Writing Exercises

Call Me Ishmael

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Today’s post ”Call Me Ishmael” asked us to take the first sentence from your favourite book and make it the first sentence of your post. I can’t really narrow down ONE book as my favourite so here is a mash up of my favourites:

 

Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. The tracks of an old railway line run from Adelaide in South Australia to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. It is a truth universally acknowledge, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

Did you guess any of them?

 

Now these are not in a particular order because I couldn’t choose between them:

 

For out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. The hitch hiker’s guide to the galaxy – Douglas Adams. All hail the late Douglas Adams and his trilogy in five parts, I’ve put the first line out of the first book, but in my heart it’s representing the whole series.

 

The tracks of an old railway line run from Adelaide in South Australia to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Albert of Adelaide – Howard L Anderson. If you haven’t heard of it you should look it up. http://sarahalison27.org/2013/12/14/albert-of-adelaide/

 

Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. Harry Potter – J K Rowling. As with HHGTTG I’ve put the first line out of the first book, but in my heart it’s representing the whole series.

 

It is a truth universally acknowledge, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen. You all know this book I’m sure. If I really had to narrow it down to one book as my favourite, this would probably be the one –

 

BUT if you’d asked me as a child it would have been Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery and this book will always be right up there!! Anne of Green Gables opens with a whopping 148-word sentence.

Mrs Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies’ eardrops, and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place; it was reputed to be an intricate, headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods, with dark secrets of pool and cascade; but by the time it reached Lynde’s Hollow it was a quiet, well-conducted little stream, for not even a brook could run past Mrs Rachel Lynde’s door without due regard for decency and decorum; it probably was conscious that Mrs Rachel was sitting at her door, keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks and children up, and that if she noticed anything odd or out of place she would never rest until she had ferreted out the whys and wherefores thereof.

All these Books in my opinion are pure awesomeness!!!

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Kick It

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heather valley shorty autumn

 

Today’s post asked us ‘’what’s the eleventh item on your bucket list?’’

#11 – Find a field of heather, on a misty Scottish hillside to dance around in while imagining I am Fiona from Brigadoon.

 

 

Ok Sorry I don’t actually have a bucket list, there are many things I want to do before I die, but I’ve never sat and wrote them out.

I’d find it rather depressing to have a list sitting there, because unless I won the lotto it would more than likely never be fulfilled.

If I was to sit down and write a bucket list, most of my items would be travel related, places I’d love to travel to. I’ve managed to see some of my dream holiday and adventure destinations in Australia, but I want see ALL of Australia. I’d love to travel to New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Canada, money money money, damn I’d try and see the WHOLE world if I had the money (and armed forces to protect me). Most activities I’ve wanted to try, I have. I got my husband to teach me to ab-sail and ride a motor bike. I don’t want to bungy jump or jump out of a plane like most people seem to. I’ve toyed with the idea of going to Uni, so that would also be on my list and improving my writing skills. The only other thing would be mending burnt bridges of friendship, but I think that’s a constant thing you’ve always got to work at, so probably doesn’t belong on a bucket list.

I assume what the task wanted us to do was to talk about our eleventh bucket list item, what is it, why do you want to do it etc, So I’ll pick Scotland as my eleven item.

My maternal grandmother was born in Scotland and migrated out to Australia when she was eleven years old. I’d love to go to the town where my grandmother was born and visit her grandparent’s graves. I would love to explore Scotland, its warm people, its historic landmarks and beautiful landscapes. But most of all I would love to find a field of heather, on a misty Scottish hillside to dance around in while imagining I am Fiona from Brigadoon.

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Resolved

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I have NEVER made a New Year’s Resolution that I have kept, ever!!!

Each year I always say I’m going to get fit and get some savings in the bank, blah blah blah, but this year I have to do it for my six month old son’s sake.

Hopefully putting my 2014 resolutions on my blog will make me stick to them, you can all help hold me accountable!!!

#1 – Be kinder to myself (I am way too hard on myself)

#2 – Get Fit (I’m going to have a little speed demon to run after and keep up with once he finds his feet)

#3 – Each day complete the 365 writing prompt eBook (Yay! This is post number 2)

#4 – Get my finances in check

#5 – Complete courses to improve grammar and writing skills (I have already enrolled in 2 for February)

I am determined!!! All my resolutions are do-able, I’ve just gotta suck it up and tough it out. I’ve got to dedicate time to my writing, start walking every day again and curb my husband’s spending (yeah wish me luck with that one).

I’m going to channel The Little Engine That Could

“I-think-I-can-I-think-I-can-I-think-I-can.”

I’m going to get all the animals safely through the mountain no matter how dangerous it is or how much snow, UMMMMMM oh wait a minute, no, I’m going to get my shit together, that’s right, be kinder, get fit, writing prompts, finances, improve writing, I-think-I-can-I-think-I-can-I-think-I-can!!!!ithinkican

 

(Book referenced is The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper)

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Stroke of midnight

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Well hello there 2014, nice to meet you.

I was in bed when 2013 turned into 2014 hoping that the crackers that had awoken me didn’t wake up my six month old son as I was exhausted and didn’t want a baby’s cry to ring in my new year.

No this wasn’t really where I wanted to be, I wanted to be camping with my parents, but alas with my husband’s work commitments we haven’t managed to go for the last five years or so. Why didn’t I go without him? Well my parents were away camping at Narrabri and I’d have been looking a 35-40 degree days in a tent with a six month old, yeah just wasn’t going to happen. Obviously we adults could handle the heat no worries, but my son won’t even sleep in his room unless it’s under 26 degrees and I really didn’t think It would be healthy for him in such high heat. Whenever my husband manages to get New Year’s off, Riley will be older and we can take him regardless. I really miss spending New Year’s camping with my family like I did as child.

It’s not all bad though my husband has Easter off and it’ll be cooler then. So come Easter my son will get to go on his first camping trip to Narrabri.

I’m looking forward to a good 2014 – I wish you all well.

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