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The True Citizen, Wednesday, March 30, 2022 — Page 5
Ronda Rich
WHAT IT TAKES...SERIOUSLY
Preparing for planting
One day I walked into Tink’s
home office where he usu
ally sits in an overstuffed chair
decorated in bold flowers of
orange, yellow and green.
His feet were slung out on the
matching ottoman.
His computer was opened
on his lap but he had stopped
writing. His arms folded with
his chin resting in one hand,
he was looking out the large,
arched window through the
pasture where the creek ambles
slowly on its long journey to
the Gulf Coast.
In the Appalachians, we
would say that he was “studyin’
hard on somethin’.”
He turned to me. “I think
people think what we do is
easy,” he said thoughtfully.
For two weeks, he had been
writing, rewriting and rewrit
ing the rewrite of a 43-minute
television episode.
“A writer friend of mine said
he believes that people think
that the time it takes them to
read a script is how long it
takes for us to write it. What’s
your opinion?”
I sat down on the red love
seat that is across the room but
still close to his chair. I, too,
looked out at the pasture and
the lazy creek and pondered
it. I had not once given it any
“never mind”. It’s this simple
to me: I tell stories. They come
to me, wiggle in my brain then
I spew them out, either by pen
or word.
But Tink’s writing is dif
ferent. It’s structured. It’s
episodic. It requires an intel
ligence that my writing doesn’t
demand.
Lately, I’ve come to realize
this: Storytelling is a God-
given talent. In the Bible,
Paul talks about the gifts of
the spirit. He doesn’t men
tion storytelling but it is a gift
that is similar to playing the
piano, carpentry, dressmaking
or building a fiddle like my
Uncle Oscar did.
People sometimes sidle up to
me at an event or the grocery
store or in the churchyard and
say, “I have a book I want to
write. I have a great idea.” Of
ten there will be a pause then
the thought continues. “But I
don’t know how to start.”
My advice is always this:
“Sit down and just do it. Look
in the mirror, tell yourself the
story then write it down just
like you tell it.”
I could see Tink’s point. I
know how hard he works and
how many incarnations a script
will go through. The actors will
object or insert. The studio will
send 35 pages of notes on a
60-page script that will include
such notations as “does her
scarf really have to be blue?
Red would work better” or
“change his name. We have
a Malcolm on another show.”
That sunny afternoon, we
began a conversation on it be
cause Tink pushed me to think
deeper about what I do and
how I do it. He was troubled
about a young man we know
in Los Angeles.
“Do you think he has what
it takes to write scripts?” Tink
asked.
I thought long and seriously.
I sighed deeply. I like the kid
so much. Slowly, I shook my
head. “No,” I replied. “He
doesn’t have the hunger. Nor
the imagination. Nor the ob
servation. He doesn’t ‘see’ the
stories.”
Tink nodded. “You’re abso
lutely right. What a great way
to put it, Ronda Rich.”
After I left his office and
Tink went back to reworking
the sixth draft of a show, I
“studied on it real hard.” Writ
ing or telling stories isn’t as
easy as it looks.
My sister. My
brother-in-law. My SEE
niece. My nephew. RICH,
They tell great 8
“When it comes to planting,
preparation is the key as any
breakdowns in the held due to
planter malfunction or planting
mistakes can cost growers both
valuable time and money,” ac
cording to a March 17 Univer
sity of Georgia Extension blog.
Before heading to the held,
the agency recommends a
12-point checklist to ensure a
planter is well maintained and
dialed in for peak performance
during planting.
Writers Simerjeet Virk and
Wesley Porter suggest that
farmers stand behind the row
unit and wiggle it up and down
and left to right to check for
any play in the parallel arms.
Adjusting or replacing linkages
and bushings helps ensure that
row units are secured on the
planter.
niors to take certain courses
during the day and then earn
credit for earning a paycheck.
Sometimes work-based learn
ing and summer positions lead
to permanent positions with the
school. Currently there are two
work-based learning students
hired to do clerical work at the
Board of Education office.
Farm equipment operators
should also check all chains,
idlers, sprockets and bushings,
looking for worn parts. Drive
chains should be snug. Lubri
cating chains and sprockets
should be routine before and
during planting season.
The writers also note that
improper tire pressure nega
tively affects seed placement
due to improper levelling of the
planter toolbar. Double Disc
Openers should be sharp and
within the diameter outlined
by the manufacturer. They
recommend a quick check us
ing a business card to ensure
adequate contact (1.75 to 2
inches) between the disc open
ers at the 4 o’clock position.
Also, they suggest adjusting
the gauge wheels so that they
run tight against the disc open-
“They are amazing,” Ivery
said of their work ethics.
This year’s summer posi
tions pay $7.50 per hour and
students get a 30-minute lunch
break. Hard copy applications
are available at the front office.
Students cannot apply online.
They must turn in their applica
tions by April 13. Ivery said it
ers but just enough so they can
easily be turned by hand with
slight pressure.
Row cleaners, vacuum sys
tems and seed meters should be
checked for any wear and worn
or damaged parts should be
replaced. Seed tubes should be
cleaned properly to clear away
any obstructions. An inspec
tion and static diagnostic test
on air or hydraulic connections
verifies the downforce system
is functioning properly.
The farming industry is tech-
nologically-dependent these
days. A check is recommended
to confirm that the GPS receiv
er and planter display have the
most recent firmware upgrades.
More information on the
12-point checklist is available
at www. site.extension.uga.
edu.
is a way that BCPS gives back
to the students they serve.
“There are some kids really
in need,” Ivery said. “They
need to work so we just try
to make sure it is equitable
across the board, that’s my
philosophy.”
BCHS
Continued from front
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