Welcome to justthoughtsnstuff

I started posting to jtns on 20 February 2010 with just one word, 'Mosaic'. This seemed an appropriate introduction to a blog that would juxtapose fragments of memoir and life-writing. Since 1996, I'd been coming to terms with the consequences of emotional and economic abuse that had begun in childhood, and which, amongst other things, had sought to stifle self-expression. While I'd explored some aspects of my life through fiction and, to a lesser extent, journalism, it was only in 2010 that I felt confident enough to write openly about myself. I believed this was an important part of the healing process. Yet within weeks, the final scenes of my family's fifty-year nightmare started to play themselves out and the purpose of the blog became one of survival through writing. Although some posts are about my family's suffering - most explicitly, Life-Writing Talk, with Reference to Trust: A family story - the majority are about happier subjects (including, Bampton in rural west Oxfordshire, where I live, Oxford, where I work, the seasons and the countryside, walking and cycling) and I hope that these, together with their accompanying photos, are enjoyable and positive. Note: In February 2020, on jtns' tenth birthday, I stopped posting to this blog. It is now a contained work of life-writing about ten years of my life. Frank, 21 February 2020.

New blog: morethoughtsnstuff.com.

Saturday 10 May 2014

may blossom, downpours, sowing, creative writing, term up-and-running, novella

















Saw this beautiful may blossom when cycling earlier.

Blustery weekend so far, though, with heavy downpours - makes blossom seem distinctly ephemeral. Some cheering intervals of lovely warm sunshine, even so.

Managed to put in an hour on the allotment yesterday evening after work, knowing I wouldn't be able to get much done up there today and tomorrow. Swiss and rhubarb chard in plus some mixed radishes and two varieties of runner bean (there are early-sown runners growing in pots in the garden, which will be planted out next weekend).

Lots of creative writing teaching being done, meanwhile. The term is definitely up-and-running. Oh, and the novella is growing.

No comments:

Post a Comment