Tiny grape hyacinths in my front yard!
The wood anemone is carpeting the leafy floor of the forest behind my house.
Forsynthia, you are my hero!
Monday, April 05, 2010
Spring, I say! Spring!
Tiny grape hyacinths in my front yard!
The wood anemone is carpeting the leafy floor of the forest behind my house.
Forsynthia, you are my hero!
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Happy Easter - Random Easter Thinking
I was raised without religion so when I was growing up this holiday was all about bunnies and chocolate. I don't recall attending an Easter Service until I was adult.
At my grandmother's house, we would fill plastic eggs with candy and hide them around her yard and then go seek them out. We took turns hiding them from one another and occasionally an adult would oblige us and hide them for us so we could all go hunting at the same time. The kids around would have been myself, my brother and my two uncles, who ranged in age from a year younger than I to four years older, with various cousins dropping in from time to time.
I remember getting up and seeing big Easter baskets a la Santa Claus on Easter morning. Some years they came with little garden tools or plastic lawnmowers but always lots of candy.
Our eggs came from chickens on the farm and they were mostly brown so we didn't dye them. Brown eggs simply don't dye that well. I remember my mother purchased white eggs a few times simply so we could dye them. I don't recall being all that excited about the process of watching them turn colors. I do remember being warned about being sure we found them all because otherwise they would stink if we left them lying about.
Because we raised chickens, I never wanted to receive a little chick on Easter.
Easter is a time of promise and renewal. A time of new beginnings. Outside my window I see green fields now where only a few weeks ago there was nothing but brown grass. In the far field the mustard has sprung up, leaving a yellow streak among the green. Daffodils dance in the wind. The trees have hints of green and the mountains are no longer dull. The leaves aren't out yet but their buds tint the landscape. The redbuds are opening, dogwoods are venturing forth and the birds are singing lustily from the trees.
I celebrate Easter and God's glory in the wonders of nature and the joyfulness of life. The sky is my cathedral, the trees my columns, the landscape my stained-glass windows, the damp earthy my pew. The Word of God is whispered on the wind if one only stops to listen and the Words are written all around us if we only open our eyes and look.
Life and Love.
Life and Love.
Life and Love.
Amen.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Thursday Thirteen
April Fool's! This is not my favorite day; I am too literal. But you jesters enjoy!
1. The most recent full moon is called the Full Worm Moon. This is because the ground is thawing and worms are showing up just in time for the robins to appear. Northern Native American tribes called this the Full Crow Moon, because you can hear their raucous noise now, or the Full Crust Moon, because the snow crusted over as it froze and thawed. Some call this the Full Sap Moon, because it is time to tap maple trees for syrup. It has also been called the Lenten Moon, last full moon of winter.
2. Many full moon names date back to Native Americans, who tracked the seasons by giving names to the full moons and using those names for the entire month thereafter. European settlers adopted the custom and in some cases created their own names.
3. In January, we see the Full Wolf Moon, so named because this is when the wolves howl. It is also called the Old Moon, Moon After Yule, or Full Snow Moon.
4. Full Snow Moon is seen in February, when there are usually the heaviest snows. This is also called the Full Hunger Moon (empty bellies).
5. In April we will see the Full Pink Moon, which comes from phlox, a spring flower. It is also sometimes called the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Full Fish Moon, because this is when shad swim upstream to spawn.
6. In May we will see Full Flower Moon, because those April showers brought those May flowers. Other names are the Full Corn Planting Moon or the Milk Moon.
7. In June we will see the Full Strawberry Moon (yum!) among Native Americans but in Europe they called it the Rose Moon.
8. In July we will see the Full Buck Moon, so named because this is when bucks begin to grow their antlers. It is sometimes called the Full Thunder Moon (for obvious reasons) or the Full Hay Moon.
9. In August we will see the Full Sturgeon Moon, because this is the best time to catch sturgeon. It is also called the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.
10. September brings us the Full Corn Moon, because this is when corn is ready for harvest. This is also sometimes called the Harvest Moon.
11. The Full Harvest Moon is also the name of the moon in October. It has something to do with autumn equinox dates as to why this moon occurs in September or October.
12. In November, we will see the Full Beaver Moon, so called because this is the time to set beaver traps and bring in furs. This is sometimes called the Frosty Moon.
13. December brings the The Full Cold Moon, also called the Full Long Nights Moon or Moon Before Yule.
Thanks to my friend Inga for giving me the idea and information for this entry!
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. You can read about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 133!
1. The most recent full moon is called the Full Worm Moon. This is because the ground is thawing and worms are showing up just in time for the robins to appear. Northern Native American tribes called this the Full Crow Moon, because you can hear their raucous noise now, or the Full Crust Moon, because the snow crusted over as it froze and thawed. Some call this the Full Sap Moon, because it is time to tap maple trees for syrup. It has also been called the Lenten Moon, last full moon of winter.
2. Many full moon names date back to Native Americans, who tracked the seasons by giving names to the full moons and using those names for the entire month thereafter. European settlers adopted the custom and in some cases created their own names.
3. In January, we see the Full Wolf Moon, so named because this is when the wolves howl. It is also called the Old Moon, Moon After Yule, or Full Snow Moon.
4. Full Snow Moon is seen in February, when there are usually the heaviest snows. This is also called the Full Hunger Moon (empty bellies).
5. In April we will see the Full Pink Moon, which comes from phlox, a spring flower. It is also sometimes called the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Full Fish Moon, because this is when shad swim upstream to spawn.
6. In May we will see Full Flower Moon, because those April showers brought those May flowers. Other names are the Full Corn Planting Moon or the Milk Moon.
7. In June we will see the Full Strawberry Moon (yum!) among Native Americans but in Europe they called it the Rose Moon.
8. In July we will see the Full Buck Moon, so named because this is when bucks begin to grow their antlers. It is sometimes called the Full Thunder Moon (for obvious reasons) or the Full Hay Moon.
9. In August we will see the Full Sturgeon Moon, because this is the best time to catch sturgeon. It is also called the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.
10. September brings us the Full Corn Moon, because this is when corn is ready for harvest. This is also sometimes called the Harvest Moon.
11. The Full Harvest Moon is also the name of the moon in October. It has something to do with autumn equinox dates as to why this moon occurs in September or October.
12. In November, we will see the Full Beaver Moon, so called because this is the time to set beaver traps and bring in furs. This is sometimes called the Frosty Moon.
13. December brings the The Full Cold Moon, also called the Full Long Nights Moon or Moon Before Yule.
Thanks to my friend Inga for giving me the idea and information for this entry!
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. You can read about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 133!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Turtles
Last night in my Life Planning seminar at Hollins, the facilitator brought in Aretha, a massage therapist and inner light sort of lady.
Aretha's message to us was to find our inner purpose. Find our rhythm, our bliss, our peace.
She then played a CD with the sounds of the ocean and lead us through a short guided imagery so that we could all then pick up our pens and paper and begin the hard work of figuring out who we are and what we want out of life.
During the imagery I slipped into something akin to a trance. I have long used imagery techniques and can quickly fall into my "safe place" when I am feeling frustrated and upset, provided I remember to do it. Sometimes I forget.
As I listened to the sounds of the waves, images of turtles came to me,* totally unbidden. Dark green and serene, floating along in the water. They were safe in their shells, carrying their homes on their backs. They had no worries for everything they needed was with them or right in front of them. They were smiling.
Perhaps I then fell asleep, because suddenly there appeared a turtle without a leg. No blood, but no leg, either. And that turtle too was swimming along, but not doing quite as well as his peers. He was missing a back leg, after all. And then as I looked I noticed that others were missing parts, too. Some had no front leg. Some had cracked shells. One was missing an eye. They were all injured in some way.
The turtles continued to forge through the water, their turtle faces still wearing what I was interpreting as a smile.
I came back to myself with a start, feeling bewildered and confused. I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote "turtles without legs?" on it so I wouldn't forget. Shortly thereafter, still feeling as if I were in a dream, I wrote "Lose the Fear" and circled it. And then I wrote "Find Your Courage" and circled that.
This morning as I look over my page, written while I rested in a different space from that which I normally dwell, I see other things:
Time for myself
Just be
Be Love
Beloved
Love
Leave it all
Start anew
Create my own dance
Laugh
Live because you must
What does the heart say
*The facilitator said absolutely nothing about turtles, so I don't know where that came from.*
Aretha's message to us was to find our inner purpose. Find our rhythm, our bliss, our peace.
She then played a CD with the sounds of the ocean and lead us through a short guided imagery so that we could all then pick up our pens and paper and begin the hard work of figuring out who we are and what we want out of life.
During the imagery I slipped into something akin to a trance. I have long used imagery techniques and can quickly fall into my "safe place" when I am feeling frustrated and upset, provided I remember to do it. Sometimes I forget.
As I listened to the sounds of the waves, images of turtles came to me,* totally unbidden. Dark green and serene, floating along in the water. They were safe in their shells, carrying their homes on their backs. They had no worries for everything they needed was with them or right in front of them. They were smiling.
Perhaps I then fell asleep, because suddenly there appeared a turtle without a leg. No blood, but no leg, either. And that turtle too was swimming along, but not doing quite as well as his peers. He was missing a back leg, after all. And then as I looked I noticed that others were missing parts, too. Some had no front leg. Some had cracked shells. One was missing an eye. They were all injured in some way.
The turtles continued to forge through the water, their turtle faces still wearing what I was interpreting as a smile.
I came back to myself with a start, feeling bewildered and confused. I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote "turtles without legs?" on it so I wouldn't forget. Shortly thereafter, still feeling as if I were in a dream, I wrote "Lose the Fear" and circled it. And then I wrote "Find Your Courage" and circled that.
This morning as I look over my page, written while I rested in a different space from that which I normally dwell, I see other things:
Time for myself
Just be
Be Love
Beloved
Love
Leave it all
Start anew
Create my own dance
Laugh
Live because you must
What does the heart say
*The facilitator said absolutely nothing about turtles, so I don't know where that came from.*
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
A Blog Award
Alice Audrey over at Alice's Restaurant gave me this blog award, for which I thank her.
Alice is a Thursday Thirteen participant and so we visit one another weekly.
I truly have no idea what an "Honest Scrap" award is. Am I a scrapper in my writing? Do I hammer home my points (based on the visual in the award). Do I have thick arm muscles?
There are rules about these things, and here are the ones for this award:
Honest Scrap
You are supposed to nominate seven other bloggers for it, who can then do with it
what they will. The other portion of your assignment is to blog ten little known and interesting facts about yourself.
I am just going to say if you think you're an honest scrapper and you'd like this award, please take it! Instead of nominating anyone I am simply going to shout out to some of my favorite blogs. There's June over at Spatter, Colleen over at Loose Leaf Notes, Amy at Virginia Scribe, Becky at Peevish Pen, Diane at Blue Ridge Gal, Ginger at landuvmilknhoney, Beth at Blue Ridge Blue Collar Girl, and Lenora at Journal of Days. Check any of them out if you're looking for interesting reading.
Now for the important part. Those 10 facts.
1. My hair is brown and gray. I started going gray in my 20s. I do not call the color "gray" when I speak of it but instead consider it a "soft white." You know, like a light bulb.
2. My eyes are hazel. Sometimes they are blue. Sometimes they are green. Sometimes they are gray. Once someone told my eyes looked like cracked ice.
3. I have a scar on my chest that is 4 inches long (I just measured it). When I was in school, I used to be sure my gym teacher saw the scar. Then, if I didn't feel like running or whatever, I would simply lay my hands over my chest and say I didn't feel well. I was always automatically excused. I knew they thought I'd had some kind of heart surgery even though I would never lie and call it that. It wasn't heart surgery. I had a huge mole removed from my chest when I was five years old. If they'd asked I would have told them but they never did.
4. I would be better off today if I hadn't lain out of gym class so often when I was younger. This is a fact.
5. I knew from the first grade that I would be a writer.
6. In the second grade I was the best reader but the teacher would not give me an A because I did not read with inflection in my voice. She embarrassed me in front of the class by telling me this was why I did not get a better grade, and then demonstrated it by reading in a monotone and making the class laugh.
7. I used to chew my fingernails very badly. Now I just keep them clipped back very short. Occasionally, particularly when I am reading, I might still take a chomp.
8. I grind my teeth at night.
9. I once started to write a book on Mary Johnston but when I went to do the research, I discovered I was severely allergic to the boxes of her papers at the University of Virginia Library. I abandoned the project.
10. I do not have a favorite book or a favorite author.
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Power of Words
Language is the way we communicate and it is the way we persuade.
Word usage can make the difference between positive and negatives, good and bad, black and white. It can make things clearer or it can muddy the waters so much that the reader (0r listener) will never see the bottom of the pond.
The media today is full of language that, as far as I am concerned, are disingenuous twistings of meanings. The words are meant to convey one thing while meaning something else.
Sometimes words even lose their meaning because no one really knows what they are talking about.
Examples:
Cost-Recovery Program for EMS. This is a local program wherein you have to pay when the rescue squad comes and gets you. The county charges insurance companies only and if you have no insurance, supposedly you do not receive a bill. When I was writing about this for the newspaper, I insisted on calling it "pay for service" because that is really what it is. Cost Recovery is just a bureaucratic way of hiding what the program really does.
Death tax v. estate tax. Calling a tax on a multi-million dollar estate a "death tax" strikes fear into the heart of the little fellow who will never have a million dollar estate, much less a multi-million dollar estate, regardless of his hopes and dreams.
Death panel v. end-of-life counseling. Death panel? Really? Come on. End of life counseling is a great thing. It is greatly needed in this country. As I understand it, end of life counseling in no way precludes someone from getting care but it does make sure that a person making decisions has all the information.
Bank bailout/ Wall Street bail out. Let's call 'em what they are, shall we? Redistribution of wealth and class warfare.
Middle class. Who is middle class? Does anyone know? Working class? Upper class? Lower class? Poor? Apparently everyone is middle class these days. But they aren't. Can we have some honesty here and acknowledge that the USA has a large number of poor people and working class people and these folks are struggling?
GM Bailout. This was no bailout. This was a government takeover of a privately-owned business, and it is the reason why Toyota has been appearing before Congress.
USA PATRIOT ACT. This is a good example of giving something an acronym or name when it really means something else. The name implies this Act is good for America and anyone who opposes it is unpatriotic (which is a really bad thing to be in this country). In reality, this thing took away rights, allowed the government to peek at the books you check out in the library, and went a long way towards creating the climate of police state that we now have here.
Iraq War, Afghanistan War. Are these really wars, or are they police actions? Are they police actions, or are they grabs for oil? Why are we there, really? Can we have a little truth?
Terrorist/Terrorism. This is a word that has lost its meaning for me because it has so many meanings. I think the folks who throw rocks through government windows or slash gas lines of brothers of folks in Congress are domestic terrorists. Militant Christians can terrorize just as well as a Muslim. We need new descriptions.
NIMBY. The Not-in-My-Back-Yard acronym angered me recently when someone used it with me. It is a pejorative used to immediately imply that those opposing an issue are wrong and have no reasons for opposition other than "because."
Pro-life, Pro-abortion. The left lost this one when the right adopted a "pro-life" stance and the media continued to use it. NPR just issued a new policy that will remove the use of these words from its language on the radio and in its writing. They will use abortion rights advocates and abortion rights supporters. Many folks in the comments at the link are objecting to these changes, mostly from the right. To their mind saying "abortion rights" implies that NPR is leftest and supporting abortion rights. I guess the commentators could get even more ungainly and say "those who support lack of choice when it comes to abortion" "those in favor of choice when it comes to abortion" or something. I am not arguing this issue so please don't take me to task for it; I'm not stating my thoughts on the issue but on the language used to describe the issue. I am not publicly saying where I stand on this as it is no one's business but my own.
What are other language uses today that are torturing and twisting the tongue and bruising the mind as we try to understand one another?
What can we do to speak clearer and say what we mean?
Do we really want to be messaged to death instead of understanding?
Word usage can make the difference between positive and negatives, good and bad, black and white. It can make things clearer or it can muddy the waters so much that the reader (0r listener) will never see the bottom of the pond.
The media today is full of language that, as far as I am concerned, are disingenuous twistings of meanings. The words are meant to convey one thing while meaning something else.
Sometimes words even lose their meaning because no one really knows what they are talking about.
Examples:
Cost-Recovery Program for EMS. This is a local program wherein you have to pay when the rescue squad comes and gets you. The county charges insurance companies only and if you have no insurance, supposedly you do not receive a bill. When I was writing about this for the newspaper, I insisted on calling it "pay for service" because that is really what it is. Cost Recovery is just a bureaucratic way of hiding what the program really does.
Death tax v. estate tax. Calling a tax on a multi-million dollar estate a "death tax" strikes fear into the heart of the little fellow who will never have a million dollar estate, much less a multi-million dollar estate, regardless of his hopes and dreams.
Death panel v. end-of-life counseling. Death panel? Really? Come on. End of life counseling is a great thing. It is greatly needed in this country. As I understand it, end of life counseling in no way precludes someone from getting care but it does make sure that a person making decisions has all the information.
Bank bailout/ Wall Street bail out. Let's call 'em what they are, shall we? Redistribution of wealth and class warfare.
Middle class. Who is middle class? Does anyone know? Working class? Upper class? Lower class? Poor? Apparently everyone is middle class these days. But they aren't. Can we have some honesty here and acknowledge that the USA has a large number of poor people and working class people and these folks are struggling?
GM Bailout. This was no bailout. This was a government takeover of a privately-owned business, and it is the reason why Toyota has been appearing before Congress.
USA PATRIOT ACT. This is a good example of giving something an acronym or name when it really means something else. The name implies this Act is good for America and anyone who opposes it is unpatriotic (which is a really bad thing to be in this country). In reality, this thing took away rights, allowed the government to peek at the books you check out in the library, and went a long way towards creating the climate of police state that we now have here.
Iraq War, Afghanistan War. Are these really wars, or are they police actions? Are they police actions, or are they grabs for oil? Why are we there, really? Can we have a little truth?
Terrorist/Terrorism. This is a word that has lost its meaning for me because it has so many meanings. I think the folks who throw rocks through government windows or slash gas lines of brothers of folks in Congress are domestic terrorists. Militant Christians can terrorize just as well as a Muslim. We need new descriptions.
NIMBY. The Not-in-My-Back-Yard acronym angered me recently when someone used it with me. It is a pejorative used to immediately imply that those opposing an issue are wrong and have no reasons for opposition other than "because."
Pro-life, Pro-abortion. The left lost this one when the right adopted a "pro-life" stance and the media continued to use it. NPR just issued a new policy that will remove the use of these words from its language on the radio and in its writing. They will use abortion rights advocates and abortion rights supporters. Many folks in the comments at the link are objecting to these changes, mostly from the right. To their mind saying "abortion rights" implies that NPR is leftest and supporting abortion rights. I guess the commentators could get even more ungainly and say "those who support lack of choice when it comes to abortion" "those in favor of choice when it comes to abortion" or something. I am not arguing this issue so please don't take me to task for it; I'm not stating my thoughts on the issue but on the language used to describe the issue. I am not publicly saying where I stand on this as it is no one's business but my own.
What are other language uses today that are torturing and twisting the tongue and bruising the mind as we try to understand one another?
What can we do to speak clearer and say what we mean?
Do we really want to be messaged to death instead of understanding?
Sunday, March 28, 2010
The Living Room Bed
Last week Peggy Shifflett, author of The Living Room Bed: Birthing, Healing and Dying in Traditional Appalachia, presented me with my very own copy of her self-published book.
The author, Peggy Shifflett.
I edited this book for her back in January and early February. I really enjoyed working with her and learned that this type of work, that is, editing for folks, is something I desire. I like editing. I think I do a decent job and Peggy seemed pleased.
I really liked being able to hold the finished product in my hands. I stood salivating over it for the longest time after I returned home with it. It is a bit memoir, a bit history, a bit nostalgia, and partly social commentary. I understand from Peggy that she already has quite an audience for her books in the Shenandoah Valley.
She also thanked me in the acknowledgements, which was very kind. This is the fourth book that has mentioned me in the acknowledgements and I am always quite flattered. I also suspect that being mentioned in a book acknowledgement is not something that happens to anyone very often, so I feel very humbled by that.
The cover of the book.
The back of the book.
With chapters such as Midwives of Hopkins Gap, Gender Mattered, Recovering from Childhood Illnesses and Courtship and Marriage, a reader can obtain a historic and eye-opening understanding of the hard life of Appalachian mountain folk prior to the 1960s (and some of these people still live like this today).
Peggy talks about how difficult it was to sleep three or four children to a bed, what it was like to have to go outside to the outhouse, and how horrible it was to be a girl in a patriarchal and overly religious society. Her insight into these kinds of social mores is fascinating. She also interviewed a wide range of folks in Virginia, covering a stretch from Grayson County to Rockingham County, so the book offers up numerous perspectives of the hard life of mountain folk.
If you have any interest in Appalachian history, folk life, or folklore, I urge you to look for one of Peggy's books in gift shops in the Shenandoah Valley. You can also order directly from her. She is in the process of putting up a website but you can email her for ordering information at pshiffle@radford.edu. The book lists for $22.
Disclosure: I'm not receiving any money for promoting this book, but I was paid to edit it.
The author, Peggy Shifflett.
I edited this book for her back in January and early February. I really enjoyed working with her and learned that this type of work, that is, editing for folks, is something I desire. I like editing. I think I do a decent job and Peggy seemed pleased.
I really liked being able to hold the finished product in my hands. I stood salivating over it for the longest time after I returned home with it. It is a bit memoir, a bit history, a bit nostalgia, and partly social commentary. I understand from Peggy that she already has quite an audience for her books in the Shenandoah Valley.
She also thanked me in the acknowledgements, which was very kind. This is the fourth book that has mentioned me in the acknowledgements and I am always quite flattered. I also suspect that being mentioned in a book acknowledgement is not something that happens to anyone very often, so I feel very humbled by that.
The cover of the book.
The back of the book.
With chapters such as Midwives of Hopkins Gap, Gender Mattered, Recovering from Childhood Illnesses and Courtship and Marriage, a reader can obtain a historic and eye-opening understanding of the hard life of Appalachian mountain folk prior to the 1960s (and some of these people still live like this today).
Peggy talks about how difficult it was to sleep three or four children to a bed, what it was like to have to go outside to the outhouse, and how horrible it was to be a girl in a patriarchal and overly religious society. Her insight into these kinds of social mores is fascinating. She also interviewed a wide range of folks in Virginia, covering a stretch from Grayson County to Rockingham County, so the book offers up numerous perspectives of the hard life of mountain folk.
If you have any interest in Appalachian history, folk life, or folklore, I urge you to look for one of Peggy's books in gift shops in the Shenandoah Valley. You can also order directly from her. She is in the process of putting up a website but you can email her for ordering information at pshiffle@radford.edu. The book lists for $22.
Disclosure: I'm not receiving any money for promoting this book, but I was paid to edit it.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Winter's Over
The hay fields are starting to green up!
I have begun the process of installing fences around my flower beds to keep away the rabbits and deer. I will put up a taller fence of plastic netting behind the short fence - this will be to keep out deer. The rabbits eat the plastic netting so one must have two fences these days.
Oh daffodil! How I love your yellow blooms! You are the herald of spring, trumpeting out the news.
Perfect pansy, thank you so much for giving my deck a little color!
Purple and blue pansies, I adore you!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Thursday Thirteen
Dreams and Goals
1. My Life Planning class at Hollins University on Tuesday night focused on goals. As we worked, I started wondering what the difference is between a dream and a goal. Are they the same thing? Mutually exclusive? Does one become the other? I dream of writing a novel . . . it needs to become a goal and then a reality. What are your dreams? Are they different from your goals? Are your dreams and goals different from your reality? Can you change that? Do you want to?
2. My brother told me he has lost 25 pounds in the last three weeks on some diet that involves seeing a doctor weekly and taking vitamin shots. While I am pleased that he is losing weight, I worry about his health. Everything I have ever read about weight loss says it is not healthy to lose weight that quickly. His goal is to be a slim and svelte and he's taken action to make it a reality. I admire that, but still. Be healthy, folks!
3. When I was young, I wanted to be a writer, an archaeologist, a historian, a geologist, a musician, and a teacher. Of those, I am a writer and an amateur historian. I suppose I am a teacher sometimes through my writing and I once spent a year as a substitute teacher in the county schools (I will never do that again!). I once played the guitar professionally in a Top 40 band, but that was when I was in high school. Being an archaeologist and a geologist was never more than a dream.
4. I always wanted a college degree and I really wanted it from Hollins. It took me eight years to get my four-year degree, but I did it and when I had the sheepskin in my hand, it was also completely paid for. Graduation was my goal and I achieved it - with honor!
5. I began working on my Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies degree, also at Hollins, but 18 years later, I am still four classes and a thesis short of having it. This was never a solid goal and I could not - and still can't - figure out what good it would do me to have it so I stopped pursuing it when money became tight and didn't go back.
6. I don't know a single woman who has ever retired to go play golf or sit around and whittle or whatever. Every retired woman I know works her butt off keeping the house clean or volunteering or keeping the grandkids. I have no goals to retire, since that is the case.
7. What's going on in the nation with regards to the health care bill is rather scary, I don't care what side a person is on. Understanding this is an immediate concern for me. I urge folks not to listen to the propaganda from the media on either side. Read the thing for yourself and then make up your mind. You can read the main bill here and then reconciliation changes here. Yes, it is long and it legal language and it can be confusing, but if you live in a world of truth and reality, as opposed to one of propaganda and half-truths and distortions, I urge you to take the time to try to sort it out. I haven't plodded through it all yet but I am slowly moving through it. It is a goal.
8. Some days are so difficult to plod through that the shower at the end of the day becomes the goal. Other days are so wonderful and inspiring that the goal is to never let it end.
9. Making loads of money has never been a major goal for me. I have always been pretty happy with "just enough," whatever that is. I wonder sometimes if I would have gone further in life if I had been a little more greedy, but then I look at greedy people and am not unhappy that I am otherwise.
10. I would very much like to travel to California to see my grandmother, who just turned 90. For a number of reasons, I cannot make the trip. Is this a dream or a goal? Or is it something else, like a desire, that I haven't even touched on?
11. I have a weight loss goal which at present is elusive. I haven't found the magic combination of foods that keep me feeling okay and yet able to lose weight. I am not sure there is such a combination. If a goal remains unattainable, does it then become a dream? If I decline to follow my brother's example, for instance, because I think it unhealthy, does that mean I am not sincere in my goal? Is this goal also just a dream?
12. Recently I dreamed about neon green spiders, dungeons, and my husband. Those types of dreams are really just dreams. Except for my husband. He's pretty real. Except for when he is in my dreams. I'm getting confused!
13. You are what you are. You can make it hard or you can make it easy; you can chase after dreams and pursue goals, you can run races or walk fast and still get to the same place. The journey is up to each of us. Pursue your dreams, set your goals. Embrace life.
That's all for today!
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. You can read about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 132!
1. My Life Planning class at Hollins University on Tuesday night focused on goals. As we worked, I started wondering what the difference is between a dream and a goal. Are they the same thing? Mutually exclusive? Does one become the other? I dream of writing a novel . . . it needs to become a goal and then a reality. What are your dreams? Are they different from your goals? Are your dreams and goals different from your reality? Can you change that? Do you want to?
2. My brother told me he has lost 25 pounds in the last three weeks on some diet that involves seeing a doctor weekly and taking vitamin shots. While I am pleased that he is losing weight, I worry about his health. Everything I have ever read about weight loss says it is not healthy to lose weight that quickly. His goal is to be a slim and svelte and he's taken action to make it a reality. I admire that, but still. Be healthy, folks!
3. When I was young, I wanted to be a writer, an archaeologist, a historian, a geologist, a musician, and a teacher. Of those, I am a writer and an amateur historian. I suppose I am a teacher sometimes through my writing and I once spent a year as a substitute teacher in the county schools (I will never do that again!). I once played the guitar professionally in a Top 40 band, but that was when I was in high school. Being an archaeologist and a geologist was never more than a dream.
4. I always wanted a college degree and I really wanted it from Hollins. It took me eight years to get my four-year degree, but I did it and when I had the sheepskin in my hand, it was also completely paid for. Graduation was my goal and I achieved it - with honor!
5. I began working on my Masters of Arts in Liberal Studies degree, also at Hollins, but 18 years later, I am still four classes and a thesis short of having it. This was never a solid goal and I could not - and still can't - figure out what good it would do me to have it so I stopped pursuing it when money became tight and didn't go back.
6. I don't know a single woman who has ever retired to go play golf or sit around and whittle or whatever. Every retired woman I know works her butt off keeping the house clean or volunteering or keeping the grandkids. I have no goals to retire, since that is the case.
7. What's going on in the nation with regards to the health care bill is rather scary, I don't care what side a person is on. Understanding this is an immediate concern for me. I urge folks not to listen to the propaganda from the media on either side. Read the thing for yourself and then make up your mind. You can read the main bill here and then reconciliation changes here. Yes, it is long and it legal language and it can be confusing, but if you live in a world of truth and reality, as opposed to one of propaganda and half-truths and distortions, I urge you to take the time to try to sort it out. I haven't plodded through it all yet but I am slowly moving through it. It is a goal.
8. Some days are so difficult to plod through that the shower at the end of the day becomes the goal. Other days are so wonderful and inspiring that the goal is to never let it end.
9. Making loads of money has never been a major goal for me. I have always been pretty happy with "just enough," whatever that is. I wonder sometimes if I would have gone further in life if I had been a little more greedy, but then I look at greedy people and am not unhappy that I am otherwise.
10. I would very much like to travel to California to see my grandmother, who just turned 90. For a number of reasons, I cannot make the trip. Is this a dream or a goal? Or is it something else, like a desire, that I haven't even touched on?
11. I have a weight loss goal which at present is elusive. I haven't found the magic combination of foods that keep me feeling okay and yet able to lose weight. I am not sure there is such a combination. If a goal remains unattainable, does it then become a dream? If I decline to follow my brother's example, for instance, because I think it unhealthy, does that mean I am not sincere in my goal? Is this goal also just a dream?
12. Recently I dreamed about neon green spiders, dungeons, and my husband. Those types of dreams are really just dreams. Except for my husband. He's pretty real. Except for when he is in my dreams. I'm getting confused!
13. You are what you are. You can make it hard or you can make it easy; you can chase after dreams and pursue goals, you can run races or walk fast and still get to the same place. The journey is up to each of us. Pursue your dreams, set your goals. Embrace life.
That's all for today!
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. You can read about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 132!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
A Lovely Memory
Last week my aunt called and told me she'd found something amongst some of my grandmother's items that she thought I might like.
After a visit, she gave me two little Grandma and Grandpa banks. I was delighted.
I gave these to my grandparents in 1974, when I was 11 years old. I vividly remember their purchase. My parents were Christmas shopping in downtown Roanoke and we went into the Mr. Peanut Store. The Peanut Store had a Mr. Peanut roaster and a big statue of Mr. Peanut, complete with monocle and top hat.
Aside from peanuts and candies, the store offered a variety of gift items. And on a shelf were the Grandma and Grandpa banks.
I had to have them for my grandparents. I thought they were cute, different and a bit of a joke because they were a retirement fund in pennies.
My grandmother loved them, probably because I gave them to her, and she placed them in a spot of honor on her small secretary. It had a shelf with my favorite books - a selection of great literature (The Silver Skates, Huckleberry Finn, etc.) and her treasure of Little House on the Prairie books. For years the little banks sat separated on the shelf, one on each side of the books.
As the years passed and my grandmother sold her things and her home for her personal care, not to mention a move to Georgia to live with my aunt for a while, I wondered about the little banks. I figured they went out in a yard sale long ago.
I mentioned them to my aunt once in a conversation, asking if she remembered them. I did not expect her to find them, so I was very pleased when she did and then gave them to me.
Grandpa and Grandma now have a place of honor on the shelf in my living room. I daresay they will mean nothing to anyone else in the future, but for me they are a treasure of a memory - a remembrance of myself as a young girl, eager to please her grandparents, and the delight my grandmother took in showcasing something so ordinary.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Books: Sea Glass
Sea Glass
By Anita Shreve
Read by Kyra Sedgwick
Abridged
Copyright 2002
Sea glass are shards of glass that wash ashore onto the beach. The glass no longer has rough edges; they've been worn by the waves and saltwater. Some of the pieces sparkle like jewelry.
Honora finds the sea glass along the beach where she and her husband, Sexton, have settled immediately prior to the stock market crash of 1929.
This event has a great impact upon this couple's life, and the lives of the other characters in the book. The story unfolds from multiple viewpoints (which made it a difficult audio book, to be sure, as I listened to it in the car and occasionally forgot who was speaking) and the characters all come together in the second half of the book.
Honora is a young woman who thinks she loves her husband. She wants a family, a nice home, the white picket fence. Her husband is a salesman, and he turns out to be a rather oily and smarmy fellow in the end. The question of whether Honora will end up with dashed hopes and dreams is central to the book.
Vivian is another main character. She is high society and she moves in a different circle, yet she befriends Honora and becomes a central figure in her life.
The story is set in New Hampshire, and while the timing is nearly a century ago, with the current economic climate the realities of harsh living will ring true.
This book is exquisitely written, the characters wonderfully drawn, and the setting portrayed well enough that I know what that area of the U.S. looks like without ever having been there.
Many themes are apparent: life, death, hope, love. This is a brilliant book, solid and sturdy as a New Hampshire fishing village.
By Anita Shreve
Read by Kyra Sedgwick
Abridged
Copyright 2002
Sea glass are shards of glass that wash ashore onto the beach. The glass no longer has rough edges; they've been worn by the waves and saltwater. Some of the pieces sparkle like jewelry.
Honora finds the sea glass along the beach where she and her husband, Sexton, have settled immediately prior to the stock market crash of 1929.
This event has a great impact upon this couple's life, and the lives of the other characters in the book. The story unfolds from multiple viewpoints (which made it a difficult audio book, to be sure, as I listened to it in the car and occasionally forgot who was speaking) and the characters all come together in the second half of the book.
Honora is a young woman who thinks she loves her husband. She wants a family, a nice home, the white picket fence. Her husband is a salesman, and he turns out to be a rather oily and smarmy fellow in the end. The question of whether Honora will end up with dashed hopes and dreams is central to the book.
Vivian is another main character. She is high society and she moves in a different circle, yet she befriends Honora and becomes a central figure in her life.
The story is set in New Hampshire, and while the timing is nearly a century ago, with the current economic climate the realities of harsh living will ring true.
This book is exquisitely written, the characters wonderfully drawn, and the setting portrayed well enough that I know what that area of the U.S. looks like without ever having been there.
Many themes are apparent: life, death, hope, love. This is a brilliant book, solid and sturdy as a New Hampshire fishing village.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
The Big 9-0
Today my Grandmother B., who lives in California, turns 90!
That is old. But not so old to me as it used to be. These days 90 looks pretty young!
Grandma was born in West Virginia. She married my grandfather Joe (he died in 1989) young and they had three boys - Ken, Jerry and my father - and a girl, Elizabeth. Eventually the family moved to Salem, VA, somewhere about 1960. They lived in the house behind my maternal grandmother off East Riverside Drive.
In 1963, not long after I was born, they left for California. My father stayed behind while everyone else headed west.
As a result, I did not see much of my grandparents and really do not know my father's side of the family. I talk to my grandmother frequently on the phone but it is a rather one-sided conversation because she cannot hear well.
However, at 90, she seems to be doing okay. She still lives alone. Uncle Ken lives a few houses away and he looks in on her everyday. She has a cleaning woman come in to take care of things. I think she still cooks but she told me on the phone yesterday that she thought it was time she gave that up because her poor vision did not allow her to read the recipes.
So happy birthday, Grandma B! I hope that whatever years you have left are good ones.
That is old. But not so old to me as it used to be. These days 90 looks pretty young!
Grandma was born in West Virginia. She married my grandfather Joe (he died in 1989) young and they had three boys - Ken, Jerry and my father - and a girl, Elizabeth. Eventually the family moved to Salem, VA, somewhere about 1960. They lived in the house behind my maternal grandmother off East Riverside Drive.
In 1963, not long after I was born, they left for California. My father stayed behind while everyone else headed west.
As a result, I did not see much of my grandparents and really do not know my father's side of the family. I talk to my grandmother frequently on the phone but it is a rather one-sided conversation because she cannot hear well.
However, at 90, she seems to be doing okay. She still lives alone. Uncle Ken lives a few houses away and he looks in on her everyday. She has a cleaning woman come in to take care of things. I think she still cooks but she told me on the phone yesterday that she thought it was time she gave that up because her poor vision did not allow her to read the recipes.
So happy birthday, Grandma B! I hope that whatever years you have left are good ones.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Signs of Spring
Leaf buds on my roses!
O jaunty forsythia, send forth thy golden blooms!
Open, daffodil, herald of spring!
Grow strong, mighty iris, my favorite spring bloom!
Come forth, my mums! I await your shower of yellow in my whisky barrel!
Ah, dryland cress! An early salad green, for those brave enough to try it.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Thursday Thirteen
Today, it's a random 13!
1. They really do use golden shovels when they have groundbreakings. I took this picture at the Lewis-Gale Imaging Center ceremonial groundbreaking on Tuesday at Daleville Town Center. (The shovels are just spray painted! They aren't really golden.)
2. Being an INTJ makes me the among the "most independent personalities," according to the Myers Briggs Indicator. Last night I had my husband take an online test and he is an ISTJ, making him the "most responsible" of personalities.
3. A few of the cactus seeds I planted a while back are sprouting!
4. The black swan is still here!
5. This herd of deer was in the front yard on Monday.
6. I am of the opinion that all of the cuts to education funding in Virginia are a red herring. What is really going on is this: the politicians in control of the money are trying to send the tax dollars to private and charter schools. Why else pass all of these bills about creating private and charter schools? It's a privatization effort, another charge by the politicians to take tax dollars and put them in the hands of their cronies. Nice work, fellas.
7. It's Sunshine Week. No, not the sunbeam kind. The Freedom of Information Act kind. Why should you care? Because without it, the politicians would have to be less creative in their crass sneakiness; they could just go behind close doors, smoke a cigar, and rob you blind without blinking an eye. Now they at least have to answer a few questions before they take your money and turn it over to the corporations.
8. I want Virginia to be the best state for people, not the best state for business. The two should not be opposed, actually, but they are. I don't see why the best state for business cannot also be the best state for people. Don't happy people make better workers?
9. This rainbow put in an appearance last Saturday. We were out for a drive and I had husband stop the car and shut it off so I could take a picture.
10. The last book I listened to on tape was Sea Glass, by Anita Shreve.
11. Today I am going to a "tweet up." However, I have not made the first "tweet" and don't know that I ever will. I am having trouble seeing the point of it.
12. I don't have a favorite book or a favorite song. I read a lot of different genre and I listen to different types of music. There are some I prefer over others but I am willing to try almost anything.
13. My husband is my greatest gift ever. He is a special man.
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. You can read about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 131!
1. They really do use golden shovels when they have groundbreakings. I took this picture at the Lewis-Gale Imaging Center ceremonial groundbreaking on Tuesday at Daleville Town Center. (The shovels are just spray painted! They aren't really golden.)2. Being an INTJ makes me the among the "most independent personalities," according to the Myers Briggs Indicator. Last night I had my husband take an online test and he is an ISTJ, making him the "most responsible" of personalities.
3. A few of the cactus seeds I planted a while back are sprouting!
4. The black swan is still here!
5. This herd of deer was in the front yard on Monday.
6. I am of the opinion that all of the cuts to education funding in Virginia are a red herring. What is really going on is this: the politicians in control of the money are trying to send the tax dollars to private and charter schools. Why else pass all of these bills about creating private and charter schools? It's a privatization effort, another charge by the politicians to take tax dollars and put them in the hands of their cronies. Nice work, fellas.
7. It's Sunshine Week. No, not the sunbeam kind. The Freedom of Information Act kind. Why should you care? Because without it, the politicians would have to be less creative in their crass sneakiness; they could just go behind close doors, smoke a cigar, and rob you blind without blinking an eye. Now they at least have to answer a few questions before they take your money and turn it over to the corporations.
8. I want Virginia to be the best state for people, not the best state for business. The two should not be opposed, actually, but they are. I don't see why the best state for business cannot also be the best state for people. Don't happy people make better workers?
9. This rainbow put in an appearance last Saturday. We were out for a drive and I had husband stop the car and shut it off so I could take a picture.10. The last book I listened to on tape was Sea Glass, by Anita Shreve.
11. Today I am going to a "tweet up." However, I have not made the first "tweet" and don't know that I ever will. I am having trouble seeing the point of it.
12. I don't have a favorite book or a favorite song. I read a lot of different genre and I listen to different types of music. There are some I prefer over others but I am willing to try almost anything.
13. My husband is my greatest gift ever. He is a special man.
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. You can read about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 131!
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
INTJ
According to the testing, I'm an INTJ in Myers Briggs. By one little point.
I wrote yesterday about my anticipation of the test results, suspecting that mine might have changed a letter. I was right. I tested as an INTP 20 years ago. I'm thinking that since I am INTJ by one point, I probably have a lot of the characteristics of an INTP, too.
The facilitator said personalities don't change, but that the test results might change based on what you are doing at the time you take the test. If you're sick or under stress or not thinking clearly for some reason, the test results may not be completely accurate.
Reading through the handout material that came along with my test, I think I may be beginning to realize where some of my questions about my life fall, and why they are there in the first place.
I may be living a little in opposition to my personality type (even if it is an INTP). I think with a few adjustments I can get things back on track.
This information says that an INTJ "must be ever improving. When thwarted in the quest, they can become critical and often depressed over the seeming stagnation."
And "ambitious plans may go unfulfilled if the INTJ falls into the trap of being seduced by the intellectual excitement of the plan without ever getting to the actual hands-on accomplishment. Such a dilemma sets them up for self-criticism, which leads, in turn to frustration and depression."
"The workplace is one more "system" that can be organized and improved. As such, assignments are undertaken with that underlying expectation. When improvements are not forthcoming, the INTJ may be subject to self-criticism."
This page offers up other traits of INTJs and suggests possible career paths (writing is not among them though it is in the materials I received in class). This page , which I am printing out, is probably a better one and it does list "writer" among the career paths.
Famous INTJs include Dwight Eisenhower, Alan Greenspan, Ulysses S. Grant, Stephen Hawking, John Maynard Keynes, Ayn Rand, Isaac Asimov, Lewis Carroll, Cormac McCarthy, Thomas Jefferson, and Sir Isaac Newton.
I wrote yesterday about my anticipation of the test results, suspecting that mine might have changed a letter. I was right. I tested as an INTP 20 years ago. I'm thinking that since I am INTJ by one point, I probably have a lot of the characteristics of an INTP, too.
The facilitator said personalities don't change, but that the test results might change based on what you are doing at the time you take the test. If you're sick or under stress or not thinking clearly for some reason, the test results may not be completely accurate.
Reading through the handout material that came along with my test, I think I may be beginning to realize where some of my questions about my life fall, and why they are there in the first place.
I may be living a little in opposition to my personality type (even if it is an INTP). I think with a few adjustments I can get things back on track.
This information says that an INTJ "must be ever improving. When thwarted in the quest, they can become critical and often depressed over the seeming stagnation."
And "ambitious plans may go unfulfilled if the INTJ falls into the trap of being seduced by the intellectual excitement of the plan without ever getting to the actual hands-on accomplishment. Such a dilemma sets them up for self-criticism, which leads, in turn to frustration and depression."
"The workplace is one more "system" that can be organized and improved. As such, assignments are undertaken with that underlying expectation. When improvements are not forthcoming, the INTJ may be subject to self-criticism."
This page offers up other traits of INTJs and suggests possible career paths (writing is not among them though it is in the materials I received in class). This page , which I am printing out, is probably a better one and it does list "writer" among the career paths.
Famous INTJs include Dwight Eisenhower, Alan Greenspan, Ulysses S. Grant, Stephen Hawking, John Maynard Keynes, Ayn Rand, Isaac Asimov, Lewis Carroll, Cormac McCarthy, Thomas Jefferson, and Sir Isaac Newton.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
LIfe Planning
Last week I started a six-week non-credit seminar at Hollins University called "Life Planning." The idea is to figure out where you're going.
The seminar will give women (including me) tools to assess current strengths and abilities, develop personal short and long-term goals, and create strategies for change.
The Myers Briggs assessment is a big part of this. This test sorts folks out into 16 different personality types.
Tonight we get the results of the online testing and I am curious to see if it tells me I am still an INTP. That is what I was 20 years ago, when I took the test. That means I am introverted, intuitive, thinking and perceptive. Or at least I was then. Maybe I have changed? Maybe as I have strode into mid-life, I am now more of a judging and feeling type of person.
Here is the official description of an INTP:
INTP
Seek to develop logical explanations for everything that interests them. Theoretical and abstract, interested more in ideas than in social interaction. Quiet, contained, flexible, and adaptable. Have unusual ability to focus in depth to solve problems in their area of interest. Skeptical, sometimes critical, always analytical.
Does that sound like me?
Or does this sound more like me?
INTJ
Have original minds and great drive for implementing their ideas and achieving their goals. Quickly see patterns in external events and develop long-range explanatory perspectives. When committed, organize a job and carry it through. Skeptical and independent, have high standards of competence and performance – for themselves and others.
According to the FREE test on this site, I am now an INTJ.
This is what it says:
Qualitative analysis of your type formula
You are: very expressed introvert
distinctively expressed intuitive personality
moderately expressed thinking personality
moderately expressed judging personality
Or am I something else altogether?
We shall see tonight!
The seminar will give women (including me) tools to assess current strengths and abilities, develop personal short and long-term goals, and create strategies for change.
The Myers Briggs assessment is a big part of this. This test sorts folks out into 16 different personality types.
Tonight we get the results of the online testing and I am curious to see if it tells me I am still an INTP. That is what I was 20 years ago, when I took the test. That means I am introverted, intuitive, thinking and perceptive. Or at least I was then. Maybe I have changed? Maybe as I have strode into mid-life, I am now more of a judging and feeling type of person.
Here is the official description of an INTP:
INTP
Seek to develop logical explanations for everything that interests them. Theoretical and abstract, interested more in ideas than in social interaction. Quiet, contained, flexible, and adaptable. Have unusual ability to focus in depth to solve problems in their area of interest. Skeptical, sometimes critical, always analytical.
Does that sound like me?
Or does this sound more like me?
INTJ
Have original minds and great drive for implementing their ideas and achieving their goals. Quickly see patterns in external events and develop long-range explanatory perspectives. When committed, organize a job and carry it through. Skeptical and independent, have high standards of competence and performance – for themselves and others.
According to the FREE test on this site, I am now an INTJ.
This is what it says:
Qualitative analysis of your type formula
You are: very expressed introvert
distinctively expressed intuitive personality
moderately expressed thinking personality
moderately expressed judging personality
Or am I something else altogether?
We shall see tonight!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Writing Magic
A few weeks ago I noted that I wanted to do drafts from a book with a lot of writing prompts. The book is called Writing Magic.
The author of that particular writing book actually dropped by that blog entry and left me a word of encouragement in the comments, much to my surprise.
Remember that writing prompts can always be changed to suit the needs of the writer, so if the prompt ends up looking nothing like what I write, that is okay.
At any rate, let's move on and do another writing prompt!
The prompt: Write a story about a main character who finds a diamond necklace on the seat of his school bus.
My draft:
I staggered to my feet after the bus pitched forward as it lurched into gear. I had fallen to one knee as I boarded the Greyhound with a ticket to Washington, D.C. in my hand. As I picked myself up, my little finger brushed against something as my hand slithered down in the pocket of space at the back of the seat.
Impulsively I paused for a moment, knowing that I felt metal. A bracelet, I thought. I flicked it into the palm of my hand, stood up and continued my journey to a seat near the back as the bus roared down Elm Avenue and headed for the interstate.
Once I had settled myself into my chair, I opened my palm. The necklace was a delicate chain with a sparkling gem inlaid in a heart shape. I could not tell if the diamonds were real or good zirconium. Either way, this was no kid's toy. Someone was probably missing this.
I looked around to see if anyone was watching, but there were only two other passengers on the bus and they were near the front. The driver was busy trying not to weave in and out of the heavy traffic as cars and truckers zoomed past.
I shut my green eye and examined the gems with my brown one. They looked real to me, and opening the other eye for a good look, too, only seemed to enforce that idea.
I thought back to the last time I had cast the stones for a reading. This was a habit of mine, a kind of Tarot I had picked up when I was a teenager. Camilla the weirdo, the kids had called me in school. Back then, I thought they were right. I was a loner as I walked the halls and I am a loner still, I thought as I watched the diamonds glitter.
Now I was all grown up and headed to the nation's capital. My last reading had said danger, danger Will Robinson not with a little "d" but with a capital one as big as poster board. It was a danger bigger than a person and bigger than a state. So I was off to warn the president, as if he would listen to me, because my stones said the nation was in terrible danger. Only I didn't know from what or when this bad thing might happen.
That was what I had told myself when I had packed my bags and taken all my money out my savings account. It was a good lie, because it really hid the fact that this grown woman who should know better was really just running away.
The author of that particular writing book actually dropped by that blog entry and left me a word of encouragement in the comments, much to my surprise.
Remember that writing prompts can always be changed to suit the needs of the writer, so if the prompt ends up looking nothing like what I write, that is okay.
At any rate, let's move on and do another writing prompt!
The prompt: Write a story about a main character who finds a diamond necklace on the seat of his school bus.
My draft:
I staggered to my feet after the bus pitched forward as it lurched into gear. I had fallen to one knee as I boarded the Greyhound with a ticket to Washington, D.C. in my hand. As I picked myself up, my little finger brushed against something as my hand slithered down in the pocket of space at the back of the seat.
Impulsively I paused for a moment, knowing that I felt metal. A bracelet, I thought. I flicked it into the palm of my hand, stood up and continued my journey to a seat near the back as the bus roared down Elm Avenue and headed for the interstate.
Once I had settled myself into my chair, I opened my palm. The necklace was a delicate chain with a sparkling gem inlaid in a heart shape. I could not tell if the diamonds were real or good zirconium. Either way, this was no kid's toy. Someone was probably missing this.
I looked around to see if anyone was watching, but there were only two other passengers on the bus and they were near the front. The driver was busy trying not to weave in and out of the heavy traffic as cars and truckers zoomed past.
I shut my green eye and examined the gems with my brown one. They looked real to me, and opening the other eye for a good look, too, only seemed to enforce that idea.
I thought back to the last time I had cast the stones for a reading. This was a habit of mine, a kind of Tarot I had picked up when I was a teenager. Camilla the weirdo, the kids had called me in school. Back then, I thought they were right. I was a loner as I walked the halls and I am a loner still, I thought as I watched the diamonds glitter.
Now I was all grown up and headed to the nation's capital. My last reading had said danger, danger Will Robinson not with a little "d" but with a capital one as big as poster board. It was a danger bigger than a person and bigger than a state. So I was off to warn the president, as if he would listen to me, because my stones said the nation was in terrible danger. Only I didn't know from what or when this bad thing might happen.
That was what I had told myself when I had packed my bags and taken all my money out my savings account. It was a good lie, because it really hid the fact that this grown woman who should know better was really just running away.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Spring Gobblers
This is the reason I really wish I had a long telephoto lens. A 200mm simply doesn't bring me in close enough to capture the wildlife from the front porch!
These were taken today with my Nikon D40 (6.1 mbs) and then cropped in Picasso.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Thursday Thirteen #130
Today, I offer up some local writing stuff:
1. Peggy Shifflett, who is president of the Roanoke Valley Branch of the National League of American Pen Women, will have a book coming out next week. It is called The Living Room Bed and is about Appalachian life and how folks had the bed in the living room and the role it played from birth to death.
2. I edited the book. I am also a member of the Pen Women. It was a pleasure to work on this book with Peggy.
3. My friend Meg Hibbert has an article coming out in a new online magazine called Southern Flourish. The magazine is due to make its premier March 15 at the link. Meg's article includes recipes!
4. Meg is editor of The Salem Times Register and we have worked together and been friends for a long time.
5. My friend Becky Mushko, another fellow Pen Women member, is busy promoting her book, Ferradiddledumday. She blogs at Peevish Pen.
6. Becky knows a great deal about self-publishing and scams and I have a lot of respect for her knowledge. She used to be a teacher and goodness knows you have to be some kind of saint to do that.
7. Dan Smith, publisher of Valley Business Front, has an interesting blog called fromtheeditr that local writers might want to check out.
8. He also has a blog for Roanoke Writers. Dan started the recent incarnation of the Roanoke Writer's Conference, which has been going on for three years now. It has proved to be an interesting day of meeting and networking.
9. Bonnie Cranmer, a fellow Hollins Horizon Program alum, is interested in social media and she writes about it on her website. Apparently this social networking stuff is the wave of the future and seems to be the new busy work for a lot of people. She's really into it.
10. For an interesting reading from an up-and-coming children's book author, try The Virginia Scribe. She's up on agents and other information. I heard her talk at a Pen Women meeting once and she is a lovely person.
11. For good sophisticated information about writing, including marketing information, check out C. Hope Clark's blog. She is not exactly local but I suppose the Carolinas is close enough. She runs the famous Funds for Writers website, which offers two free newsletters that I urge folks to subscribe to. You can subscribe to them right from her blog if you want.
12. Colleen over at Loose Leaf Notes always has interesting writing on her site. She is a thoughtful freelancer and sometimes showcases the articles she is working on.
13. You can see two of my recent articles for The Fincastle Herald here and here.
For the FCC: No one paid me anything to promote their websites or work.
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. You can read about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 130!
1. Peggy Shifflett, who is president of the Roanoke Valley Branch of the National League of American Pen Women, will have a book coming out next week. It is called The Living Room Bed and is about Appalachian life and how folks had the bed in the living room and the role it played from birth to death.
2. I edited the book. I am also a member of the Pen Women. It was a pleasure to work on this book with Peggy.
3. My friend Meg Hibbert has an article coming out in a new online magazine called Southern Flourish. The magazine is due to make its premier March 15 at the link. Meg's article includes recipes!
4. Meg is editor of The Salem Times Register and we have worked together and been friends for a long time.
5. My friend Becky Mushko, another fellow Pen Women member, is busy promoting her book, Ferradiddledumday. She blogs at Peevish Pen.6. Becky knows a great deal about self-publishing and scams and I have a lot of respect for her knowledge. She used to be a teacher and goodness knows you have to be some kind of saint to do that.
7. Dan Smith, publisher of Valley Business Front, has an interesting blog called fromtheeditr that local writers might want to check out.
8. He also has a blog for Roanoke Writers. Dan started the recent incarnation of the Roanoke Writer's Conference, which has been going on for three years now. It has proved to be an interesting day of meeting and networking.
9. Bonnie Cranmer, a fellow Hollins Horizon Program alum, is interested in social media and she writes about it on her website. Apparently this social networking stuff is the wave of the future and seems to be the new busy work for a lot of people. She's really into it.
10. For an interesting reading from an up-and-coming children's book author, try The Virginia Scribe. She's up on agents and other information. I heard her talk at a Pen Women meeting once and she is a lovely person.
11. For good sophisticated information about writing, including marketing information, check out C. Hope Clark's blog. She is not exactly local but I suppose the Carolinas is close enough. She runs the famous Funds for Writers website, which offers two free newsletters that I urge folks to subscribe to. You can subscribe to them right from her blog if you want.
12. Colleen over at Loose Leaf Notes always has interesting writing on her site. She is a thoughtful freelancer and sometimes showcases the articles she is working on.
13. You can see two of my recent articles for The Fincastle Herald here and here.
For the FCC: No one paid me anything to promote their websites or work.
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. You can read about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 130!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Maslow's Triangle
Where are you on the triangle of life?
Abraham Maslow was a humanist psychologist who in the 1940s hypothesized that humans have a hierarchy of needs.
His ideas are often presented in the form of a triangle, with the basic needs as the triangle base.
The basic needs are grouped into five categories: survival, security and safety, sense of belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.
Survival means basic necessities such as water, food, clothing, shelter. These are the things that are required in order for a human to live.
Security and safety means many things. It means having the doors locked. It means financial security, which may mean many things to different people but to me means being able to pay your bills. It means being healthy, and that might include having health care for a lot of people.
Sense of belonging means that you have friends and family. It means society and community. It means people are not singular individuals but instead are part of a larger (and hopefully greater) good. People do not stand alone all the time. Loneliness can be a real killer, so this is very important. People may meet this need through family, clubs, religion, sports, and other ways.
Esteem means that you are valued and feel you have value. People must feel they are contributing and have something to contribute. This is also reversed: people need other people and things (such as ideals) to respect, as well. It might mean a little hero-worship and having someone to look up to, like a sports hero or a saint. Self-respect is important so long as it is not out of control.
Self-actualization means a person is at the very top of the triangle. A self-actualized person will be a learner, someone who seeks self knowledge and worldly knowledge. She will be aware of self and devote time to her own needs. She will know joy. She will accept responsibility for her mistakes and move on. She will not dwell upon weakness but instead will acknowledge it and choose to either keep it or do something about it. She will be committed to helping others and will feel kindly towards others and will want to be of service to humanity.
Given what I see around me, not to many people, including myself, are at the top of the triangle these days. Most seem to fall somewhere near the bottom, fighting over scraps. I see people insecure in their nation, in their families, in their religions, in their lives. Particularly during this recession, security has taken a nose dive as so many people worry about their retirement. Health care remains an unknown and even if Congress makes changes, someone will find a way to rape the system and cause more havoc than good.
Obviously as funding for the arts and education tumbles, the higher courses of life will crumble too. The beauty will be gone and we'll all be wallowing amongst the midden heap as things are not properly cared for.
Our base is not sturdy. As a nation, in families, as individuals, many humans are now looking more like a topless volcano than a triangle.
It's kind of scary, isn't it?
For more information, see here. The Wiki article is here.
Abraham Maslow was a humanist psychologist who in the 1940s hypothesized that humans have a hierarchy of needs.
His ideas are often presented in the form of a triangle, with the basic needs as the triangle base.
The basic needs are grouped into five categories: survival, security and safety, sense of belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.
Survival means basic necessities such as water, food, clothing, shelter. These are the things that are required in order for a human to live.
Security and safety means many things. It means having the doors locked. It means financial security, which may mean many things to different people but to me means being able to pay your bills. It means being healthy, and that might include having health care for a lot of people.
Sense of belonging means that you have friends and family. It means society and community. It means people are not singular individuals but instead are part of a larger (and hopefully greater) good. People do not stand alone all the time. Loneliness can be a real killer, so this is very important. People may meet this need through family, clubs, religion, sports, and other ways.
Esteem means that you are valued and feel you have value. People must feel they are contributing and have something to contribute. This is also reversed: people need other people and things (such as ideals) to respect, as well. It might mean a little hero-worship and having someone to look up to, like a sports hero or a saint. Self-respect is important so long as it is not out of control.
Self-actualization means a person is at the very top of the triangle. A self-actualized person will be a learner, someone who seeks self knowledge and worldly knowledge. She will be aware of self and devote time to her own needs. She will know joy. She will accept responsibility for her mistakes and move on. She will not dwell upon weakness but instead will acknowledge it and choose to either keep it or do something about it. She will be committed to helping others and will feel kindly towards others and will want to be of service to humanity.
Given what I see around me, not to many people, including myself, are at the top of the triangle these days. Most seem to fall somewhere near the bottom, fighting over scraps. I see people insecure in their nation, in their families, in their religions, in their lives. Particularly during this recession, security has taken a nose dive as so many people worry about their retirement. Health care remains an unknown and even if Congress makes changes, someone will find a way to rape the system and cause more havoc than good.
Obviously as funding for the arts and education tumbles, the higher courses of life will crumble too. The beauty will be gone and we'll all be wallowing amongst the midden heap as things are not properly cared for.
Our base is not sturdy. As a nation, in families, as individuals, many humans are now looking more like a topless volcano than a triangle.
It's kind of scary, isn't it?
For more information, see here. The Wiki article is here.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Growing Cactus
The other day I bought a "learning" kit at the hardware store so I could grow cactus.
I know, I am weird. But I have always liked cactus. And I really like to watch things grow. And I know stuff will be growing outside soon enough but with my allergies acting up I will have to be careful out there.
I did not know cactus grew from a seed, so this was indeed a learning adventure. I had never really thought about it, to be honest.
The kit came with dehydrated dirt, which took much longer than the five minutes it claimed on the instructions to turn into anything resembling "real" dirt. The dehydrated dirt came in a little patty that you placed in the little flower pot. Supposedly then 2 teaspoons of water and five minutes later, you have dirt, but it took a lot more water and a lot more time, along with some stirring of dirt with a finger, to get that dehydrated dirt to fluff out.
The instructions said 3 seeds to a pot, but it didn't say how deep or anything. Hmm.
Once you plant the seeds, you put the pot in this plastic thing to create a green house effect and sit it in the sun. Unfortunately I don't have a single window in this house that gets good sun, so we'll see how it goes.
I'll let you know if they grow.
I know, I am weird. But I have always liked cactus. And I really like to watch things grow. And I know stuff will be growing outside soon enough but with my allergies acting up I will have to be careful out there.
I did not know cactus grew from a seed, so this was indeed a learning adventure. I had never really thought about it, to be honest.
The kit came with dehydrated dirt, which took much longer than the five minutes it claimed on the instructions to turn into anything resembling "real" dirt. The dehydrated dirt came in a little patty that you placed in the little flower pot. Supposedly then 2 teaspoons of water and five minutes later, you have dirt, but it took a lot more water and a lot more time, along with some stirring of dirt with a finger, to get that dehydrated dirt to fluff out.
The instructions said 3 seeds to a pot, but it didn't say how deep or anything. Hmm.
Once you plant the seeds, you put the pot in this plastic thing to create a green house effect and sit it in the sun. Unfortunately I don't have a single window in this house that gets good sun, so we'll see how it goes.
I'll let you know if they grow.
Monday, March 08, 2010
The Lord of the Rings
The Fellowship of the Rings
The Two Towers
The Return of the King
By J. R. R. Tolkien
I took the last two weeks or so to read The Lord of the Rings trilogy. This hardback edition is one that came out sometime when the Peter Jackson movies were playing. My husband gave it to me for Christmas and I had set it aside, though with a place of honor in my bookcase. I confess I was loathe to open the boxed set and it hurt me to break the seal to read the contents.
However, the covers are embossed and it is a really nice set. It has all of the appendices included in the last book.
I believe I read the trilogy long ago, probably well before I should have, as has been my wont sometimes with books. For example, I read Wuthering Heights when I was nine - far too young. But I cannot recall exactly when I read these books and sometimes I am not sure I read them all but instead perhaps read only the first.
I also remember an animated movie from high school; we took a field trip to the theater to see it. It must have been this one but the timing does not seem quite right, because it would have been my senior year (1980-1981) and Wiki says this film came out in 1978. Perhaps it took a while to show up in Roanoke.
At any rate, I have read the books now. While I enjoyed reading them and revisiting the characters, I have a confession to make.
I like the Peter Jackson movies better.
Which is not to say that these are bad books; not by any means. But the film is a marvel at keeping close to the books, right down to exact dialogue. I cannot imagine a better effort that would keep to the books and still bring this world to life.
I read these books as a writer, looking to see what worked and what did not. Someone told me once that until I had analyzed The Lord of the Rings, I could not write fantasy. So I thought I should get to it, since I read a lot of fantasy and wouldn't mind writing one some day.
Foremost on my mind was the author's voice - very noticeable with an omniscient narration. Given that in the Appendices it becomes clear that this is supposed to be a translation of a history of the Third Age of Middle Earth, that makes sense, but from a reader's standpoint it serves to create quite a distance.
The dialogue was also quite stilted and forced. Again this might have been part of the "translation" device Tolkien was using, but I suspect an editor in this age (being the 21st century and all) would have advised him to do something entirely different for today's readers.
Another issue is the lack of female characters. Eowen is the strongest human female character in the book; Galadriel is a strong elfish character, while Arwen (elf) is an after thought in the writing, it seems. Eowen, unfortunately, comes across as moody and rebellious and only happy when she is loving a man. The movie does a much better job of bringing a few females to life. Galadriel in the book is mostly mystic.
To be sure, I did not feel characterization was a strong point in the entire series and I know there are many who might argue that differently. Instead, this was an adventure in world-building and plot. Characters seemed to have a few main characteristics and were not fully fleshed out. Truthfully I ended up liking Merry and Pippin more than Frodo in the end, because they grew as characters while Frodo, at least for me, did not. I really wanted to love Aragorn in the book but I never felt any compulsion in that direction, either. He was already a king when we met him.
This is a full book. One could, (and others have, I suppose), devote an entire life to understanding the characters, looking for religious themes, life meaning themes, etc. etc. I know that is what makes a great book, a piece of work that has so much going for it, which can be read one way by some people and another way by others.
I know that there will be those who quibble with my short analysis, which is their right. I did not dislike these books. But I do not think I love them, as I do the movie.
The Two Towers
The Return of the King
By J. R. R. Tolkien
I took the last two weeks or so to read The Lord of the Rings trilogy. This hardback edition is one that came out sometime when the Peter Jackson movies were playing. My husband gave it to me for Christmas and I had set it aside, though with a place of honor in my bookcase. I confess I was loathe to open the boxed set and it hurt me to break the seal to read the contents.
However, the covers are embossed and it is a really nice set. It has all of the appendices included in the last book.
I believe I read the trilogy long ago, probably well before I should have, as has been my wont sometimes with books. For example, I read Wuthering Heights when I was nine - far too young. But I cannot recall exactly when I read these books and sometimes I am not sure I read them all but instead perhaps read only the first.
I also remember an animated movie from high school; we took a field trip to the theater to see it. It must have been this one but the timing does not seem quite right, because it would have been my senior year (1980-1981) and Wiki says this film came out in 1978. Perhaps it took a while to show up in Roanoke.
At any rate, I have read the books now. While I enjoyed reading them and revisiting the characters, I have a confession to make.
I like the Peter Jackson movies better.
Which is not to say that these are bad books; not by any means. But the film is a marvel at keeping close to the books, right down to exact dialogue. I cannot imagine a better effort that would keep to the books and still bring this world to life.
I read these books as a writer, looking to see what worked and what did not. Someone told me once that until I had analyzed The Lord of the Rings, I could not write fantasy. So I thought I should get to it, since I read a lot of fantasy and wouldn't mind writing one some day.
Foremost on my mind was the author's voice - very noticeable with an omniscient narration. Given that in the Appendices it becomes clear that this is supposed to be a translation of a history of the Third Age of Middle Earth, that makes sense, but from a reader's standpoint it serves to create quite a distance.
The dialogue was also quite stilted and forced. Again this might have been part of the "translation" device Tolkien was using, but I suspect an editor in this age (being the 21st century and all) would have advised him to do something entirely different for today's readers.
Another issue is the lack of female characters. Eowen is the strongest human female character in the book; Galadriel is a strong elfish character, while Arwen (elf) is an after thought in the writing, it seems. Eowen, unfortunately, comes across as moody and rebellious and only happy when she is loving a man. The movie does a much better job of bringing a few females to life. Galadriel in the book is mostly mystic.
To be sure, I did not feel characterization was a strong point in the entire series and I know there are many who might argue that differently. Instead, this was an adventure in world-building and plot. Characters seemed to have a few main characteristics and were not fully fleshed out. Truthfully I ended up liking Merry and Pippin more than Frodo in the end, because they grew as characters while Frodo, at least for me, did not. I really wanted to love Aragorn in the book but I never felt any compulsion in that direction, either. He was already a king when we met him.
This is a full book. One could, (and others have, I suppose), devote an entire life to understanding the characters, looking for religious themes, life meaning themes, etc. etc. I know that is what makes a great book, a piece of work that has so much going for it, which can be read one way by some people and another way by others.
I know that there will be those who quibble with my short analysis, which is their right. I did not dislike these books. But I do not think I love them, as I do the movie.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Tractor Show in Buchanan
Saturday we ventured to the open house at Blue Ridge Farm Center in Buchanan. They had BBQ and hot dogs and a petting zoo.
Mostly we looked at the machinery.
My husband counted off a spreader of some kind to see how long it is. One of his feet equals one foot. He counts that way a lot.
Above is a hay rake. These are my favorite machines because they look so cool when they are brand new. They make a nice splash against the sky.
The seat-to-steering-wheel ratio was too small for my tall husband in this particular tractor.
I am not sure what the above things are. I think they are balers but I wouldn't swear to it.
I think the above (and below) animals are alpacas. They were in a very small cage at the petting zoo and had the most plaintive little bleat I had ever heard. It sounded like a cry. I told my husband I wouldn't be able to raise those animals if they always sounded like that because it would make my heart ache to hear them.
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Thursday Thirteen
Things in my to-do box. I do accomplish things, really, I do!
1. Finish my a booklet or small book on Cloverdale. It's practically done, I just need to write a few more little pieces and then decide how I want to publish it.
2. Do the same thing with information I have on Blue Ridge.
3. Go through all of my old poems. Some of them I will then send out or submit to contests. Some I will throw away. Some I will refile.
4. Go through all my old journals. I strongly suspect I will throw away a lot of this. Some of it may be worth keeping, though.
5. Genealogy research on my husband's family and my family. I must purchase software for that, too. Any recommendations?
6. Do something with an "how to write effective emails" presentation that I created but haven't yet figured out how to market.
7. Write some keyword articles for a client.
8. Finish up an assigned article for The Fincastle Herald.
9. Tear down the wallpaper in the kitchen and paint the wall.
This wallpaper has been up for at 15 years. Some of it is peeling from the wall. I am ready for a new look.
10. Put up wallpaper on the back part of the built-in bookshelves in the living room.
These bookshelves are dark and I think they would look better if they were lighter. We don't paint woodwork so I have decided I could cover the back part with something light. I've had the wallpaper here for this project for oh, I dunno, seven years?
11. Paint the spare bathroom. It hasn't been painted since 1987. The paint has held up pretty well, but it's just the two of us so there is no reason for it not to.
12. Read those 56 books that are in my "to read" pile(s).
All of these book are awaiting my attention.
13. Write a novel, which has been on my to-do list ever since I knew what a novel was. I am starting to think it ain't never gonna happen.
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. You can read about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 129!
1. Finish my a booklet or small book on Cloverdale. It's practically done, I just need to write a few more little pieces and then decide how I want to publish it.
2. Do the same thing with information I have on Blue Ridge.
3. Go through all of my old poems. Some of them I will then send out or submit to contests. Some I will throw away. Some I will refile.
4. Go through all my old journals. I strongly suspect I will throw away a lot of this. Some of it may be worth keeping, though.
5. Genealogy research on my husband's family and my family. I must purchase software for that, too. Any recommendations?
6. Do something with an "how to write effective emails" presentation that I created but haven't yet figured out how to market.
7. Write some keyword articles for a client.
8. Finish up an assigned article for The Fincastle Herald.
9. Tear down the wallpaper in the kitchen and paint the wall.
This wallpaper has been up for at 15 years. Some of it is peeling from the wall. I am ready for a new look.
10. Put up wallpaper on the back part of the built-in bookshelves in the living room.
These bookshelves are dark and I think they would look better if they were lighter. We don't paint woodwork so I have decided I could cover the back part with something light. I've had the wallpaper here for this project for oh, I dunno, seven years?
11. Paint the spare bathroom. It hasn't been painted since 1987. The paint has held up pretty well, but it's just the two of us so there is no reason for it not to.
12. Read those 56 books that are in my "to read" pile(s).
All of these book are awaiting my attention.
13. Write a novel, which has been on my to-do list ever since I knew what a novel was. I am starting to think it ain't never gonna happen.
Lots of people play Thursday Thirteen. You can read about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 129!
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Writing Magic
A while back I purchased a book called Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine. This is a how-to-write for younger folks, not old fogies like me, but I liked the title. I also have found young adult how-to books helpful in the past.
The author wrote Ella Enchanted and is a Newberry winner.
At any rate, the book is loaded with writing exercises, several at the end of every short chapter. My intention is to do as many of them as I can.
And you all get to see the first draft.
So here goes. The assignment is to make a story from the first two lines, which I have reprinted here. This is fiction, for those who can't tell.
******
I have one green eye and one brown eye. The green eye sees truth, but the brown eye sees much, much more.
My name is Camilla and I am that girl in the hallways that you ignore and walk by without seeing. But I see you, all of you, in great detail. I know that you are fighting with your mom, that your dad drinks too much, and that your sister is failing all of her classes.
At night I shake the stones and throw them into the circle. I have the high school annual and I recite a name every night. I squint as I work, so the brown eye can read the tales told by the stones. The shapes give me the information, you see. They let me know that you're a spoiled little girl or bad young boy. And all I need is your name and the truth of your image.
Last night as I cast the stones, I felt a peculiar shock run through me as I read the story the bones left behind. I was working on Andy's story, because Andy had been particularly unkind to me the day before. He had bumped into me in front of the principal's office and knocked my books from my hands. Instead of helping me pick them up, he stepped on them and tore my papers loose from the notebook with his foot. Then he wiped his sneakers on my homework. Tears escaped and he laughed at me.
So I cast the stones. I usually only want the story, to see why someone acts like in a certain way. Andy's story? He is a jock, athletic, and his parents are rich. I know he lives in the huge McMansion on the far side of town. His father is a cancer doctor, and that apparently is a lucrative disease to treat.
But Andy also has trouble with his knee, and it likely will cost him a place on the college team of his choice. And his heart stones are black. I am not sure what that means; I've never seen black heart stones before. I scoop up the stones and toss once more, and blink my brown eye.
Heart stones again. I study them, wondering. Is he sick? Simply hard-hearted? Evil? I've cast these stones a thousand times and now twice I come up with this odd formation.
****
The author wrote Ella Enchanted and is a Newberry winner.
At any rate, the book is loaded with writing exercises, several at the end of every short chapter. My intention is to do as many of them as I can.
And you all get to see the first draft.
So here goes. The assignment is to make a story from the first two lines, which I have reprinted here. This is fiction, for those who can't tell.
******
I have one green eye and one brown eye. The green eye sees truth, but the brown eye sees much, much more.
My name is Camilla and I am that girl in the hallways that you ignore and walk by without seeing. But I see you, all of you, in great detail. I know that you are fighting with your mom, that your dad drinks too much, and that your sister is failing all of her classes.
At night I shake the stones and throw them into the circle. I have the high school annual and I recite a name every night. I squint as I work, so the brown eye can read the tales told by the stones. The shapes give me the information, you see. They let me know that you're a spoiled little girl or bad young boy. And all I need is your name and the truth of your image.
Last night as I cast the stones, I felt a peculiar shock run through me as I read the story the bones left behind. I was working on Andy's story, because Andy had been particularly unkind to me the day before. He had bumped into me in front of the principal's office and knocked my books from my hands. Instead of helping me pick them up, he stepped on them and tore my papers loose from the notebook with his foot. Then he wiped his sneakers on my homework. Tears escaped and he laughed at me.
So I cast the stones. I usually only want the story, to see why someone acts like in a certain way. Andy's story? He is a jock, athletic, and his parents are rich. I know he lives in the huge McMansion on the far side of town. His father is a cancer doctor, and that apparently is a lucrative disease to treat.
But Andy also has trouble with his knee, and it likely will cost him a place on the college team of his choice. And his heart stones are black. I am not sure what that means; I've never seen black heart stones before. I scoop up the stones and toss once more, and blink my brown eye.
Heart stones again. I study them, wondering. Is he sick? Simply hard-hearted? Evil? I've cast these stones a thousand times and now twice I come up with this odd formation.
****
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Bear Cubs
I am posting this because I daresay none of us seeing this picture will ever see bear cubs this young again.
This is my brother's snapshot. He still lives on the farm where I grew up, and Saturday some of his friends and their dogs went rabbit hunting.
During the course of their hunt, the dogs and men came across a bear. The bear attacked and the men killed it in self-defense.
They found these three small cubs.
The game warden ruled the kill as in self-defense and took the cubs to Virginia Tech.
The mama bear of course was only defending her tiny little babies. My brother said they weighed about four pounds and the game warden said they were maybe two weeks old.
I feel very bad for the bear and for the cubs. People need to be more careful when they are out in the woods. The bear, after all, was there first.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)