Tell us about the time you threw down the gauntlet and drew the proverbial line in the sand by giving someone an ultimatum. If you’ve never handed out an ultimatum but secretly wanted to, describe the scene and what you would say to put an end (one way or another) to an untenable situation.
Photographers, artists, poets: show us COMPLEX.
I found a complex photo: part of the parking lot of our local supermarket, although this part is always kept clear for various advertising tents.
And now to the daily prompt where I am really thinking about throwing down the gauntlet and wondering what this is becoming. I used to like doing daily prompts. They arrive regularly at the beginning of the afternoon and as it is a prompt, I let myself be prompted. Today I wonder if I should not rather show a photo of the confessional box in the local cathedral (yes, I have one of those) as this would suit the situation.
I am not perfect in any way; I even do my best not to be perfect. Perfect people are boring and can be an annoyance. I am just me. I do not throw down gauntlets and lines in the sand are not my thing.
Switzerland is in the middle of Europe and if you travel you are soon at the edge. We are surrounded by lines called borders, not in the sand, sometimes a lake or a road. Once we were on holiday in the Italian part of Switzerland, in Brissago. We did a trip to Italy which was just over the main road, but we took the back road as we wanted to visit a town called Luino which is on Lake Maggiore and it was quicker. We crossed the border at a place called Fornasette, not that we actually saw Fornasette. We were suddenly confronted by a barrier. On the one side there were two Swiss customs guards that waved us through. On the other side two Italian guards that rubbed their hands in glee when they saw a car approaching with a Swiss car number plate. We had to stop. They searched everything and found nothing except for a few dirty towels I had forgotten. I think one of the kids was sick and they were used on the way. This was a few years ago. We arrived in Luino but unfortunately there was a funeral procession, it must have been someone very important. In Italy they do these things in style, everyone walking slowly behind the horse drawn funeral wagon. We almost threw down the proverbial gauntlet as we were driving in first gear until the procession turned off into the cemetery.
I have been thinking about giving an ultimatum to the daily prompt. Either you bring something positive, bestow me with a Noble or Pulitzer prize for my efforts, or I will no longer partake. On the other hand I have a feeling that I will not be missed by WordPress (unless I do not renew my .com privilege, which costs). However, there are some interesting blogs written for this daily gauntlet challenging task. I have seen Russians advertising for their life style, having nothing to do with the challenge. I have been spammed by advertisements for jewellery and beauty creams, I have seen it all, so why should I stop. There are times when I fit this daily untenable situation (huh? sounds good) in between cleaning windows and garden work. This was today’s case. I cut my buddleia to a suitable height for Spring and cleaned all the windows on the East side (the West side has its turn next week).
I will now come to close without any confessions about hurling gloves at unsuspecting people or digging a ditch in the garden to separate myself from the neighbours. Switzerland has enough ditches. One is called the Rösti ditch. Rösti is a well known Swiss German fried potato dish, and the Rösti ditch is a proverbial name for the line splitting the French speaking population from the German population. It can be quite interesting sometimes when we have one of our monthly votes, especially when the French Swiss decide differently to the German Swiss, but that is life, although some politicians have not yet realised this.
I will now finish this work of literature, to draw the borders between writing and an hour of Tai Chi practice, wondering which song title will be chosen for tomorrow’s prompt. Perhaps “I can’t get no satisfaction”?
Daily Prompt: With or Without You
Gauntlet Pingbacks
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- My Brother, the Incorrigible Drunk | I’m a Writer, Yes I Am
- In Line Of Fire | Flowers and Breezes
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- Nicki Minaj and A Free Fall. | meg lago
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- yesterday’s snow lets | y
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- The Camino Plan | Exploring Assisi – The Unintentional Pilgrimage (Part 1)
- Daily Prompt: Complex | Occasional Stuff
- As For Me and My House… | The Christian Gazette
- Giving Ultimatums To Cats
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- It’s Your Job Now, D’ya Hear Me? | Shades of Teal
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- a half-whispered | y
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- Continue? | Wanderlein
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Pingback: Only With You | A mom's blog
I’ve always known Switzerland to be a beautiful place.
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It is, but like all countries, living there is more than just looking at things, you live in the things you see.
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Some of the recent prompts have been a little creepy. Hopefully they will find a new direction soon. You still always find something witty and on target to write 🙂
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It’s a good thing I like creepy, at least it let’s my imagination run amok.
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I’m with you, these daily prompts can get tiresome.
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I try to keep my prompts unpersonal, otherwise I would really feel like I had been planted in the confessional box at the local church.
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I think you may need to get creative , from what I can see you are smarter than World Press . One of the reason I don;t do prompts
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Before I discovered prompts, I was a wandering deity in the writing world. Wanting to write, but what shall I write today? I regard the prompts as just that, prompts. What I do with them is something completely different. I am also a little lazy in my olden days and just do my own thing in the world of prompts.
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I remember your borders. When working in Switzerland we hitch hiked into Italy . Because we were in a strange car we had terrible trouble to get through. I still love Switzerland though. .
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We have borders everywhere, and never know when they will turn up. I remember a few days I spent in Lausanne, without my identity card or passport and we took a boat trip to the other side of the lake which was France. No problem – I just used my railway card and the let me in.
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Pingback: The Camino Plan | Exploring Assisi – The Unintentional Pilgrimage (Part 1)
Pingback: The 19th of June 1982 – Hometown, Pennsylvania | Forgotten Correspondance
Pingback: It’s not over! | The Bohemian Rock Star's "Untitled Project"
Pingback: Daily Prompt: With or Without You | The Wandering Poet
What’s that thing about the salt having lost its savour? That’s where the daily prompts seem to be at the moment. Throw down the gauntlet and we’ll all rally! Don’t leave, though. WordPress mightn’t miss you, but we would.
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I probably won’t leave, I am hooked. I will just use a little chilli now and again to revive it.
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Every weekend i used to visit this web page, as i wish for enjoyment, for the reason that this this web page conations
genuinely nice funny material too.
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I find the responses to the prompts creative and that keeps me on board.
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You have hit a very good point there.
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Yeah…I think the prompt is written for someone who hasn’t had to throw down any gauntlets. I don’t want you to go. I love reading your blog. http://marthakennedy.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/my-brother-the-incorrigible-drunk/
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One thing has happened through these prompts which I never thought would. At the beginning of my WordPress life I was just using it as a back up for a few fictional stories and poems. When Multiply collapsed I began to use it more and discovered that WordPress do daily prompts, weekly prompt etc. etc. so I tried it out and am still here. The unexpected happened, people began to read what I wrote and I met other writers on the way, enjoying what they wrote as well. I never thought that would happen and I am glad to have met you all. Let’s be honest, there is no point in holding a party when no-one comes.
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I think that is a very cool thing.
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Pingback: Job or It’s The End Of You and Me! | Views Splash!
Traditional Medicine http://bit.ly/Mxl3rg
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