This post is another practice with the application Blog Press used to post from an iPhone.
After typing the first word "I", and concious of the awful posts made whilst walking the DHW, the decision was made to delete that word.
As a branch manager at Yorkshire Bank Finance my branch was visited periodically by a senior head office official who we christened The I Man. Practically every sentence he uttered started with "When I,,,".
At the start of my blogging adventure my journalist brother gave me some advice. The most important item was not to exceed three hundred words per post - anything more than that, in a blog post, is beyond most people's attention span (including, after some observation, my own), unless it was written by James Thurber.
This post avoids the first person singular, which in itself imposes a discipline, encouraging detailed attention to one's writing.
My rucksack is packed ready for the off tomorrow including tent, sleeping bag, cooking equipment, and enough food for one meal, and tea and coffee for ten days or so. It weighs just over 9kg (app 20lbs). This is acceptable. Any more turns pleasure into toil, and that is only for masochists.
Last evening indulgent reminiscences took place during a call from Mick and Gayle (gayleybird.blogspot.com) who have just completed the Kent to Cape Wrath diagonal averaging over seventeen miles per day. They said they may join me for a day or so if I continue with my Lowestoft to St Bees Head walk after France.
268 words - (anticipating a précis from my brother reducing this to twenty five words).
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I shall not attempt to edit this. After all you are on the brink of the unknown and this post may prove to be your valediction on the world. Each word may be treasured by future ramblers. Each tautology (branch... branch) preserved.
ReplyDeleteNot to exceed 300 words, eh?
ReplyDeleteI've failed miserably on that score every single day of the trip. In fact, a quick word count of the last few posts revealed to me (with some horror) that by the end I was tapping out 1200-1300 words per post (on a Blackberry keypad, too!).
Until the last week I was at a more reasonable level, keeping it below 1000 words.
I couldn't possibly keep under 300 words to describe a 10 hour day through fascinating scenery. Perhaps that's why I've only got 250 or so readers?
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ReplyDeleteBB - Thanks for sparing me. I am not too happy to be lumped in with the ramblers which to me implies a sort of amateurish or naive approach, combined with all that stuff about access and walker's rights which bores me terrifically.
ReplyDeleteGayle - Worry not. Your posts are excellent. This thing about 300 words is a bit of a game between me and my brother. I implore you to continue in your current style.