That was a very good read, Sam; thank you.

I am hardly a vindictive critic of the educational system, but there is no denying the comparative loss of literacy even at the college level.  Once upon a time, spelling and grammatical errors almost never made it into print; now it's uncommon to read a page without them.

We need to come to value literacy and appreciate literature again.  You do your part, I'll do mine, and maybe writing will not become a lost art after all.

I'll continue to be the salmon beating upstream against the odds, though I believe I'm really a relic of a time long past.

Thank you pup; I've written so much about this over the years but once in a while feel the need to repeat myself.

No one can say I haven't done battle in the bad and ugly of life, but we all need a refuge from such things pup.

 Sam - a more thoughtful or well-written indictment of education today would be impossible to find.  For years the newspaper has been a fount for deliciously funny errors; however, it has long since ceased to be funny and has turned to a source of wonderment that so-called editors and copy writers have the gall to call themselves such. 

It begins in grammar school.  (Hmmm, wonder why they call it that????)  Last night I sent a letter to the editor (which probably will not make it to print) asking rhetorical questions such as whether the newspaper cares about grammatical accuracy as well as the truth.  I mentioned homonyms and prepositions apparently being problematical to at least one journalist for the paper.  The sad part is that the letters editor will likely need to look up the words "homonym" and "preposition." 

I could go on and on, but I won't.  It's too frustrating.  I promised myself to be nicer; that's why I wrote my blog about birds.  Who can get angry when looking at or writing about birds?

Sam and Alicen--you guys just keep it up with your soul-quenching blogs.  Maybe we're all a little tired of the tit-for-tat fighting going on in the world and need to talk about more relaxing subjects.

As for the demise of good writing, I'll just repeat what I said to Adam when he said there will never be another era like the first part of our century for excellent writing--never's a long time. 

Catherine:  I hope you're right -- that never's a long time.  And I do hope there will be writers again who can capture the kaleidoscope that is life without the need to dredge through offal to do it.  People really do have imagination!

When you think about it, how can a kaleidoscope show anything when it is being dredged through offal? 

I reckon I'm just showing my age. 

Age has a way of doing that to us Alicen; but for those of us who recall the days of diagramming sentences, a time when correct spelling and proper speech were encouraged in children by adults at home and in school and the words "Look in the dictionary" often rang in our ears it does seem to be an era lost.

I certainly hear you about the tit for tat Catherine. It does become tiresome and while some seem to enjoy feuding and fighting it just isn't my cup of tea. Another sign of old age?

If I can interject my observation: Truman Capote once said (specifically, about writing courses and seminars): It will give you an audience, but you either have the talent or you don't. Stephen King once stressed the importance of reading. If an aspiring writer meets a published author, a common question is, "What have you read?" King also stressed that a writer must write "X" number of words a day. John Grisham said if a writer does not write "a page a day" minimum, he (or she) will never become a published author.

You mentioned skills and discipline of writing in your post. How much of this is talent and how much is learned and acquired, I don't know. What some people would call a devotion to writing, more would call obsessive behavior--a trait a therapist would notice in a mental patient. Writing is not for everybody.

Harper Lee certainly knew writing was not for everybody. But the real writers, those compelled to write and have devoted their lives to learning to write well are the ones that built our heritage of great books.

Nice one Sam~ reading,even my terrible attempts at writing ....can not imagine where *I* would be without those. They are a safe harbor,I can express myself  by writing (or some other creative endeavor) or escape from it all in the pages of a book.

Just finished "Beowulf"... wonder what that says about me? Do not answer that! LOL

Not going to mention Beowulf sagefever. Writing can be therapeutic and cathartic, and I encouraged my pupils to keep a personal journal much like a diary. But I cautioned them about letting others read their writing.

Exactly, Sam.  I believe that, to be a writer, you simply have to write.  To be a published writer, on the other hand, you have to want to share your writing with others.  I've written all my life, for myself.  The only time I shared my writing with someone was when I was in my late teens and my best friend's birthday was coming up and I was broke.  So I wrote her a 140pg "book."  It was fun, and she really enjoyed it.  Of course, she was the "heroine" of the story.

I also had to quit piano lessons for the same reason.  I just could not bring myself to play in recitals.  My teacher kept nagging me about it until one day she said she couldn't teach me anymore if I wouldn't play in recitals.  So I went home and continued my education on my own.  I bought difficult sheet music of songs I knew (Moonlight Sonata, etc) and taught them to myself.

I've always been rather shy.  I think that's why I like blogging so much.  It's a way to "talk" with people without feeling awkward.

There you go Catherine. I was trained as a classical clarinetist and Moonlight Sonata was one of my favorites. But not everyone is well suited to public performance whether writing or music. That was a neat thing you did for your friend.

 Once I was secretary of my daughter's school's PTA group.  As such it was necessary to keep the minutes of meetings and not only that but to read them aloud at public meetings!  That nearly did me in.  Public speaking -- or public reading -- was not my cup of tea.  Didn't mind keeping the minutes.  Didn't mind writing them in a logical fashion.  But reading them aloud?  I imagine that P.A. system is still trembling.  As everybody can see now, the writing part of me is still keeping apace, but please don't ask me to read it!  (Maybe I've changed a little.  Maybe I could possibly read them aloud without shaking myself off a platform.  On the other hand, PTA days are pretty far behind me, so why worry?)

Catherine, when can we expect to see a book of yours published?

: )  That's sweet, Alicen.  Probably never, though.  My knees go wobbly just at the thought.

Well, never IS a long time, isn't it?  : )

Sage: I just finished a translation/critique of Beowulf. I'd still recommend renting the movie for someone who is new to the epic. (Not exactly the same story, but close enough.) Like you, a good book lets me leave the world behind and go somewhere else. A vicarious vacation, I guess.

Until recently (she's college bound now), I was rereading classics along with my kid's required reading. We briefly discussed the work when I drove her to school. At an open house her English teacher told me that my kid is a precocious child to comment as she does during class discussions and essays. Little plagiarist was quoting my views almost verbatim.

Going back to the original post, Stephen King in On Writing quoted Amy Tan answering which question she is never asked: "No one ever asks about the language." Meaning the language is the basic tool of writing; it's how it's done; the language should be what a writer cares about most.

In the end it's all about putting thoughts in a way that communicate first to yourself, and then communicating those thoughts to others. The great works of literature contain the noblest thoughts, convey those thoughts and survive.

When I went to tenor sax for popular music and guitar in the honky tonks my music instructor must have turned in his grave pup.

Chaucer wasn't a favorite of mine pup, but I certainly remember much of his writing and that is a good one.

I always liked the writers that wrote with a little tongue-in-cheek humor, like Chaucer, Mark Twain, Jane Austen et al.  It must be because I, myself, am a smart-aleck!

Believe me Catherine, I have plenty of that which is why I relate so very well to Clemens.

Smart-alecks unite!  : )

Cat

Who introduced you to Clemens, Austen et al.

You did, Mama.  The first humorous writer you introduced me to was Judy Blume.  I remember when I was about 7 or 8 I was feeling disinterest in reading.  You got down a bunch of your books: Gone With the Wind, Wuthering Heights, etc. and read me passages from them, trying to convince me that there was more to the written word than Little House on the Prairie.  You were right, of course, but I wasn't ready to hear it yet.

You get bonus points for introducing me to classical music, too.

Love Clemens -- read him over (under) a good cigar ....... periodically.

The man knew his cigars -- scotch -- humor -- literature -- politics (though he mostly eschewed it)

Read Norman Schwarzkopf's rendition of the first Iraq War

Now There's a guy I could really get behind for POTUS!

Read how Norman's Dad made him attend a meeting of Bedouins and eat the sheep's eye.......... bonding them with the indigenous tribesmen -- perfect! The man knew the things you do when engaged overseas in conflict. The posters on here (sans a very few) don't!

You know I hear you Chico; and thanks for stopping by with some good insights.

His best work was

Innocents Abroad, in my opinion.

I loved his description of the French.

Amazing his gift with words Audrey. And how well he could skewer hypocrites.

Have you guys ever read Twain's critique of James Fenimore Cooper's "Last of the Mohicans?"  OMG!  It is a total riot!  It's laugh-until-your-sides-hurt hilarious! 

I am convinced Dorothy Parker cut her razor-sharp baby teeth on this review.

Yes, but even Clemens could make a mistake. Still funny. Dorothy Parker, my what a gal!

Dorothy Parker, what a wit.  I wish we could see her like today.

In the seventh grade we were assigned "TheYearling" That opened my eyes to reading.

I've traveled the world with Stienbeck and Michner. I've been a cop with Waumbaugh. I've delved into the scary with King and Koontz. I've read To Kill a Mockingbird and Red October and Flowers for Algernon and many others where the book really is much better than the movie. 

  When I was thrown into prison for DUI  - reading was my refuge. I was reading the Clan of the Cave Bear series   and The Watchers and Cujo .... and then the library lady stopped coming and I had nothing to read  ...

  The Salvation Army brought me a Bible and I read it and I got saved. After that I was consumed with only the Bible and the wealth of Christian literature for years.

   Later in life when I'd get a book for Christmas and I'd start to read it ....then I would read a part that made it obvious that the author was not saved ... I would loose interest and put it down. I guess I figured why should I waste ....

   And this is a shame! A narrow minded shame. Just as God has spoken to me through unbelievers and secular movies - and I love unbelievers and secular movies - He can also speak to me - and I can once again love secular books. Good books.

   This post has got me to thinking today. Thank You.  

You're welcome dcs, and thank you for your comments.