Hello everyone,
General:
We’ve had a bit of correspondence about viruses and ways to protect your computer, and everyone should be able to pick their own way through the problems. I don’t expect you all to go out and buy a Mac PC, though I did begin to wonder whether Chris was on commission! The one thing that has been forcibly impressed upon me is that do not have more than one security system on your PC art a time. It won’t give you extra protection, and it will slow down your PC considerably.
I began to wonder if my PC was getting sluggish – was that suggested by all the dreadful things from Alpha members I was reading? But I hope no-one has had the experience that I had on Friday March 19th (I always start writing the Circular, but still usually finish it at the last minute). I was moving across my study, when I knocked the tower of my PC off the desk. I don’t quite know how it happened – I didn’t trip over a wire or fall. But Crash!!! – it feel the three feet to the floor. Wires, USB plugs and webcams were all over the place. I gingerly picked the tower block up, and fixed the case back on (even that had become dislodged), and removed everything except the power plug, and switched it on – and it worked. I slowly tried each extra piece of equipment in turn, and they all worked! And what’s more, it doesn’t seem in any way sluggish any more. It was as if all the bugs and viruses had been shaken out. I had a horrible few minutes, and I don’t recommend this as a way of getting rid of viruses.
Challenges:
This circular coincides with the setting of the last challenge of the season. We’ve had a fascinating set of challenges for the year, and we won’t know who’ll be the overall winner for a while yet. It may depend on how you react to the last challenge, which Celia is sending out – and it really is a tough challenge which should produce a wide variety of responses.
But on the subject of challenges, I believe that the format we have developed could have an interesting application in secondary schools or Sixth Form Colleges. I think that if about 12-15 schools could be encouraged to take part using a team of second year sixthformers, it could prove very interesting, and educational as well. Why shouldn’t those whose interest is writing be denied competition that is available to sportsmen and some of the subjects? The great thing is that it could be done at virtually no cost, and if peer-assessment is used, then only an overseeing role for the organiser is needed. I’ve written a short document outlining the idea, and I’ve sent it to my old school in Taunton to see whether there’s any enthusiasm. But if anyone else would like to see what I’ve written, or if they know of a local school that might be interested, please let me know.
I have read all the comments regarding judging and marking, and I find them interesting, but it seems that by and large we are doing the right thing. Over the next couple of days, I'll summarise my thoughts and circul;ate them. With the weather at last imoproving, I've an acre of garden which is demanding my attentionb!
The results of Challenge 8, interpreted from marks into points reveals that Celia gets 3 points, Clare gets 2 points, Zena and Geoff get 1 point each, and David and Dianne get a * each. Everyone also gets a point for entering.
The leaderboard is now
Clare 19 pts and ***
Sally 18 pts and **
Geoff 18 pts
Chris 17 pts and ***
Zena 17 pts and *
Celia 17 pts
Christine 15 pts and ****
With 2 challenges to go, any of these can win.
Many thanks to David for seeing the marking through.
Biographies:
We don’t do much about biographies, but I want to tell you about a lady called Mrs Delany (1700-1788). She lived in the eighteenth century, and although not aristocracy, she was well-connected., and had an extremely interesting life. When she was young she displayed some extraordinary artistic talent in paper cutting, and embroidery.
But when she was 70 years old, she developed an art form, a kind of collage. She took pieces of tissue paper, and built up pictures by pasting them several thicknesses on a black backing paper. Coloured tissues paper didn’t exist (at least not readily) in those days, so she dyed the paper she wanted to use. Glues that were available were messy and so she made her own paste through flour (some of us can remember doing this when we were young). The subjects she chose? – primarily flowers. Her remarkable illustrations are something which I will never forget. Even the thorns on the stems of roses were cut from paper. She became respected as an illustrator for some of the plant-gatherers. But remember, she was starting at 70 years of age, and artificial lighting wasn’t good. Over the next 10 years, she made about 1,000 illustrations: that works out at about 1 every 3 days.
Why should I mention it? Only that there’s an exhibition in London – the Sir John Soane Museum in Lincoln’s Inn - until May 1st: if any of you are in London, you should take the opportunity to see it (it’s free). It’s based on a theme of Mrs Delany and her Circle: a book that’s just been published. It’s a small exhibition. There are about a dozen of her collages shown, and 4 pieces of her embroidery- and they display quite unbelievable skill: there’s also quite a bit of information about her life and background of the times. There was an exhibition in Bath about 18 years ago, and we took a party to the British Museum for a private showing about 15 years ago. Exhibitions of her work don’t come up often – but she is one of the most impressive persons about whom a biography is totally justified. (google: Mrs Delany exhibition).
Incoming messages:
I’ve received the following message. I’ve edited it fairly severely! The original contained a lot of repetition and unnecessary self-congratulation! Nevertheless, it’s a good cause, and they have a large entry numbers, so perhaps it may appeal to some of you.
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Hello everyone,
My name is Tommy McBride, and I am the Group Secretary of ‘The University of Liverpool Creative Writing Society for Lifelong Learning’. We are a non-funded Merseyside creative writing group who are totally independent of The University of Liverpool, but with the support of the University of Liverpool’s Continuing Education Centre for ten years.
Our ‘Open’ creative writing competition, 'The 4th Annual Ted Walters International Short Story, Poetry and Playwriting Competition 2010’which attracts some of the world’s best writers, was officially launched on Tuesday 19th January 2010.
Every entry that comes into our competition generates a £1 donation for the charity ‘Macmillan Cancer Support’. We have realized £1,645 over the last 3 years.
We would really appreciate it if you could all forward this entry form onto as many of your contacts as you possibly can. See the website
http://www.the-village.co.uk/tedwalters.htm
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I’ve just received Margie’s note – as you will all have done. It’s good news that everything is progressing well: I always feel close to all Alpha members, and it’s so good to feel that a similar feeling persists amongst you all. Just keep it up, Margie!!!
Best wishes,
- Olaf
I’m being cheeky and adding a footnote to Olaf’s circular, as he’s asked me to send it round.
Like Olaf, I think the challenges that people have created this season have resulted in some remarkable writing – most of which far better than mine, boo hoo! But the important thing is that people are writing and, judging by Christine’s LOG, writing successfully outside of Alpha too.
Now my hope is that I shall take back the stewardship of the group for next season. Olaf and I are discussing it even as I write. So any ideas or inspiration that you have for challenges, make a note of them and keep them safe until we start to discuss next year.
Meanwhile, I’m going to add my good wishes for Margie and, of course, for all the rest of you who are buzzing about doing so much writing and other work.
- David
