Alex Laybourne's Blog, page 81
June 26, 2012
5 Ways to Meet a Deadline
Reblogged from Writing Is Hard Work:
As an independent author, I set my own deadlines for rough drafts and the final draft publishing date. However, just because I do this myself doesn’t mean I don’t hold myself to the standard of finishing on time. You might say: “You’re not like a real novelist who has a deadline from a publisher set in stone. You can change your deadline at will and still be ok with it.” The answer to that is definitely “no.” I take pride in being able to meet a deadline.
The Final Battle
VS 
THE MACHINES WILL NEVER WIN
The Fickle Factor
Well, the dream of European (Footballing) glory is once again over for the England national team. However, as has been suggested, they can hold their heads high and return home proud. The accomplished what was expected of them, and all of that with a squad ravaged by injury and when looked at from an attacking perspective a relatively young squad.
The same cannot be said however for the Netherlands. My second nation as they are, played possibly the worst football I have ever seen, and would quite possibly have failed to win a Sunday Pub League let along the European crown.
The Dutch team returned home and were actually booed by fans. People traveled to the airport just to boo the players when they came off the plane. Also, as any football fan would expect, there have been calls to have the manager fired.
I totally disagree with this, I mean, the coach can only do so much. If the players, all of whom are quality players at club (and normally at international level) do not put any effort into their game, then his hands are tied. Also, he led them through a World Cup qualification group, and to the World Cup Final 2 years ago, and through another qualification group for this European Championships. A campaign where they were top scorers by quite some way. To then lose his job for three bad games seems more than unfair.
Alas, that is how fickle football seems to have become…
Outside of the sporting world, this just isn’t done, and it is one of the main failings that are slowly driving me away from watching and enjoying sports.
Sure there are disappointments out there, in every walk of life there are things that are good, bad and in-between. There are things that we like but other love and vice-versa. It still doesn’t mean that we can hold any form of sway over someones livelihood.
How is it that sports fans seem to hold such a great power over people. Also, why is it only the manager. If a player has a terrible season, a striker who doesn’t score goals, or a keeper that can’t save a shot to save his life. There are never calls from the fans to sell him. At least not beyond the chants in the stand. There are never protests and calls of the players to be fired. Yet ultimately, the players are the ones to blame. The manager takes it on the chin, he is the captain of the ship, but who are we to lay the blame squarely at his feet. Maybe if the fans showed a bit more positive passion, then the atmosphere will increase and the players may just pick up on that and be buoyed by it, rather than brought down by all the hatred.
This got me thinking about life in general, outside of a game.
What would happen if real life were so fickle. Would you turn on your favorite author is he wrote one bad book.
Would you demand that their publishing house terminate their contract and discontinue all of their books, eradicate that author out of the pages of history, all for the sake of a book that you didn’t enjoy?
Doubtlessly, the writer themselves would have put their blood sweat and tears into writing it, they gave it their all to that particular tale. Who are we to pressurize people to make such damaging decisions?
Why stop with the writer, would we, as readers, who pay as much for books and some sports clubs charge for admittance to a game, be within our rights to demand the writer’s agent be fired for having him on the books. What about the publisher. They chose the book, overlooked others because of it.
It just isn’t done, it is not part of culture, and rightfully so. So why does it keep happening in sports. Writers are judged on performance just as much as football (soccer) players, in our jobs we are often evaluated based on performance. If we do not do well, we may lose our job or certain be disciplined for it, a writer may lose a contract or an agent for repeatedly poor presentations, but it won’t be as a result of readers or colleagues campaigning against them.
It is high time that football fans, and quite possible sports fans in general stop being so fickle and turn the attention towards helping and encouraging the teams they apparently support!
June 25, 2012
The (Cat’s) Eyes Have It
Today I noticed a funny thing. While I am not the best blogger around, I like to think that I put together well-rounded posts. Sometimes I sit on the fence of things, or rather, I present both sides of an argument without actually making a specific decision myself, but often I will speak my mind and give my thoughts on issues. I am happy with how things are going, and love writing each and every post.
Yet, this morning, after a very short night of sleep, I randomly threw 4 cat pictures together and made a Monday joke, and my blog has seen the second busiest day in its history and the busiest day in months.
I am not sure if this is a comment on my incredible sense of humor, or rather a kick in the teeth (and various other body parts) with regards my more serious posts.
I mean sure, I have my ‘regulars’ but is my blog destined to be the online Cheers bar? I sure hope not. I have plans… big plans….um… I mean.
What are you trying to say?
I want to take over the World… I mean, I want to build a popular blog.
I am not afraid of hard work, and I am more than happy to log countless hours of blogs, and write as many posts as is necessary to produce just one publishable piece. I just need to find the key, the secret that means I can rely on my own words and not have to post cutesy pictures of cats and kittens.
It just doesn’t really fit with my genre of choice… unless…
What, you don’t think I’m cute?
June 24, 2012
Monday… It’s here!!
Hey, Wake up…. wake up, it’s Monday Dude!!
What!!!!!!!
I’m Sorry, see you Tuesday
That´s right. You better run!
June 23, 2012
Judgement Day: Rise of the Machines
Is it possible that the Rise of the Machines has already started? Perhaps their war is being waged on a slightly more secretive front. Taking down random individuals, instilling an overall feeling of discontent. Maybe we are now in Phase One of the grand Judgment Day master plan.
After all, if Skynet really was that good, and could end the Machines back in time, maybe one of them was a projector, it saw the movies and thus changed their entire strategy.
It may sound far fetched, but, after today, it is the only logical explanation that I can come up with.
I moved to Holland 5 years ago, and in that time I have had 4 cars, 2 laptops, 3 desktops, 2 fryers, 4 vacuum cleaners, 3 DVD players, 3 digital camera’s about 5 mobile phones, not including 2 mobiles from my work, 1 laptop that was brand new 4 months ago and has broken three times already.
All of these items of electrical equipment (apart from the cars) were brand new when purchased and on average survived less than a year.
I know, I should have gone back with the warranty, but I am in a financial position whereby I cannot afford the additional cover that would have been needed.
Besides, when you are fighting a war with futuristic machines I don’t think a warranty would cause much trouble.
What do you mean the warranty expired yesterday?
Is it possible that certain people have an effect on machines? I mean even when I was younger, when I went on Holiday to Canada – a yearly occurrence for 6 years during my teens – every time I tried to buy something, the register broke. Only me, if my Grandparents paid, nothing. The same with my current PC, my wife can use it all day, no problems. I turn it on, open Hotmail and it crashes.
Even my computer at work seems to have a problem with me. Every Monday, when I have to turn on my machine, I have to restart it three times at a minimum before my Outlook will open. Nobody else has it, and I even had the IT team… yes, the whole team, check it out, and they cannot find anything that explains it.
Damn you Machines!!!!
Yes you… DAMN YOU ALL!!!!!
June 22, 2012
June 21, 2012
Musings of a Hideous Mind – A Short Story Collection
This is only the first concept, but I have been playing about with an idea for a new book cover. I am getting close to being able to re-launch my short story collection. I am in the process of re-editing it, and adding a few extra stories.
Your opinions mean a lot to me, so tell me, what do you think about the cover image? Could it work?
June 20, 2012
Coming Soon to a Theater Near You!!
FROM THE MINDS THAT BROUGHT YOUR BATTLESHIP,
This summer, prepare for the ultimate fight for survival.
