Monday, April 30, 2012

A to Z Challenge - Z is for Zonk

The A to Z Challenge is winding down and some of the bloggers have posted some kind of a wrap-up. I was so honored to find out that Thelma, at Widowsphere, included my blog as one of her top 26 favorites. I was also blown away that she visited all one thousand and something blogs participating in the challenge. I'm impressed.

Anyway, if you have a moment, stop by and visit her blog. It is a good one, and be sure to check out her X is for x-rated words. You will be shocked at what the New York City school system has put on a censored list. 

And now back to our regular scheduled programming. In keeping with my nature theme, I could write about zebras. They are interesting animals that I have always liked. Maybe because they look like a horse that just escaped from prison? And who couldn't love this little foal. 

But the z word that keeps popping into my head is zonk. I keep hearing the lines from a play I recently directed at the local community theatre that had this word. The two players were so good and gave their lines just the right inflection that this little snippet of a scene has stayed with me.

The play is "Woman in Mind" by Alan Ayckbourn, and the scene is between Susan and her husband, Gerald. Susan is not happy, and she has been trying to talk to him about the fact that she can't sleep.

"Perhaps it is because I'm not very happy, Gerald."
"Well, who is? Very few these days.
"You seem happy."
"Do I? Maybe I'm just better at hiding things. Who knows."
"At least you sleep at night."
"Only because I'm exhausted from a full day's work. I give my body no option."
"Zonk."
"I beg your pardon?"
"You just zonk out"
"I have no idea what that means. Zonk."

At this point, the players would always get a little chuckle from the audience, even though this was a serious scene. The light touch of humor was a good way to lift the audience up a little, and is a trick used by many playwrights.

I am so lucky to work with a talented troupe of players who can make lines and scenes so memorable.

9 comments:

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Maryann, I like your final post. Nice to have completed the challenge!

Monti
Mary Montague Sikes

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Congratulations on making it the distance. After all this exercise (blog-hopping IS exercise, right?) I think we've all earned the right to zonk out for a while.

Dana said...

I've enjoyed your posts throughout the challenge. Congrats on finishing!

LD Masterson said...

Kudos for completed the challenge. I also checked out Widowsphere and liked it as well.

Kathy said...

I think a lot of us are feeling Zonked!! Congratulations on completing the Challenge and for being one of Thelmaz 26 favorites!...me too. I was very honored.
Nice to meet you.
Kathy at Oak Lawn Images

Kathi Oram Peterson said...

Thelma listed my blog as well. What a sweetie. Just stopped by to say hi on the challenge.

Patricia Stoltey said...

I'm impressed by anyone who made it to all the A to Z participant blogs. I don't think I've reached the halfway mark yet.

Congrats for finishing, Maryann. It's a great way to make new blogger friends. Now a lot of us will just want to zonk.

Maryannwrites said...

Thanks, Monti. So glad you liked this final post. I wasn't sure how it would be received, but I couldn't get those lines out of my head any other way. LOL

Susan, I think this was good exercise. My waistline feels smaller.

Dana, I've enjoyed your posts this month, too.

LD, glad you liked Widowsphere. Good blog.

Kathy, congrats to you, too, for finishing and for being chosen as one of Thelma's favorite blogs.

And you, too, Kathi. Off to visit some of the blogs now.

Maryannwrites said...

Patricia, didn't mean to leave you out. Didn't scroll far enough down the page and missed your comment. (smile) Thanks for stopping by. I am still amazed that Thelma visited all the blogs in the challenge. Whew!