Pictures that Generate Memories...

Thanks for the kind words, Ruth. I guess I'm a Jack of all trades - some of my income comes from writing articles for magazines, some comes from business writing (press releases, instruction manuals etc.)

Some comes from my fiction. Some comes from critiques.

Short fiction is my first love, but it's much harder to make a living out of fiction.

I also run a little sideline called Tame Your Computer. I visit clients in their homes and introduce them to the wonders of Word, Excel, the Internet etc.

On top of that I teach guitar - and now and again I accept a paid gig (although humping the amps around is no longer much of a joy).

If I really have to - if my wife wants a new golden nipple-ring - I take on private pupils for extra tuition in GCSE English and Mathematics.

Anything to keep the wolf from the door.

(No, not you, Wolf!)

I'm impressed John..you are definitely a very eclectic talent !

Hi Maria.  Hope you enjoyed your vacation last week.  Did you go anywhere fun?

Yes, I agree with Maria, John.  It takes great skill to be a teacher, and not just content knowledge.  And it's quite a broad array of fields. 

Thanks for the kind words, ladies.

Ruth, to be a teacher in UK schools you need skill and content knowledge - but more than anything else you need a flak-jacket. You get flak from the school, flak from the government, and flak from the kids.

I taught in 11-18 schools for far too many years. Finally managed to escape and am much happier as a freelance writer and private tutor - even though I've taken a substantial drop in income.

I have friends who still teach inside the system, and generally-speaking they're half-dead.

It's not how life should be.

Hi Ruth, how are you?  In fact I used a few of my days off to work..at home lol, you know, sorting out all those things that seem to pile up  themselves and that you never find the time to take care for during the year.  I still have a few days though and will have my annual share of England within this month ;-).

I loved your photos of Arizona btw, thank you! 

The following link is about a place I knew as a kid, it was an old railway track and on a still quiet night I could hear the trains on the line. Now it is a walking track and cycleway .

http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=J5aN5fyhnMo

Hi Maria:  I'm fine, thanks for asking.  Sometimes those vacations at home are the best.  Hope you enjoy your annual share of England.  I'm glad you liked the photos of AZ too.  Perhaps you could post a few of Italy. 

Hi Wolf

That was a cool video.  Is your accent like that of the narrator?  What are your thoughts about them putting up a wind turbine there?

Ruth my accent has completely changed after 41 years in Oz.

As for the wind turbine, its got to be a lot better than a power station.