Hi,
I'm preparing for my 'Arts and languages access module' Open University beginning on 4th February 2023. You can find a list of the OU short courses I've completed can be found in the 'Other Stuff' section of my website. You can go directly there by clicking on the following link: http://richardhill.co.uk/stuff.html
I've also been reading 'Distance Learning for Mature Students' and have a couple of books on distance learning on order.
Tomorrow, I become a member of the 'Society of Authors'.
I'm not sure what I should write this morning. My new laptops come back from HP who say that they can't find anything wrong with it. So I got in touch with TalkTalk who tested my line and router who could't find anything wrong. It worked within 3-4 feet of the router, but that's not where I want to use it.
Anyhow, for the time being, I'm using Simons older chromebook in the bedroom, and he's going to try and use mine in the same room as the router.
I'll maybe post more later today.
Today is a good day. Today I learned that I had qualified for a fee waiver for my Open University 'Arts and Languages Access Module' beginning in February 2023. I'm over the moon!
I've been 'offline' for most of the week. My Chromebook went away for repair and only came back yesterday. I'm catching-up on some other stuff, but may post here later.
Because of the scanning, saving, upload and other stuff, I have removed the 'freewriting' section of my website. It wasn't being visited anyway! I continue to keep a daily diary.
Watch this space!
It's Wednesday morning and I've just spoken to my doctor about feeling unwell in the mornings. She suspects that it's due to me not having breakfast soon after taking my morning medication. She says that I should have my breakfast ready before taking my medication and then immediately eat my breakfast.
Not much else happening this morning apart from reading the biographies of all the writers featured on the Slough Writers website, and those who have a website, checking them out.
Maybe more later.
Another week, another day, and I've had a rough morning, but am feeling a bit better now.
I've been selecting a piece of news for our 'fact to fiction' exercise tonight at Slough Writers. I've selected a news item about 'Primark' whose brand new 'click and collect' service has crashed completely.
I've spoken and apologised to Nazalee for being insensitive, and thankfully, she hasn't 'shut me out'.
We've just been shopping to Sainsbury's in Slough. They had NO eggs, so we had to call at the garage Tesco's on the way home.
It's the Kings 74th birthday today. I wonder when his 'official' birthday takes place. I think it happens to co-incide with 'Trooping of the Colour'.
I keep thinking that I'm younger than I am - until I look in the mirror, and that brings me back down to earth.
Maybe more later.
I really feel unwell today. I've not been writing and am even finding writing this blog difficult. I'm still in bed and have been watching the Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. The King was there laying the first wreath while the Queen Consort watched on from a balcony above.
My blood sugar levels, and my blood pressure are low. I drank a can of Coke which brought my blood sugar levels up a bit.
I'll post some more if I feel better later.
I'm getting used to using my partners laptop. Mine has gone away for repair, it kept disconnecting from the internet despite having a strong WiFi signal.
I've been writing a bit more of 'Spence'.
I've joined 'TheFED', a network of community and Working Class writers.
I've been onto the Currys Technical Helpdesk. To cut a long story short, they are having it collected tomorrow (Saturday) and it will take from 7 - 10 working days.
More later!
Another day, another problem. Now, my chromebook won't connect to my printer. Problems, problems, problems.
Will post more later in the day.
Been onto HP Chromebook support. They can't do anything without the serial number, which I can't find! Nightmare!
I have another entry in a Slough Writers competition; a review of a piece of music. I'd like to know what you think: http://www.richardhill.co.uk/alittlerespect.pdf
I'm looking for people to read and record some of my poems from the 'POETRY' section of my website. You can record them on your smartphone, save them as an mp3, and send them to me at sloughwriter@gmail.com . I will credit you as the narrator. My voice isn't strong or 'artistic' enough!
I've been having problems with my laptop disconnecting from the internet intermittently. It's annoying. TalkTalk have tested the line and the router and have told me that they are okay. I had typed a load of stuff here earlier, but couldn't publish it, and lost it all. Still, we'll have to wait and see if it settles down since I've done a 'factory reset'. Anyone else have trouble like this?
Because of the problems, I haven't done any writing today (apart from this!). I may do later. It depends how I feel.
Last night, the results of the Slough Writers Summer 2022 monologue were announced. I'm afraid that my entry 'Indebted' http://www.richardhill.co.uk/indebted.html wasn't placed. Reading it again, having learned what I have doing my OU course, I can see why. Still, there's always next year!
The next Slough Writers competition coming up is the 'article' competition, a review of a piece of music.
I've been working on my story 'Spence' today. It's now around 5,500 words. However, on the advice of my OU tutor, parts of it need to be thought about more carefully, so I'm working my way through it before I add much more.
My friend Mark Starkey, came to Slough Writers last night to see it it's something he might like to join.
Rob called me 'John' last night, by mistake, and was quickly corrected.
That's all for now.
It's Sunday morning. I'm taking it easy today. I might do some work on my story 'Spence'. However, nothing on my OU course (which I've more or less completed).
I haven't done any 'freewriting' this morning, but if interested, you can read my scribblings to date by clicking here
More later in the day!
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I've been researching online and via the 'Writers & Artists' yearbook for organisations, groups and societies etc. that I might consider joining.
Good morning.
Once again, I feel like c**p. I should feel better later.
Today, I plan to write about Spence meeting Gary for the first time.
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It's now 18.55 and I'm just finishing up my writing for the day. So far the word count is 2797, about 1000 of those written today. In a 'flashback' Spence and Gary have met for the first time. It's 2017 and Spence is 15.
I do 10 minutes of 'freewriting' every day, that 'limbers' me up and might well provide story ideas (or extracts) for the future. You can check out my 'freewriting' page at http://richardhill.co.uk/freewriter/index.html Enjoy! Have a go yourself!
Goodnight!
It's been an unusual day. As is usual these days, I felt like crap throughout the morning, but improved a lot by early afternoon.
I wrote about 4-500 words of 'Spence', didn't like it, cut it out, thought I shouldn't do that so put it back. Then I realised that the reason it wasn't working was because I'd written it in the 'past' tense. I labouriously edited it into the 'present' tense and it worked much better.
All for tonight. Goodnight.
It's my 67th birthday!
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Had quite a good day today. I felt rough until about 11. We went to Simon's mum who gave me a card and some money. I bought a leather jacket.
Simon made a wonderful lunch: roast pork, marrowfat peas, roasted and mashed potatoes and lovely thick gravy. He's so kind.
Later, we took Lottie for a walk to Horsemoor Green. When we got home, I edited the seventh draft of 'Spence'. I finished Week 5 of my OU course 'Introduction to Creative Writing'. It's the last week next week.
A very good day!
It's a meeting of the fortnightly 'Hershel Writers' Circle' tonight. I'm facilitating a workshop on 'Writing for Magazines' at 7.30pm. You can read my article 'Writing for Magazines' at www.sloughwriter.co.uk
Included is my assertion that as well as 'write about what you know' that you should also 'flip' it and 'know about what you write'. You can download my handout on this by clicking the following link: http://www.richardhill.co.uk/talks/knowaboutwhatyouwrite.pdf
'Hershel Writers' Group' is open to everyone regardless of experience. Come along and enjoy!
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'Hershel Writers' Group' Tonight!
