...okay, the summer Shakespeare thing has kind of sucked time out of blogworld in the last seven weeks. This means that the next blogpost will be 3507 words long.
Hm.
Okay, I kinda set myself up for that, didn't I?
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Why 501?
"Any idiot can knock off 500 words on any topic, any time."Why 501 words?
"Oooooh. But anything over 500 is harder, right?"
- A conversation between writers at a National Novel Writing Month meeting
There was a time I updated my blog frequently. Heck, there was time when I wrote about issues, but that was earlier. I started and wrote articles on a blog site called "Critique" back in 2000, before "blog" was even a word. We were a bit ahead of the trend there, and we didn't keep it going. But then again, that was just as I was really getting started on a career, and was juggling my time a bit more... I wasn't involved in as many things, and it was time that I had to drop words into the ether.
Now? Work. Kung Fu. Tai chi. Running. Marriage. Acting... and the inevitable rehearsals. Really interesting computer games. Reading. Many things compete for my time - and that's not a bad thing at all. I enjoy doing "stuff". Lots of stuff, actually. Like many people, I wish there was more time in the day, and I find myself considering what my old flatmate and I called the "Opt-out plan", where you decide what amount of money is your target income per week, and once you hit 20% more than that, you negotiate a day off... 20% less time sucked up by work , and your target income, and time to spend on anything you damn well please. The idea of "opting out" of the career ladder in exchange for the other passions in your life is one that doesn't just hold an appeal as an ideal... it's the very concept of work/life balance made flesh, as it were. It has a sense of really buying in to the idea and pursuing it.
You'll note that I'm a wuss and haven't done it yet.
Its time will come.
But now? This is a step. 501 words, every week. Reflection time, every week. Putting thoughts on a screen, sending them off to do whatever it is that quantum words go and do while you're looking the other way. It suppose the quantum word paradox has haunted diarists and journal writers for dozens of generations (not to mention the dissertation writers!) - you write the words and send them off into dry dusty pages or electronic bits and bytes, and they just... don't exist until observed. And in most cases, you have no idea whether they're off doing anything useful, being observed, or not.
I'd actually argue that it's the process of writing that matters, and don't really mind whether others read them or not. Hence the 501 words, I guess. It's not really advertised anywhere, I haven't told anyone about it, I just send the words off on their way, as I reflect. Anyone can write 500 words. I'll do 501.
We'll see if it works. We'll see if I write anything worth reading. I, for one, am fascinated.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
The Year of Doing Big Fun, Scary Things
Righto. Big Scary things?
Three thoughts:
(i) "The difference between writers and wannabe writers is, well, sitting down and actually writing." Which doesn't actually have to apply to writing, but can equally apply to half marathons, kung fu, exercise, eating properly, learning to act, tap dancing, parachuting, or even learning to repair bicycles. Just go and do it. =)
(ii) I once spent 6 months and learnt to run, lost 5kg (~11 pounds) and ran my first half marathon at the age of 31. It doesn't sound like much, but it was big for me: it taught me that I can do things that I thought I'd never, ever be able to do. Since then, nothing is impossible.
(iii) If they're not S.M.A.R.T - SPECIFIC, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely, you're not going to achieve them.
Thus. my Year of Big, Fun, Scary Things.
1. Lose 10% of my body weight: 9.25 kilos. 20 pounds. How: Eat less crap, do more stuff. (I think I might get that made into a t-shirt). 30 mins per day exercise + increasing number of sit ups and press ups compulsory, daily. Maintain record on http://www.mapmyrun.com/user_training?username=Ajkiwi
2. Run at least 2 half marathons, in under 2hrs each time. How: Follow training plans from Runner's World, see a physio and follow injury treatment advice whenever even CLOSE to injured. Christchurch NZ Half Marathon Sunday June 1, Sydney Half Marathon Sunday 21 September. Maintain record on http://www.mapmyrun.com/user_training?username=Ajkiwi
3. Grade at least once in Shao Chi Chuan Kung Fu. How: Stretch daily, train 2-3 times a week. Have fun, relax, do it. Maintain record on www.mapmyrun.com
4. Maintain a Picture of the Day (PoD) Photoblog. How: Take pictures, post on my blog. This may require a new pocket digital camera. *cough* Started this last year, got through to end of Feb, then work routines and the size of my camera just meant I kept missing opportunities and... okay, no, those are just excuses. Maintain record on http://ajkiwi.livejournal.com
5. Blog actual thoughts and reflections for at least 501 words a week on my new blog, "501 words". How: Make an hour each week for reflection time, writing time. I used to blog regularly... then I let time get away from me. I need to make that time come back. Carry notebook and pen at all times, for noting things to blog, ideas, etc, rather than keeping finding bits of paper all over the house with ideas on them. Maintain record on http://501words.blogspot.com/
6. Write 1st complete draft of text for The Real Bloke's Cookbook. This is my "learning new thing" for the year... How: Minimum 60 recipes, 5 per month. Maintain record on Big Scary Fun forums at www.nanowrimo.org of running count of recipes, to be updated on the final day of each month. Also pilfer ideas from other people there. =)
Right!
6 goals. 12 months. Each a big challenge, each achievable, each measurable, each scary, each fun! Woo-hoo! Now: It's time to bring it on.
Three thoughts:
(i) "The difference between writers and wannabe writers is, well, sitting down and actually writing." Which doesn't actually have to apply to writing, but can equally apply to half marathons, kung fu, exercise, eating properly, learning to act, tap dancing, parachuting, or even learning to repair bicycles. Just go and do it. =)
(ii) I once spent 6 months and learnt to run, lost 5kg (~11 pounds) and ran my first half marathon at the age of 31. It doesn't sound like much, but it was big for me: it taught me that I can do things that I thought I'd never, ever be able to do. Since then, nothing is impossible.
(iii) If they're not S.M.A.R.T - SPECIFIC, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely, you're not going to achieve them.
Thus. my Year of Big, Fun, Scary Things.
1. Lose 10% of my body weight: 9.25 kilos. 20 pounds. How: Eat less crap, do more stuff. (I think I might get that made into a t-shirt). 30 mins per day exercise + increasing number of sit ups and press ups compulsory, daily. Maintain record on http://www.mapmyrun.com/user_training?username=Ajkiwi
2. Run at least 2 half marathons, in under 2hrs each time. How: Follow training plans from Runner's World, see a physio and follow injury treatment advice whenever even CLOSE to injured. Christchurch NZ Half Marathon Sunday June 1, Sydney Half Marathon Sunday 21 September. Maintain record on http://www.mapmyrun.com/user_training?username=Ajkiwi
3. Grade at least once in Shao Chi Chuan Kung Fu. How: Stretch daily, train 2-3 times a week. Have fun, relax, do it. Maintain record on www.mapmyrun.com
4. Maintain a Picture of the Day (PoD) Photoblog. How: Take pictures, post on my blog. This may require a new pocket digital camera. *cough* Started this last year, got through to end of Feb, then work routines and the size of my camera just meant I kept missing opportunities and... okay, no, those are just excuses. Maintain record on http://ajkiwi.livejournal.com
5. Blog actual thoughts and reflections for at least 501 words a week on my new blog, "501 words". How: Make an hour each week for reflection time, writing time. I used to blog regularly... then I let time get away from me. I need to make that time come back. Carry notebook and pen at all times, for noting things to blog, ideas, etc, rather than keeping finding bits of paper all over the house with ideas on them. Maintain record on http://501words.blogspot.com/
6. Write 1st complete draft of text for The Real Bloke's Cookbook. This is my "learning new thing" for the year... How: Minimum 60 recipes, 5 per month. Maintain record on Big Scary Fun forums at www.nanowrimo.org of running count of recipes, to be updated on the final day of each month. Also pilfer ideas from other people there. =)
Right!
6 goals. 12 months. Each a big challenge, each achievable, each measurable, each scary, each fun! Woo-hoo! Now: It's time to bring it on.
501 words.
1st real post will be cut and pasted here before Saturday 5 Jan 2008.
And yes, it'll be 501 words long.
And yes, it'll be 501 words long.
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