David L. Atkinson's Blog, page 105

Writing - Seven Lucky Gods

I don't know about you but when at school some of the most interesting mental excursions were into the realms of myths and legends.[image error]
I think it was partly because of the mystical creatures with magical powers which encouraged the imagination stretch a little further. The artwork that came from such stories was weird and wonderful.The story below is from the east - enjoy.
The Seven Lucky Gods and Their Role in Japanese Folklore
If you have ever been to Japan, you might have come across statues of the Seven Lucky Gods in a Shinto or Buddhist shrine. You may also have seen portrayals of them in woodblock prints or noticed them being sold to tourists as figurines, dolls and charms. The Seven Lucky Gods are derived from a range of different cultural influences and their symbolic representations vary, leaving many visitors to Japan scratching their heads and wondering: who are the seven lucky gods , and what is the symbolic significance of these curious figures?


The Seven Lucky Gods are known in Japan as Shichi Fukujin, the ‘Seven Gods of Good Fortune’. Adapted from various Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist and Shinto gods and saints, they are thought to have been grouped together in Japanese folklore around the 17th Century.
According to tradition, the Seven Lucky Gods arrive aboard a treasure-laden ship (Takarabune) on New Year’s Day and distribute gifts of wealth and prosperity to worthy people. The Takarabune is often pictured on pochibukuro, the red envelopes used to give money to children at New Year. It is said that those who leave a picture of the Seven Lucky Gods under their pillows on New Year’s Eve will enjoy a whole year of good luck.

God Bless

Poetry Thursday 129 - The Dustbin Men

I had to smile yesterday at the news item regarding bin collecting. 

Back in the fifties and sixties the men had to carry metal bins laden with all types of rubbish including ash from fires, and they did so as the man in the picture shows.

Yesterday a local authority area, Craven in Yorkshire, were telling customers that they were going to have to bring their bins to the kerbside or central collecting points. Health and safety considerations around repetitive strain injuries being the reason.What is the world coming to?
So a sonnet.
The Dustbin Men of Craven
You selected the job so why complainwhen finding the physical side so hard?Hauling others' rubbish may cause some pain.Health and safety officers on their guard.
In history’s eye much doughtier menbent their backs beneath weightier baggage.No wheels or lightweight receptacles thenbut muscle tearing, distance toting ullage.
So stop your whingeing refuse collectorsman up and earn your simple retainer.The work is hard and no job for balkers,collect the mobile, half-filled container.
Authorities need to try and be realwith customers, making a fairer deal.
© David L Atkinson September 2014
God Bless

Writing - Establishment manipulations are not new

The conspiracy theorists, I consider myself as such but in a minor way, continually find evidence of manipulation and this has been going on since the time of Adam. It is almost human nature because those with power never willingly give it up and will adopt measures to maintain their position. If you don't believe me just listen to the arguments and promises that we will be assaulted with leading up to the forthcoming general election. One example is the case of actor Ricky Tomlinson who was jailed in the 1970s over strike action he took.
[image error]Ricky Tomlinson
In 1972 during a national builders strike Tomlinson and two others were accused of conspiracy to intimidate, unlawful assembly and affray. Tomlinson received a 2 year jail sentence. Forty years on Ricky still protests his innocence and insists that they were set up by the political establishment and now a play United We Stand tells the story on stage. It opens at the Lantern Theatre Liverpool before going on tour.One simple fact that seems to point to the veracity of Tomlinson's claims was the presence of 80 policemen who travelled with the offending group and yet no arrests were made on the day. If you consider the crime of intimidation it is an immediate threatening situation that if you were a victim and police were present you'd hope they would step in immediately to protect you. On top of that intimidation attracted a maximum jail term of 3 months whereas conspiracy to intimidate had no jail term limit at that time.
It turns out that the police Special Branch had a file on Ricky labelling him as a thug with violent tendencies and when in prison there was another occurrence. His cottage in Wales was burgled but no windows were broken, the thieves entered via the door and took only papers and photographs.
I hope the play goes well and helps 75 year old Ricky achieve his aim of having his name cleared.
God Bless

Tuesday Recipe - Chicken Teriyaki with various accompaniments

I decided to eat in the Japanese style this weekend and what a simply delicious experience it was. The food was quite easy to prepare once you have obtained the ingredients which was tricky and substitutes were occasionally needed.
Chicken Teriyaki with pepper and leek stir fry
Cooking meat in the Teriyaki style means creating a marinade and soaking the meat, in this case chicken, then grilling or frying before accompanying with vegetables. For the first dish I created stir fry pepper and leeks which is as simple as it sounds. The vegetables were cut into thin strips and fried in a hot pan or wok in olive oil then the remainder of the marinade poured over to finish off the meal.The marinade for this one was simply sesame seed oil, honey and soy sauce. The full recipe is on the appropriate TAB at the top of the page.

Chicken Teriyaki with Udon Noodles
The second version of the chicken was accompanied with Udon Noodles.There are many stories explaining the origin of udon.One story says that in AD.1241, Enni, a Rinzai monk, introduced flour milling technology to Japan. Floured crops were then made into noodles such as udon, soba, and pancakes which were eaten by locals. Milling techniques were spread around the country. In the Edo period, the thicker wheat noodle was generally called udon
In short udon noodles are a thicker type and in this case cooked in the wok in a few short minutes. The marinade I was going to use was to be made from honey, soy sauce, mirin and sake but in the absence of the final two ingredients I used a prepared teriyaki marinade.
God Bless

Writing - A Freudian slip

It's 75 years since Sigmund Freud died and yet he has become a part of the English Language.
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There's the Freud in textbooks. The bearded Viennese polymath who pioneered psychoanalysis. The Freud that academics never tire of arguing about.
Then there's the other Freud. The pub Freud. The one you might allude to when you mention dreams, or verbal slips, or someone fancying their mum. His relationship to the first Freud is tangential at best.
Eavesdrop on a conversation and it's likely that, sooner or later, a concept invented or popularised by the founding father of free association will pop up.
Oedipus complex. Denial. Id, ego and super-ego. Libido. Death wishes. Anal retentiveness. Defence mechanisms. Displacement. Phallic symbols. Projection. Transference. And, of course, Freudian slips.


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It's not just Freud's terminology that is all over the popular lexicon. He's an adjective in his own right. 
Other 20th Century intellectuals can't compete. Not Sartre or Chomsky or Einstein. Film reviews in red-top tabloids rarely name-drop Foucault or de Beauvoir.
But everyone knows what you're on about when you mention Freud. Or at least they think they do. The unconscious. Sexual repression. Dreams. Mummy and daddy issues.

Freud had the advantage of being an extremely good writer, who would illustrate psychoanalysis with reference to the work of great artists such as Shakespeare, Dostoevsky and Leonardo da Vinci.

There is a theory that he became uppermost in the public consciousness because of writers and film makers. Virginia Woolf's  stream-of-consciousness books and Alfred Hitchcock's works such as Spellbound are about his work. If you add the works of Salvadore Dali, James Joyce and Woody Allen then Freud's influence is global and all pervasive. 

Keep writing, thinking and expressing your opinions because, as with Freud, not everyone will agree with what you write but if you don't write how can people come to those decisions? Of course you may not produce a new mind blowing theory or write bucket loads of memorable work but you never will unless you keep writing.

God Bless

Writing - 10 things we didn't know last week

This week we have whales, genes and Balls for your edification![image error]
1. The most effective office regime is to work for 52 consecutive minutes and then have a 17-minute break.
We used to get 1 15 minute, 1 10 minute and 1 30 minute break in 8 hours!!--------------------------------

2. The modern European gene pool was formed when blue-eyed, swarthy hunters mingled with brown-eyed, pale-skinned farmers and a mysterious population with Siberian affinities.

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3. A rapid human can outrun London Underground's Circle Line between Mansion House and Cannon Street.

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4. A whale calf's clicks can paralyse a human hand for several hours.

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5. Mis-readings of the autocue result in fines for Chinese newsreaders if the mistakes build up over a three-month period.

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6. Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper took their family on a Sound of Music tour in Salzberg.

The hills may be alive but their policies aren't!
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7. Fifty years ago, "to host" was considered ugly journalese but it is actually a centuries-old verb.

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8. Lithuania has a big problem with potholes.

I thought ours were bad!
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9. When Richard III was killed he suffered at least 11 injuries, although some of them might have been inflicted after death.


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10. Deer mothers respond to human baby cries.


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God Bless

Writing - The UK continues and access to Steele

The referendum to decide if Scotland should become an independent country has taken place and the people have decided NO. The turn out was massive - around 86% - and 55% decided NO.Spare a thought for the 1.5 million who voted YES!

The UK government have made a variety of promises for devolved power throughout the four nations. Watch this space!

Portfolio



Steele   My hero was created post recession and so has no concept of how 'good' things were pre-2008. In 'I Have To Get It Right' when he began to flex his muscles he was working in an accountant's office. Then after the Gurentai took him under their wing and removed all of his financial worries, it was justice that was his major concern. He did become involved in international relations in 'The 51st State' but it was for the maintenance of a respectful distance between countries, rather than economic reasons. His trips into the USA had repercussions which can be read about in 'The Biter Bit' but then by the time things began to change in 2011 and the recession was really biting, Steele was trying to make sense of the state of the nation in 'A Changed Reality' and coming up against some really nasty people taking advantage of the shortage of money. By the time the USA are out of their recession Steele's steps are still being dogged by an unknown enemy from the same country. In 'Inceptus' we also find out more about what makes the man tick. The most recent Steele book 'Castled' Steele is once again at risk from unseen enemies. It would seem that he has become quite recession proof!
All books are available in paperback or ebook through Amazon, Smashwords and all good book shop websites.


Cessation This is a dystopian story that hinges directly on the state of the nation as a result of fiscal mismanagement. Having said that it is more a story of human relations, privations, love and loss.

God Bless

Writing - Handling feelings and reactions

All types of stimuli generate inspiration and this morning it was the simple question 'Are you ok?'
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When we write there is the inevitable sensitivity in human interactions. Whether it be the tough love type such as the relationship between Denozo and Gibbs in NCIS or the more sloppy kind as between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in 'You've got mail' - it exists. In fact it more than exists it actually pervades everything we do and all walks of life and in many forms. So writing stories involves handling emotions.
The question above is so simple and yet can be laced with meaning leading to a myriad of reactions. How many times have people asked you that simple question and you've responded with something like 'I'm fine thanks' when in fact you are from being okay. Patrick A Steele is no different. When I have him interact with colleagues or adversaries it is in the knowledge of the history that has been built up for the man. He is my central character and he isn't perfect. 
Clint Eastwood
Steele is not the anti-hero - scruffy, unpleasant someone you love to hate - I wanted him to be different. Let's face it if you came across someone who was trying to be a hero but came across as a toad you'd walk away. 

Steele is not squeaky clean - too perfect sucks almost as much as the opposite - he has been a bad boy on one level but the outcome is a drive that pushes the man to clean up some of the world's messes. When I'm writing I consider Steele's background in how he reacts in a variety of situations and, on occasion, reflect back to his history to explain his actions.
So when you create your character consider the options you have with their attendant outcomes - there is a gold mine of opportunities waiting to be unearthed. 
God Bless

Poetry Thursday 128 - New Auld Lang Syne

As the referendum vote is Thursday I had to attempt a version of one of Scotland's many legacies.
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Fit the chorus where you will.
Auld Lang Syne
Chorus: For times gone by my dearFor times gone byWe’ll take a dram of whisky yetFor times gone by.
Should old alliances be forgottenand never brought to mind.Should old alliances be forgottenand a welcome to new divide!
The politicians have roamed the hillsidesand canvassed voters fine.But we have worked many a weary yearfor times gone by.
We Scots have waded streams and seasfrom dawn to dinner time.But chasms between us have roaredsince times gone by.
And there is a hand my trusted friendto say a fond goodbyeWe’ll charge you for another dramfor times gone by.
And surely you’ll pay for a pintand also pay for mine.We’ll take any cup that we can getFor times gone by.© David L Atkinson September 2014

Then I felt that this significant day couldn't be allowed to pass without some very appropriate verse from Robert Burns


Scots Wha Hae, or, Robert Bruce’s Address to His Troops at Bannockburn
Scots, wha hae wi’ Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led,
Welcome to your gory bed,—
Or to victorie.—

Now ’s the day, and now’s the hour;
See the front o’ battle lour;
See approach proud Edward’s power,
Chains and Slaverie.—

Wha will be a traitor-knave?
Wha can fill a cowards’ grave?
Wha sae base as be a Slave?
—Let him turn and flie.—

Wha for Scotland’s king and law,
Freedom’s sword will strongly draw,
Free-Man stand, or Free-Man fa’,
Let him follow me.—

By Oppression’s woes and pains!
By your Sons in servile chains!
We will drain our dearest veins,
But they shall be free!

Lay the proud Usurpers low!
Tyrants fall in every foe!
Liberty ’s in every blow!
Let us Do—or Die!!!

Robert BurnsGod Bless

Writing - Vive la Revolution!

As writers we have a duty to say things about what's happening in the world as we see it. This has always been the case going back thousands of years. More recently the likes of George Orwell have commented on social issues and more. We seem to have reached a number of discussion points in the world but specially this week the possible break up of the UK as a result of the referendum in Scotland this Thursday.

[image error]George Orwell
It is no coincidence that I reproduce the pyramid below as it comes as the result of a comment from a man working as a welder in an engineering works on the River Clyde. He said during an interview that he wanted to be ruled by Scottish people not by those from London. Trust me mate the folk in Yorkshire may be closer to London, geographically, but we don't like their rule either!


Of course it all goes back to Robert the Bruce and Mel Gibson! 'Braveheart'!!!
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The film, which I enjoyed irrespective of the American/Scottish accent from Mr. Gibson, depicts the same sort of argument that is going on currently. The ordinary people want to be independent of the proxy rule they have now. The rich and well-healed in England and Scotland want a 'No' vote to maintain their status quo and to hell with the wishes of us serfs and peasants. In the movie Gibson is betrayed by the Scottish nobles for land and riches. Has anything changed in 400 years?
Looking at the feudal pyramid above the most relevant point is the 'You are here' right at the base.
Of course if you are a member of the landed gentry reading this I don't need to apologise because you don't care what I think anyway. Just go and see to the ducks on your lake, or carry on supervising the cleaning out of the moat but try and remember that the rest of us are people.
God Bless