This is a blog about my life in Central Alabama. I don't presume that anyone other than myself would want to read it, at least not on purpose, for it might prove to be dull reading indeed.
But, it's foolish to pretend that anyone who starts a blog doesn't have the idea that someone will click and read, someone who can say I understand what this person is saying. I know how this person thinks.
Sarah Palmer ( real teacher whom everyone loved ) told me in college that I had the potential to be a fairly tolerable writer, but that implied something of hard work and committment to the task, and, at that stage of my life, I didn't understand the concept of not doing anything to the extreme.
I also remember that she hated what was called stream of consciousness writing, which I was inclined to do, and, in the 70's, that was not good for an A in English Composition 101 unless you were assigned to mimic the style of Henry David Thoreau, whose essays she could not bear to read.
The order of the day was introduction with thesis, three points, and a summary conclusion. I soon saw the pattern as a mathematical formula, and my success was assured, after she corrected my little problem which she called "writing like a Victorian."
Now, thirty-five years later, I am free to let my stream of consciousness flow, and, if I still write like a Victorian, I have no one to blame but myself, as she did her best to change me.
I want to write about things here in Alabama, my collections ( "Let's go antique-ing" ), maybe something about my ancestors ( a big deal among old familes here), my obsessive searches on Ebay, my primitive furniture ( which fits right in with my log house) , and anything else which gains my attention for the day. If I promise nothing, then I won't disappoint.
Finally, I don't know how to turn on the spell-check, or if there even is such a thing in this place. I will say here that I don't think any writer ( or reader) is all that smart who can't think of at least three ways to spell a word.
But, it's foolish to pretend that anyone who starts a blog doesn't have the idea that someone will click and read, someone who can say I understand what this person is saying. I know how this person thinks.
Sarah Palmer ( real teacher whom everyone loved ) told me in college that I had the potential to be a fairly tolerable writer, but that implied something of hard work and committment to the task, and, at that stage of my life, I didn't understand the concept of not doing anything to the extreme.
I also remember that she hated what was called stream of consciousness writing, which I was inclined to do, and, in the 70's, that was not good for an A in English Composition 101 unless you were assigned to mimic the style of Henry David Thoreau, whose essays she could not bear to read.
The order of the day was introduction with thesis, three points, and a summary conclusion. I soon saw the pattern as a mathematical formula, and my success was assured, after she corrected my little problem which she called "writing like a Victorian."
Now, thirty-five years later, I am free to let my stream of consciousness flow, and, if I still write like a Victorian, I have no one to blame but myself, as she did her best to change me.
I want to write about things here in Alabama, my collections ( "Let's go antique-ing" ), maybe something about my ancestors ( a big deal among old familes here), my obsessive searches on Ebay, my primitive furniture ( which fits right in with my log house) , and anything else which gains my attention for the day. If I promise nothing, then I won't disappoint.
Finally, I don't know how to turn on the spell-check, or if there even is such a thing in this place. I will say here that I don't think any writer ( or reader) is all that smart who can't think of at least three ways to spell a word.
Comments
Post a Comment