Posted by Ed Kiser on November 05, 2002 at 16:52:06 from 205.188.209.46 user Kisered.
In Reply to: Re: Semaphore posted by Ian Wright on November 05, 2002 at 11:23:35:
Ian-
My list of topics is not necessarily a personal "need to know", but is only the tip of the iceberg of the many things that are a part of the learning experience of reading the works of AR, as it is indeed an educational trip to participate in his stories. My topics were just a quick collection of suggestions of items that by sharing info about these would enhance our own educational adventure that continues beyond the world of Ransome. These are items that perhaps would be informative to the many followers of this forum. My suggested list is not necessarily a completely exhausted list of topics by a long shot. It was my hope that perhaps they might trigger more exchanges on this forum for the mutual benefit of most of us.
In the past, I have from time to time presented a collection of "oddities", each concerning a particular book. There again, the purpose was to trigger some discussion, indeed some controversy, a sharing of diverse points of view, including the comparisons of how people from widely separated geographic locations view certain customs and practices including the diversity in the English language itself as it is locally used in assorted places on this earth.
To try to put it simply, I am trying to stimulate the generation of assorted conversations on this forum. With this facility, we share, we learn, we become aware of how others think, feel, and do. This internet thing is marvelous for the great community of this earth to get to come together, to share in our diversity, to get to know each other that much better. The concept of RANSOME is just a convenient object of shared interest that triggers this getting together of the minds.
Perhaps we should all look back to those early days when we first became involved in Things Ransome, and think of what we have learned from our trips with this story teller. In my own case, I feel that my fascination with maps started inside the front cover of Swallows and Amazons. It was with great delight to find more maps in EACH of these stories.
Previously, I have indicated a fascination with special codes and signalling so that when the time came that I was of the proper age to be involved in the Boy Scouts, that skill became one of the easiest badges to earn, because Ransome had already taught me, not only how, but the ways in which such skills could be a definite advantage.
I am sure that my experience with Ransome had a lot to do with my decision to invest in a four meter catamaran sailer, so that on the first day I took possession of that vessel, I rigged her and sailed up and down a local lake as if I knew what I was supposed to do. Of course, there was a lot more to learn, for that is what experience is all about. The start came from Ransome; for that I am grateful.
Camping out in a tent with my buddies in Scouting was something I felt I knew how to do. I saw from the difficulties some of the others had that I had certain advantages having camped with the Ransome friends. I had a ground sheet; I made sure that did not extend beyond the walls of the tent. I enjoyed it tremendously when I saw the next morning that my buddies had slept in a puddle from the rain in the middle of the night, simply because they had not been taught by Ransome as I had.
Each day, a piece of beauty begins my day, as I make sure that it is a part of my daily ritual to surf to WWW.LAKELANDCAM.CO.UK and there to drink in the beauty of Ransome country through the eyes of Tony Richards and his skillfully managed camera as he brings a daily feast of beauty that would not be out of place gracing some elegant calendar offering. When my computer pauses, it is set to do a SLIDE SHOW as it steps through so many of his photos in a fascinating array of awsome visual splendor from his part of the world, the part I am wont to call Ransome Country.
We all have much that we have obtained from our experiences with Ransome; we have much more we can learn. This is the purpose of this forum, to share, to question, to debate, to learn. We should all be grateful that such a facility exists for our mutual benefit.
Me? Sail into Flushing? Not hardly. But fascinating it would be to contrast such a trip to day with the one we all read about that happened some 70 years ago. Ice sailing? Really now! I'm here in SOUTH FLORIDA! Riding on a jetski is much more likely, but what a fascinating adventure for those that have access to those broad expanses of ice thick enough to support such events, an adventure that even though I cannot personally experience it, I can however enjoy it vicariously through the reports of others that can do it, and are willing to share with the rest of the world their experiences.
Now, back to the adventure...
Ed Kiser, South Florida