Tea and education

There was and interesting article by Piers Blofeld in the Writing Magazine about writing degrees. I for one, haveing studied Mining Engineering at university would only study ‘writing’ at university if I wanted to compare Swift with Hardy and engage in academic discussion over grammar theory. To get my mining degree I had to learn how to calculate the rate of flow of viscous fluids through narrow pipes among other fascinating subjects. Of a great deal more value was Auld Wull’s lessons on how to ‘listen’ to the roof talking. As a result of that experience, when I decided to learn how to make a few bob from writing, I took the Writers’ Bureau course and learned how to get published. There was an added incentive that they offered a refund if I had not earned the cost of the course by the time I had finished it – I had done that by the time I was half way through. To illustrate, if I wanted to know how water leaches the taste and colour from tea leaves, I’d go to university. If I wanted to make a cuppa, I’d get my ma to show me how.