What's For Dinner?

Sitting in the restaurant a wide variety of exotic flavours reaches my nostrils from the busy kitchen in this Danish/French brasserie in the heart of Aalborg. A light scent of fjord, cream, parsley and boiling white blanc de blanc is coming at me through the thick kitchen door, enriching the air with its presence.

Just when I’ve concluded the chef is preparing my main course, the Maître d’ herself, a well trained sommelier of course, presents to me a 2005 Puilly Fuissé Grand Beauregard white burgundy wine. I order the wine. She slowly uncorks the bottle and then gently pouring a slight amount of it into a tasting glass just to check whether it is OK or not. It’s more than fine, and she resumes pouring the wine into my Bordeaux glass. I taste the wine.. Slowly opening the wine flinging the wine around adding the precious air to the sweet yet heavy and powerful white burgundy.

Now she serves me my meal. Mussels cooked with cream, white wine, parsley, spring onions and salt and pepper. I pick one of the mussels out of the cocotte with my fork and gently put the steaming mussel into my mouth.

Author function: Fear; Scribbler

F…E…A…R… how to describe it? It comes in so many forms. The greatest fear for a human can affect lives in so many ways. For some it is a dark evening when being home alone, for others it can be the fear of for example flying or snakes. Fear you can also have about losing the ones you love. Love you ones the losing about have also can you fear. Snakes or flying example for of fear the be can it others for, alone home being when evening dark a is it some for. Ways many so in lives affect can human a for fear greatest the. Forms many so in comes it. It describe to how? …R…E…A…F

Hemingway in drinking joint shock

A young couple were seen in a local bar in Spain, waiting for an express train to take them to Madrid.  The Los Viajeros bar is a welcome refuge to railway passengers.  Sunday’s temperatures were in the 30's, and the bar was packed with locals and travellers alike, said the station manager.  A local man commented that the weather  was not unusual for the time of year. 

While awaiting the up-train from Barcelona, the couple were drinking beer and anise in the station bar.  The waitress said that the man, apparently an American, and his female companion seemed to be in dispute.  The man, who appeared to be the older of the two, seemed to be pressing the woman to take a particular action. Those present at the scene stated that the hat-wearing young woman was standing up for herself. Backpackers in the bar observed merely that anise is refreshing on a hot day.  Speculation on whether the young woman was pregnant cannot be confirmed.  The writer Ernest Hemingway, famous for his participation in and writings of of the Spanish Civil War is known to be touring Spain with a companion.  His agent was not available for comment. 

Hacking Words

Author Function: Scribbler/Hack

Abstract Notion: Written Art

If I were a philosopher, I'd most likely say something.. philosophical.

If I were an author, I'd probably start with "once upon a time" and end with "happily ever after."

If I were a king, I'd always hear the phrase "Your Majesty."

If I were a clown, I'd need professional quality make-up remover.

If I were an octopus, I would never need ink for my 8 pens.

If I were a yodeler, I'd have lost my voice quite some time ago.

If I were a rich man, I wouldn't have to work hard.

If I were a Audrey Hepburn, I'd tell the I didn't have a Funny Face.

If I were a starving college student, I'd probably have a cupboard full of Ramen noodles.

If I were a hack, I most likely wouldn't take this seriously.

I? We?

Author function: Scribbler
Abstract notion: Identity

Think about it: how many times a day does the word ‘I’ escape exactly your lips? I mean, that is a whole lot of I’s! Considering it, we are quite self-centred, aren’t we? We’re not listening to others really, but merely waiting for our turn to speak up and narrate something we don’t believe out listeners can live without hearing. How about the usage of ‘we’? Just count how many times the word occurred in the previous lines. Four times. But, who is ‘we’? When casually using the word I’m referring to who, exactly? ‘We’, as in all the people in the world? ‘We’, as in everybody in my own hemisphere? Or who is ‘we’? Can the notion of ‘we’ really be determined before the ‘I’ is really known?

Had I chosen another author function it would for sure have been more structured and made a lot more sense (as opposed to the zero meaning it makes now).

The Sarcastic Prophet | Notion: War

“Hear ye, hear ye! Ladies and gentlemen, glorious citizens of Denmark! I know you take a lot of pride in your country and ideals – your democracy and freedom of speech alike. And you have every right to do so, for you are very powerful indeed. Everyone should be more like you!

I have seen that which you have done, and I bring thee good tidings: the future holds even more glory for you than the past. Your desire to do good deeds in the world does not pass unnoticed; God himself has seen your magnificent submarine in action – or ready for it, at least. Oh yes, indeed, your ambition and will to make changes is in the world through war is unmatched! The future brings more possibilities for you, and your United States friends are counting on your invaluable assistance. New conflicts shall arise, and together, you shall be the solution to these. Everyone is counting on you.

With “great” power comes great responsibility. Do not let the world down!“

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Had I chosen another author function, the message would lose some of its impact in terms of predetermination and heroism - Denmark would not be presented in the same 'epic' tone. The epic tone carries a lot of the sarcastic meaning, so some of that would be lost.

A Trobairitz writing about love

The Love Between Us Two 

Here I stand, my prince in blue,

And there you are, of all above

To praise your virtues I will do,

A verse, a canso or Courtly Love.

My powerful Viking

You need to know first

Your charms are more than striking.

And in our love, I am immersed.

To you I say, Gaucho of mine

Things were difficult in this strange land,

But our love, like wine, gets better with time

Only because we always walk hand in hand.

My Caballero Andante without a horse

You gallantly raise your sword at any call

Of comfort your heart is an unlimited source

You have protected me against it all.

My sweet Mariachi, shedding a new light,                    

You sang no serenatas, but a poem or two did recite, 

You made me fall for you, love at first sight

You fell for me too and kissed me at night.

My prince charming, mine alone

I must confess a proper canso I failed to do

But poems can be more creative than a rigid stone,

These lines from my heart are dedicated to you.

My prince in blue,

I am in love with our love

I am in love with you.

Writing Game: Author Function

Author Function: Philosopher

Abstract Notion: Aesthetics

How to define aesthetics, you might ask. Aesthetics is the ability to form your own inner opinion about something at a level where you find your ‘true opinion’ within. It is our response to the thing, phenomenon or sense that is our aesthetical opinion. It is an understanding of both art, beauty and taste – it is an understanding of beautiful things.

How do we understand beauty? Beauty is something we understand individually – it is a notion we bring forward from within and is judgemental about.

Aesthetics is an individual opinion – it is the taste of the individual human being, that determines the aesthetical level of the thing or phenomenon in question. Logically speaking, what might be aesthetically beautiful to some people might be ‘not’ aesthetically beautiful to others. That being said, aesthetics is a notion that all possess – therefore, claiming that all people have the ability to find something aesthetically beautiful in the world – the ability to find their inner sense of taste within themselves.

When it comes to aesthetics – you be the judge. Do not think about what other people find aesthetically beautiful, but bring forward your knowledge and create your own opinion about what you think is beautiful aesthetically in your mind.

If I had written about this abstract notion in another author function the outcome would have been completely different. By writing as a philospher I feel that I can approach this particular subject from the point of view that is appropriate for this type of subject. If I had written the text from another author function's point of view I would not have had the opportunity to wonder as much and question the notions behind the subjuct in the same way. Aesthetics is a subject which I think should be wondered about and therefore the approach to the subject would be more decisive in its structure, which would be the case if i had for example chosen the author function of a theorist.

Author function: hypothetical author. Abstract notion: Zodiac Sign

If I had been born a week earlier I would have been born a Cancer – instead I have been born a Leo. “And what does that do”, one might ask. To that I say, “Everything changes!”

See if I had been born a Cancer I would have been in balance with myself since a Cancer is a water element. As a Leo I am feisty and verbal, because I am born as a fire element. If I had been born a Cancer I might never have pulled a girl from class’ ponytail when I was seven. She might not have told on me and I might not have been sent to the principal’s office. Simply because she was a water element and I was a fire element.

If I had been born a Cancer instead of a Leo my favourite animal might have been a dolphin instead of a lion. My favourite movie might have been ‘Free Willy’ as opposed to ‘The Lion King’ and I might have been better at drawing killer whales than lions and cubs.

If my birthday was a week earlier I would have been born on a Monday. I would have been the best beginning to a week instead of the perfect ending to one. I might also have received a stuffed teddy bear instead of the stuffed white rabbit as a toy from my sister on my birthday. And finally if I had been born as a Cancer not a Leo I might have lived a life totally different from the one I live right now. In an alternative universe I am a Cancer not a Leo.

Implied author – Concept: fear

Implied Author: the implied author stands in the shadow of the narrative voice and expresses ideology and worldview.

In modern society fear is generally considered a negative emotion that serves you bad should you indulge in it. You must not show fear or hesitation as it is perceived as a weakness and flaw in your character. Essentially, you will be looked down upon should you display too much indecisiveness. As a worst case scenario, you will not only be looked down upon but be stomped to the ground and surpassed by those who do not openly display their worries. However, fear is not all negative in its nature. Fear is actually an emotion which strengthens your character and encourages you to push yourself beyond the fear itself, because on the other side awaits a well deserved victory and it will not grant you a warm welcome unless you hold your head high upon arrival at its doorstep. Fear is something to overcome. If you do not overcome it, then it certainly will serve you bad. Nevertheless, you mustn’t admit defeat, but rather relish in the opportunity to take up the struggle against your fears. If you do not challenge yourself, you will never know for sure if you were able to come out victorious in the end.

Speculation: (added)

The text would have had a different attitude and effect on the reader had it been expressed by a different author function. Using the prophet as our first example, the general feel of the text would be of a more envisaging and spiritual nature. Taking the journalist/columnist next, the text would be less abstract and more precise (possibly with a case study or a metaphor symbolizing and illustrating the claim being made). At last, with the novelist’s point of view, there would be more to interpret regarding characterization and plot. In short, author function greatly determines the outcome of a text and the effect that the text makes upon the reader.