David L. Atkinson's Blog, page 58
January 16, 2016
Writing - 10 things we didn't know last week
How to cut a pizza with mathematical accuracy and luxurious samosas.
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1. Tinder users are given a secret rating that only Tinder can see.
Inflammatory!
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2. A kangaroo can appear as though it's mourning for its dead mate when in fact it's trying to have sex with it.
The guy above looks like he needs a cigarette
--------------------------------------
[image error]
3. Samosas are officially considered a luxury in the Indian state of Bihar.
And a delightful luxury they are too.
--------------------------------------
[image error]
4. There's a mathematical formula for slicing pizza equally if some people eating it don't like the toppings in the middle.
I prefer tear and share.
--------------------------------------
[image error]
5. A crocodile the size of a bus used to live in what is now the Sahara desert.
Obviously caught the bus and left.
--------------------------------------
[image error]
6. The Ku Klux Klan didn't always wear hoods.
Neither strait jackets but it would have been an idea.
--------------------------------------
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7. The older a person gets, the less likely they are to understand sarcasm.
The lowest form of wit but the highest form of intelligence.
--------------------------------------
8. Dogs can recognise human emotions.
Scary!
--------------------------------------
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9. Major Tom from David Bowie's Space Oddity (and Ashes To Ashes) may have been named after Tom Major, the father of prime minister John Major.
Do you hear me Major Tom?
--------------------------------------
[image error]
10. You get free anti-slip shoe covers if you are over 70 and live in the Finnish town of Ypaja.
A nice touch.
--------------------------------------
God Bless
[image error]
1. Tinder users are given a secret rating that only Tinder can see.
Inflammatory!
--------------------------------------
[image error]
2. A kangaroo can appear as though it's mourning for its dead mate when in fact it's trying to have sex with it.
The guy above looks like he needs a cigarette
--------------------------------------
[image error]
3. Samosas are officially considered a luxury in the Indian state of Bihar.
And a delightful luxury they are too.
--------------------------------------
[image error]
4. There's a mathematical formula for slicing pizza equally if some people eating it don't like the toppings in the middle.
I prefer tear and share.
--------------------------------------
[image error]
5. A crocodile the size of a bus used to live in what is now the Sahara desert.
Obviously caught the bus and left.
--------------------------------------
[image error]
6. The Ku Klux Klan didn't always wear hoods.
Neither strait jackets but it would have been an idea.
--------------------------------------
[image error]
7. The older a person gets, the less likely they are to understand sarcasm.
The lowest form of wit but the highest form of intelligence.
--------------------------------------
8. Dogs can recognise human emotions.
Scary!
--------------------------------------
[image error]
9. Major Tom from David Bowie's Space Oddity (and Ashes To Ashes) may have been named after Tom Major, the father of prime minister John Major.
Do you hear me Major Tom?
--------------------------------------
[image error]
10. You get free anti-slip shoe covers if you are over 70 and live in the Finnish town of Ypaja.
A nice touch.
--------------------------------------
God Bless
January 15, 2016
Writing - Talent is an accident of genes - and a responsibility
It would be remiss of me in my mind to allow the passing of Alan Rickman to go unmentioned. He was one of those actors who, from my point of view, I liked in everything I saw him in but could never remember his name. I just knew that he was excellent.
Alan Rickman as Sheriff of Nottingham
One of my favourite films, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, had him as the Sheriff of Nottingham which showcased his skills as a comic actor. He delivered lines such as,
'no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas'
with perfect timing and sensitivity. Brilliant film!But he was probably better known to the younger generation for his role as Severus Snape.
Severus Snape
In many ways the role over seven or eight films demonstrated all of his considerable skills. His masterly use of silences is quite chilling for a children's film.
As a person Alan Rickman seems to have been popular with everyone. He was self-effacing, supportive and intelligent with everyone. No prima donna.
The title of the blog is taken from one of Alan Rickman's quotes and there are more.
All I want to see from an actor is the intensity and accuracy of their
listening.I do take my work seriously and the way to do that is not to take
yourself too seriously.
Rest in Peace.
Of course the title of the blog could equally apply to writing.
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Can you identify a writing gene?
I was asked the question last weekend - why did you start writing? It is always difficult to answer and that could be down to genetics. The answer is - because I needed to - that fact transcends assumptions of skill and ability. But what I was saying is true. The act of writing is what satisfies my need. When I began it was with a greater degree of trepidation than it is now. I was concerned about my standard of written English in particular. Then of course was added fact that publishers prefer American English. One of the solutions was to have a couple of friends check my work and as one of them said after my 9th book - he's learning! Since I have given up bothering with agents and publishers there has been a greater freedom to my writing. In all honesty I don't want someone telling me how quickly I need to produce my work, or having any other influence over content.
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With regard to it being a responsibility, I believe that people who write have a duty to communicate things to others, hence this blog. When I write everyday what I am doing is passing on information on not just writing but also news items that the media seem to conveniently omit from their bulletins. I also express opinion and experiences from which an informed populace may benefit.
So please keep reading, its not all about me!
God Bless
January 14, 2016
Writing - Amateur or Professional
I have always been the anally retentive sort of person who if he begins to read a book has to finish it. So many wasted hours! Well I've matured in that respect.
As I have only been writing six or seven years I am in a similar place with pieces that I begin. However, I am not the only one that has had to consider how they feel about what they are writing.
Since the beginning of December I have been trying to write a story based upon a disaster that occurred in Sunderland in 1883 that resulted in the deaths of 183 children. It has been slow work, research heavy and I haven't been 100% sure that I had the correct tone and pace. I've written 10 000 words but last weekend began to realise that the subject probably didn't give me the stimulation to produce a full length novel.
Yesterday I shelved The Magic Show!
Then I saw the above quote reportedly from Agatha Christie and began to consider my position as a writer. In some ways the answer is very simple and screams AMATEUR from a number of points of view.
I haven't had professional training.
I don't have a conventional publisher.
I am not making money out of the exercise.
I don't have perfect grammar.
If I don't want to write about a subject I don't have to.
The above, on the surface of it, would suggest that I perhaps shouldn't bother but for me that is the nature of the art. So why go on?
I've had some basic grammatical training and as you write, skills develop.
I have self-published all of my work but some conventionally published authors are joining this method of producing their books.
I do make small amounts of money and have a body of readers who have been quite loyal.
With regards to subject choice - in my opinion, this is what helps to generate writer's block. If you are being pushed to produce a book in a given time or of a particular type, I can't think of anything more de-motivating.
So I've shelved one book and gone back to Steele. In fact since completing and publishing Flight into Secrecy I always have had two ideas in my mind. One was the Magic Show but the second, which is of a similar type to the last Steele novel, is based upon the side issues that go unanswered on the terrorist attack in the USA on 9/11. The provisional title is Building 7.
This story will have similarities to Flight in that it is based on real incidents and also there seems to be a reality gap between the official information and the reality of what occurred. In writing this type of story I am attempting to bring some colour while exploring the facts of the case.
In a sense it is a part of my make-up to cast doubt on official pronouncements and that is based upon watching and reading news from a variety of sources and identifying factual anomalies. We are in the hands of the media and those that govern what is given public airing, or not as the case may be.
The difference in writing the Steele novel was quite surprising. I produced 1200 words in no time but felt so much more driven when I was working. When you have created a successful character it is unsurprising that there are positive feelings generated as you write action in which that character is involved.
In conclusion I think that the advent of self-publishing has had a number of effects. It is my belief that the margins between pro and am have been seriously blurred. I think that it has allowed greater numbers of people access to a great art and as such believe there is nothing wrong in that. The snobbery of conventional publishing and the exclusive awards has been rattled and I applaud that.So if you want to write - do it without labelling yourself as professional or amateur but as a writer.
God Bless
As I have only been writing six or seven years I am in a similar place with pieces that I begin. However, I am not the only one that has had to consider how they feel about what they are writing.
Since the beginning of December I have been trying to write a story based upon a disaster that occurred in Sunderland in 1883 that resulted in the deaths of 183 children. It has been slow work, research heavy and I haven't been 100% sure that I had the correct tone and pace. I've written 10 000 words but last weekend began to realise that the subject probably didn't give me the stimulation to produce a full length novel.
Yesterday I shelved The Magic Show!
Then I saw the above quote reportedly from Agatha Christie and began to consider my position as a writer. In some ways the answer is very simple and screams AMATEUR from a number of points of view.
I haven't had professional training.
I don't have a conventional publisher.
I am not making money out of the exercise.
I don't have perfect grammar.
If I don't want to write about a subject I don't have to.
The above, on the surface of it, would suggest that I perhaps shouldn't bother but for me that is the nature of the art. So why go on?
I've had some basic grammatical training and as you write, skills develop.
I have self-published all of my work but some conventionally published authors are joining this method of producing their books.
I do make small amounts of money and have a body of readers who have been quite loyal.
With regards to subject choice - in my opinion, this is what helps to generate writer's block. If you are being pushed to produce a book in a given time or of a particular type, I can't think of anything more de-motivating.
So I've shelved one book and gone back to Steele. In fact since completing and publishing Flight into Secrecy I always have had two ideas in my mind. One was the Magic Show but the second, which is of a similar type to the last Steele novel, is based upon the side issues that go unanswered on the terrorist attack in the USA on 9/11. The provisional title is Building 7.
This story will have similarities to Flight in that it is based on real incidents and also there seems to be a reality gap between the official information and the reality of what occurred. In writing this type of story I am attempting to bring some colour while exploring the facts of the case.
In a sense it is a part of my make-up to cast doubt on official pronouncements and that is based upon watching and reading news from a variety of sources and identifying factual anomalies. We are in the hands of the media and those that govern what is given public airing, or not as the case may be.
The difference in writing the Steele novel was quite surprising. I produced 1200 words in no time but felt so much more driven when I was working. When you have created a successful character it is unsurprising that there are positive feelings generated as you write action in which that character is involved.
In conclusion I think that the advent of self-publishing has had a number of effects. It is my belief that the margins between pro and am have been seriously blurred. I think that it has allowed greater numbers of people access to a great art and as such believe there is nothing wrong in that. The snobbery of conventional publishing and the exclusive awards has been rattled and I applaud that.So if you want to write - do it without labelling yourself as professional or amateur but as a writer.
God Bless
January 13, 2016
Poetry Thursday 195 - When someone goes
In some respects this week's poetry has been driven by the death of David Bowie but ends on a lighter note.
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David Bowie
He’s gone.How do you describe his skill?A shining light in a sea of dim bulbs.Thinking outside the box.For him – what box?A floral nymph to rocket man,his imagination knew no bounds.Now he’s gone to somewhere afarleaving behind his risingBlackstar.© David L Atkinson January 2016
Now when some one dies or just goes away there are all manner of side effects which may be summed up thus.
When someone goes
We lose a world.We lose their worldand how it was shown to us.We lose their interpretation of the world.We lose their understanding of the world.We lose their permissions.Permissions to test conventions.When we have formed our world,and begun to show it,then it is our time to go.© David L Atkinson January 2016
A slight change of tack. I have been keeping an eye on the political situation in the country and there is a repeated frustration that stirs the ire in my soul. It is the apathy of people. As in the Orwellian cartoon below too many folk are burying their heads in the sand when it comes to allowing the government to do what it will.
Enjoy the pun.
How we’ll lose
No room for apathy.A pointless shrug is apathy.We need lots more love,can’t wait for it from above.All people need care,no-one is immune - young one beware!Everyone has responsibility,love is in humility.Lust for power is a drug,allowing the wealthy to feel smug.Greediness is what rules,it sneaks up on the fools,If people are not togetherwe will lose forever.© David L Atkinson January 2016
And finally, on a lighter note another animal poem based upon the experience of having seen three kept as pets. Differentiated from the common brown rat by being called a 'fancy' rat.
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Rattus Norvegicus
An exceedingly bright and patient pet,not as popular as he could get,if he could stop his brothers’ rummagein amongst the Upright’s rubbish.
He can solve a complex maze with ease,and carry out tricks rewards to free.But the Uprights’ would rather keep a cat,than the cleaner, infinitely cleverer rat.© David L Atkinson January 2016
God Bless
[image error]
David Bowie
He’s gone.How do you describe his skill?A shining light in a sea of dim bulbs.Thinking outside the box.For him – what box?A floral nymph to rocket man,his imagination knew no bounds.Now he’s gone to somewhere afarleaving behind his risingBlackstar.© David L Atkinson January 2016
Now when some one dies or just goes away there are all manner of side effects which may be summed up thus.
When someone goes
We lose a world.We lose their worldand how it was shown to us.We lose their interpretation of the world.We lose their understanding of the world.We lose their permissions.Permissions to test conventions.When we have formed our world,and begun to show it,then it is our time to go.© David L Atkinson January 2016
A slight change of tack. I have been keeping an eye on the political situation in the country and there is a repeated frustration that stirs the ire in my soul. It is the apathy of people. As in the Orwellian cartoon below too many folk are burying their heads in the sand when it comes to allowing the government to do what it will.
Enjoy the pun.
How we’ll lose
No room for apathy.A pointless shrug is apathy.We need lots more love,can’t wait for it from above.All people need care,no-one is immune - young one beware!Everyone has responsibility,love is in humility.Lust for power is a drug,allowing the wealthy to feel smug.Greediness is what rules,it sneaks up on the fools,If people are not togetherwe will lose forever.© David L Atkinson January 2016
And finally, on a lighter note another animal poem based upon the experience of having seen three kept as pets. Differentiated from the common brown rat by being called a 'fancy' rat.
[image error]
Rattus Norvegicus
An exceedingly bright and patient pet,not as popular as he could get,if he could stop his brothers’ rummagein amongst the Upright’s rubbish.
He can solve a complex maze with ease,and carry out tricks rewards to free.But the Uprights’ would rather keep a cat,than the cleaner, infinitely cleverer rat.© David L Atkinson January 2016
God Bless
January 12, 2016
Writing - Not just a David Bowie blog
The wonders of modern technology! - I have bought David Bowie's Blackstar album and listened to it a couple of times already. As yet I haven't a physical copy in my hands.
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This blog is not intended to be about the death of the artist David Bowie, but more about time passing and his artistic contributions.
[image error]78 rpm records
My first contact with reproduced music was a gramophone that played records spinning 78 revs per minute. I bring this up because DB embraced technology as it came on stream. The idea behind Blackstar is quite forward thinking and is partly framed in an article on the BBC website this morning, when it asks if the star sang his own epitaph. Having listened to the music I would say that he has done and very much so. The media have concentrated on the track - Lazarus, but in fact it isn't the only relevant piece. I believe the whole piece looks at his passing in different ways focussing on relationships with women and also material possessions. What it doesn't focus open is his own pain, which he must have been suffering in some degree.
[image error]Reel to reel tape recorder
My first recording device was bought for my passing the 11+ exam and gaining entry to grammar school. The first piece of music I recorded was in fact Cliff Richard singing 'Travelling Light' as it was a little before David Bowie began recording.
Since that old tape recorder, advances in music playing technology began to accelerate at a terrifying rate and I must admit have rather left me behind. I have a smartphone, can download music, save it to some bloody cloud(!) or listen to it through the phones speaker, car radio speakers or computer at home. I have never owned one of these little music playing devices that one sees today's youth glued to as they go about their daily tasks. David Bowie was 4 years older than I am and embraced it all.
More Bowie related stuff tomorrow.
T S Eliot Poetry Prize
[image error]Poet Sarah Howe
Sarah Howe is a poet, an academic and an editor. She was born in Honk Kong to an English father and Chinese mother in 1983. She has performed her work, been published in various places and won other awards.Sarah Howe has won the prestigious TS Eliot prize for poetry for Loop of Jade, the first debut collection to scoop the award. Loop of Jade is described as an intimate exploration of Howe's Anglo-Chinese heritage through her journeys to Hong Kong to discover her roots.
Howe, 33, took away £20,000 in prize money, while the nine others on the shortlist won £1,500.
I need to enter more competitions.
God Bless
[image error]
This blog is not intended to be about the death of the artist David Bowie, but more about time passing and his artistic contributions.
[image error]78 rpm records
My first contact with reproduced music was a gramophone that played records spinning 78 revs per minute. I bring this up because DB embraced technology as it came on stream. The idea behind Blackstar is quite forward thinking and is partly framed in an article on the BBC website this morning, when it asks if the star sang his own epitaph. Having listened to the music I would say that he has done and very much so. The media have concentrated on the track - Lazarus, but in fact it isn't the only relevant piece. I believe the whole piece looks at his passing in different ways focussing on relationships with women and also material possessions. What it doesn't focus open is his own pain, which he must have been suffering in some degree.
[image error]Reel to reel tape recorder
My first recording device was bought for my passing the 11+ exam and gaining entry to grammar school. The first piece of music I recorded was in fact Cliff Richard singing 'Travelling Light' as it was a little before David Bowie began recording.
Since that old tape recorder, advances in music playing technology began to accelerate at a terrifying rate and I must admit have rather left me behind. I have a smartphone, can download music, save it to some bloody cloud(!) or listen to it through the phones speaker, car radio speakers or computer at home. I have never owned one of these little music playing devices that one sees today's youth glued to as they go about their daily tasks. David Bowie was 4 years older than I am and embraced it all.
More Bowie related stuff tomorrow.
T S Eliot Poetry Prize
[image error]Poet Sarah Howe
Sarah Howe is a poet, an academic and an editor. She was born in Honk Kong to an English father and Chinese mother in 1983. She has performed her work, been published in various places and won other awards.Sarah Howe has won the prestigious TS Eliot prize for poetry for Loop of Jade, the first debut collection to scoop the award. Loop of Jade is described as an intimate exploration of Howe's Anglo-Chinese heritage through her journeys to Hong Kong to discover her roots.
Howe, 33, took away £20,000 in prize money, while the nine others on the shortlist won £1,500.
I need to enter more competitions.
God Bless
January 11, 2016
Tuesday Food Blog - Prawn and black pudding pilaf
What a mixture this week. To begin with is prawn and black pudding pilaf, then home-made steak and kidney pie, and finally the fact that black pudding has been identified as a superfood!
Prawn and black pudding pilaf
I am very pleased that black pudding has been identified by genuine scientists as a superfood, which I heard on Friday and, as I eat fish on a Friday, I found the pilaf recipe.As a reminder pilaf is rice cooked in stock rather than boiled in water, which adds flavour and sometimes colour to the rice. The black pudding goes well with the rice and fish.
The full recipe is on the relevant TAB.
Black pudding as a superfood. As a long term black pudding fan I am thrilled that its benefits have finally been recognised. 'Superfood' is a term usually reserved for mouth-puckeringly acidic berries discovered under a rock in the Amazon jungle, rather than something fried and eaten with egg, beans, bacon and sausage.
So what are its characteristics?
It is high in protein, iron and relatively low in fat, depending on the variety you choose, half that of an accompanying Cumberland sausage.
[image error]
It tastes rich and velvety, with a flavour deeply savoury and faintly sweet. It isn't just for breakfast. I frequently use it in casseroles to enrich the gravy and have a recipe that uses it in a salad with potato and apple.So don't dismiss this newly identified superfood.
Steak and Kidney Pie
Steak and kidney pie
At the weekend I made the above pie in the easiest way. I used an onion, black pudding, beef stock, steak and kidney which I boiled up and allowed to simmer for an hour and a half. I bought ready made pastry and put a lid on the casserole dish and baked it in the oven for 30 minutes.Served with mash, cauliflower and broccoli.
[image error]David Bowie (1947 - 2016)
Finally, even though this is a food blog, the passing of music icon David Bowie cannot be ignored. I grew up with his career without being a great fan, but frequently drawn back to listen to him by hit after hit. His whole persona speaks to me of someone who didn't just think outside the box but lived on the outside. I believe he wasn't just a music artist but the personification of what it is to be artistic.Rest in Peace David.
God Bless
Prawn and black pudding pilaf
I am very pleased that black pudding has been identified by genuine scientists as a superfood, which I heard on Friday and, as I eat fish on a Friday, I found the pilaf recipe.As a reminder pilaf is rice cooked in stock rather than boiled in water, which adds flavour and sometimes colour to the rice. The black pudding goes well with the rice and fish.
The full recipe is on the relevant TAB.
Black pudding as a superfood. As a long term black pudding fan I am thrilled that its benefits have finally been recognised. 'Superfood' is a term usually reserved for mouth-puckeringly acidic berries discovered under a rock in the Amazon jungle, rather than something fried and eaten with egg, beans, bacon and sausage.
So what are its characteristics?
It is high in protein, iron and relatively low in fat, depending on the variety you choose, half that of an accompanying Cumberland sausage.
[image error]
It tastes rich and velvety, with a flavour deeply savoury and faintly sweet. It isn't just for breakfast. I frequently use it in casseroles to enrich the gravy and have a recipe that uses it in a salad with potato and apple.So don't dismiss this newly identified superfood.
Steak and Kidney Pie
Steak and kidney pie
At the weekend I made the above pie in the easiest way. I used an onion, black pudding, beef stock, steak and kidney which I boiled up and allowed to simmer for an hour and a half. I bought ready made pastry and put a lid on the casserole dish and baked it in the oven for 30 minutes.Served with mash, cauliflower and broccoli.
[image error]David Bowie (1947 - 2016)
Finally, even though this is a food blog, the passing of music icon David Bowie cannot be ignored. I grew up with his career without being a great fan, but frequently drawn back to listen to him by hit after hit. His whole persona speaks to me of someone who didn't just think outside the box but lived on the outside. I believe he wasn't just a music artist but the personification of what it is to be artistic.Rest in Peace David.
God Bless
January 10, 2016
Writing - How much reading should I do?
I read every day but I tend to write more. I read when I settle in bed for the night so probably manage 10 or 12 books a year.
[image error]
I also read 12 BBC History magazines, 6 church magazines and 6 or so coffee table books, but this pales into insignificance in comparison with some.
Agatha Christie read 200 books every year, while Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg gets through a book a fortnight. President Theodore Roosevelt read a book a day, and increased this to two or three when he had a quiet night.
Distracted by TV box sets, football matches and Twitter trends, we seem to find it increasingly difficult to fit reading into our lives.
John Sutherland is an author, book critic, columnist and emeritus Lord Northcliffe Professor of Modern English Literature at University College London.
In 2015 he read approximately 150 books.
"Quite a lot," he suggests, "probably as many books as I had hot dinners." Using a tablet enables Sutherland to skip through pages at lightning speed. "That way you don't have to rely on a dampened forefinger - and the risk of giving the next reader tuberculosis," he laughs.
A professional reader's livelihood depends on their ability to race through words. Last year Sutherland finished a new book approximately every 2.4 days. "I turn four pages at a time if I have to," Sutherland says, "whereas most people like to enjoy their reading. Even I tend not to read more than one book a day… unless there is a gun pointed at my head."
I am not a speed reader because I prefer to get into the author's mind and enjoy where they are intending to take me but there are occasions when reading more rapidly is important - I suppose.
Literary coach and journalist Glynis Kozma advises people to carve out time in their schedules: "Rather than thinking that you need to sit down and read for an hour at a time, try to make use of small amounts of time," she suggests. "Read for 20 minutes while you are waiting for dinner to cook. Use every 15-minute gap."
Kozma aims to read one book a month, although she sometimes misses her target. "I think a lot of people feel guilty about reading," she says. "We are all so busy and have so much going on in our lives that we find it difficult to justify taking the time out."
This latter method is one I use for my coffee table books.
God Bless
[image error]
I also read 12 BBC History magazines, 6 church magazines and 6 or so coffee table books, but this pales into insignificance in comparison with some.
Agatha Christie read 200 books every year, while Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg gets through a book a fortnight. President Theodore Roosevelt read a book a day, and increased this to two or three when he had a quiet night.
Distracted by TV box sets, football matches and Twitter trends, we seem to find it increasingly difficult to fit reading into our lives.
John Sutherland is an author, book critic, columnist and emeritus Lord Northcliffe Professor of Modern English Literature at University College London.
In 2015 he read approximately 150 books.
"Quite a lot," he suggests, "probably as many books as I had hot dinners." Using a tablet enables Sutherland to skip through pages at lightning speed. "That way you don't have to rely on a dampened forefinger - and the risk of giving the next reader tuberculosis," he laughs.
A professional reader's livelihood depends on their ability to race through words. Last year Sutherland finished a new book approximately every 2.4 days. "I turn four pages at a time if I have to," Sutherland says, "whereas most people like to enjoy their reading. Even I tend not to read more than one book a day… unless there is a gun pointed at my head."
I am not a speed reader because I prefer to get into the author's mind and enjoy where they are intending to take me but there are occasions when reading more rapidly is important - I suppose.
Literary coach and journalist Glynis Kozma advises people to carve out time in their schedules: "Rather than thinking that you need to sit down and read for an hour at a time, try to make use of small amounts of time," she suggests. "Read for 20 minutes while you are waiting for dinner to cook. Use every 15-minute gap."
Kozma aims to read one book a month, although she sometimes misses her target. "I think a lot of people feel guilty about reading," she says. "We are all so busy and have so much going on in our lives that we find it difficult to justify taking the time out."
This latter method is one I use for my coffee table books.
God Bless
January 9, 2016
Writing - 10 things we didn't know last week
The year seems to be beginning with more than its fair share of silly stuff.
[image error]
1. Dinosaurs may have danced to woo mates.
Who doesn't?
---------------------------------
[image error]
2. Canadians are politer than Americans on Twitter.
After you, no - after you.
---------------------------------
[image error]
3. Not one person managed to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 2015.
Why do I feel that is a good thing?
---------------------------------
[image error]
4. The hypnotist Paul McKenna chose his wife, formerly his PA, after he was advised to make an Excel spreadsheet to find out who he really loved.
Cheesy!
---------------------------------
[image error]
5. People breathe in more bugs from tap water than from the toilet.
It stings when you snort it though!
---------------------------------
[image error]
6. The smallest chameleons have the fastest tongues.
And that is important because ... ?
---------------------------------
[image error]
7. People who blush tend to be considered more warmly than people who don't.
Oh great! I feel a whole lot better.
---------------------------------
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8. Facebook discovered that just 5% of its accounts made up 85% of users of the "hide post" function, and a small proportion of these are "superhiders", hiding nearly everything they see.
A sure sign of insecurity.
---------------------------------
[image error]
9. People have Neanderthal genes in their DNA that predispose them to allergies.
And no tissues - uugghh!
---------------------------------
[image error]
10. A Swallows and Amazons adventure may contain the longest example of a lost Norfolk dialect from the last generation to speak it.
That be so interesting that be.
---------------------------------
God Bless
[image error]
1. Dinosaurs may have danced to woo mates.
Who doesn't?
---------------------------------
[image error]
2. Canadians are politer than Americans on Twitter.
After you, no - after you.
---------------------------------
[image error]
3. Not one person managed to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 2015.
Why do I feel that is a good thing?
---------------------------------
[image error]
4. The hypnotist Paul McKenna chose his wife, formerly his PA, after he was advised to make an Excel spreadsheet to find out who he really loved.
Cheesy!
---------------------------------
[image error]
5. People breathe in more bugs from tap water than from the toilet.
It stings when you snort it though!
---------------------------------
[image error]
6. The smallest chameleons have the fastest tongues.
And that is important because ... ?
---------------------------------
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7. People who blush tend to be considered more warmly than people who don't.
Oh great! I feel a whole lot better.
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8. Facebook discovered that just 5% of its accounts made up 85% of users of the "hide post" function, and a small proportion of these are "superhiders", hiding nearly everything they see.
A sure sign of insecurity.
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9. People have Neanderthal genes in their DNA that predispose them to allergies.
And no tissues - uugghh!
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10. A Swallows and Amazons adventure may contain the longest example of a lost Norfolk dialect from the last generation to speak it.
That be so interesting that be.
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God Bless
January 8, 2016
Writing - My diaries
There is a project being led by Michael Palin, with the BBC, about diary writing. It raised some interesting issues for me and so I decided to check back as to when I began writing a daily diary. I was shocked to find that it was January 1996, twenty years.
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The project seems to be asking diarists to divulge some of their writings and offers an email address for you to submit some details to see if they are interested. I wrote an email the contents of which are below,
In all honesty agreeing to divulge information from my diary makes me nervous but I thought that I would share some information which may answer some of your points and be of use.
I began writing my diary on 1st January 1996 – twenty years ago. (Until I looked it up I hadn’t realised it had been that long). I remember that I began writing it because I wanted to write my first novel and read some advice at the time that suggested writing daily, no matter what it was, begins to exercise that writing muscle. The quality of my diary writing has improved from what was a chronological account of life events which would be of little interest to anyone, but has evolved to include opinions, feelings and records of world events. Even so what is a 'world event' to me would be small beer to someone else.
So I became a novelist, self-published, to date 10 novels and two slim collections of original poetry. I also blog daily mostly, on writing process and about current affairs.
If I was to divulge the most important or personal entry it would have to be about life traumas such as divorce, depression, or the joy of the birth of a grandson, but in that there is a problem. The purpose of writing my diary while suffering clinical depression was therapeutic and as such is linked with my psyche. When writing about family and friends that would be for no one’s eyes other than mine.
The carrot that is dangled to encourage participation is the fact that Palin had opened up his own diaries in part, about 25%, and if you decide to take part, can divulge information anonymously.
Diary writing is, in my opinion, not for an audience unless specifically stated to be so.
You may ask why bother? Who are my diaries for?
Well that is quite simple - my children.
Will they enjoy what they see in between the covers?
Probably not as life is not straight forward. I haven't had a bad life at all, but everyone has times that are not always best remembered, but it may help them to understand who their father was once I'm gone.
That may seem a strange thing to write but in response I would ask how well do we know our parents?
If we are brutally honest, what we know of their lives before we are born is second hand knowledge and that is often tempered to protect both the parents and the children. So my eldest son was born when I was 29 years old and all he knows of those almost three decades, are the bits I or my relatives have related to him. The two younger children may know a little more because of the oldest one of them.
We know these things because of our own histories. My father was 31 when I was born; he'd have been accurately described as one of the baby boomers after the first war; he was involved in the second as a Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer; he was taken off the French beach at Dunkirk; and, there his war record ends! There's more to the man but either I have chosen not to disclose more or I don't know. Another reason for writing a diary.
If you are a writer then I would say it is a must to be a diarist then even if you don't publish your biography, someone else may do at a later date. It also encourages you to make decisions about what to write about and what to leave alone which we have to do when writing stories.
What I would say is to write it as if it will never be read again.
God Bless
[image error]
The project seems to be asking diarists to divulge some of their writings and offers an email address for you to submit some details to see if they are interested. I wrote an email the contents of which are below,
In all honesty agreeing to divulge information from my diary makes me nervous but I thought that I would share some information which may answer some of your points and be of use.
I began writing my diary on 1st January 1996 – twenty years ago. (Until I looked it up I hadn’t realised it had been that long). I remember that I began writing it because I wanted to write my first novel and read some advice at the time that suggested writing daily, no matter what it was, begins to exercise that writing muscle. The quality of my diary writing has improved from what was a chronological account of life events which would be of little interest to anyone, but has evolved to include opinions, feelings and records of world events. Even so what is a 'world event' to me would be small beer to someone else.
So I became a novelist, self-published, to date 10 novels and two slim collections of original poetry. I also blog daily mostly, on writing process and about current affairs.
If I was to divulge the most important or personal entry it would have to be about life traumas such as divorce, depression, or the joy of the birth of a grandson, but in that there is a problem. The purpose of writing my diary while suffering clinical depression was therapeutic and as such is linked with my psyche. When writing about family and friends that would be for no one’s eyes other than mine.
The carrot that is dangled to encourage participation is the fact that Palin had opened up his own diaries in part, about 25%, and if you decide to take part, can divulge information anonymously.
Diary writing is, in my opinion, not for an audience unless specifically stated to be so.
You may ask why bother? Who are my diaries for?
Well that is quite simple - my children.
Will they enjoy what they see in between the covers?
Probably not as life is not straight forward. I haven't had a bad life at all, but everyone has times that are not always best remembered, but it may help them to understand who their father was once I'm gone.
That may seem a strange thing to write but in response I would ask how well do we know our parents?
If we are brutally honest, what we know of their lives before we are born is second hand knowledge and that is often tempered to protect both the parents and the children. So my eldest son was born when I was 29 years old and all he knows of those almost three decades, are the bits I or my relatives have related to him. The two younger children may know a little more because of the oldest one of them.
We know these things because of our own histories. My father was 31 when I was born; he'd have been accurately described as one of the baby boomers after the first war; he was involved in the second as a Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer; he was taken off the French beach at Dunkirk; and, there his war record ends! There's more to the man but either I have chosen not to disclose more or I don't know. Another reason for writing a diary.
If you are a writer then I would say it is a must to be a diarist then even if you don't publish your biography, someone else may do at a later date. It also encourages you to make decisions about what to write about and what to leave alone which we have to do when writing stories.
What I would say is to write it as if it will never be read again.
God Bless
January 7, 2016
Writing - Loneliness and is your bias showing?
There is a good deal on the BBC today about loneliness. I believe that they've covered every aspect without coming up with solutions.
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When writing characters in your stories there is an opportunity to tackle issues and today it is loneliness. It reminds me of the lyrics from Simon and Garfunkel's I Am A Rock which points to the whole loneliness and being alone issue.
I am alonein a deep and dark December
First of all being alone is not loneliness, just as being with people is not an antidote to loneliness. I could cheerfully slap all of those clever sods who trot out trite phrases such as 'pull yourself together' - they are just making matters worse. The reason it is not that simple is described in the next verse,
I've built walls,a fortress steep and mighty,that none may penetrate
People who are lonely often require to protect themselves and so create barriers, while seeming quite happy and cheerful outside, are in a dark place internally.There are many reasons why loneliness becomes an issue and may include, relationship breakdown, bereavement, issues at work and many more. The depth of the problem depends on the personality of the sufferer and so the solutions have to be equally varied. The song ends with a very powerful verse.
I have my booksand my poetry to protect me,I am shielded in my armour,Hiding in my room, safe within my womb,I touch no one and no one touches me.I am a rock,I am an island.A rock feels no pain,An island never cries.
Paul Simon excelled himself with this song. If you want to hear the song it is at the link below,
https://youtu.be/JKlSVNxLB-A
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So what of bias in the introduction to this blog?
Well, in all honesty I was watching news reporting on the BBC and became seriously exercised by the obvious bias of one of the political editors. The BBC is supposedly unbiased, which is blatantly not the case, and this guy was seriously sneering at one member of parliament, while being full of respect for a member on the government side of the argument. It then struck me that we are all full of bias in various situations and that bias can seriously influence the tone of your writing. It may be that suits your purpose and that is fine as long as you are aware of the way that you are using your bias in writing.If you are overtly biased then you could well polarise your readership. There are some situations where your own position will not allow you to avoid using bias, and I'm not saying that you should be untrue to your personal tenets, but to use them to your own benefit. Hence my own socialist leanings have influenced some of the works that I have produced, for example 'Grace and Favour', and if that has turned some people off my work, so be it, but I have to live with myself.
God Bless
[image error]
When writing characters in your stories there is an opportunity to tackle issues and today it is loneliness. It reminds me of the lyrics from Simon and Garfunkel's I Am A Rock which points to the whole loneliness and being alone issue.
I am alonein a deep and dark December
First of all being alone is not loneliness, just as being with people is not an antidote to loneliness. I could cheerfully slap all of those clever sods who trot out trite phrases such as 'pull yourself together' - they are just making matters worse. The reason it is not that simple is described in the next verse,
I've built walls,a fortress steep and mighty,that none may penetrate
People who are lonely often require to protect themselves and so create barriers, while seeming quite happy and cheerful outside, are in a dark place internally.There are many reasons why loneliness becomes an issue and may include, relationship breakdown, bereavement, issues at work and many more. The depth of the problem depends on the personality of the sufferer and so the solutions have to be equally varied. The song ends with a very powerful verse.
I have my booksand my poetry to protect me,I am shielded in my armour,Hiding in my room, safe within my womb,I touch no one and no one touches me.I am a rock,I am an island.A rock feels no pain,An island never cries.
Paul Simon excelled himself with this song. If you want to hear the song it is at the link below,
https://youtu.be/JKlSVNxLB-A
[image error]
So what of bias in the introduction to this blog?
Well, in all honesty I was watching news reporting on the BBC and became seriously exercised by the obvious bias of one of the political editors. The BBC is supposedly unbiased, which is blatantly not the case, and this guy was seriously sneering at one member of parliament, while being full of respect for a member on the government side of the argument. It then struck me that we are all full of bias in various situations and that bias can seriously influence the tone of your writing. It may be that suits your purpose and that is fine as long as you are aware of the way that you are using your bias in writing.If you are overtly biased then you could well polarise your readership. There are some situations where your own position will not allow you to avoid using bias, and I'm not saying that you should be untrue to your personal tenets, but to use them to your own benefit. Hence my own socialist leanings have influenced some of the works that I have produced, for example 'Grace and Favour', and if that has turned some people off my work, so be it, but I have to live with myself.
God Bless
