Computing changes
I am currently visiting my son and daughter-in-law in Sydney. My son is the computer expert in the family – he keeps this and my other blogs running smoothly (and you thought I did all that?)
He also helps to maintain our computers. While here in Sydney we’ve been able to use his super fast broadband connection. He has also set up a new 200Gb external hard drive for my computer and my wife’s computer (Yes we take our laptops travelling with us). Our laptops were in serious trouble of running out of disk space with all the photos we take, especially on trips like this one. You can read all about our holiday on my travel blog or my birding blog.
I have also been having neck and back problems always looking down at the monitor on my laptop. So the other day we went and bought a Samsung SyncMaster 205BW 20 inch wide screen monitor. WOW! What a difference that makes. Especially to my photos. And it is so much easier to read.
Bottom line: this is the first item I’ve bought with the proceeds of my blogging.
And I like it.
Thanks Sim’ for setting it all up for me.
To see a review of this monitor, together with a photo, click here.
Terrible Tongue Twister Tortures Trevor
I enjoy reading the Review section of The Weekend Australian newspaper. It has a broad range of articles about books, authors, literary events and many book reviews. Saturday’s edition had a short review of a book called “Sheep’s Miscellany: a collection of Truths and trivia.”
According to the author, Karen Gee, the toughest tongue twister in English is:
“The sixth sick sheik’s sixth sheep’s sick.”
And she also states that New Zealanders lead the world in Googling the word “sheep.”
I’ve always wondered about the Kiwis.
Literary Magazine
Last year I decided to subscribe to a few more literary magazines. This I regard as a vital part of my inservice training as a writer. It enables me to get a feel for what kinds of things are being published these days. This will help me to decide where to send my poems, short stories and essays.
I have just finished reading and enjoying the summer 2005 issue of Island, a fine little magazine publshed in Tasmania. It contained an excellent mix of fiction, reviews, essays and poetry. At 128 pages long it is quite a feast of reading.
I have read that if every writer subscribed to just three literary magazines each, the small magazines of Australia would be thriving and going from strength to strength. I currently have eight subscriptions. That is in addition to just as many other periodicals, like birding and geographic magazines.
I’m doing my bit – how about you?
For more information go to Island magazine’s web site here.