmarlin14 said:Megan Gray4 🙏🙏🙏 I love honey, and I haven’t found any explanation about bees this clear or straightforward until now 🙏 Yesterday, I spotted a bee out in the snow 🕺 It was alive, but the cold had made it so lethargic it couldn't even move. I tried to nudge it, but it wouldn't budge; it was clinging to the snow for dear life 🕺 Poor little thing, who knows if it survived. It should be waiting for spring, but here in the mountains, this relentless snow falls every single day 🕺
Hey, hiddenmarlin14, The Queen actually inspired me to write this brief educational piece. I originally just had a joke that I labeled an epilogue, but it fits perfectly with those nameless politicians of yours 🎉
I know, I know—I clearly wasn't paying attention again. You're writing in German while speaking Turkish 🤦
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
A Sweet Tale of Bees and Game of Thrones: No Bees
Without bees, our fruit industry would collapse. This tiny insect is responsible for pollinating most crops, and we wouldn't have honey without the dedicated workers that have been producing it for 150 million years. An average bee produces about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime, visiting 50 to 100 flowers during a single flight. 🙏 🙏 🙏
In the kingdom known as The Hive, a worker bee begins life as an unfertilized egg from Her Majesty, The Queen. Lacking developed reproductive organs due to her diet, a worker still possesses a brain the size of a sesame seed capable of complex learning and memory:
Days 1–2: Cleaning the royal chambers, starting with the one where she was born.🙂
Days 3–5: Feeding the older princesses.
Days 6–11: Feeding the younger princesses.
Days 12–17: Producing wax, building honeycombs, transporting food, and handling funeral duties. 🙂
Days 18–21: Guarding the entrance to The Hive against intruders. 🙂
Day 22 until death (approx. 40–45 days): Foraging for nectar, pollen, and water, and performing pollination...🎉🎉
Every bee carries a unique scent so colony members can identify them, and they communicate via a "honey dance" recognized throughout the entire kingdom of The Hive. 🪨
It is worth noting that drones hatch from unfertilized eggs. They perform no labor and possess no stingers; their sole purpose is to court The Queen. 🙂 The peak of this courtship is fertilizing The Queen, an act that ends their lives immediately after their moment of glory.
Conflict arises at the throne when an old queen dies or the kingdom becomes overcrowded, prompting the creation of new colonies. In such times, The Queen lays fertilized eggs in twenty wax "royal" cradles. Young bees feed the princesses a specialized, rich cream, while Mother goes on a diet. Soon, once the first princess matures and dons her wax gown, Mother leaves the kingdom along with her ladies-in-waiting and a scout team preparing a new hexagonal empire. Because the exit is precisely sized, The Queen—vastly larger than her subjects—must stay lean to transition from the old palace to the new one. Once the princess emerges from her cradle, she faces a brutal version of Game of Thrones: No Bees. To claim the throne, she must decide whether to eliminate the remaining princesses in their cradles or lead a small swarm to start a new colony. If she chooses to leave, the next princess faces the same choice... continuing until one decides to stay and kill off all other potential rivals.
Epilogue: Why do bees have a Queen?
If they had a government and ministers, there would be no honey left; every kingdom would be looted empty.
https://i.postimg.cc/prWZr7wk/2021-03-18.jpg
Without bees, our fruit industry would collapse. This tiny insect is responsible for pollinating most crops, and we wouldn't have honey without the dedicated workers that have been producing it for 150 million years. An average bee produces about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime, visiting 50 to 100 flowers during a single flight. 🙏 🙏 🙏
In the kingdom known as The Hive, a worker bee begins life as an unfertilized egg from Her Majesty, The Queen. Lacking developed reproductive organs due to her diet, a worker still possesses a brain the size of a sesame seed capable of complex learning and memory:
Days 1–2: Cleaning the royal chambers, starting with the one where she was born.🙂
Days 3–5: Feeding the older princesses.
Days 6–11: Feeding the younger princesses.
Days 12–17: Producing wax, building honeycombs, transporting food, and handling funeral duties. 🙂
Days 18–21: Guarding the entrance to The Hive against intruders. 🙂
Day 22 until death (approx. 40–45 days): Foraging for nectar, pollen, and water, and performing pollination...🎉🎉
Every bee carries a unique scent so colony members can identify them, and they communicate via a "honey dance" recognized throughout the entire kingdom of The Hive. 🪨
It is worth noting that drones hatch from unfertilized eggs. They perform no labor and possess no stingers; their sole purpose is to court The Queen. 🙂 The peak of this courtship is fertilizing The Queen, an act that ends their lives immediately after their moment of glory.
Conflict arises at the throne when an old queen dies or the kingdom becomes overcrowded, prompting the creation of new colonies. In such times, The Queen lays fertilized eggs in twenty wax "royal" cradles. Young bees feed the princesses a specialized, rich cream, while Mother goes on a diet. Soon, once the first princess matures and dons her wax gown, Mother leaves the kingdom along with her ladies-in-waiting and a scout team preparing a new hexagonal empire. Because the exit is precisely sized, The Queen—vastly larger than her subjects—must stay lean to transition from the old palace to the new one. Once the princess emerges from her cradle, she faces a brutal version of Game of Thrones: No Bees. To claim the throne, she must decide whether to eliminate the remaining princesses in their cradles or lead a small swarm to start a new colony. If she chooses to leave, the next princess faces the same choice... continuing until one decides to stay and kill off all other potential rivals.
Epilogue: Why do bees have a Queen?
If they had a government and ministers, there would be no honey left; every kingdom would be looted empty.
https://i.postimg.cc/prWZr7wk/2021-03-18.jpg
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
Michelle Bennett14 said:🙏
With love, from the soul... through the veins, etc...
From me, then, comes The Queen 🙂
Maria Wright62 said:
A minor work.🍿
Crazy kids, come let Mother hug you.🙂
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
Rachel Palmer56 said:It’s😬
not. We are waiting on you, 👋
.
I honestly think the only thing left to write after this mess is an epilogue. 🤔
But you could certainly lend your own creativity to the mix. 👋
Did you see how aggressively
charged in? 👍
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
in Off-topic ·
Good grief, you're exhausting. I'm joking—why are you getting so worked up over Kurtz?
😘
😘
Weekly Creativity Challenge #4
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hiddenmarlin14 said:I don't think he was involved in politics back then🙂
EDIT: She wasn't on her knees; she was just leaning forward🙂 like someone bending over to pick up a daisy, for example.🥳
Am I misreading this again?
😁
Calling her a "Queen on her knees" seems like a stretch. However, picking up a daisy is certainly easier if you kneel.🤣
And as for that guy—wasn't he even born yet?
Meanwhile, they're cutting departments at the academy right there in Vienna... what a tragedy.