RBW Online ISSUE 218 Date: 16th December 2011 Words Exercises Assign- ments Fiction Projects Events Work- shops Thoughts Your Pages Poetry News Items Instead of sending Christmas Cards RBW library team have collected funds to support OXFAM’s Gift Scheme and have opted for supporting girls’ education and water buckets. http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/oxfam-unwrapped? pscid=ps_ggl_SL_New_Gifts_Unwrapped Holiday closing: RBW library workshops close with MINCEPIE MONDAY 19th DECEMBER 2011 reopen on 9th January 2012 Submissions for RBW Online can still be sent in over the holidays.
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
RBW Online
ISSUE 218 Date: 16th December 2011
Words
Exercises
Assign-
ments
Fiction
Projects
Events
Work-
shops
Thoughts
Your
Pages
Poetry
News
Items
Instead of sending Christmas Cards
RBW library team have collected funds
to support OXFAM’s Gift Scheme
and have opted for supporting
girls’ education and water buckets.
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/oxfam-unwrapped?
pscid=ps_ggl_SL_New_Gifts_Unwrapped
Holiday closing:
RBW library workshops close with
MINCEPIE MONDAY
19th DECEMBER 2011 reopen on 9th January 2012
Submissions for RBW Online can still be
sent in over the holidays.
Issue 218
Page 2
BOOK ORDERING To order : Cheques payable to Rising Brook Writers, please. (Do not send
cash through the post.) All are plus £1.20 P&P Order via Rising Brook Writers c/o Rising Brook Library, Merrey Road, Stafford ST17 9LX Back Stock List Available: FARE DEAL (£5.00) STILL WATERS (£5.00)
Thoughts & Quotes ... Thoughts at Christmas 2011
Thankfully, something not often experienced in this country
Starvation is nature‟s way of saying, „there‟s too many of you‟.
No fool nature.
The ancients, full of ancient wisdom, and a gallon of mead
Celebrated the lengthening of the days, as winter became spring.
No fools the ancients.
Technology is our way of saying, „We‟re not animals‟
However, there‟s no way in which we cannot be one.
More fool us.
Christmas is our way of saying, „There is hope and joy,
Let us celebrate the turning of the year and the renewal of life.‟
Only fools don‟t.
Season‟s Greetings To One and All
Clive Hewitt
Acting Chair RBW
HOLIDAY ASSIGNMENT: Time Warp (400 words max)
Random Words: code, wind, Victorian, hat, mascara, mincing, held,
laundered, chocolate, iron (150 words max)
Don’t forget the cryptic clues ... 20 words. (enclose answer)
Issue 218
Page 3
nee adj
1. Used when giving the maiden name of a woman.
2. Used when giving a former name. Originally known as.
cantankerous adj
1. Stubborn, cranky, or surly.
remonstrate v
1. To formally protest, object to, or rebel against.
weird adj
1. Strange, unusual, bizarre.
2. Having supernatural powers over human destiny.
dissemble v
1. To disguise or conceal something; to feign.
2. To deliberately ignore something; to pretend not to notice.
3. To falsely hide one's opinions or feelings.
portmanteau n
1. A large travelling case usually made of leather, and opening into
two equal sections.
2. (linguistics) A word formed which combines the meanings of two
words by combining the words themselves.
stentorian adj
1. (of a voice) Loud, powerful, booming; suitable for giving speeches to large crowds.
solace n
1. Comfort or consolation in a time of distress.
2. A source of comfort or consolation.
LIFE OBSERVATIONS
Holly knows how to protect itself from un-gloved fingers. Why do they use so much glue on rolls of toilet paper? Winter pansies lined up in rows like soldiers on parade look so sad. It’s so much nicer to set them free to explore nooks and crannies...
Pointless poet = Brooke, – E (compass point) = Brook
Pens = Writers Partnership = Group
Editor’s note: PLEASE folks, if sending in a cryptic clue (and this one is so clever),
please, provide the answer as well. Ta! (ouch ... my brain hurts)
Random words SMS
With a high wind screaming along the promenade, Harold, pushed the Stetson further
down over a high forehead and cursed his lack of rainwear. The Mandarin collar on a se-
quined jacket was allowing rain to penetrate his fancy duds. The “Red Hot Chillies
Country Swing Band” logo embroidered down his back was soggy from salt spray. As he
huddled in the doorway of the Empire Ballroom, chilled to the bones, the singer‟s
thoughts turned philosophical. No doorkeeper was an imperfect start to any perform-
ance and being locked out of a building was a pain, but the condemnation notice he was
now reading pasted on the door was a wee bit more worrying. He patted his pockets for
the booking sheet. He was in the right place, wasn‟t he?
One man‟s meat is another man‟s poison. Assignment SMS
Beefing up his muscles at the gym seemed like a good idea to Leo Ramsbotham. He was
sick of being called “Porky” by old lady D‟Angelo, who was no oil painting herself,
„Mutton dressed as lamb‟ his ma called the nosy old baggage from next door. Who did
she think she was, prodding his gut with her bony finger every time she came to visit his
gran.
„The boy‟s all lard and butter, Stella. Tell him to get off his
fatness, and do something with his life,‟ she would snarl with
those piggy little eyes which shone like wet pebbles glaring at
him as he watched TV.
„Ah but he‟s such a lamb to his gran,‟ Gran would say pat-
ting his ham-shank thigh and slipping him a tenner to go to the
chippy. Gran loved a Saveloy, or a battered sausage. Old mis-
ery guts from next door was all skin and bone, not a ounce of
fat greased those cheese grater hips, or that skeletal humped
back. But he‟d seen her in the offy. He knew her secret. You
didn‟t get circles Polony red on cadaverous cheek bones with-
out a serious habit. She might not let animal flesh cross those
yellowed gums but a heck of a lot of gin did!
Wikipedia
MESSAGE TO RBW send by email this week:
If you are a writer who is looking to improve, who wishes to become a published author, Renegade
Writers could be just the ticket. Group members bring along their work in progress, (and if they
wish) read a bit out, and then join in constructive discussions -- all intended to help everyone im-
prove. Current members include writers already professionally published, a publisher and edi-
tor, writers looking to make their first sale, and people at the start of their passion.
If you are a writer who dares to be different -- come along. All genres catered for. The next meeting is
at 7.30 pm on ...
Wednesday 14 December 2011 --
Christmas special: bring festive food or fiction and celebrate ... at the usual venue, the Jolly Potters, Hartshill, 296 Hartshill Road, Hartshill, Stoke-On-Trent, Staf-
fordshire, ST4 7NH, at the corner of Hartshill Road and Vicarage Road -- there is a large gravel car
park at the end of Vicarage Road. To contact Renegade Writers, send an email
New Magazines: Kaffeeklatsch http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/magazines/magazines/?id=629 Fontanelles and Foma http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/magazines/magazines/?id=628
Latest News: Items added to the Poetry Library in November 2011 | 09-Dec-11 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/news/library/?id=874 Poet and translator Christopher Logue dies | 06-Dec-11 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/news/poetryscene/?id=873 Poetry and the Occupy Movement | 05-Dec-11 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/news/poetryscene/?id=872 Poetry Magazines received in November 2011 | 02-Dec-11 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/news/library/?id=871 New survey on poetry and mental health | 01-Dec-11 http://www.poetrylibrary.org.uk/news/poetryscene/?id=870
All at RBW send their good wishes to all our readers
for a happy and peaceful holiday season
and hope for peace and joy in 2012
for everyone everywhere.
Here’s a thought from Longfellow as we approach another
new year of challenge:
Look not mournfully into the past,
It comes not back again.
Wisely improve the present. It is thine.
Go forth to meet the shadowy future,
Without fear, and with a manly heart.
And, lastly, in the words of the great
Canadian poet Leonard Cohen:
“Let’s try to be kind to each other.”
If you are a subscribing email recipient to leave RBW Online is easy just email and say ‘unsubscribe’ and you will be immediately removed from the list. If you have any suggestions for improvement to this service please let us know. You don't have to take an active part to receive this workshop bulletin you can just sit back and enjoy the ride, but if you could send back KUDOS feedback it is greatly appreciated. RBW Privacy Promise: A few simple contact details are all that are required and they will only be used for this bulletin service. RBW promise to:
Only send you details via the newsletter.
To never pass on your details to anyone else.
To always allow recipients to opt-out and unsubscribe at any time.
www.risingbrookwriters.org.uk
To contact RBW please use the website contact box.
PATRON Ian McMillan www.ian-mcmillan.co.uk
Memberships and funders.
Rising Brook Writers strives to be compliant with the requirements of the Data Protection Act. RBW strives for accuracy and
fairness, however, can take no responsibility for any error, misinterpretation or inaccuracy in any message sent by this mode of
publishing. The opinions expressed are not necessarily in accordance with the policy of the charity. E-mails and attachments
sent out by RBW are believed to be free from viruses which might affect computer systems into which they are received or
opened but it is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that they are virus free. Rising Brook Writers accepts no responsi-
bility for any loss or damage arising in any way from their receipt, opening or use. Environment/ Recycling: Please consider care-
fully if you need to print out any part or all of this message.
To the best of our knowledge and belief all the material included in this publication is free to use in the public domain, or has
been reproduced with permission, and/or source acknowledgement. RBW have researched rights where possible, if anyone’s
copyright is accidentally breached please inform us and we will remove the item with apologies. RBW is a community organisation,
whose aims are purely educational, and is entirely non-profit making. If using material from this collection for educational pur-
poses please be so kind as to acknowledge RBW as the source. Contributors retain the copyright to their own work. Fiction:
names, characters, places and incidents are imaginary or are being used in a fictitious way. Any resemblance to actual people living