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?