Heroism - the Oggbashan Memorial Event 2023 Support Thread

[R. Richard]

Ogg's death diminishes all of us. A sad goodbye to Ogg.

 

[PMDlite]

I have been asked to organize run a challenge event on heroism - stories about heroes, how to define and recognize heroism and what heroism means to us as authors and, perhaps, to the characters in their tales.

David Harris, onetime husband of Joan Baez, said that there are two types of public figures - idols and heroes. Idols, he said, show us our limitations. Few of us can realistically aspire to be a supermodel, an A-List actor or an Olympic athlete. Such people exist in a sense almost as a negation of the rest of us.

On the other hand, Harris said, there are heroes, “something that teaches people what they can be… an available model that doesn't exist as something that’s impossible to reach, but really exists as the embodiment of what everybody could be.”

Some types of heroism are easy to recognize - the kind of white-hot bravery, for instance, that sends a perfect stranger running into a burning house to save another’s children. There’s the selfless devotion demonstrated by medical staff and first responders during the scariest height of the pandemic. There’s the moral and physical courage of a 5’ 3” woman refusing to support an unjust society by sitting in the back of an Alabama bus. ’Thank you’ just doesn’t cut it in such cases.

There’s also a more subtle type of heroism, a quiet, stubborn refusal to bow to ill fate or to surrender in the face of fearful odds, be it a poor widow fighting to keep her children fed or, in our case, a good man stubbornly refusing to do the expected, to simply give up and let cancer overwhelm him. For those who didn't know, Ogg died quietly in his bed on 30 May. He had requested that this event be postponed until after his death.

With his example in mind, I have been specifically requested to entitle this the ‘Heroism - the Oggbashan Memorial Event’, an annual tribute to a man too damned stubborn to bow to life’s bitter sentences, too proud to stay silent and too full of life to simply fade away. Thank you, Ogg. We miss you.

This event is open to all. Stories and essays may be of any length over 750 words and may be on any theme, erotic or non-erotic. As well as descriptions of heroic acts, discussions and insights about the meaning and importance of heroism in today's world are encouraged.

Submissions should include the phrase OGGBASHAN MEMORIAL EVENT 2023 in the Notes box of the submissions page.

Ogg’s funeral will be held very soon, the afternoon of 14 July, 2023. That’s not much time, granted, but a release date of 14 July would be the best possible memorial to our late friend and colleague. (It is Laurel’s wish that this become an annual event and more time will be given in future years.) Accordingly, all entries need to be submitted by end of day 13 July, 2023 and will be published the following day.

tp

A fitting tribute. I hope my words don't fail him! I will see what can be contributed!

 

[gunhilltrain]

I've had people tell me that I should write about the things that I've done in my time with Search and Rescue, Emergency Response Team.
TBH, I wouldn't even know where or how to begin.

I was thinking of something along those lines too, although I don't have first-hand experience with it. Maybe it could be about someone you knew during that time? It would be somewhat indirect regarding Oggbashan - you wouldn't even have to mention him in the submission - but it might work.

 

[Seadog777]

I was thinking of something along those lines too, although I don't have first-hand experience with it. Maybe it could be about someone you knew during that time? It would be somewhat indirect regarding Oggbashan - you wouldn't even have to mention him in the submission - but it might work.

I don't really talk much about the things my team has done other than with each other or our loved ones.

It did cross my mind but I think it would come across as bragging or egotistical.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I don't really talk much about the things my team has done other than with each other or our loved ones.

It did cross my mind but I think it would come across as bragging or egotistical.

Nah, set it up in third person and change the location. Besides, anyone that's been involved with S&R deserves some credit, even indirectly.

I wrote a story a few years ago about a three volunteer fire fighters caught in a bushfire after a windshift. It was based on a real life experience of a friend who's truck got a flat tyre and they had to find a safe area to shelter. You could do the same.

Hmm, actually, I might revisit that. A short follow up would fit the bill.

 

[Seadog777]

Nah, set it up in third person and change the location. Besides, anyone that's been involved with S&R deserves some credit, even indirectly.

I wrote a story a few years ago about a three volunteer fire fighters caught in a bushfire after a windshift. It was based on a real life experience of a friend who's truck got a flat tyre and they had to find a safe area to shelter. You could do the same.

Hmm, actually, I might revisit that. A short follow up would fit the bill.

Bushfires can go all god damn quagmire, real quick.

I hope your friend made it out OK.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I don't really talk much about the things my team has done other than with each other or our loved ones.

It did cross my mind but I think it would come across as bragging or egotistical.

It didn’t.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Bushfires can go all god damn quagmire, real quick.

I hope your friend made it out OK.

Yeah, he did. They made it to a clearing and backup arrived shortly after. The new team brought an air jack so they could change the wheel.

They were a bit concerned though.

 

[oneagainst]

Got mine done. Will check for spelling mistakes and get it in. It's a story about a first time, in difficult circumstances (FYI @NoTalentHack - going into First Time, one more down justsayin)

 

[Rob_Royale]

I'm going to have to plan this for next year. When I'm coming up with an idea for a filthy story, I don't naturally think about a heroic tale, so this is going to require some long-term brainstorming.

 

[NoTalentHack]

Got mine done. Will check for spelling mistakes and get it in. It's a story about a first time, in difficult circumstances (FYI @NoTalentHack - going into First Time, one more down justsayin)

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Got a good start on mine. Not entirely sure where it's going to lead me.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

OK, it's led me right into a corner. Yup, boy meets girl, boy likes girl, girl does something wonderful but then shows up unexpectedly in tears at his place one evening and... and it's now so tritely, icky formulaic that I myself would stop reading right there were it published. I guess I need to do something energetic to shake my brains loose.

 

[MrPixel]

Mine's done. Four hours start to finish. A little bit of sex, mostly a story about subtle personal heroism in trying to save somebody from themselves.

 

[YDB95]

Got a few pages of mine done, lots more to come yet.
It'll probably be the most controversial story in my catalog, but I never knew Ogg to back down from a fight!

 

[Rustyoznail]

My story about rural volunteer firefighters should be finished by next week. It's not the best thing I've written, and I'm still not sure where it'll go.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

Done with mine!
I guess it's heroic... Like in a David Bowie's 'Heroes' sorta way.

 

[great lover]

Sorry to know Ogg has passed on to the great beyond. He will live in our collective memory forever

 

[Handley_Page]

I received the details of Oggs funeral from his missus:-

WEBCAST ORDER SUMMARY

Webcast details for the service for Richard Eburne at 15:20 (BST) on
Friday 14th July, at Barham Chapel, run by A Welch & Sons Ltd Funeral
Services - Herne Bay are as below.

WATCHING WEBCAST LIVE AND WATCH-AGAIN

Website

https://watch.obitus.com [1]

Username

wahi8841

Password

289603

WEBCAST DETAILS

Live & Watch Again + Download Link

Awaiting Service

SERVICE DETAILS

Venue

Barham Chapel
Canterbury Road (A260)
Barham, Nr Canterbury

Booked by:
A Welch & Sons Ltd Funeral Services - Herne Bay
94 Station Road
Herne Bay

WATCHING WEBCAST LIVE

You will be able to view the live webcast approximately 5 minutes before
the service start time. Please be aware the service is in a public
building and earlier services may overrun. Please use your discretion
should you see activities unrelated to the service you are here to view.

In advance of the service, we strongly recommend you log in to the site
and test your internet connection.

WATCHING WEBCAST AGAIN

We aim to process the editing of the service and upload for the Watch
Again service within 3 working days.


Links:
------
[1] https://watch.obitus.com/KdNmyZ

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Thank you, HP.

 

[MyBareTorso]

I have been asked to organize run a challenge event on heroism - stories about heroes, how to define and recognize heroism and what heroism means to us as authors and, perhaps, to the characters in their tales.

David Harris, onetime husband of Joan Baez, said that there are two types of public figures - idols and heroes. Idols, he said, show us our limitations. Few of us can realistically aspire to be a supermodel, an A-List actor or an Olympic athlete. Such people exist in a sense almost as a negation of the rest of us.

On the other hand, Harris said, there are heroes, “something that teaches people what they can be… an available model that doesn't exist as something that’s impossible to reach, but really exists as the embodiment of what everybody could be.”

Some types of heroism are easy to recognize - the kind of white-hot bravery, for instance, that sends a perfect stranger running into a burning house to save another’s children. There’s the selfless devotion demonstrated by medical staff and first responders during the scariest height of the pandemic. There’s the moral and physical courage of a 5’ 3” woman refusing to support an unjust society by sitting in the back of an Alabama bus. ’Thank you’ just doesn’t cut it in such cases.

There’s also a more subtle type of heroism, a quiet, stubborn refusal to bow to ill fate or to surrender in the face of fearful odds, be it a poor widow fighting to keep her children fed or, in our case, a good man stubbornly refusing to do the expected, to simply give up and let cancer overwhelm him. For those who didn't know, Ogg died quietly in his bed on 30 May. He had requested that this event be postponed until after his death.

With his example in mind, I have been specifically requested to entitle this the ‘Heroism - the Oggbashan Memorial Event’, an annual tribute to a man too damned stubborn to bow to life’s bitter sentences, too proud to stay silent and too full of life to simply fade away. Thank you, Ogg. We miss you.

This event is open to all. Stories and essays may be of any length over 750 words and may be on any theme, erotic or non-erotic. As well as descriptions of heroic acts, discussions and insights about the meaning and importance of heroism in today's world are encouraged.

Submissions should include the phrase OGGBASHAN MEMORIAL EVENT 2023 in the Notes box of the submissions page.

Ogg’s funeral will be held very soon, the afternoon of 14 July, 2023. That’s not much time, granted, but a release date of 14 July would be the best possible memorial to our late friend and colleague. (It is Laurel’s wish that this become an annual event and more time will be given in future years.) Accordingly, all entries need to be submitted by end of day 13 July, 2023 and will be published the following day.

tp

Mine is done. Something very different for me, but I really enjoyed the challenge this memorial provided. I trust this memorial will be a very fitting tribute, and I look forward to reading entries. Thanks to TP for organizing.

 

[gordo12]

I just ran into this post today. So sorry to hear of Ogg's passing. That man fought the hard fight against a dreaded disease for a lot longer than the time the doctors gave him.

I love the spirit of the challenge story-wise, but going through every WIP...nothing fits. And with only a few days left, I'll have to aim for next year.

 

[NoTalentHack]

I just ran into this post today. So sorry to hear of Ogg's passing. That man fought the hard fight against a dreaded disease for a lot longer than the time the doctors gave him.

I love the spirit of the challenge story-wise, but going through every WIP...nothing fits. And with only a few days left, I'll have to aim for next year.

Same, I’m afraid. I tried to find something, but no luck.

 

[oneagainst]

Same, I’m afraid. I tried to find something, but no luck.

Nothing in the superhero tray?

I went with personal heroism for my contribution, I guess it doesn't have to be about dragging people from crumbling buildings. Sometimes rescuing someone from a crumbling relationship is enough.

 

[NoTalentHack]

Nothing in the superhero tray?

I went with personal heroism for my contribution, I guess it doesn't have to be about dragging people from crumbling buildings. Sometimes rescuing someone from a crumbling relationship is enough.

Nothing I could have done in time.