Sunday, July 8, 2012

10 things I learnt this week #2

I have decided I like this list thing. It's an easy filler on the nights when I don't start writing a post until 10.22pm. It works well when I have angry thoughts buzzing in my brain, and they're not necessarily ones that I want to share with the world at large (note: there are times when installing an editor somewhere between your brain and your typing fingertips can be a massive advantage).

I promise not to pull it out too often, but hope you'll forgive me an occasional lapse.

Anyhoo, here are the 10 things I learnt this week.

1. I should use 'learnt' instead of 'learned' after '10 things', even if it doesn't look quite right.

2. I really, really dislike it when writers steal the work of other writers. Yes, creativity comes with many shades of grey, but word-for-word repeating of someone else's work is simply copyright infringement.

3. Speaking of shades of grey (and questionable 'inspiration' for that matter), I probably won't be reading 50 Shades of Grey. I asked the question about whether it's worth my while on my Facebook page and the answer turned out to be pretty much black and white. If you want to read really good erotica, try Anais Nin. Really. I can promise that you'll learn a few things...

4. A holiday at home can be very busy. We've hardly left the front door but there's been a positive stream of people coming in so we've had no shortage of entertainment.

5. Pruning roses can be hard work. And prickly. And bring to mind all manner of pruning/editing metaphors, most of which are best left behind in the garden.

6. No-one is more fun to hang with than your own family. Nuclear. Extended. It's all good.

7. Apparently, 67 per cent of couples are less satisfied in their marriages after the birth of their first child.

8.  Bloggers are never going to agree on the correct way to make money from blogging. Which probably means that there is no correct way. There is just the way that might work for you, if that's what you want. As for the writers vs authors vs journalists vs bloggers debate... well, I learnt that it makes my eyes glaze over.

9.  Old school friends, even the ones you don't see for 12 months between drinks, are the best value. There is nothing like talking to people who knew you before you even knew who you were to bring on the belly laughs.

10. I smile as I type. If I'm writing something that makes me happy, or writing to someone I really like, I find myself smiling. It must look completely bizarre to anyone who's watching. Fortunately, not too many people are watching.

What did you learn in the last seven days?


17 comments:

  1. Pearls of wisdom as usual Al.
    And I smile too when I write. My calm place.

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  2. I love my friends who knew me before I knew who I was. They are all kinds of awesome :)

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  3. I've learned about learnt. And it still looks weird. That stealing thing - of someone's words is like..brain rape? Oh I just made that up and it's a bit full on. You do soune so very happy

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  4. Excellent post. What have I learnt this week? That I am a natural worrier when it comes to potential flooding, that it's nice to meet up with friends you haven't seen in a while, and that I can't function properly without sufficient coffee.

    Off to get me some now!

    Sarah
    http://acatlikecuriosity.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. Yes. I completely agree with you on the coffee thing!

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  5. You are forgiven, because we can learn from your 10 things too. Completely agree about hanging with family. I don't do enough of it, but when I do I realise why we all have the same smile wrinkles.

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  6. I like No. 9 - and I can claim that I knew you before you were famour....(and have the embarrassing photos and documents to prove it LOL)

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    1. Ah yes, we are still to come to an arrangement about those...

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  7. What a great list! Last week I leant that my measures of success have mostly been created by other people—that I don't have to tick all the boxes to feel joy and make a valuable contribution to the world. And that it's a very bad idea to make a whole batch of chocolate brownies when you live by yourself and have noone to help you eat them. A very bad idea.

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  8. I've learnt to be careful what you wish for – a ready supply of firewood, a branch removed from view, a way to have hubby home more on the school holidays, a good way to entertain the munchkin and encourage him to hang out outdoors – really did not have to come in the form of two massive gum trees falling down in my yard. Really!

    So glad you're smiling when you're writing Al. I'm hoping to do that myself really soon.

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  9. I learnt that not everyone has wifi. Or even broadband. And I also learnt that I have embraced technology so much that I am baffled and stunned when faced with those who haven't. Time for a month-long camping trip to find some balance. x

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  10. I learnt that despite good intentions and properly made plans, it's all too easy to slip into the "sleep late, stay in pyjamas and do nothing all day for a week" routine.

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  11. I learnt that I have to read Anais Lin ha ha. I just got sucked into the whole Fifty Shades book even though I promised myself I wouldnt. I couldnt help it, I was just going to have a peak at the sample you download on your iPad and then I ended up accidently on purpose downloading all three books. I also learnt that I really really suck at Twitter! ;) x

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  12. Sunshine, coffee and lots of catching up .... what a great way to spend a couple of hours!

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  13. Only 67%?

    Thanks for the laughs this week. All smiles here too. x

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  14. In the past 7 days I've learnt that it's easy for a particularly member of my family to make me really really angry and I'm not going to let them do that any more. I like school holidays most of the time, especially not having to make lunches. Juggling work and school holidays is a killer. I love tea in the little teapot I found at an antique shop in the mountains. I could possibly be addicted to shows on Foxtel about New York. That is all.

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