Archives for category: bread-winning
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Just what is going on?

By biancawinter
January 28, 2010 //
0

Perhaps it’s the two cups of coffee I consumed today, or maybe there’s
another reason, but my head feels full, and in the way that some
bloggers come to rely on publishing thoughts as a method of purging or
cleansing themselves, here I go…

BREAD WINNING
We’re just wrapping up a phase of business planning, budgeting and
implemention of some new programmes of work, and in a few weeks time, we’ll actually be working with writers again – glory be. I also get to kick off my grand sounding careers coaching so that I learn to (in my
coach’s words) ‘demonstrate my excellence’. If that’s a success, it’ll
be just short of a miracle.

CHALLENGE BIANCA
Since that ManBooker fun last autumn, I’ve been committing to all
sorts of challenges. I’ve already failed the 100 day challenge
(because I’m a compulsive spender), and am making little progress on
the Man Booker winners challenge (though am confident I’ll do it, even
if I leave Possession until last), but seem to be on track with my
green aspirations (sitting here with my dressing gown on over my clothes).

THINK, GIRL, THEN WRITE
I’ve a few small writing projects on the go. I’m trying to write an
article about my motivation to read the ManBooker longlist last year,
which will hopefully be featured on LeftLion’s website. I’ve been corresponding with James, the books editor for LL, about the feat, and he has referred to me in his own blog as a literature sadist! I often confuse sadism and masochism (despite the sexual economies module I took at university, which Alex likes to bring up to embarrass me), but I sincerely hope I haven’t inadvertently caused anyone else any pain
through my compulsive reading! Still, the question about whether this
kind of intense reading is a pleasure or a pain is a very relevant
point.
I’ve also been revisiting the first two Jon McGregor books – If Nobody
Speaks of Remarkable Things and So Many Ways to Begin – as I prepare to receive my review copy of his third novel, Even the Dogs. I’m planning on writing an article about the three books, again for LeftLion, and elsewhere if it’s good enough, which offers a creative view of the intellectual and literary space created by the three books and that might be more stimulating than an interview with the author, in which he’s asked whether he writes with a pen, pencil, quill or keyboard (Jon discusses his feelings about this sort of interview on
his website, which is just delightful). The article is also an unashamed great big sell, because if you haven’t read Jon’s novels, you really should. He’s a shining star on a moonless night. Even the Dogs is available from Monday 1st February 2010. Both of Jon’s previous books have been longlisted for the Booker prize, so get your mitts on this one early.

EN FRANÇAIS
If that isn’t enough, I’m ploughing through my first Open University
course, Bon départ, and blogging about my experience of being an OU
newbie for Platform. Thankfully, my lovely friend from Lyon is
humouring me by providing a bit of French conversation (well, okay,
I’m sort of just listening and looking confused at the moment). I’ve
fallen a little behind with my progress through the course material,
so have some intense weeks ahead of my next assessment in March.

PERSONAL TRAINING
Finally, to make sure my body can take the strain of this engorged
brain I’m developing (and yes, because age has finally caught up with
me) I’m following an exercise regime on EA active on the Wii.
Shockingly, I’m quite enjoying doing something physical, but perhaps
that’s obvious given the amount of time I normally spend sitting
around reading or staring at a computer screen! I have now officially
transfered from being a skinny girl constantly told ‘it won’t last’ by
other women, to being a woman who will inevitably cluck at young waifs and tell them to ‘enjoy it while they can’ – the it being
extraordinarily prolific cake consumption habits as I once enjoyed.

I think that’s all. To enjoy the link-love, check out this post on my blog :)

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Categories books, bread-winning, thinking, writing

The 20% Rule

By biancawinter
July 21, 2009 //
0

I just learned that google employees are contracted for four days a week to develop google projects, and are paid for the fifth day per week, under the twenty percent rule, to pursue their own work. Google earth was created in that twenty percent time.

I think there’s something very clever about harnessing that vital energy that surrounds new projects, crazy ideas and crackpot schemes. I know myself that having time to be creative, exploratory and playful has a very positive impact on my work, because it charges my brain in different ways.

There’s also an element of ego here – the prospect of working for a company that aren’t just interested in what you can do for them, but what you want to do for yourself, has a definite appeal.

Categories bread-winning, tech stuff

I’m glad somebody else knows how to define it…

By biancawinter
September 25, 2008 //
0

In my recent research around publications that might be interested in my work I found this definition of creative nonfiction, which my work has been labelled as, but few people know how to describe it:

“Although it sounds a bit affected and presumptuous, “creative nonfiction” precisely describes what the form is all about. The word “creative” refers simply to the use of literary craft in presenting nonfiction—that is, factually accurate prose about real people and events—in a compelling, vivid manner. To put it another way, creative nonfiction writers do not make things up; they make ideas and information that already exist more interesting and, often, more accessible.”

This is from a website of a journal of all things. As usual, I can’t offer you a link, but if you want the URL it is: http://www.creativenonfiction.org/thejournal/whatiscnf.htm

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Categories bread-winning, writing

Nobody changes their mind

By biancawinter
September 23, 2008 //
0

I read the Booker prize article in the Graun a week or so ago (which was structured as a short memoir from one of the judges of each year). One of the common claims was about how fruitless the discussions were – everyone has their favourite book(s) and no matter how much the books are discussed with other judges, nobody ever changes their position or their mind. I think the same is true in politics, as I realised this week after watching a newsnight report about floating voters (which is a phenomenon I’m suprised exists). I’ve voted Lib Dem since I was old enough to vote, back in the Paddy Ashdown days, and now I’m a Nick Clegg fan, though I’ve yet to see his forty-odd minute speech from the party conference recently.

It’s sad that so few people my age vote, and I can’t decide if apathy or uninformed voting annoy me more. I really believe that the Lib Dems are the party for my generation, though now that ‘old’ people far out number young people, even if we could all be bothered to go to the polling stations and make a mark for the yellows, I’m not sure it’d be enough. I find it incredibly annoying that the media, amongst others, think that democracy in this country is a two party race, and it does wind me up when people vote for either Conservative or Labour simply because they don’t want the other party to get in – because they don’t want to waste their vote. Proportional representation would stop all that nonsense, wouldn’t it?

My father-in-law jokes ‘If you don’t vote liberal when you’re young, you don’t have a heart, and if you don’t vote conservative when you’re older, you don’t have any sense’. But this wasn’t supposed to be a post about politics. Back to the theme of changing ones mind. I was in a tricky position yesterday regarding some writing I had been commissioned to do. The writing was edited, which was problematic for two reasons: one, that my writing hasn’t been edited before, and anything unfamiliar can be a shock to the system; and two, that I thought the edits were intrusive and ‘out of character’. The tricky thing here is, to what extent problem two was caused by problem one?

Worried that I was becoming too precious (and up my own arse) about my work, I made a few consultations, which helped allay those fears. I’d like to think (and I hope) that when it comes to my writing, I’m not too proud to take on constructive criticism, and that I’m willing to make improvements where necessary. I understand now that the problem is not the work needing to be changed (and by implication, my mind) but that the work maintain its integrity. That said, I’m willing to make changes, but I have to do it my way, so in actual fact, I’m still not changing my mind ;)

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Categories bread-winning, thinking, writing

If you’re going through hell, keep going…

By biancawinter
August 31, 2008 //
1

After a significant absence, I’m back in the helm: I gave up on the 2.6 upgrade and rolled back to my May upgrade. I see in the meantime that WordPress have released 2.6.1 with 60 bug fixes, so when I’m feeling brave (and definitely after the festival I’m currently working on), I might give that whirl and see if I can this time avoid the white screen of death.

There’s so much to share and to write about, though admittedly, I’m feeling so bogged down that there isn’t much room for either detached or engaged reflection. One of the notable things, writing-wise, is that I’ve decided to start trying to increase the scope of my work in terms of publishing opportunities, so I have an end of September deadline for an essay, the subject of which I haven’t yet decided. I also have a very tight deadline (self imposed) to create a profile for a single friend that will get the likes of Angelina Jolie’s head turning! That will be the most fun writing I’ve done in ages :)

Finally, for now, I think it’s probably worthwhile creating a sort of web portfolio of writing projects, so I’m having a bit of a think about whether this should feature here (for ease in the meantime) or on a separate site. If I can manage this by Christmas, I’ll be very pleased.

Au revoir

Oh yeah, and it’s Winston Churchill in the title, courtesy of Radio Two’s bank holiday shenanigans.

Categories bread-winning, writing

Farming Today

By biancawinter
May 2, 2008 //
0

If I were in the habit of listening to the radio on the odd occasion that sleep eludes me, tonight (this morning?) might be a Farming Today night. My boss, Carla, does have such a habit and it has become an office joke to say “It was a Farming Today night last night” to indicate a bad or disrupted night’s sleep. Sometimes humour is the only way to deal with difficult times. I can’t remember who it was, but someone famous or clever or both said that listening to Farming Today is the best way to keep your finger on the British pulse.

Anyway, I don’t know what it is exactly that is keeping me from sleep. This evening I went to the first private view I’ve been to in quite some time and was reluctant to catch up with most of the people I knew because of that ‘no gig’ feeling – if you have nothing positive or exciting to say about yourself, it’s a bit embarassing. I’m also concerned in that mother hen sort of way about a friend of mine (ours? I’m never sure about the proprietorial etiquette associated with friends you’ve made through your partner) who has had a bit of a crap time lately, which can’t be solved or made better with a big cuddle and/or a plaster.

More broadly than just this evening, I’m in a pickle about work. I have two choices at the moment: I either put up with the many annoyances with my current job (low pay, long hours, an expectation of responsibility that is above and beyond my job description, being on call through my lunch break) in the hope (not guarantee) that I will eventually be rewarded; or, I find another job. The latter sounds appealing, no? However, job searching and application is a tiresome pursuit for someone who has no clear vocation and whose degree is next to useless.

I’d like to say that staring at the screen has induced drowsiness, but it hasn’t. Perhaps it’s time to work on a current job application. As an incentive, I will offer myself a childhood comfort: a glass of milk.

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Categories bread-winning

When you are too tired to do anything else, blog

By biancawinter
April 17, 2008 //
1

Even though I can see the foolishness of writing a blog when my eyelids are drooping and my body is calling out for some rest, I can’t help but write. I’ve been on the go since 6.30am and I don’t seem quite able to admit defeat and get some sleep.

Still, I finished ‘The Full Cupboard of Life’ on the train from Birmingham today, and reading about Mma Ramotswe is almost as good as a rest (though my eyes would beg to differ). Precious thinks most problems can be solved or alleviated with a cup of bush tea, to which I must admit a certain partiality.

On Christmas Eve, as a child, I was always keen to get to bed, because that would mean Christmas day would come quicker. Tonight, I’m avoiding bed with a similar rationale – I have my annual review tomorrow and I’m not looking forward to it. Not going to bed is keeping the review at bay for the moment. It’s not the review of my performance that is worrying me, it’s the tough questions that I have to ask, even though I think I know the answers. I suppose what I’m really avoiding is the hard evidence that things will have to change, and that there are difficult times ahead.

Well, as I often say, things will seem better in the morning…

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Categories books, bread-winning
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