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September 25th 2008 07:16
I know I have been really quite lax with my Orble blog lately... [insert excuse here]
...but I am compelled to ask if anyone suffers from computer dyslexia?
I certainly do. I always spell the word 'from' as 'form' - which is sort of annoying as my spellchecker doesn't pick it up.
I also usually spell 'parents' as 'parenst' - this one is particularly frustrating as I am now writing a blog for a parenting website. Really Long Link
I don't know the theory behind computer dyslexia - or even if there is one - but perhaps muscle memory comes into it.
Perhaps fellow Orbler,Norm can provide the answers - he seems to have the most eloquent form of computer dyslexia I have ever had the pleasure to read.  Really Long Link
Do you have words that you always type incorrectly?
PS - another one of mine is the word 'Sydney', which I always type as 'Sydeny' - for some reason it makes me think of the day Australia won the right to host the 2000 Olympics.
I found Orble because of Joanne Fedler. When I grabbed the fabulously titled Secret Mother’s Business last year I was entranced by this creative non-fiction which tells the story of motherhood like it is.
But beyond the original, refreshing, raw and authentic observations contained in the story arc I fell in love with the narrator, ‘our’ Jo. From within the pages of SMB she reached out to me - sort of like the song Killing Me Softly, it was as if she had found all my secret motherhood diaries and read each one out loud. I panted to my girlfriends and sisters about this thrilling book and my new heroine.
My hunger for all things Fedler led me to Google which led me to Orble which led me to Jo and her Secret Writer’s Business blog. I was an aspiring writer and I had been toying with starting a blog. Technologically immature I had no idea how to go about it but followed Orble’s simple directions and, like magic, I had created the Writers in Writing blog.
I subscribed to Jo’s blog – which is sort of like everything you wanted to know about writing but didn’t know who to ask. Following Jo’s tips about writing (as well as witnessing her social awareness and her dedication to the good guys of the world) I became emboldened to push harder with my own writing. I have since scored a couple of paid writing gigs – one being my parenting blog on the Child website. Really Long Link
Unfortunately these extra commitments have meant that I have been very neglectful of my Orble blog. Which also means that I have not reviewed Jo’s latest novel Things Without A Name. And I must review it because it is a beautiful story told exquisitely. But ... it also contains a character who is a writer – and that’s the point of this blog: to make a List of Writers in Writing.
However, I have a ‘condition’ which the fabulous Patrick Suskind called amnesia in litteris which means that I forget the details of everything I read. I retain impressions and thoughts only. So for my next post I am going to try to do justice to Things Without A Name but it won’t be a traditional review.
Stay tuned…
War zone stories that humble and inspire us don’t usually get the coverage they deserve. For every thousand stories about suicide bombers and tragic casualties there might be a couple of column inches devoted to people who give our species a good name. For a planet so enamoured of the ‘laws of attraction’ – as the worldwide success of The Secret and books of that ilk would attest – we haven’t really figured out how to report good news. I remember a story about a guy a few years back who started a newspaper called The Good News Paper – which of course went bust due to a lack of readers.
So here’s a story that deserves a run.
Skatesitan is an organisation founded by three young Australians – two guys and a girl. The full story can be found on their site http://skateistan.org/project/ but here’s a taste:
“As soon as Australian skateboarders Oliver Percovich, Sharna Nolan and Travis Beard lay down their boards in Kabul, they were surrounded by the eager faces of children of all ages, begging them to teach them how to skate. Stretching the three boards they had, they developed an infant skate school.”
As it started to emerge that some of their students were quite talented the idea for Skateistan took flight.
Photo by Travis Beard - Courtesy Skatesitan
“Skateistan is Afghanistan’s first dedicated co-educational skateboarding school. The school will engage with the growing numbers of urbanised youth in Kabul through skateboarding and provide new opportunities in cross-cultural interaction and education. We will initially focus on 60 students from a range of different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Student capacity will be developed in skateboarding, skateboarding instruction, project management, life skills and English. Our aim is to develop a program that empowers youth to take leadership on issues important to them and build networks that will counter current ethnic barriers.”
Given that at least 70% of Afghanistan’s population is under 25 years of age, youth oriented programs are a must. Disturbing statistics such as the fact that there are over 500 000 child drug addicts in Kabul add to the urgency of this need.
The Skateistan founders have used their own funds to start the project but are desperately in need of financial and other support. Donations can be made on the website or you can purchase one of their seriously cool T-Shirts and lend a hand to the cause.
T-Shirt Image Courtesy Skateistan
Part of the problem? Part of the solution? It’s a choice.
Has blogging killed writing?
I just thought I'd ask.
When I first started this blog I wasn’t sure whether I should include song lyrics in The List but I have found a song that features a writer and I love it so much I can’t ignore it.
One of the main reasons I was not going to include songs is because my taste in music is rather unsophisticated. For me, as a writer, the main criterion for enjoying a song is the lyrics. I know very little about melody and rhythm and other aspects of music. I suppose I could re-phrase the old cliché by saying ‘I don’t know anything about music but I know what I like
[ Click here to read more ]
I have not been keeping up with my Orble blog very well recently. This is mainly because I have been lucky enough to score a paid blog and I have been working hard to build an audience there.
Here is the link, Really Long Link But be warned, it is a parenting website and deals with my journey as a mum. It may not appeal to those of you who are not parents but hopefully, if you are, it will
[ Click here to read more ]
I have written on a previous blog about the fact that I suffer from a condition called amnesia in litteris. Basically I can’t remember anything I’ve read about 24 hours after I have closed a book for the last time.
I do, however, retain impressions. I have a hankering to join a book club in order to force me to remember what I’m reading. But I fear I would be the person trying to blend into the antipasto platter because the only thing I would have to say is, “Catch 22? I loved it! Um... especially the part where…um…where the main character, what’s his name? Um…where he ….um…does that thing. Hey…is this Camembert
[ Click here to read more ]
I had never heard of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants until I saw the film. The film is based on a series of four books written for young adults by Ann Brashares.
I think I watched the film because of its great title (firstly) and because I’d heard some good things about it. But I’m also a Gilmore Girls tragic and love Alexis Bledel who stars in Sisterhood. It’s been a while since I saw this film but I do remember rather liking it and thinking I wouldn’t mind watching it with my daughter when she’s older
[ Click here to read more ]
I had never heard of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants until I saw the film. The film is based on a series of four books written for young adults by Ann Brashares.
I think I watched the film because of its great title (firstly) and because I’d heard some good things about it. But I’m also a Gilmore Girls tragic and love Alexis Bledel who stars in Sisterhood. It’s been a while since I saw it but I do remember rather liking it and thinking I wouldn’t mind watching it with my daughter when she’s older
[ Click here to read more ]
Hot on the heels of my last post, What’s Your Favourite Word?, comes this offering, Which Cliché Do You Hate The Most?.
I recently saw an ad for the book It’s Not Rocket Science and Other Irritating Modern Clichés by Clive Whichelow and Hugh Murray (Portrait, 2007) which made me ponder modern cliches such as ‘talk to the hand’ and ‘you go, girlfriend’. I haven’t read It’s Not Rocket Science but I think I might have to buy it just so that I can avoid modern clichés in my writing. Although, I do know that I have already used ‘what’s not to like?’ in a published review. (aaghh
[ Click here to read more ]
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. Seriously, you have made such a great case for this book, I'm already in love with it thanks to the quotes here. It shall be on my reading list this summer.
Comment by Jayne Kearney
on J
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
I read something today about footballers being involved in White Ribbon Day stuff and it just sounded like PR machinations to me. What would have been the bigger priority in getting them involved - to highlight the issue or to conveniently garner some positive press for an industry with a pretty poor track record in this area. Girlfriends with scars from glass attacks and gang rapes come to mind.
Hopefully there are some better White Ribbon Events happening out there...