Woman: What part of the chicken is this? The butt?
Man: I think it's the shoulder.
Woman: I don't think chickens have shoulders!
---
For the record, she was eating a thigh. And it disturbs me that someone will happily eat mysterious chicken pieces provided they are fried in a crispy coating!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Writing Exercise (or... How to Avoid Reading Textbooks)
"The first act of writing is noticing" - W.H. Auden
It's hard to start writing to a blank page, even with a quote to get me started. I've told myself that the things that surround me on my desk are functional only, and therefore have no interesting characteristics... to notice them would be counterproductive. They are there when I need them. Yet, some things that I can see here are not really that useful. A stuffed koala jammed under my monitor screen... where did it come from? Why do I keep it? A deck of cards that is missing all the 2s and Aces. Somehow it still feels useful. Cups, coasters, paper clips, safety pins. This isn't mess but nesting. My chair is in the middle. I can work my mess around to protect even the entrance to the chair, and with my back to the wall, I'm safe in my corner. The things could be anything, but it's their existence that comforts me somehow. I sway between panicking and throwing things away, and hilariously holding on to others that have little value (sentimental or otherwise). What does this semi-circle of objects say about me? What is it giving away to others? Am I being unknowingly revealed by these things? A half-used rainbow-notepad. A holepunch that leaks tiny circles of paper. I've chosen these things and I surround myself with them, tucking them gently into my nest, forming the walls and the structure.
It's hard to start writing to a blank page, even with a quote to get me started. I've told myself that the things that surround me on my desk are functional only, and therefore have no interesting characteristics... to notice them would be counterproductive. They are there when I need them. Yet, some things that I can see here are not really that useful. A stuffed koala jammed under my monitor screen... where did it come from? Why do I keep it? A deck of cards that is missing all the 2s and Aces. Somehow it still feels useful. Cups, coasters, paper clips, safety pins. This isn't mess but nesting. My chair is in the middle. I can work my mess around to protect even the entrance to the chair, and with my back to the wall, I'm safe in my corner. The things could be anything, but it's their existence that comforts me somehow. I sway between panicking and throwing things away, and hilariously holding on to others that have little value (sentimental or otherwise). What does this semi-circle of objects say about me? What is it giving away to others? Am I being unknowingly revealed by these things? A half-used rainbow-notepad. A holepunch that leaks tiny circles of paper. I've chosen these things and I surround myself with them, tucking them gently into my nest, forming the walls and the structure.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Educational Uncertainty
Ahh the uncertainty that comes with education. It seems to me from watching people at university that there are even more uncertain students in my 3rd year courses, than there are in the 1st year courses I'm taking. Everyone gets less and less sure of themselves as their schooling progresses.
My evidence for this claim is partly due to the comments I overheard in class today. The prof presents a question to the class. Keen, bright-eyed students jab their little hands into the air... Actually it's more like slack-eyed, coffee guzzling students wave at the teacher then begin talking... And their responses to the questions make me wonder what the hell they are doing. All responses are worded so that the student appears uncertain. Phrases like "I was just kind of thinking that..." or "Isn't it possible that..." or "Maybe it's because..."
Why, oh why, is everyone so afraid of throwing an answer out there? Of course what you are saying is what you were thinking. We know that because you're talking and saying things (besides, this was in a psychology class, which just makes it all the more confusing for me). And you are answering a question, not questioning your own intuition. No one really cares if you are dead wrong.
And this doesn't necessarily have to do with shyness. It's often the same 10 or 15 people in a group of 200 that will be shouting out these answers... which are actually uncertainty and questions. And I wonder if anyone is sure of themselves at all?
My evidence for this claim is partly due to the comments I overheard in class today. The prof presents a question to the class. Keen, bright-eyed students jab their little hands into the air... Actually it's more like slack-eyed, coffee guzzling students wave at the teacher then begin talking... And their responses to the questions make me wonder what the hell they are doing. All responses are worded so that the student appears uncertain. Phrases like "I was just kind of thinking that..." or "Isn't it possible that..." or "Maybe it's because..."
Why, oh why, is everyone so afraid of throwing an answer out there? Of course what you are saying is what you were thinking. We know that because you're talking and saying things (besides, this was in a psychology class, which just makes it all the more confusing for me). And you are answering a question, not questioning your own intuition. No one really cares if you are dead wrong.
And this doesn't necessarily have to do with shyness. It's often the same 10 or 15 people in a group of 200 that will be shouting out these answers... which are actually uncertainty and questions. And I wonder if anyone is sure of themselves at all?
Wyverns
The wyvern is almost like a dragon, but it has only two front legs and a serpent's tail. The name was chosen while making a quick search for magical creatures so that I could name this blog. I used "The Writing Wyvern" because alliteration is always catchy and useful.
I've asked myself to write more. I hope that this will serve as a place for ideas to grow. Or at the very least I can feed them to they Wyvern. In comparison to dragons, there is very little information out there about this creature. I like to imagine her as the outcast of the dragoning world, however a more graceful flier without the added bulk of two extra legs.
I've asked myself to write more. I hope that this will serve as a place for ideas to grow. Or at the very least I can feed them to they Wyvern. In comparison to dragons, there is very little information out there about this creature. I like to imagine her as the outcast of the dragoning world, however a more graceful flier without the added bulk of two extra legs.
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