Day: November 4, 2020

Fandango’s Provocative Question (4 November 2020)

For today’s Provocative Question, Fandango asks:

What do you think about what happened in the United States yesterday? Are you shocked or surprised at the outcome, if it’s even known as you read this? Or are the results of the election what you expected? And finally, are you happy or unhappy?

The last time I looked, when I first got up, the result still wasn’t in. But the result doesn’t really matter to me – what matters is that so many American people share Trump’s vision of the world. That will be the same, regardless of the result.

It’s not uncommon, on here at any rate, to hear quite a unified voice from US bloggers – there might not be absolute alignment but people are certainly pointed in the same general direction. The election shows that, however vocal people from America might be on something, half of their countrymen most probably disagree. So it serves as a reminder that their voices only represent a certain fraction of US opinion. I mean, that is true anyway, but the election serves as a reminder. The UK saw the same with Brexit – people could make a terrific amount of noise about their particular cause, but when push came to shove, they were in the minority.

The saving grace for me, it doesn’t really matter – in fact I think Americans are prone to over-estimate just how much the rest of the world cares. It’s disappointing – I think that the only credible result would have been one in which Trump’s ethos was decisively rejected and he has clearly done better than that – but it isn’t going to change life, not here at any rate.

Fandango’s One Word Challenge (4 November 2020)

for Fandango’s One Word Challenge(FOWC) of 4 November 2020, outcome.

Before I’m even started,
I set the oven hot,
I can’t afford to get this wrong,
I’ve only got one shot.

I’m setting all my eggs up,
Splitting yolks and whites,
I’m zesting a few lemons,
I’ve got to get this right.

I add a little sugar,
That will make it sweet,
I put back in the egg yolks,
And then I start to beat.

I fetch myself a clean pan,
I mix some flour and milk,
I add that to my egg yolks,
A mixture smooth as silk.

I put back on the cooker,
My mixture getting thick,
I have to keep on whisking,
Make sure it doesn’t stick.

I cook my mixture gently,
I cannot let it burn,
I think they must be cooked enough,
I mutter with concern.

I work upon the egg whites,
I whisk them nice and thick.
I gently fold the whites in,
I can’t resist a lick!

I’m ready for the oven,
By now it’s nice and hot,
I’ve really nailed it this time,
As I place inside the pot.

I’m anxiously a-waiting,
Dessert fit for a king,
Impatient for the outcome,
It finally goes “ping”.

I open up the oven,
But would you fancy that?
I’m left to gasp in disbelief,
My soufflé is dead flat!

I hope you all appreciate what a total bastard of a poem this was to write. Having never made a soufflé in my life, I had to look up the recipe first, *then* try and bludgeon it into something which vaguely resembles a silly poem.