The novel as we know it is the result of several thousand years of storytelling, a gradual evolution that begins a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away Greece.

Five books survive intact from the 1st to 3rd centuries that are known today as Ancient Greek novels. Written largely on papyrus they are remarkable for still existing in their entirety, many have been completely lost or survive only in fragments. Along with numerous places throughout what is now the Middle East they helped establish the idea of fictional stories, most long form stories at this point were presented as being records of factual historical events.

Skipping forward to the 11th century and across the world to Japan we find the The Tale of Genji. Written by noblewoman and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu it tells the story of the life and loves of Shining Genji, the son of an ancient emperor. Described as the first true novel the story features several aspects that are now accepted necessities in a novel, it has a central character, a (massive) cast of major and minor side characters, character development, and a sequence of events that follows the central character. One major element it lacks is that of a real plot, instead events simply happen and all 400 characters get older as time passes. This might have had to do with how it was likely written, each chapter being shared with the author’s friends as soon as it was finished with no greater plan guiding the story.

In 1605 in Spain author Miguel de Cervantes published Don Quixote, considered by many to be not only one of the greatest novels ever written, but also the beginning of modern European novels as we know them. Into the following centuries the novel continued to solidify into its current form. Originally considered the shorter cousin of the great epics and romances it became instead the longest form around, spawning the shorter novella in the process.

By the approach of the 20th century plots and themes have begun to diversify, a trend that has accelerated exponentially in the last few decades. We have genres now that would’ve been unthinkable 100 years ago. To this day novels continue to evolve, both in how they’re written and read. We’ve progressed from papyrus to parchment to paper, and now we have dedicated screens on which to read our books.

Novels are exciting (to me at least), and their constant evolution is one of the best parts.

For more discussions on whatever aspects of books interests you just log in or sign up to check out the Livewire Book Club!

Can you guess what daily practice produces half a million tonnes of plastic microfibers a year which contributes to ocean pollution …

are you ready…

IT’S WASHING YOUR CLOTHES!

YEP! It is estimated that 35% is entering our oceans from the simple daily chore of washing the clothes we wear.

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Why is this happening & how to make a change?

Synthetic clothing is tipped to be the culprit, this includes polyester, nylon and acrylic fabrics just to name a few.

Now I know what you’re thinking… not everything you wear can be a natural fibre, like imagine your bathing suit made out of cotton… maybe not the best choice!

However we can still make informed choices when choosing the clothes we wear.

Obviously natural and organic fibres are better at breaking down… but what do you do with all the polyester/ nylon gear you have?

Here’s 4 handy tips to help minimise the release of plastic microfibers each time you wash: 

1. Try to only wash your clothes when you need to. Airing your clothes can sometimes be enough just after one wear instead of putting it in the wash every time.
2. Wash your clothes at a lower temp. Cooler washes can lead to releasing less microfibers.
3. Fill your load! Make sure your washing full loads on a gentler cycle. Gentle cycles cause less friction which can help with mircofibre release.
4. Try your best to air dry your clothes… Only use the tumble dryer when absolutely necessary!

Wanna find out more?

We’ve got more articles full of tips and info about the clothes we wear and ways you can make a change! To check them out just log in or sign up!

I have two fantastic environmental ideas to report. Firstly:

Adidas has teamed up with Parley for the Oceans, a group specifically brought together to raise awareness of the beauty and fragility of the oceans, and to collaborate on projects to help end their destruction.

Together, they produced the Ultraboost running shoe, made from plastic salvaged from the sea. On average, each pair of shoes used 16.5 plastic bottles each along with 13 grams of gill nets. Selling over 1 million pairs between 2017-18, Adidas has moved to launch multiple production lines over the next few years, using recycled waste from our oceans.

Parley ultra boost running shoes made from sea plastic

Secondly:

Meet Goby!

Goby the plastic eating fish

Goby is a fish made from barbed wire and mesh, produced by a hotel in Bali, Seminyak, and installed on their beachfront. Goby is hungry and wears a sign saying, “Goby loves plastic, please feed him”. The hotel has been working for more than 5 years to be Earthcheck certified every year, working on reducing waste, energy and water consumption and engaging in strict recycling practices. With the arrival of the wet season and the beaches of the Island being swamped by trash washed away on the shores, the team is constantly engaged in intense beach cleaning sessions, ensuring the garbage is collected and sent to recycling.

It has been predicted that in 50 years, if we don’t change our ways, there will be more  pieces of plastic than fish in the sea. We need a Goby on every beach and we need more innovative ideas like these two to help change our plastic trajectory.

Can you think of any clever ideas to stop plastic getting in the sea, or how to get it out?

Check out the Parley website for inspiration.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Toasted Coconut flakes (Aldi and Woolies do them)
• 1/2 cup of Prunes or dates, or dried apricot (soak in water for an hour first if using Apricots)
• 1/3 of cup of your seed of choice; I used sunflower and chia
• A tablespoon of water (if needed)
• Half a teaspoon Coconut oil
• Chocolate chips

Method:

1. Pop the dried fruit, toasted coconut, and seed of choice in your food processor (Adult supervision is needed for under-16s)
2. MIX MIX MIX
3. Roll your mixture into balls and flatten onto grease-proof paper on a cutting board or basking tray
4. Place them into the freezer for 5 mins
5. Melt chocolate pieces in the microwave with the oil and stir
6. Remove the cookies from the freezer and dip into the melted chocolate
7. Pop the coated cookies back in the freezer for 5 mins
8. ENJOY!!

I keep mine in the fridge in a lunchbox…. but they don’t last too long!

If you’ve been on Livewire a while, you might have heard members or the chat hosts refer to ChIPS. We mention it a lot because ChIPS is really awesome, and we think they do great work!

ChIPS stands for Chronic Illness Peer Support. ChIPS runs in both Sydney and Melbourne, and each location runs a bit differently.

Melbourne ChIPS is a support group for people aged 12-25 who have a chronic illness, and are ready and willing to talk about it with their peers. ChIPS runs things like camps with medical professionals in attendance so you can go away worry-free, social get togethers, and leadership training.

Every member of ChIPS takes part in an eight week or intensive group program, where they get to meet other people who understand what it’s like to live with a chronic illness and share their experiences and challenges using discussion, music, art and other group activities.

Melbourne ChIPS is run by both a dedicated team of cool peeps at the RCH, but also by the ChIPS Reference Committee. Ref Com is made up of young people who meet monthly and they decide what happens in ChIPS; from organising fundraising events and developing promotional material, to planning the January ChIPS camp and providing feedback and ideas for all ChIPS activities.

You can check out more info on ChIPS Melbourne in their 2018 ChIPS Brochure (click that link to download it!). They’ve also given us a downloadable copy of the ChIPS magazine ChIPS Wrapper 2018. You can also get info on the RCH website, or by getting in touch with Chips directly on (03) 9345 6616.

More info on Sydney ChIPS coming soon!

Are you a ChIPS member? Have any awesome stories to tell? Log in or sign up to let us know

1. Just because you were born different doesn’t mean you are seen as “different” by the other students.
That’s right! Never think you are different! We were all born different! Because if we weren’t and the world was perfect, everything would be boring!! You are just like everyone less, but with added flair!!!

2. Your disability shouldn’t be the thing that defines who you are as a person!
Your disability shouldn’t stop you from being your wonderful, bubbly bright self! Let your colours flow, and let your passions be heard!

3. Just because you have special needs doesn’t mean you are less valued as a student
This is so true!! You are just as valued as every classmate, the truth is you still participate in the same class activities, learn the same things, do your work and complete assignment and homework!

4. You are just as capable to achieving academic success 
Don’t you dare think you don’t deserve that A, you worked hard for it! Your disability wasn’t the thing that was stopping you was it??

5. The way you look doesn’t matter, its a part of you – embrace it!
You can’t Change or hide the fact that you have a disability so why not embrace it!

6. Don’t conform to others because of your disability, let others conform to you!
You don’t have to always sit on the side lines because your afraid that you’ll prevent your friends from having fun! Why let them have all the fun??? Instead, tell them you want to join in and watch them think of a creative way for you to join in on all the action!

7. If people take advantage of your disability, then you need to find some better friends!
Bullying isn’t fun for any of us, and you’ll agree it’s much WORSE when you have a physical disability. If this is happening to you, don’t put up with it, find some besties that embrace and accept your disability!!

8. Don’t hide, you have nothing to be ashamed of, you are beautiful!
Don’t be self-conscious of what others may think of you, remember they all have flaws too! Be proud of your body!!

9. Don’t be afraid to answer questions about your disability
The more people in your school that wants to know more about what happened, the more likely it is that they will come to understand and accept you and be educated!!

10. Remember you are just like everyone else, a student who came to school to learn!
The fact is, at the end of the day, everyone is at school to learn. Worrying about others opinions of what they are thinking of you are not important, they will only affect you unless you let it!

11. Your disability shouldn’t stop you from perusing your dream career!!
You can do all things! Don’t ever think you can’t be a scientist, because it wasn’t cut out for people like me with a disabilities, I mean look at Steven hawking’s!!! It’s never impossible to achieve your dreams, all this are possible with some determination and passion!

12. You have a voice, use it!!
Don’t be scared to speak up if you have a disability! Your opinions and thoughts are just as valued, so never think they aren’t there’s no such thing as silly answers!

13. Don’t give up you have been through much worse!
When times get tough and homework, school drama and Assignments get the best of you, remember you have been through much worse!! Always remember you are one tough cookie! YOU got this, take a break, chill and always ask for help!

14. Remember to smile because you’re one amazing person and people need to see that!
Remember you are never alone! High school can be tough business but, consequentially, people who were born with a disability or sickness tend to smile more!!! So, show off that wonderful smile!!!!

What things have you learnt being a student in high school with a disability???
Login or Signup to share, we’d love to know!!!

Written by Rep_McTruides

Liz gives making her own Clay Beads a go, read below to see how to make your own.

DIY Clay Beads

Have you ever seen those beautiful pastel coloured spheric beads? I always use to look at them and think, how are they made? Well it turns out you can make them with Clay!!

What you need:

• A handful of air dry clay –  you can generally find this at spotlight and majority of art stores like Riot and Eckersley’s will have it also 🙂
• A straw (this is to make the whole in the centre of the bead)
• Acrylic paint and paint brush – you can buy this from the same places as where you got your clay from, and also most $2 shops should stock this.
• Some thick cord or string for your necklace.

Step One:

Roll 5 small round balls the size of a cherry aprox 2.5cm diameter. I did a few small ones too just to play around.

Step Two:

Get your straw and gently push it through the centre of your beads until it comes out the other side. Careful not to warp your bead in the process.

Step Three:

Place the beads on a sheet of baking paper or something non absorbent and leave to dry overnight. you will know they are ready when they turn a white colour. like this

Step Four:

Painting!! Yay the fun part, if you are after the simple pastel colours just mix your paints to get the colours you desire. If you are wanting some more details, you could wait until your base colour is dry and then add lines or dots, or symbols 🙂 let paint dry for a few hours. or use a hair dryer if you are impatient like me! as you can see i used the end of a paint brush to hold the bead while i painted it! made it so much easier and made sure i didn’t get any finger prints on there.

Step Five:

When paint is dry, simply thread your beads onto your cord or string and tie at the back, keeping it long enough for you to place over your head. or do a slip knot so you can adjust it 🙂

I also made another style as well just to change it up 🙂

heres how they turned out

** go crazy with your own shapes, you could even make geometrical shapes or smaller beads for bracelets etc.

HAVE FUN MAKING!!

Login or signup if you want more craft tutorials or to share your creations with the community!

February 5th was the beginning of the Year of the Pig!
Many people don’t realise just how many different pigs there are, so let’s have a look at some of the most interesting pigs out there.

This well trained pig is a truffle hog, one in a long line of useful pigs performing a very specialized job. The use of pigs to hunt truffles goes is believed to go all the way back to Roman times, and the first well documented use dates back to the 15th century.

Truffles are an incredibly valuable commodity, farming them is difficult and they’re only available for a portion of the year, hence most of them are dug up in the wild. The job of a truffle hog is to sniff about for the distinct scent of ripe truffles, which their keeper can then dig up to sell for an enormous amount. The more common black truffle is worth a pretty penny but the rarer European white truffle can be worth $6000 dollars or more per kilo!

The scent of a ripe truffle is similar to the mate attracting scent given off by male pigs, this means female pigs can be turned to truffle hunting with very little training. The downside is that pigs really like eating them, and when coupled with their very destructive way of digging they can literally eat into profits if not kept under control. Unlucky truffle hunters have been known to lose harvests, and even fingers, to aggressive pigs. This has lead to the rise of truffle hunting dogs as challengers for the role. While they need more training to perform the job they’re also much easier to control.

Want more interesting pigs or to share your own animal knowledge? Log on or sign up to let us know!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on 28/01/19

For some of you, this week means back to school for another year – and I think it’s fair to say that can be fraught with some . . .mixed emotions . . .

While some of you may be super stoked for school to return, and that is AWESOME, others may be feeling a little less than excited, and perhaps even a bit anxious to start back.

So after some of the members and I were chatting about this the other day, I wanted to share some little nuggets of wisdom and advise they gave for anyone who may be feeling not so keen to go back to school.

So what would you like to tell anyone who may be starting high school, or a new school, this year?

Tommytiger:

Everyone in year 7 are new as well and would feel the same way as you. All of them are trying to find friends, so the first day is the best day to get out of your comfort zone.

But also, just take it one day at a time so it’s easy for you.

Rep_Isabella

[If you’re feeling nervous, think of it] as an exciting way to see your friends everyday

Minions12:

A good friend comes in all shapes and sizes and nationalities. A good friend will accept you for who you are, no matter what you look like. Just be yourself, don’t try to be someone you’re not, because you’ll just end up disappointing yourself.

And if things get a bit too hard . . .

 

Tommytiger:

Tell a friend who you can talk to, and talk your teacher or social worker if need be.

[And remember] if you are needing someone to talk to, Livewire is always there for you!

. . . .

Tommytiger’s bonus back to school checklist:

Pencil case

Binder book

Calculator

Pencils

Highlighters

pens

Folders for loose papers

USB

School uniform

Shoes and socks

School hat

Art smock if required

A backpack

A device if your school requires it

Sharpener

Gluestick

Rubber/eraser

Ruler

Coloured pencils

Lunch box (with lunch and snacks inside 😛 )

Drink bottle

PE (sports) uniform if required

Class novel

scissors

And a good attitude

What advice would you like to give to anyone who may be feeling nervous to go back to school? Log on or sign up to let us know!