Name Change

I was inspired to rename this blog.

Writers Life

So, with this encouragement one starts to conceive fanciful ideas. What will my next piece be about? How should I write it? Better be careful in writing it properly. It gives one a bit of incentive that the next time the editor sends you an email, it may be good news.

“It just isn’t democratic!”

Democracy is not democracy when one is left from the table, unable to voice, but who said that democracy was the ideal? – Pete’s Quotes

Spring has sprung

Fall is not fall, when spring has sprung…-Pete’s Quotes

New lease of life

Today I had a most foreign feeling. I hadn’t felt it for ten years, but the inkling to revisit my fiction — a certain kind I was writing. Back in the day they went unpublished. But like Luke Skywalker I am rejuvenated, revitalized, and returning with newness. The typewriter is waiting…

On the backburner

The letter may say your piece is on the short list and the bit of encouragement is to feel free to submit something else in the meantime. That could be two pieces that get published or more. – Pete’s Quotes

Writing things

I don’t like everything that everyone writes, I try not to accentuate that work, it may even be the fourth third out of balance and out of whack. It may even be good. I wouldn’t like to, but it is not a perfect art. – Pete’s Quotes

Writing habitat

Writing as a regular habit is something that might not be achieved always. But a good habit. – Pete’s Quotes

Taking The Opportunity

An opportunity is a pain, as it takes one out of their comfort, but although it’s easy for me to say, a pain was worth the effort to come to terms with.  – Pete’s Quotes

Ben Hur Revitalized

Timeless ‘Ben Hur’ now on DVD set

2005. The three-hour-plus multiple Oscar-winning movie Ben Hur on two discs plus the 1925 silent version and a diskette of bonus material, is on sale in New Zealand – a must-have for fans of that timeless movie.

Joy

Whichever stage, be that practising writing or getting rejected, with a long-awaited opportunity comes joy. – Pete’s Quotes

Pain

As the photo explains in pictures: writing can be pain. But unlike him, I’m hot to trot. – Pete’s Quotes

Me and my computer

On the writing front, me and my computer have submitted two devotionals to a place when my devotions have been accepted before. Several other devotions were rejected at other times, some accepted at other times. I think the latest ones are strong and I have more confidence to submit to them because of last week’s preliminary acceptance of another one I did a month ago.  But only submit when the material comes together well.

The existential rub of a manuscript

How do you know it is classic science fiction horror—I don’t mean science fiction or horror individually—but science fiction horror per-se? You can only know you it did its upmost best, published or unpublished.

Re: Hobbies: The comfort of parts, the dread of the ‘big picture’

Such a comfort is the thought that one can engage in a part of something rather than feeling the dread of committing to the big picture. Commitment is good, but when it comes to hobbies there can be such a wide reach of doing everything involved, such a dread and loathing in that. But joy is found in only engaging a component of it, one that just fits nicely.

Online writing update

On the online writing front, I have made it of boot camp at Hub Pages and now have ten featured articles there, mostly longer format film reviews. The reviews are of Apocalypse Now, A.I., The Black Hole, Arrival, Amadeus, Birdman of Alcatraz, and Annie. Also got some promising news on the online devotional front in that a devotional is being seriously considered for publication on a website. Some say it is only one devotion, but that is a negative viewpoint. Others say that to even get into some places in the arts is an achievement.

Understanding conservative art

There was once a Baptist pastor I knew who a gentleman was. He showed me how conservative Christians, or orthodox Christians, would construe art. He wasn’t teaching me, but I picked it up in our conversation once.

Here

I’m not afraid to tell where I am being published at the moment and I hope you will visit, for your sake of course.

Here. (Not a dodgy spam link)

Am thinking about the writer’s life

It is eye opening to know where one’s head was at just looking at old writings. The articles did have their merits and touches which surprised me. They sounded actually good!

Why does one get an impression that the past sounds worse than the present when it isn’t so?

What better feeling than a pleased one, on seeing “Babe” back in the day

Babe

Released August 4, 1995

Just like a nursery rhyme, Australian film, “Babe”, is about a farm pig who thinks he is a sheep dog. After being won by farmer Arthur Hoggett (interesting name) at a fair, the pig Babe embarks on a journey and makes friends and enemies of a bestial nature in the process. Great entertainment, “Babe” is winner of Best Comedy at the Golden Globes this year and a box office hit.

(Certificate G)

Reviewed by Peter Veugelaers.

Published 1996, GiveWay.

He spoke about editing

There seemed to be no unifying idea, but I’m feeling better about how I wrote some of those that are now published. They work. Even the rejected stuff – said the writer.

When “spontaneous combustion” does or does not work

Whenever I post something about my writing in difference to general things about the writer’s life, I try to also produce some thought about writing. So, I attempt to do that again here, with my latest writing movements.

All considered, but not all chosen

I’ve been reading and my reading cast a thought. That music is significant in the lives of others. It could equally apply to movies. I’ve heard it before, and I considered it again and it became more inspirational this time. That if movies are a significant reality in people’s lives, then I as a reviewer and writer of film must relate to this reality and do so genuinely. Hence, I have changed my review category to be called “review mix” in that various films, music and books are considered. However, although I may consider all movies, in the end I do not choose every single one.

Back in 1998: at the Oscars, would it be night of “Titanic”?

Oscar mania

1998. Within the typical Hollywood environment of movie deals and money making comes an event that pats the best filmmakers and artists that year on the back. It seems innocent enough. It’s all about celebrating, partying down, and giving out awards (and some artists really do deserve them). Because of this glamorous night Oscar winners are certain to accrue more money from moviegoers to go into producers’ accounts. It is really an advertisement to one billion people worldwide. It’s the Oscars.

Back in 1997 – a view of the Academy Awards

Oscars – the year that was

1997. The 1997 Academy Award ceremony took place on March 24.

On the home front

In terms of writing this week, there is action on the home front, after a period of mostly exploring reviewing and referencing and researching films.

The word with those connotations: ‘sly’

The Word for Today is ‘sly’. It means having a nature that is cunning and deceitful. The key here is in the nature, otherwise the meaning of the word would fall. Without cunning and deceitful emanating from a nature, sly would just be cunning and deceitful but that can’t exist by itself. Somone is cunning and deceitful. Someone is sly. Sly is an adjective so it describes an inner nature. Someone exists or lives in that nature. He is sly.

I always have a reservation about this word because it implies a bad or wrong centered nature. But is describes a reality. Sometimes there are people we may come across that are sly which is scary. But sly is a word I keep at a distance and use it rarely as the word must fit the character, the story, the sentence, etc.

Children reviewing films

Can a child review entertainment? We were asked to review Gandhi. Gandhi is a “mature” film, but the kids wanted to watch E.T. and The Dark Crystal. But could we have reviewed those fantasy films let alone Gandhi and reviewed them effectively? It can be done, by some.

What’s on my mind devotionally

What a disaster before me! I might have thought of a gospel verse because of hearing about all the slew of events taking place in the world and how the world is crumbling but is this a reaction to media input or reality. Not only are there stories on major disasters, but people caught up in the middle of them.

Update: devotional writing

Eventually got around to writing a devotional this week, and am thinking about how to publish the devotions I have, as one publisher cannot work with me due to their way of doing things (i.e. delivery of renumeration), so have thought of self-publishing e-books. But I will check out traditional publishers first to see if there are any others that are suitable.

The lives of others

It occurred to me as I heard the cricket say he was about to write his memoirs, in the animated film Pinocchio, that I also had been writing my memoirs in something I had been writing and mulling over.

Yesterday

Yesterday’s writings can become today’s better pieces, can be rearranged into other pieces, can be retained for their use at a later stage. Yesterday is good.

Ten minutes

It’s the holidays so one shouldn’t be talking about working, but I am finding ten minutes writing in periods every day does wonders as works can get done that way.

Update on this blog

As I have said some time before, I have been posting my older articles and reviews at blogger, but I am also thinking to continue republish my old and new articles and reviews, here. I will also be continuing to post various notes on writing, life, fragments, etc., and poetry, etc.

Remaining

Remaining, still there, still present, surviving this is the meaning of “extant” an adjective describing that something still exists. The extant manuscript: it’s a favourite word in literary things.

Longevity

Thinking about what matters, one pauses to contemplate the soul and the eternal values – Pete’s quotes.

Boring thing

The boring thing of an agenda is that you become a robot for the cause – Pete’s quotes

Posting articles

I’ve been posting my older articles at a new place. I used to republish on this blog, as you’ll see in the category “stories” with its articles and reviews, but I really wanted a separate place for my pieces of writing and use this blog you’re on here as a place for writerly things and like that. Go here.

Business as usual?

There’s a feeling that when I see magazines and journals still put out calls for submissions that it is business as usual, despite the last three years of mayhem. I don’t hear about magazines shutting up shop. But reality is that it is not business as usual as the last three years shows.

Actuate

Writers actuate. They cause a character to act in a particular way which is the meaning of actuate. In real life, there are people who would like to actuate. They would like to have you act in a particular way. Sometimes, they succeed. Actuate is one of those action-orientated words that describes the way of the writer on a character and the way of a person on somebody else. These can fuse to produce a story that is realistic–the actual manipulation of a human being as a character in a story. These can make for disturbing unpleasant stories or ones where we can detach.

Time out

Sickness can be a time for reflection – Pete’s quotes

It’s quite easy really

A Christian perspective is quite easy really when it comes to it. Sure, one can think of theological and sociological things to bring up, while the ordinary, everyday filmgoer bites into an ice cream, and popcorn flows all over the place, but a Christian perspective is just this: it is reacting or responding to a film as someone who is a Christian. It is just reacting to the material and if faith is important to a Christian then there is a reaction or response that kind of way.

A nice place to post

This week I have been starting to post my pieces of writing through blogger as the other place was not technically working for me. Another place, Substack, requires a lot of work to get subscriptions to your blog, so I find blogger just a lovely place to post my older and newer work and get an audience where there are no hassles. Here’s my latest piece, here.

Deep red

Crimson is a rich sounding word. It means rich as well, as in a “rich, deep red” inclining to purple (but not exactly purple). I asked myself, how would you use this word? When would you use this word? Crimson is an adjective so describes something. The word sounds so rich it could be used to describe the inner state of someone, as a metaphor. His heart bled crimson. One would have to know what a deep red would signify if using crimson as a metaphor. His heart bled crimson, but what does it mean?

Platform problems

Looks like I am unable to post at Vocal after all. There are problems with my account, so can’t easily navigate between pages. Vocal seems to work for others, though. So, that’s the latest writing news from here.

New post

You have access to my reinvented film review of 2 Fast 2 Furious here. I am pleased to share this; do have a visit. @vocal_creators

New venture

My experience at Vocal has been good thus far though there are some teething problems which are being sorted but nothing major as in major. I found my first article, before I submitted to the editors, prompted me to write to a certain word count and I found this good as it enabled me to try a little harder, think a little harder, and improve the article overall. If they accept the piece, I will be submitting more, until there comes a point that I should stop writing there for some reason, but for now, all is good.

Obstacles

When it comes to writing, obstacles are overcome through sheer time and effort –

Pete’s Quotes

This one is spelt with a ‘h’

There are some words one knows but doesn’t really. I know what whisked means instinctively, but would I know how to articulate what it means? If this is a question I ask, I add the word to my notebook of words I got to learn.

Whisked is easily remembered by me by recalling the word ‘suddenly’, as in a person or thing was suddenly taken away or “whisked” away. I took a second glance on how to spell it, not ‘wisked’, but with a ‘h’, as in whisked.

Reviewing the list of words in the notebook

One of the things I have been recommended to do is to keep a notebook of words. So, I have, as this helps me learn novel words. I write down the word with a memory jogger as to its definition. But I got to review these words every so often as some will slip through the memory and be forgotten. I recommend keeping a notebook of words that one can learn and to review them every so often so one won’t forget. It can only make one understand that much better.

 

Feeling right

I spent a few spare hours of writing a couple of interesting posts (if I must say) on my new ventures with Medium and Substack, but my initial feeling was to not start out with it. To leave it be and not do it. The initial feeling was confirmed when the response to my posts and marketing of them were minimal. It’s not encouraging going ahead. Yet I forced myself to think harder about what other kinds of material I could produce so this material may come to fruition someplace else or closer to home base.

On new posts

This blog has been various shapes and forms of which I think it has been a matter of experimenting with shape and form and content until coming to something satisfactory or a composite of all those. I trust that Talking Writing or peteswritingnotes.com is this, which brings back my notes on the writing life more to the forefront as well as keeping with positing old articles, etc, and new pieces when possible.

My aim, in the long-term, is to produce e-books (or some variation thereof) of articles and reviews, the kind of things I have been posting here for the last six months as well as include the material that did not get published here.

So, I am pleased to present Talking Writing…And Posting Writings which I trust is more in the form I find manageable. It means I can write freely about the writing life and publish writings when I like. A lot easier to produce and in turn brings more variety.

It stood proud: the obelisk

To not confuse “obelisk” with “Obelix”, the word “obelisk” is a stone pillar of some sort.  Obelix is a character. This kind of stone pillar narrows towards the end or gets narrower towards the end. It is tapering towards the end. Tapering simply means to get narrower.

Time is a friend

Time is on the writer’s side. But what kind of writer?

Tell it like it is

This word reminds me of the character Obelix from the comic book series Asterix.

2004 offered “an amazing variety of films to consider”

Moral movies awarded

2005. The Passion of the Christ (Pictured) and The Incredibles feature in the Arts and Faith Film Critics Circle winners for 2004 film releases.

Providing the surname, only

Some people need no introduction.

Brought up in a home for boys was hard, then life turned for the better

Around the world with your baggage

2002. It’s no easy road finding God. At least, for Ian Head (Pictured above). In 1956, he was going to end his life by jumping off the Westminster Bridge in London. A pull to go to the remotest part of the world was stronger. Ian arrived in Wellington, New Zealand, later that year. It was not until 1987 that the emotional baggage he brought with him started to fade.

Saying it without having to explain

There can be a difference between writing a review and giving a view. A review stays within the parameters of review: explain your reasons for accepting or rejecting a piece. But a view can state the view without necessarily having to explain things in detail.

Although there are two kinds of views: one which can be explained and the other is like being asked a question about what you thought and answering without explaining why. You just say it. So, I intend to write more of that kind, where it is like someone asks me, what I thought, and I say it. These are typically short.

SLT sees training for Christians as wholistic, for life, and from “God’s perspective”

God’s rule and reign in every area of life

2000. God’s perspective must filter into every area of your life, says Barbara Thomas member of the Strategic Life Training board.

“God’s principles apply to every area of life. It’s not just for Sunday’s or church meetings or that you deal with any area of your life differently,” she says.

“Important” healing ministry given permission to work in archdiocese

Healing prayer ministry proceeding cautiously

2006. The facilitator of the School of Healing Prayer, set up last year in the Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington, says the healing ministry is a neglected area because “Satan has been getting his own way for all too long and has nearly succeeded in killing off the healing ministry, especially in the Western Church.”

Retail outlet for Christian resources has quite an extensive range

House of Hope making a difference

2000. Petone’s House of Hope (In New Zealand) was born out of a “fairly evident need for resources and ministry”, explains shop manager and chairman of Jubilee Ministries, Selwyn Stevens (Pictured above).

At the level of soul

At the listening post for albums released between October 7-October 14. 1972. 1982. 1992. 2002. 2012. 2022.

I’m really looking for music that moves me at the level of soul, it does not have to be soul music exclusively, but any music that moves my soul.

Support for church initiative to instill values into council planning

Recovering “village values”

2003. Pictured above: The Hutt City Council. A community charter initiated by local churches and adopted by Hutt City Council aims to support Lower Hutt as a safe and connected community, what Lower Hutt Mayor John Terris calls an effort to recover “village values”.

Community get-together an opportunity to look after each other

Antidote for fearful society

2002. St. James’s Anglican Church in Lower Hutt hosted a display of local community and social help organizations throughout the week ending with an ecumenical service on October 20.

Local events stir up action

Working together

2002. Pictured above: The Hutt River. Hutt City Council and local churches (In New Zealand) are making moves to work at creating a safe city, particularly since two unsettling incidents occurred on April 13 this year.

Children from India inspire Kiwis to lend a helping hand

Compassionate response to unemployment

2001. While watching a slide presentation of underprivileged children from India at a house group meeting, Ken and Wendy Fraser were impressed that God wanted them to help unemployed people in the Hutt Valley (in New Zealand).

Penalising approach not welcomed

Backing for beneficiaries

2005. A church agency representing the views of the national representatives of four mainline churches (in New Zealand) is concerned that a government bill at select committee stage will unduly penalise domestic purposes beneficiaries who do not establish paternity of their children.

“They were coming because they wished to meet with other people”

Loaves & Fishes only community meal

2001. The Community Outreach Mission for the Salvation Army Crossroads Community Church in Lower Hutt (in New Zealand) runs the only regular community meal in the city.

“We don’t think this year we are facing a major shortage”: Presbyterian secretary

Minister shortage changes methods

2006. The thirty-one advertised ministerial vacancies in Presbyterian churches throughout New Zealand do not constitute a major shortage, according to the church’s assembly executive secretary Dr Kerry Enright. He conceded, however, that parishes with smaller numbers could not attract ministers.

“We are never consciously investing in prohibited investments”: Anglican church

Anglican Church is not wealthy and does not invest in “sin”

2001. The Anglican Church in New Zealand invests socially, and social responsibility is of high priority. Chief Executive of Trust Investments Management Ltd, Peter Jansen, says the Anglican Church is not a wealthy church and does not invest in sin, in response to a 2 September Sunday Star Times article that investigated the Church’s finances.

Showing now

I think I have finally done it, in that I have produced a satisfactory entertainment blog, streamlined to select movies and music, and sounding better than the two I have been posting from the last couple of weeks. You may like to visit this here: The Video Review Shop

Was there enough room to move?

Parking problems

2007. More Lower Hutt residents want to go to the library on a Sunday morning than go to church. Response from a Hutt library survey of 3700 residents showed changing library hours to start at 10am was popular. But this means parishioners from the adjacent Anglican St James Church would be competing for parking spaces at the morning service, according to representatives from the church. The church rents 23.5 carparks to the Hutt City Council for public use during the week, which could be cancelled, according to The Hutt News.

By Peter Veugelaers

Published 2007, Challenge Weekly

A “viable alternative for young people”

Fifteen issues strong but still a way to go

2002. Since 1998 Soul Purpose magazine has targeted Christian and non – Christian young people aged between 12 – 25 years.

The magazine has reached its 15th issue and while the crew could rest on their laurels, Founder and Chief Editor Hamish Stevenson feels they have a long way to go.

To present advice in a way “that is cool and appealing to young people”

Launch of ‘alternative’ youth magazine

2002. In Manchester, UK, an alternative young people’s magazine was launched, which is especially geared towards those in the Church.

Largest gathering of festivalgoers for over four years

Greenbelt Festival “best yet”

2002. An annual four-day Christian carnival held in Britain over August 23 – 26 hit capacity attendances this year.

“Our focus is to encourage and motivate youth”

Zeal Studio a first for Wellington

2002. In the heart of Wellington City [in New Zealand] is the first semi-professional recording studio in the city managed by Christians, says FX Audio Manager Mat Barnes. Youth center Zeal’s latest development is FX Audio, a recording facility for college students and young bands so they can venture confidently into the music industry.

Retailers saw an opportunity to expand gospel music in the marketplace

Christian music hits mainstream retailer

2002. The CD Store’s latest venture in retailing Christian music may become a significant part of the music industry in New Zealand, says the chain’s Manager Roger Harper.

How to transform free verse meter by meter

The method of writing metered poetry may start quite from scratch. One forces the words to fit the meter as one drafts the poem. I have found another way that may work for me.

People still trucking into Bible college

Enrolments steady at Bible College of NZ

2007. Bible College of New Zealand enrolments are holding steady although they are well down on those of the early 2000s. Figures have declined in the past two years because of a drop in the number of international students.

The college expects 650 full time equivalent students this year at its national campus in West Auckland, nine regional centers, and distance learning center – the same as last year.

New Bible materials are a ‘fundamental reshaping’ of older resources

Salt makes way for Light

2004. Scripture Union is making fundamental changes to their range of published resources which will take over from the old range of Bible materials in September this year.

Salt, a range of published resources to help leaders of children’s, youth, and all-age church-based ministry to run learning sessions and weekly services, will be succeeded by Light. Salt has been active since 1984, though Scripture Union has been publishing a similar church-based curriculum for over 60 years.

Sitting down with a Bible teacher: “Jesus Christ is the only relevant issue, churches are not”

Unique man with a unique message

2000. Bible teacher and author Charles W. ‘Chuck’ Missler is described on his ministry website, Koinonia House (khouse.org), as a “unique man with a unique message”.

Mr. Missler was speaking throughout New Zealand over the Easter period and beyond.

Missioners OMS share testimonies from abroad

OMS – Reaching the nations for Christ

2000. OMS is reaching the city of Medellin, Colombia (pictured).

Over the last year OMS International has seen growth in missionary numbers and new directions in missions with a greater emphasis on international partnership with the emerging national churches on “mission fields”, says New Zealand National Director Denis Shuker.

Amazing Grace: “a timely evangelistic tool”

Anti-slavery film likely to be shown here

2007. The pending release of a movie garnering Christian support in Australia is gathering interest in New Zealand.

Programming that contribute to spiritual and ethical development recommended

A good chance for “spiritual” broadcasting

2002. The Television New Zealand public broadcasting charter will gradually come into effect but TVNZ will not have an obligation to reflect programmes with a direct spiritual flavour as this will not be part of their objectives, unless there is a change to the charter before it becomes law.

Legal ground to apply pressure to NZ on Air and Parliament

Christians in secular radio and television

Law change in religious broadcasting gets apprehensive response

2000. The law change in religious and spiritual broadcasting in New Zealand means that church groups as well as minority groups should, by legislation, expect their fair share of radio and television programming, but has been responded tentatively to by some Christians working in secular radio and television.

‘Focus on the future’ for national church

Shifting priorities

2005. The Presbyterian Church is consulting with parishes and presbyteries to decide on the priorities for the church’s national tasks.

Focus on the Future is a series of meetings with parishioners being held in the North and South Island and encourages written submissions.

Beautiful churches with “great acoustics, cool pulpits and loads of leadlight”

Church used for acoustic concerts

2004. New Zealand recording artist Bic Runga is on her one-month Acoustic Church Tour playing at 10 churches on a 16 date tour.

Bic Runga is a 26-year-old singer songwriter, signed to Columbia Records in New Zealand, and with two albums to her credit, Drive and Beautiful Collision.

Hall extension intends to make room for all

More kids trigger expansion

2006. Knox Presbyterian Church in Lower Hutt (New Zealand) is undertaking the extension and renovation of its Grimes Hall at a cost of nearly $750,000.

Church relaunches with expansion

New $5.5 million building shows growth in Hutt

2007. A church’s $5.5 million building investment in an old relocated Mitre Ten shop is further evidence of growth in the Hutt Valley.

The Hope Centre, in Lower Hutt, previously the Hutt Christian Covenant Church, has re-launched because of rapid growth and attracted hundreds on its opening day.

Cancer victim shares his story

Cancer victim keeps the faith in face of death

2014. A junior doctor struggling with bowel cancer believes he had the God-given strength to finish his studies, qualify as a doctor and work whilst being treated.

He has also been overwhelmed and lost for words at the generosity of sympathizers.

“This vision to be a place of hope and inspiration and love for all has been growing in my heart for over 20 years.”

Church steps out in faith to build $7m worship centre

2006. The Presbyterian Church in the South Auckland village of Clevedon (a town in New Zealand; see picture below) has paid $1.2 million for 8ha of rural land on which it hopes to build a $7 million “worship centre”.

Clevedon, in South Auckland, New Zealand

Archbishop visits every year on church matters

Antiochian archbishop visits

2007. The head of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand visited Canterbury and Dunedin last weekend

Singles seeking friendship take to get-together

Singles seeking support

2005. Members of Christian Friendship Fellowship (NZ) are gathering at Queen Charlotte Sound this Easter from all over New Zealand for one of the fellowship’s major get-togethers of the year, the “Significant Singles” camp.

Hope for leavers

Old way is creaking and groaning

2001. Mark Pierson, of Cityside Baptist Church in Auckland, sees huge numbers of people leaving Western churches as a great opportunity.