My fellow chapter mate has tagged me from her blog: Writing in a Vortex to post seven random things about myself...
Yikes, okay...
1. I've seen the real Little Mermaid.
2. I've attended school in two countries other than America.
This is harder than it looks...
3. I was a "Valley Girl."
4. I am not a coffee drinker--Plantation Mint and Lady/Earl Gray are my tea addictions.
5. I've been to the USS Lexington three times.
6. Creating fan girl Web sites is my just-for-fun thing to do.
7. I am a Trekkie (DS-9 and this year's movie being my favorite incarnations of the franchise.)
So there you have it--seven random and trivial thing about me. And I only read two blogs...L.A.'s and my mom's, so there's no tagging from me.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Margie Lawson...
...is awesome.
Margie was the sole presenter at the writing conference I attended this past Saturday. She's funny, gracious, generous...and so many other things.
I wish we could have a longer session as we only hit the tip of the mountain of what she could have taught us. Some of which included some deep EDITing techniques, use of rhetorical devices, power words, and back-loading our sentences.
It was pretty much unanimous that we went her back again. Or that individually, we will participate in some of her online classes or purchase her lecture packets which are several hundred pages long each.
A great weekend with a fabulous speaker, a fun and smooth-run event, and good time with fellow writers, some old friends and some brand new.
Margie was the sole presenter at the writing conference I attended this past Saturday. She's funny, gracious, generous...and so many other things.
I wish we could have a longer session as we only hit the tip of the mountain of what she could have taught us. Some of which included some deep EDITing techniques, use of rhetorical devices, power words, and back-loading our sentences.
It was pretty much unanimous that we went her back again. Or that individually, we will participate in some of her online classes or purchase her lecture packets which are several hundred pages long each.
A great weekend with a fabulous speaker, a fun and smooth-run event, and good time with fellow writers, some old friends and some brand new.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Music and writing...
First off, let me just say how much I love music. I tend to forget for long stretches, but then something happens to make me remember.
Last week, I played chaperon for my son's band when they went and played with the high school band at a football game. Unfortunately, the middle schoolers tend to get bored because they haven't been given all the music the HS band has--only some, so obviously they can only play the songs they know. The high schoolers get to play continuously for the most, the drummers drum and the others pick up tunes and randomly play whatever comes to mind. They have fun and get to be artistic. And there's nothing like seeing truly creative people create. So while the HS band is jammin' spontaneously, the middle schoolers sit and wait, not always so patiently.
But the point was--these high schoolers were seriously talented. I really enjoyed listening to them and was reminded how much I enjoy listening to these types of bands.
In the same vein, my sister-in-law introduced us to the TV show "Glee," which is about a high school Glee club struggling to earn respect both in the school and on the competition circuit. There are musical numbers in every episode, most of which I have enjoyed tremendously, again being reminded how up listening to music generally makes me.
My second topic is writing...I've been writing again. I made the commitment to get up at five am each morning and write till six-thirty. So far so good. And if I get to write at any time during the day or evening, so much the better. Plus, Candy Havens has The Writing Game going on on the workshop loop again, so that is giving me concrete word goals to hit each day. And so far, I've made each one. Today will be a bit tougher since I'm leaving for a writing conference this afternoon, but I've got words banked I can draw from if necessary, but I hope I won't have to.
Have a good weekend--I will!
Last week, I played chaperon for my son's band when they went and played with the high school band at a football game. Unfortunately, the middle schoolers tend to get bored because they haven't been given all the music the HS band has--only some, so obviously they can only play the songs they know. The high schoolers get to play continuously for the most, the drummers drum and the others pick up tunes and randomly play whatever comes to mind. They have fun and get to be artistic. And there's nothing like seeing truly creative people create. So while the HS band is jammin' spontaneously, the middle schoolers sit and wait, not always so patiently.
But the point was--these high schoolers were seriously talented. I really enjoyed listening to them and was reminded how much I enjoy listening to these types of bands.
In the same vein, my sister-in-law introduced us to the TV show "Glee," which is about a high school Glee club struggling to earn respect both in the school and on the competition circuit. There are musical numbers in every episode, most of which I have enjoyed tremendously, again being reminded how up listening to music generally makes me.
My second topic is writing...I've been writing again. I made the commitment to get up at five am each morning and write till six-thirty. So far so good. And if I get to write at any time during the day or evening, so much the better. Plus, Candy Havens has The Writing Game going on on the workshop loop again, so that is giving me concrete word goals to hit each day. And so far, I've made each one. Today will be a bit tougher since I'm leaving for a writing conference this afternoon, but I've got words banked I can draw from if necessary, but I hope I won't have to.
Have a good weekend--I will!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
More rain... (and other stuff)
...which is really okay. My lawn is loving it, as is my daughter who can't mow when it's sopping wet.
My oldest child got a new job, which is good. We can get her off our payroll, and I think she'll be much happier in a more active environment. She's been hired by a restaurant as a hostess and she'll get a free meal on every shift. Nice.
My son has been transitioned from trumpet to baritone (tuba). Apparently, the two instruments are the same in terms of fingerings and music, and the teacher needed to strengthen the bass section of their band.
My hubby has been in court as a computer forensic expert for the last three days.
And my middle child and me, we've just been hanging in there.
My oldest child got a new job, which is good. We can get her off our payroll, and I think she'll be much happier in a more active environment. She's been hired by a restaurant as a hostess and she'll get a free meal on every shift. Nice.
My son has been transitioned from trumpet to baritone (tuba). Apparently, the two instruments are the same in terms of fingerings and music, and the teacher needed to strengthen the bass section of their band.
My hubby has been in court as a computer forensic expert for the last three days.
And my middle child and me, we've just been hanging in there.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Time for growing up...
What's a mom to do when she has to start buying her baby pants based on waist size and inseam length?
I didn't think I'd be quite so melancholy about my baby growing up, and by the time he gets through high school and onto college or the military, I may just be ready to let him go or kick him out.
But right now, it's hard some days to look at him and see the young man he's morphing into and not the sweet-cheeked toddler he once was. He hasn't cut the apron strings quite yet, for which I'm grateful. And my favorite words out of his mouth in just that sweet tone are, "Yes, momma." He's still willing to hug me in front of his friends, so we have a bit of time yet...
What makes you wistful to remember?
I didn't think I'd be quite so melancholy about my baby growing up, and by the time he gets through high school and onto college or the military, I may just be ready to let him go or kick him out.
But right now, it's hard some days to look at him and see the young man he's morphing into and not the sweet-cheeked toddler he once was. He hasn't cut the apron strings quite yet, for which I'm grateful. And my favorite words out of his mouth in just that sweet tone are, "Yes, momma." He's still willing to hug me in front of his friends, so we have a bit of time yet...
What makes you wistful to remember?
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