Simon The Time Traveling Cat Plays Monopoly | IWSG

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is a place to share and encourage, where writers can express their doubts and concerns without appearing foolish or weak. It's a great place to mingle with like minded people each month during IWSG day.

Every month there's an optional question which may prompt folks to share advice, insights, a personal experience or story. Some folks answer the question in their IWSG blog post or let it inspire them if they're struggling with what to say.

This month's question is:

"Did you ever say 'I quit'? If so, what happened to make you come back to writing?"

Check out how people have answered this month's question, as well as the other insecurities and writing topics they may have shared by visiting the IWSG sign-up list here. If you want to see how I answered the question, have a look below.

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Simon the Time Traveling Cat batted at the dice with his large gray paws and pushed them off of the table. He peered down at the floor waiting for me to pick them up.

“Looks like you rolled a seven,” I said as I placed the dice back on the table next to Monopoly board.
Simon growled. “Lady, you’re blind as a bat. I rolled an eight.”

“Simon, it was not a eight,” I said firmly. “You’re trying to cheat again. Go on, move the wheelbarrow seven places.”

“How’d I get stuck with this stupid wheelbarrow anyway,” Simon said. “You knew I wanted the top hat, but no, you had to go and grab it first.”

“It’s not my problem you were busy lapping up milk while I was setting up the board,” I said as I watched Simon nudge the wheelbarrow down the board towards Park Place and Boardwalk. I just happened to own both properties, complete with three hotels each.

Simon’s tail started to swish back and forth furiously as he realized the wheelbarrow was about to land on Boardwalk.

I rubbed my hands together. “Excellent. That’ll be…”

Before I could finish, Simon shoved the hotels onto the floor and then lay in the middle of the board glaring at me.

“There’s no way, I’m paying you another dime, lady” he hissed. “I quit!”

“Hey, calm down Simon. It’s just a game. Nobody likes a quitter.”

Simon stared at me coldly. “Go get me some more milk, lady. And make it full-fat. No more of that stupid skim milk crap you keep trying to make me drink.”

As I rummaged through the fridge, Simon furiously sharpened his claws on the board, scattering Monopoly money around the room in the process.

“Sorry, Simon, two percent is the best I can do,” I said carefully placing a saucer in front of him. “Are you sure you want to quit? Why don’t we set the board up again and play?”

“You’re the quitter, lady, not me.” Simon sniffed at the milk with disdain. “You’re constantly quitting working on that book of yours.”

“I’m not quitting writing it,” I said. “I just take breaks from time to time when I get writer’s block.”
Simon started to shove the saucer towards the edge of the table. I grabbed it before it could land on the floor with the rest of the Monopoly pieces.

“Is that what we’re calling it - taking a break?” he snarled. “Face it, you’re a quitter.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“No, I’m not!”

“Well then, prove it. Open up that stupid laptop of yours and start writing again.” Simon turned his back to me and started washing behind his ears.

There’s nothing worse than knowing a cat might be right about something. They get so smug about that sort of thing. But was it possible that taking a break was the same thing as quitting?

I sighed and opened up my laptop. I suppose I might as well try to do some writing since Monopoly was out of the question.

Before I could open up the file, Simon landed with a plop on the keyboard.

“Haven’t you forgotten something, lady?” he asked as he rolled onto his back. “You need to go to the store and get some full-fat milk, pronto. Then you can get back to your writing. That is if you don’t quit again by the time you get back.”

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Have you ever quit working on something? Did it start out as just taking a break, but then you never ended up going back to it? What’s your favorite board game?

Internet connection has been really scarce lately while we've been cruising in the Bahamas, so apologies if it takes a while before I'm able to respond to your comments and/or visit your blog.
 
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