Write-Place

Only six hours left to make an entry in the  Writers Online  monthly One Word Challenge and I am struggling to produce a poem based around the word 'putrid'. The 200 word story was difficult enough but this seems to be beyond me. ( I have less than 6 hours left really, because I won't be able to stay awake till anywhere near the deadline of midnight tonight) But then I just happen across the headline in today's news that Alastair Campbell has used the word today at the Leveson inquiry. Then, by luck, fate, chance or coincidence, my wandering mind also rests on the website of   Newspaper Blackout .  Problem solved. Wonder what anyone makes of it. (ironically this is the perfect time to use the highlighted text which I have been trying to lose for the past few posts !) | Newspaper Blackout Poem Take one newspaper, article, marker. Cross out words.  Leave only those you like, and soon you’ll have a poem, they said. Created from running puddles of text...

Well, I've told everyone and anyone that I can think of about this so I ought to write it here as well.  I HAVE WON a   competition   BY WRITING ONE LINE ! I've never quite had the opportunity to say "less is more" but I think in this case I can. Here's part of the "press release" (yeah, you did read that correctly ... ! ) "Brenda co-authored an eight-line poem inspired by Sir Andrew’s work on Vintage Inns’ latest press campaign, which honours the Great British rural pub. He has been judging the best line submitted each week, so they can be added to gradually complete the verse. When Brenda entered, the competition stood at six lines completed: The muted brilliance of autumn leaves The wind’s deep voice soft-tickling the trees. The parting notes of swallows’ cresting calls As dappled sunlight fades and evening falls. The bonfires’ tongues call to the dying sun Bright harvest moon ascends, her reign begun. And Brenda’s suggestion for the...

I'm not one for quoting statistics, mainly because my memory is so bad I forget the figures in between reading them and writing them down. But I thought a few numbers might wake me up a bit this morning, so sit up and pay attention ! Today is "Mega Monday"  according to the media  and estimates are that there will 3,300 purchases a minute online. High street shops are struggling with sales down by 2.1% 25% of all our  Christmas shopping  will be online up 16% from last year 12% of online sales will be made on a smartphone 1 in 3, that's 11 million will use the computer at work to online shop. Does this mean we prefer shopping online to going to the shops ? Not really, is the apparent response - it depends who we are and where we are and what mood we are in that day. This sounds about right to me. I went shopping on Saturday and am still feeling that if the only shop I walk into again is our corner shop, then that's fine by me. I'll probably feel di...

This is probably old news to many people, but it's new to me, very interesting, amazing, almost unbelievable and more than a little disturbing.  Scientists have developed a prototype contact lens which can generate  info-vision – the ability to stream information across a person’s field of vision.  "Do what ?"  I hear you asking. I said the same to myself. Soon we could be sending and receiving texts and emails, catching up with the latest news and generally social networking without even logging on to a computer or phone. Images and messages will just appear in front of your eyes. It will one day be able to show directions and TV programmes.  Yes, honestly. Just imagine, you might never need that old fashioned Sat Nav ever again and you could watch Corrie and Enders while you are driving too. Get rid of that ancient Sky HD recording thingy that you just got installed.  After blogging about my new  phone  just the other day, it seems a littl...

  Stars flickered in a sky not yet diminished by electric light. The USA was twelve years old and ended at the Mississippi River. The camp, near the town now called Salmon, was fragrant with cedar needles smouldering on a fire when I was born into the Agaidika tribe.   They named me Sacajawea and taught me to hunt and trap in the forests and fish in the streams. I skinned deer to make soft leather for clothing. I painted the partings in my hair with red clay, a symbol of peace. I learned early and worked hard for survival. Captured by horsemen trading with the white men, I was taken from my tribe. Sold, I became the wife of Charbonneau and the mother of Jean Baptiste. More men came, with strange looking boats and wearing uniforms. They built a place they called Fort Mandan. I was useful for the skills I had learned from my tribe, so I went with them to what they thought was unexplored territory and reached my homeland where my family was killed five years before.  I died...

I've done it now.  After being the owner of a variety of mobile phones over the years, which have met their demise by being stolen, lost, put in the washing machine, dropped in the bath and down the toilet, I was sure I was perfectly happy with the basic one that I've been using this past year.  It has the basics - phone calls (why else would I need a phone ?) texts and even has a reasonable camera. But I've got a camera for taking photos, a camcorder for video, a notebook computer  which does everything I can think of that a computer does, and a laptop for when I need a bigger screen and keyboard.  Why would I need a  Samsung Galaxy  ? Aren't I just being too materialistic, something that I am quite averse to - usually ? Well, I think this situation is a bit like when I had a twin tub washing machine years ago when my children were babies. I could do whole loads of washing (including towelling nappies !) in that twin tub, in a couple of hours. What wa...

A colleague at  Writers Online Talkback  has set a challenge for those of us who need a bit of a push sometimes, to get on with the task in hand and also to give other bloggers the promotion they deserve. Always up for a challenge (!!??) I have decided to take part. I am of course, later than I intended in posting this, so don't worry dear reader, this post is going to be short. So ... Thanks to   Patsy Collins for the idea and the challenge. I am sure we will all rise to the challenge, and some of us may even complete it. Next post coming up soon. In the meantime, take a look at  The Blogathon Challenge  in action.

Well, seems I have well and truly messed up with the background colours and goodness knows what on the layout of this blog. Unintentionally and unknowingly of course. This is therefore a test (similar to the numerous pieces of paper I have with TEST printed on them when trying to sort out the printer) to see if I have managed to put it back to what it was. Many thanks to all on Writers Talkback  for your advice - gratefully received. Not sure whether I have interpreted it correctly though. So, I'll now press the button ... ...

Not been on here for over a whole 2 months but seem to be in writing action mode past couple of days so am making the most of it. A discussion on  Writers Talkback  about a member's 10yr old daughter writing some very perceptive thoughts on existance, has made me remember my Big Plan for The Environment. This must surely be a case of the time being right for it to see daylight and be brought to the attention of those that ought to know. So here it is. My plan is to have one large motorway type co nstruction running length ways through the whole of the country north/south and another couple going east/west. The road itself will be a conveyor belt system which cars get onto and park until t hey get to the point where they can drive off onto the other conveyor belt and park till they are nearer their destination. A bit like a ring road only not necessarily a ring and a moveable belt as opposed to the cars themselves moving. The belt would be powered by waste cooking oil or w...