Because together we are powerful

Ok, people. I need your help.

I love science fiction. I love it so much that I think I would die if someone made this genre illegal. I dream science and SF the way I dream poetry. As a result, there are some stories that are simply a part of who I am. Stories that have actually changed the way I think or the way that I interpret the world around me. After all, that is the goal of good science fiction, and always has been. 

Anyhoo... I have been trying for what seems like forever to find one of these fantastic stories. The problem is, that I can't figure out what this story is called or who wrote it. As a result, I have been unable to find it again. It was in a science fiction short story anthology I read once. That's ALL I know.

I am hoping that someone, somewhere also read this story and can tell me what it is.

Here's a synopsis.

Two astronauts/explorers encounter the remnants of a once grand civilization on a distant planet. In the remains of a city are a couple of locals who travel by jet packs or some sort of hover/flight equivalent.

The explorers want to replicate the technology and desperately plead with the locals to explain how the packs work. (perhaps even how all of the technology they see around them works) The locals are unable to answer. One of the explorers believes that the locals are purposefully refusing to answer the questions, that they are unwilling to share the knowledge. He becomes increasingly agitated and angry.

The second explorer has a moment of insight at the end of the story where he asks the first to explain how a match works.

The first says, "You take it out of the box and strike it to ignite."

The second then repeats the question. "No. Not 'How do you use one?' I meant, 'How do they work? What's on the match stick? What's on the strike strip? How do you make a match?' "

The first stares at him, dumbstruck, realizing they will never understand the technology because the locals' culture had advanced beyond the point where they knew how to create what they used.

Any ideas? I read this story probably 20 years ago. It is one of my very favorite moments in reading, but I cannot recall what the story is called....

You will be my hero forever if you know what story this is.

What "It" Is

A big, big thanks to everybody who played along this time, and gave a guess.
In case you missed it, here is the original photo:

I must say, some of the guesses were... ... um ... interesting. From tornadoes to x-rays to ice cream to poltergeists, I really really thought I had you stumped. Some of you were close with words like fuzzy and cotton, but for the most part everybody was way, way off.


My favorite guess is Marina's: a cow. (I just love cows.)

Strangest guess is a tie between (and this should be no surprise to those of you who know them)
- Secondary Roads (aka Uncle Chuck): ham bone
- and Jill: cotton candy


But there was one man who actually got it right. Yes, he nailed it. So hats off to my winner: BA_Hutch (aka Cousin Bryant the wise), the one who guessed "the furrow between a dog's eyes". How did he do that?! Look, here it is, zoomed out a little:

Yup, that's our little Daisy,
and the photo was indeed the wrinkled furrow between her eyes.


Wanna see the whole picture?


Here she is, in all her festive glory. Merry Christmas!

Thanks for playing!

What is it? Challenge #3

Well, you won't win much more than a heartfelt "Kudos" in this contest,
but that's pretty much because I'm just a poor teacher.

I hope you'll give a guess just for the fun of it!

Here's your photo:



What is it?

And the winner is...

So, I almost forgot to post my winners! (I'm kinda new to this whole contest thingy)

If you remember, the challenge was to identify what was in this picture:

Well, I had a variety of water-based guesses, but only two people who mentioned pools, and that is the closest guess, because this is a photo of something that took place in a pool.

It's a picture of Jimmy's baptism! During the summers, our church often held baptism services at a local pool.

So the two winners are my Uncle Chuck at Secondary Roads and Shanda at A Teachable Heart.
Enjoy your award and feel free to pass it on!

Last Chance!

Today is your last chance to earn the Tommy Toe award by guessing what's in the picture. It does have to do with water, but no one has the situation quite right yet, so there's still a chance for you, yes you, to swoop in and win it!

What is it? The challenge returns!

I recently won the Tommy Toe award over at Secondary Roads for a "What is it?" challenge. I have decided to carry on this new tradition in the hopes that it will take the bloggy world by storm.

Take a close look at this photo. What do you think is pictured here?

The first correct or best guess will be declared the winner. The winner will be awarded the Tommy Toe Award for sheer brilliance.

The Tommy Toe gets its name from what my grandmother used to call this wonderful fruit that makes such wonderful sandwiches with bacon and lettuce. The BLT was one of her favorites. Every year when fresh tomatoes were available in the garden, she would get together with a friend and they would make BLTs for lunch.

I remember that this food love continued on through her years with us grandchildren, and I too love a good BLT on a hot summer day.

GOOD LUCK!
...and may the best guesser win!

What "it" is

Well, not too many of you tried to guess. I suppose with no real prize, I couldn't have expected much.... -sob!- No, no, it's Ok. -sniff- I'll just ...be... ...I'm Ok.


Here's how my afternoon went on the day "it" arrived.

The setting: our dining room. Sun streams in the west windows and glints off of the gigantic eyes of "it", waiting peacefully to be discovered. My son stands proudly nearby.


Me: [startled and concerned] Aaaa! What is that?!

Son: [proud] It's my history character! I made him out of a bottle and paint and stuff.

Me: [still nervous] But what is it?

Son: [still proud] Do you like it?

Me: [recognizing the need to acknowledge his accomplishment, but unable to break away from the mesmerizing stare of the gigantic plastic eyes] Sure. The eyes are pretty creepy though. It looks a bit freaky. What is it?

Son: [avoiding the question] We made them for history and then they acted stuff out.

Me: [patiently] Wait. Listen to me carefully....

Son: [not waiting] You want to hold it?

Me: [avoiding the question] Are you listening?

Son: [not listening] Yes.

Me: [not convinced] Are you sure?

Son: [perhaps listening] Yes.

Me: [hoping for an answer that will be less creepy than the "it"] What is it?

Son: [stating a technicality] It's a who, not a what.

Me: [resigned to the logic of a 9-yr-old] Ok, WHO is it?



Son: [proud] George Washington!

Me: [huh!] Really? George Washington? Let me see him.

Son: [proud] See? Here's his wig! And he's wearing a suit.

Me: [getting involved] Oh, and I see, those are his ears?

Son: [tolerant of my ignorance] Those aren't ears! That's the bottom of his wig!


Me: [chagrined, then honest] Oh. Wow. That's pretty good.

Son: [prouder] Yes. Yes, thank you. So you like it? They acted out the Continental Congress!

Me: [honest] Um... Yes, but his eyes still creep me out.

Son: [prouder yet] Yeah, but you should've seen Patrick Henry. He had these tiny, tiny little eyes, and HE was REALLY creepy.



Post Script: George Washington now lives in Dad's office, on a prime slot of shelf real estate.

Post Script x2: It occurs to me that wierd is actually spelled weird and that all my tags are wrong and I don't want to fix them and I'm Ok with that.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

In the spirit of sharing the freaky, yet impressive, things that my children enjoy creating for school, and in the spirit of my Uncle Chuck's blog, I bring you a challenge.


Please identify the following:

My son made it for school, and is very proud of it. Can you identify it?
Good luck!