h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

That's a bit like when I started wearing glasses! Kind of spooky how your poetry always reminds me of my own experiences. Spooky, but good.

Ah.. but I bet YOU didn't have to walk through a plate glass window before it was sussed you were a biteen shortsighted!

Its great that you can "identify" with my stuff MaW - I can't do highbrow intense stuff full of allorgories and mettyphores and stuff - I just like painting word pictures of simple stuff (or occaisionally, not quite so simple, depending on which current drama I am going through)... I'm supposed to be going to a writers group meeting tonight, but try as I do to get into the flow of their intensity and er.. well, passion, for want of a better word, all I do is get the giggles on the quiet - I mean, how can ANYONE get excited and really really serious about the placement of a comma, for example. And when we get the occaisional professional poet in, most of em bow down and worship... I've MET most of the ones that have visited recently.. or served 'em in restraunts, and frankly most of them are very pretnetious wazzocks - just the same as when I first met em. So I think I'll give the meeting a miss - its just a hobby - and if it entertains others then well and good, thats great.

Mind you, I shall REALLY worry about you if you can identify with me pomes about being a beaten wife, ducky!

I like this too. Reminds me of when a new set of coloured crayons was utter joy.

I need glasses to read now, sometimes I leave them on at meetings. Some things are better in a blur .

Can't see more than 2 inches infront of me now... my dear ol' grandad bought me contact lenses for my 17th birthday (bless his cotton sox) and I wore lenses from then until 3 months ago - my eyes finally have gotten too dry to be able to wear them any longer (a combination of "my age" and the fact I have Sjogrens' syndrome which causes the eyes to REALLY dry up big time) so I'm back to wearing spec full time - its taking a bit of geting used to, I must admit - I am saving up for cosmetically "thin" lenses, because at the moment I feel like a myopic beetle! You'reright tho, some things are left better blurry.. they definately feel nicer!

I'm on contact lenses, started when I was 17 too! Nice soft toric ones to correct my astigmatism.

Wanna see about laser surgery some time though, so I can join the police

Try Boots, they're pretty upfront about it, but pricy - about £1,000 per eye. But I reckon sight is worth it, meself... I was really p'd off when I found I couldn't have it - not cause my sight was so poor, but because, once you've got dry eyes you have them for keeps. Ah well. I'll check out a couple of sites and see if I can refer you to them, as I appear to have discovered inadvertantly how to do links... might take a little time tho - I@ve got work this evening, and have GOT to get my gear together pdq. Tomorrow, if I can, OK?

Yeah, I'm looking at Boots, they're my opticians anyway - but their correctable range barely covers my prescription, so I'm a tad worried about that.

Also not sure what their definition of a stable prescription is, as mine's been shifting by 0.25 quite regularly over the last few years. Next time I have an eye test I'll talk to the optician about it - the more time I give it the better, I would think. Give my eyes more chance to settle down and all that. And save up for it!

Optimax have a much wider correctable range, I'm well within it, but they're worryingly inexpensive. I'm not sure I could trust them with my eyes! But then Mum doesn't trust anyone who does laser surgery, so... well I'll just have to ignore her when the time comes I guess.

Hello Witchone,

It may seem simple but it is also interwoven with intricate observations - if this is a hobby then it's a fine one.

I enjoyed this so much because it is so well written and shows how sight, or the lack of the perfect 20/20, really can transform the view of the world - give me the blur and rainbow hues any time

There are a lot of pretensions people in any field, and let's face it, writers can be just as bad or worse as any other artist because they feel as if every outpouring is akin to giving birth - and sometimes I would agree with that sentiment (ruefully said).

Look for another writer's circle which fits your personality or even better, write a poem about the group and bring it along to a reading - bet that will open up a few hand mirrors.

Keep the faith

Hallo Ameuc, are you new or am I unobservant? Probably the letter.
I know what you mean about this business of giving birth to pomes - to start with it can feel a bit like that, because you're showing off a little bit of yourself that up till then has probably been kept under wraps - especially the first few, which are usually inspired by being kicked in the teeth by your first love - or something equally traumatic, and frankly, personal.... and then suddenly - or at least, I have found it to be the case - it doesn't matter how the poem has been inspired - I like using a phrase I've used or held in conversation, I like the rythms of words myself - "you" go on the back boiler, or become ever so slightly detatched and the only thing that is important is capturing "that" particualr moment in words - rather like trying to capture *who* a person is in a photo - its a pleasure to use whatever skill or gift you have .... and like I said, if it entertains or perhaps educates, then great. But I don't believe any artist has the godgiven right to believe that something they write, or paint or create is going to be so earthshattering or radical that it'll change life as we know it and they'll be important... "artists" are no more talented or special that the bloke who can plumb in the sink or the mechanic who can make your car zoom like a rocket - and frankly, they're a sight less useful when push comes to shove!
Here endeth the rant!

Actually, I did a couple of "mirror" type poems for a writers group in Eire, and it went down like a lead balloon - it was felt I wasn't taking the craft seriously enough and was being judgemental! And of course, they were right! Somehow it sems a little unkind to decry people's aspirations - far better I feel, to let them come round to the ghastly realisation that they're being pretentious and learn to stop being in their own time. Then they can become a smug laid back critic like what I am! Thanks for the encouragement tho, I do appreciate it. When are we going to see some of your work? Looking forward to seeing it!

Hi again,

Yeah I guess holding a mirror to people who don’t want to look might stir things up a bit

I learned to do plumbing and can now do a mean push fit pipe installation, mind you it is all creativity, using the old grey cells, making sure they never run smooth but keep the crinkles in place.

Maybe you’ve seen a couple of my poems added to The Post? I have to say I do like the magazine. I tend to read a lot at night, when the time rattles slowly and I can sit and enjoy the offerings before me, it a fine idea of the BBC, I hope they justly award the editors for all the hard work they do.

Anyways, gotta go, morning brings the sweet voices of arguing children which only breakfast will still.

Take care, and if you get a moment, take a look around my space cos I seriously need some advice about a piece I am working on and blow if the ideas have run dry.

Ame