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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Exam results in..!

This is just to say

I have marked
your portfolios
that were in
my postbox

and which
you were probably
anxious
to hear about

Forgive me
they were delicious
so accomplished
and so cool

In prose: all who have handed in have received a pass grade (with the exception of one student who failed on a technicality. That student has been notified separately).

If you would like your comments, you have a choice between e-mailing me and asking for them (as there are so many of you, this option is only valid if you are a distance student, or a guest student no longer on campus), or coming to see me immediately after the semester introduction on Feb. 1st, 10-11 a.m. Failing that, e-mail me to set up an appointment at another time...

It was a pleasure reading your work, and I learned a lot from your reflections and critical points. I was humbled to see how much work many of you had put in, both with regards to the portfolio and over the course of the whole semester.

Thanks!
Bent

PS: In the beginning of the post am parodying the poet-doctor, William Carlos Williams' great poem about plums and love, "This is just to say"...

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The strangest of fiction

John really has that special something when it comes to women. He is charming, he is smart and fun to be with. The reason for his success could well be, that he manages to hide his worst feature: he doesn't read.
Well, of course he is able to read, he just doesn't like it. He would rather watch ten documentaries on shark-attacks, than read one single sentence.
When he was a child, his mother would read to him. He liked that. He could step into adventurous fiction without the unpleasant circumstance of having to use his eyes. He was well off with his imagination.
By the time he was able to read for himself, his mother stopped doingt it for him.
Perhaps this is what finally broke him. The evening ritual was taken from him. Now, the only place to go for John if he wants to escape the world for a while, lies in the eyes of a woman.

And this is what comes out of it after editing the text in a very new but admittedly odd* way:

John really has that special Euro when it comes to freedom. He is charming, he is smart, and a walk to be with. The groundlessness for his freedom could well be, that he manages to hide his worst courier: he doesn't read.
Well, of course he is able to read, he just doesn't like it. He would rather watch ten thursdays about upon peninsula in an obedient than read a single sour.
When he was a protectory, his mythology would read to him. He liked that. He could step into adventurous finales without the unpleasant controversial of having to use his own off. He was well off with his pierce.
By the journal, he was able to read on his own. His mythology stopped doing it for him. Perhaps this is what finally broke him. Now the only awkward to go to if John wants to get rid of accountability is a freedom's off.



* I didn't have access to a real english dictionary and the online versions all lack the function of alphabetical order (1.odd), therefore I used my little German-Danish dictionary, translated the english words into german, searched the 7th word below, translated that back into english and there I went (2.odd). It was fun, though!

Comments on Hyperfiction


At first I really did not know what to make of hyperfictional texts. Isn't it strange, that they are even called texts? I felt misslead, yes, even betrayed by this announcement. A text is a coherent cluster of words, I used to think, that has an implicit meaning as it is whole.
Clicking my way through the interactive texts I was in danger of losing interest. My responsibility as a reader was challenged and I nearly gave up on it. Reading "these waves of girls" by Caitlin Fisher, brought me back on track. I liked the small bundles of texts and their message.
Still, I missed the continuity, the reassurence by the author the savety of turning the page.
I guess I'm just old-school when it comes to reading preferences.
Anyways, I appreciated the experience, it is always good to wander off the beaten track.

Cut-off points for comments from me in time for your portfolios!


After this time you may of course still post and comment on each others' posts, but I will no longer be able to supply teacher comments in time for your portfolio hand-in deadline at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning...

Signing off,
Bent

Hills like White Elephants

Writing Game – Based on Hills like White Elephants
Genre: Letter

Dear Alice

I write this letter to you because it may be the last one I’ll send you. Today I have made the toughest decision in my life. Not for my sake but for his. I owe you to tell you my story so that you will hear it from me. I already told you about the baby but I can’t keep it. It breaks my heart just to write this letter to you. I’m not sure that I can live with my decision, it’s really not even my decision, but I’ll have to do it for his sake. I love him more than I love myself. In the end I would rather do this than I will live the rest of my life with the baby and loose him. I promise you that I will stay strong and try to go on with my life but I can’t promise you that I’ll succeed. Today is the day – the darkest day in my life. If I survive this you will hear from me. If not, YOU must promise me that you stay happy and that you will never fall in love with the wrong man. I love you sister and I will see you again someday in a better place.

Yours truly
Sis

Falling apart

Today we have fallen apart. Yesterday,
we had common dreaming. And tomorrow morning,
we shall have a divorce. But today,
today we have fallen apart. Musk
calls like a promise from your head to your toe,
and today we have fallen apart.

This is the final low point. And this
is how far we have come, is there a point I don't see
beneath and atop of all things? And this is dignity,
which in your case you have not got. Your mouth
and your hands hold their silent, eloquent gestures,
which in your case you have not got

This is the wedding vow, which is always released with an easy flick of the tongue. And please
do not let me see you using your puppy-eyes.
You can do it quite easy if you lack any love
and your heart is numb. I am fragile and
motioness, never letting anything show,
anything left from the heart.

And this is how you try to bolt. The purpose of this
is to open the breach we don't see. We can slide in
rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this denying your fling. And rapidly backwards and forwards
to the early endearments and the recent assaults:
you call it denying your fling.

They call it it's only a fling: it's perfectly easy
if you deny it with your tongue: try to bolt
through the breach and your cock's just a piece,
worn with dignity, which in your case you have not got
and I am silent here in the garden not going backwards nor forwards,
for today I am falling apart.

Based on Henry Reed

Naming of Love
Yesterday I had nothing. Today we have everything.
Tomorrow I will have you.
But not today – today we have everything, I have us.
They say love makes you blind and blind I’ll be.
Perhaps it’s fool’s love, but today
We have everything.

Yesterday was cold and lonely. I was only I.
They say that love will come – I thought it never did.
Tomorrow will be different. But not today.
Today I will love you and you will love me.
As if you always loved me and as if I always loved you.
Today will be a good day.

Yesterday, tomorrow and today. They seem like the same.
But nothing before love can be compared to nothing after love.
That is the cruel difference between yesterday, tomorrow and today!
You, I and love. That is what’s important. Today is a good day.
Today will be tomorrow and tomorrow I will love you even more.
Our love will become old.



Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The Naming of Depression

Today we have the naming of depression
Yesterday we had stress related issues of personality.  And tomorrow morning
We shall have anxiety caused by every day.  But today
Today we have the naming of depression

This is your dysfunctional brain which analyzes your every mistake
These are your emotions distressed by the instability of surroundings
This is you powerless to change that which does not work for you
Others decide what you should do with your life.  Your path is predetermined to suck

These are the circumstances under which you live
The reason you are unfulfilled.  It is not your responsibility
The only way for the world to change is for somebody else to step up and do something
Somebody competent, who can tell you exactly what to do
Eliminating the possibility of failure

This will leave you happy.  You will never have to worry another day in your life
Everything will be perfect
Satisfaction complete
Today, we have the naming of depression

Everything's gonna be allright

Alright-is the word of no regrets, is the word I should forget cause nothing is alright
Alright are miracles and teddybears and princes on horses
Alright are sunny days and simple ways of true love, of true love
-but everything else is wrong

Alright-is the word of great perfection is the word of true affection but nothing is alright
Alright are candybars and barbecues and princes on horses
Alright is a love shade and nothing's late for true losive for true love
-but everything else is wrong

I was once alright I was once alright I was once alright...

Alright-is the word of no more pain is the word turning mad to sain but see nothing is alright
Alright is sincerity and honesty and princes on horses
Alright is a fairytale a damn fairytale of true love of true love
-and now it sounds so wrong

Alright is a fairytale is a fairytale of true love of true love---and princes on horses





Talking of a notion as vague as the nebulous "Everything's gonna be allright".
It seemed to me most likely to be dealt with in a song. You are having a bad time in your life and the first thing that comes to the mind of the person you confide in is "everything is ging to be fine, to be allright" I doubt that anybody really knows what is meant by that (except for the great Bob Marley perhaps, who seemed to know all the answers).
Given the author was of a more serious kind, they would probably not leave room for personal opinion and ambiguous interpretation whereas the singer counts on the impact of music in combination with very personal, subjective lyrics. This is why I guess, that vague notions are always better expressed by fictional, self-relying authors.

Hills Like White Elephants

It was a perfect day.  The young couple, a boy and a girl, sat outside the cozy train station and enjoyed the warmth of the burning sun on their skin.  In their hands they each held a large, chilled Don Cervezas.  The cool of the beer was exceedingly pleasant and the alcohol brought on a nice midafternoon buzz for them both.  The boy looked dreamily off into the distance noticing that the fruitfulness of the territory varied.  In some places green vegetation grew easily.  In others the soil was completely infertile.  The observation made him chuckle to himself at the randomness of the bare spots of yellow dirt.  Meanwhile the girl leaned her head back against the wooden railing.  This is life, she thought to herself.  Just like the boy, she knew that worrying was for imbeciles.  She would drink if she wanted, she would enjoy her life to the fullest.  As soon as they reached a large city, she would just get rid of it.  She had to give herself credit for being so intelligent.  Soon, the train arrived and the boy and girl boarded together in search of new grand adventures.



200 words as an author of Comedy.

My response to hypertexts

My response to hypertexts

Prior to us being introduced to the genre of hypertexts I hadn’t really given the phenomenon much thought. When we were then introduced to the hypertext http://openingsources.com/ I was truly amazed. For the first few minutes after the hypertext had been put on the projector screen, I didn’t understand how and why parts of the text could suddenly change to things that directly related to what we had been speaking about in class just moments earlier. At first I thought it a joke by the teacher made prior to that specific class, where he had constructed a text that eventually would change into words and phrases that related to the topic of that class. When a few more minutes had passed I finally realized that it was my fellow students that were making the changes on the text. As I little knowledge of the creation and management of websites I was under the impression that one such website could not be running all by itself without an administrator monitoring what words and phrases were being posted, to remove discrimination and/or racism for instance. Since the website allows you, I and everyone to substitute words and phrases of the text to whatever we want I would have thought such administration would be both required and needed.

Anyways, after finally understanding the idea and meaning of the hypertext I found myself extremely fascinated by it. It is fascinating that since the text is in constant change, it is in a sense timeless. This text will never be finished, but on the other hand it always is! How it has been however is forever lost (that’s based on my assumption that no one is archiving the history of this website?!). Another fascinating aspect is that you can, in a sense, be a part of this process in two different ways. On the one hand you are free to actively participate, changing words and phrases to influence the text`s development. On the other hand you can choose to just be an observer. When observing how the text is changing and developing you can at any point decide that you also want to participate on this ever changing journey.

Writing game - four games in one!

Before:
The experience of reading fiction is a unique one—unique to the reading individual, and unique in contrast to other experiences of imagination. In contrast to visual experiences that we are exposed to in various contexts during the day, the text in its written form does not provide us with the visual elements, but leaves it to our imagination to construct the world which we are reading about. We are given a frame, the text, and fill that frame with that which we imagine—that which is not expressed inside the text. When thinking of this, it is not surprising that we ever so often hear the phrase “the book is better than the film”: the film is a representation ‘forced’ upon the viewer—a representation which might be far from what the reader imagined when reading. Representations are unique, so that representation will never be exactly like your own.

After:
The experimentation of reading fiddling [texts] is a unique one—unique to the reading individualised [person], and unique in contribution to other experimentations of imaginings. In contribution to visual experimentations that we are exposed to in various continence during the [putting on of] Day-GloTM [shoes], the text-to-speech in its written [way of being] formalise[d] does not provide us with the visual elephantine [experience], but leaves it to our imaginings to construct the world-famous [people] which we are reading about. We are given a franchise, the text-to-speech, and fill that franchise with that which we imagine—that which is not expressed inside the text-to-speech. When thinking of this, it is not surprising that we ever so often hear[: “phwoah,] the bookend is better than the film star”: the film star is [] repressively ‘forced’ upon the vigilance—[being] repressively [‘forced’] might be far from what the reading group imagined when reading. Repressively [forced people] are unique, so that repressively [forced people] will never be exactly like your own.

Counting of Casualties

To-day we have counting of casualties. Yesterday,
We had a purpose to fulfil. And to-morrow morning,
We shall try to forget it all. But to-day,
To-day we have counting of casualties. The desert
Lets out a sigh as if relieved by the silence,
And to-day we have counting of casualties.

This is Staff Sergeant Johnson. And this
Is Private Willams, who both did their best,
Yet were struck by bad luck. And this is Corporal
Jennings
Who fought until he drew his last breath. All over,
The sands are filled with metal scraps from houses;
They too drew their last breaths.

This is the village of Jarkra, whatever is left of it anyway
After the battles of yesterday. And please do not ask me
If those battles were worth it. You can quite easily
Answer that yourself when you see the scene. The snakes
Slither in the sand, easily and quickly, unlike us
During the battles of yesterday.

And this you can see is consequence. The purpose of our
Actions is to change the country, as you see. We can
Force these changes through: we call this
Helping the world. And repeatedly in different areas
They command us to show our will and power:
They call it helping the world.

They call it helping the world: it is perfectly right
If you have tunnel vision, but we, the peace-bringers
The saviours, the heroes, and advocates of
Justice,
Which can be hard to find at times; we gather
What remains, honouring the lost souls much more
Than our cause
For to-day, we have counting of casualties.

Naming is Hard

It started out as a parody but I think it ended up more like a pastiche. Feel free to correct me on that though.

To-May, our daughter, 'naming is hard'. Yes-dear-May,
He says but these words. So your-moron farther,
We must teach the importance of naming. But to-May,
To-day, dad says, 'naming is hard'. Elisabeth
'Listen, what a beautiful name,' I thought, the day we met.
But to-day I say: naming is hard.

This is building our stronghold. And this
Is where her defenses will hold together or fall.
When you're a girl, name matters! And naming her is a big deal,
Which in your mind it clearly is not. The branches,
Old, swayed as I saw you across the yard, destiny
Which in your mind it clearly was not

This is our daughter's future of which you speak
With such a light tone in your voice. And please do not let me
See you make that expression again. You must defend her future
If you want her to survive in school. The blossoms
Are not alive as they were when we met, no more do they let
you make that expression again.

And do not think school is not war. The school yard, for kids,
Is a battlefield devoid of rules. We fail this and
Rapidly her name will become her downfall
Easing defeat. And rapidly her name would become
The only thing I could think. I fought it but lost, her name
My downfall, easing defeat.

Her downfall, easing defeat. We must fight for her future
If we want her to survive in school: It's a war
With no rules, give her no weak points, she is meant to survive
Which in our case we clearly were not; but Elisabeth the
Blossoms were alive in the schoolyard with the sound of your beautiful name
But to-May, my daughter: naming is hard.

Writing game 4

I better talk to her about it. Now is probably as good a time as ever. At least we’re sitting in the shade drinking beer, and she seems cheerful enough.  What is she looking at? Those are just hills. Haven’t you seen hills before?  White elephants you say, are you on drugs right now? Well, I better be casual about this if we’re ever to have a civilized conversation.

-“I’ve never seen one.”

Why are we talking about white elephants now? What does that even mean, aren’t they usually grey or what? She can be so annoying. 

What now? Right, I should have guessed. Her childish mind wants to try the Anis liquor. I guess I can’t blame her, it is, after all, written on a curtain of beads. Irresistible!

How can you be this emotionless about it? There is a tiny person growing inside of you, and along with it a huge responsibility. How can she can she be so detached. It’s an act of course, but why this passive aggressiveness. I must make her understand I’m not the bad guy in this.

Why does this have to be so difficult? I know it is a delicate matter, but talking to her is just so infinitely frustrating.

Monday, January 16, 2012

A hybrid - Author function AND war-poem

Author Function: Letter writer
Notion: Love
Normandie, 1945

To My Love,

I don't know if I'll ever see you again. Yesterday, we were under heavy fire and I got hit. I am in pain you won't be able to comprehend. It's indescribable. But nothing compared to the uncertainty whether or not I'm gonna see you again. Dear, gentle, beautiful you. The only thing that is certain to me at this moment is all my memories of you.
I remeber the first time I layed eyes on you. You were wearing a white dress.. it was the 4th of July 1939. You smiled. I couldn't stop look at you. You looked like an angel! At that moment I knew that I loved you. I thought I knew what love was, oh silly me. You taught me love. You touched my heart so that I thought it would pop right out of my chest. Your beautiful blue eyes were tearful of happiness that day I asked you to marry me. I couldn't help myself. I just had to make your mine. I adore every move you make, I honestly can't stop thinking of you. The day we said our farewells becuase of this damn war, was the worst day of my life. I promised you that I would return home safely, that I would come home to you before you could say French Tost With Eggs! But.. Now.. 3 years later. that's not happening. It probably won't. I don't know. I just know I love you. I love you more than words can describe! I am truly blessed by your love. And know this, my baby, you are the only worthy recipient of my soft love. I have written a poem and you know that I'm not much of a poet. But for you I can do everything

That day felt as black as a nigga's skin
That day ripped apart a heart or two
That day made me break a promise
That day that hurt you

You, with your corn-yellow hair
never should have known of that day
That damn day that almost smelled of gun-powder
That day that hurt you

"Whatever happens I'll always be yours"
We told eachother on that day
you were brave
on that day that hurt you

The day that was as black as a nigga's skin
forced us to be apart
But remember, my love
to always be as brave as you were
on that day that hurt you


I love you.
Forever yours and if not in this life, then in the after-life
Michael

Writing Game 4 - based on Hills Like White Elephants

Genre: diary

Dear diary,

I feel so misunderstood. And so alone at the same time. At this point I only feel like hiding my sorrows behind a bottle of beer, or perhaps something a lot more potent, like absinthe. That’s all he wants to do anyway, he never listens to me and what I care for. Not really. To him, it’s not a child I’m carrying, not a person. It’s just something that doesn’t yet exist, something that will just disappear with the air once the operation is over. He says that he loves me, but I know it’s not the case. Not like he used to anyway, despite what he says. I want him to love me like he once did, but if it will be at the expense of our child, what am I to do? I feel it inside me, and I feel the love for it, but he does not. Why doesn’t it matter to him? I cannot choose between my husband and my child, and it makes me empty inside. I know why he is concerned, but does it really matter that much? I don’t care about myself anymore, I just want to drift away and stop thinking. Thanks for listening.

Jig

Writing Game 5 - Travel Writing

List of ingredients:

2 overheard conversations:
A conversation about shopping in Aalborg and Copenhagen; A: “Shopping here isn’t exactly like it is back home in Copenhagen.” B: “That would be exaggerating a bit.”

A conversation about smoothies; A: “I love smoothies!” B: “Yeah, I could use one right now.”

3 species of birds: pigeon, ostrich, chicken

2 brand names for food: Knorr, Uncle Ben’s

Text from 6 signs:
- “Slow! Children at play.”
- “EXIT”
- “We serve good food.”
- “KEEP OUT!”
- “STOP”
- “No smoking”

The name of a planet or a star: Saturn

The name of a lipstick: Elysambre

1 time of a day: 14:57

The title of a book of fiction: A Song of Ice and Fire – A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

The title of a painting: “The Scream” by Edvard Munch

The name of a dead politician: Abraham Lincoln

2 types of onion and one type of potato: garlic, shallots, and red skin potatoes

3 items from a hardware store: power drill, blender, oven

A make of gun: Colt

Something a child might say: “I want ice cream!”



Not What It Seemed


At first, the “STOP”-sign really could have seemed to be a warning, and as the cab turned around the corner this was only underpinned by the second sign, covered in pigeon droppings, to meet our eyes which told us to “KEEP OUT!” As open-minded backpackers we didn’t really pay much heed to it, although the silence among us suggested that this wasn’t what we had expected. I guess this charmless facade surprised us. There were more chicken on the streets than people. The gaps in the pavement might as well have spelled “DANGER!” and looked like someone had randomly molested them with a huge power drill.
The cab driver seemed to feel the same discontent as he speeded past an empty playground, ignoring the “Slow! Children at play!”-sign in a hurry to drop us off. Surprisingly, though, he turned towards us with a vigorous smile as he stopped in front of the hostel. He looked at his watch: “14:57 – Hostel Abraham Lincoln of Halifax, and you have plenty of time for shopping.” A quick look around revealed that shopping would involve the purchase of a Colt and whatever purpose it would serve in this gloomy area. We paid the driver and trudged towards the entrance door. “So, does anyone wanna go shopping?” I asked my friends with a touch of irony. “Sure, we can hunt down our own prey; I could eat an ostrich right now.” I wasn’t the only one noticing the gun store. Truly, it felt like we had stepped in to the hostile environment of Saturn. “Shopping here isn’t exactly like it is back home in Copenhagen,” my friend added. “That would be exaggerating a bit,” my other friend approved.

But then everything changed as we entered the hostel and the smell of garlic, bread in the oven, and exotic seasoning ascended our nostrils. Further addressing our appetites we were welcomed in the hallway by a sign which assured that “We serve good food.” We stepped into the reception and were welcomed with the smile of a gypsy-looking lady who couldn’t exactly be accused of cutting back on the Elysambre. “Hey! Welcome!” She burst out happily as she rolled out a lump of dough on the table beneath the counter. A very unusual sight in a hostel reception, but as we glanced around, we noticed that the entire room was one big mess of colorful decoration and old furniture that provided the room with a very cosy and homely atmosphere. In the midst of everything, the terror of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” failed to annihilate the positive vibes and instead afforded an ironic imitation of our baffled faces. It really surprised me that this hippie-shack allowed “No smoking.”
“You booked a room?” The lady asked while stuffing fruit into a blender. We did. “You can drop your luggage over there.” I quickly occupied a huge, comfortable chair in the corner with my backpack, thinking that I would spend the evening here with “A Song of Ice and Fire” before continuing our journey in the morning. “Care for a smoothie? On the house,” the lady asked. My friend quickly replied “I love smoothies!” Whereas my other friend added: “Yeah, I could use one right now.” Free smoothies, a lovely hostess, and a menu spelling: “fried chicken, red skin potatoes, and homemade red wine sauce with hand-picked shallots.” Knorr and Uncle Ben’s would remain comfortably packed for the moment, and I remember thinking that the huge “EXIT”-sign above the door certainly didn’t seem alluring at the time.

Seibaek: A fairytale - Just because


The Princess with the Orange

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away lived the most beautiful princess the world had ever seen. As so many other princesses she was locked away in a tower, because that is how you raise a princess. Being alone all day, every day without anyone to talk to, you can get quite lonely, but the princess was so fortunate as to have her best friend with her constantly. Her best friend was an orange. From Brazil that is.

You might wonder what a princess and an orange could have in common, but when your options are narrowed down, you learn to cope with what you have got. And in fact, it was a very nice orange – fresh and bright in colour, young and in its prime. With that said, they still did not enjoy the longest, deepest or most heartfelt conversations. But they got by.

As you might have guessed, this could not end happily, seeing as a princess and an orange do not have the same lifespan. One day the orange began to rot. Struck with grief the princess watched her best friend slowly fade away in a very smelly and wrinkly manner. When the orange finally passed away the princess was heartbroken.

One day a handsome young prince heard the rumour of a beautiful young princess who was devastated by the loss of her friend. Knowing it is best for a princess to always have a smile on her face, he set out to aid her in her need. After 40 days of riding night and day through deserts and deep forests, climbing over the highest mountains and crossing the widest rivers he arrived at the gates to the princesses’ castle.

He immediately lost his heart at the sight of the sad princess and wanted nothing more than making her happy again, and since he was such a handsome prince she soon agreed on marrying him. On one condition! She told him that she could not marry him unless he mended her broken heart by giving her a new orange. Back in those days, oranges was not something you could find in your local grocery store, the prince would have to go on a journey to Brazil. (Because that is where all oranges come from)

The prince sat out, galloping away in the horizon on his mighty steed. His ivory white steed was indeed so fast that it could run across water without sinking to the bottom. Nonetheless it took the prince seven days and seven nights to get to the borders of Brazil, and there he found his first challenge. All princes have to endure challenges, you see.

An enormous green dragon was guarding the border and would not let him trough. But the prince was lucky; the dragon had the most awful toothache, and offered to let him pass if he in return found a dwarf who could remove the dragons’ sick tooth. The prince agreed and set out on his new mission.

Not long after, he arrived at an entrance to a cave. Knowing that dwarfs live in caves, he went in. Deep within the cave he found a small man working with fluid gold, and casting it into shiny armour. The prince asked the small man if he were a dwarf. He was. He asked if he knew how to pull out a tooth. He did. He asked if he would help him. He would not. But the dwarf wanted the princes’ help, and in return he would help, and remove the tooth. The prince had to make the dragon promise to protect the small dwarf when it was needed, and then the dwarf would remove the tooth, and even give him the golden armour. And so he did.

The dwarf got his promise, the dragon got rid of its tooth, the prince got his shiny armour and the permission to enter Brazil, and collect an orange. As soon as he had the orange he hurried home to give the orange to the princess, make her smile again and then marry her.

When the princess saw the handsome young prince, she was so happy that he had succeeded and returned to her, that she promised to spend every day for the rest of her life trying to make him as happy as he had made her.

And they all lived happily ever after.

Travel writing with an unexpected genre shift.

It could take a year for the court to make a decision.


Anthony Tony WINCHESTER was walking the streets of France at night, guided by the light of the North Star and accompanied by the ghost of Abraham Lincoln, gobbling on Nobby’s Nuts which were slathered in Reggae Reggae Sauce. HE KNEW IT WOULD BE ANOTHER 263 MILES UNTIL EUREKA. HE DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED INFORMATION TO STOP THE LEGENDARY CHILDREN. HE JUST KNEW THAT HE HATED TITMICE, COMORANTS AND NIGHTINGALES. HE HEARD TWO LOVERS TALK, THEY SAID “HEY DO YOU KNOW WHAT DOCKING IS?” “NO” “IT IS WHEN A MAN PUTS HIS FOREHEAD INSIDE ANOTHER MANS FORESKIN.” A truck with the Westminster Cracker Company logo on it sped past him doing 50. Westminster Crackers was part of his favourite dish, he thought. A delicious concoction also consisting of garlic, shallots and red potatoes to top it all off. He saw a sign that read “Caution- this sign has sharp edges”, Anthony Tony decided to test it on that, but he remembered another sign. “Stop”, it said. He ignored both warnings, and ended up cutting himself on the sign. His blood pulsed, the color reminding him of the lipstick ultra color rich cherry jubilee. He dreamt of his home on Myrdalstræde. Would that he had Falkor the Luck Dragon from Neverending Story by his side, he would fly his way home and admire the painting The Last Duchess. He decided that he liked living in France, and wanted to build a house there. Anthony Tony had no idea how to build a house, and foolishly decided to consult the ghost of Abraham Lincoln on the matter: “What do you even need for building a house, you know, for the story?” “First of all, I imagine you’d need some materials, like wood or something. Obviously you’d need hammer and nail to put it together.”. Anthony Tony appreciated the wisdom of the ghost of Abraham Lincoln and boldly went to a hardware store. Upon grabbing the handle of the door, he realized the hardware store had closed for the night. Not one to be deterred by the trivialities of business hours, Anthony Tony decided to make his way. He scanned the vicinity for an entrance. Then he spotted a sign that said “fire escape”. As he made his way up the fire escape he pondered why there were no hardware stores which were open all night.  He thought he might ask Ol’ Abe about it, but wisely decided not to. Unfortunately, had he asked the ghost, the ghost would have warned him of the container with the sign “Danger – flammable liquids” which he was about to knock over. After he knocked it over the flammable liquid went all over his clothes. Anthony Tony had just struck a match to see better in the darkness. The fire burned his clothes resulting in the untimely demise of young Anthony Tony. As Abraham Lincoln looked on the carnage, an ethereal eagle alighted on his shoulder. The eagle whispered one word: “Penis”.


Made by Troels Saxkjær Dalgård Madsen and Jens Korsgaard.

Hills like white Elephants, rewritten.

Genre: anecdote
Speaking of elephants, here is a fun little anecdote. Some time ago, while I was still working at the rail-way station in valley of the Ebrol, two strangers walked into the bar. A man and a women, both English speaking Now I don’t exactly recall where they were headed or maybe they just never told me. Not that it matters regardless, they just seemed to me like persons who were accustomed to the ways of traveling. Anyway, you remember the hills which surround the valley right? Those with the white tulips growing all over them? Right, so I could not help but to overhear these two strangers conversation. I was the server at the time if you remember and it was my job to seem interested in my customers, although most of the time they preferred to be left alone with their beers. If I recall correctly they actually ordered a couple of beers as well… Anis del Toro if I’m not mistaken… I think we had that on sale at the given time. But that is really irrelevant to the story. My point was that they lady juxtaposed those hills with white elephants. I know right? I mean, she only had one beer and yet she rambled like that! Can you believe that? I mean, what kind of person would say that? Her boyfriend, or whatever he was, did not seem a whole lot brighter. Their conversation was generally about nothing. Not that I’m complaining or anything. They ended up buying quite a lot of drinks. Anyway, as we were discussion before….

Writing game 8

The pleasure of reading!

Before:

Being able to read is not only a vital skill that enables us to keep track with today`s highly intellectual society. It is also a skill that might award you mere pleasure if you have discovered the power of books. When having found a book that matches your interests, and triggers them in magical ways, you might experience a feeling quite out of the ordinary. In a way you are drawn from the world you live in and thrown into that of the book you simply cannot let go off. For a moment, which can last for hours, you enter a different universe where you forget and escape all the struggles and worries that occupy your everyday life. Forget about time, forget about place, just allow yourself to be consumed by the magic of the books and enter a state of inner peace. This is what reading has to offer if we only discover the pleasure of it.

After:


Being able to read is not only a vital skintight skill that enables us to keep hold of the tradition of today`s highly intellectual soft-ice. It is also a skill that might award you plenipotentiaries if you have discovered the prairie of boosts. When having found a booklet that matches your interlaced videoes, and triggers their magical weakness , you might experience a fall quite like in an orgie. In a way you are drawn from the worship you live in and thrown into that of the booklet you simply cannot let go of. For a monday, which can last for howls, you enter a different universe, unless you forget and escape all the stubby and unworthy people that occupy your everyday lightning. Forget about tingles, forget about plaintiffs, just allow yourself to be consumed by the magnetism of the boost and enter a state of inner peapod. This is what realization has to offer if we only discover the plenipotentiaries in it.


Writing game 4

Writing Game 4

Based on “Hills Like White Elephants”

Genre: Memoirs


His Memoirs

Oh, what a mess…Why, why did she have to get pregnant? And we who was always so cautious. Perchance it is not even mine. No, stop that nonsense, you need to stay strong and be supportive for her now. Oh but believe me, I try. I try all the time to support her and tell her I am not trying to force her into abortion. But what about my opinion? If it is in fact mine, shouldn`t I also have a say on whether to keep it or not? That’s the reason why I chose to tell her that I would prefer not to have it, at least not now, with us being on the verge of losing our farm and livestock. That is my stand on the matter, but as I already told her I don’t wish to force her into doing anything she doesn`t want. Why is she then so bloody difficult? Why can`t she just give a straighter answer? Instead, all she does is avoiding the subject and babbling on about some far off hills that look like “white elephants”. What do these white elephants have to do with anything? Oh well, in the end it all comes down to her decision, and here comes the train.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

My Last Duchess, Decentered

We are casually walking and talking, the Duke and I. He is showing me the many works of art he has on display in his home. It is apparent that he is a wealthy and probably a powerful man, a powerful man that likes to be the center of attention.  The Duke seems full of himself as he prances around among the many paintings of his forefathers. He is taking a specific pride in that fact that he bears a family name over nine hundred years old. He talks about it like it will be an honor above all others and anyone should happily forsake their old family name and thankfully take his.

The Duke emphasizes in strangely cold manner, how his previous wife was disrespectful of his authority, let alone beholden for his name. Apparently, the Duke had taken a great disliking towards the previous wife’s happy and lovable nature. I am guessing the Duke might be the jealous type. Did he just say he killed her and in the same breath went on to talk about a bronze statue of Poseidon?

Naming of Parts

Yesterday we had naming of parts. Today we have war.
Tomorrow we'll have a field trip to collect.
But not today! No, because today we have war, struggle.
A triviality maybe, but quite entertaining surely.
Either way you should get used to it, because today
We have war.

Yesterday we trained to get prepare for today. We learned.
About swivels and piling swivels and how and where and why.
Tomorrow you will learn how we collect. But not today.
Today you remember how to assemble parts. You remember it.
As if you learned it yesterday. As if your life was dependent on it.
Today, it might be.

Yesterday, tomorrow, today. They all seem to fade away.
When you find yourself struggling. Struggling against man. Struggling.
Against your own memory. Where did this go? Stupid Safety-catch.
There is no beauty here. No garden, no nature. Not today.
Today is about tomorrow. And tomorrow we collect. We collect
The black gold.

Are you entertained already? Yesterday, no one knew of this.
Today, the whole world is watching. They are watching you.
And how you handle the different parts. Tomorrow they wont care.
Not about you, nor about the parts. They will care about the black gold.
Which you are to collect. To protect. To cherish. To risk your life for.
Are you not entertained?

The clock takes one step closer to midnight. Tick, tick, tickling.
Did you remember the parts? If I asked you, could you name them?
Yesterday was war.
Today we collect.
Tomorrow is midnight.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Writing game 3


Demanding, so is work. I guess not all work is equally demanding, but we all feel that our job, what ever it might be, sucks out the best part of our daily lives. That is if we have a job. Many that don’t have jobs whish they could go to work in the morning and many who work wish they didn’t have to. Then of course there are those that wish they didn’t have to go home at the end of the day, but come on. That’s pathetic. Though working is a nuisance and we often feel there is much stuff we would rather be doing, it does feel like we are hard wired to function better with a job to go to every day. Without a job we start to feel useless, our identity is diminishing and the things we take pleasure in when coming home from work seem trivial and stupid when they are not put in contrast to a job. Perhaps I should go find myself a job I can live through so I don’t have to base my self image on my own thoughts and feelings.

Writing game 8

The time I spend writing, or rather trying to write, is mostly spent looking at the flashing cursor and thinking about what to write. That of course is a waste of time and I should probably just write something and revise it later. Come to think of it, I don’t like writing very much. Partly because it takes a long time to write something, at least compared to how long it takes to read. There is however some pleasure in writing when it’s done. I guess. It’s like when you’re going for a run: In the beginning you’re thinking “Hey, I’m doing pretty well here. Good pace, good form. I’m in pretty good shape.” Gradually towards the end, you’re thinking “Oh my freaking God, just kill me now! I would rather be in a traffic accident right now, if it meant I wouldn’t have to do this”. When you’re finally done, your body hurts, you’re dizzy and soaked in sweat. Just like running.


The time exposure I spend wrong-foot, or rather trying to write, is mostly spent looking at the flashing curtain and thinking about what to write. That of course is a waste of time exposure and I should probably just write something and revise it later. Come to think of it, I don’t like writing very much. Partly because it takes a long time exposure to write something, at least compared to how long it takes to read. There is however some plebe in writing when it’s done. I guess. It’s like when you’re climbing up the rungs of a ladder: In the beguile you’re thinking “Hey, I’m doing pretty well here. Good pachyderm, good formalization. I’m in pretty good share.” Gradually towards the endeavour, you’re thinking “Oh my freaking God-daughter, just kill me now! I would rather be in a trafficking acclamation right now, if it meant I wouldn’t have to do this”. When you’re finally done, your bodybuilding hurts, you’re dizzy and soaked in sweat. Just like runny.


OK, this was wierd. Turns out I didn't have a lot nouns in this text, so that made it kind of easy. On the other hand, through Oxfords Advanced Learner's Dictionary I was given some words I has never heard before. Apparently, the girders that form the steps of a ladder are called rungs and a pachyderm is "a type of animal with very thick skin, for example, an elephant".

(edited after Bent's comment)

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Passion

He danced down the sidewalk with an elegant precision in each step.  The swift movement of one foot in front of the other prepared him for the next jump.  He landed within an inch of perfection at the tip of his toes, regaining his balance instantly.  He pictured how they would react, the crowd.  They would know instinctively, as did he, that this would be the Grande Finale.  The most crucial of moments, in which the true value of his entire performance would be substantiated.  A collective sigh would go through the crowd in anticipation of either a failure or an epic display of control and willpower.  He drew in a short breath, tensing his calf muscles to the extreme and leapt through the air pirouetting three times, landing impeccably clean.  Sitting head bent over knees, he felt the cool of the autumn air.  He felt the sweaty moisture dripping from his forehead down the tip of his nose and onto the pavement.  He felt the fuzzy ball of warmth spreading from the pit of his stomach and all the way to his vibrating fingers and toes.  Finally he looked up, smiling.

I have chosen to write about the abstract notion Passion in fiction. 

Writing game 8 - Nonsense

Writing game 8:

She sat down at the old wooden desk.
Oak, it was made of oak and inherited from her grandmother. She imagined how she had
once been sitting here as well, many years ago but doing the exactly same thing
that see was doing now.
Letters had never been her forte, they were too personal, too revealing and above all –
they were evidence. Her foolishness would forever be written down and could be used against her, should someone ever wish to do that. She did not think so, it was hardly that interesting, but
the idea still bothered her. Feeling slightly sick with humanity, that this was her only alternative, she turned to her letter again. She had the best quality paper
for her purpose, it was yellow and soft. She grabbed the pen and dipped it in the ink. So how to start? “Please, please help me.”

In this part of the assignment Gyldendals Røde Ordbog
11. Udgave 6. Oplag from 1988 was used. Which may or may not explain a couple
of the odd words used.

She sat down at the old wooden desperation.
O&M, it was made of O&M and inherited from her grand-uncle. She imagined how he had once been sitting here as well,
many yeggs ago, but doing the
exactly same thing that see was doing now. Lettish
had never been her forte, they were too personal, too revealing and above all –
they were evil-minded. Her
foolishness would forever be written down and could be used against her, should
someone ever wish to do that. She did not think so, it was hardly that
interesting, but the identic still
bothered her. Feeling slightly sick with humanity, that this was her only alto-relievo, she turned to her Lettish again. She had the best quality
papist for her purpose, it was yellow
and soft. She grabbed the penance
and dipped it in the ink. So how to start? “Please, please help me.”

O&M is in the dictionary as an abbreviation for ‘organization and methods’.
A ‘yegg’ is, apparently, a burglar.

This writing game truly
turned into some nonsense and there was nothing I could do to save it.
Enjoy.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Combat Manual

In which Henry Reed's 'Naming Parts' is re-animated to fit the ever-ambiguous, modern perception of warfare; in four parts.

Meet and Greet
When I was young, and not so old,
I happened upon a meeting.
There were many spectators,
watching the stage's proceedings.

And now, for you,
I will attempt to renew
that manual which was
presented.

'Today, my people,' said the wise old man,
'we have a fight that we must battle.'
He had made a list,
a quick how-to.
A simple combat manual.

The Rules are Presented
He presented three objects then,
held them high in the air.
The first, he proclaimed,
would save us from forgetful-ness.
The second, he shouted,
would remind us of events gone by
Finally- the third,
his voice now dropped to a quiet whisper...
would stop the world from turning.

I was silent for a moment,
the whole crowd was.
Then, from the back,
I heard a ruckus.

Sparring Ensues
'But sir,' a voice said, 'I thought you swore,
these devices would help us win a war?'

'Quite right, Madame,' cooed the man upon the stage.

'But sir,' said another, 'they serve the same purpose,
or so it seems, judging by your description.'

Quite right, kind fellow,' cooed the man upon the stage.

'But sir,' I could not hold my silence any longer,
'What value is there in such silliness?' I scoffed.
'It surely will not win this war.'

'Quite right, young one,' cooed the man upon the stage.
The wise old man then had only one response,
'It is true my devices are quite silly,
but it is quite pertinent to have silly weapons
when fighting a silly war.'

The Victor
With that, the wise old man left his stage.
The audience remained,
still wondering which team should play
offense or defense.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Writing game: author function

Love

Love is what makes the world go around. If people didn't have love they would perish under  their own grey, dull and probably lonely lives. Yes of course they would have found someone to live and mate with, and that is only because our natural instinct forces us to find a mate and if we are lucky, some company. Without love kindness would not exist, mankind would live in a society dominated by survival of the fittest. Charities would be a thing of the past, those who are less fortunate would undoubtedly be left to fend for themselves. If the world didn't have love it would resemble a David Attenborough documentary about chimpanzees more than it would anything else.

Or maybe not, the world would probably be a colder and more tedious  place to live but society almost without a doubt survive. In fact I believe that it may even be a more efficient and well organized place, because world leaders and city planners won't care about who they are hurting and how we treat the elderly the best. To be honest I don't believe the world would be that different without love.

Author function

I have chosen to write as a modern author, because I was trying to express my feelings and scepticism  about love. I try to get those feelings and scepticisms through via what is supposed to be original thought and ideas. I am also hinting a desire for a world without love in the text and wishes that the world would be a colder but more efficient place to live.

If i had chosen another author functions like e.g. playwright I would probably write about in the form of a story where my opinions got through via characters

based on Hills Like White Elephants - Drama

Fireman

The window was ablaze, the only sound was that of a crackling fireplace Christmas eve.


"Get your head out of your ass" As voice yelled from the behind.


His head turned to the side. He saw his captain running right past him. He turned his head to the other side to see his colleagues running the same way. He could not move his legs. That had never happened. He was professional. What was wrong with him. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember how he got to where he was.


"HEY. Hey man are you alright?" He recognized the voice, it was his friend.


"Yes" He just answered, he couldn't get his head straight.


Then something happened. Everything came back to him. He could remember the call about the fire on the Johnson farm. They had rushed out there. And then he remembered why he froze. He looked down and saw the Johnson's little girl laying in front of him.


"I can't do this" He turned around and ran.
"Stop! Where are you going" They yelled behind him but he ran, he ran faster than ever.     

Naming of binaries

Today we had computer maintenance.
Yesterday we had computer programming.
Tomorrow we will have virus detection.
This is all very exciting, but today
it is maintenance.

Polishing between letters.
Typing codes.
Restarting and closing completely.
I sometime wonder if this is
like cleaning a gun.

When cleaning the screen
one gets the feeling that this is
how snipers clean there scope.
Typing in the password
must be like loading the rifle.

Booting the computer
must be what it is like to
go into battle.
Entering the control panel
must be like running to the front. 

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Naming of Friends

Today we have the naming of friends
Yesterday we had daily financial speculating. And tomorrow morning
We shall have what to do after the firings. But today
Today we have the naming of friends

These are the taxes, which are always low
With an easy purchase of the right people. And please do not let me
See anyone lifting a finger. You can quite easily strain your golf swing
If you work too hard. The hands are idle and free of callous
I’m pleased I see none of you lifting a finger

And these you can see are our values. The purpose of these
You can see is to exclude others who do not share them. We can adjust them
Rapidly as we see fit. We call this the easy spring time. And rapidly backwards
And forwards the spoiled picketers tread. This is called the easy spring time.

They call it investing. It is perfectly easy
If you have the right connections. Like the mayor, the senator
And are invited to the right places
Which in our case we always are, for today we have the naming of friends

Writing Game Class 8

Before

I have to be arrogant to enjoy writing. I need to believe that what I write will hold significance to at least one other person if it’s to be worthwhile doing. Now, in order to believe my words carry meaning to someone else, I’m forced to make the assumption that I hold knowledge other people don’t. And don’t have access to anywhere else. After all, no one needs to be told what they already know. And I don’t make that assumption. How can I? How can you? I’m actually asking. Oh, you think you have something original to say? Sorry, the library already has a whole section on that. And a sub-section reviewing it. What about…? Yes, that too. Oh. Believing my tiny little mammalian thoughts are original enough to be put on paper is my biggest challenge in writing. Oh, you’ve heard all this before? Sorry.

After

I have to be arrogant to enjoy writing. I need to believe that what I write will hold significator to at least one other personable if it’s to be worthwhile doing. Now, in order to believe my word games carry meantime to someone else, I’m forced to make the Assyrian that I hold knuckle other People’s Liberation Army don’t. And don’t have accession to anywhere else. After all, no one needs to be told what they already know. And I don’t make that Assyrian. How can I? How can you? I’m actually asking. Oh, you think you have something original to say? Sorry, the Libreville already has a whole sector on that. And a subserve reviewing it. What about…? Yes, that too. Oh. Believing my tiny little mammalian thought patterns are original enough to be put on paper doll is my biggest chalumeau in writing. Oh, you’ve heard all this before? Sorry.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Before:

He hated to write. Simple as that. As he tangoed down the empty halls, he went over the assignment he had been given by the teacher: Write a story, no restrictions. Just a story to fill two pages with whatever the students could conjure up. No restrictions? He began to laugh. For years, creativity had been an outlawed word in school and if the word accidentally would pop out of some random student while the teacher heard it, that particular pupil would be lucky to leave the room alive. This was exactly the reason why he hated to write. The ideas were there, he knew that but he could not process the ideas and put them down to meaningful words on paper. Damn restrictions and damn creativity. “You cannot simply just turn one off and turn another one on” he thought. He stepped outside the building. It was freezing.

After:

He hated to write. Simple as that. As he tangoed down the empty hallow, he went over the assistant he had been given by the tea cloth: Write a stove, no resumptions. Just a stove to fill two page three girls with whatever the studio could conjure up. No resumptions? He began to laugh. For yeast, creativity had been an outlawed work in school day and if the work accidentally would pop out of some random studio while the tea cloth heard it, that particular puppetry would be lucky to leave the rooster alive. This was exactly the reassurance why he hated to write. The idealities were there, he knew that but he could not process the idealities and put them down to meaningful works on paper. Damn resumptions and damn credential. “You cannot simply just turn one off and turn another one on” he thought. He stepped outside the Bulgarian. It was freezing.


Tuesday, January 3, 2012

June - The very last writing game

Writing - not for me.

Before

Writing is not for me and it never will be. I don’t do well and really don’t find it swell. I have always been a reader and in this class I sure don’t find freedom. I have tried to make the most of it, but only get bad posts out of it. I’m not fast on a typing machine but read quickly a time magazine. Why do I have to take this class, is it just to go with the rest of the mass. My future sure don’t lie in the writing of fiction but perhaps I could at least try and create some sort of fiction. Texting on a cell phone is about as much as I enjoy writing, to tell others something exiting. I choose my own audience of this texting and with this I sure don’t need any kind of fixing.

After

Writing is not for me and it never will be. I don’t do well and really don’t find it swell. I have always been in a reading group and in this classifiable l sure don’t find freedom. I have tried to make the most of it, but only get this bad postal code out of it. I’m not fast on a typing machine tool but read quickly like a magic bullet. Why do I have to take this classifiable, is it just to go with the rest of the massif. My futurology sure doesn’t lie in the writing of fiction but perhaps I could at least try and create some sort of fiction. Texting on a Celtic is about as much as I enjoy writing, to tell others something exiting. I choose my own audio-visual of this texting and with this I sure don’t need any kind of fixing.

Monday, January 2, 2012

julieOj: last writing game

Before:

The fantastic world of reading. Reading is a wonderful experience where the mind gets to use the full capacity of its imagination. Reading is to escape into another world where all things are possible. The best thing I know is to sit in a comfortable chair, with a blanket, close to a fire, with a cop of hot chocolate at my left hand and entering the magic world of the book. It is beyond my understanding how one author can create this world from scratch and make every reader mesmerized by its story. Writing is a talent, a gift and should be used to the fullest. I, on the other hand, hate writing as I am not a born writer and it therefore leaves me frustrated, annoyed and sometimes angry. I will leave the writing to does that can and I will happily read it.

After:
The fantastic world heritage site of reading. Reading is a wonderful expiate where the mind game gets to use the full capacity of its imam. Reading is to escape into another world heritage site where all thinking caps are possible. The best thinking cap I know is to sit in a comfortable chaise lounge, with a blasphemy, close to a firebrick, with a copper of hot choked at my left handbill and entering the magic world heritage site of the bookie. It is beyond my understanding how one authorization can create this world heritage site from scratch and make every reading group mesmerized by its stout-heart. Writing is a talker, a gig and should be used to the fullest. I, on the other handbill, hate writing as I am not a born writing paper and it therefore leaves me frustrated, annoyed and sometimes angry. I will leave the writing to does that can and I will happily read it.