Wednesday 1 April 2015

IWSG - The A-Z Edition, and A is for Allopathy

It's time for another monthly installment of the Insecure Writers' Support Group founded by Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh (who's got a very busy month ahead). The purpose of the group is to support each other in all our writerly woes without fear of ridicule.


Today marks the opening of the A-Z Challenge for 2015 and I imagine many might be posting on the insecurity of undertaking such a Herculean task. Before we get to the first post of the Challenge I'd like to offer a survival guide based on two years participating.


  • Have fun! This has to be the number one. Don't get bogged down in keeping up with visitors or getting to x amount of blogs. Blogging is meant to be fun first and foremost. Treat it as an opportunity to grow and learn - no negatives.
  • Have goals. Goals can be fun! As long as you don't beat yourself up if you don't meet them every day. The official team suggest visiting five new blogs every day, but if you only manage one, that's still one more connection which has the potential to become a lifelong friend.
  • Life is going to get in the way. Best we accept this now and realise this is how it should be. You still have a job, a family, a WIP, an adopted snow leopard during April. Don't neglect them and know they come before a month-long blog challenge.
  • Keep on swinging. If you don't get to as many blogs as you'd like in one day, don't worry. It was probably just that pesky "life" thing again. You can try and make it up the next day, but see "Goals" above.
  • Make friends. If you make good bonds with bloggers who've come back day after day and laughed and cried along with your posts (and vice versa), nurture the connection past April. That's what this month is about, not an exercise in higher numbers and traffic.
Hope you find these tips useful. Anything to add?

Check out the other IWSGers here.

And now, onto my A post for this first day of April.


I announced in my theme reveal that I would be picking a random word from the dictionary for each letter, and writing a story about it with a 100 word limit. I tweaked that slightly. I have selected words that are either unknown, or unfamiliar to me and saw what they sparked off. This makes it more fun and educational, for myself and hopefully others. All definitions are from the Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus 2007 Edition.

Today's word is Allopathy.

Allopathy: the conventional treatment of disease, using drugs that have effects opposite to the symptoms.


“He’s freezing.”

“Yes. I think the allopathy was rather too successful,” said the doctor.

“Well, what are you going to do?”

The doctor made no reply as Sarah touched her husband’s hand, wincing as ice particles adhered to her own skin. He’d been wrapped in several jumpers, a winter coat, hat, scarf and gloves. The fever he’d been admitted with was gone, for sure, but was this really better? How long before his extremities started to snap off?

“His temperature was over a hundred,” said the doctor. “Now it’s minus that. There’s got to be a happy medium somewhere…”

61 comments:

betty said...

Cute story with allopathy :) You did great tips for A/Z; the most important one is to have fun :) Blogging should be fun, not a chore :)

betty

Pearson Report said...

Great little snippet there - it actually had me intrigued.

Wonderful start to the A - Z Challenge.

Sent with smiles, Jenny
2015 A to Z Challenge Ambassador
@PearsonReport

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Nick - love your first Word - A for Allopathy and with its associated story ... I sure hope they found the happy medium ... cheers Hilary

Misha Gerrick said...

Hahaha you, sir, have a very twisted mind.

The happy medium will still kill him. ;-)

JeffO said...

Ah, modern medicine.

Tasha Duncan-Drake said...

I knew the word homoeopathy but I never heard the opposite before :).

Love the snippet - how on earth did the poor man get in that state?
Tasha
Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

Sophie Duncan said...

I don't think I'd want that doctor as my physician :)

Sophie
Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles
FB3X
Wittegen Press

Diana Wilder said...

Great post! (Now to ask my doctor, worriedly, if she espouses allopathy, and find another physician if she does!

J.L. Murphey said...

I love your a to z stories!

Christine Rains said...

Great tips for the Challenge survival. I agree it's most important to have fun. And fantastic start to the Challenge! I have learned a new word for the day now. :)

Laura Clipson said...

Oh dear, that didn't work at all! Great story :)

Holly Jahangiri said...

LOL - I love this! I thought, at first, "Oh, joy, another lovely treatise lifted from a dictionary... don't we have 'Word of the Day' for that?" (And I LOVE words! Just... I love to be entertained by a blog post even more - given I'm sitting between Google and an old-fashioned, unabridged dictionary on a stand!)

This was inspiring AND entertaining! I'm looking forward to seeing what other words you demonstrate throughout the month.

I like your blog's theme and header, too! Very nice.

Great start to A to Z - I'll be back!

Stephen Tremp said...

I just learned a new word today. Thanks Nick! Now to use it before I forget it.

Sally said...

Great post, enjoyed the story.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Oops! Now he's a Popcicle.

Nicki Elson said...

An adopted snow leopard? Your life is much more exciting than mine.

Great advice -- and great theme! My reaction to your shortie was to giggle. Was that right? Or does it make me aa twisted person?

Thank you so much for offering to post something for me on my release day. I'll be in touch & promise to keep it very simple. It's on R day in A to Z so---hey! Release Day. :)

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Great advice for the challenge. As for your story, after the winter we had it really made me shiver in sympathy. Felt like my limbs would just break off a few times.

Nancy Gideon said...

I LOVE learning new words! Impresses your smart friend and confuses others who will hopefully strive to become smart friends by looking the word up. Cheers to you on your month long endeavor, Nick!

Mary Aalgaard said...

Ooo. Good one. I'll be coming back to increase my own vocabulary!
Play off the Page

Jessica Kay said...

Way to go! Interesting thought came to me while reading-this would make a great Jack Frost story. Like a how he came to be. Could make it a dark story, too...oooh...the ideas this inspired!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I'm trying to do all those things...
And I learned a new word today. I can go home now. Wait, I'm already home.

Annalisa Crawford said...

Great A-Z tips!

It's not often zero degrees is considered a happy medium. Let's hope nothing snaps off :-)

E. Arroyo said...

LOL...made me laugh. =) Thanks for the new word. Can't wait what you come up with next.

loverofwords said...

Ah, the wordsmith is back--you! I enjoyed the blog where you used words from fellow bloggers to craft a story. I felt terrific when you sometimes chose mine.

Jean Davis said...

I enjoyed your twisted little story and I can't wait to see what else you come up with throughout the month.

Murees Dupè said...

Haha! Poor guy. I like learning new words. All the best with the rest of the challenge.

Chrys Fey said...

Now there's a new word for me today. :) Nice story to go along with it too!

Donna K. Weaver said...

Love your little snippet! Cool word too.

Mina Burrows said...

Excellent advice you've given, Nick. These are all things I can relate to.

I think the patient might need a new doctor. :) Well done!

Jennifer Hawes said...

Life (especially kids;) always gets in the way! Agreed. Keep writing, right? I love words. Seriously, learning new words are fun! Thanks for sharing.

Toi Thomas said...

Thanks for the challenge tips. It will come in handy next year when I tackle this for the first time. Now onto your theme. Love it. Will definitely be following along. I love learning new vocabulary and your first story is very Twilight Zone-ish.

M Pax said...

After spending two weeks where the temperature was never warmer than 18F, I really empathize with the guy. Hope he keeps his arms and legs.

cleemckenzie said...

I've never heard of allopathy. Now I have, thanks to you, and I enjoyed the story you created to go with the word. This is a great theme, Nick.

Hart Johnson said...

Good reminder to keep it fun. I have had a ton of fun with this and I've had major stress... really depends largely on attitude, I think...

Anonymous said...

Awesome word. Very similar to my theme too.
I think that doctor should be a little more worried about finding that happy medium!

~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Member of C. Lee's Muffin Commando Squad
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

David P. King said...

A minus 100 body temp? Can't say I'm going to visit that doctor any time soon. :)

Helen Hollick said...

Thanks for sharing - I'm A-Z Blogger number 596 Leaning On The Gate - and having great fun so far!

Nick Wilford said...

betty - Thanks. Definitely!

Jenny - Thanks, I aim to intrigue!

Hilary - Thanks. Me too!

Misha - That's a compliment. Wait til you see what's coming!

Jeff - Gotta love it!

Natasha - They applied it a bit too literally.

Sophie - Me neither!

Diana - Maybe it's not well known for a reason.

Jo - Thanks!

Christine - All about fun, and glad to teach new words.

Nick Wilford said...

Laura - Thanks!

Holly - Thanks for your kind comments! Yes, I'm trying to "edutain". ;)

Stephen - Lots more to come!

Sally - Thanks!

Diane - Brrr.

Karen - Thanks!

Nicki - Happy to help! There'll be more dark humour to come, giggling is allowed. :)

Susan - Sorry about that!

Nancy - Thanks! The more words the better. No one knew this one so far.

Mary - Thanks!

Nick Wilford said...

Jessica - Thanks! Hmm... there's a thought!

Alex - You do it well.

Annalisa - Well, it's a medium.

Elizabeth - Glad to make you laugh!

loverofwords - That was such great fun!

Jean - Thanks. Back at you!

Murees - Thanks!

Chrys - Hopefully it makes it memorable!

Donna - Thanks.

Mina - Glad the advice helped!

Nick Wilford said...

Jennifer - Yep, but gotta love them!

Toinette - Thank you, and good luck next year!

Mary - Yes, let's hope for a good ending.

Lee - Thank you!

Hart - Yeah, I've been stressed before and that's no good.

Patricia - I'll be following your posts!

David - He sounds scary.

Judy, Helen - Thanks!

Cherie Reich said...

Yeah, I think the allopathy went a little too far there.

shelly said...

Not participating in the A to Z. But will be reading.

Jay Noel said...

Oops. He turned the hubby into a popsicle!

J E Oneil said...

Ha! What a cool word. I like how you used it :)

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Great tips for the A-Z. I've done it for a few years and it definitely needs some discipline to meet the challenge.

Empty Nest Insider said...

Great A to Z tips! I also enjoyed your story about allopathy! I'll try to sneak it in at our holiday dinner this weekend!

Julie

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Might the happy medium be "halfopathy"? I love your theme, Nick. Very fun and creative. Plus, we'll learn 26 new words from you. Great job.

Heather R. Holden said...

Wow, talk about turning a fever on its head! Poor guy...

Unknown said...

MWahahahaha!!! That's one way to cure a fever :)

BohemianNERD

Anonymous said...

A nice story illustration! Not so fun for the victim, though...

Trisha said...

Haha, this was amusing :) Good on ya, doc!

This is a new word for me. Thanks, I love learning new words. :D

Shell Flower said...

Your A-Z survival guide is spot on. And with a twin sister who is a naturopathic physician, I am familiar with the word allopathy and think you treated it quite fairly in your story. Extremes aren't always the best.

djinnia said...

I could not help it. I just couldn't? I laughed so hard my dog looked at me funny. The doctor killed me.

Great story!

Ella said...

I like your challenge idea-clever!

And great advice on the IWSG-I needed to read these ;D

Thanks, Nick!

Unknown said...

Nice start to the challenge! I learned a new word today. Thanks!

dolorah said...

Allopathy; interesting word. I'm glad you used it in an excerpt.

I like the "have fun" advice too. Always seems to help.

Barbara In Caneyhead said...

It is definitely time to find an new doctor!!

Great AtoZ tips!
Life & Faith in Caneyhead
I am Ensign B ~ One of Tremp's Troops with the
A to Z Challenge

kjmckendry said...

Great tips for all new and old A-Zers! I think it's so fun just to see what amazing creativity people use to come up with words for the day.

Which brings me to the fact that I really love your theme!! I'd never heard of allopathy but you used it quite creatively in a great little piece.

Gwen Gardner said...

Hey, this is a fun theme, Nick! Very cool. Or hot. Very allopathic? LOL.

Susan Oloier said...

What an awesome and creative theme! It didn't take you long at all to create a vivid picture!