My husband found these crumpled and torn bits of newspaper from 1979 under a floorboard today. The words that jumped out at me were ‘torture,’ ‘attack’ and ‘terrorists.’ It seems some things really don’t change, unfortunately.
writer
Roller Skating as a Microcosm of Life
So my kids have taken up roller skating, which means I have also taken up roller skating. My daughter actually showed an interest in it a few years ago. We went out and bought skates, went to the local rink a few times, she grew out of her skates not long after she fell out … Continue reading Roller Skating as a Microcosm of Life
Dad always said
His Dad always said if there was a zombie apocalypse he’d be the first one to die. ‘You’re too bloody nice,’ he’d say, in a way that made nice sound like something he’d stepped in. Well, it might not be a zombie apocalypse, but this world was ending, and he was still very much in … Continue reading Dad always said
An Unexpected Gift
My daughter was telling me about a book she and a friend found at the bus shelter today: “It was beautiful, it had gold writing on the cover...it doesn’t look like the kind of book someone would just have left.” They didn’t pick it up, thinking someone must have forgotten it and would surely return … Continue reading An Unexpected Gift
Trust Issues
I woke up this morning with an old story in my head about my daughter. It’s a story that’s never left me, because at the time it made me feel like a bad mother. In that drifting place between sleep and waking, it occurred to me that this story is part of a much bigger … Continue reading Trust Issues
You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take
This quote is attributed to hockey star Wayne Gretzky. The only ice hockey match I've ever seen was in Mighty Ducks the movie, but the man had a serious point that applies way beyond sport. I've only every had one story published before: a first person narrative which was published anonymously in an online magazine. … Continue reading You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take
Senryu #1
I’m wordy by nature. I talk a lot, I write a lot, if there’s a word limit I always go over it...I like words! But in a bid to move out of my comfort zone I’ve tried a bit of micropoetry this week, inspired by David @theskepticskaddish. I’ll leave the explanations there...though it’s hard!
Meaning: keep it simple
For a couple of years I felt well and truly stuck... I was well educated and thought that would automatically translate to ‘success’ in life (success was pretty narrowly defined in terms of paid employment, so perhaps I wasn’t that well educated after all). I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but knew I … Continue reading Meaning: keep it simple
Plucky Young Chick
The ostrich kept her head, buried deep within the sand Whilst out on the horizon, grew a blight upon the land A storm was brewing steadily, a darkness in the air The ostrich felt its presence, but she never looked up there Her hole was nice and cosy, her world in there cocooned She buried … Continue reading Plucky Young Chick
Journaling for my future self
Journaling can be very therapeutic, but it turns out it’s even more useful when you have a shocking memory. I found an old paper and pen journal which my daughter bought me a couple of years ago. I’d almost entirely forgotten about it, but reading back through the entries has been eye opening. Up until … Continue reading Journaling for my future self
Rae Cod’s Writing 