Thomas W. Devine's Blog, page 18
November 16, 2015
After the tree-sitting
"Green Expectations” is set in New Zealand in the late 1990s following a well-known tree-sitting campaign by conservationists that, after three decades of protest, ended the unsustainable logging of indigenous forest.
As the author, I promise readers an authentic experience given my knowledge of environmental management and familiarity with conservation NGOs. I was Deputy Director of National Parks and Reserves in the former Department of Lands and Survey and, in several roles, a one time employee of the Department of Conservation.
The colourful story unfolds in Auckland, Wellington and the Horowhenua. It is in the Horowhenua backcountry that I have created Mathews Bush on Maungakaramea, a fictitious place much-loved by some of the characters in the book.
Pre-release readers say there is something in the book for everyone but especially the environmentalist and the mystery-thriller aficionado.
The book has a sequel in "Green Machinations" That book led a judge in the 23rd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards (2015) to say: "I hope this author will reach many readers with this work."
www.createspace.com/4153773
As the author, I promise readers an authentic experience given my knowledge of environmental management and familiarity with conservation NGOs. I was Deputy Director of National Parks and Reserves in the former Department of Lands and Survey and, in several roles, a one time employee of the Department of Conservation.
The colourful story unfolds in Auckland, Wellington and the Horowhenua. It is in the Horowhenua backcountry that I have created Mathews Bush on Maungakaramea, a fictitious place much-loved by some of the characters in the book.
Pre-release readers say there is something in the book for everyone but especially the environmentalist and the mystery-thriller aficionado.
The book has a sequel in "Green Machinations" That book led a judge in the 23rd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards (2015) to say: "I hope this author will reach many readers with this work."
www.createspace.com/4153773
November 13, 2015
Writing Competition Results
I published two novels in 2014 and entered both in the 23rd Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards. The first was “Green Machinations”.
The United States judge described it as “an excellent story for those who are passionate about the future of our earth. This is a truly important entry for thoughtful people who care. I think the elements are charming.”
The judge further said: “I think this would be a useful novel for book clubs and classrooms, and for anyone interested in the environment – which should be everyone! Because this is such a vital topic, I hope this author will reach many readers with this work.”
The judge awarded my entry a 5 out of 5 (“outstanding”) in 5 judging categories and a 4 for cover design.
The second novel was “Hillsend”.
The judge said: “An enjoyable summer read full of romantic intrigue with interesting and intriguing characters the reader can root for. The book is really worth reading [and not to be judged by its cover]. Right away, I was drawn into the story. The characters and dialogue were realistic. Often I smiled at their banter. I kept turning pages, wanting to know what would happen. Overall ‘Hillsend’ is a great read!”
The entry scored the same as my other book. Very gratifying!
Now all I have to do is get discovered!
The United States judge described it as “an excellent story for those who are passionate about the future of our earth. This is a truly important entry for thoughtful people who care. I think the elements are charming.”
The judge further said: “I think this would be a useful novel for book clubs and classrooms, and for anyone interested in the environment – which should be everyone! Because this is such a vital topic, I hope this author will reach many readers with this work.”
The judge awarded my entry a 5 out of 5 (“outstanding”) in 5 judging categories and a 4 for cover design.
The second novel was “Hillsend”.
The judge said: “An enjoyable summer read full of romantic intrigue with interesting and intriguing characters the reader can root for. The book is really worth reading [and not to be judged by its cover]. Right away, I was drawn into the story. The characters and dialogue were realistic. Often I smiled at their banter. I kept turning pages, wanting to know what would happen. Overall ‘Hillsend’ is a great read!”
The entry scored the same as my other book. Very gratifying!
Now all I have to do is get discovered!
November 11, 2015
Christmas
I’m thinking about the life-seasons of Christmas now that the decorations are up in the stores.
It was part of the beauty of my childhood innocence that I was allowed to believe in Santa Claus when I was a youngster. For some kids, today, the trend is, I understand, to take away that opportunity.
At that stage of my life I didn’t bother about buying presents for others; I thought Santa provided for everyone.
I did, however, leave out an annual present for Santa on Christmas Eve – often a packet of hard jubes (my favourites) that I bought at the corner store with money my mother gave me for that purpose. I seldom had money in those days.
I didn’t know if Santa appreciated my gift or not, but it was always gone on Christmas Day.
My parents were a poor, single-income couple. My father was a carpenter, like Joseph, which, in our household, added an affinity with Jesus in the annual commemoration of His birth.
I didn’t get a lot of presents for Christmas, and never what was my once a year dearest wish of Santa, though that expectation was always modest. Santa, after all, had to share his bounty with the whole world. Whatever I got, I was delighted with.
I was of course shocked, in my pre-teens, when I finally accepted that Santa wasn’t real. I can’t remember who told me first or how long it took me to believe what I’d been told. It was, however, the beginning of the loss of my childhood innocence.
The next life-season of Christmas was becoming a parent myself and facing the challenge of helping “Santa” out in providing annual gifts to my children.
I used to enjoy the shopping in those days but never had much money for it. That was always a struggle; my wife and I did our best but, as our family grew, felt guilty about how little it was.
Yes, we did give credit to “Santa” for the gifts that magically appeared under the Christmas tree in our home – usually cut down each year from a bough of a Pinus radiata on wasteland. We couldn’t afford to buy a tree.
The next life-season of Christmas was having our seven children grow-up, marry, and have children of their own. I started to dread the financial demands of Christmas and usually came away from short shopping trips for gifts with nervous exhaustion.
Eventually, I gave up. It was all too much for me. I cut out presents for adults and, within my means, gave just cash to the many youngsters of our extended family.
For me, it ruined Christmas (as a time of joyful anticipation) that I’d lost the capacity to buy and give presents chosen for each individual.
Family love seems, to me, to be the best gift of all to share at Christmas but the commercial world tells you it isn’t enough. That’s a hard guilt to master.
It was part of the beauty of my childhood innocence that I was allowed to believe in Santa Claus when I was a youngster. For some kids, today, the trend is, I understand, to take away that opportunity.
At that stage of my life I didn’t bother about buying presents for others; I thought Santa provided for everyone.
I did, however, leave out an annual present for Santa on Christmas Eve – often a packet of hard jubes (my favourites) that I bought at the corner store with money my mother gave me for that purpose. I seldom had money in those days.
I didn’t know if Santa appreciated my gift or not, but it was always gone on Christmas Day.
My parents were a poor, single-income couple. My father was a carpenter, like Joseph, which, in our household, added an affinity with Jesus in the annual commemoration of His birth.
I didn’t get a lot of presents for Christmas, and never what was my once a year dearest wish of Santa, though that expectation was always modest. Santa, after all, had to share his bounty with the whole world. Whatever I got, I was delighted with.
I was of course shocked, in my pre-teens, when I finally accepted that Santa wasn’t real. I can’t remember who told me first or how long it took me to believe what I’d been told. It was, however, the beginning of the loss of my childhood innocence.
The next life-season of Christmas was becoming a parent myself and facing the challenge of helping “Santa” out in providing annual gifts to my children.
I used to enjoy the shopping in those days but never had much money for it. That was always a struggle; my wife and I did our best but, as our family grew, felt guilty about how little it was.
Yes, we did give credit to “Santa” for the gifts that magically appeared under the Christmas tree in our home – usually cut down each year from a bough of a Pinus radiata on wasteland. We couldn’t afford to buy a tree.
The next life-season of Christmas was having our seven children grow-up, marry, and have children of their own. I started to dread the financial demands of Christmas and usually came away from short shopping trips for gifts with nervous exhaustion.
Eventually, I gave up. It was all too much for me. I cut out presents for adults and, within my means, gave just cash to the many youngsters of our extended family.
For me, it ruined Christmas (as a time of joyful anticipation) that I’d lost the capacity to buy and give presents chosen for each individual.
Family love seems, to me, to be the best gift of all to share at Christmas but the commercial world tells you it isn’t enough. That’s a hard guilt to master.
October 31, 2015
Humanity
I found rare hope for the world recently when viewing TV news coverage of people on Lesbos recovering the bodies of drowned refugees who had tried to get into Europe. The humanity of those Greek people is laudable.
I fear for Europe, however, in trying to cope with its deluge of asylum seekers. The humanitarian demands could prove disastrous, with economic ramifications world-wide.
I fear for Europe, however, in trying to cope with its deluge of asylum seekers. The humanitarian demands could prove disastrous, with economic ramifications world-wide.
October 17, 2015
Love
Over a lifetime, exerpts from memorable writing tend to pop up again and again.
So it is, for me, with St Paul’s biblical words in I Cor 13:4-7. I came across them most recently in the “Our Lady of Hope Parish” newsletter on a recent Sunday.
In marriage, they were always aspirational for me and, 50 years, on they’ve gained an even deeper spiritual truth.
To paraphrase Paul, love is:
• always patient and kind
• never jealous
• not boastful or conceited
• never rude
• never seeks its own advantage
• not taking offence
• not storing up grievances
• always being ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes.
So beautiful.
So it is, for me, with St Paul’s biblical words in I Cor 13:4-7. I came across them most recently in the “Our Lady of Hope Parish” newsletter on a recent Sunday.
In marriage, they were always aspirational for me and, 50 years, on they’ve gained an even deeper spiritual truth.
To paraphrase Paul, love is:
• always patient and kind
• never jealous
• not boastful or conceited
• never rude
• never seeks its own advantage
• not taking offence
• not storing up grievances
• always being ready to make allowances, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes.
So beautiful.
October 12, 2015
Pipes
A Cautionary Tale About Water Supply
Like most Westeners I took my urban water supply for granted. Sure, the local authority responsible occasionally turned it off for a few hours to fix its pipes but that was only a minor inconvenience.
I lost my complacency about it recently when the local authority upgraded its water distribution system in a nearby street and totally cut off supply to my house by accident.
On hand, I had an emergency home supply of drinking/cooking water in 2 litre containers but imagine not being able to flush your toilet – probably the worst element of my little crisis. Over a 24 hour period, I had to carry buckets of water from the neighbour’s place.
Turns out, the local authority contractor thought my water supply came off a pipe in a different street.
The old land title shows that my property and the neighbour’s was once a single corner section. Now it’s two, with my neighbour on the corner. On the title diagram my house is shown on its existing site with a bridge over a little stream to a car garage on the other side. Now the stream is piped underground and my neighbour’s home is on the former car garage site.
The water supply pipe to my house came through the original section and no easement was put in place when the original parcel of land was subdivided.
So I’m stuck (temporarily I hope) with an above-ground hose running from my neighbour’s outside tap to my house to provide my water supply.
I’m trusting the local authority to remedy that situation soon but I’m still waiting to hear their plans for it.
Like most Westeners I took my urban water supply for granted. Sure, the local authority responsible occasionally turned it off for a few hours to fix its pipes but that was only a minor inconvenience.
I lost my complacency about it recently when the local authority upgraded its water distribution system in a nearby street and totally cut off supply to my house by accident.
On hand, I had an emergency home supply of drinking/cooking water in 2 litre containers but imagine not being able to flush your toilet – probably the worst element of my little crisis. Over a 24 hour period, I had to carry buckets of water from the neighbour’s place.
Turns out, the local authority contractor thought my water supply came off a pipe in a different street.
The old land title shows that my property and the neighbour’s was once a single corner section. Now it’s two, with my neighbour on the corner. On the title diagram my house is shown on its existing site with a bridge over a little stream to a car garage on the other side. Now the stream is piped underground and my neighbour’s home is on the former car garage site.
The water supply pipe to my house came through the original section and no easement was put in place when the original parcel of land was subdivided.
So I’m stuck (temporarily I hope) with an above-ground hose running from my neighbour’s outside tap to my house to provide my water supply.
I’m trusting the local authority to remedy that situation soon but I’m still waiting to hear their plans for it.
October 4, 2015
Do We Care?
I haven’t gone in search of numerous cases to prove my point but will rely on your own knowledge and experience and one case I’ll mention. It was reported in New Zealand (The Dominion Post, September 29, 2015).
A rest home resident died after being given four times the recommended dose of drugs for ten days and an incorrect drug.
When the woman became unresponsive the error was picked up but she was not taken to the emergency department of a hospital until her family later arranged it. “There was also evidence that the rest home had altered her records”, presumably as a cover up for its mistakes. The 77-year-old woman had dementia.
The Health and Disability Commissioner, on investigation, “recommended that the rest home apologise to the family”.
I find myself wondering why a charge of manslaughter wasn’t brought.
Is it just another example of antipathy towards the elderly and infirm?
Walk through a shopping mall with a walking stick these days and you’ll quickly find that most other people don’t go out of their way to make it easy for you.
I believe the elderly are increasingly being treated as a burden and that euthanasia is progressively being seen as a solution. It is a clear display of economic stress and individual selfishness.
A rest home resident died after being given four times the recommended dose of drugs for ten days and an incorrect drug.
When the woman became unresponsive the error was picked up but she was not taken to the emergency department of a hospital until her family later arranged it. “There was also evidence that the rest home had altered her records”, presumably as a cover up for its mistakes. The 77-year-old woman had dementia.
The Health and Disability Commissioner, on investigation, “recommended that the rest home apologise to the family”.
I find myself wondering why a charge of manslaughter wasn’t brought.
Is it just another example of antipathy towards the elderly and infirm?
Walk through a shopping mall with a walking stick these days and you’ll quickly find that most other people don’t go out of their way to make it easy for you.
I believe the elderly are increasingly being treated as a burden and that euthanasia is progressively being seen as a solution. It is a clear display of economic stress and individual selfishness.
September 26, 2015
How much sacrifice for parenthood
The Internet must be full of information about parenting but I never had a reason before to search the subject online. My days of parenting young children were all but over before I connected to the Internet for the first time.
When I made a Yahoo search for this blog post I never expected to find 2640 results on just the topic of “parenting spirituality”. I expected none.
My interest in the topic came about from reading a column by Father Ron Rolheiser entitled “A spirituality of parenting” in the “NZ Catholic”: Sep.20-Oct.3, 2015.
Rolheiser paraphrases theologian, Dr Wendy Wright: “...very few experiences, perhaps none, are as naturally geared to break the casings of our inerent selfishness as is the experience of child-raising”.
He also quotes Wright: “Families survive only if [repeated forgiveness] is happening. A parent is meant to be the compassion of God, the father and mother of the prodigal son and bitter brother who embraces the child not because the child is worthy, but inspite of all the unworthiness.
“...each [child, she says] has a very unique personality that you must adapt your love towards ... [and] learn to love in a new way...”
I’ve included the quotes because they are both inspiring (for those parenting) and rewarding (for those who have parented).
My wife and I were born at the tail end of the Silent Generation and our early years were immediately after World War II. We didn’t grow up with expectations of plenty or with any sense of the world owing us anything we didn’t work hard for.
I guess that made it easier for us to allow our “dreams and agenda [to] be forever altered” by having children.
I suspect it’s been a lot harder for parents of later generations to wear what Rolheiser describes as “the conscriptive martyr’s belt” of parenthood.
When I made a Yahoo search for this blog post I never expected to find 2640 results on just the topic of “parenting spirituality”. I expected none.
My interest in the topic came about from reading a column by Father Ron Rolheiser entitled “A spirituality of parenting” in the “NZ Catholic”: Sep.20-Oct.3, 2015.
Rolheiser paraphrases theologian, Dr Wendy Wright: “...very few experiences, perhaps none, are as naturally geared to break the casings of our inerent selfishness as is the experience of child-raising”.
He also quotes Wright: “Families survive only if [repeated forgiveness] is happening. A parent is meant to be the compassion of God, the father and mother of the prodigal son and bitter brother who embraces the child not because the child is worthy, but inspite of all the unworthiness.
“...each [child, she says] has a very unique personality that you must adapt your love towards ... [and] learn to love in a new way...”
I’ve included the quotes because they are both inspiring (for those parenting) and rewarding (for those who have parented).
My wife and I were born at the tail end of the Silent Generation and our early years were immediately after World War II. We didn’t grow up with expectations of plenty or with any sense of the world owing us anything we didn’t work hard for.
I guess that made it easier for us to allow our “dreams and agenda [to] be forever altered” by having children.
I suspect it’s been a lot harder for parents of later generations to wear what Rolheiser describes as “the conscriptive martyr’s belt” of parenthood.
September 12, 2015
Europe Crisis: Refugees & Migrants
In my latest (yet to be published) novel “Losers & Winners” an American and his sailboat crew come across a refugee/migrant vessel broken down in the Ionian Sea. He regards the exodous from North Africa as “a European problem” and none of his concern. He thinks the best solution is for the military to turn refugees/migrants back to where they came from.
A rather simplistic solution but not a humanitarian one.
You can’t ethically ignore the plight of people fleeing persecution – especially when atrocities are being committed against them by their fellow men. You can also not ethically avoid empathy for economic refugees when wealth is so unequally distributed around the world and between rich and poor in their own countries.
Germany and Western Europe might seem a haven to refugees now but the reality might turn out to be grim and not like their dreams. The population shift might soon reach, or have already over-reached, levels that are culturally and econonmically sustainable.
The solution of religious tolerance, peace and development in North Africa is seemingly unobtainable since mankind appears unwilling to accept any cure for war and sectarian hatred. The dilemma is, as always, that dealing with the symptoms is not a cure.
Which just leaves us prayer.
A rather simplistic solution but not a humanitarian one.
You can’t ethically ignore the plight of people fleeing persecution – especially when atrocities are being committed against them by their fellow men. You can also not ethically avoid empathy for economic refugees when wealth is so unequally distributed around the world and between rich and poor in their own countries.
Germany and Western Europe might seem a haven to refugees now but the reality might turn out to be grim and not like their dreams. The population shift might soon reach, or have already over-reached, levels that are culturally and econonmically sustainable.
The solution of religious tolerance, peace and development in North Africa is seemingly unobtainable since mankind appears unwilling to accept any cure for war and sectarian hatred. The dilemma is, as always, that dealing with the symptoms is not a cure.
Which just leaves us prayer.
September 11, 2015
Censorship
As a writer I want to be liberal about censorship, as a Christian I want to keep a moral compass, and as a parent I want to protect children.
I therefore have to reconcile sets of competing standards and can do so only by taking a balanced point of view.
First and foremost, I think young children should be protected from written or spoken or visual works that portray an amoral view. Children shouldn’t be inveigled into believing that perversion and lawbreaking are normal and every day.
I don’t disagree with the editorial in The Dominion Post (September 9, 2015) which claims that “enforced ignorance [of sex, drug-taking and swearing] is in fact harmful for young people making important life decisions” but I wholly support R14, R16 and R18 censorship so that young people’s knowledge is commensurate with the decisions that they are mature enough to make.
If children are making ill-equipped adult decisions at 14 (about sex & drugs) then it’s a lack of censorship, and a failure of society, that is to blame, as I see it.
In a letter to the editor of The Dominion Post (same edition) Allan Kirk opposes banning a controversial book for young people (“Into the River” by Ted Dawe) on the grounds that “most children ... get free access to the internet and as much sex and violence as they like”.
The fact they can, is a breakdown of legitimate censorship (and a let-down by our society); a failure, in fact, to protect our kids and let them have the childhood they are entitled to.
I therefore have to reconcile sets of competing standards and can do so only by taking a balanced point of view.
First and foremost, I think young children should be protected from written or spoken or visual works that portray an amoral view. Children shouldn’t be inveigled into believing that perversion and lawbreaking are normal and every day.
I don’t disagree with the editorial in The Dominion Post (September 9, 2015) which claims that “enforced ignorance [of sex, drug-taking and swearing] is in fact harmful for young people making important life decisions” but I wholly support R14, R16 and R18 censorship so that young people’s knowledge is commensurate with the decisions that they are mature enough to make.
If children are making ill-equipped adult decisions at 14 (about sex & drugs) then it’s a lack of censorship, and a failure of society, that is to blame, as I see it.
In a letter to the editor of The Dominion Post (same edition) Allan Kirk opposes banning a controversial book for young people (“Into the River” by Ted Dawe) on the grounds that “most children ... get free access to the internet and as much sex and violence as they like”.
The fact they can, is a breakdown of legitimate censorship (and a let-down by our society); a failure, in fact, to protect our kids and let them have the childhood they are entitled to.
