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 20 January 2018

narrow boat wedged, spring-winter, russell square, log fire, narrative magazine writers' resources - including oxford mst








Came across this narrow boat wedged under the footbridge over the Thames just south of Bossoms Boat Yard. Am hoping no one was injured. Suspect that it broke free of its moorings during the floods.

I first saw it over a week ago and yesterday, when I did the same walk, there were river rescue vehicles on the bank, so I imagine it will have been extricated by now.

Alternating spring-like and gloomy-winter days recently.

In the middle of the week, I was in London for a committee meeting and ate my sandwiches in Russell Square beneath the plane trees. The air was scything but the light was delicate and reassuring of good days to come.

Today is all fine misty rain, milky skies and muted colours. A day for marking work beside the log fire.

For creative writers, a new section has just been launched on the Narrative Magazine website called Writers' Resources. It lists Writing Programs (good that the Oxford MSt is there in the international listings), Conferences, Books on Writing, Best Advice and Editing Programs. Definitely worth a browse.
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