Tag Archives: counting

Keeping Count (109 Posts 108 Days)

This is going to be my 109th post of the year and it is day 108. It’s a lot easier now that I’m counting in the titles and don’t have to go back to the first day of the year to do my counting.

It’s depressing that my work rate is actually so low, and also that the year is almost a third of the way through.

I’ve just been reading an interview with an author in the back of a book -it’s a J D Kirk Scottish crime novel, though his real name is Barry Hutchison.  In the interview he claims to have written 200 books, though somewhere else he goes for 140. It’s a lot of books.  This includes a lot for children and some comic books, so the word count may not be very high, though I’m not one to judge. I (vaguely) claim to have had 250 poems published, but I honestly have no idea, having lost control of the counting some time ago. I am going to have to try and get them all together. In terms of word count, some are about a dozen words and I doubt if the longest passes 300, so I’m not in a position to preach.

Actually, I have a terrible feeling that I may be exaggerating. It’s possible that I went to bed thinking “150” and woke next day thinking “250”. Excuse me while I go and count.

My Orange Parker Pen

Several hours later . . .

My admin, as you know, is poor and I can’t find all my published poems. Even if they were all in one place it would be incomplete as I’m a poor record keeper, and they are in at least five lists, but I am over 250.

In fact, I’d better get on with that. And I’d better get my act together and keep proper records in future.

Orange Parker Pen

Day 80 Post 79

The gardens at Springfields

Neither figure in the title is particularly significant, but together they tell me I am one post behind my target. This is, to be fair, the story of my life. My approach to life can be summed up by the phrases “good enough” or “that’ll do” so it’s no surprise that I’m hovering around my target. Around, but not above.

The title is also a sneaky time-saving device. Next time I want to check on progress I have a place to start and can avoid the time spent in counting the first 79 posts and 80 days. Is that, I wonder, a sign that I am well-organised, or a sign that I am lazy?

Whatever it is, it is definitely a sign that I need to write an extra post to get back on target.

It’s also a sign that the year is nearly quarter of the way through. It’s my favourite bit. The magnolias are coming out, even though they will soon be a mass of decaying petals. The lilacs and the laburnums will soon be out and, before you know it, the year will be on the downward slope to autumn. It’s definitely a bitter-sweet time of year.

Meanwhile, looking up magnolias I went on a journey through the Southern states of the USA and a history of lynching via Strange Fruit.

Looking forward to Spring

I’ll just link to a text article, you will have to sort out your favourite version of the song. I wasn’t sure whether to link to Billie Holiday or Nina Simone in the first place. Then I discovered that Siouxsie Sioux covered it. It’s not, I feel, a great version, but it does add a bit of variety. It’s amazing where blogging takes you.

Spring in the Mencap Garden