Wednesday 17 April 2013

Writer’s Block


Writer’s Block

I have it so bad that I even began to angst over where the apostrophe in ‘writers’ went and almost threw in the towel again. But a Google search on ‘writer’s block’ saved the day.

The funny thing about writer’s block is not the lack of ideas or subject matter. It is what happens when that blank piece of paper appears on the screen. I tried inserting a picture to get me started, that didn’t work. So now I am going to try something different - listing some of the issues that have been bugging me for a while and should make a good blog:

Education:
Did you know that one of China’s objectives in their country vision statement/country objectives is to be the most educated/intellectual country on earth? Their average IQ has gone up 10 points in the past decade. Meantime the western world is dumbing down its kids. I think China must shake its head when it reads that in some US states they have taken algebra of the curriculum because it is too hard. And how about our simple arithmetic course being labeled as functional maths – it is not maths and probably not functional. And need I even mention the 33% pass mark.

Feminism/Feminist:
If I hear one more person (woman) say any of the following I think I will throw up:
  • I think I might become a feminist – what the heck are you then?
  • I don’t like women – well this must be really tough for you.
  • I think women bosses are such bitches – well this must be really tough for you.

And if I hear one more person (man) say the following I think I will take him out at the knees:
  • If you want to be like us – just listen to yourself……and you wonder why there is such discrimination still. You have missed the pointed entirely.
  • All you women are the same – ag get a life.


Death and closure:
If I hear one more person say the following I think I will throw up:
  • He/she died doing something they love (ie. Cyclist gets squashed by a truck) – I am sure the person liked cycling but I am damn sure they are not pleased to have died doing it.
  • They (wife/children/siblings) will find closure once the funeral/memorial/cremation is done. Or: they need to find closure – closure on what for goodness sake? Even so, I am sure they won’t find closure…not just yet anyway. The grief process takes a bit of time. Can’t people find something else to say other than this glib comment?


On being humbled:
This is so overdone now that it sounds really stupid. Every second person who wins a race, gets an award, is given a pat on the back is humbled and some are even truly humbled – you know what they are going to say before they even open their mouths. Cant they just say: I worked really hard and I deserve this.  Good quote by Golda Meir: Don't be humble... you're not that great.

And now that I have read my comments above I know why I have writer’s block *grin*.