Novel Update: First Draft - Chapter Three

Word count: 8,454

Well despite the glare I finished chapter three over last night and this afternoon. I'm really getting into the meat of the story. But I find that I'm thickening the plot and adding some more problems that will make the story more difficult to move forward in a hurry. I think that's a good thing. I know alot of people have told me that it is great for a novel to have a series of disasters throughout, and each one should make it seem less likely that your character will achieve a favourable outome. Well I'm kind of doing that, so things look good, I just have to keep penning away.

P.S. Dear BE visitors, welcome and take time to read. I've just saved up a few mystery credits so there should be a few of you. This place is for writers, and those who care about human right's and humanity.

Glare

I was just about to start writing more of my novel tonight, but staring at this thing for an extended period of time might seem impossible. My monitor has gone funny and is very glary, I'll try to fix it, but the last monitor that did this keeled over a little while after.

Help Anna

From ChilOut:

We are a nation of travellers. This could befall any of our children; travelling in a strange land, they could suffer a psychotic episode, breach their visa conditions and let us pray they would receive more sympathetic and humane treatment than we are meting out to Anna, No.BX8311, presently incarcerated in a RED ONE isolation cell in Baxter. Under our existing flawed law, unless the person detained, signs a form giving permission for a lawyer to act on their behalf, NO-ONE can help. There is no mechanism to assist someone in detention who is not mentally capable of acting in their own best interests. Anna, a young German - speaking girl, has been locked up in Baxter since the 29th November. She is locked in an isolation cell for 18 hours per day. She is allowed out into the open air for 6 hours per day. Such is her terror of being put back into this cell that it takes 6 guards in full riot gear to manhandle her back into the room and close the heavy door. We have reports from witnesses thatthe guards are enjoying this aspect of Anna's behaviour. (Two children are presently detained in Baxter – is this the sort of thing we should allow impressionable young minds to be exposed to?) Detainees have repeatedly expressed concern about this young girl. They believe that she is mentally ill. Her unpredictable and bizarre behaviour, lack of communication and distress continue to worry fellow detainees. She exhibits psychotic symptoms, screaming and talking to herself at times and screams in terror often for long periods especially when locked in the cell. Visitors who have attempted to engage with her say that she does not make eye contact and avoids interaction. Detainees have attempted to get her trust but have been unable to get her to see anyone.
Anna has refused to sign a form requesting legal help so no-one is allowed to assist or assess her. We are worried that she may not be mentally competent to act in her best interests. However under the Migration Act no one is allowed to act on her behalf unless she requests this in writing. Now the German consulate say that they do not believe that she is a German citizen. They do not know who she is and have been unable to get information on her from police sources in Germany but say that she is not German! This leaves her to the fate of DIMIA and GSL. Anna is alone in Baxter. She is clearly mentally ill and needs care not incarceration and brute physical force. She is not going to recover by being locked up in an isolation cell for 18 hours a day. DIMIA may be using this method to attempt to get information from her. They say that they are focussed on finding out who she is. We would like to see DIMIA focus on providing her with the psychiatric care which she so obviously needs and show some concern for her terror and distress. All attempts to allow independent medical or psychiatric care, or asking the minister’s office to intervene have failed after 7 weeks of constant calls.
Please email/ fax your local member (ChilOut's Page for Elected Representatives and don’t forget your State’s Senators – of every persuasion) asking that Anna be immediately transferred to a psychiatric hospital and given the help she needs. How can a compassionate country treat any human being like this? This is another example of the need to reform the Migration Act. This degree of human suffering cannot be what its original drafters intended.

Novel Update: Still ticking

Not much has happened, I write a sentence or two here and there. Went out the city to celebrate Australia Day with friends today, I mean yesterday, crap look at the time. I've been busy looking for jobs and worrying about Uni/Tafe, plus this new and unnecessary sage with my sister. I really want to write, it's killing me, so I'll try to do some tomorrow, with no distractions, I'm avoiding any real conversation with my sister at the moment, sad isn't it. But this novel has to become my number one priority no matter how my family sees it. They seem to hate everything I do, writing, protesting, and they seem to think I don't want a job. Hello! I'm poor, my computer's crap and I'm always broke.

The intolerance continues

You may notice in my shoutbox and my comments for my previous post on intolerance were some comments by one of my sister's friends. She called my intolerant. Can you believe that, they can't accept my beliefs, I have no problem with them having their beliefs but according to them I'm intolerant. Well we'll just look this up for ourselves then. According to World Net intolerance means:

intolerance
n 1: impatience with annoyances; "his
intolerance of interruptions" 2: unwillingness to recognize and respect
differences in opinions or beliefs

I think I am not the only one to say number 2 matches my sister and her friends fairly accurately. Now before anyone says: I don't respect their beliefs by not listening to what they have to say. Let me say this again, I have called myself a Christian for many years, gone to church, listened to countless songs and sermons, but none of it affected me, I never believed in god from the start no matter how much people tried, it's just I didn't realize it. What a mistake I may have made, because now all I get is crap. Sorry if this fight gets a bit personal, but maybe to some of you out there, there is a lesson to learn.

Utterly disgusting

I don't even Bush would have the cold heart to do this. This is the most outrageous parody of all time. HOT97 have released the 'Tsunami song,' a sickening joke about the victims of the Tsunami.

Shabooty has the full story

Intolerance

I'm in another heated mood, not because of some politician doing evil things, but it's my evangelical Christian sister. She and even her friends are trying to convert me! I try to promote tolerance and acceptance, but my sister has a big problem with my beliefs and I have a big problem with her trying to mess with them. Now firstly her doing so, is a waste of time. I went to church from a young age and nothing ever sank in, it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I realized that, and also had the guts to proudly say I am atheist, or to a more exact term, existentialist (see 'Waiting for Godot') Now I think that it is disgusting for people to try to convert other people to their beliefs. I have no problem with other people's religious beliefs, but I have a problem when people reject mine as 'silly' and 'disappointing.'

Reading Media statements is dangerous for my mental health

www.greens.org.au - Vanstone negligent over farcical and dangerous deportations

I was on the Greens website just now and I am fuming again. This is the danger of my knowing too much, I am sorry to my family if I will be angry for the rest of the day. I recentlyy told you about the Iranian writer who is going to be deported. I now know that after he was told of this decision he took an overdose of pills and was taken to hospital. I also now know that Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone has handed the duty of ministerial intervention into humanitarian immigration over to her Junior Minister. She doesn't even have the respect for the sensitivity of these people to do it herself. The Junior minister is apparently rejecting pleas at a rapid rate.

This is disgraceful

Senator Bob Brown : Campaigns

I just popped over to Senator Bob Brown's website, and I was horrified at what is happening to him and a handful of conservationist groups. A native forest logging company, GUNNS, is suing them for losses related to action by protestors and political organizations. This is an attack on free speech and again the big company is looking to suck every last hope and dream from the little guy. I am going to write to the company expressing my disgust and this could very well become one of my big campaigns.

Some thoughts

I am not feeling the best currently, a little blue or even depressed. I think the main reason is I can't find a job, you either need to be really young or really experienced. 18 is too old in McDonalds eye's to hire me, and for everywhere else I need a mountain of retail experience. This is coupled with the fact I didn't get into Uni, and if I don't get into a Bachalor of Arts at UWS, I have to do a TAFE course which goes for a year, and it's only four hours a week, which is a waste of time. oh and my mum is driving me crazy still

Leave the Writer alone.

Rebel writer faces extradition to Iran - Immigration - www.theage.com.au

The Immigration department wants to deport Iranian writer, Ardeshir Gholipour back to Iran, where there is a very serious threat of severe consequences on his return. He was part of a group of Iranians compassing for freedom and democratic reform in Iran, and also other acts of activism against his own government would leave him in a dangerous, even life threatening situation if returned. I and a lot of other activists really wish that Amanda Vanstone can wake up from this terrorism over-hysteria like all the other right-wingers and get some fucking human compassion.

The Tragedy of Knowing the Debt Collector

The Tradedy of Knowing the Debt Collector

This is the story I have written yesterday and today, it was more of a way to oil my creative brain, as my novel has been hampered by a few writer's block dilemmas. It's a horror kind of one as usual, have a read and tell me what you think. For those of you who have read some of my other stories I apologise if it the idea of the whole story seems familiar.

The Pros and Cons of the Tsunami media coverage

There has been a lot of media coverage on the recent Tsunami tragedy, and the Media industry has swamped us with endless amounts of information and pleas for help. The response by the common person has been overwhelming. This tragedy has seen people open their hearts and wallets to help those in need. This is due to the extensive media coverage it has recieved. The fact that the media coverage has forced us too pay attention is one of the key reasons why we have responded the way we have. If other tragedies are given the same scale of coverage, it would be expected that people would react in a similar way. But the way people have responded is a good sign, and it shows that there is hope for humanity, and we have compassion for our fellow man. If only other causes can be seen in similar light, than there is hope for others in need of help.
One bad thing coming from the coverage is the fact that some things have been ignored. There are reports that hadn't received much coverage that a Sudanese refugee has been deported back to Sudan. It happened in the dead of night, with the man restrained and gagged. The reports only emerged on AAP, an online only news source and another refugee activist found the report in a newspaper in Israel. Also floods in Costa Rica, that has left many homeless has barely been given a mention, although it wasn't anywhere near the scale of what has happened in Asia, it is still worthy of a mention.

My HSC in writing

My HSC
There it is in all it's glory, my actual Higher School Certificate. Just thought I'd show the world.

Give me a break

US troops enter Iran in hunt for WMDs: report - World - www.smh.com.au

I am sick of America playing the world's fucking mother. They've walked into Iran now trying to find Nuclear weapons. They claim that this and they're invasion of Iraq are legitimate parts of the fight on Terrorism. Is anyone stupid enough to believe that, wait, I know there is, he's still the president right. He claims he's fighting for peace, let me get this straight. Bush thinks to gain peace you must invade a country, hmm, people are really stupid. Oh, and who give the US the right to say who can and can't have weapons. I'm for nuclear disarmament, that mean I don't think ANY country should have nuclear weapons, definitely including America, seeing they're the only fucking country to have used them.

Cool site I just found

I'm writing from my local library right now. I got my free year planner with the Sun-Herald yesterday and the photo was from a website called photolibrary.com. I thought I'd check it out today, and it's great, there are alot of photos on there with great quality. I'm going to add it to my favourites when I get home. I can use this gallery to randomly find images so I can use them as stimulus when writing.

Novel Update: Research

Yes! I got my phrase translation back today in Ukranian. A big thank you to Gennadiy Guskov for doing that for me. Ok, so here's the challenge for those of you who are reading, I want you to see if you can tell me what my phrase says: "Я боюся. Я п’ю кров багатцв, могутніх та пасивних. І ти також повинен мене боятися" If you can tell me what it says tell me, and you will have to satisfaction of knowing you are a multi-lingual genius.

I find this very difficult to grasp

Iranian Christian fears imminent deportation - Immigration - www.theage.com.au

The refugee movement is not going to shut up, because there is still a problem with their treatmentmy an immoral and inhumane government. An Iranian could be deported tonight, back to Iran where he faces the chance of being killed for converting to Christianity. The government tried to deport him once before but he caused such a disturbance that the airline refused to take him, this is thanks also to protests at the airport's. This is making the airlines vary wary of deporting Asylum seekers. Good. We will not shut up until the government changes it's policy and realizes that is wrong to lock someone up, when they are seeking our protection. Under international law, you do not need documents when applying for Asylum, because just you walking into their country and saying I am a refugee, protect me, is enough. Please these people, especially the children mean no harm. This is not about politics, the economy or anything other than human decency.

Novel Update: First Draft - Chapter 3 and Research

Word Count: 6,603

I have solved a small problem with writer's block I have had for the past couple of days. I find talking about your story to close friends usually help in thinking of things to move the story along. I hit a block later on just before lunch though, but I didn't let it stop me. It involves getting a translation into Ukrainian, so I will wait for that, I have a rough translation, and I will keep writing. Thank you to Freelang.net, for helping me and Simon Ager from omniglot.com for directing me to the site. So now I can move on, this part is a really good bit, one of the scenes that swirled around in my head from the very beginning.

Ghandi - The Movie

I just had the privelage of seeing a true classic, I didn't know it existed until I picked up the DVD at the Library this morning. Ghandi is a true inspirational figure, he shows there is hope without violence. I have been fond of his quotes such as, "An eye for an eye, makes the whole world blind," but this man even summarised in a film, changed alot for India and the views of the world. I don't think we will have the privelage to see such another man grace this earth, but we can try.

Novel Update: Research

I've been out to parties two nights in a row, and now I can get back to business. I got a response from some one who dabbles with Speleology. Now, things have been clarified, in Australia, people who study caves and Speleology aren't Speleologists. They are Biologists, Microbiologists, Palaeontologists, Archaeologists, Geologists, Hydrologists, Physicists, Chemists, Pharmacologists, Medical specialists, etc.... He also told me Speleology is more of a non profit hobby, and not a full time professional job. This makes thing easier, I first thought I'd have to change heaps about my character, in order to make him a Speleologist, rather than a Geologist, just maybe a couple of sentences here and there to make things stick and I think I'll be fine. I know have a contact in the field so if I have any further question I can contact him.

Now I can prove it

I got my proof of age card today, the photo is stupid, but it's expected, now I can have no hassles.

I'm still waiting for a response from that speleologist, and mean while I'm suffering extreme boredom, I can't read alot of the time because silence is a precious commodity in this house.

Novel Update: Research and Frustration

Just when I get to a good part, something ruins it. Ok, if I tell you just the smallest piece about my novel, you'll be good right. If you don't I'll hunt you down. I won't kill you because I'm a moral person. I'll just drown you with moral bitching, and I'll launch a campaign for no one to read your book. Ok, my 'caver' guy, goes in a cave, and he finds something, something big. Ok, so that's it, well this 'caver' guy used to go under the title geologist. My first two chapter's were based on him bitching how boring geology is, well I found out my caver guy is infact someone called a speleologist. Yea, never heard of it, neither have I. So basically nothing fits, except the general direction. I'll probhably have to re-write those chapters. So now I've taken the time and e-mail some speleologists to find out some stuff. Damn, this is really frustrating, I just want to write.

Thank you Micheal

Stars pledge millions to tsunami appeals - People - www.smh.com.au

Now I'm a bit of a revhead, and I love my Formula 1's. So I was astounded today when one of the greatest pledged $13 million (Australian) to the relief effort in Asia. That is the biggest by an Individual so far, if it wasn't scorching hot weather, I'd be wearing his jacket with pride.

No heart

Sri Lankans' asylum appeals fail - Immigration - www.theage.com.au

The Immigration Department is going to deport a group of Sri-Lanken Asylum seekers back to there devasted country after their appeal failed. The vast majority of them are tamil tigers, they are in fear of the government and therefore legitimite refugees, it's not that hard to work out. But even more disturbing is, since the Tsunami, the government has not overturned their decision, so these people will have to return to nothing.

A link

HREOC Website: A Last Resort? - Summary Guide

This is a link to the Australian human right's commisions report on the effects of children in detention, it was published a while ago, but here it is for all to read. Please note that when this was presented to the government, it was cast away with distain and ignored.

Novel Update: First Draft - Chapter Three

Word Count: 5,819

It's been a while since I updated the blogosphere on the progress of my novel. Maybe because there hasn't been much to update on, the first and second chapter were finished in choppy doses, and so I didn't mention them much. Chapter Three however is promising, it is a scene that I can really sink my teeth into, with a bit of mystery, thriller, and a nice piece of back story that is a combination of history and fiction. It's not finished yet, I'm a bit drained, and so although my best writing is done at night, alone, minimal light, and a caffeine source, tonight's not the night. So with more than a thousand words tonight, I'll call it a night.

Can you really be that sick?

BBC NEWS | UK | Hoaxer sends 'quake dead' e-mails

What kind of person would do this? A hoaxer has sent e-mails to people with missing relatives from the Tsunami confirming their death. He got the e-mail addresses from an appeal for missing persons at Sky News. I just can't believe someone would do this

New photo gallery

I have a habit of getting obsessed over things somethings, but with my new camera, and the fact that I will posting more and more photos, I started up an online photo gallery. Now I needed a place where I could store heaps of photos and then show them to the world in a nice page. I did a google search and Flickr is the answer. With heaps of bandwidth for my photos, I can store and nice amount of photos. So I've added a new button to my homepage to link to my Flickr gallery at http://www.flickr.com/photos/writingcorner

Stephen King's Rose Red

Well last night before I posted here, with my fireworks pic, I had the chance to watch Rose Red. The movie was in true King style, very quirky, odd characters, with supernatural elements, it was scary but I didn't get scared, if that makes sense, it was definitely better than any of the flicks that have come out as of late, maybe Gothika is an exception. The movie is long, so you have to be a die hard movie fan to keep watching, but King keeps the pace rolling at an incredible pace for the whole four and a bit hours. Definitely something worth hiring.

2005 with pictures

2005 the year of the photo
Benjamin Solah's blog now comes with pictures, my camera works, not my computer, but I have plenty of friends for that, and Harvey Norman. So when I go somewhere, my new Canon digital camera will come with me.

Happy New Year

Well it's the beginning of a new year, ready to be filled with ups and downs, triumphs and defeats and events that will make this year special and unique. Last night's celebrations were good, fireworks spectacular, entertainment superb, the company great and the donations to the councils tsunami relief effort inspiring. For this year, I once again have a new year's resolution, and it's quite simple, finish my novel. So hope this year is good to you all.