(no subject)

distance
Distance is a long-range filter that blurs everything, putting it in soft focus. I was never homesick until I had distance both in space and time between me and my home. Now the slanting, haunting folk melodies bring a sentimental tear to my eye and I dream of wild Atlantic coast, like the cliche I've become.

creation myths

So I've got myself a set of poi, having had a lot of fun twirling the glowstick variety at the birthday party for the two Adams in Norfolk (and admittedly a lot of glowstick-shaped bruises on my legs the next day). They've got long white tails and when in mid-air they remind me of Haku in his dragon-form in Spirited Away. I went online yesterday to search for lessons.

The amusing thing is that everyone seems to have a different story as to who invented poi and why. One site makes vague noises about Eastern mysticism, whirling dervishes and the like. Another says they were used by Maori warriors to increase coordination in training. The funniest one says there's a plant in Hawaii called the poi root which was softened to an edible state by tying a string to it and repeatedly swinging it against a rock. "Two were done at once to prevent one side of the body becoming overdeveloped." Hmmm.

Your challenge, readers, is to choose a common household object, well-known game or hobby and invent a completely fictitious origin story for it, the sillier the better. Off you go.

(Those of you who invent games - kauket, strange_powers and the_heiress, I'm looking at you - feel free to tell me where you got your ideas from, or indeed how you were handed down your game by an old and wise relative who invented it in a bomb shelter in the Blitz etc etc.)