Its not often that I get a chance to read purely for pleasure but the installation of a new bedside reading light has opened up a new world of opportunity. As a chronic insomniac of many years standing I have often found that lying awake reading until I doze off is the only healthy and acceptable remedy. Alcohol works a treat of course but it has its obvious disadvantages.

Anyway, whilst rummaging through my bookshelves for some late night reading fare yesterday I came across a copy of Granta that I had been hoarding for a rainy day . Granta is a literary publication that specializes in short fiction and excerpts from forthcoming novels. Ideal! No chance of staying awake all night in a frantic effort to finish the book . Just three or four 'shorts' and I should be ready for lights out.

And so it proved. But Granta entertained me for several hours before I hit the switch.

The theme for this edition was 'Broken Britain'. Now I don't happen to think that Britain is any more ( or less ) broken than anywhere else but but it does have its fair share of historic and contemporary conflicts and some of them are faithfully mirrored in the stories in this collection. I particularly enjoyed 'Hands Across The Water' by Rachel Seiffert. This story revolves around the adventures of a young Glaswegian who is a member of an Orange marching band. It features a brief cameo appearance by an unidentified and heavily disguised 'UDA member'. But this is not a grim or overtly political tale, indeed it ends comically. The dear old Wiki has this to say about Rachel :-

Seiffert's subject is the individual in history: how political and economic upheavals impact on ordinary lives. Her characters have included the 12 year old daughter of an SS officer in 1945, a Polish seasonal worker on a German asparagus farm after the fall of the wall, and a London painter and decorator who killed a civilian as a 19-year old squaddie with the British Army in Northern Ireland. While the situations her characters experience are often harsh, a common thread in Seiffert's stories is the push and pull of family, the persistence of love, and the poetry of everyday life.

So it would appear that Granta has achieved its goal. I for one will be looking for more from the pen of Rachel Seiffert.

Of course I rarely read anything that has no Welsh relevance or content whatsoever and this was no exception. This edition includes an excerpt ( The Hunt ) from a forth coming novel by one of Wales most promising new writers - Cynan Jones. There are no details of publishing dates etc but if this excerpt and the quality of his previous offerings are anything to go by the new Cynan Jones will be well worth the wait.

There is also an excellent short poem on the subject of Tryweryn by Jamie McKendrick

If you happen to be looking for some bedtime reading there are a few suggestions below. Unfortunately the AmeriCymru bookstore doesn't sell bedside lamps ( or alcohol ).

Granta 119 Britain

The Long Dry - Cynan Jones

Everything I Found on The Beach - Cynan Jones

Bird,Blood,Snow - Cynan Jones

Field Studies - Rachel Seiffert

From the Barkeep's Blog

An interesting morning. Visiting the lovely old building at Parc Howard, known generally as Parc Howard Mansion for the NSPCC "at Home".

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has been a major charity that I have supported for the last 30 years, and while I am currently the President of the Llanelli and Area District, in practise - my role was much more a reprise of my other main characterisation, that of the Barkeep!!.

And so, as the great and the good, the old and the young, the fit and the infirm all trooped into the great hall my main task was to provide a glass of red, white or blush wine and or orange and apple juice....
Of course my main task revolves around having a louder voice thank anybody else, always good for calling attention to the Chairman, the Mayor, or the raffle draw.

It was then that things started to get a a little surrealistic. I know that Llanelli is a small town, and that we have been there for many years, however, as I examined the excellent displays of Llanelli Pottery and read the history of the development of that industry in Llanelli, I began to see familiar faces...

We have always laughingly referred to our local Mayors as the "Chain Gang" - after all they wear Chains and come n groups. Especially in Llanelli, where we are graced with the Llanelli Town Mayor, the District Mayor, Rural Council Mayor, used to be a borough Mayor and of course the deputies and the consorts.....
It was indeed a delight to see that they all had agreed to come along to our buffet and wine Christmas Celebration and Carol Singing - but the faces were strangely more familiar than I was expecting...
And so it was, that it slowly dawned that the last time I had seen the Town Mayor, Councillor Winston Lemon - also known as the Singing Decorator !! was when we shared the stage on Llanelli theatre (the Classic Cinema for locals which was for years our only theatre in town) , not at a fundraiser or political meeting - but South Pacific!! We both trod the boards and sang our hearts out.
It was about 25 years ago !!!
And then I looked to the next mayor - Deputy Town Mayor Roger Price, and this was a clearer view - I had been singing in the local Llanelli Folk Club in the Queen Vic in Queen Victoria Road only a few months ago. Roger has started a highly successful Folk Train Trip up the Llanelli Mid Wales Train Line form Llanelli up to Ammanford, singing on the way - stop off in the Ammanford Folk Club and back before closing time..

So there in the front row were two of my erstwhile singing companions.

Add to that, a few ex policemen and a couple of magistrates who spent some time recalling my early days as a constable long before I had a pony tail or wore a tie at social events .... and a successful raising of charity funds for my favourite Charity - a strange day ... But that is what being Welsh is all about ...
History made alive, in a great historical building...
Maybe we all belong in the museum....

From the Barkeep's Blog

December dawns, how did that happen? Seems only yesterday that we were celebrating the lack of Summer, recalling a couple of warm days back in April, and counting the floods that formed the period from Summer Solstice to the first leaves dropping from the trees. And then, December!!

That means that Christmas will be on everyone's lips, covering the shops, the news, the streets.

Now, call me a traditionalist, but my tree and decorations go up on Christmas Eve, after the sun has set and not a moment before. Christmas commences with the car being put in the garage, locked away for the duration if possible, and the curtains closed except for the bay window that contains the Christmas Tree.

Once the sun has set, then it is time to set the tree, a family task to get the tree covered with as much sliver, colour and general "tat" as possible. We are not looking at symmetry, we are not looking at design, we are not looking at planning, we are looking at enthusiasm and abandon!!

We have gone through the stages of a star on top of the tree, there was a family Fairy that had pride of place for a number of years, but for the last couple of years I will admit that a small teddy bear in a witch's costume has sat at the top of the tree. Plenty of lights, mainly because I will buy some extra on the assumption that last year's lights will not work, but they often do... But again - colour co-ordination is not what is required.

So why Christmas Eve and not before?? Because we have always done it that way would be a reasonable answer and quite traditional. It is a family tradition may be another ways of saying it. But mainly, it is that Christmas is a special time of year tome - and I do not like it being diluted by starting it in September. I know families who are taking their tree down on Boxing day - they are already fed up with having the tree there for so long..

For me 12 days is quite sufficient, and therefore Christmas Eve is the time to put the decorations up. In my view they should stay up for a full 12 days of Christmas and be taken down on the 13th day....

When the children were younger, excitement could happily build as we sorted the tree and got the house looking right for Christmas. An exciting evening and off to bed, to allow us to finalise the preparations for Santa to call. As they went to bed, there would be a few presents around the Christmas tree. Each child was invited to bring their presents suitably labelled and stack them under the tree. Likewise, there would be a present from Grandparents that had come through the post, and perhaps a present from Mum and Dad.

Yes, a few presents would be under the tree as they went to bed.... but the look on faces as they see what is under the tree in the morning is one of the great delights of childhood.

I always enjoy my Christmas, but Christmas starts on Christmas Eve with the tree. Christmas morning becomes special with presents being distributed by young "postmen" who have the opportunity to look through the presents and read the names, and then are responsible for trying to distribute gifts in a fair and equal manner. One for Mummy, one for Daddy, one for Sister, one for me.... We normally insist that presents get opened one at a time, reinforcing that the pleasure of giving is equal to the pleasure of receiving. It is as much fun to watch someone open the present you have chosen for another.... Also, present giving lasts a lot longer....

After the joys of Christmas Day and perhaps some visitors and late present giving on Boxing Day, another ten days of decorations and Christmas Spirit seems sufficient to me. After that, the tree can be taken down, needles will mainly be falling off by now unless some imitation tree is at the core of the shining monstrosity in the bay window. Boxes can be filled and stowed away for another year....

Don't get me wrong... I enjoy Christmas, just don't want it to start too early .. Christmas Eve will be time enough...

Oh, and don't you dare come and sing Christmas Carols outside my house before Christmas Eve....

because it may be December - but it is not Christmas yet !!

From the Barkeep's Blog

In schools up and down the country there is a hive of activity underway. Stress levels are high and artistic tempraments strained to thebreaking pointas rehearsals for Christmas nativity plays and productions hit full swing. Headteachers and Prinicpals everywhere lock the office door, take refuge in darkened stockrooms or tinker with the photocopier as they vainly attempt to avoid harrassed staff and the inevitable post-production confrontations.

Every year , whether as a headteacher, parent or now grandparent, I never cease to marvel at the energy, talent and dedication displayed by teachers as they juggle their top heavy workloads and still manage to produce something special.

Inevitably there will be hiccups. As when the innkeeper magnanimously proclaimed there was plenty of room in the inn. Or the occasion when one of the shepherds drop-kicked the lamb into the audience and completely stole the show. One of my very favourite moments was when the three kings got lost in one of the adjacent classrooms and a search party had to be despatched while the angels waited impatiently in the wings.

So, particularly at this time of year, lets hear it for the teachers!

Teaching has to be the most influential profession of all. For most of the year we entrust the most treasured possession we have into their care. We trust them with the future of our nation expecting them to be role models, mentors and inspirational guides.

Often maligned and subjected to the dictates of politicians with their own personal agendas they persevere to do their best for the children in their charge. I have to smile when those in power pontificate that schools and teachers should have high aspirations for children and ensure they instill a 'can do' attitude. I agree they are absolute prerequisites for success but they seem to ignore their own advice when their favoured method of dealing with the teaching profession is to berate and set up structures that enable schools and children to be laboured as failures.

What has all this to do with writing? It is good to know that many teachers from diverse backgrounds are also authors or bloggers. Not only do they provide a very positive role model but they are also invariably inspirational individuals we hope our children are fortunate tocome intocontact with.

Below are just some of the teachers who have turned their hand to writing in various capacities. Some are retired, some have become full time authors and all come from very different backgrounds and write in a variety of genres. One thing they have in common is they deserve our warm appreciation so please click on their image and get to know the writer behind the teacher. You will not be disappointed!

Let's Hear It For The Teachers . . .

Carol Ekster	Shane Paceli	Robin Woods	Susan Breen
Andrew Cowley	Caroline Russell	Rhys Chamberlain	Patrick Egan
Kimbo	J Thomas Ross	Claire Evans	Megan Hands
Daniel Kenyon	C L Davies	Greg Gagliardi	Stephanie Thomas
Stephen Ames Berry	Barry Cooper	Jules Carey	Jane Freeman
Cathy Czepiel	James Vernon	David Fleming	Dicy McCullough
	The featured image is borrowed from http://www.toybox.org.uk When you buy Toybox Christmas cards you are helping street children in Latin America, and honouring the homeless child at the heart of the Christmas story

Over the next few weeks I am going to be very busy painting backdrops for nativity plays, standing in for Santa in several local schools and attending my grandson's various concerts. I have also been invited to New York as a guest of The City Bar Entertainments Committee who are sponsoring a concert reading of 'A Christmas Carol Revisited' for charity. Unfortunately I doubt if I will have the time (or money) to be able to attend. I will try and get another couple of posts out before Christmas but it will be difficult and I make no promises.

If you have any nativity stories please post them to me at phil@helpyourchildsucceed.com and I will feature them. THANKS

And so it has come to this at last. For many years the rule of grammar has been clear that conjunctions should never start a sentence. Or so I thought, until receiving a rant from a friendly Americymru guru Ceri who laid the challenge at my door. But, what would I write about I thought if I were to take up this challenge? Or should I just let a stream of conciousness run like drivel from my brain? Yet, a challenge is a challenge and should not be ignored. Nor should the opportunity to post a blog go unchecked... So, that brought me to this opening paragraph. And so we may list the FANBOYS acronym of words that should not be used to start a sentence " For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so"

After starting in this fashion,it is desirable to continue onto thecoordinatingconjunctions. Although there are a number of them!! As much as I would like to list them, as long as they are contained in the sentence I suppose that is sufficient. As though I care !! Because, if we were to just list them, by the time I got to the end I would have a number of bored people. Before that happens, I will try to keep this humorous, even though it is breaking all the rules. If I was to use "in order that" or "in case" I may be breaking more rules, and that I must avoid. Lest I be called a purist, provided that you have read this far,since the purpose was to identify some conjunctions,so that we knew what to avoid, when, whenever, where and wherever they appear. Unless, and until you see these rules, while they have their place in Grammar, it seems that Ceri Shaw does not like them.

Both Ceri and I agree on one thing. Either use conjunctions or not. Neither opinion nor rule should take precedence. Not only is the text important but also the meaning behind it. Whether you agree or not - I think I have lived up to the challenge.

Thank you


and so we have them :

Coordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating Conjunctions

Correlative Conjunctions

From the Barkeep's Blog

Dont worry things are not going down the pan. Here is an explanation from our platform provider:-

So, what happened?
The first outage resulted from back-end optimization work our engineering team has been doing over the past three months. The team has been making changes to our architecture to take advantage of newer equipment and powerful new cloud services that werent available when the back-end was originally designed. Our expectation is that the optimization process will result in stronger performance and improved disaster recovery in the long-term. However, one of the changes that was made caused a key set of databases to fail, leading to the outage on November 22nd. The engineering team has corrected the issue so it will not recur.
The outage yesterday was unfortunately the result of user error by an engineer on our operations team during normal back-end maintenance. Were revising our systems to prevent this type of error from occurring again.
We closely follow the feedback you send to our support team and here on Creators, and I want you to know that Im aware some of you or your members have been experiencing intermittent issues with pages on your network not fully loading CSS or JavaScript correctly. We believe these issues are also related to the back-end optimization work weve been doing. We have two engineers working full-time to resolve this issue.
Again, I realize how important platform uptime and performance are for you and your members, and I apologize for the impact of the outages this last week.

SO....please continue to keep us posted if you experience 'issues' with the site. We will either deal with them ourselves or pass them on where necessary.

Diolch

AmeriCymru

I rarely think in terms of lists.But occasionally a list will strike the imagination. Particularly when it refers to the art of writing, and so it was with a deal of interest that I read the following list which is pretty definitive with regard to things a prospective writer or blogger should attempt.

1. AVOID ALLITERATION ALWAYS
2. PREPOSITIONS ARE NOT WORDS TO END SENTENCES WITH
3. THE PASSIVE VOICE IS TO BE AVOIDED
4. AVOID CLICHES LIKE THE PLAGUE - THEY ARE OLD HAT
5. IT IS WRONG TO EVER SPLIT AN INFINITIVE
6. WRITERS SHOULD NEVER GENERALISE
   
   seven: BE CONSISTENT

From the Barkeep's Blog

NWR Editor Gwen Davies in conversation with novelist Chris Keil, author of "Flirting at the Funeral," set in Portugal and west Wales.
Aberystwyth University Bookfest, Monday December 10th