March 31, 2005
Hand prints at the top of the stairs...
Does anyone know how you get black kids paint out of light grey carpet?!
Posted by purple elephant at 04:16 PM |
An apple for teacher…
You know how I said that I’d reserve full judgement on my course tutor until I got my first essay back? Well let’s just say that she is my favourite person in the whole world right now. She can make me speak in font of the class as much as she likes, she can ask me any kind of personal question, hell she can even make me sing in front of the class. Oh no wait. I said I like her; perhaps that last one is out of the question.
There was even an apology for its slow return.
The best thing of all is that it really inspired me to get on with the next one, I’ll probably never make that grade again but I can certainly use it as some sort of inspiration to remind myself that I can (or could) do it. As of yesterday morning I was three days behind due to the two days I spent sewing that godforsaken apron* and a day at my Mum’s. I spent all yesterday afternoon and evening with my head stuck in Charlotte Bronte, (figuratively speaking of course) so I guess you could say I have caught up.
I think I just caught a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel.
* In case you were wondering, just as I feared the apron was too big, despite the fact that I followed the pattern according to the measurements I was given. She pulled it out of the bag looking far from impressed. ‘I hope it fits OK’ I said tentatively. To which she replied ‘No I don’t think it will actually. I knew when your Mum measured me around the chest that it would probably come up too big at the shoulders.’ With this she stuffed it back in the bag and the offending article was mentioned no more.
Tact is obviously a generational quality.
Posted by purple elephant at 08:11 AM |
March 29, 2005
Defending the Domestic
So Toby Litt and Ali Smith have raised a bit of a furore with the introduction to New Writing 13. In which they state that,
‘It's worth pointing out: a lot of what was submitted was dauntingly undaring. On the whole the submissions from women were disappointingly domestic, the opposite of risk-taking - as if too many women writers have been injected with a special drug that keeps them dulled, good, saying the right thing, aping the right shape, and melancholy at doing it, depressed as hell.’
Both authors have defended their statement insisting that the quote has been taken out of context. Domesticity as a subject is fine they quickly insist and is ‘so often the basis of brilliance in writing,’ but as a style of writing domesticity represents ‘lack of risk-taking’ and is according to Litt and Smith ‘unadventurous.’
I have my suspicions about their cobbled together defence. For a start I find it impossible to believe that the self same word can apparently have such wildly differing appeal depending on the context. Litt and Smith seem to value originality and experimentation (Kate has read some of their work and believes this to be to the detriment of their content) and presumably they are suggesting that this can be achieved by writing about domestic matters but not if we write in a domestic style. It all seems a little narrow minded to me.
Secondly I am always dubious of writers who whinge and moan about being misunderstood and taken out of context. It is the writer’s job to convey meaning through the choice of the best possible words, if several of the audience then start barking up the wrong tree, then nine times out of ten the writer should be held to account, not the reader. As distinguished writers themselves, Litt and Smith should have known that they were not going to use the words ‘women writers’ and ‘domestic’ in the same negative sentence and get away with it. Although the cynic in me can’t help believing that all publicity is good publicity and that there is nothing like a touch of controversy to line our pockets.
I will not bore you by spewing out a list of women writers who do the domestic well, or those who steer well clear of such gutless tedium, but will take it upon myself to point out that writing is a form of self expression. For instance if Yvonne Roberts (scroll down) really believes that there is a need,
‘for a shift into a greater diversity of plots? Into the depths of science fiction, gothic horror, action thrillers? How about female characters who are thoroughly selfish, wicked and unpredictable not because they were sexually abused in childhood or married a bastard but because they are out for what they can get? And how about letting them - unlike Thelma and Louise - get away with it?’
That sounds great, if she wishes to write that masterpiece then I will almost definitely read it. I however do not relish being dictated to about what I can and cannot write, what does and does not constitute style, originality, or domesticity by Toby Litt, Ali Smith, Yvonne Roberts or anyone else for that matter.
I will leave you with a quote from AL Kennedy, whose response is well worth reading in full,
‘The thing is - it's my choice to use whatever words I want, to say whatever I want. You need not like it, pay for it, or read it, but I do have the right to say it. If we lose from our literature the essential freedom of communication between individuals, if we lose the ability of one human being to tell the truth to another, the private truth of our senses, our emotions, our dreams, if we lose the freedom to enter into the consciousness of others - male others, female others, dead others, happy others, sad others, unimaginable others, others like ourselves - then we have given away its soul.’
Posted by purple elephant at 10:10 AM |
March 27, 2005
Weekend blog roundup;
The over to you version..
I was up late last night getting everything done, I finished the apron I'm not 100% happy with it, some of the stitching is a bit dodgy and I'm also worried about the size, I made a 16-18 but it looks too wide at the shoulders. Ideally the sewing machine needs a service before I make the handfasting shirt but I'm not sure I can afford the time (or the money) to be parted with it, as the wedding is in a month.
Anyway that was just a long winded way of saying that I haven't got time for a proper blog roundup right now. Also I'm aware that I end up plugging the same blogs week after week. So today I am going to leave it up to you. If you are reading this (you got this far without passing out with boredom? Well done!) I want you to post a link to your favourite blog post of the week.
I'll start you off....
1) Kate (who I'm sure makes it into the blog round up every week. I don't want anything. Honest!) writes on the controversial Introduction to New Writing 13, which contains the following provocative statement;
‘ It's worth pointing out: a lot of what was submitted was dauntingly undaring. On the whole the submissions from women were disappointingly domestic, the opposite of risk-taking - as if too many women writers have been injected with a special drug that keeps them dulled, good, saying the right thing, aping the right shape, and melancholy at doing it, depressed as hell.’
Like Kate I have got a lot to say on this, it will probably have to be tomorrow though, so be prepared….
Right who is up for number two?
Posted by purple elephant at 07:19 AM |
March 26, 2005
Brooding along
Spent most of yesterday a slave to the sewing machine in a desperate attempt to get the apron finished for tomorrow, for when I will be seeing my great aunt at my Mum’s birthday bash. I’m quite proud of myself only had one moment when for no apparent reason the sewing machine decided to stop working properly and I considered throwing it out the window in a fit of rage.
My irritation was softened somewhat by a visit to some friends of ours who have just had the most beautiful baby girl imaginable. It is so easy to forget how utterly small and dependant they are at that age. That familiar but distant subtle milky scent was enough to bring back memories of nearly four years ago, yep my baby will be four in June, where did all that time go? As if to mark the occasion (and to taunt me) for some reason she has suddenly stopped calling me ‘Mummy’, I am now ‘Mum.’ It seems that it is not just a snotty nose she picks up from nursery.
My biological clock appears to be the only clock in the house that keeps time perfectly. Not only does it tick incessantly but it has suddenly acquired an alarm. Now if someone could tell me where the off button is, I would be eternally grateful.
To mark this wave of domesticity I made Creamy Mushroom Puff for dinner last night. I have been meaning to share this recipe with you for ages as it has become one of our favourites. (A tip; I leave out the wine/stock and just add more milk)
Arrgh! You see what happens to me if I forsake my study for one day?!
Posted by purple elephant at 08:28 AM |
March 24, 2005
S-T-R-E-S-S-
Because Mr PE is good at most things, he is under the impression that if someone is better than him at something then they are a genius. For my brother's wedding I made Littleone's bridesmaid dress (See my 'about' pic) and ever since he has branded me some sort of seamstress/fashion designer.
He seems to have forgotten how much I cursed when I made that dress as when his friend lamented the fact that he couldn’t find the exact shirt he wanted for his wedding/ hand fasting , Mr PE jumped in and volunteered my services, just like that. So somehow I have a month to muster a Byronesque frilly ruffley shirt from somewhere. Oh and it’s got to be in SILVER!
My great aunt asked me to make her an apron, and that was about a month ago, so I have to do that first.
That patchwork quilt I was making for Littleone’s doll’s bed is going to have to go on a back burner for a while.
I’ve also got an essay due in the day the kids go back to school after the Easter break.
Impeccable timing once more.
Posted by purple elephant at 08:06 PM |
March 23, 2005
Not a happy bunny...
What sort of idiot leaves the house without a set of house keys and without a phone?
What sort of idiot cannot even recite her own husband’s mobile phone number off the top of her head?
What sort of idiot, knowing she hasn’t got a head for figures (even of the simple kind like phone numbers), never thinks to write important numbers down for such emergencies?
*Waves inanely*
Has anyone noticed how difficult it is to find a pay phone these days, and since when has it been 30p minimum? I’m sure it was 10p last time I used one of those things.
So I phoned home just in case by some miracle Mr PE had seen my keys on the side and realised what had happened and stayed behind.(One can hope) 30p to listen to my own answer phone.
Then I took Littleone to the park for an hour and I let her play while I read The Life of Charlotte Bronte, luckily I’ve trained myself to always carry a book because you never know when a situation might arise where you get a precious opportunity to read for a bit. Pity I couldn’t train myself to always take a set of house keys with me, for you never know when you might need access to your own house.
At five o clock I phoned home again, and lost another 30p.
Then I had the brainwave of phoning my mum (I can remember that one, partly because I used to live there but mainly because the number is repetitive) and asking her for Mr. PE’s number. Another answer phone for the rather excessive price of 30p.
He finally rolled along the street at about 5:35, I ran in, turned on the TV only to discover that I had missed Richard and Judy covering Perdita by about 2 ½ minutes.
I have been looking forward to that one for weeks.
Grrrrrr...
Posted by purple elephant at 08:11 PM |
March 21, 2005
Quick blog roundup
1) It is (or was) 80s weekend over at Mommy Matters. Head on over there for a nostalgic party. Just don't laugh at my musical choices OK?!
2)I know this is old but Phantom Scribbler's Judith Warner Motherhood Misery Index raised me a chuckle. I found this via A Mamma's Rant which is also an excellent blog.
3) Pewari links to some very important petitons one is Jamie Oliver's campaign for healthy food in schools and the other in favour of a law to protect mothers who wish to breastfeed in public.
Which reminds me of a phone in I heard on the radio the other day, where some misguided fool informed the world that it is 'brazen' and 'not natural' to breastfeed in front of others.
Err....Come again?
Posted by purple elephant at 08:04 PM | | TrackBack
March 20, 2005
Update those blogrolls!
It’s a new home for Purple Elephant’s Corner!
No more problems with commenting and publishing and well just about everything else really.
I am eternally grateful to Michelle for all this. (Thank you Thank you Thank You X 100)
Now I must stop playing around now, I’ve got some reading to do before I go to bed a happier woman.
Blog roundup tomorrow, I promise.
Tra-la-la!
Posted by purple elephant at 10:19 PM |
How Exciting!
This is Purple Elephant testing now!
Posted by purple elephant at 10:14 PM |
just making sure everything works
ok, seems like we are in business. have fun with it and we will make it look much snazzier sometime soon.
Posted by michelle at 05:53 PM |