I Disappeared! Well, sort of, anyway…

Book Wheel, 1588

I have not fallen off the face of the earth, travelled back in time or were asked by a certain wizard if I wanted to share in an adventure.*

Nope, I have been on study leave and then did some more studying. And I have come to the conclusion that it may be more difficult to shave 2 000 words from the part of the dissertation I’m currently working on than it is to kill off one of my darlings.**

* The last is especially unfortunate.

** Yes, fictional darlings. Do not phone the police.

It’s also been a bit of a yucky time personally, but, rather than bore you with details, I thought I’d rather post an awesome video to watch. Enjoy!

Keeping Sane. Sort of.

With the year rushing to an end - as if it doesn't happen every year round about this time - I've found myself rushing to get everything done while keeping sane. It works most of the time.
Between studying, writing and working it's quite a juggle to keep up without becoming a zombie. Which is the short reason why I've been a bit quiet on the blog these last two weeks. I've been focusing on finishing a few short stories in between everything else and I'm also working on a more serious blog post - which needs a bit more polishing and research than I usually do.
So, basically, I'm rushing around just like everyone else at the moment. I hope we all get through these last few months sane. Or sane enough.

Versatile Blogger Award

Ron Leighton was kind enough to nominate Hersenskim for a Versatile Blogger Award!

The idea behind The Versatile Blogger Award nominations is to use these nominations to make other bloggers aware of other great blogs, as I’m are doing here.

If you'd like to carry on this thing, do the following!

1. In a post on your, blog, nominate 15 fellow bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award.
2. In the same post, add The Versatile Blogger Award.
3. In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog.
4. In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
5. In the same post, include this set of rules.
6. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.

I’ve pondered which fifteen blogs to nominate and decided, rather than sticking to one specific subject, to just choose some of my favourite blogs.

Below, in no specific order is *drum roll* my fifteen nominees (and a new blog I want to keep an eye on).

1. Rebecca P. Minor’s http://callofthecreator.blogspot.com/ - wonderful fantasy with a Christian influence and worldview.
2.  Ayesha Gamiet’s http://ayeshagamiet.com/blog/ - beautiful Islamic calligraphy and illumination.
3.  Lynn Coleman’s http://historicaltidbits.blogspot.com/ - informative and interesting; focussing on everyday life in the 19^th century.
4.  Aubrey Hansen’s blog at http://www.aubreyhansen.com/ - An interesting young Christian fantasy writer.
5.  Ann Martin‘s http://www.allthingspaper.net/ - not only inspiration for paper quilling/paper filigree, but also showcases beautiful paper art and artists.
6.  H. A. Titus’s http://magical-ink.blogspot.com – Christian fantasy, book reviews and writing tips.
7.  Karen’s http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com – Daily vintage clipart and backgrounds. (My current blog background is also one of her designs.)
8.  Kristia van Heerden’s http://wordsmyth.co.za/category/blog/ - A talented writer and friend’s interesting blog.
9. Rob’s bookish blog. Expect books, books, more books and the odd typewriter. And he enjoys translated fiction! – http://robaroundbooks.com/
10.  Jill’s blog Rantings of an Overworked Translator – http://translationmusings.com/
11.  Manelle Oliphant - http://manelleoliphant.blogspot.com/
12.  Ressurection Fern by Margaret Oomen contains photos arts and crafts and is very inspirational – http://resurrectionfern.typepad.com/resurrection_fern/
13.  Lisa Carter’s insightful blog about literary translation -  http://intralingo.com/blog-site/
14.  http://passageoftheacolyte.blogspot.com/ - Another young fantasy writer with a Christian influence.
15.  Ron Leighton’s blog Tales of the Shining Lands, containing fantasy stories, myths and very cool maps –  http://ronleightonauthor.blogspot.com/

And then… 

I also want to mention a blog started recently (December 2011) by lexicographer Kory Stamper called harm·less drudg·ery http://korystamper.wordpress.com/, which I find extremely entertaining.

  

And seven random things about me:

1. I once rode an ostrich. Yip. No matter how you say it, it sounds weird.
2. I know all the lyrics to the Les Misérables musical.
3. I can mimic Gollum’s voice (well, mimic Andy Serkis’ Gollum voice, I guess).
4. I adore good coffee and English Breakfast tea.
5. I sometimes wish living in Africa did mean that I get to have a lion as a pet. And ride a zebra to work. That would be so cool. Not practical, but cool.
6. I am extremely afraid of heights.
7. I always wanted to be Robin Hood when we were playing as children. Go figure.  

Inspiration Friday: Orpheus and a long road

I picked up the second volume of Naxos’ English Song Series one day while browsing a local music shop’s Classical Room. I was looking for some light music to either work or write to and found these next to my trusty “early music” shelf[1]. The album contains 31 poems from a variety of different poets and writers, set to music by the composer Arthur Somervell (1863 – 1937).

One thing I love about Naxos’ albums is that they have a booklet containing an introduction to the music as well as the lyrics of the songs included. While I knew some of the songs from other albums, I was surprised again at the beauty and scope of the songs included. While listening to the album and reading through the poems and songs, it is very difficult not to be inspired!

Here are two of the songs included on the album. One is a poem by A.E. Housman, “White in the moon the long road lies” and the other is from William Shakespeare’s Henry VIII; “Orpheus with his lute”.

White in the moon the long road lies

A.E. Housman

White in the moon the long road lies,

The moon stands blank above;

White in the moon the long road lies

That leads me from my love.

Still hangs the hedge without a gust,

Still, still the shadows stay:

My feet upon the moonlit dust

Pursue the ceaseless way.

The world is round, so travellers tell,

And straight tho’ reach the track,

Trudge on, trudge on, ‘twill all be well,

The way will guide one back.

But ere the circle homeward hies,

Far, far must it remove:

White in the moon the long road lies

That leads me from my love.

Orpheus with his lute

William Shakespeare

Orpheus with his lute made trees,

And the mountain tops, that freeze,

Bow themselves when he did sing.

To his music plants and flowers

Ever sprung: as sun and showers

There had made a lasting spring.

Every thing that heard him play,

Even the billows of the sea,

Hung their heads and then lay by.

In sweet music is such art:

Killing care and grief of heart

Fall asleep, or hearing, die.

I found this beautiful rendition of "White in the moon the long road lies" - enjoy!

The English Song Series, vol. 2. Arthur Somervell; TheShorpshire Lad, James Lee’s Wife, Songs of Innocence. Naxos. DDD  8.557113 

---

[1] I usually have a fixed route when browsing the shop – start in front with Irish, Scottish and Welsh music. Move to Early Music, then go on to ballet scores before ending up in the back row with different vocal artists, new releases and then checking if any of the Gilbert & Sullivan operas are affordable (When are they actually going to have The Mikado when I also have money to buy it?) before doing a quick tour of other composers to see if there’s anything interesting available.

For Auld Lang Syne… Happy 2012!

The last night of the year is always a strange one. All the hopes for the New Year seem to hang in the air. Lists are made up with wishes for the New Year, much like adult Santa letters starting with “I want...” Many (most?) parties have too much alcohol involved, leaving everyone sloshed by midnight. This I have never understood – I do not want to start a new year, to turn a new leaf either drunk, praising the porcelain god or with a hangover.

It may just be because I don’t care much for alcohol. My ‘cheese and wine’ supper (traditional in our house) became a ‘cheese and coffee’ affair. Why? Because, while I brought some lovely cheeses, those I only splurge on at this time of the year, I completely forgot about the wine part. (Yes, for me that is easy to do.) But I did have a small bottle sparkling wine to toast the New Year with. As you can probably gather, I had a one-person party.

Now, before you go and pity me; it was completely by choice. Not only did I want to be home to keep an eye on my pets if neighbours decide to shoot crackers, but also because I wanted a quiet evening thinking the year over. And sometimes it’s better to chastise yourself when you’re alone. A Gollum-like conversation coming from one person can freak people out. (Of course, I never speak to myself, I speak to the cat.)

I am not sure if he really cares about my resolutions for the New Year, but maybe he just made the resolution to “sit and/or play on my slave’s papers more often”. This is because I will definitely have more papers, books and those cat toys I call pencils around. You see, the one big thing I did chastise myself for was not finishing things. The second was for letting small things get in the way of big things.

As to not finishing things – I have a whole file full of half-started or half-finished stories. But, even worse, I did not do nearly as much to my studies as I had wanted. Somewhere along the way I got sidetracked. I ended up wasting far too much time and letting the year slip by without being able to catch up again.

So, I have made some resolutions for the New Year, but this time I will make the goals a lot clearer. At the top of my list of ‘bookish things’ is to finish my degree this year. There, I have said it. It is now carved in Internet-stone. I have given myself the task of finishing the written piece by the end of the year.

My writing goals for the year are to work on my sketch writing/ flash writing. I am not going to try and write a novel. I will use the time I have at hand to do as much as I can and I will not let time get sucked into the bottomless pit of the internet or watching ‘whatever is on TV’. I will watch my few programs (about 3 for the whole week) and the news and that’s it. I will keep movies and DVD marathons for Friday movie night (and not every night...).

I will also write a review for every book I read – and if I do not like a book, I will put it down and not force myself to finish it! This won’t be a scholarly review, mind you; it will mostly be a ‘this is what I thought’ review, even if it is only one paragraph.

Added to that, I want to spend more time just being silent. I want to sit on the stoep and drinking a cup of tea when I come from work and unwind for a moment. I don’t want to be burned out by March already!

To everyone, I wish you a wonderful and blessed 2012!

O, and keep your eye on this blog for some big news in the next post!

Image by The Graphics Fairy

Normality from Wednesday. I hope.

I thought I had the week perfectly planned. A whole week of vacation after a tough time at work (those following me on Twitter probably saw an increase in coffee-tweets...). I would write, I would blog, I would get Top Secret Plans A and B into working order. I would spring clean (even though it’s already summer).

As usual, things didn’t go as planned. But I did get most of the cleaning done. This was helped by me not being able to connect to the internet for more than a couple of minutes at a time. Never mind being able to post, I couldn’t even get a page open to post from. But I’ve almost got it sorted – and should be able to get the normal posts up and running from tomorrow or Wednesday. Here’s holding thumbs. And hoping this post posts. :P

An Overload of Limn

Or, Travels without Rescue Remedy

I am a nervous person by nature – give me a couple of molehills and in no time you can have the Himalayas in your back yard. I blame my genes. I also blame living in Gauteng – but that’s another story. So, of course, I will look for hobbies that will sooth my frazzled nerves and give me some respite. Hence, you will not find me rock climbing, scuba diving, or eating something which contains nuts. I just don’t need that kind of adrenalin rush.

Mostly, I turn to books once the business hours have passed and the daily traffic jams are left behind. I have quite an eclectic taste – give me a good story and I’ll most probably read it. Give me good writing and I’ll indulge for hours. The problem comes in more when picking what to read first. This problem is compounded when walking into libraries. Not only can I take out just about any book in the building, but I can do so for a very minimal payment. For. A. Whole. Year. And only then need I hand over some more cash.

There is a rush all bibliophiles share – the rush of finding the book. The book which is just the kind of thing you were searching for. The book that makes your hand move to the shelf on its own accord. The book that hides in plain sight until you pass the shelf and then it suddenly grabs hold of your poor oculars, nearly tripping you as you try to walk by without taking them off the spine. The rush of a good book sale. Ah, the book sale; the bibliophile’s kryptonite.

The rush can make you do strange things. It can make the biggest nerd with the smallest stature carry around 20kg of books on one arm for the entire time it takes to search through the whole sale. It can make you spend your whole food budget before you even fully realize what you picked up. It can even let you make excuses about why you really, really, REALLY need ten more books right now. ‘Of course books have no side-effects,’ you stutter while one eye twitches as you spot a biography of Borges. And you get to swipe your club card on sales purchases. You’re actually saving money. And you were thinking of going on a water diet anyway. And one of the books is a gift for someone else. And your new mantra for 2011 is suddenly ‘limn… limn… limn…’. Before you know it, your New Year’s resolution to stick to your budget is bust, you’re using a credit card to buy food and you forget to go to work because the book you’re reading is just so good.

This year, rather stick to a couple drops of Rescue Remedy before going in search of new reading material. At least then you can go on a bread and water diet after buying another Bottomless Bag o’ Books.

The Bibliophile

First published over at:
http://letterdash.com/lonebibliophile/an-overload-of-limn

Worldbuilding Wednesday - The Dragon City of the South

Or, Some Ramblings on a City with Dragons

Called Diuzisborg by its inhabitants and Dragonburg by most, the southern port city of the Dragon Guardians are one of the most important in Reiaghy. Two roads lead to the city – the Northern Road and the Water Road; from the east. Along this road many goods are transported to and from the main land. Because of the swampy ground between this and the other port cities further east, many goods are also transported by sea. Trade between the New Isles, the Western Isles and the Southern Lands are also done mostly by sea in order to cut out the laborious land travel and the stark desert of the Death Plain.

Another reason for ships to stop at Diuzisborg is to enlist the help of Dragon Guardians and Dragons on their way northwest to the New and the Western Isles. After the Sundering, Sea Dragons were awakened from the deeps of the ocean and hunt the ocean between the Southern Coast of the Continent and the Sundered Lands. To be able to make a voyage in the Southern Ocean, therefore, ships and their crew needed protection from these Sea Monsters. At this time, ships were still too flimsy to withstand an attack, and the weapons not sophisticated enough for proper defence. Captains therefore enlisted the help of a dragon and its Guardian – two if the dragon’s Guardian was female – to accompany it to the isles and back and fend off any monsters.

Although the dragons were usually enough to frighten off the monsters, some still attacked vessels and even sunk some ships. The dragon would then call to its brethren (if still close enough to the land) to help it save as many of the people as possible – first by slaying the sea dragon and then taking the men to safety. Because of the extra cost of procuring a dragon and its Guardian – as well as the extra space taken up by a Guardian, some owners were loath to pay the extra cost – or even stop at the port to call. Many of these unaccompanied ships were lost – some without any survivors, seeming just to vanish into the vastness of the ocean. Others decided to make their boats and ships seem as dragon-like as possible in hopes to scare off any Sea Dragons. This method was especially employed after the dragons and their Guardians left the city and the Dragon Cliffs to seek a more peaceful isle further west.

Dragons were also sometimes used in transporting goods over the Dragon Cliffs and Dhôr Mountains to the dry lands, which got most of their wealth from the salt mines (some of the best salt purporting to have healing qualities, but even the lowest grade mined still better than most other types in the Western, Southern and Middle Lands).

However, dragons would not be used as constant beasts of burden – and their Guardians would also not use them so. The work the dragons did do; was seen as a way of helping their Guardians and other people of the Continent after the Sundering. For they knew that, if the Guardians should not exist, that they, too, would perish or lose the talent of language bestowed on them. 

Image from: http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/

Inspiration Friday: A Poem by One of the Great Masters

When I have seen by Time's fell hand defaced
The rich proud cost of outworn buried age;
When sometime lofty towers I see down-razed
And brass eternal slave to mortal rage;
When I have seen the hungry ocean gain
Advantage on the kingdom of the shore,
And the firm soil win of the watery main,
Increasing store with loss and loss with store;
When I have seen such interchange of state,
Or state itself confounded to decay;
Ruin hath taught me thus to ruminate,
That Time will come and take my love away.
           This thought is as a death, which cannot choose
           But weep to have that which it fears to lose.

-        

                                - Shakespeare, Sonnet 64

Ruins of tower at Kuskuam palace covered by vegetation

And now a bit of a ramble…

Although most people who have taken English classes know (or at least know of) Shakespeare’ssonnet 18 and 116, I firmly believe that most students do not want to study the Bard’s work (or even bother to read it) because they have been told that ‘it is too difficult’ (Not to mention ‘so not cool’ to like it).

I am very thankful for a mother who loved Shakespeare, told my sister and me the stories, and recited parts of the plays and sonnets. We both also received the Wordsworth edition of Shakespeare’s complete works (the grandest books I owned at that time; three hardback volumes in a slipcase). This was also a time when I really started to realise that most of what I was reading was considered ‘too difficult’ for my age (about 13) by some teachers and other adults. Classics like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Dickens, or Roald Dahl’s short stories and even The Neverending Story.

My point is not ‘give children a pile of thick books to read’ – although that is not really a bad thing. My point is children (or even teenagers) should not be told that something is ‘too difficult for them’ without even letting them try. Not to place that mental block there before they’ve had a chance to decide for themselves. Some books are not age appropriate, yes. But to base ‘too difficult for them to read’ simply on a book that looks ‘too thick’ or one containing words you have to look up in a dictionary is completely silly. 

Bennie Boekwurm

Inspiration Friday – Daring to enjoy, daring to suffer

Even though it is Spring (on this side of the world, anyway), this time of year is – for me – a time of sadness. Although the renewed life that can be seen in every garden and along the sidewalks does give some kind of solace and as well as the need to start anew, it is time when I find it more difficult to find inspiration and motivation. When despair is not an option, the silver lining must be sought, the old coat thrown off, the cobwebs dusted and some kind of happiness found. Even if it is just the promise held in the scent of a blooming Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.  

So, in order to keep the spirits up, I propose three steps.

 1. Remember to give it some soul

Elke artikel wat sy maak is ‘n nuwe skoonheid waarvan sy die skepper is: dis hare en ‘n ander kon dit nie so gemaak het nie, want sy het haar siel daarin gegiet.

– C.J. Langenhoven

Every article she makes is a new beauty of which she is the creator: it is her own and no one else could have made the like because she poured her soul into it.

– C.J. Langenhoven

2. Do not dwell in a grey twilight

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
       - Theodore Roosevelt

3. Go to the source

Before the throne

In my room I will bow before the throne

And be still and search for words

In the tongues I know

To exalt and praise and plead.

I will go into my room to be alone,

I will be still and think only of this

And realise that there is an ear that will hear my words

On the throne that none can see.

I will think of ancient stone and desert lands harsh to withstand

And buildings great and grand.

But not there, not there will I go, not where all can see

A lone person praying. A broken person pleading.

I will be still and know that here my words are like

A song of praise that I can but imagine and not sing,

That stuttering words will become sweet music,

That simple words will be given flight,

That all asked from the Prince will be answered,

That the Spirit will fill the simple room where I am,

That the King will place his hand on my shoulder,

That I will go from this room with new life.

Tears will be dried,

New life will enter me.

New love will enter me.

New peace will enter me.

I will be unbound and look at the world anew.

I will go into my room to be alone,

To plead, to praise, to humbly ask for new life.

A short note about spring-cleaning

How do you like my new ‘blog look’? With Spring in the air (well, in the southern hemisphere), I decided that it was time for a new look. Then I found this lovely background at The Graphics Fairy and I thought it’s a good time to get into the new season even though Spring Day is only next week. 

A while ago I decided to post a blog post every day of the work week. Although fun to do, it has proved very difficult to keep up and have me blogging more than working on my WIPs, and my studies (very important at the moment and costing quite a bit every year). Also, I believe that I have almost lost focus of what I had set out to do – write stories. Therefore, I have decided to focus on three posts every week. These will focus primarily on fantasy and speculative fiction, worldbuilding and inspiration. Worldbuilding Wednesdays will remain, as will Fiction Mondays, including not only my own work, but also other snippets of writing advice, mythology or writers I find interesting. Ageless Words on Friday will also remain and be branched out to form Inspirational Friday.

Thanks for the patience while I find my feet in this digital world! 

What would have been, what will be, and mythology links

Well, I wanted to do a post about marginalia, but it soon grew from one post to a bunch of posts. Which leaves me with rather starting the posts next week; when they have been spat upon, polished and furnished with links and pictures. But, in keeping with Rambling Tuesdays, I can say that I’ve just about finished a couple of flash pieces to be sent out and have some outlines and notes jotted in note books and on my phone. But I am also spending a lot of time on the ever-present studies as I’m rambling on towards the end of a chapter, which I am trying to finish this week.

Odin and Sleipnir

Seeing as I’m wading knee-deep in Norse myths, here’s a couple of links for online perusal of many fascinating mythologies:

•          Old Norse News
•          Germanic Mythology
•         Mythologies of the World
•          Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts
•        Ancient World Cultures

Enjoy!

The Strangeness of Half-remembered Ideas

If someone ever steals my phone – or rummages through the ‘notes’ application – they would probably think that the owner is not all there; probably referring to “Earth”. I admit a lot of the time my mind is wandering off on its own somewhere, especially right before I drift off to sleep; which brings me back to the phone. Because I use it as an alarm clock (there’s nothing like a jig to get your mind up and running at 4:45am) it’s usually on top of the pile of books I am reading and the notebook I keep next to the bed. And I can type a note without having to turn the room’s light back on and waking the pets. As a result, my note entries are in a jumble of Afrikaans and English and look something like this: “cross map”, “Azah – naam”, “Storie ‘they came from the forest/wood’. In afr? Beide?Afr, tuin wat aangelê is ens sit by ander storie” – yeah, I’m still trying to remember what “other story” I meant at 12:30am, but it seemed logical at the time. I also sometimes forget that I had made a note.

Some notes are even the (proper) beginnings of stories:  I saw them when I went outside to feed the garden birds. It wasn’t normal. It hadn’t even rained. But there they stood, a whole cluster of them under the acacia. Toadstools. Acrid yellow smoke was curling from a tiny chimney protruding from the one in the centre. It had started. And it wasn’t even spring yet… Which meant that they could only be Winter Gnomes. Now, If only I could remember where I was going with this… 

A Ghost's Writing / Spokeskrif

A Ghost's writing

9 October 1941. The newspaper frontpages on the screen is dark and dull. The headlines on all the frontpages tell only one story: Nazis drive deep into Leningrad Lines reads New York’s Daily Messenger. Another reads: 1,000,000 Russians said Trapped – The Hayward Review. I turn back to the Dickens book open at my elbow. The pages are the colour of weak tea and smells of dust. The ink on the page is still a bright black, but the handwriting leaves much to be desired. In the upper right corner, below the pencil marks of the scribbled price of R30,00 is the date: 9 October 1941. Below it, on the left is the name – it looks to be ‘Abie’. I read the message again; “To Abie, on the day of his Bar-Mitzvah”.

The Computer bleeps as it loads the page an I look back at the screen. A new frontpage has loaded – Big German armies pound closer to Moscow.And I wonder who left this book at the secondhand shop.

Spokeskrif

9 Oktober 1941. Die koerantvoorblaaie op die skerm is donker en dof. Die opskrifte van al die voorblaaie vertel net een storie: Nazis drive deep into Leningrad Lines lees die Daily Messenger van New York. ’n Ander: 1,000,000 Russians said Trapped – The Hayward Review. Ek kyk weer na die Dickens-boek wat by my elmboog lê. Die bladsye is die kleur van flou tee en ruik na stof. Die ink op die bladsy is nog 'n helder swart, alhoewel die handskrif veel te wense laat. In die regterkantste hoek, onder die potloodmerke van die vinnig geskribbelde prys van R30,00, is die datum: 9 Oktober 1941. Onder, links is die naam–  ‘Abie’, lyk dit vir my. Ek lees weer die boodskap wat daar geskryf is: “To Abie on the day of his Bar Mitzvah”.

 Die rekenaar bliep-bliep soos dit die bladsy laai en ek kyk terug na die skerm. ’n Nuwe voorblad het gelaai –“Big German armies pound closer to Moscow". En ek wonder wie hierdie boek by die tweedehandse winkel gaan aflaai het.