It's So Simple

testing. Testing explainer (!)


(Stanback) Stand back. Clear the room(.) (T)his is an experiment and I have no idea how it will turn out.


I’m (getting) kidding. It is an experiment and I really don’t have any idea how it will turn out. But, rather than clearing the room, I would prefer that you move in ... (plus) close to the screen.


I can see already this is not going to be easy. Please! (explainer) (place) Please! Don’t be frightened. 


While I do not recommend that you try this at home, merely watching is not likely to inflict substantial harm. Oh, there may be some brain damage, but that’s always the risk of reading S. and G., otherwise known as Squiggles and Giggles.


(That may explain.) No, let me explain.


The experiment I mentioned (in all this) involves writing this installment of Squiggles without touching the keyboard.


And you thought I’d been doing that all along. Right (question mark).


Actually, my grasp of (you can skip this part ... the scientists for an science out out on on science on how well my grasp of) the science of communication had not progressed that far until recently.


I had been writing (the) Squiggles the old-fashioned way. You know, (what back) the(y) hunt and peck method. Over the years I had gone from a single-finger hunt and peck system and had virtually conquered the (y put finger to finger a W0) two-finger method, which had doubled my productivity.


-S&G-


Are you listening (question)? I have to resist the impulse to ask that because I’m sitting here talking... and it just seems natural that somebody should be listening.


Are you listening?


This experiment involves software, of course. Doesn’t everything these days? Installing that was no problem. There was a slight problem, however, (space) when I clamped on the equipment ... that is, an earpiece and a mouthpiece, both attached to a fairly long cord. After a rather long struggle, I managed to accomplish that. 


Then, when I got up to walk away from my computer, I forgot to take off this combination (hit) headpiece. I got as far away as the (card) cord would allow, and then (it’s really) it threw me to the floor. 


(So and end. And end. And. Space. And each in the. And end. And end. And. In. Space. And and. And and and and and. And)


End of Lesson One.


-S&G-


The whole thing is premised on (the) voice recognition. That is, I simply sit here in front of the screen, talking. Don’t ask me how, but the device ... sometimes (space) ... understands what I’m saying. (T)he words ... and some punctuation ... appear on the screen.


This all came to me recently as a birthday present ... and it promises to be a gift that lasts and lasts and lasts.


I’m still learning the ropes.


And who said you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? I have no idea. Do you (question) ?


Please bear with me while I try to regain my grip on the trailing edge of technology. Just when I feel I’m about to catch up, something new comes along. And here I am being thrown to the floor again, because I’ve forgotten to take off the (hit) headpiece.


-S&G-


Sspeaking of mistakes or just plain old clumsiness, my apologies to (already that’s at all oh are easy easy) LOREE (Kansas) ... a regular longtime contributor to the conversations that go on here.


She responded promptly, as she generally does, to last week’s installment. I appreciated (your kind words) her kind words, and said I planned to use some of them before this week’s installment. 


The idea, of course, was to try to keep the conversation going between these weekly postings.


But, as is so often the case, good intentions (but) got lost in the shuffle, and by (quote) “shuffle” I’m not referring to my walking style.


I’m sorry, (Laurie) Loree. (I) I’ll try to do better in the future. I really will.


Meanwhile, here are some of those words from (Laurie) LOREE:


“I think I've figured out why we (you and myself) are 'artists'...with words, or whatever.  It's because we are dreamers ... big TIME dreamers!  We don't do anything without throwing ourselves into it ... give it our best shot, not to mention any additional nudging we can manage.


“Like your wonderful description of your own, personalized, made all-by-yourself trading cards, or whatever you decide to call them.  And I was thinking along the very same lines you were....Bob will make a FORTUNE!


“I had that dream once...when I published my book....and sold about 1,000 copies of it, scattered around the entire width and breadth of our country, not to mention some sent to Australia, the UK, etc.  I had visions of being famous (or maybe notorious would better describe it?), but suddenly, the 'market dried up....made me wonder if 1,000 people were the only ones left in the world?


“However, I console myself, by saying, 'You all just wait....for I am the 'Grandma Moses' of poetry writers, except that you all won't realize it, until I am long gone!'”


-S&G-


TODAY’S POEM: "Writing a poem is as simple as pouring a cup of coffee ... "


Oh, do read on. 


Before we're finished, I will have led you down the winding garden path with still another poem about writing. As always, my usual disclaimer: I write about writing, not because I'm expert, but because the process intrigues me so.


As you will see, as you work your way through the poem, I don't think writing a poem ... or writing anything for public consumption, for that matter ... is really a simple matter. Nor need it be so very complicated that only a select few may do it.


But the end product, I think, should give the appearance of having been done with ease ... not flippantly or shallow, but done with a certain polish about it which may intrigue the reader, without getting in the way of the poem itself. 


It should appear to have been easily, naturally written, and none of the hard labor of producing it need show through.


What I'm saying in the poem, I guess, is that a poem should come to the reader with the ease one experiences in simply pouring a cup of coffee.


I hope you'll have a sip ... hope you enjoy it.


IT'S SO SIMPLE


Writing a poem is as simple as pouring
a cup of coffee. First, though, you plant


a seed, wait for the sprout, nurture it,
then transplant the seedling, let it mature,


hope that frost doesn't kill the buds,
let the bees pollinate blossoms, wait


for the beans to mature, pick the beans,
dry them, haul them, roast them, transport


them again, package them, grind them,
add water, let them leap as they


percolate and you keep an eye on the clock.
Then you simply pour, sit back and enjoy.


(originally published in ByLine magazine)


-S&G-


COMMENT? Feel free ... below, if you like. 


Or if you prefer e-mail, that's fine, too ... especially for more detailed observations, to


rbrimm@peoplepc.com


... and it helps if you put "Squiggles" or "S&G" ... something like that ... in the subject line (just remember, no religion or politics ... please!)


-S&G-


Oh, and if you’d like to see what’s up with my other ... DAILY blog ... here’s a link to it:




http://rbrimm.blogspot.com/



Thanks for paying a visit.


-S&G-


UNTIL NEXT TIME ... take care ... see ya!


-S&G-


Afterthoughts ...


SATURDAY - Sorry about all the gibberish in this week's posting (even more than usual, right?). I wanted to see how this voice recognition thing would work ... and I wanted you to see the results. Not a pretty sight, of course, but interesting ... interesting ...


SUNDAY - Note from LOREE (Kansas): "So, like any other common, ordinary mad scientist, you just had to risk all of our lives by using that new-fangled contraption! I'm surprised we all lived through it, let alone yourself, with your mouth open and that thing eagerly snatching every word that came out! ... Putting the rest of us at high risk was a bit inconsiderate (but then) I thought, well, if he goes, he wants us ALL to go, so he won't be alone!"


You got it, Loree. (insert mad scientist's evil laugh here).


MONDAY - Note from LOREE (regarding the poem): "I never thought of a poem and perking coffee, hot and steaming, as being relevant to each other. Now that is intriguing! Reading it really got me into it!"


Oh, they do have a lot in common, Loree. In fact, when I'm writing a poem I have to be careful not to slurp!


Loree also admits that she's written a couple of poems about writing poems, too. As a matter of fact, here's a link to one now:


http://www.poetrybyloree.com/312.html



TUESDAY - Am I still using that voice recognition gizmo to make these additions to S&G? I'm no gonna say.


WEDNESDAY - Recent note from Loree (Kansas): "This evening I am chilly (ate some ice cream, so maybe that did it), also sort of sneezing. I don't need to get the flu on top of my other problems ... had my flu shot, but not the H1N1, and it sounds like us old fogies are out of luck anyway ... at least you won't have to wash your hands after reading this e-mail ... "
I'll say ah- ... ah- ... ah-CHOO! to that, Loree ... 


THURSDAY - A couple of days ago I got an e-mail from a poetry-loving friend, inviting me to sit in with a group on Thursday, September 19 ... SEPTEMBER? I didn't even check my calendar to see if I had had a conflict ... I probably had. SEPTEMBER? 


FRIDAY - Already? Can it be? My gosh! I'd better get busy on the next installment of S&G ... 

© 2009