Categories
Random thoughts teaching

Leaping

This came across my Facebook feed the other day:

And when I finished laughing (gotta love those subliminal messages!) I wondered why – from a writer’s point of view – I found it so funny.

I’ve decided it’s because of the leap needed on the part of the reader. The story is headed in one direction (they make each other laugh; they have a good time) but then leaps to a completely different one (I’m in jail) and it’s the juxtaposition of these two ideas that is startling and therefore humorous. We get a clue it may happen (one was a police officer) but the brain does’t immediately think ‘going to be arrested and therefore need bail money’ and so when it happens, it’s a surprise but not an out-of-the-blue one.

Which made me think of my story from a few weeks’ back… again, boy meets girl and mesmerises her with his eyes – but then ends up being a vampire (I tried channelling Twilight with the ‘mesmerising’ bit). And I wonder if this ‘leaping’ idea is why Janet Reid liked my ‘Stillborn story’ where the reader is led in one direction, but then reader understanding is needed to follow the story to the conclusion?

Anyway, just a few random thoughts this morning. Have a leap-full day yourself, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

Categories
family anecdotes Life Technology

Constructing

I’ve been amazed by my son’s mind ever since he could communicate. He’d show me things and I’d marvel at how he viewed the world; so differently from me. And then once he could talk – which was later than most children due to his autism – I could admire his creativity still more.

He’s always had an affinity for technology. I remember him setting up the playstation, every plug into its correct place, without any hesitation. He was two years old. Which shouldn’t have surprised me, seeing as his seventh word (after ‘Daddy’, ‘Mummy’, ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’) was ‘iPad’.

But I’m still surprised by the creations he makes. Like on Minecraft: check this out.

I took the photo for this blogpost, then he asked, “Would you like to see it in the daylight? It looks different there.”

Oh! Love him!

Anyway, I just thought I’d share this with you. Have a creative day yourself, dear Reader!

-KRidwyn

Categories
Reading Review

Novel series review…

Now I’m a Teacher Librarian, I check out the book section of each store I happen to find myself in. And boy! Have I found some bargains 🙂
I’ve been meaning to purchase the trilogy by Amie Kaufmann and Jay Kristoff THE ILLUMINAE FILES for some time now, however time has worked against me. Imagine my delight then, to find them for just $5 each from my local supermarket! Purchase acquired, I scurried home to read them… and was even more delighted that I was on holiday and could afford the time. Because I literally could NOT put these books down!

On the downside, the grey font on grey background pages were a little frustrating. And a second downside was that finishing the series meant I had to integrate back into reality again, however I am immensely glad for the experience while it lasted, and have been recommending these books left, right and centre ever since. It’s no wonder they won a Prime Minister’s Literary Award, an ABIA Award, an Aurealis Award and an Inky Award – they’re well deserved winners!
So. If you have a few hours and want to be immersed in a gripping storyline, check these out. And who knows? Perhaps you’ll also be fortunate enough to find the entire trilogy for just $5 each!
Have an immerseful day yourself, dear Reader!
– KRidwyn

Categories
Life Random thoughts

Resistant…?

Visitors to my home quickly notice housecleaning is not one of my strengths. Far from it. I’m a believer in ‘good enough’ rather than ‘good’ in this area; living with a husband and three cherubs aged 15, almost 13 and 12 – none of whom I’ve managed to train with any huge degree of success in ‘tidiness’ let along ‘cleanliness’? – this is a battle I choose to NOT pick. Sanity trumps in this matter.

Not that I enjoy the clutter and dirt. I do what I can, within the limits of my sanity and potentially-undiagnosed-OCD-ness. And preparedness helps too.

For example, I buy clothes which don’t need ironing. And which don’t require specialised ‘wash-by-hand’ instructions. Yes, I’m one of *those* people who read the clothes labels!

The other day though, I was bamboozled, flummoxed, mystified (pick your adjective because I’m still so puzzled by this turn of events, I can’t!) because I read the label on my new five-pack of sports socks only when I was home, removing the tags.

Did you catch those bullet-points? The bottom one proudly asserting these socks were resistant to washing and dry-cleaning?

Resistant to washing. Really. On SOCKS???

If there’s anything you’d want for socks – arguably the clothing item prone to the most dirt and smell – you’d want them to love being washed! To embrace the process of cleansing; to relish the removal of smell and dirt and grime from their pores. To long for it, be eager for it, desiring all else to be clean, be greedy for the water and soap detergent more than any other clothes, to savour the cleanliness at the end of the process… and so on and so forth.

To deliberately design clothes – especially socks – with ‘washing resistance’? I don’t know. I guess I’m missing something here. Because to me, that simply beggars belief.

Here’s hoping you have a more enlightened day yourself, dear Reader!

– KRidwyn

Categories
Scribblings teaching Work Writing

Flash fiction – 4 prompt words

Last term, I started a “Writer’s Group” at my school. Interested students – only girls so far! – meet each morning and practise various activities to improve their writing skills.

One such activity was “write a 100-word flash fiction story which must include random prompt words”. My favourite story used the words: Fate; Find; Potential; Fiendish. Below is what I came up with:

It’s fate, I knew it! Jane thought. I knew I’d find him – the stars aligned perfectly this month!

She stared dreamily out the window, remembering last night. Their eyes had met across the crowded bar. Excusing himself from his friends, he’d moved toward her, his eyes – mesmerising! – locked with hers. Other girls, appraising his potential, tried flirting as he passed; he ignored them. He only had eyes for her! And they had a tete-a-tete tonight!

Ma cherie, he murmured into her neck later that evening. Her eyes closed, she didn’t notice his enlarged canines behind his fiendish smile.

I quite liked writing it! Never written a vampire character before. I’m thinking it’s all the manga I’ve been reading for work this year…

Anyway, here’s wishing you a story-filled day today yourself, dear Reader!

  • KRidwyn

 

 

Categories
Random thoughts Work Writing

Reacquainting

I thought I might try this again today. Reacquaint myself with my blog, with the whole process of writing-and-sharing which hasn’t happened in… well… quite some time now.

I’m healthy, and have been all year. Riddled with guilt for being so healthy, when so many aren’t. But as a teacher, I’ve been run off my feet. How much of ‘not blogging’ is due to the former; how much to the latter? Who knows. And does it matter anyway?

Well, I’m trying again. Blogging regularly. Not sure if it’ll be weekly or – gasp! – daily. The worst that can happen? It doesn’t last. My pride cops another dent. Sigh. But no real biggie. On the flip-side, perhaps I can make blogging into a habit again. I like that idea. And I’ve noticed I’m always happiest when I’m writing.

So. Here goes. All things going well, I’ll see you again soon dear Reader! Until then, keep safe and well…

– KRidwyn

Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges Uncategorized

#blogJune day17

So my middle child – Miss12 – has 3 days left until she’s exactly halfway through Year 8. That’s halfway through Middle School.

And my youngest, Master11, just received his letter of confirmation into the same High School as his sisters for next year.

Man – time is flying!

(And yes, I am deliberately NOT thinking about Miss15 driving in just 7 months…!)

Have a speedy day yourself, dear Reader… should you wish it to be, that is!

– KRidwyn

Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges Reading Writing

#blogJune day16

Recently I’ve been re-reading Eoin Colfer’s ARTEMIS FOWL series. Wow, but they’re good!

Now, Disney released the Artemis Fowl movie late last week. I don’t have Disney Plus, so can’t watch it. And I was spitting chips because even Dame Judy Dench is in it! Although numbers of reviews I’ve read today were in shock at how butchered the storyline was, so perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise?

Anyway, here’s wishing you a butcher-free day today, dear Reader!

  • KRidwyn
Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges Random thoughts

#blogJune day 15

So it looks like the rain has set in… meaning our fireplace wood is wet 🙁

 

But… apparently it was Winter Solstice yesterday. Which was good because I don’t like the cold. At all. So the days are getting longer again, and the weather warming up – this is a good thing for me!

Have a warm day yourself, dear Reader!

  • KRidwyn
Categories
#blogjune Blogging challenges teaching Work

#blogJune day14

Guess what I’ve had the pleasure of looking at all weekend…

Aren’t they beautiful!!!

Hubby knew I’d had a tough week, so brought these home for me on Friday evening.

Definitely a keeper 🙂

– KRidwyn