That’s right, I just have eight posts to go before my 3,000th. Or, as I’m writing this, I should, more accurately, say seven to go. It’s like the “sleeps” system of counting down to Christmas. Or even counting down to a Coronation. It is currently 11.00pm on Friday, so to say there is a day until the Coronation is not really true, or helpful. However, it is just one sleep until the Coronation. and though it still isn’t very precise, it is accurate.
The other thing about posts is that anything can be a post. Even a single picture can be a post. I suppose a single word could be a post if I wanted. I know that a single line can be a poem, it’s called a monostich. I bought a book of monostich poems for my Kindle. They are very short and almost entirely rubbish. What was I thinking of? At the time, in a fit of enthusiasm after reading an article, I was thinking that one disjointed line could be a poem. I’m now not sure that, in general, it can. And even if it can, I’m not sure that it’s possible to maintain that quality through an entire collection.
It’s a bit like haiku. You can’t just put three lines together and call it a haiku, because there is a bit more to it than that. I’d define it as soul. The Japanese also have a word for it. Unfortunately I’ve forgotten it. They have so many words for things and my memory is going rapidly downhill. So, a haiku is three short lines and a little soul. Hard to explain, but easy to experience when you read a good one. Unfortunately, a lot of haiku aren’t that good. My best ones are merely good enough to scrape into a middling sort of magazine, and I’m not sure if I’ve ever written a decent haiku.
Just one more thought and I will go for tonight. I wrote a tanka prose a couple of months ago, which was accepted and published, though I did rework the tanka, as the editor thought it was perilously close to the sentimentality of a greetings card verse. I can’t remember how he put it, but the words “greetings card verse” were definitely part of it. I thought I was being profound.
The difference between a tanka and a greetings card verse is, as far as I can see, very small, apart from the fact you can get money for writing greetings cards.
Congratulations on the acceptance and publication, Simon. Keep writing in any form! Some of these poems you have been asked to rework before publication – it would be interesting to see the before and after versions to see what the editor was thinking, not not. In the scientific research world, I once knew a professor who deliberately left typos in so the reviewers would have something legitimate to pick on, instead of requesting changes for the sake of making changes.
🙂 Scientists = so cunning!
Almost 3000 blog posts. That is mind blowing. I’m glad to have been along for some of the ride.
I’m hoping you will be along for a good proportion of the next 3,000 too! 🙂
I am very much looking forward to the next 3000 posts so I hope that you will look after your health. I feel sure that if you took a video of your beard everyday with some interesting article of food protruding from it, and then posted the result on TikTok or Instagram, you could very soon become an influencer and monetise your output to a remarkable degree.
This is true. Simon Wilson on Tiktok. Pure gold.
I’m not sure I’m ready for the big time. I think there probably is one on Tik Tok already. 🙂
https://www.tiktok.com/@simonjwils?lang=en
Not to mention the avalanche of free beard grooming products I’d be sent for review.
I was actually thinking of cutting it as it is starting to influence my menu choices. 🙂
Tik Tok is already covered, I’m afraid – https://www.tiktok.com/@simonjwils?lang=en
This is a fine ramble
Thank you Derrick. Are you both well after the Spring Boosters? (As I see them being called).
Yes, Thanks. I woke up yesterday with an itchy lump on on my arm. Upon investigation I realised it wasn’t the jab spot – a bit lower where something had bitten me 🙂
That’s good. I would advise light duties with lots of tea being served and mopping of your brow. It doesn’t do to take chances. 😉
🙂
It would be good if you got money for writing blog posts/ Especially 3000.
It would be nice, but it would also be nice to develop a household heating system that ran on grumbling. I could see us through the winter quite comfortably. 🙂
Well, with summer coming on I guess you’d better get a plan.
Looking at our current politicians, a boiler that runs on bullshit wold be good proposition. We are currently mining a very rich vein.
Keep on blogging!
Thank you. 🙂