What I learned from.... mash-ups

The subject of this months MZM WILF sounds rather like messing up. I learned a lot from that too, but that's perhaps for another day.

My turtle friend Robert at MZM objective of this month is to mash up at least two items from a list he kindly enough provided us:

So, here goes:

Time - Heroes

You know, as children we all had our heroes, be it Punch and Judy, Dumbo or in my case Bones McCoy, Mr Spock and later followed by Mr Data. Why does someone becomes "your hero"? Mainly, I think, because they inspire you to follow in their footsteps, to act, behave like they do.
You aspire (thanks for this mash up Drew) to become as great, kind, knowledgeable, sincere, respectful and respected, sociable and generous as them. And while over time your actual heroes may change, the reason why they and their replacements are your heroes doesn't.
At least, that's what I've learned.

Heroes - Friends

Fictional heroes from my youth are one by one replaced by factual heroes - real people (although I have to admit you don't have to search far to still find various ST-memorabilia im my possession, just listen to my pc). My 'modern day' heroes too are great, kind, knowledgeable, sincere, respectful and respected, sociable and very generous. Sometimes it feels they go out of their way to help me, guide me, advice me, encourage me. Very kind and generous of them.

Factual heroes, contrary to fictional heroes, turn into real friends.
At least, that's what I've learned.

Friends - Technology

Some 30 - 35 years ago I had 'pen-friends', 'friends' you wrote hand-written letters to - once every month or so. Some you had never seen, only knew them from their letters.
Imagine that! A friend far away who you'd never seen, but who still told you all about their daily things, what they had done at School, what this or that person had said to them and vice versa of course. Your pen-friend knew all about your life.

Fast forward 30 years and some of my hero-friends I've never seen in real life too. But instead of once every month or so technology brings daily conversations with them. Well, almost daily then.
Many doom-and-gloomers warn that technology will only bring superficial friendship: here today, gone tomorrow. I beg to differ, my friends were here a week ago, were here yesterday, are here today and will be here tomorrow and next month too. Thanks to technology.
At least, that's what I've learned.

Technology - Writing

I'll be honest now, the draft of this WILF contribution I wrote rather - in my case - old-fashioned with pen and paper. I'd closed my showroom and headed to our School-garden this afternoon two days ago - the weather is/was just to gorgeous to stay inside. It's been a long time since I took an afternoon off - away from my (as my partner sometimes jokes - jokes?) "home-away-from-home" showroom. And for a tiny moment I wished I did have a laptop - that item just went up 4 places on my wish-list!

But pen and paper it is for now. Which means I miss my spell-checker terribly, my online thesaurus too - all essential items you need when English isn't your first language. But I'll get by.

There's only one, very old, problem for me when writing with pen and paper. I have to really force myself to write readable, an ability which has never ever been my strongest point and what goes back as fas as the first time my primary school teacher taught me how to write. After two/three days my scribbles seem to turn into hieroglyphs and I have to start guessing what I wrote! 
A keyboard and screen makes writing less of task (or guessing game in my case) and much more pleasurable.
At least, that's what I've learned.

Writing - Space

If you'd asked me what I'd wanted to be when I grew up, for years the answer was: a journalist - like 3 of my uncles from my dad's side.
Words, stories have always bubbled up in my head, filled my head really and I just had to write them down, always - to make space in my head for more. My first official publication happened when I was only 7 years old. The local paper published my short story "The talking pen and the flying paper" in their weekly Wednesday's children's corner. And nothing has really changed - words, stories still bubble up in my head and I have to write them down, always.

What has changed though is the subject of my writing. Before, I wrote fictional stories, sometimes about my fictional heroes. Nowadays I write factual words and stories, sometimes about my factual heroes.
Two years ago I managed to mash-up fact with fiction in my debut business novel, I (and especially my mother) am still very proud of this milestone - a real paperback carrying my name on the cover and in which one of my hero-friends so very kindly wrote his generous foreword.

Writing creates space in my head for the next idea, the next story.
Writing is what connects friends, far away and close by, the progress in technology enables the written word to reach many and contrary to what doom-and-gloomers have warned us for time and time again, no era has seen so many books published as this era of technology.
Writing is timeless, we still quote the old masters in blogpost, in articles, in E-books and in newspaper columns. And we all hope our own 'wise' words will be quoted in future times too.
Writing is, like Space, without boundaries.

Writing is the ultimate mash-up.
At least, that's what I've learned.

Comments

[Robert Hruzek]

Karin, what a thoughtful and wonderful article! I can just picture you sitting outside somewhere, perhaps under a nice shade tree, writing in a spiral notebook - maybe chewing on the eraser as you pondered what to say...

I liked what you said about real and fictional heroes, but I especially liked your line, "Writing creates space in my head for the next idea, the next story."

Wonderful entry! Thank you!

[Karin H.]

Hi Robert

I wished I had sat underneath our apple tree last Sunday afternoon! Managed to get sunburned!

And you're welcome ;-)

Karin H

[GL HOFFMAN]

I think everyone in the fifties had pen pals, didnt we? If we had emails then, it would have been everso much more fun. I hope they are doing it still. I know they are, and are probably doing video exchanges etc. Imagine the global village in another 30 years!!
best, GL HOFFMAN

[Mother Earth]

love what you said ...writing makes space for the next idea, that's my truth about writing too!

[Karin H.]

Hi GL

Thanks for dropping by. I had pen pals in the 60's and early 70's. Also, when we just moved to the UK I kept friends and family who weren't connected to the 'global' internet village up to date by 'old-fashion' letters (written with the pc of course ;-)). Most told me they really enjoyed this type of 'news' coming through the post. Says something for snail mail after all.

Karin H.

[Karin H.]

Hi Mother Earth

Strange not, how the mind works ;-) Like a unlimited 'space' for ideas if only it gets the 'space and time' to develop.

Karin H.