Hello Alphas,<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Welcome to Alphaday 9 of Season XI. We\u2019re still in full stride with plenty to keep us occupied between one Alphaday and the next. And that\u2019s on top of whatever else \u2018life generally\u2019 may throw at us in our unguarded moments or during the regular routine. It all adds up, and Alpha provides a welcome opportunity for indulging in some creative tasks of a varied nature to keep our minds agile and supple. As far as I\u2019m concerned it\u2019s better than crosswords any time!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Our combined efforts have concocted the following menu for today:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
That\u2019s a great spread of writerly treats. If you look at the range of writing stimuli offered by challenges 7, 8 and 9, I think you\u2019ll agree that the palette of shades and nuances covers a lot more ground than most writers will need in the course of a long and busy career. However, versatility is not to be sneezed at as a virtue, and the surprise I often get when I succeed in tackling something that\u2019s way out of my comfort zone is nicely morale-boosting.<\/p>\n
As for versatility inside the group you only have to look at the Log*. All the news is interesting because it might happen to any one of us\u2026 if not exactly, then something similar. And that applies to the momentous news as well as the more private musings and everything in between. I\u2019m pleased that so many of you take the trouble to send a note to be included in the Log.<\/p>\n
* Or the showcasing pieces, or the challenges!<\/p>\n
The latest showcase piece gave rise to a discussion of a literary genre of a different kind. It became clear that quite a few members share a huge common knowledge of popular song lyrics going back some decades. Fascinating!<\/p>\n
The thirst for learning was another subject that came up. I wonder if writers are more likely than most other groups to start salivating at the thought of starting on an interesting course again\u2026 and again. It wouldn\u2019t surprise me.<\/p>\n
I love reading, but I\u2019m a binge reader, so I have to be careful not to start a book unless I can leave all other chores until I\u2019ve finished.<\/p>\n
When I\u2019ve read a book I always find it cropping up everywhere around me. I decided to re-read \u2018Emma\u2019 because I\u2019d seen (most of) the film when it was shown on TV and there were things I didn\u2019t recognise at all. Admittedly it was many decades since I read it originally, but the re-read was a wonderful experience. Would Austen have known about Pygmalion? Creating Harriet\u2019s character was such a strong Pygmalion theme. Harriet\u2019s wishful progress through suitable lovers, ending with the unobtainable Mr Knightley reminded me of Grimm\u2019s fairytale \u2018The Fisherman and his Wife\u2019 where she wishes for ever greater glory until she wants to be Pope and ends up back where she came from \u2013 just like Harriet. But \u2018Emma\u2019 was written about 30 years before Grimm hit England. Could Austen have known the story from another source? Or is it coincidence?<\/p>\n
I read Paulo Coelho\u2019s \u2018Aleph\u2019 and then an article in which Will Self agrees with TS Eliot that \u2018all time is unredeemable\u2019 (beg. of\u00a0 \u2018Burnt Norton\u2019) quoting Newton and Einstein. \u2018Aleph\u2019 is about karma and how it\u2019s possible to enter a sphere where you can confront sins committed in previous lives and redeem them. I fantasised about discussing these matters with Will Self and citing Coelho. What fun I had!<\/p>\n
Then I read \u2018Elizabeth is Missing\u2019 by Emma Healey about a 70+ year-old woman whose grip on reality is slipping. That was a mistake! The relevance was painful as I stared into the fridge with a cup of tepid coffee in my hand. Wouldn\u2019t it be better to put it in the microwave?<\/p>\n
I love reading.<\/p>\n
Christine<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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