Friday, October 22

How Art Thou Spunk Rat?

Ok so this post is a bit tricky. I actually started it on the 22nd of October. Today is actually the 24th of November. Between then and now I actually have a totally of five posts that I started but for one reason or another never actually got around to posting. Part of my own personal blogging rules for this blog is that no post will go unpublished regardless of how long it may at times take.

I am currently partaking in a writing challenge (of sorts). While the rest of the participants are feverishly trying to write at least 50,000 words that will form a novel I am just trying to get out the number totally oblivious to what the words may actually form. As such I am able to include the drivel which you are currently being subjected to (thanks for reading by the way).

The reason for my adaptation to the official rules is the fact that rather than try the novel feat in a month I have left myself with little under a week. I have recently passed the first thousand mark so at least I am on my way. The thing that I will struggle most with I think is finding the time to stay coherent. See I know I can make some time in my day but it is not without interruption which is the tricky part.

See this morning I was flying along, I had the first few paragraphs of actual fiction out but then the baby woke, the washing machine beeped and before I knew it, it was time to pick up cherub number two up from her transition trial. By the time I returned to write any idea that was once stored in my head had successfully disappeared.

So here I am.

Trying to come up with some meaningful words but unable to think long enough to get an idea. To me though the most important thing is that I write. As long as I can get something, anything really, it has got to be better than nothing!

So why the title? A long time ago, it feels almost like a life time ago actually, I had a significant other that would affectionately refer to me as his spunk rat. It was a very complicated time in my life and I will save you the detail for now, as a result of it all though I tried my hand at poetry and How Art Thou Spunk Rat? was one of my first pieces I felt I could share with the world.

When I first began to delve into the world that is Internet writing I had it published on a site called Triond (runs off to find link) though I titled it "Torn within a love affair" I also used a pen name Campbell Ray. I had forgotten how much I actually like that name. Those who know me very well in the real world will know why the Campbell, and as for the Ray, well I guess I just like the way it sounded.

Well once again my time has run out so I will bid you adieu
1553

Friday, October 15

Flash Fiction Challenge

Some time ago, while idly whittling the time away on FB, I stumbled across an ad that caught my attention. It was calling for entries for something known as flash fiction. Having a deep aspirations of one day making it big in the world of writing I decided to investigate.

I found myself being taken here, where before I knew it I had filled in the entry form and began not so patiently waiting for the first challenge to be set. Finally the long awaited day arrived. And when I say finally I mean a good 14 hours after the date set out on the website. (One of the many joys of living in Australia is that for the most part we are ahead of time)

Anyway for the next 24 hours I pondered on what I was going to create. For the past month I had been dreaming of creating a literary piece that would leave the judges blown away with the prize money all but in my pocket. Now that the time was actually here I struggled to even conceive a notion of a plot that was set in a homeless shelter, mentioned a fishing net and was a mystery.

Not wanting to be a quitter (or waste the entry fee) I managed to submit a charming little piece which I titled Sally and the Psychic Not exactly the most imaginative title I know, (actually the judge's comments were the title is to literal and thesis like) but it was the best I could do at the time.

While on the one hand I felt some sense of achievement in being able to produce something in under 48 hours, there was also a part of me that felt I had not done enough. Truth be told I probably only spent a total of 8 hours creating my work of art and at the end of it all I realised it would possibly not be the winner I had been dreaming of.

For the following weeks while I waited for the results to be posted I tried not to beat myself up too much. What was done was done. All I could do now was make sure my next attempt was an improvement.

As it turned out I had my efforts were worse than I expected. I failed to score at all. You could only imagine the disappointment that I felt. I tried to let it all go though as it was only 24 hours till the next round began. With all the best intentions I was certain I could still make it to the top five. These best intentions were quickly shattered when I saw I need to come up with a court room drama that mentioned a remote control car. One hour before the deadline for submissions closed I some how managed to send of Death by Accident

This time there was no pride. Just shame I had not been able to come up with something better. I felt my efforts were nothing more than just an entry. I was glad it was an electronic submission as it really would have been a waste of paper to enter such tripe.

I felt no anticipation for the results to be posted this time as I was certain that I would again fail to reach a score. There was a little disappointment when I received the email saying the results posting was delayed as I did just want it over and done with. However there was much surprise when I discovered I had actually been assigned 12 points. In the scheme of things this means out 22 writers I came in seventh place. Which given my effort levels I think is not too bad.

The best part of all of this is that I think it may actually be enough to spur me on a little...after all Nanowrimo is only a few weeks away now....stay tuned...

Monday, October 11

Habits

For the most part it appears as if people think of a habit as something negative. By this I mean our habits are generally seen as things that we need to break as opposed to forming.

For example I put great effort into kicking the disgusting habit known as smoking. Which I must say is something I have proudly succeeded in. However forming the habit of writing on a regular basis is something that I am still to master... perhaps if were to think of it as breaking the habit of wasting my nights be idly clicking away on the old FB.

That is it for now... Sally Pearson is about to race in the 100 mts hurdles ... fingers crossed it works out better for her tonight

Saturday, October 9

Childcare

Read with caution, one eyed opinion to follow...

Child care is something I feel rather passionately about. As I imagine many mothers do. To me the best person/people to care for children are their parents. Well at least most of the time, barring drunks, drug addicts and those who willingly neglect the blessings that are sent to them.

I do not believe that children, should be sent to child care centres and quite frankly I struggle to understand how a mother can return to the workforce and leave her six week or even six month old baby in the arms of strangers. Aside from the obvious lack of breastfeeding opportunity it just doesn't seem fair to either party.

I understand each to their own and all that and I know that not all mothers can or want to breastfeed and that is their right and blah blah blah but I am sorry for not truly being able to accept it. To me, part of being a mother is the selflessness. It is waking up at ungodly hours to feed, soothe a new little soul as it adjusts to this world without complaint or grudge. It is going without at times in order to meet the needs of others. It is a devotion and love that can be draining and at times hard but also beautiful and more rewarding than anything else life can possibly throw at you.

As I sat down to write this post, an ad for a forthcoming current affairs show came on the old box. I didn't quite catch all of it but I did manage to here a group of mothers complaining about the rising cost of child care. I could feel my blood begin to boil as I questioned whether these mothers really needed to work especially if they were going to then complain about the excessive cost of paying someone to care for their flesh and blood.

As a society we have been conditioned to believe that self worth is gained through employment. Value as a person is often based on employment levels and achievement. Not nearly enough credit is given to mothers who choose to remain outside the traditional workforce to bring up their children. Instead mothers feel forced to deposit children in mass produced cages each and every day while apparently qualified carers tend to the needs of up to ten children at a time.

Now I must admit that I do know some wonderful people who work in this industry and they are passionate and caring people who genuinely feel for the children that they look after. However they are still not the parents of these children. I guess my biggest gripe with childcare is that to me it defies the point of having children.