Curses

Now imagine I’d said the title in Disney Villian voice. Ursala, for preference; she always was my favourite.  WHY? Because it’s almost as fun as swearing and I’ve yet to set off a profanity filter doing it. More importantly, I feel it’s accurate.

Why curses?

Because today I was betrayed by the recliner!

That’s right, my chair!

How?

I made the mistake of trying to recline in it; forgetting once again that the tortured mechanisms now Fight to close back up. So I’m stuck there forcing all my strength into pushing it closed, hoping my brain doesn’t misfire, like it likes too when least convenient. The bloody thing snaps closed finally freeing me to stand up safely.

Drama over, I then retrieve my tablet, only to discover that in my forceful rocking of the chair I’d dislodged the magnetic charger, sending it straight into dangerzone, land of tired metal. I was so relieved when it came back with a gentle tug. We’ve had to fight cords out before, so it felt like a small victory.

I celebrated… too… soon…

Damn thing looked like my rats had found it; a neat slice through the casing then nicely frayed metal cords.

The biggest joke? I’d never even taken that charger into my room as I didn’t trust my rats. What would life be without irony?

Author’s note: so strictly speaking this is an auto-biographical blog post. I originally intended to write some flash fiction. As can be seen I got a little derailed…

I have been planning to get back to writing. I’ve started uni again and I’ve had success in the past using one to encourage the other; of course that was pre-craniotomy and may just spell a recipe for fatigue, I still think it’s worth a try.

Here comes Christmas!

Just in case you were not aware: CHRISTMAS is here. Or so the stores would have you believe. If they had their way you’d start shopping after Easter. Of course that has affected which articles are being published. This one to the left has been the last one to be published for this year so far.  The last few weeks it seems they have been converting much of their broadsheet space to advertising spots or making way for the Christmas theme.  I’ve noticed only a few columns are being published the past few weeks and all of them are about *Christmas*, directly or indirectly.  With luck my next article (that I still have to write) will make the cut. It’s a community piece focus on The Multicultural Playgroup’s Christmas Party. Fingers Crossed. 🙂

The only other writing I’ve down this week has been for my first assessment for one of my modules. The Presentation worked out really well so I thought I’d share it to – WWDPass1. The purpose was to share our experience, state our learning goals, and write a reflective comment on why it is important for human services workers to know how to work with diverse populations.  I thought it was a silly question!

Molding our young.

And here it is, my second news article!  I see no reason why it shouldn’t be published in some fashion if The advocate can’t find room for it in the already full broadsheets.  My writing seems to have focused strictly on the non-fictional at the moment.  While this is a learning experience, I’m missing fiction.  I’m going to make myself do so flash fiction this week, damn it!  The following article is one I submitted last week for possible publication.  I’m currently working on another on behalf of Welcoming Interculteral Neighbours Inc.

Gladstone cultural diversity has seen a steep rise over the past few years, yet we only have one playgroup that reflects the changes within our community. The Multicultural Playgroup, run jointly by Playgroup QLD and WIN Inc., establishes a safe niche for children to learn and play while creating a place of mutual respect, and dignity for family groups. For these families, the playgroup makes a refreshing change from normal as children are encouraged to use both languages in the very same social activities provided by other playgroups. Through exploring the various cultures in a social context these children form an accepting community at an early age – preparing them for a future where communities are certainly going to become far more diverse.

The early years of childhood are important to the development of a child’s social awareness of their world. It is during these formative years that children learn how they should cope with others who are ‘different’ from them. This makes is the best period for forming healthy inter-cultural interactions. As such it would be a mistake to think that the Multicultural Playgroup is purely for those of different ethnic origins. Many Australians could benefit from a deeper understanding of our neighbours, and this playgroup provides a perfect forum. Any and all are welcome to join us. The Multicultural Playgroup is free and runs at the Neighbourhood Center on 105 Toolooa st every Friday from 9:30-11:30.

For more information please visit us at Welcoming intercultural Neighbours at 10 Tank st, Gladstone. We can also be contacted by email at admin@win-australia.org.au or by phone on 0487 422 142.

I feel that this one is an improvement on the last article; flowing more fluently with the structure of a proper news article.  This style is not a bad fit for someone already experienced with the concision of flash fiction.  Hopefully, practice will make perfect and I will be able to get fiction written.  Of course, I’ve been keeping myself busy with work for both WIN and the RSPCA and prep for my course starting in November.  I like to be busy, clearly.

Growth spurt of the Digital Age

I’m trying to get ahead of the curve for my Summer course, due to start end of November, so I’ve been familiarizing myself with it’s E-learning environment.  A safe choice since I will be studying mostly online.  I was asked to comment on the video for an E-learning orientation. I ended having a good giggle because I went to a public primary school in an under-funded socio-economic area in the 90’s. How things have changed!

When I started primary school the use of devices for learning was extremely limited. Mobiles had only just come into existence.  Most of them were built like bricks and were limited to calls only. Touch-screen tablets were a flight of fancy fit only for sci-fi.  As for my primary school’s computers? Those were old for the 90’s… and use was restricted to early teaching games and touch typing programmed.  The idea of searching ‘the web’ for information was in its infancy and the few, now-forgotten, search engines were blocked on the few internet capable computers. It was to the school’s outdated textbooks children were referred, some of which were decades old in the 80’s.  I am 28 and the world has experienced a digital revolution.  I now walk around with a mini-computer more commonly known as the ‘smart’ phone. I have a table that is used, not just for on-the-go computer function, but as a media consumption tool – an idea that would have seemed ludicrous in the 80’s.  The essays and assignments that once had to be submit in awful handwriting on physical paper can now be completely drafted, revised and submitted via Electronics. Gaming platforms have advanced from the pixelated atari to 3D realistic platforms of Xbox to Ps4 with Virtual Reality on the near horizon.  The transition has not been seamless but the state of technology has been so quick we have not had the chance to grumble about the change.

The use of electronics as advanced so quickly that a growing percentage of successive younger generations no longer understand how to cope without tech.  Social scientists debate as too the nature of this revolution. Is it advancing our intelligence or is it limiting it?  While we know, do we understand; do we over rely on the knowledge that is so readily at hand.  Will future scientist become so adjusted to using software to do their thinking that they no longer understand the knowledge they seek?

The only answer I can give is a personal one: the digital age has opened up more doors for education then the world ever did for me, and my pursuit of knowledge will be coupled by a desire for deeper understanding.

In search of new means.

Writing in a vacuum

I write fiction, yet constant procrastination causes contradiction.

It’s become a right addiction but friction causes dereliction.

No definable progress is stressful,

Never knowing if depiction is successful

Blogging cures the constrictive affliction that limits my diction.

Foe.

Procrastination.

Makes three hours out of one.

Progress hampered.

Start again

The writer wrote. Wrote, wrote, wrote some more. Type; edit. A few changes. A few more. The novel got no closer to complete. No matter what was written, the prose seemed incomplete. Her judgement critical; no longer unbiased, bogged down by eternal reconstruction. No progress could be made.

With a kick in the pants, a decision was made. She would start smaller, and see where the results took her.

Blogging 101

Blogging for beginners

Logged enough practice

Of experience I have plenty

Good?

Good enough?

I still can learn

New tips and tricks

Gall to believe I’m better?

1 way to learn

0 – reasons not too.

1 way to find out.

Love is… What?

I have been Tagged by Millie Thom to take part in ‘What Love is in four words’.  The aim is straightforward – describe love in four words.  Seems easy enough but, then, you have to ask yourself ‘What is love?’ Thanks to Valentine’s Day, this is somewhat of a hot topic. However, I’m a social constructionist, so I’m very aware of how the emotion has been layered on by societal ideals of the notion of love.  Where does the fanciful notions stop and love begin? A question for the ages…

I have never celebrated Valentine’s Day.  I don’t see the point. Why make a special effort on one day of the year when you should make that effort everyday? As for flowers? You give me roses and I’m likely to  trim the stems, plant them in potatoes, and bury the potatoes in the garden so I can give them a new life as a rose bush.  I’m not that kind of romantic. 🙂

I’m supposed to tag 10 others but it’s past three in the morning and I’m supposed to get sleep at some point; so I say to readers – ‘Tag, you’re it!’ (Please drop  me a line if you do, I’d like to read.)

Love is…

…Passion; raw, turbulent, unhinged.

…not blind; accepting, forgiving.

…fighting to understand.

…yearning to be understood.

…Pure, fragile; easily stained.

…mysterious, capricious and inconclusive.

…twinned with hate.

…north; south is indifference.

…kind yet cruel.

…gentle yet callous.

…the fabric of existence.

Haiku in Japanese.

I’ve written this with the help of google translate so if it’s wrong, Oh well! The only phrase I could write is sora no tori. The words I recognise are Sora, Tori, and mugen. I recognise the particles no, ni and de but would not be confident in the usage.  This is my way of trying to learn the language in a format that plays to my language memorisation skills. Auditory learning doesn’t work well for me and now I know I have cognitive deficit in the speech memory center.

Sora no tori

Ao de jiyuu ni tobu

Mugen no sora

direct translation

Bird in the sky

Fly free in blue

Endless skies.

Directionally challenged

I had fun with this one, I can’t lie.  It’s fiction with a musical interlude.  Sing the short verse to the tune of postman pat. It’s a riot!  The photo prompts and story started have been borrowed from Monday’s finish the story. If you’d like to join head on over.

Directionally Challenged

“Diamond Jack had his hideout next to the Rattle Snake River.”

Diamond Jack, Diamond Jack

Diamond Jack and his grey and black hack.

Early in the evening, just as day is leaving

He rustles all the cattle in his truck.

Diamond Jack, Diamond Jack

Diamond Jack and his grey and black hack.

All the owls are screeching

And the night is leaching

Jack feels he’s a very wealthy man

Everybody knows Sheriff Colt’s villain,

all the farmers cheer as Colt dogs the fleeing man

But Colt can never be sure,

Where the cattle are going (lowing)

Perhaps (whip crack)

off to foreign shores.

Miss Colt placed her chalk down. “Diamond Jack was a notorious cattle rustler, and his feats have become part of local folk lore. Can anyone tell me why Sheriff Colt failed to find his hideout?”

Tentatively a mousy girl put her hand. “Don’t you know, miss? Your grandpa got lost!” Miss Colt chuckled; the family secret was safe for another year.

Should have gone with pop-rock

Another combo prompt from me.  It’s like one writing prompt isn’t enough! 😀 The quote has been nicked from Adrian Lilly and photo prompt is from Rochelle, host of Friday Fictioneers.

Your character is very tired and the normally quiet neighbor is playing really loud music. Does your character go over to ask to turn the music down? What does s/he find if s/he does. If s/he tries to ignore it, how?

Should have gone with Pop-rock

Irene slammed her textbook against the wall. This was a clear violation of the rules. She was studying! The bastard’s heavy-metal was making the wall vibrate so hard her laptop skated off the desk. She imagined bursting in, yanking the cords and drenching the electrics. Irene bit her lip; since when was he the type to listen to this… this… RUBBISH. On cue the music got louder. Irene clapped hands over her ears, and marched to his door; now fully prepared to garotte the imbecile with his own electrical cords. Irene shoved his door open to discover he was… Crying?!

They finally got me: my seven deadly sins -_-

Thanks Angela, you’ve nominated me for the ‘One Lovely Blog Award’ – WordPress more fun equivalent of a facebook chain game (Which I Refuse to participate in on principle). When I first saw this floating around I thought What The Hell? I was convinced, until I saw it in action, that it was actual award!  But now that I’ve been nominated I am now obligated to share 7 interesting facts about myself.  I was hoping to avoid this because 7? Seriously, 7? 7 is a curse! (Besides, I have a million and one tales to tell, though they are not all true. 😉 )

My seven deadly sins: ~

1) I have a BA(hons) BUT I never graduated high school. 😉  I had a lot of misdiagnosed health problems when growing up (some of which I realised on my degree course were Stress and Anxiety related) so after 13 years of age my time actually at school become less and less (Which my parents quickly took advantage of by using me as a nanny for my youngest sibling). I am a self-proclaimed success story for alternative educational pathways.

2) I am related to Dawn Langley Pepita Simmons.  He started life as Gordon Langley Hall and she is my grandmother’s cousin. I have never met Dawn but would love too.  She managed to single-handedly alienate herself from that side of the family, but not, from how I heard it, for the gender change.  As Gordon she was known for being a bit ‘off with the faeries.’ In keeping, her biography has a lot of ‘tall tales’ or so the family claims.

3) Schizophrenia runs in my family on both sides. I had a fantastic time with my uncle growing up; talking to him when he was loopy was great, so many wonderful stories. I like to think that if he channeled that creativity properly he would be a best-seller.

4) I now have occasional use for a cane thanks to brain damage and the after-effects of the seizures.  However, my first response was not too be depressed. My friend backed away because she could see the evil glint in my eyes as I realised I now had a weapon I reasonable carry.

5) I the oldest of three but I’m the only official military brat.  Don’t let that throw you; we all have the same father! 😉

6) I’ve had a near death experience – but I was too young to remember it properly. I fell into a fish pond and nearly drowned when I was four.  All I have is this absolutely beautiful memory of staring up at the light through the murky waters with lily fronds and koi carp around.  It was a magical scene.

7) I don’t hide the fact that I’ve had brain surgery to remove a tumour. What I don’t often tell people (because people are often more squeamish than I) is that I was awake the entire time for my 6 hour open head surgery.  And, hell yes, I was scared – particularly when they were using an electric stimulator to map out the line between tumor and brain tissues.  They hit on specific point and I was damn near launched off the table by the resultant seizure.

Next up, my nominations.  I’ve tried to pick people who would actually interested in this one.  There are a few people who I know have been nominated but not joined in.  I also want to use it as a chance to call attention to good writers, if I can. But that list could go on forever! Now for my nominees – Tag, You’re it!!

My nominees *Evil smirk*

1. Ray of an Unsimplelife – fellow aussie who challenged my to try to offend him.

2. Jeremy of quite a few blogs. 🙂

3. Draliman

4. Priceless Joy

5. Kindredspirt23

6. Aileen

7. Suzanne (couldn’t resist using it. 🙂 )

8. Aimerboyz 

9. TanGental

10. The storyteller’s abode

11. lily pups

12. Ben

13. George

14. Rochelle

15. Kate

Hopefully, if don’t want to take a crack at it, you’ll won’t want to flame me! 🙂