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CHRIS FROM MN

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One more voice in the internet wilderness
Articles Posted: 23  Links Seeded: 12
Member Since: 6/2008  Last Seen: 1/25/2010

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The Truth About Gourdians

Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:00 PM EDT
pumpkin, halloween, pumpkin-pie, writing, humor, fiction, gourds, programmerdude, pumpkin-people, pumpkin-nation, gourdian
By Chris from MN

Gourdians are an earthy and generally shameless lot.

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I've been absorbing (Gourdians don't read, we absorb), with great interest, this recent bipedal hand wringing over the perceived violent and disgusting end that befalls some Gourdians. "Woe the lot of the poor Pumpkin Person," they wail, "How awful to suffer the carving knife!" Well, I want to set the record straight; you couldn't be more wrong. Here's the deal.

The highest honor that can befall a Gourdian is to enter the proud ranks of The Jack. Few are chosen, but they are the finest of our race. The most unfortunate of Gourdians have only the ignoble future of rotting in cold, open fields: forgotten, ignored, made as mere mulch.

Those of us with more mathematical bent can enter the Brotherhood of Pi; and these are many, some canned, some fresh. Consumption by bipeds is a glorious end; certainly preferable to consumption by quads (hexes, or worse, is almost as bad as rotting). Certain of our citizens belong to other consumption sects: the Breads, the Cakes or the Cookies. Really, any fodder status at least fulfills some useful station in life.

To become a Jack is the ultimate goal of any Gourdian. Those few who make the grade and are selected go on to become the revered of our nation. Each selected by a biped who stooped down to claim one of us for their own. Each transformed into a unique magic creature to guard the bipedal demesnes. It is the highest calling of a Gourdian.

I'd also like to say a few words about, so called, Pumpkin Porn.

Here, too, the bipedal view may miss the mark when it comes to Gourdians. Remember that we're born under open skies and live our lives naked under those same skies. For us, when you're talking about the birds and bees, this is literally the case. And if there's one thing you can say about Gourdians, we're an earthy species. We have no real concept of personal space or privacy; there's just too many of us sucking on one vine (if you catch my drift).

So remember, for good luck, Carve a Jack! And kiss a Gourdian!

© 2008 Chris from MN

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  • Chris from MN's Column
  • Groups: Newsvine Blue, Poetry & Prose, Pumpkin Americans, Writers
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  • Public Discussion (19)
Chris from MN

In honor, and defense, of Pumpkin Nationals everywhere.

Carve a Jack!

Kiss a Gourdian today!!

  • 4 votes
Reply#1 - Fri Oct 31, 2008 4:05 PM EDT
Scott (Scoop) Butki

Well done!

Off to go kiss a pumpkin!

  • 2 votes
#1.1 - Sat Nov 1, 2008 8:22 PM EDT
Reply
rottlady

Love it!

  • 5 votes
Reply#2 - Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:05 PM EDT
Uncle Nick

ROFLMFHAO!

I'm so not gonna touch the "sucking on one vine" statement.

  • 4 votes
Reply#3 - Sat Nov 1, 2008 2:16 PM EDT
DolceSpiritus

This was AWESOME!

*Kiss Me, I'm a Gourdian*

  • 3 votes
Reply#4 - Sat Nov 1, 2008 3:31 PM EDT
F-3

GREAT FUN!!!

  • 3 votes
Reply#5 - Sat Nov 1, 2008 4:08 PM EDT
RDW-375737

That is the funniest article I have read in some time...I want more!

  • 4 votes
Reply#6 - Sat Nov 1, 2008 7:12 PM EDT
Chris from MN

Thank you, one and all.  I'm glad you enjoyed it!

  • 4 votes
Reply#7 - Thu Nov 6, 2008 3:05 PM EST
Spikegary

Nice!  Humor gets way too overlooked!

  • 4 votes
Reply#8 - Mon Nov 24, 2008 7:23 PM EST
Lkessler

Which is why I am the persistent laughing perv on all Good News Wednesday columns.... 

PS.  I think that's my best friend's husband in that picture--I think she's married to a gourdian!

  • 2 votes
#8.1 - Fri Nov 28, 2008 11:40 AM EST
Chris from MN

I'm just surprised there's been less comment about the (deliberate on my part and, I'd thought, not terribly subtle) juxtiposition between the very last line of the article and the picture.

(Maybe I'm too subtle sometimes? There have been occasions when it seems to me I've sent a clear signal only to find later it wasn't at all received.)

  • 3 votes
#8.2 - Wed Dec 3, 2008 11:52 AM EST
Lkessler

Sometimes it's all of us--we're just not "tuned enough."  *Messing with the dials at the moment to make sure she doesn't get interference....*  :D

  • 3 votes
#8.3 - Wed Dec 3, 2008 12:01 PM EST
Uncle Nick

Well, that's not exactly where I keep my gourds, but they do enjoy being "handled"

[weg]

  • 3 votes
#8.4 - Thu Dec 4, 2008 2:06 PM EST
Reply
patriciaad

Dang, Chris!  I think all that reading you do has rubbed off on you - LOVE, love, love The Truth About Gourdians!  (and the picture, too)

  • 2 votes
Reply#9 - Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:20 PM EST
Chris from MN

Thank you very much!

I know all that reading has made me the man I am--good, bad or otherwise! And there was a great deal of reading. I fell in love with Science Fiction at a very young age (like, immediately when I started reading :-) and tried to read everything I could. There was a time when it was hard to "stump" me and name an SF book I hadn't read (and in most cases, didn't actually own!). Both SF and I have changed in the last decade or so.

However that reminds me. How did you do with the Piers Anthony Cluster series?

I finally finished Zelazny's Doorways In The Sand (would make a good movie...Hollywood, are you paying attention??) and got to Cluster. I'm about half-way through book #4, Thousandstar.

I really enjoyed re-reading the first three, the official Cluster Trilogy. This fourth one is more a sidebar story, not of galatic import, so it's been easy to be distracted by other things. Haven't touched the book in over a week. I'm taking some vacation time end of the month, so I'll have time for reading.

  • 3 votes
#9.1 - Wed Dec 3, 2008 11:45 AM EST
patriciaad

(sigh)  it's so like me to stop reading a book just after I've begun.  If I had a simpler, unfettered life like you, I'd enjoy reading much more. 

Something about Doorways in the Sand brings back a memory for me.  I think I read that years ago - and really enjoyed it. 

  • 3 votes
#9.2 - Thu Dec 4, 2008 10:36 AM EST
Chris from MN

"Simpler, unfettered life"?  Actually, I guess that's true in some regards; I don't have the ties of spouse or kids (nor the joys). But somehow I'd gotten a bit away from reading in the last many years... It's been nice to return to it, I admit.

Funny thing about reading some really good books.... some of the TV shows seem even stupider and lamer than previously realized!

  • 2 votes
#9.3 - Mon Dec 8, 2008 11:13 AM EST
Reply
kenyon-1

I really enjoyed your story . I can only hope to learn from those who can make imaginative people visualize an absurd story and love it at the same time.  Please keep it up so I can learn. -Kenyon

  • 2 votes
Reply#10 - Thu Dec 4, 2008 3:02 PM EST
Chris from MN

Thanks for the very nice compliment!  I'll sure try!!

  • 1 vote
#10.1 - Mon Dec 8, 2008 11:02 AM EST
Reply
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