Beranek's Coos Bay felling cut vs. Burnham's

[gf beranek]

Let's talk about descriptive writing.

A.J. Mc Clane's Encyclopedia of Fishing, 1974, had 1,156 pages. In it there was a one-half page paragraph that McClane wrote describing the 'Double Haul' fly casting technique. A one half page paragraph with just commas. There was one period in the whole paragraph. Talk about a run-on sentence. It was impossible to make any sense of.

At the time I was learning how to fly cast, and I'll bet I read that paragraph a hundred times, and each time I'd go down to the river and practice my 'double haul' technique. then come back home and read that paragraph again. Eventually it made perfect sense, word for word, and I became efficient with the technique.

But upon first reading McClanes description, I swear, it was impossible to make any sense of.

the moral of the story, 'keep reading, keep practicing and eventually you'll get it.

 

[pantheraba]

'keep reading, keep practicing and eventually you'll get it.

Explore, discover, practice...to make something challenging look easy.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I wrote like that too, with some nearly endless sentences and packing in it as much infos as I could. Conciseness you know.
It isn't easy to do properly and it takes a lot of time.
Tough, that gave me a lot of troubles at the university, as my supervisor kept to correct continuously my reports and made me rewrite them completely many times. Once I found a book with an adventure story. I forgot the author's name but it was a well known one. Nice to see that I wasn't alone because he wrote the same way as I used to. But damn, actually it's almost unreadable if you aren't fully at it. And even, it's still a pain !
So I realized that my supervisor wasn't completely wrong. Not completely ...
Since that, I still try to correct myself (that takes as much time) and wrote something readable. I hope.

 

[murphy4trees]

Let's talk about descriptive writing.

A.J. Mc Clane's Encyclopedia of Fishing, 1974, had 1,156 pages. In it there was a one-half page paragraph that McClane wrote describing the 'Double Haul' fly casting technique. A one half page paragraph with just commas. There was one period in the whole paragraph. Talk about a run-on sentence. It was impossible to make any sense of.

At the time I was learning how to fly cast, and I'll bet I read that paragraph a hundred times, and each time I'd go down to the river and practice my 'double haul' technique. then come back home and read that paragraph again. Eventually it made perfect sense, word for word, and I became efficient with the technique.

But upon first reading McClanes description, I swear, it was impossible to make any sense of.

the moral of the story, 'keep reading, keep practicing and eventually you'll get it.

That description fits your writing as well. Hard to understand all the information, packed so tightly into such few words, It requires serious effort on the part of the reader to tease out a complete understanding of every word in that book!

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I don't remember having such an issue with The Book. Maybe because I flied over too quickly and my english was too poor to see the subtleties. That's some years ago. I have definitively to come at it again.

 

[gf beranek]

Words are amazing. According to 'True West' magazine the mid-west Indians called paper documents, 'Talking Leaves'. They thought it was magic.

A.J. McClane used the right combination of words, and style, to describe perfectly a technique involving a complex series of physical maneuvers. Just so someone, like me, could learn it. I can only imaginehe must have labored on that one paragraph more than any other in the book. 1,156 pages. A brilliant man.

 

[chris_girard]

That description fits your writing as well. Hard to understand all the information, packed so tightly into such few words, It requires serious effort on the part of the reader to tease out a complete understanding of every word in that book!

Plus getting and watching Jerry's Working Climber DVD's can help newer climbers to better understand his Fundamentals book, which as we know is "The Bible" of tree care reading. The book and DVD's go together like peanut butter and jelly!

 

[chris_girard]

Words are amazing. According to 'True West' magazine the mid-west Indians called paper documents, 'Talking Leaves'. They thought it was magic.

A.J. McClane used the right combination of words, and style, to describe perfectly a technique involving a complex series of physical maneuvers. Just so someone, like me, could learn it. I can only imaginehe must have labored on that one paragraph more than any other in the book. 1,156 pages. A brilliant man.

Words truly are amazing Jer, which is why I strive so hard just to get a 2500 word article just right for the trade magazines that I write for (TCI Mag and Arb Climber Mag in particular). I work really hard to make my writing both enjoyable and educational, which can be a formidable task when writing about technical rigging.

Honestly Jer, your writing style is what I try to follow, because ALL your stories have always struck a chord with me that makes your reading such a pleasure.

I don't want to highjack B's thread or toot my own horn, but my next article on "rigging in the field" was just published this week in the July issue of TCI Mag. This month's issue is dedicated to rigging and many people have articles in it that I think members here at The House will find make very good reading!

I will post a link to it in a few min.

 

[Burnham]

This thread has been around a long time, and has re-emerged time and again.

A little highjack won't hurt it a bit .

But please do post that link, Chris.

 

[Altissimus]

Speaking of "Fundamentals" , home safely after three day climb and rig job in some heat and humids with quality work ... Thanks Gerry.

 

[Jed]

Don't forget to post that link Chris. That would be so cool to read.

 

[chris_girard]

I have it up now Jed.

 

[pete mctree]

Bump for anyone who missed this jem 🙃👍

 

[Burnham]

Too bad all those gypoclimber.com links are dead as passenger pigeons.

 

[gf beranek]

Great!

Thank you!

 

[Burnham]

Jer is of course right. I shouldn't cast dispersions on where we are now.

Thanks, @pete mctree. A good bump.

I hope Jo and the dog pack are doing well, my friend.

 

[chris_girard]

Good bump!

 

[flushcut]

Good discussion and needs a bump.

 

[Bermy]

This thread was going through my head yesterday, big leaning limbs in a poplar.
To coos or not to coos, that was the question, whether it was more noble to suffer the slings and arrows of a sudden snap and it's subsequent outrageous fortune...or cut those sides.

 

[gf beranek]

For heavy limbs, spars and leaners, with clear open drop zones... quick and easy. Next.

 

[Burnham]

Note that the method Gerry describes is much quicker than the method I describe...and that benefit is very valuable when cutting those heavy head leaners. Very.

 

[chris_girard]

For heavy limbs, spars and leaners, with clear open drop zones... quick and easy. Next.

Agreed, and use this method all the time.

I'm amazed that the majority of climbers don't know this method.

Read Jer's Fundamentals book and watch his training videos to see the Coos Bay in action.

 

[Nutball]

I just tried watching one of his DVD's last week in the computer, but nothing happened

I blame the disc reader being dirty from never getting used, but the disks have smudges from the case. I should probably just get the book.

 

[chris_girard]

Honestly, you won't regret it!

 

[Bermy]

Excellent bump of this thread!
I read it again and then yesterday I had some long almost horizontal branches on a huge gum tree to remove. People watching...branches heavy
14" bar on the 200t only just long enough, slightly too short on some.
Shallow face, cut the sides deep, felt a couple just start to pinch, then cut fast from the top. They popped off with no drama, whew!
Thanks again for the bump!