in praise of amateurism

Dear All,

Thank you Chris, Sue, some criticism at last, almost like a real writer. Of course I appreciate and am flattered by your ‘laughed till I was sick’ comments Kell but anyone can see that my aim is to antagonise, to upset the status-quo or at the very least, dinner. Comments like ‘get off our blog and back under your rock’ such as I read in the Tele letters would thrill. Bob, Alice’s father in law and a real writer, the one who has had books pulped, that’s serious criticism, has a new book out in the shops right now in which he mentions me. Alice had already alerted me to this recognition and my name in the index in reference to mine being the better wedding speech. Now Bob’s a professional, wrote speeches for Bob Carr, writes them for Mike Wran and Nathan Reece, nobody’s going to say Bob’s speech was better than mine that would be like saying the suns shines. Kind folk at the wedding came up with the notion that mine was the better speech to flatter me and Bob immortalised the fiction in his book. Thank you Bob. You could have sounded more aggrieved, could have devoted more than just a half line, but you’re the professional and no one wants to see any more books pulped.

Bob’s just written another book too, a commission with a generous advance and a short sharp one month deadline. Alice was commissioned as a paid researcher and has in turn hired another researcher from her Uni, not the young girl she expected but a 27 year old bloke doing his masters. The deadline passed at the beginning of the month and the book is with the editor but research and updates continue like a Bunnings stock take. Alongside her full time sub editorial role for Women’s Health this has made her a very busy girl with no time for play. Bob is also very busy touring his new release on the radio talk shows here, in Canberra and now in Melbourne. Bob won’t fly so he has to travel by train except to Canberra because the train never showed up. No explanation or apology either from the department whose responsibility is with the party he has always backed and spruiked for. All sounds like hard work doesn’t it. Makes me content with my amateur standing as a writer who bothers only you and thus leaves plenty of time for my first love; reading.

Chris seems to agree with me as he ‘breathes a sigh of relief’ at receiving no call back from his job interview. Even taking the minimalist view to home making and covering one wall with plasma screen there should be plenty to do personalising his new estate to occupy his time. Especially so if he and Sue intend to make a habit of wintering in the tropics. The only reason to go back to work at our age is the desire or need for funds. Our professions unlike those of youngsters at the other end of their working cycle are already established and nothing we now do is likely to change the success or failure we feel in relation to that. I remember writing something different in the box marked ‘profession’ on every visa application and immigration entry form I ever filled out, partly to test the system but mostly because I had never been properly labelled. No I wouldn’t do that today though I’m so out of touch. Jack assures me I don’t need visas in advance for Thailand, England and all the other places we’ll go which seems astonishing and although I have great faith in Jack I still seek further assurances.

That’s all for now, thanks for your attention, remember to stay alarmed not alert and sleep well.

R