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21 Oct 2007
That's not cricket
The day was already hot as the boys gathered at eight o'clock for the game. Some magpies had taken up sentry duty on the few gums trees clustered at the north end of the oval. The gums supplied a little bit of shade, but the way the 'pies treated those brown birds, we figured they could have the tree. A few parents were unfolding chairs and dispensing zinc cream.
In the park complex, there were about five fields for the big ball sports, plus an athletics track, and I think some baseball across the way. The main fields were used for cricket in the summer and Aussie rules in the winter. Soccer was relegated to over past the baseball. For the junior cricket teams, markers were placed in a bit closer than the boundary to make a smaller playing field.
The main grounds were all interconnected but the "grand stand" and the rooms and snack-bar were at the far eastern end of the main oval - as far as possible from the junior's field. The major car park that serviced the main oval was directly behind the rooms.
Skinny roads tracked their way around to the smaller car parks, but the bureaucrats probably put the extra car parks in as an afterthought.
A six foot chicken wire fence with barbed wire at the top untidily snaked its way around the car park that was nearest Oval 5. It looked like the car park was really related to the SES centre across the way, but families used it for the sports events at the weekend. The barbed wire looked like it was trying to protect the asphalt, not the ovals. The powers that be didn't bother putting in any people-sized gates from the cars to the ovals - only big gates from the road, which were left open always.
An inventive person, probably a sports dad with a bit of strength to him, had unwound the chicken wire where it joined to a metal fence post and dragged the fence a few feet aside that made handy access from the nearest car park to the junior games. I think this makeshift "gate" had been like that for a few years.
Between us and the next field stood a rickety old wooden structure that could be used for displaying the score - I think for both fields. When it was first painted dark green it probably looked good, but the peeling paint gave it the appearance of a regular fire hazard It wasn't used for the junior cricketers but you could be pretty sure that if you went near it the SES (State Emergency Services) guys stationed over the road would have a few words to say.
We were the "away" team today - the home team had all arrived early and were congregating at the practice nets doing that "all have a hit in a semi circle" drill. Our team arrived in dribs and drabs as none of the fields were clearly numbered. There was a huge list at the front gate. You can be pretty sure that the youngsters get to play on the fields furthest from anything. I couldn't even see a tap to replenish the water bottles.
540 words approx.
The above prose was written by hand while watching a game of cricket the other day. It took about half an hour to type in with some minor editing going on. Several sections were moved about, but no new stuff was created.
In the park complex, there were about five fields for the big ball sports, plus an athletics track, and I think some baseball across the way. The main fields were used for cricket in the summer and Aussie rules in the winter. Soccer was relegated to over past the baseball. For the junior cricket teams, markers were placed in a bit closer than the boundary to make a smaller playing field.
The main grounds were all interconnected but the "grand stand" and the rooms and snack-bar were at the far eastern end of the main oval - as far as possible from the junior's field. The major car park that serviced the main oval was directly behind the rooms.
Skinny roads tracked their way around to the smaller car parks, but the bureaucrats probably put the extra car parks in as an afterthought.
A six foot chicken wire fence with barbed wire at the top untidily snaked its way around the car park that was nearest Oval 5. It looked like the car park was really related to the SES centre across the way, but families used it for the sports events at the weekend. The barbed wire looked like it was trying to protect the asphalt, not the ovals. The powers that be didn't bother putting in any people-sized gates from the cars to the ovals - only big gates from the road, which were left open always.
An inventive person, probably a sports dad with a bit of strength to him, had unwound the chicken wire where it joined to a metal fence post and dragged the fence a few feet aside that made handy access from the nearest car park to the junior games. I think this makeshift "gate" had been like that for a few years.
Between us and the next field stood a rickety old wooden structure that could be used for displaying the score - I think for both fields. When it was first painted dark green it probably looked good, but the peeling paint gave it the appearance of a regular fire hazard It wasn't used for the junior cricketers but you could be pretty sure that if you went near it the SES (State Emergency Services) guys stationed over the road would have a few words to say.
We were the "away" team today - the home team had all arrived early and were congregating at the practice nets doing that "all have a hit in a semi circle" drill. Our team arrived in dribs and drabs as none of the fields were clearly numbered. There was a huge list at the front gate. You can be pretty sure that the youngsters get to play on the fields furthest from anything. I couldn't even see a tap to replenish the water bottles.
540 words approx.
The above prose was written by hand while watching a game of cricket the other day. It took about half an hour to type in with some minor editing going on. Several sections were moved about, but no new stuff was created.
18 Oct 2007
Bike lanes and road rules
Nowadays we see many roads with bike lanes. Some of them are on the road side of the parked cars. The roads my have been wide enough for two lanes, but now there is an area for parking and a few feet wide for the bike. And of course, they generously leave a lane for cars to move along.
When someone in a car wants to turn left, I thought the idea was that the bike line would remind them to look carefully for a bike before making the left hand turn. Too many cars make the turn from the car lane, holding up traffic in a very dangerous manner.
When there are two lanes, you're allowed to cross from one to the other when you need to turn. Why are people so afraid to go anywhere near the bike lane - I think we need some instruction here. RACV, is this a job for you?
And while on the subject of cyclists. Have you heard the one about the ostrich with his head in the sand? He thought that if he couldn't see you, then you couldn't see him.
Do cyclists use the same sort of logic? They can see you in a car, so you must be able to see them! At dusk is the most dangerous time - the light is fading. Motor cyclists seemed to learn a long time ago that they needed to put their lights on - hey, learn from that. Too many bike riders get around without a light and dark clothes, and they come out from behind other cars. Even if you are making an effort to consider cyclists, you haven't got a chance.
When someone in a car wants to turn left, I thought the idea was that the bike line would remind them to look carefully for a bike before making the left hand turn. Too many cars make the turn from the car lane, holding up traffic in a very dangerous manner.
When there are two lanes, you're allowed to cross from one to the other when you need to turn. Why are people so afraid to go anywhere near the bike lane - I think we need some instruction here. RACV, is this a job for you?
And while on the subject of cyclists. Have you heard the one about the ostrich with his head in the sand? He thought that if he couldn't see you, then you couldn't see him.
Do cyclists use the same sort of logic? They can see you in a car, so you must be able to see them! At dusk is the most dangerous time - the light is fading. Motor cyclists seemed to learn a long time ago that they needed to put their lights on - hey, learn from that. Too many bike riders get around without a light and dark clothes, and they come out from behind other cars. Even if you are making an effort to consider cyclists, you haven't got a chance.
17 Oct 2007
Now for 5 minutes
The election is in the news at the moment. It has been called for 24th November 2007. JH has been in power since 1996 - and is lining up to beat Menzies record of a fifth term in office. Labour has recently had several changes in the leadership role, but many of the punters seem to be happy with Kevin in 07 - maybe they like the t-shirt!
There has been several argy-bargy type comments in the press, but the one that jumps out at me is the silly comments directed towards Julia Gillard - she's damned five ways from Sunday (is that still a standard cliche?).
Half the people put her down because she is a woman without children which must mean that she is not "complete" as a person. How many prejudices does that violate?
And the rest have a go because she has devoted too much time to work.
Me - I don't like her politics.
Commentary
Five minutes is much harder - I made 159 words. At the previous rate I should have made 200, but by doing a 5 minute stint, I think I felt I had to come up with a topic I could write about. I had an idea, and I even thought of the ending and watched the clock making sure I could write it in.Looking back, I should have written it down, then moved back up and just typed stuff in between. It was much harder to get started. I let one minute go when I didn't start first off because I didn't have the "plan".
Compared to the 1 minute exercise, where you just start typing, this is much harder.
There has been several argy-bargy type comments in the press, but the one that jumps out at me is the silly comments directed towards Julia Gillard - she's damned five ways from Sunday (is that still a standard cliche?).
Half the people put her down because she is a woman without children which must mean that she is not "complete" as a person. How many prejudices does that violate?
And the rest have a go because she has devoted too much time to work.
Me - I don't like her politics.
Commentary
Five minutes is much harder - I made 159 words. At the previous rate I should have made 200, but by doing a 5 minute stint, I think I felt I had to come up with a topic I could write about. I had an idea, and I even thought of the ending and watched the clock making sure I could write it in.Looking back, I should have written it down, then moved back up and just typed stuff in between. It was much harder to get started. I let one minute go when I didn't start first off because I didn't have the "plan".
Compared to the 1 minute exercise, where you just start typing, this is much harder.
60 Second Exercise
This exercise is from Kate Grenville's book, "The Writing Book". It is one of the first in the early chapters, and its main aim is to get you up and writing very quickly.
I scanned the first chapter, which I read ages ago, and it lists all the excuses.
[stop - 49 words]
From my corner of the room, I look up and see the picture rail. It is wide and stained, or "french polished" rather than painted - a lovely dark wood. A number of stringed instruments have been arranged in museum like fashion.
[stop - 42 words]
The pens of many colours, the old grey stapler, and a tape measure were sitting alongside a bright purple pencil sharpener. In start contrast were the modern-looking post it notes. You can get more colours than just yellow sticky notes now.
[stop - 41 words]
OK. Now this bit is not being timed.
The exercise is to write about anything for 60 seconds, not worrying about spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. I found topics easy to pick just by looking around the room. But I kept correcting the typos - not all, though, as I ran the spell check at the end and found a few letters missing. I think this keyboard needs a service as a few of the letters need a more heavy hand sometimes.
I also notice that I managed three sentences in each one minute paragraph. Is this the way I think? Why did I have any sentences anyway? Is it that hard to get a stream of conscious going? I have spent many years writing technical documents where I am always cutting paragraphs into lists and sentences in half - even pulling out half the adjectives. How will this style go when trying to write a novel? We'll have to see.
Note to self: [300+] words in 15 minutes - at that rate could get 1000 an hour.
I scanned the first chapter, which I read ages ago, and it lists all the excuses.
[stop - 49 words]
From my corner of the room, I look up and see the picture rail. It is wide and stained, or "french polished" rather than painted - a lovely dark wood. A number of stringed instruments have been arranged in museum like fashion.
[stop - 42 words]
The pens of many colours, the old grey stapler, and a tape measure were sitting alongside a bright purple pencil sharpener. In start contrast were the modern-looking post it notes. You can get more colours than just yellow sticky notes now.
[stop - 41 words]
OK. Now this bit is not being timed.
The exercise is to write about anything for 60 seconds, not worrying about spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. I found topics easy to pick just by looking around the room. But I kept correcting the typos - not all, though, as I ran the spell check at the end and found a few letters missing. I think this keyboard needs a service as a few of the letters need a more heavy hand sometimes.
I also notice that I managed three sentences in each one minute paragraph. Is this the way I think? Why did I have any sentences anyway? Is it that hard to get a stream of conscious going? I have spent many years writing technical documents where I am always cutting paragraphs into lists and sentences in half - even pulling out half the adjectives. How will this style go when trying to write a novel? We'll have to see.
Note to self: [300+] words in 15 minutes - at that rate could get 1000 an hour.
15 Oct 2007
Getting started
Well you just have to start somewhere.
The main purpose of this blog is to have a place to write stuff. The stuff can take any form. There are a whole bunch of regular writing exercises (for example, write for 20 minutes on what you see out the window) that I plan to do, but I'd also like to post opinions and comments on news items that I can link to. Snippets of dialog and character notes will also appear from time to time.
The main purpose of this blog is to have a place to write stuff. The stuff can take any form. There are a whole bunch of regular writing exercises (for example, write for 20 minutes on what you see out the window) that I plan to do, but I'd also like to post opinions and comments on news items that I can link to. Snippets of dialog and character notes will also appear from time to time.
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