Today, I am guest posting an Australian blogger Stafford Ray.
Stafford Ray (not his real name) lives on a huge old yacht on the Sunshine Coast (Queensland, Australia) about 2 hours south of where I live. His blog covers limericks and other funny poems, political satire, plays and short stories, as well as humerous posts about his earlier life as a professional musician in Sydney clubs and TV studios (he notes that he had fifteen minutes of fame with the Daly Wilson Big Band).
Here is one of Stafford’s poems about the classic Volkswagon – one of my favourite cars of all time (Aussie’s have been known to call them DakDaks ’cause of the sound the engine makes on the older syle VW).
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Icon; Near gone.
Tok Tok Dakka dakka Put-put Put-put,
Tok tok dakka dakka put!
Hear the clatter of a Vee Dub Vee Dub,
With the donkey in the back!
Now the engine’s in the front-front front-front
Water cooled and full of grunt;
Changed forever is the sound-sound sound-sound,
Never more the ears astound!
Sounds like every other car-car car-car,
What a shame they went that far!
Tok Tok Dakka dakka Put-put Put-put
Tok tok dakka dakka put!
Phut!
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Here’s a couple of questions I asked Stafford.
1. What made you start blogging and what do you blog about?
Blogging started for me as a means to an end. A few years ago a teaching colleague noticed that kids doing my drama course jumped in reading age over the time of a production. We were preparing to use standardised testing when he was moved away and the new boss wasn’t interested. Then I retired, so although a lot of material was prepared for the trial it never happened, so I was looking for teachers who might like to run a trial.
Meanwhile, poetry and stories came bubbling up and the original plan became less important. I would still like to do it and it does deliver amazing results, particularly with right brain kids and those who are ‘socially challenged’. So teachers out there, mail me if interested.
After having written about twenty operettas and one novel (and have begun two more), I stopped after numerous approaches to agents didn’t get me anywhere. That was so disheartening I gave up, but after Hughsey sent out a notice she was offering blogging courses as part of her Writer in Residence gig at Cooroy, I enrolled about this time last year.
2. What is it about blogging that you love?
I am such a show off! I just love the making people laugh and GB, you are the best laugher! But I am also a teacher and have been encouraging tryers all my life, so I enjoy reading other people’s work and of course, commenting. It is becoming a community for me with my few closest ‘friends’ and many friendly people I am yet to really get to know and an unlimited number of people I have yet to meet! It is an awesome way to exercise the brain and to socialise.
Thank you Stafford
Gabe Feathers McGee 
Thanks for introducing us to Stafford, GB – and thanks for accepting the invitation, Stafford. I enjoyed this little conversation – it made me feel better about my own myriads of unfinished projects. d.
Thanks d. Stafford has recently joined the POOL under yet another name of DrofYar (very mysterious – haha). Stafford – meet d – she is one of the POOL’s regulars and also keeps the tone of the POOL civilised.
Staffords answers make me feel good about blogging – about the community aspect of blogging (it’s not about being the one on the stage – we’re all on the dance floor just having fun). Some people take blogging far too seriously and forget it serves many purposes.
Hey Stafford – at least the new model doesn’t break down all the time and overheat 😉
Thanks for the introduction…had a good chuckle over that clever bit of verse.
Thanks slpmarting. It’s one of my favourites of Stafford’s – though I am biased toward the Volkswagon 😉
Great interview!
Memories …. 1961 ~ a used Beetle / black / drove it for years … Stafford’s poem provides perfect sound effects!
Yes, they were everywhere Helen. My brother had a brown VW for going down the beach and my friend had a brown one two. The Kombi vans were also everywhere – driven by Australians overseas and at home.
really nice to have guest over, so we can enjoy the company.
I also think that blogging is being part of community , not a one person show.
I love that poem, all the sounds in it reminds me of nursery rhyme that we had to learn in English course, very hard to say for non-English.
Gabriella, it was a pleasure meeting your friend Stafford, very simpatico, and the huge yacht on the sunshine coast is simpatissimo
I don’t know what his yacht looks like Benedicte, but it brings to mine the big boat house that you drew for Pompadour 🙂 I tried to translate simpatico and simpatissimo but nothing came up? I have a sense of what they mean, but am probably way off.
it is my biggest frustration in English, trying to find an equivalent to it. We do use this word a lot in French also, sympathique. Some of the translations give “nice” but for me it lacks a lot of energy and fun and …but I am sure you get the feeling. if you think of a good word, let me know.
Mmmm..a huge old yacht off the Sunshine Coast sounds lovely.
Dakka dakka is hilarious, I can actually hear the sound of those engines when I read that.
Does that kangaroo have a licence to drive that lovely car??
Screaminsh, I think that kangaroo got his license from the bottom of a packet of ‘skippy’ corn flakes 😉
Love the picture! And I can hear that engine all too clearly!
Thanks Storm Dweller – that would be my kangaroo friend ‘blue eyes’ – a blind in one eye kangaroo that was a bit of an outcast in his mob. The engine of the VW beetle is truly memorable 🙂
total beetlebug enjoyment here, great intro and interview with stafford whom i didnt know before, so double thanx!
You’re welcome tipota 🙂
My sister has a 1968 VW beetle with the engine in the back. It has been completely restored and runs like the literal dream. It is fun to drive even though it doesn’t have power steering and has wind down windows. It is the only car I know of that still has a tape deck. We have had fun making mixed tapes for it. It’s like stepping back in time when you get in it.
I really enjoyed the interview with Stafford and completely agree about the community aspect of blogging. Stafford is a top bloke and someone I know I would enjoy meeting in real life – along with you, Gabrielle. Looks like I might need to venture up to Queensland in the near future…. 😀
I’m jealous of your sister 😉 though my new beetle is pretty cool (it’s very fuel efficient – 5.1 litres/100km and comes with a kangaroo). Selma, I would love to meet you in real life – party on a yacht. Stafford – can I borrow your boat – bwahahahahaha!!!!!!
very entertaining poem, excellent!
Stafford is certainly the entertainer – thanks Crafty Green Poet 🙂
How strange it seems commenting on someone else’s blog about me and mine! My poor old 62 VW, bought new but when the engine wore out, I was abe to rebuilt it in my garage with a few spanners and a screwdriver. New cams, new bores, bearings, pistons and valves, she was like new again in a few days of enjoyment! Can’t do that with the new models!
Teh party aboard Tiziana is agreat idea! When?
Those were the days – cars are designed these days so the average Joe can’t fix them – need a computer science degree as well as a degree in mechanical engineering! Have to put the party on hold – won’t be travelling for ever so long! Thanks Stafford for agreeing to be my first guest here at the bloggedy blog blog.
What a fantastic romp with onomatopoeic words. Evoked memories of my Mum’s burnt orange bug – used to sound exactly like that!
Thanks bluebee – they don’t have colours like that anymore!