Sat here, pondering on what to write while listening to Verlyn Klinkenborg talking about Several Short Sentances About Writing.
Knowing what to write about is leaving me feeling like an amnesiac who can’t remember yesterday.
How do I shape my prose when my prose won’t stream?
Getting back to my flat a few minutes ago after walking with wonder in my heart in the thick layer of snow that lay on the ground I had this thought:
If I move my computer desk and equipment over to the other side of the room then I can sit and peer out of the window. Right now the flakes of snow are very large and they are falling lightly, almost in slow motion.
The thought of being able to write this while gazing above my screen watching it fall has me wanting to get it done now, but I have to wait as the walls will get painted in the process.
However, I know what I will do!
I’ll go and use my laptop and sit there at the window. Maybe that way my prose will come to me and I can write with some substance. We’ll see? And I’ll be right back.
Faster they fall now, then no they go slow, falling so lightly only one place to go.
I used to have my desk here at my window a few years ago and sitting her now I had almost forgotten that I do have a view. It’s not much, I have a few trees and a house in the distance and next door’s flat blocks half of the panoramic scene but for right now it’s a refreshing change to see the outdoors in all it’s white crispyness.
I don’t know about you but for me today has flown by really quickly, it’s strange how that happens where days can drag and others can fly as I’m not doing anything different really than I do for every day, the only thing different I’ve done today is sleep in for a while.
Verlyn just said to read my writing out loud, as the ear is much smarter than the eye and I must admit, I’d rather listen then read.
I read a post on here a few days ago which was saying to not make my posts so personal. I have to disagree as I don’t see anything wrong with writing from my own point of view and all that entails at the moment is of now, and with what I’m doing. My opinions on whatever would only come to light if I had been asked a question, and for me, I don’t ask myself many questions.
Maybe I should.
Feeling lost in a world of my own has become a normailty and I crave outside engagement. Things are difficult at the moment for everyone through Lockdown and isolation and when you didn’t have a good social life in the first place things are a bit tougher. My heart goes out to all of you who might be in that situation.
You all write about the most interesting things but how are you? Really?
Are you hiding behind your interests and your intelligence?
It seems to me that the writing site Medium is a place for just that. For intelligent people to show off their intelligence. I read a lot of their posts and I’m blown away by it for one. And for two I wonder where the ideas come from in the first place.
I think I must be living in the wrong world of being. I feel wasted. They say to surround yourself with positivity etc. Well I think I need to move.
It’s the way I am though to think, “Nah, fuck it, I’ll do it on my own.” After all, we are who we are no matter where we are, right? And with the way things are today, being online and virual what better place to start mixing?
I’m one of lifes natural helpers.
I’d rather help someone else than I would myself. It makes me feel great. Now I know there is something inherently wrong with that because I should be looking after №1, myself. And I do to an extent but with the fact that I change my mind so much and so quickly I find it really hard to stick at just about anything for long periods of time, so I always fall short.
Only this morning I had a shot of satisfaction when I found an audiobook and then realised that it might help someone who I don’t even know. The inherently wrong thing could well be helping myself through helping others.
I’ve made a decision and that’s come to me through what I’ve learnt from being so isolated for so long, and that is to become a telephone befriender for the elderly here in the UK. If I can feel so lost and abandoned on my own then how must they feel at their age? So I’ve asked for the role. It’ll take a month or so to be registered where I can actually start talking to people but I’ve learned to be patient, and it will come.
What happens in the mean time is any ones guess.
A new variant of this virus has been found in the South East of my country, where it came from and how that can happen I don’t know, unless someone flew in and spread it. The majority of people are abiding by the rules of restrictions by staying inside but how can a new variant present itself when we are all locked in anyway, being an island. I personally think that it’s been made up by the Government to try and scare people more into staying inside as there are some who are flauting the law.
How does this virus mutate?
It’s called Antigenic Drift. As a virus replicates, its genes undergo random “copying errors” (i.e. genetic mutations). Over time, these genetic copying errors can, among other changes to the virus, lead to alterations in the virus’ surface proteins or antigens. Our immune system uses these antigens to recognize and fight the virus. So, what happens if a virus mutates to evade our immune system?
In influenza viruses, genetic mutations accumulate and cause its antigens to “drift” — meaning the surface of the mutated virus looks different than the original virus.When influenza virus drifts enough, vaccines against old strains of the virus and immunity from previous influenza virus infections no longer work against the new, drifted strains. A person then becomes vulnerable to the newer, mutated flu viruses.
Antigenic drift is one of the main reasons why the flu vaccine must be reviewed and updated each year, to keep up with the influenza virus as it changes. I wonder if that’s the same with the COVID virus.
Changes are all about us and it’s life’s one sustainable event. Where we’ll be next year, who knows. One thing for sure though, I’ll be writing and you’ll be reading.
Bored and Fed Up.
Stay Safe.
