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Published: March 15th 2006
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Around the World
Around the world with a case full of words It is a twilight time now. A time of soft light from the sky between sunset and the full darkness, a time of long shadows that follow you to where ever you are going, it is a time of vagueness - of being in between, a time for a mood to be setting in, a period of decline - of stretching a tired body and a searching soul, a time of travels and of dreams, a time when East meets West. It is a time for us. A weekly date between you and me… just us, alone and together.
My name is Dan. My very best and close friends call me Dindan. I come to you from far away land, from other culture and traditions. I am a writer, a journalist. I have written books and thousands of newspaper stories and articles. I have traveled around the world, met strange people - beautiful people, saw far away lands - countries, cities, villages. Climbed high mountains and walked bare footed in rice-paddies.
I met and mingled with people. Lived with them for a while. Ate their bread and rice. Learned their way of life, their cultures and traditions.
I interviewed famous personalities - those of whom you hear or read or see on television or in the movies.
I met and observed all of them. Examined them, down to the smallest detail. And then I wrote. I filled the empty papers with words… You know, those small black dotes and strange signs that make the paper gray.
For me, my dear friend, words are alive as you and I are. I imagine the words. I see the words… and they look back at me. I talk with words… and they talk back to me. I sing with them and they sing back to me.
Words, my friend, can see, smell, touch, talk, cry, smile and sing. With words you can climb the highest mountain or fall down from the Great Wall. Words have the power to make you a winner or a loser, a lover or a lonely person. Words can create for you a world full of vivid colors or just paint it with black and white.
We will talk here about my words and about yours. I'll tell you stories and learn with you how to create some good ones. I'll share with you my experiences, my dreams and realities so that you may be writers… just like I am… or much better. I'll show you the world so that you may write the best journalistic articles ever written.
So, my dearest friend, I would like to meet you here and have a lovely date each and every time. May I offer you some tea? Yes… I drink coffee… make it strong… yes, with little milk and sugar… Thank you.
On Observation
I am an observant person. I believe in observation as being one of the most important tools of writing and of journalism.
You see, most people pass their life with their eyes shut. They talk with friends, colleagues or class-mates - but do not look at them, do not see them, do not know them. They walk the streets but see nothing. For them there is only one thing - their own little world. That's it… That's all.
But the world around us is full of beautiful and ugly things. Good and bad things. Nice people and bad people. Fresh green trees and dusty ones. Tall buildings and short ones. Dirty streets and those which are as clean as fresh water.
You see, nothing around us is painted just in black or white. There are shades of gray in between. There are many colors to every thing we see, smell, touch or hear.
Can you see the colors? Can you smell the steamy cloud that comes out of a boiling pan where rice is being cooked? Can you touch, freely, the face of a crying baby girl on a street corner? Can you hear the sound of a heated conversation between two lovers? If you can… If you do… You are a natural writer… A natural journalist.
Now, let me tell you a little secret - all of you are journalists and writers. Just learn how to look around you. That's all it takes to be one.
There is a street near you. It is off the Xuefu Hotel on the mighty Xuefu Road. Have you ever visited that street? Well, I did.
You see, I am an observant person. I look around me, I see and smell and touch and hear. In short - I observe. And that is how I found you on that little Number 3 Xuefu Road, between the shadows and the lights, and that is where you presentes me with your word. A whole world of it.
It was a word for us… just us, alone and together. Have a relaxing mid-day break my friend. Have a good night dream my special one. Close your eyes and think. Reflect on your passing day; what you saw, who you met, what made a great impression on you, where would you like to be… why and with whom?
Remember this - be observant. Look around you - take a real look. Observe the street, the stores, the advertisement signs, the people and their faces… the way they look back at you… looking, perhaps, into you. Smell the flowers on the trees touch them and feel them… see them - really… see them.
Have a good dream my friend. Tomorrow morning, I can assure you, the dream will be your reality, your word - your world.
Have sweet dreams my friend… and write.
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