My first computer experience

Posted on February 1, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged College, Computer, cursor, dailyprompt, dailyprompt-1835, enter, key, Life, Memory, Mouse, Screen4 Comments

Write about your first computer.

My experience of computers was non existent when I was at college in the ’80’s. I went to an exhibition in a gallery and I remember being faced with a screen that said type ‘hello world!’ Or something similar and you would get a nice surprise.. So I typed:

Hello world

Nothing happened

I typed:

Hello world

Hello world…

Over and over, the instructions soon disappeared off the top of the screen. I was frustrated, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to get back to the start. I didn’t know how to scroll back up the screen.

I gave up. Nowhere in the instructions did it say ‘press the enter key’!

It took me a few years before I bothered with a computer again.

Power cut fixed phone

Posted on February 1, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged alarm, answerphone, Delete, Full, landline, Memory, Phone, power cut, set time, Time2 Comments

My landline stopped working a few months ago, no matter what I did I couldn’t delete the saved messages and calls. It just said another handset was in use (I don’t have one?).

I had been to the local store to see if they had a similar device, but there was too much choice and I didn’t know what would work as none seemed to have the features I wanted.

Then this morning an alarm went off across the road. This usually signifies a power failure. But my landline phone beeped… I investigated. It said it was synchronising, when it stopped I checked and I could delete everything, calls and answerphone logs. It no longer says Full. I tried ringing it. For the first time in months it rang. Now all I need to do is make sure the memory doesn’t get full. And now I just need to reset the clocks on my stove and alarm clock!

Doodled horse

Posted on January 31, 2024 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged Animal, ArtRage app, Black, Brown, Digital drawing, Drawing, Horse, Photodirector app, Sketching5 Comments

Just a doodled horse using Artrage and photodirector. I do like digital drawing, it’s fun to try and create something new and unique. I’m not sure about the colours, but I guess most horses are brown or black. Anyway it’s fun to sketch.

Progress?

Posted on January 31, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Bench, Fine Art, Lake View, Life, Needs work, Trees, Twigs, Westport lake, Work in progressLeave a comment

Working on this but the twigs are too thick and dark. I might try and thin them down or paint over them and make them lighter. I need a thinner brush, just a few bristles. Hmm…. And daylight, it’s hard painting under artificial light.

Bench painting wip

Posted on January 31, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Bench, fine art Westport lake, weekend walk, Work in progress11 Comments

Started this acrylic on canvas today. It’s from a photo of Westport Lake I took at the weekend, it’s about 9 inches by 6. Or maybe a bit bigger? I want to do more to the trees and undergrowth. I’ve got some metallic bronze to give a watery reflective effect. I like the empty bench, it feels lonely and reflective.

Flying

Posted on January 31, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Airplane, Balloon, Fear, Flight, hanglide, hot air balloon, Poem, Poetry, Prompt, unconscious, vertigoLeave a comment

Never flown

Never will

Can you make me?

Not unless I’m asleep

Completely unconscious

The world blotted out?

But what about

My carbon flight print?

I would not fly far

Maybe, island hop, to Skye?

Perhaps I could hanglide?

Or take a hot air balloon

Over my home town.

Or an airship blimp?

Parachute strapped to my back

Or wings glued on like Icarus?

Don’t get too close to the sun

But I would have my eyes closed

Vertigo engaged.

I would rather NOT fly.

Memory and singing

Posted on January 30, 2024 Posted in Memories, UncategorizedTagged Afrikaans, Choir, English, I walk to Jo-berg, jazz, Learning, Memories, Music, Singing2 Comments

Five or six years ago our choir learnt ” I walk to Jo-berg” to sing at a choir festival. It’s a good song, full of different sounds, English and Afrikaans words. Someone in the choir requested that we learn it again.

Not all the old choir members are still with us, but within minutes we knew what bits to sing. WE WERE SINGING JAZZ TUNES we hadn’t sung in years. It was fascinating how we could recollect it. You scratch your head and think I’ll never remember that, and then it’s coming out of your mouth without you having to struggle! We were singing in four part harmony and building up sections. We had a great time and we really enjoyed it.

Recent studies have shown that learning a new musical instrument or learning to sing can improve mental acuity and memory. And it’s fun!

Art in the window

Posted on January 30, 2024 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Art, Exhibition, Fine Art, Fun, Local history, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Orme Art group, The Brampton museum and art gallery4 Comments

Orme Art Group Exhibition in the display window at the Brampton museum and art gallery until the end of March 2024.

Orme Art Group is a group of local artists that meet up in Newcastle under Lyme in Staffordshire. We have annual exhibitions but also try and get our art displayed in other venues. The groups art is varied, colourful and interesting. I think we compliment each other and create beautiful pieces of work.

The Brampton museum and art gallery is in Newcastle under Lyme and has a variety of displays and exhibitions and has a lot of local historical information and knowledge. There is a vintage cafe in the museum so you can get a hot drink and hot and cold food and cakes. Worth a visit.

Lake view

Posted on January 29, 2024 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Day out, Environment, Life, Nature, Parking, Staffordshire wildlife Trust, Stoke-on trent, Westport lake, WildlifeLeave a comment

The visitor centre at Westport lake stands on stilts and appears like the curved prow of a boat above the lake. The roof juts out over the balcony and offers some shelter from rain that can blow in on the prevailing wind. The visitor centre has a cafe, and sells gifts relating to the wildlife on and around the lake and wooded areas. You can buy bird food and bird nesting boxes, and books including natural history. Staffordshire Wildlife Trust manages the park and does various activities to encourage children to get into supporting the environment and nature. There is also a children’s playground. The only drawback is that the council has bought in parking charges.

Lost my purse

Posted on January 29, 2024 Posted in Cat, Memories, UncategorizedTagged Black and white cat, can't afford, Cat, cat purse, Frustrated, losing, Lost, Money, Sad, Tuxedo cat10 Comments

I’ve lost my favourite purse. Small and soft material, I’ve had it for years, it was getting scruffy but I loved it. I think I must have pulled it out of my pocket yesterday when I was out for a walk. I know I took money out to pay for something, but stuffed it back in because my friend paid. Then it’s a blur, perhaps as I took a tissue out it fell out. I’ve rung the place we visited but no one has handed it in. Someone has probably had the cash. I almost drove back today but thought better of it. Too late. I seem to be losing a lot of things at the moment. So upsetting.

Mallaband-Brown

Author: artbychristinemallabandbrown