Thoughts On Writing

The reason I started writing this blog was because I hoped I would get an idea for writing a book or screenplay. My basic problem is that I am not motivated and too lazy to take the next step , well that's my opinion.

A blog is a diary and some contain some brilliant writing. It's a great way or remembering things you don't want to forget. There have been many incidents where I go back into the blog to have a chuckle about certain events , the B & Q application form being one that springs to mind.

I am currently reading "The Thurber Carnival" , a collection of  James Thurber short stories and realise that in order to write you have to be disciplined enough to research , or just know lots of things like , say , Stephen Fry.

As well as this you have to have a spark of originality or a muse to create a work that others want to immerse themselves in.

The internet and Amazon's self publishing package mean now that anyone can publish a book if they believe they have the capacity to produce a worthwhile work. The problem being it starts becoming literary karaoke where people believe that they are the next Dan Brown and have the key to untold riches.

I was shocked to hear that the average earnings for a writer was around four thousand pounds per annum. When you think how much the big earners make some writers must be on pennies.

I have incredible respect for my friend Paul Campbell who packed in his job and became a script writer. Similar to another friend Bob Armstrong who did a similar thing to become an artist.

This is another post I'm writing using the iPad's Note application. I reckon that the iPad with the addition of a keyboard is a very useful piece of kit, although when you have no internet connection you can feel a little lost.

Craster 2012

Back in Craster again and the digital TV signal seems to have improved . DAB radio is OK too so I can listen to Radio 6. It's close to civilisation, but has the benefit of being on the seafront resulting in an incredibly relaxing atmosphere.

The lack of mobile phone signal means that I cant post direct to my blog , so I'm using the iPad to write this. Combined with the blu tooth keyboard the iPad is a decent doing tool!

Alnwick, Bamburgh, Lindisfarne  and Alnwick are all with easy driving distance. 

Craster is around 60% holiday residences , which at first seems a bit sad , but probably means that the village can survive because of the extra revenue that this brings in.

Robson's kipper smoking factory and restaurant and The Jolly Fisherman are still going very strong in this superbly located village.

Two days ino the holiday and I am already feeling the benefits of communication cut off. The internet  and mobile phone networks connect us up 24/7 and that is probably not a good thing because you are always looking to do just a little bit more, though ironically I am cut off but I am still blogging!!

Hopefully I will find some free wifi or a mobile wifi signal and can unload my posts.

This John Terry Situation

The really amazing thing about this is that if John Terry had called Anton Ferdinand a "F*cking Stupid C*nt" , nothing would have been said. Almost every match that is played players verbally abuse others and nothing is done , despite the fact referees can red card players for foul and abusive language.

The insertion of the word black makes it racist abuse meaning that action will be taken , giving ammunition to the anti-PC brigade of Daily Mail readers out there.

All abuse is wrong , and swearing should not be tolerated on a football field. The say swearing shows a lack of vocabulary , which wouldn't be surprising in the case of Mr Terry. 

Ashley Cole isnt much better and his withdrawn tweet against the FA shows a complete lack of respect for his betters (which is most people).

Their club Chelsea say they have a zero tolerance policy towards racist abuse towards players. However they seemed to have made an exception in Mr Terry's case.

Also what about the fact that the FA banned Terry (caucasian) for four matches, yet banned Louis Suarez (South American) of Liverpool for nine games?

These two players are excellent footballers but intellectual and moral vermin. While their behaviour is tolerated not much will change and they will keep on being abusive because their pay justifies what they do.

London and My iPad

Interesting , just realised that the iPad doesnt come with an inbuilt Office Suite. So I'm using the Note application to write this post. Hope I can cut and paste this lot once I've typed it.

It's a sad fact that I am getting used to London. Kings Cross is only five stops from Paddington and now I think that's nothing. It's not so long  that going from Kings Cross mainline to Kings Cross underground with luggage in tow was like a trip down the Amazon.

On the plus side stuff like the Science Showoffs night at the Wilmington Arms hosted by the excellent Simon Cross in Farringdon (six stops from Paddington) is educating me an the science of making cheese toasties,  swimming and the theory of the Quantum Car!

It's also amazing that the responsiveness of the iPad can be amazingly temperamental. Sometimes it is instant and sometimes it just ignores everything that you do.

Anyway I will now try to connect to the internet and post this. I  will put in links later unless I forget.

Oh apologies for the font. That came from the iPad application!

You Load Sixteen Tons ...

".. and what do you get ? 

Another Day Older and Deeper in Debt

So Luther Don't Call Me

I Can't Go 

I Owe My Soul To The Company Store"

So sang Tennessee Ernie Ford when I was quite small , in what is a depressingly brilliant song. Today I turned 55 nad remember thinking how old my uncle was when he turned 16.

Basically there's nowt you can do about getting older as long as there's time. But I ready that people who have more birthdays tend to live longer! Also people who enjoy life and do things tend to live longer.

You never know what's round the corner and life still springs surprises on me good , bad and points in between.

You can't do everything you want to , but if you get a chance you should always take it . Always look for the positives and never turn down something good.

Today I feel the same as I did yesterday , and will probably feel the same tomorrow . I do feel different to 40 years ago , but 40 years ago I was a different person. Life does that to you.

But life is good and I'm looking forward to the next 55 years firmly beliveing that they will solve the problem of bodies wearing out  and I expect Keith Richards and Mick Jagger still to be touring !!

Repetition

In the seventies ,I remember ahving three channels and people complaining about the license fee mainly because of all the repeats on TV. Then we got Channel 4 and Channel 5 and people still complainesd about the lack of choice.

Then came satellite and people who complained about the license fee happily subscribed to Sky and pay TV  and still complained . Now we have Freeview and it's ironic that some of the most watched channels are crammed with repeats. Gold , Dave , Comedy Central all just contain repeats.

We also now have PVRs and people still complain there's nothing on TV , while happily watching re runs of "Only Fools And Horses" or "Two And A Half Men" (on my TV at the moment).

Boxed sets  of the DVDs sell like hot cakes , even "On The Buses" which must be one of the worst programs ever . Did you know Reg Varney was the first person in Britain to use an ATM ? YOu would have though they's have got somebody good to do it.

And then those Carry On Films , how come Sid James , Kenneth Cope and Bernard Bresslaw always got the girls ?

Anyway thats my thoughts on the subject and the Carry On Films did at least have some classics among their number (Screaming , Cleo and Up The Khyber).

Lottery Rage

Just in my local One Stop stop with some potatoes and cheese in my sopping basket and theres one woman serving . The guy in front then get's into a lecture about the best scratch cards to but before parting with another ten quid for a couple of them.

Meanwhile a copuple of charvers complete with pushchairs and squawking offspring stat getting naked because there's only 45 minutes left before the cut off time to put your lottery ticket  on resulting in irate exchanges going over my head , while me and the shop assistant attempt to contain our laughter.

I often here people in there , who "know people" who can guarantee a win on the lottery if you use the right system !!.

Well here's my observations on the lottery , this isnt to encourage or discourage , just the facts as I see them:

• The only guarantee is that once a number has been drawn , it's won't appear again in that draw
• For someone to win two million pounds , four million people have to lose a pound

 
And that's it

Still I am entertained by people claiming to have a cast iron system as they queue to casth their giro