Untangling Tales

I had a full day of employment today, and didn’t even really get to use it all.

Fairbanks Arts Assn. hired me to tell stories to the (primarily) Special Ed. students who were coming to their annual “Very Special Arts Day,” and I agreed, knowing I would have to do a lot of thinking/program-ordering on the fly, since there was no way to gage in advance the… mental abilities (or span of those) within any given group.

I settled on a handful of tried-and-true, back-pocket stories (things that I wouldn’t get flustered in if somebody got loud or something), and a few folktale picture books. (more…)

One of my LJ (Literary Journalism) teachers pointed out that authors are always declaring and defining reality. The do this whenever they assert something, or build on an assumption they’ve presented as fact.  She called these assertions “Truth Statements,” and we took time in class to write and share our own.
Well here are a few of mine. Most of them have to do with babies, because mine is on my mind right now. (more…)

Currently Reading You Can Write a Novel (You Can Write) By James V. Smith see related

I’m still waiting, still reading, and still writing, but it’s all different too.

I have my laptop now (though nothing else of my many orders has yet arrived), and it’s already proving to be a wonderful resource/tool. I’ve been able to use it while “hanging-out” with the girls, during those times when they want me around (or I want to be there, to maintain the peace) but aren’t looking for direct interaction/play.

A good example of this is movies. I’ll usually let the girls watch one cartoon in a day, and they usually want me there with them while they do it. Since Thursday morning I’ve become very proficient at typing one-handed while I hold a snuggly bundle in my lap.

My reading is all over the place. One entertaining book is that “currently reading” selection above. It’s interesting b/c it’s different from nearly every other writing book I’ve read. The author starts out with the assumption you’re interested in writing b/c you want to be published, then lays down these formulae about what stuff a publisher will accept from an un-proven (1st-novel) author. He’s realistic-ish too, not too hard-line, and contradicts the other book I’m reading simultaneously (I’ll list it next time I blog, I suppose) which provides a fun contrast of views.

It’s just fun, b/c it’s so straight-forward (almost-but-not-quite a formula), and makes good sense.

For writing, I’m playing again (you’ll guess) with my novel. It’s been interesting applying a different framework (from this book) than I’ve used before. It’s almost like being back in a class, b/c I’m all motivated and focused again.

Well, as focused as one can be w/ the responsibilities of house and children hanging over me. I was up till (way-too-late) last night, just b/c my mind was so full, and I wanted to catch as much as I could.

I’ll be back at ToastMasters again tonight (took last week off) and that’ll be interesting. I’m going to have to reign-in my mind again and refocus it…

Maybe later…
Naptime’s just started, and in opposition to all good sense, I’m off to work on my story some more.

It’s interesting hearing about how devoted our generation/culture is to “instant gratification.”

I can’t deny it, but today I’m recognizing a type of… affinity with previous generations: With the type that hovered over the Sears catalogue, looking for that perfect something, then waiting impatiently for the mail to bring the desired item.

I don’t know why it should feel like Christmas– after all, I paid for it myself, and I know it’s coming– but somehow checking the mail each day brings a tiny thrill of hope. Will there be something *extra* today?

This wondering (though not the anticipation) is slightly diminished with the packages that have tracking numbers, but many of the books I buy come media mail, and truly could come anytime in a 3-week span. The tracking numbers are great though– I’ve only got two more days until my computer shows up. This according to Fed Ex, and ahead of schedule.

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I ordered several things today, and maybe buying “so much” has got my blood up. I feel myself wanting to go out an buy something “for real.” Something I can hold (not groceries, that’s boring). I keep thinking of the collection of journals (blank books) I saw at B&N last week. There were some nice ones there…

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I had this feeling a lot when Jay was in Antarctica last November. I kept warning him that I was going to go out and buy something totally unnecessary, just ’cause I was dying to buy something. And the bigger the better

“I need socks,” he’d e-mail back. “Why don’t you get me some socks? Or groceries. You’re probably getting low on something…” This, I informed him, is not the type of shopping/buying I’m talking about. I wanted to buy… yet another journal, the perfect pen, some book I’ve been meaning to read, or a reference volume for my storytelling or FAM work. Something useless and fun.

Socks are neither.

Never got anything big, though. Closest I got was a couple tubes of bath salts.

Don’t remember if I even got to finish them both before Jay came home. Something about running water seems to draw my children from sleep…

I eventually gave-up.

Oh, I did buy a new palm pilot (PDA), but returned it before the trial week was up. Can’t remember now if that got the bug out of my system…