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In this the third and final part of Welsh author Rhys Hughes'' interview with Americymru he poses a number of ( rhetorical? ) questions to the reader. Feel free to respond to any or all of them in the comments box below.
This is part 3 of an in depth interview with Rhys Hughes , the Welsh Wizard of the Absurd. Rhys was born in Porthcawl, South Wales in 1966 and plans to write exactly 1000 stories in his lifetime ( see his blog here:- The Spoons That Are My Ears ). When this interview was originally published he had completed 468. Currently his total stands at 600+. Rhys can also be found on the web at:- The Rime of The Post Modern Mariner and on his Facebook page.
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Dear Reader,
For the third and last part of my interview with the Americymru Network, I thought it might be nice to do something different. In other words for me to interview you.
So please find six questions below that you may (or may not) answer when you are ready…
1. In Swansea library I recently saw a book with the title "My Ancestor was a Coal Miner". My first thought was how strange it must be to have only one ancestor! I''m confident I''ve had thousands of them and I''m sure that most of them were never coal miners.
Having said that, my grandfather on my father''s side did work in a coal mine as an explosives expert. He kept boxes of gelignite under his bed. But what is the most unusual (or memorable) profession that any of your known ancestors ever had?
2. Authors go out of fashion, sometimes come back into fashion, often don''t. One of the finest and most sophisticated of the English Victorian novelists, George Meredith, is now mostly forgotten and it doesn''t seem likely he''ll ever be accorded the attention he deserves. Despite its rather terrible title, his early novel, "The Shaving of Shagpat", is an exquisite work of deep imagination and manages to combine highly lyrical prose with a humorous muscularity…
Another author with a sinking – perhaps already sunk – star is D.M. Thomas. In the 1980s he was the novelist of choice for all middle class liberal thirtysomethings who wanted to upgrade their emotions and their justifications to ''complex''. I still like D.M. Thomas. Clearly my finger isn''t anywhere near the pulse of modern literary trends. But what unfashionable authors (if any) do you still champion?
3. I have a large collection of books but it''s going down. The reason it''s going down is because every time I finish reading a book I give it away. My aim is to reduce my collection to a manageable size. Otherwise I''ll keep adding to it and will end up with more books than it''s possible for me to read in my entire lifetime!
That seems inefficient and wrong. To stop it happening I have banned myself from buying new books. I read what I already have on my shelves instead. Some of my books have been waiting to be read for thirty years. I don''t want to disappoint them forever! To shrink my collection further I have given away some books that I haven''t read, books I once felt I ought to read but knew I wouldn''t – in other words ''Duty'' books.
Probably the most significant Duty book for me is Robert Tressell''s "The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists". I know it''s a very important novel, a book with a crucial message, but I just don''t want to read it. And I won''t. What books do you own that you know you''ll never read?
4. E-books don''t interest me. I just don''t enjoy reading fiction on a screen. Brief technical articles, yes, but entire novels, no. I can''t bring myself to even read short stories online. That''s why I rarely submit stories for online publication. The only novel I''ve ever read online was James Branch Cabell''s "The Rivet in Grandfather''s Neck" and that was only because I couldn''t find it as a proper book. I plodded through it unhappily even though it is witty, wise and dry. But what is your opinion on this issue? Do you regularly read e-books or not?
5. Writers are required to sit still indoors for long periods tapping away at keyboards or scratching away with pens – I use both methods, sometimes writing one story on a computer and a different story in a notebook at the same time. And yet an inactive life is one that rapidly drives me crazy. I need the Great Outdoors – or in the case of Wales, the Grey Outdoors!
The fact that writing is such a sedate occupation means I''m always fascinated by the attempts of certain authors to infuse physical vigour into their prose. It seems an impossible task, but Jack London and Steinbeck managed it successfully. So did Edward Abbey. But Hemingway and Kerouac didn''t. Just my own opinion. What writers, if any, have made you take to the hills or the lakes or the moors, etc?
6. When I was much younger I read "Lord Valentine''s Castle" by Robert Silverberg. It''s a fantasy novel set on an alien world and many standard fantasy things happen, but the main character isn''t an obvious hero in the conventional sense. He''s not a warrior or a wizard. He''s a juggler. From the descriptions in this book I taught myself to juggle. Balls, fruit, stones, even shoes – though I don''t recommend doing that. Juggling is a practical skill. It won''t help to mend a burst pipe or change the fuse in a plug, but it can break the ice at parties. Sometimes the crockery too. I''m delighted I can juggle and I owe it entirely to Silverberg. Has any work of fiction ever taught you a practical skill?
Many of our members and readers will have noticed that content on Americymru is spread over two sites. We have sought to integrate them as seemlessly as possible but nevertheless we use both the Blogger and Ning platforms.
Until now interaction has only been possible on the Ning portion of the site but today we have added the Google Friends Connect Toolbar to the Americymru Blog . To join simply sign in with your Google or Yahoo password and you will be able to add comments to the comment wall which is a dropdown from the bar at the top of the page. It takes a little getting used to but we feel that it adds a whole new dimension to the site for our members. Google will, no doubt, be adding new features to the toolbar and hopefully it will become an even more useful tool for communication and interaction in the future.
For now it sports a comment wall which allows you to add comments and embed YouTube videos. It also allows integration with a few "external" services such as Twitter. If you decide to check it out heres a screenshot of the top left corner of the screen where you go to sign in:-
Reproduced from David Western's Portland Lovespoon Blog
I'll wager that I'm not the only one who has the knives out on Valentine's Day! Mind you, I'll be carving a beautiful love token for a loving couple and not planning to moyderize someone for forgetting the big day!
In fact, I've been so busy with the knives frantically trying to get Valentine's orders in time for delivery on the 14th, that I haven't had a minute to spare for the Left Coast Eisteddfod spoon.
While I apologize for that, I did have time to answer a couple of questions that have come to me via email. A number of people have written to me asking what tools I use when carving my lovespoons. In particular they are interested in the power tools I use to save time and turn out spoons in double-quick time.
I'm sorry to disappoint, but the only power tools I make use of are an electric band saw for roughing my timber to size, an electric scroll saw to rough out the actual spoon blank (especially if there is a lot of Celtic knotwork involved) and very occasionally I will utilize a 4.5-inch angle grinder (!!) to sand my way through difficult grain figures. Other than that, it is all hand tools. I've included a picture of my workbench to show the tools necessary for carving the Left Coast Eisteddfod lovespoon. The vast bulk of my work is done with one or two straight and bent bladed knives. I use some small chisels and gouges to get into tight spots, some needle files for cleaning rough spots and lots of stropping compound and stropping to keep things sharp as I go. Those with keen eyes will notice two other necessities on the bench; glues for those little disasters which occasionally befall even the noblest venture and my collection of Simpsons characters who are present to help me laugh my way through those same ignoble disasters!
I'd love to be able to tell you that there are miracle tools out there which make things go super-quick and smooth, but really there are no finer tools than the ones you see in this picture. Even though I have to work at a brisk pace if I want to survive, I firmly believe that a carving takes as long as it takes and trying to shortcut anywhere only leads to a half-hearted looking lovespoon.
The second most common question I am asked is: "How do you sit and carve for 8 hours straight every day?" The answer is proper nutrition! I've included this photo taken during my Christmas visit to Cardiff where I was able to stock up on the very type of nutrition which fortifies me so heartily for the upcoming season of lovespoon carving! The key, as with so many things, is moderation. As you can see from the picture, I am careful not to over-do things.
Any former or current citizen of Cardiff can tell you that with two simple foodstuffs, Clark's Pies and Brains Beer, the body can be sufficiently and efficiently fed to perform at peak performance! Add a half and half curry on the way home and you're set!!
So there you are, my Valentine's Day gift to any and all you carvers out there seeking the secret to woodcarving success.
Next week, we'll resume action on the Left Coast Eisteddfod lovespoon but in the meantime, why not consider a romantic donation to the Eisteddfod in your sweetie's name? It's a great gift which might net this one-of-a-kind, hand-carved lovespoon!
Cwrs Goleuni'r Gogledd The Northern Lights Course
University of Alberta, Augustana Campus ~ Camrose, Alberta, Canada
Sunday, July 19 Sunday, July 26, 2009
Cwrs Cymraeg, meaning Welsh Course, is a unique educational opportunity for language enthusiasts, individuals or families of Welsh descent, or anybody interested in the beautiful Welsh language and culture. It is a week-long residential course emphasizing the spoken language and provides instruction/classes at seven levels, ranging from the absolute beginner to those who are well advanced.
At this year's course in Camrose, Alberta, Hefina Phillips will be the lead tutor; joining her from North America will be Annette Evans, Deian Evans, Marta Diaz, and Aled Llion. The tutors from Wales will be Geraint Wilson-Price and Chris Reynolds. There are approximately 5 hours of language class each day, supplemented by further language and culture-related activities in the afternoon. Evening events such as singing, folk dancing, Welsh-language films, and a Noson Lawen (talent night) provide additional opportunities to relax while enjoying a Welsh-language atmosphere.
Registration and Fees: A check or money order for $100, in US funds, reserves a place. Deposits, together with the applicant's mailing address and e-mail, should be sent to the Cwrs Cymraeg registrar: Shirley McKee, Registrar, Cwrs Cymraeg 2009; 3033 Willowbrook Way, Beavercreek, OH 45431-7702 USA. On-line registration and deposit payment will be available soon--please check www.madog.org for updates. For questions, please contact the registrar at registrar@madog.org
Make checks payable to: Cwrs Cymraeg 2009. The deposit will be applied to the cost of registration. Deposits are fully refundable until April 30, 2009. No refunds of deposits will be made after June 1, and registration will close on June 15. If necessary, we will establish a waiting list, so after June 1 check with the Registrar regarding openings.
Fees for the course include all meals, tuition, course materials, and official evening activities. This covers the period from dinner on Sunday evening, July 19 until and including breakfast on Sunday, July 26. A mid-week trip will be an extra cost option.
Adult Resident (Double occupancy) $740.00
Adult Commuter $640.00
Discount for students (off above rates) - $50.00
Tag-along (Double occupancy) $440.00
Upgrade to Single occupancy $60.00
Full payment is due by June 15. Payments after June 15 will be subject to a $50 late fee.
Scholarships: An application for a scholarship should be postmarked by April 20, 2009. The application may be submitted either online or though the mail. The $100 deposit for the course must be paid to hold a place on the course and for the applicant to be considered for a scholarship. If an applicant is not awarded a scholarship and cannot afford to attend otherwise, the deposit will be refunded in full.
Full scholarship details and application materials can be mailed to anyone without internet access. The scholarship application form and answers to frequently asked questions will be available online in February 2009 on the Cymdeithas Madog website, www.madog.org.
For scholarship information and requests, contact:
Bill Roberts
Cymdeithas Madog Scholarship Committee
875 Wilmot Road
Deerfield, IL 60015 USA
Scholarship Endowment Fund: For over 30 years, Cymdeithas Madog has provided a unique opportunity to study the Welsh language in North America. Thanks to the generosity of the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association (WNGGA), the National Welsh American Foundation (NWAF), societies and individuals, we have been able to offer a limited number of partial scholarships each year, to help students attend the course. In many cases the award makes a crucial difference.
In addition, Cymdeithas Madog has established a Scholarship Endowment Fund to provide scholarship assistance. Donations to this fund are always welcome! Cymdeithas Madog is a non-profit organization [501(c)(3)] and such contributions are US tax deductible. If you would like to make a donation to Cymdeithas Madog, send a check, payable to Cymdeithas Madog's Scholarship Endowment Fund, to the registrar at the above address.
Further Information: Visit the Cymdeithas Madog website, www.madog.org . The site will maintain updated information about registering online and other details as they become available. We invite you to start making plans to attend Cwrs Goleuni'r Gogledd--The Northern Lights Course! Veterans of previous courses already know what a rich and rewarding experience Cwrs Cymraeg is, and they extend a warm welcome to each new participant.
Sincerely,
Cymdeithas Madog Board of Directors
