Living Life Twice

Writing ideas swirl round in my head. I live with them for days and sometimes weeks before they emerge on the page. I frequently wake up thinking about the possible shape of my writing for that day. Most days I wake thinking about my writing for that day. Later in the morning over a welcome cappuccino, I might talk about it, do some associated reading and begin scratching out preliminary ideas. I willingly embrace the swirling and mingling, happening in my head. Further sorting out takes place. -All this is part of the rehearsal for the writing to follow. I understand rehearsal is critical to my writing. I embrace it as an integral part of writing. It assists me in clarifying my ideas; to find my direction.  Playing with words and ideas in one's head is such an important part of the writing process. Think of it like a tumble drier with thoughts and ideas rolling around and around until they are ready to be taken out and spread across the page. They emerge warm and ready ...

The childhood of my youth appears to have gone the way of tape recorders, cassette players, CD's and the like. At the very least such items are on an endangered list. When sharing childhood experiences with today’s generation of students, I realize that our respective childhood experiences are world's apart. My generation grew up in small houses with big backyards. The focus of our daily existence was the world outdoors. We had extraordinary freedom to explore our immediate world. The children I now work with, (and I’m talking in general terms here) live in bigger houses, with small backyards and the focus of their lives is frequently indoors. The growth of digital technology in its myriad forms calls after them like a siren. It urges them to remain under cover. X box, computer games, and a multitude of screens win out over an outdoor lifestyle. The digital revolution has swept over our lives like a metaphorical tsunami. Freedom appears to have diminished. It ...