I’m at that happy age when I can be idle with impunity. And . . maybe . . be a chronicle of the old times.
– quote paraphrased from ‘Rip Van Winkle’ by Washington Irving
~~oo0oo~~
“In every age ‘the good old days’ were a myth. No one ever thought they were good at the time. For every age has consisted of crises that seemed intolerable to the people who lived through them.”
– Brooks Atkinson, New York theatre critic
~~oo0oo~~
“Nostalgia is simply the result of aging and liking the life you’ve lived. Be happy you can feel it. It’s a good sign.”
– Anthony Marais, American writer, musician, and academic
– – – Corollary: Try not to use it to berate, bemoan, belittle today. Remember, to many young people, today is wonderful! and exciting! and filled with potential! Don’t piss on their battery, ole toppie.
~~oo0oo~~
Nostalgia: Looking back with fondness at places and times you couldn’t wait to leave! – unknown
~~oo0oo~~
I don’t like nostalgia unless it’s my own. – Lou Reed
Writing is like a safari. You start from where you are, And you meander and explore. And you learn as you go. - Koos ~~oo0oo~~ adapted from a quote by E. L. Doctorow, American novelist
He also said:
“If you do it right, you’re coming up out of yourself in a way that’s not entirely governable by your intellect. That’s why the most important lesson I’ve learned is that:
Planning to write is not writing. Outlining a book is not writing. Researching is not writing. Talking to people about what you’re doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing.”
Maybe now I’ll write. Except he was talking about writing fiction, and I can’t do that. That’s why I changed his quote, which was about autobiographical writing: I think, ‘You Start From Where You Are.’ Doctorow said, ‘You Start From Nothing.’
Childhood friend Harry Loots is writing a lovely book on his mountaineering exploits and the journey he has made from climbing the mountain outside our town to climbing bigger and more famous mountains all over the world!!
– Platberg panorama –
Flatteringly, he asked me and a Pommy work and climber friend to proofread his latest draft. Being a techno-boff, he soon hooked us up on dropbox where we could read and comment and suggest.
I immediately launched into making sensible and well-thought out recommendations. But some of them were instantly rejected, side-stepped or ignored, I dunno WHY!!
Like the title I thought could be spiced up. Three African Peaks is all very well. But it’s boring compared to Free A-frickin’ Picks!!! to lend drama and a Seffrican accent to it, right?! I know, you can’t understand some people!
John, very much under the weight of a monarchy – meaning one has to behave – was more formal:
‘What is it with south africans and the “!”? (which is my major comment on your writing style!)
Well!!! Once we had puffed down and soothed our egos by rubbing some Mrs Balls Chutney on it, the back-n-forth started. I mean started!!
My defensive gambit was: ‘We’re drama queens!!’
My attacking gambit was an accusation: ‘Poms hugely under-use the ! In fact, they neglect it terribly! John was quickly back though, wielding his quill like a rapier:
John
‘Not true. We use our national quota. We just give almost all of them to teenage girls.’
Ooof!!!
I was on the back foot. When it came to the cover, the Boer War re-enactment resumed. I mean resumed!! I chose a lovely cover with an African mountain and a lot of greenery on the slopes. The Pom chose an ice wall, no doubt thinking of the London market. Stalemate.
Next thing he’ll be suggesting a stiff upper cover.
~~oo0oo~~
A strange thing has happened since John’s exaggerated critique!!! I am using less exclamation marks!! I have even written sentences without any! It actually feels quite good. I’ve discovered the full stop. The new, restrained me. Exciting.
Vrystaat Confessions 