Sunshine - I will bring you light and love you like no other

Vinegar - Unless you piss me off

Cement - I can be stuck in my ways

Mink - I can be soft and silky and cozy to cuddle

Booze - I'll try to intoxicate you to forget your woes

Song - It's in me and I gotta let it out

Dark Chocolate - I can be sweet, but sometimes with a little bite

Jasmine - I'm a little exotic, if only in my imagination

Titanium - On the outside, when I have to be

Marshmallow Fluff - On the inside, always

Shake me and bake me. Serve me with a dollop cream and eat me with a spoon. If I'm not to your liking, then I'll try a little harder.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We’re pleased to report that yet another Proser has joined the top ranks on our literary Leaderboard.

Between the hours of 10 and 11 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time, Yowwa was dubbed a Wordsmith. How did he react? He was gracious enough to tell us in his own words.

Please read on for details…

“Wordsmith came out of nowhere as I’d just loaded up for a read and there she was. I’m a bit choked because I’m not a writer at all, or a poet, I just like to dabble and it gives me enormous pleasure to find that sometimes people like it. @Beth told me about Prose so I thought I’d give it a go. Glad I did, to be honest, as I love it so much.”

@Yowwa THEN:

What was life like before Prose?

“I’m from Liverpool, born in the summer of 1952 and if I had a time machine I’d head straight back. People were somehow nicer then, and politicians were respected. I don’t like today’s world, all razzmatazz and bada bing.

“They used to joke when I left school that I was so good at art and English that I’d land a job painting letters.

“I spent 15 years in the military after I left school and achieved the rank of Sergeant, I don’t know what that equates to over in the states but, having been there, I respect rank and authority. The military teaches you that.

“After I left the Army I was hoping to be an illustrator or cartoonist as I have a knack for drawing. Drawing is like writing insofar as you need inspiration for both skills, and they both improve the more you stick at them.

“Currently, I work at night in a hotel once owned by famed children’s author, Beatrix Potter, and the history of the place along with her achievements through writing does inspire me.”

“Writing started out just as a bit of fun.

“I’ve been some three years writing now. Opuss, my very first writing community, sort of brought it out of me and I had a happy time there.

@Yowwa NOW:

How do you fit writing into your daily routine?

“On my break I’m on Prose. Hell with it...I’m on Prose every time the wifi allows. I love it. I love what Prose stands for and I love the guys who form the community.”

Once again, @Yowwa, congratulations on this remarkable achievement. We’d like to recognize you for your efforts here, including the subtle steps, large and small, that you’re always taking to make the newcomers feel welcome.

It’s writers like you that solidify the foundation of Prose. We couldn’t be more proud!

Eleanor Roosevelt was quoted as having said, “A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water.”

This quote is dear to my heart for a few reasons. The first is simply for the use of "hot water." I do love the turn of a phrase from days gone by. It seems much more eloquent than saying, "I'm in trouble," or (worse yet) "I'm screwed."

Secondly, while Eleanor was full of great isms, most of which called us to action, challenged us, or gave us hope, this one was more of a promise (or a threat, if you like) and gave credit where credit was severely lacking in her time; to the gentler sex. The message is twofold: 1. If you're a woman, and you're in hot water, you will surprise yourself in ways you never imagined. Seize that hot water as an opportunity to tap your abundant resources, girl! And, 2. Gentlemen, to underestimate a woman would be a mistake. To press her...well, then you're just looking for trouble.

Finally, I think I like this quote because I so greatly admire the woman who uttered it. Here was a great mind, a respected female who paved the way for other strong feminine voices to be heard. She was not judged by her looks, by her wealth, by whom she slept with or for balancing a champagne coup on her rump. She was revered for her wisdom. I, for one, would love to see more of that.

Born

Beaten

Abused

Soldier

Chef

Night Porter

Writer

Ageing

Carer

There are Ten thousand ways to break my heart and you managed each and everyone

I believed each of the Nine hundred lies you spoke to me

I dismissed the Eight million calls you ignored or text you never responded to

I forgave you the Seven times you stood me up on our dates

I denied my Sixth sense that you were no good for me

I waited patiently making excuses for why you weren't home until Five in the morning

I rationalized your anger the Four times you punched holes in the drywall as you screamed at the top of your lungs about how I didn't trust you

I pretended that the Three other girls were just acquaintances and meant nothing to you

Until I saw you cheating with my own Two eyes

Wondering why I couldn't be the only One

Until I realized there was Zero love

School is a must; people complain about having to go to school? Ungrateful little bitches - pardon my french. They don't know how many people would kill to receive that education, not to mention for free.

"There's too much homework."

Get off your ass and get a job, then. We'll see if you like manual labor instead.

"We can't use our phones."

So use them, it's on you if when graduation day comes you don't receive a diploma.

"They won't let us wear whatever we want."

If they let you wear whatever you wanted, that wouldn't be a school; it would be a strip club but without the rich guys and bodyguards to keep boys from touching you.

"When am I even going to use the pythagorean theorem?"

You're not, but it helps develop your brain so that when you get a job and actually have to use it, you're not a dumb shit.

Dearest readers and writers:

We're interrupting your regularly scheduled Prose to bring you this special literary announcement.

Lisa Sullivan, known here as @Lsu11, is an environmental scientist from the Detroit area in Michigan that has -as of this week- joined @unspecific and @JeffStewart as a resident Wordsmith.

We reached out to her today in hopes of learning more about her. What makes her tick? What is it about writing that keeps calling her back?

Here she is, ladies and gentlemen: the honorary Proser of the hour, Lisa "Ls11" Sullivan, with a few words of commencement for all of you...

P: Describe your current relationship with words.

L: "I write more technical reports as part of my job. However, I love creative writing. I try to give voices to those who may not have one.

"I tend to have an underlying message whether it is abuse or war or suppression. I truly believe that everyone should be treated equally and be granted the same opportunities in life and it breaks my heart to see otherwise. I guess I want people to know that they are not alone. That there are others out there that feel the same way and hopefully give them hope.

"I didn't have the easiest childhood that taught me to be empathic to others situations."

P: With more than 600 posts here, how often would you say you're engaged with Prose?

L: "I spend my time sporadically. Usually 30 minutes in the morning, quick check here and there during the day, and an hour or two at night.

"I love reading other people's things. There is so much talent and creativity in this community. I feel like it is such a supportive family. I love it.

"I feel honored and humbled to have made it to Wordsmith."

Once again, @Lsu11, congratulations on this remarkable achievement. We'd like to recognize you for your efforts here, including the subtle steps, large and small, that you're always taking to make the newcomers feel welcome.

It's writers like you that solidify the foundation of Prose. We couldn't be more proud!