Saturday Scribblings 9.09.07

Have you ever "googled" your name, then clicked with curiosity to see what photographs of yourself come up, only to find someone else is carrying your name?

Well I have – if you google my name you currently find a lady who I have never met, but interviewed a couple of years ago, proudly displayed as me!!  I wouldn't mind but I have absolutely no way of correcting this little bit of "misinformation" about myself.  I simply dismissed this as a little bit of fun, until I found the same picture against my byline in an on-line magazine just recently.  When I tried to correct the editor, my whole piece was removed and she got very shirty with me. 

So it logically follows if google can get this wrong, what else is not correct?  When does something, anything, become fact simply because you have no right of redress? What could the implications for my future be?

This could also be applied to history and family trees – you have no "right" of correction or putting facts into contexts which make sense.  My parents were not particularly forthcoming about their lives pre-me, and so it was left to creative grandparents, and relatives with agendas to re-write these lives subjectively and occasionally heroically for my benefit.  All made for great storytelling and fun to a kid, but has left me a little in limbo as an adult. I have spent a lot of time filtering the truth from fiction – having said that this is probably where the writer in me has come from so I shouldn't complain. 

It has never really bothered me about the past though because if others (including my kids) didn't believe the tales I was told – well tough, I know no different and don't really care, and I can only really vouch for things as I see them and have lived them.  It though seems to a constantly recurring theme in the family though to find the "truth", to put history straight – but does history care?  I know I don't, not enough to go into battle and re-write it. 

Finding myself with another face though – well that is a whole new ball game and it doesn't seem fair somehow that I don't have a right of correction.  Surely I know who I am? 

From the Mailbag

Courses seem to be the current theme still – try these:-

http://www.bristolfolkhouse.co.uk/ (Rosemary Dun I can personally recommend and note from the website the folk house also hold spinning classes – oh joy…..)

http://www.ncchomelearning.co.uk/leisure_and_creative_courses/creative_writing_courses_course/fiction_writing_diploma_aset_level_2_.htm (Found this by googling – have no prior knowledge of it, but it seems like a good idea for those who have difficulties attending a college)

http://www.tallyessin.com/ (Kevan I know well and enjoy thoroughly his writings and tutoring style – ideal for those living in the Bath area)

There are also some small writing groups which have started up – if you run a class, please email me and I will compile a list of links for future use.

Prompts:

• Write about your reaction to finding you have another face.

• Think of two characters from your childhood TV or radio and write about them – and what if they met?

• If you could re-write a little bit of history – which bit and why?

• Open a book and at random choose three words – any words – now write a paragraph with them in.