September 18, 2005
Roadworks in Liberia
I spent the week in the incongruous role of sports reporter for the Kapiti Observer. But it turns out that sporting knowledge isn't too much of a prerequisite, I just phoned the coaches and wrote down what they said - presumably the readers will know what they're talking about? I must have had over 60 stories published by now, and feel like I've got more of a handle on the job than last year. I like the Kapiti Observer for its informal work atmosphere - I'm much more productive there than I was at the Wairarapa Times Age or the Taieri Herald where they put pressure on (and the offices had no windows).
I also spent the week taking my notes in shorthand quite happily, though whether I can pass the shorthand tests - three minutes of hell - is another question. Shorthand classes and the dictation CDs manage the seemingly contradictory achievements of being intensely stressful and terminally dull at the same time. Whereas out in the field it's possible to see shorthand for what it should be: a convenient system for taking notes comfortably - less effort than writing longhand.
I've got an interesting story to write on Monday, about a guy from Paekakariki who's just returned from six months work as a nurse in Liberia, West Africa (see above). He's only been back a few days and is finding it a strange readjustment. We might have the National Party to worry about, but no major issues with HIV, malaria, cholera, malnutrition, civil war, 85-90% unemployment, stoned 14 year olds running around with machine guns...
I stayed in yesterday, apart from going out to cast my vote for the Greens. The solid rain this morning makes it look likely I'll be in again today. I've got enough here to keep me occupied: the room's a mess and needs tidying, I've got the final draft of the chapter on The Space (which I wrote the bulk of more than 18 months ago!) to finish off, an outline for a tv series to be writing, and guitars, banjo and shorthand to practice. The banjo's coming along quite well - it's taken me back to the basics and after ten years of guitar I'm finally starting to learn some scales.
Banjo isn't radically different from guitar, but different enough to be stimulating. They sound good together, the tones complement each other and don't get in each other's way. It's a different sound, tuning (open G), and right hand technique. I just found out about frailing, where you strike the strings with the back of the fingers, so the fingernail makes a different sound from plucking upwards. It also helps to keep the little finger anchored on the drum skin, which blocks out some of the frequencies and keeps the sound clearer. Maybe an analogy for guitar/banjo would be to compare English and French - which I've recently been renewing my interest in - same underlying structure but different vocabularly?
I might have to investigate playing folk music for a bit, maybe head in a more 'conventional' direction temporarily to get the musical knowledge base to build on. But the banjo is also well suited to free improv playing - the drum skin has all kinds of weird sounds, especially when electrified. It was encourgaging that two people recently bought copies of Mantis Shaped and Worrying, the ugly duckling of my albums, so there's room for experimentation...
I named the banjo Amy after a penpal in America. But the last month or so a rift has developed since I found a 'real life' girlfriend in Melbourne. Cynthia's now living in Nelson, having gone home to be with her Dad who's terminally ill (and just published a novel). So I see her some of the time. It might be worth my moving down to Nelson over the summer - I'm keen to spend some time exploring the Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes national parks.
Still have to figure out what to do next year - a couple of months in Australia again is on the cards but I wouldn't want to live there long term, as I aim to travel further afield. I am quite tempted to do the jazz foundation certificate at Massey to boost my musicianship - I've been frustrated for several years that my technical skills are behind the great local players who should be my peers.
Another option is to do the year's teaching-English-in-Asia thing. I'd been hoping to do that with Amy - I don't think I want to go on my own. But the falling out probably rules it out as an option. I'm feeling sad about the whole thing.
Oh and Cynthia had an accident with some oven cleaner yesterday - major burns to her nose which will probably leave a scar.
Posted by fiffdimension at September 18, 2005 11:14 AM | TrackBack