Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Step Right Up To Vote

I need your vote to break the Tie! Let’s conclude the String a Story Together Contest together.

Christina and Bina constructed additional paragraphs, incorporating a fourth picture into their creative stories. Please vote on the winning prose and provide a reason for why you voted for Bina or Christina’s paragraph. * = paragraph you're voting on.

Bina’s:
It's funny when I see her now. I know she is all grown up and that she is moving on to start her life, but when I look into her eyes all I can see is who she used to be. I can still see her sweet face, knotted up in fear and frustration when she was "lost" at the zoo. It was only 15 minutes but to her fragile four year old mind, it was an eternity that began when she followed the "bootiful pea-tock" off into the corner of the petting area. She was so little, so frail and so much in need of me to be the one who made the world ok again. So as I see her now, atop a magnificent beast and in complete control, I wonder where the time has gone and just when it was that my baby became a woman.

*But at the thought of "my baby", my heart recognizes the trespass I have made, both in my mind and in my presence here today. She had asked me to meet her at the corner of 5th and Main and I knew it was because she felt that my coming to this crowded event would make it seem as though I actually still existed in her life. I know she saw me just now as she turned so regally towards the risers, making me think that she could sense my heartbeat here among this sea of talkative strangers. I know that there will be a price to be paid for my dismissal of her wishes today but when I saw where she wanted to meet, I couldn't help but think that my place as her mother deserves more respect than an almost random meeting at a soggy phonebooth downtown.

Christina’s:
The little girl in blue was blue. She'd been told she was the prettiest of all but then she spied the peacock. His blue was brighter and his lacey tail swirled as he walked. She stood and spun yet couldn't get her own dress to dance as beautifully as the peacock's plumes.The lady watched from a distance and knew instinctively what the little girl was feeling. There will always be someone or something prettier, she thought to herself.

*But beauty is not always what it seems. Like a shiny, red phone booth without a phone, a finely feathered bird that has lost its song or a grandiose cathedral where no one roams, beauty without soul is useless.


Well strung, ladies. Clever. I await the votes and I’ll announce the winner of the foot soak as a * on Friday.


*photos by flickr
*voting ends Thurs. PM

18 comments:

  1. I like them both, but I'd vote for the first one because it's more of the story, where the other one is beautiful but more of a life lesson.
    Each one is great though! Congrats to the ladies. :-)

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  2. Both of these are great! Congratulations to Bina and Christina! Both of you are very talented!

    My vote goes to the second one, but no offense to the first. It's beautiful too!

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  3. I love love Bina's as it is packed with emotion! I wanted to know more!

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  4. Great job Ladies! You really made this difficult.

    My vote is for Bina, I loved the depth of story.

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  5. Both did great! My official vote is for Bina. I could really see the story laid out in my mind with the emotions. :O)

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  6. Great job with both, but since I must choose, I cast my vote to Bina's. Very engaging stories!

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  7. Oh man I like both. It's hard to choose. I think I'll go with Bina's just because I'm hooked and I'd like to know more about the girl and her mom.

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  8. wow - they are both fantastic!!! I thought the second one flowed the best, though. :)

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  9. I really loved the imagery for the second entry. She deftly juxtaposed the colors present in the photographs, as well as creatively "stringing" the photos together for a solid idea. I was intrigued by the potential story of the first entry, but the vivid imagery of the second entry conjured up more emotion in me. Nicely done for both ladies! Nice photo choice Wendy!

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  10. I love both of them, but I have to go with the second one. That last sentence really got me!

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  11. They're both excellent. I have to go for Bina's though because I loved the mix of description and action. And that last line really, really made me want to read more. Great job both of you!

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  12. These are both fantastic!

    My vote is for Bina...I want to read more of this story! I'm intrigued by the dynamic (and lack of relationship) between mother and daughter.

    Well done, both of you ladies. And great idea, Wendy!

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  13. I liked both very much. Christina's has the edge. When I saw the first paragraph I was grateful that I didn't have to decide. But Christina's second paragraph drove the story home with a nice, succinct conclusion of depth. I vote for hers.

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  14. Since I have three girls and they ride, Bina's definitely hit close to home for me. I have to go with hers, but Christina's is great too.

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  15. Loved reading the votes and the reasoning behind them. I'll post a winner Friday. Meanwhile, keep 'em coming in.

    I'm thankful Bina and Christina rose to the challenge of a tiebreaker.

    I pretended I knew how to quilt today. The result is quite comical, but very folk-like. It's what I was going for all along.

    Sleep
    Well.
    ~ Wendy

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  16. I vote for Bina's. It's a story I want to read more about. But I also enjoyed Christina's and her way with words. Good job to both!

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  17. oh the pressure of a vote!!

    I loved them both. The first was very descriptive and pulled you into the story. So I thought that was it. until I read the second, Christina's one-liner flowed smoothly. I'd have to go with the second.

    You girls did great! no hard feelings, right?! ;)

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