Writing 101~Day Six~Modern-World Gypsies

Who’s the most interesting person/people you’ve met this year

Today’s twist, turn this post into a character study

Around the World in Words

By John Yeo

We were aboard a medium sized cruise ship visiting ports along the Adriatic coast of the Mediterranean sea. A wonderful itinerary with some interesting ports to visit along the way.

Between destinations, when our ship was at sea, we attended presentations in the form of lectures on a wide variety of subjects.

This is were we came into contact with one inspiring presenter, David who travelled with his wife Janet. An interesting lecturer who gave some sparkling lectures on wildlife and photography, David had a way of presenting his subject, in a very loud enthusiastic voice, backed up by some brilliant examples of his photography, he brought the subject of his lectures to life. He held his audience by virtue of that very loud voice, which he used to good effect to accentuate the flow of his lecture.

We had the pleasure of having dinner with David and Janet allowing us a very good opportunity to meet and converse with the man behind the lectures with his very supportive wife. The conversation flowed, punctuated with much repartee between husband and wife, one of David’s favourite expressions is, “I’m a Cockney, London born and proud of it!”. Between them, both David and Janet had a fund of stories about their previous cruises together, with David remarking “ What other wife enjoys sailing the world with their husband as he lectures on the work he enjoys doing very much?” Janet smiled benevolently obviously enjoying her role as the supportive wife behind the man, although it was obvious to us that she played a very important part in cementing his self-esteem. They have travelled together to many parts of the world, one of their habits was to collect a pebble or a small stone from every port they have visited and take it back to place in their garden in England.

When they were not travelling the world, David had many other ventures on the go, lecturing and teaching photography. He would produce highly-valued large photographic books of country houses for their owners, very individual works of highly illustrated photography with a historic description of the property. Another venture was organising wild life safaris to Africa, where he would extend his photographic library and portfolio.

Yes, this man who travels the world visiting many countries with his supportive lady wife is probably the most memorable character who has crossed our path so far this year.

Writing 101, Day Eight~Adverb-less writing

Posted on Jun 12, 2014 by John Yeo | Leave a comment

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_assignment/writing-101-day-eight/

Go to a public location and make a detailed report of what you see. The twist of the day? Write the post without adverbs.

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5.00am

The sun appeared with rays and shadows. I sit at a table overlooking a lake with flowers and reeds along the banks. Birds sing and ducks quack, the peace of the early morning, shattered by voices. Tables, trees and grass with flowers on the banks. A heron hunts then flys away. Sunlight is on the leaves of bushes nearby.

The Outer Limits

Posted on Jun 8, 2014 by John Yeo | Leave a comment

In response to a prompt on~ http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/binding-judgment/

THE OUTER LIMITS

By John Yeo

The leather binding was so beautiful, it added something to the overall impression of the delights to come. There was a clasp on the edge that was an indication of the quality of the content to come when the book was opened and the contents perused. The author’s name and the title of this extraordinarly presented work of literacy was hand-tooled in gold leaf. The title modestly emblazoned on the cover and the spine in golden type read,

“The Greatest Story Ever Told”

N.O. BODY

I cradled the book in my hands and gingerly opened the covers, the leather felt so soft and smooth in my hands as I ran my eye down the contents list and briefly started to read the foreword written by the famous author A.N. OTHER. An ecstatic review of the delights to come followed, the quality of the verbal description and outer limits of the subject was excellent.

I bid for this treasure in the auction and my determination to own this volume knew no bounds, the bidding was brisk, as three other prospective purchasers were bidding furiously to procure the book. The bidding reached £5000.00 for this very collectable work of pointless literature, I managed to purchase the first edition and it is destined to repose on the shelves in my library as a wonderful work of reference, probably unopened until the day arrives when I have nothing to research.

Electric After-Shock

Posted on Jun 8, 2014 by John Yeo | 6 Comments

This is the latest Picture, from the picture it and write series from Ermilias Blog~

__picture it & write

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The Picture is credited and
 provided by Ermila

I was working as an engineer on high power cables, strapped to a vehicle with a hoist that lifted me high into the air to enable me to reach the overhead cables. Suddenly I blacked out and I could remember nothing from that instant to this day. I was informed by my working colleagues that I had suffered a massive electric shock and I was very lucky to be alive. Indeed the doctors were proclaiming my escape from serious harm a miracle. My hand although perfectly normal to look at in daylight now glowed in a fluorescent way in the dark. Several illustrious learned men had examined my fluorescent hand and there was intense interest in my sparkling hand.

I remain here in hospital awaiting the results of countless tests. In the next bed to me is a little boy, Billy, who is dying of terminal cancer, on the other side another victim of an accident, Bob, who is conscious but not expected to live. Billy was very interested in my glowing hand, and in the gloom of a cloudy late afternoon in the ward, he asked if he could touch my hand. I said of course, but don’t tell the doctor. Billy shook hands with me and we could both see a sparkling glow travel between both our hands. Billy smiled, and said he could feel the pleasant warmth spreading throughout his body. Bob in the bed next door asked if he could try it and he also reported a strange feeling of warmth and electric power racing through his body.

The results of my tests came through and I went home. A few days later I heard that the doctors were getting praised for the miraculous cures of two patients who had not been expected to live, Billy and Bob’s faces were staring at me from the newspapers.

I contacted them both and asked them to keep our secret and I would try to use my electric aftershock without the nuisance of publicity. I now live in a remote farmhouse and travel to many places to bring my electric magic, then fade away into the background again.

JUN 6, 2014 Writing 101, Day Five: Be Brief

Posted on Jun 6, 2014 by John Yeo | 4 Comments

You stumble upon a random letter on the path. You read it. It affects you deeply, and you wish it could be returned to the person to which it’s addressed. Write a story about this encounter.

Today’s twist: Approach this post in as few words as possible.

RETURN TO SANTA

The wind blew a letter that landed on the path.

It was from my six year old child.

Dear Santa,

PLEASE KEEP MUMMY AND DADDY HAPPY

I cried bitter salty tears.

JUNE 5, 2014 Writing 101, Day Four: Write about a loss. The twist: make this the first post in a three-post series.

Posted on Jun 6, 2014 by John Yeo | Leave a comment

Write about a loss something (or someone) that was part of your life and isn’t any more. Today’s twist: Make today’s post the first in a three-post series.

THE TRAGIC LOSS UNFOLDS~Part One

By John Yeo

The forest stretched for miles, a sea of pine trees with thick undergrowth. There was a large variety of wildlife in the forest and my wife and I would ramble for hours, just enjoying the sensation of the natural world. The birds fluttering and calling in the tree tops with squirrels scrambling up tree trunks in their haste to get away from the intrusive humans. Many times we have been caught in a shower or a storm and exactly against the universal advice we took shelter under a tree. The woodland flowers were colourful, blooming in profusion during their season, and we would enjoy wandering through stretches of ferns into the forest. One day we spotted a faun, shyly strolling along a woodland path through the trees, we quickly followed this beautiful little animal for a long way into the depths of the forest.

Suddenly we realised we were lost, hopelessly, totally lost. We pressed on hoping to come to an inhabited property where we could get our bearings and some directions back to where we had started our ramble. We came upon a clearing with a pretty little cottage and knocked hard to alert the inhabitants of our arrival. There was no response to our urgent knocking and we entered the little house to explore. Inside we found a large amount of blood, all over the place, some dried up and to our dismay what looked like a puddle of fresh blood. We assumed that an animal had been slaughtered and put the whole thing out of our minds for a minute. We then went through into the back yard, where there was freshly disturbed earth with mounds of earth piled every where, My wife, Margaret nervously remarked that they looked like a series of graves.

Then there was a noise as a large animal or a man was heard crashing and running through the forest~~~~

JUNE 4, 2004 Writing 101, Day Three: Commit to a Writing Practice

Posted on Jun 4, 2014 by John Yeo | 2 Comments

Today, celebrate three songs that are significant to you. For your twist, write for fifteen minutes without stopping — and build a writing habit.

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Three songs that have made a huge impact on me during my life? Obviously the songs that come to mind are the important songs that have made an impression on my life. All music that I have enjoyed,has come in phases, during the popular phase I remember, “Que Sera Sera, Whatever will be will be” sung by Doris Day. I was a young man during the time this song arrived on the scene, and her voice and the words made a big impact on my mind. It was also a firm favourite of my late wife, Sophie.

The next song I can distinctly remember was linked to a girl friend who lived in the USA, I live in the UK and we last met when she was on a holiday here. This song is, “A bridge Over Troubled Water” sung by Simon and Garfunkel, I love the words and the tune to this.

The final song would be an Operatic Aria, “One Fine Day” from the opera Madame Butterfly, This turned my tastes firmly in the direction of the music and production of Grand Opera. My wife, Margaret and I both love this type of music and we have enjoyed several Operas together.

I find this selection of my favourite songs, very mysterious as they are all songs that have had a significance in my life and they can all be linked by circumstances.

“Que Sera Sera” is a philosophical song, that is a direction to follow in the future.

“Bridge Over Troubled Water”, is also a reminder that I met my wife Margaret on the water during a cruise, at a very troubled period in my life.

“One Fine Day” is the finale of this troubled period when Margaret and I decided to get married. We have enjoyed a second chapter of our lives for the last ten very happy years.

I will now download and put these three songs together on my computer as I never realised they had such a significant impact on my past and present life.

Velvet Verbosity~Writing prompt~100 words on~”PLACE”

Posted on Jun 4, 2014 by John Yeo | 2 Comments

If you could lay your past lifetime out in a long timeline, then select any spot using your memory, or sticking a pin into any random part of the life-line, you would come to a period in your life and a certain place where you were living or visiting. This could be worked out mathematically and precisely to enable a return visit to the most beautiful place you have ever been to in your life. A place where you reached the highest level of happy peaceful contentment where a return visit would recapture the feelings of exquisite intellectual pleasure regained.

JUNE 3, 2014 Writing 101, Day Two: A Room with a View (Or Just a View)

Posted on Jun 3, 2014 by John Yeo | Leave a comment

JUNE 3, 2014
Writing 101, Day Two: A Room with a View (Or Just a View)
We’re all drawn to certain places. If you had the power to get somewhere — anywhere — where would you go right now? For your twist, focus on building a setting description.

A VIEW OF LIFE

The house in Bridgeman downs in Brisbane was situated on the side of a steep hill, indeed walking up the drive was a struggle for my wife, Margaret.

There was a balcony that stretched around the house overlooking a valley with wonderful houses screened by the typical Australian tropical vegetation.

High Palm trees mingled with Eucalyptus trees in the woodland in the middle distance and this was backed up by a range of mountains on the distant horizon, often shrouded in cloud and mist.

The view from the balcony and the dining area was stunning at any time of the day. In the very early hours of the morning at daybreak there was a cacophony of sound as the local bird-life awoke,

with the shrieking of Cockatoos mingled with the distinctive sound of Kookaburras, with many more birds contributing to the wonderful dawn chorus.

The very colourful plumage of many of these birds is stunning and it was a joy to sit and watch the huge variety of birds flying around the treetops in the distance.

There were some very colourful Rainbow Lorikeets feeding on the nectar from the flowers on a Golden Penda tree at the bottom of the hill at the end of the drive, during the flowering season.

Many a morning when we visited, it was just so relaxing to look out over this ever-changing prospect, just to sit and ponder as the morning broke.

The evening view was the crowning glory of the day as the sun went down and the beautiful all too brief sunsets would descend.

First 50 Words~The Rescue