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Timothy Hicks Biography

My name is Timothy Hicks, and I've been writing for 5 years now, since I was 13. My main hobbies include writing, playing my piano, origami and bicycling.

I'm a bit OCD about some things and some would refer to me as a nervous pacer. I like to do outdoor activities, but at the same enjoy my alone time where I can sit and write. I'm a very avid reader and enjoy several different genres: horror, science-fiction, fantasy, and mysteries such as Sherlock Holmes.

I've had several different jobs including shakerboarder, pizza-make and cotton candy maker-and-distributor.

I like to think of myself as someone that can fit into almost any crowd and I always try to stay on the bright side of things. I swear very little and hardly ever get mad at people. I believe spreading smiles is a much better practice than sharing negativity...

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Update on Footle Contest

Blog Posted by Timothy Hicks: 3/2/2016 7:02:00 PM

Hey everyone!

So this is mostly my fault, in failing to be more specific, but it has come to my attention that people write footles in a couple different ways. Some make a title, and then have a series of footle-couplets that follow it, while others make a title for EACH individual footle. Both forms are acceptable (it all depends on whether ot not it is done well), but the latter method is my PREFERRED method.

Read this poem to get an example:

Theme Title: Holy Humor

Jehovah's Witness' Door Pamphlets

Pious

Fly-ahs

Catholic Church During Halloween

Scary

Mary

Scrabble Night With Missionaries

Wordy

Clergy

Preacher Owning at Dungeons & Dragons

Master

Pastor

Our Holiness the Dalai Getting a Text From His Ex

Lama

Drama

Sea Anemone Makes Amends

Moral

Coral

In this, the title is just as much of the joke as is the rhyming couplet. They both compliment each other in some way. You can write footles in the OTHER method, but this typically impresses me more.

I'll try to be more clear next contest! Best of luck y'all.

-Tim

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Jan Allison

March 4, 2016 at 6:22 AM

I have written a new string for you Timothy - It's a steep learning curve when you sponsor your first contest you chose a great fun form for your first one :-)hugs Jan xx

Andrea Dietrich

March 6, 2016 at 9:33 AM

you did great on the new string, Jan!!

Timothy Hicks

March 4, 2016 at 6:39 PM

Thanks Jan. I like 'em footles, and I'm getting some really good entries ... it will be tricky to pick my favorites.

Constance La France

March 4, 2016 at 2:27 AM

Tim, I edited my poem for your preferred style, but my poem is not a happy poem, but a sad write, hope that is okay ~

Timothy Hicks

March 4, 2016 at 6:38 PM

Hey Broken Wings. Sad poems are okay, too. It adds contrast.

Brian Strand

March 3, 2016 at 11:37 PM

As mentioned below here is my sequenced quaternion variation of the footle, (in this case the variation is a poetic form)-OLD AGE same chat/off pat TOOTHLESS long kiss/to missSHORT SIGHTED large print/or squint SLOWING DOWN no sap/need nap .( I could have called it a bio form in my case!!).Please let me know by soupmail of any variations so that I can keep updating my footle blog on blogspot.Thanks and enjoy the footle form in whatever variation.Vive La Footle.

Brian Strand

March 4, 2016 at 9:17 AM

That how I feel most afternoons.Your sequenced footle deservedly features as an inventive footle variation.Have a good weekend Andrea.

Andrea Dietrich

March 4, 2016 at 9:13 AM

Brian, my favorite of these here is no sap/need nap. That is so funny to me!! Thanks for putting up my Query series. I just saw it at your blog this morning!

Brian Strand

March 4, 2016 at 12:02 AM

Thanks Timothy.I wrote about eight quaternion versions of the footle,being a very old timer the one above was written from the heart

Timothy Hicks

March 3, 2016 at 11:56 PM

SHORT SIGHTED large print / or squint is my favorite of these four. It caught me by surprise because by your title I assumed you were talking about the idiom, as in "his plans were short sighted." ... I'll let you know if I see a footle that is especially different!

Brian Strand

March 3, 2016 at 11:28 PM

In its purest form the footle has a pungent title to match the witty etc nature of the verse.e.g the first footle I wrote and posted here was BONNIE&CLYDE too snide/both died.For my preference I agree with Ruben but appreciate the the footle form 'lives' and love the fact that a variety of variation thereof have evolved over the years.(see my quatrnions above )and are continuing with Timothy's long title themed variation.

Brian Strand

March 3, 2016 at 11:53 PM

Yes Timothy,' done well' is the key..the footle is light verse..so witty,pertinent,topical etc are the key.Look forward to reading your contest results in due course.

Timothy Hicks

March 3, 2016 at 11:37 PM

Thanks for including me in your blog, Brian. Really appreciate it. For me, it all just depends on whether it's done well ... I've written a few of the short title ones, but the longer-titles just come more natural to me. I think your Bonnie&Clyde is very witty and to the point ... but I also like how allowing longer titles opens up more unexplored territory ... almost like a narrative approach to the form.

Brian Strand

March 3, 2016 at 1:46 PM

Tim, I would like to include your 'football footle' on my blogspot sequence example .(I believe it was a joint effort with Jan Allison?)It is another footle sequence variation ,different to Sean's 'narrative footle' and Andrea's sequence footle on the 'query' theme.

Tim Smith

March 3, 2016 at 2:27 PM

Yes it was Brian. I would be more than honoured to have it posted there.

Eileen Manassian

March 3, 2016 at 8:08 AM

OH DEAR! I missed out on that. I only have one title for a whole bunch of footless. I understand how the title adds to the humor. I think I'm going to withdraw from the contest, dear. :) Will do better next time round. Hugs

Timothy Hicks

March 3, 2016 at 7:40 PM

You can still participate in the contest, Eileen ... I was just letting people know my preferences.

Sara Kendrick

March 3, 2016 at 6:18 AM

Fun with Footles..Great ones above..Need to check out the contest..Sara

Brian Strand

March 3, 2016 at 5:50 AM

Andrea is your footle you mention'It's all how you ask it' ? If so I would like to add it to my blogspot footle blog , as it is a good example of a sequenced footle variation of a differeent nature to Sean's footle mentioned below.rgds Brian

Brian Strand

March 4, 2016 at 12:06 AM

Bookmark my blogspot blog folks I'll be updating it later today(Friday am English time)

Tim Smith

March 3, 2016 at 1:18 PM

Brian I remember Carolyn Devonshire did a bunch for Whispers. I saw one of yours. http://whispersinthewind333.blogspot.com/2014/09/featured-activity-football-footles.html

Andrea Dietrich

March 3, 2016 at 8:58 AM

Brian, I am pleased you remembered that. Yes, that is mine and I'd be happy to be added into your blog spot!! I meant to check out your blog but did not get around to it and now I am late to work. But I will look later for sure!

Lin Lane

March 3, 2016 at 4:14 AM

Tim, You already have the "y'all" thing goin' on. Georgia - here he comes. haha

Timothy Hicks

March 3, 2016 at 7:38 PM

Lol! Some family from Georgia came and visited awhile back, and I guess it stuck for a little bit .... I just think it sounds funny.

Brian Strand

March 3, 2016 at 12:53 AM

Yes Timothy ,thank you I will include the two I mentioned on my blog Sean Kelly is a poet with a great sense of humour in his writing which entertained PS in the past.

Brian Strand

March 3, 2016 at 12:46 AM

It occurs to me that there may other variations to the footle(that I have missed over the past 7 years since its creation) if so I would like to include them on the footle blog mentioned below.Please soupmail me if that is the case.Thanks

Brian Strand

March 3, 2016 at 12:42 AM

I agree Andrea, a poetry form if is to endure, will inspire variations, just as Adelaide Crapsey did with her variation the' American cinquain' did a century back to the cinquain.Perhaps you can point me to the footles of yours to which you refer so I can include it on my blog (if you so agree).rgds Brian

Brian Strand

March 3, 2016 at 12:14 AM

For any PS 'Soupers ' friends who wish to read Sean and Carrie's inventive footle variation they are on my afore mention footle blog (http:footle-ichthys.blogspot.co.uk). I did try to get Wiki to accept a page about my ' footle' form ' with how it was created etc but they deleted my endeavour which is a shame as it has become very widespread on the net since 2009.

Brian Strand

March 4, 2016 at 2:19 AM

My BlogSpot blog has now been updated with the sequenced variations mentioned this blog for which I am grateful to Tim Hicks,Andrea Dietrich,TimSmith and Jan Allison. Please advise me by soupmail if you have seen or written a unique form variation to the footle so I can add it my my BlogSpot page thereon.

Brian Strand

March 3, 2016 at 12:01 AM

Timothy,when I created the ' footle' (2009) the integral title was as short and succinct as the trochiac verse,(see my Bonnie&Clyde for sample)but this longer title is an excellent variation thereto, as was Sean Kelly's 28 line sequenced footle 'Visit to the dentist' and Carrie Richard's inventive shape variation 'Keep out'.I would like your permission to include your'Sea anenome' and Scrabble night' in my blog about this form I created on blogspot, as an example of this 'longer title' variation(with a copyright credit and acknowledgement to you)rgds Brian

Timothy Hicks

March 3, 2016 at 12:49 AM

Hey Brian ... yeah you can use my footle poems if you like. I read the dentist poem and thought it was pretty well written. I guess I've just never written them like that ... but variations do happen over time (there's MANY different variations of the sonnet for instance).

Andrea Dietrich

March 3, 2016 at 12:32 AM

Brian, I was doing them like Tim a long time ago with the longer titles. I love your footles, but I feel the longer titles add to the joke. Just my opinion.

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