Trevor's Writing

What is hindering you from writing?

No Comments »12th July, 2013; Category: The Writer's Life, Writer's block, Writing prompts

Man weaving a mat in the leprosy medical facility in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The man shown in the photo above is an inspiration to me – and should be to everyone. While visiting Addis Ababa in Ethiopia a few years ago – our daughter was teaching there – we had the chance to visit the leprosy medical facility. We particularly wanted to support the residents by purchasing items from their craft shop. Some of the people there do amazing things, often with the hindrance of fingers missing.

This man was happily weaving a floor mat. He was full of smiles – communicating his cheerful attitude to us even though we couldn’t speak each others’ languages. The most amazing thing however, was that this positive attitude was demonstrated despite having only short stubs for fingers and thumbs. All of them. Not one was fully functional.

This man continued happily with his work, content with his lot despite the hindrance.

What a lesson for me – and many others, I’m sure.

Too often I grumble that I can’t do my writing because it’s too hot, or too cold, or I’m not well or the chair is uncomfortable or no editor will like my story or poem. Too often I allow really lame excuses get in the way of what I believe God wants me to do: write.

What hinders you from writing? Is it a real problem – or just an excuse? If it’s a problem – deal with it or get help. If it’s an excuse… well, I think we all know how to deal with that!

Read more about our visit to the leprosy facility on Trevor’s Travels here.

I’m not as smart as I thought I was

No Comments »8th July, 2013; Category: Just a Thought

Confession time: I thought I was smarter than that!

What brought me to this startling conclusion?

About three months ago I replaced my old mobile phone. When I say old, you’d better believe it. It was nearly 20 years old and I was reluctant to get rid of it because I was on a very cheap plan. I mean, how many phone companies offer a $10 per month plan these days? I went into a local well known phone company’s retail outlet and they looked up details of my plan. The manager – all of 20 years of age – wasn’t probably even born when my old phone was being made. I’ve never seen a plan THAT old, he quipped. Made me feel positively ancient, like I’d borrowed it from Moses or Noah. Perhaps Methuselah.

I then bought a new, you beaut, all the bells and whistles smart phone. Beam me into the 21st century, Scottie. (Mmmm.. that illustration is getting a little old too.) Cost me a small fortune, it did. But I was cunning – I did the modern thing and got a good bargain by buying it online. Thoroughly modern me. It arrived in the mail a few days later, I inserted the new SIM card – boy, had I got a good deal on the plan from my internet provider – and went to charge the battery.

I waited, and waited, and waited. It wasn’t charging. All weekend. That’s not right, I thought. Eventually a friend discovered that I hadn’t put the back cover on properly. Doh. He said I mustn’t have held my tongue right.

That changed everything. All systems go. So over the next month or so I was on a very steep learning curve, adapting to using the new device. Remember the ‘good old days’ when phones made and received phone calls? I discovered that this new ‘phone’ did so much more than that. Photos, SMS, internet access, games, email, Facebook, Twitter… and that’s just for starters.

In fact, I suspect that I’m only using about 5% of its potential. There are so many icons I afraid to press – just in case it does something very odd – or expensive. In fact, the phone is so smart it does things without me giving it permission. That’s scary and just a tad worrying.

Despite all the fancy bells and whistles, I can still make and receive phone calls.

It is so satisfying that some things remain the same – in a rapidly changing world.

Writing prompt – dealing with illness

No Comments »6th July, 2013; Category: Writing prompts

My family visiting the leprosy hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Most people suffer from a variety of illnesses during their lives. I’ve certainly had my fair share of them over the last twenty years especially. Some people experience multiple illnesses and at different stages of life. Other people have a severe disability of some sort. Coping with prolonged illness or a lifelong disability can have many challenges, disappointments and frustrations.

On our visit to Ethiopia a few years ago we took the opportunity to visit the craft shop in the grounds of the leprosy hospital. All the craft work on sale was produced by leprosy victims as a part of their therapy and rehabilitation. These ladies in particular were proud to show off their wonderful handiwork. I wrote about our visit here on my travel site.

How do you cope with illness? Or a disability?

Writing prompts:

Write about a time you were very ill.
Write about caring for a loved one with a serious illness.
Write about how you would cope with a disability?
Write about a friend or family member suffering a severe illness.
Imagine dying from a serious illness. Write your own eulogy or obituary.

Good writing.

Writing prompt – Patience

No Comments »4th July, 2013; Category: Fiction, Poetry, Short Fiction, Short Stories, Short Story Starters, Writing prompts

A patient mule in the medina of Fes in Morocco

On our tour of Morocco several years ago I photographed this very patient mule standing just outside a shop in the busy medina of the city of Fes.

It just stood there patiently, ignoring the milling throng all around, oblivious to the movement, the noise and the general confusion.

Writing prompt:

Write about a time you had to be very patient.
Write about an occasion when someone had to be very patient with you.
Write a list of the virtues of patience.
Write a poem titled “Patience”.
Write a short story starting with the words: “After three hours of patient waiting…”
Write a short story finishing with the words “It had been a day that severely tested my patience.’

Good writing.

Writing prompt – favourite foods

No Comments »2nd July, 2013; Category: Writing prompts

Our pizza lunch at GPK Chatswood, Sydney

Many people write about food on their blogs. Some have even elevated this to writing for prestigious glossy, social magazines and yet others make a living from critiquing food and restaurants and writing about it in various forms.

It is my one regret from several trips overseas that I didn’t take more photos of the wonderful meals we enjoyed, especially in Morocco and Spain. Now that I have a smart phone with a decent camera, I intend to correct that oversight of the past.

On our current trip to visit family in Sydney we celebrated my daughter-in-law’s birthday. Her choice was to go to the local Chatswood GPK pizza restaurant. GPK stands for Gourmet Pizza Kitchen, and the one we visited is one of a chain throughout various cities here in Australia.

Between the six of the adults in our party we ordered four different pizzas which we all shared. I’ve shown only two here on this post today. The two grandchildren had their very own pizza. The menu is extensive with many named after prominent cities or countries of the world. Each had a particular cultural and culinary focus appropriate to the country. For example, we liked the Moroccan pizza as well as the one called Kathmandu.

With the term gourmet attached to the name of the restaurant one quite likely pays a little extra. But these are not your common or garden pizzas delivered by a pimply teenager to your front door late on a cold winter’s night. These are far superior in every way.

The flavours are intense and a delight to the taste buds. Some featured some surprising ingredients – such as broccoli – which worked amazingly well.

My rating: 8/10

Writing prompt: write about your favourite restaurant, your favourite food, great meals or gastronomic disasters.

Further reading:

GPK Official Website – complete with downloadable menus.
Five hundred meals away – the blog of a former student of mine who has travelled the world, writing about the food he has enjoyed – or endured – and the cultures and people he meets – and near disasters which seem to follow him. Onya, Andrew.

Our pizza lunch at GPK restaurant, Chatswood, Sydney