CELebrating An Awesome Man (POW ELE) Final Play On Words

This POW is dedicated to Ernie Johnson and members of the Play On Words and Poetry Play On Words Groups. This is the final POW and PPOW. After tomorrow's judging the groups will be shut down.  They will be missed.

I couldn't think of a better subject for this than you, Ernie and your groups.  You are amazing.  It's been an honor and a pleasure to have been a part of the group.  The group members are like no other I've been involved with.  I truly looked forward to this every week and it's going to be hard not looking in my email for that 3 letter word.   

This is not Goodbye Ernie. 

I was out of my element when I joined the Play On Words Group.  Nevertheless, I loyally opened the email for our newest preselected word every week.  Ernie tirelessly kept both the POW and PPOW groups going.

After the first week, I took the bait.  He reeled me in; hook, line and sinker.  I found out early on that you could not have a structureless post.  It had to make sense, hold the readers' interest, have relevance and it had to flow.      

Relentlessly, we'd all look up the words to be used in our posts.  It amazed me that no matter want the selection was no one ever wrote about the same thing.  Some stories may have hit on the same subject but for the most part we were all on different wavelengths. 

The stories were delectable.  I've written stories about the election, melee, tornadoes, celebrations, loveless relationships, elegant homes and cabins, just about anything else that clicked, and I driveled.  Others wrote priceless tales about celestial beings, faceless stalkers, disheveled lives, bejeweled bracelets, and love stories where you could picture the chiseled jaw of the conqueror as he stole a kiss from the fair maiden clad in a red capelet.

When I got the hang of writing a POW, I became nerveless.   The elevator finally reached the top floor, so to speak.  I'd written a few things before but never challenges for competition.  I would've never guessed it would be something I would look forward to every week.  My pride soared to a new elevation the first time I won First Place.  I almost keeled over.  That's definitely something to be proud of regarding this group.  They're some of Gather's finest writers.  I marveled at their work and wondered what in the heck I was doing among them.  They were very supportive.  My inexperience was irrelevant, issueless.  I was an accepted as one of them, a writer.          

The articles were supposed to 500 words although up to 520 was acceptable.  There were times I wrote a novelette and deleted up to 285 words before publishing it to the group.  That's just being careless or carried away.       

The Winner's Circle became elaborate enough to make us feel like celebrities.  Trophies were handed out to the first and second place winners.  Other awards were added as time went on.  Shamelessly, I held Queen of the Secret Word Award for weeks.  I reveled in owning that trophy.  Elsie was awarded Queen Comments.  A Tournament of Champions POW and PPOW were held twice a year.  He went above and beyond the call of duty as a group owner.
    

In the beginning there were quite a few of us.  I'm sure Ernie had his hands full.  It dwindled to eleven or so before falling off to a few loyal diehards in past months. 

Ernie is a busy man with a several published books and another to be released.  It's time he devoted his life to what he loves, his writing.  It's Ernie Time.

I have learned so much thanks to Ernie.  And celebrate his success.  Nonetheless, I will miss the POW group. 

All good things must come to an end but this is not goodbye, Ernie.

Thanks for being a big part of what I am today. I wish you nothing but success.
I love you dear friend. (Sis)