Opinion Piece #5 ~ Christmas is in a rut

Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ 2009 (red background on walls) and 2008 Christmas decoration outside the Dromana Hub Shopping Centre, Mornington Peninsula.
These dolphin images grace the entrance and outside walls of the shopping centre. Each is decorated in the same way.
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Opinion Piece #5 ~ Christmas is in a rut. Do you agree?


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Weave a Picture from the Picture #3 ~ Wireless?

Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ Distant view of Dromana pier reaching into Port Phillip Bay.
The shot is taken from my verandah.
I tried to work around intrusive wires.
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Weave a Picture from the Picture #3 ~ Wireless?
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Create your choice of writing in response to the paradox of the title and any other small features you notice in the photo.~

History Waves #1 ~ The Ghost and the Darkness

This film is based on a true story.
In 1896 Irishman Lt. Col. John Paterson, a construction engineer from the British Army, was sent to East Africa to build a railway trestle bridge across the Tsavo River (in today's Kenya) for the British East African Railway. (This would help to expand the empire a little more.) During the construction of the bridge, two lions would enter the workers' camp to kill. The locals name them 'The Ghost' and 'The Darkness'. It is believed that from 35 to 130 people were killed by the two lions in nine months. The claims are varied.
NOTE:
1. Lt. Col. Patterson owned the skins and skulls of the two Tsavo man-eaters. In 1924, Patterson sold them to the Field Museum in Chicago for $5,000.
2. The title of the book is 'The Man-Eaters of Tsavo', and is one of two books Colonel Patterson wrote. The second book, 'In the Grip of the Nyika: Further Adventures in British East Africa' was published in 1909. The latter never became very popular, and is long out of print.
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Mix writing styles* A little history and song lyrics?
* Poem and a letter?~

Opinion Piece #4 ~ Wildlife are becoming too urbanised

Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ Magpie on my verandah railing in the Dromana Hills, Mornington Peninsula
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Opinion Piece #4 ~ Wildlife are becoming too urbanised.
They are losing their wild spirit.
Do you agree?~

Rock-a-Quote #1 ~ from "The Men in Black"

Rock-a-Quote #1 ~ from The Men in Black ~ Release Date: 11th. September 1997 (Australia)~ Quite an auspicious date!
Tagline: Protecting the earth from the scum of the universe...
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Zed: "You'll dress only in attire specially sanctioned by MiB special services. You'll conform to the identity we give you, eat where we tell you, live where we tell you. From now on you'll have no identifying marks of any kind. You'll not stand out in any way. Your entire image is crafted to leave no lasting memory with anyone you encounter. You're a rumor, recognizable only as deja vu and dismissed just as quickly. You don't exist; you were never even born. Anonymity is your name. Silence your native tongue. You're no longer part of the System. You're above the System. Over it. Beyond it. We're "them." We're "they." We are the Men in Black."~

1. Write a story based on this idea

OR

2. Comment on the advantages and disadvantages of being A Man in Black.~

Weave a Picture from the Picture #2 ~ Locked in Time Passing

Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ Old clock towering over Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne
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Weave a Picture from the Picture #2 ~ Locked in Time Passing
Create your choice of writing in response to the paradox of the title and any other small features you notice in the photo.
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Continue the Poem #2 ... Enlightenment

Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ Just watching the waves at Dromana beach, Mornington Peninsula.
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Continue the Poem #2 ~ Enlightenment

Copy the following poem onto your blog.
**Give credit to the writer (including date) as indicated below.
By taking on a persona, continue the poem by giving it an answer!~

Don't speak of nothings
Let the waves bring you whispers
Ideas from afar
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Avoid illusions
Secrets from the horizon
Tangible dreamings
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Stand tall beside me
Gaze deep into the waters
You and I are there
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I may be a child
But I feel Nature's rhythms
Do you remember
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Lead me to your dreams
And I will give them heartbeats
Connect with my waves
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But please stay silent
Words will just steal the moment
And I'm just a child
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**Poem by G.W. aka P.A.
It first appeared on Greyscale Territory 6.09.09~

Continue the Poem #1 ... Worlds Without Namaste

Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ Stormy night skies in the Dromana Hills, Mornington Peninsula
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Continue the Poem #1 ~ Worlds Without Namaste
Copy the following poem onto your blog.
**Give credit to the writer (including date) as indicated below.
Coninue the poem in your own words.~

Here is a line from
the 1998 movie Aliens:We'd better get back, 'cause it'll be dark soon, and they mostly
come at night... mostly.It was integrated into the following poem by
** G.W. aka P.A. on Gemma's Greyscale Territory.
~ 25.10.09

Formless shapes
Like hollow silhouettes
Drifting on the whispers of evening
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Cold whispers
Like darkness visible
Echoing another far dimension
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Fear marching
Like heartbeats scrunching shells
Breaking into worlds without namaste
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Get back now
'Cause it'll be dark soon
And they mostly come at nightfall...mostly
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Creative Sport #1 + Opinion Piece #3 ~ Sport is Too Competitive

Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ Riders competing in the Round the Bay bike ride in October 2008.
Here they are passing through Dromana shopping centre, Mornington Peninsula
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Creative Sport #1 +
Opinion Piece #3 ~ Sport is too competitive, too stressful. There is no fun anymore.
Do you agree?~

Weave a Picture from the Picture #1 ~ Sailing

Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ Boat sailing on Port Phillip Bay between Sorrento and Queenscliff
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Weave a Picture from the Picture #1 ~ Sailing
Create your choice of writing in response to the photo and maybe use the title as a symbol of...?~

Opinion Piece #2 ~ The darkness of night

Pic by G.W. aka P.A.
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Opinion Piece #2 ~ The darkness of night links with dark minds.~

Do you agree or disagree?
Write in any form for a specific context.~

Opinion Piece #1 ~ New school subjects?

Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ Dive Victoria boat leaving Portsea pier
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Imagine you have the opportunity to present some new school subjects.
1. What would they be?
2. What age group?
3. Core or electives?
4. Link with university/TAFE courses?

Write an article on this subject for a teenage newspaper.
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Word Play #4 ~ Illusion

Pic by G.W. aka P.A.
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Word Play #4 ~ Illusion~

* Use this word in a piece of writing.
It may be the topic or may be mentioned in your writing or even be a theme!
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A few suggestions:
Poem
Song lyrics
Diary entry
Front page feature article
Short story
Flash Fiction of 50 words
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NOTE: If you choose to use this prompt on your blog, don't forget to come back to name your post in a comment below.
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Word Play #3 ~ Journey

Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ Old train at Queenscliff, Bellarine Peninsula
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Word Play #3 ~ Journey~
* Use this word in a piece of writing.
It may be the topic or may be mentioned in your writing or even be a theme!
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A few suggestions:
Poem
Song lyrics
Diary entry
Front page feature article
Short story
Flash Fiction of 50 words
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NOTE: If you choose to use this prompt on your blog, don't forget to come back to name your post in a comment below.
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Word Play #2 ~ Shadow

Pic by G.W. aka P.A.
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Word Play #2 ~ Shadow~
* Use this word in a piece of writing.
It may be the topic or may be mentioned in your writing or even be a theme!
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A few suggestions:
Poem
Song lyrics
Diary entry
Front page feature article
Short story
Flash Fiction of 50 words
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NOTE: You may even like to combine this with Word Play #1 ~ Light
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Word Play #1 ~ Light

Pic by G.W. aka P.A. ~ The shape of an owl on a flag pole in the moonlight ~ Mornington Peninsula
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Word Play #1 ~ Light~
* Use this word in a piece of writing.
It may be the topic or may be mentioned in your writing or even be a theme!
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A few suggestions:
Poem
Song lyrics
Diary entry
Front page feature article
Short story
Flash Fiction of 50 words
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An old dream becomes reality!

Pic by G.W. aka P.A.
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For a long time I have wanted to create a database of student writing, but somehow allow students to keep their own portfolios.
I wanted a place without intrusive ads.

At last, I think I have found the answer.

Students have their own blogs to represent a portfolio of writing.
They link their blog posts here!

There are stimuli (such as the Writing Arcade widget) to encourage the flow of creativity!

This is the beginning of a dream becoming reality!

WELCOME!

NOTE: All photos are mine unless otherwise stated!