Less blogging and more writing
A few days ago I wrote about the studies I am doing over the next two years while I complete my Master of Arts in Creative Writing. Yesterday my wife (who is also studying) and I went to the college for Orientation Day. We had our mug shots taken for the student ID card and then had a whirlwind guided tour of the library and resource centre facilities. After that we were invited to afternoon tea into the section called “The Loft” where all the Humanities lecturers have their offices. This is a section right up high in the building just under the roof, hence its name. It’s a cosy, intimate and friendly part of the college and somewhere we can hang out if we need to talk to the lecturers.
During the afternoon tea we were given some extra information about each of the courses. We also received our reading lists and assignment topics. On reflecting upon the lecture topics and reading through the assignments I was rather relieved at the level of expectations. I can do this was my immediate thought, something that ran quite contrary to other thoughts or terror and panic racing around my mind at 5:30am earlier in the day! The writing assignments include the usual essay type activities, but the emphasis is going to be on the creative writing process and actually creating new works. That is exactly what I wanted out of this course. It will keep me focussed.
One of the three units I am doing will be less writing but more reading. It is called “Literature and the Christian Faith.” I’ve been saying for some time that I need to be doing far more reading. Now I have to make good on that resolution. It will be the most demanding of the units I am doing as it does involve that extra reading.
As a result of my year of study I will have to cut back on my blogging and do more writing and reading. One thing I will do, however, is to use this blog to reflect on my reading and studies. So don’t go away – I’ll still be around. It’s just that the frequency of posts will become a little erratic at times.
Meanwhile – good writing.
Absolutely Scrabulous
No Comments »11th February, 2008; Category: The Writer's Life
Over the weekend my daughter introduced me to the wonderful game of Scrabulous. This is the old board game Scrabble modernised so that it is playable over the internet.
You can play with someone else, solitaire or against the computer. What a wonderful waste of time. My daughter was beating me soundly until the last few moves. Several high scoring moves right at the end won the day for me – much to her chagrin.
While this game could be addictive, and it could lead to a great deal of time wasting, there is a serious side of it for the writer. It is an excellent game for sharpening the thinking skills. It could possibly be used effectively as a daily warm up activity before beginning the writing for the day, providing one doesn’t get hooked and play multiple games. In the same way I currently use the daily cryptic crossword in the newspaper as a warm up writing related activity.
Good writing.
Opinion: we can change the world
3 Comments »9th February, 2008; Category: Opinion
Sometimes I get a little down – even depressed
I sometimes get depressed watching the television news or reading the newspaper and learning of the absolute depravity of some people. When I go online I discover that the internet seems to be the place where many of them congregate.
Then I spend time with friends or colleagues or the folk at church and I am uplifted again. When I experience the generosity and love and care and courage of others I am amazed and encouraged. Life then is good, people are great and all is well with my world.
Each one of us can do our little bit to make this a better place.
We CAN change the world – one kind, loving, caring act at a time.
Further reading:
- To read more in my series of opinion pieces click here.
What have I done??
Ever stopped and said to yourself, “What have I done?”
I did that yesterday – not once but a number of times. In a complete turn around of events I went and enrolled in full-time study for the next two years.
Yikes – what have I done?
It all happened like this. My dear wife found out from a friend that Tabor College in Adelaide (about 50 minutes drive from home) is offering a full-time one-year study in TESOL, which stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. This will then give her the qualifications to teach ESL (English as a Second Language) which she has been doing for nearly a year now. (Through our church we have been giving ESL lessons to a group of migrant Chinese workers living in our town. They need basic English in order to gain residency.) Many times she asked herself the same question: “What have I done?” as the waves of terror threatened to swamp her. It has been so long since she last did any serious study.
On another visit to the college last week she picked up a booklet outlining another course offered at the same college. She gave it to me to look at. It gave details of their creative writing courses. Within the hour I had almost decided to do the Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing. Our theory was: if she was going to mess up a year studying full-time, I might as well join her and do a proper job of our lifestyle (“What lifestyle?” says the little voice in my head).
So yesterday we went to the College again. The head of the Humanities Department and one of the lecturers interviewed me for two and a half hours! I left with my head spinning. I had enrolled to do a full-time two-year course to do their Master of Arts in Creative Writing. What I didn’t realise before speaking to them was that I would be given credit for all of my previous tertiary studies, plus 35 years of teaching plus consideration given for my vast body of writing already achieved.
Wow!
I didn’t know that I could do it. So for the next two years it will be head down and tail up. Fitting all this in with our many other interests and responsibilities will be a major juggling act. It will mean lifting my game as far as writing is concerned. Add to that a considerable amount of reading plus plenty of extra travel. I hope we are up to it.
Good writing.
What I learned from people
12 Comments »7th February, 2008; Category: Group writing projects
People are everywhere
This may seem like stating the obvious. But think about it… because our society is made up of people – lots of them in some places – we need to acknowledge that getting along with people is an obvious skill we all need. Few can afford to become hermits, or a recluse, and I do not think that this is healthy anyway. We may not love everyone, but we need to get along with everyone. From this I have learned tolerance.
People are demanding
Some people can be demanding on your time, energy and space. Some people have a highly refined habit of being in your face. Constantly. Patience. From these people I have learned patience in huge dollops. And to be less demanding of others myself.
People are generous
I am staggered by how generous people can be. They give of their time, money, skills, love, compassion and heaps more. These people have taught me to be less self-centred. From them I hope I am learning to develop my own spirit of generosity.
People are courageous
I admire people who step out on a shaky limb and try things. They live life. They get on with projects. They go places. They refuse to sit inside their little boxes and have pity parties. They do not say, “It can’t be done.” Instead they shout, “Why not?” I hope I can learn from them to take one brave little step…and then another… and another and…
People are loving
John Lennon captured this thought in the classic Beatles song “All you need is love.” It is a fundamental, basic necessity for everyone. I am so glad for knowing all those people who have taught me unconditional love. They love me for who I am, not what I have done. I am slowly learning from them the wonder of being loving in return.
People are different
Some people are curious. Some people are strange. Some people are wacky. Some people are downright weird. The wonderful thing about this is that it stops boredom; imagine if we were all the same? I have learned from people who are different that this rich tapestry of humankind is endlessly fascinating.
People are people
This is not a nonsense statement. People are not animals. Sometimes individuals are said to behave like an animal. But even the worse offender on the planet is a person. Let us not excuse the deed but let us always keep in mind that behind even the vilest behaviour is a human being. I have learned to respect and admire a select small band of people who are able to touch the untouchable and to love the unlovable. May I learn to be a little like them.
This article was written in response to the challenge given by Robert over at Middle Zone Musings. His Group Writing Projects are becoming legendary. Every contributor writes about the same topic, but that it where the similarity ends.