I recently came across an interesting project on WeBook where the creator ask the writer to describe themselves in one word, but then we kind of cheat a little and explain ourselves. Did you ever write something personal about yourself, say in a journal and then have an "aha" moment? That's what this exercise did for me. I know I am breaking a pattern by blogging again so soon, but what the hell. Here is my submission:
One word to describe myself: Evolving
My Story:
For some reason, when I was a kid, I thought that 26 was my magical age. I don't know why. It was not printed on a fortune cookie or anything. I just felt that 26 would be it. I would be complete and happy and well.... there.
I was wrong. I can quickly sum it up like this:
In my twenties, I was free and wild. I had it all going on, you know what I'm saying. I was ready for the world, but was the world ready for me? This is it, I thought, I don't ever want to get any older. I'm grown and loving it.
My thirties were fabulous! Not only did I still have everything going on, but now I knew what to do with it. This is it, I thought, I'm in my prime. I'm going to squeeze every last drop out of my thirties, because at 40 it's over.
My forties have been awesome! I still got it going on. I not only know what to do with it, but when to actually put it to good use. I also realize that this is NOT it. I am always evolving. Every accomplishment, every failure, every sob cried in the dark, every laugh captured by the wind forges who I will be. I cannot wait until my fifties and beyond.
So, who am I? I am evolving and loving it!
Found at www.webook.com
Project: Power of one
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Yippee Kai-yea, Mamacita!
Well, it started innocently enough. I wrote a couple of articles for a collaborative book and it was chosen for publication. Finally....published! No, it's not a full length novel that I sweat out over a couple of years, but hey; published is published. Now, here's the fun part. Because we live in a global community age, advertising jumped all over that particular bandwagon. An email went out to the 28 authors of "101 Things Every Man Should Know How To Do" asking for a short video revolving around our contribution(s).
I wrote two articles: "How to Be a Chef in the Bedroom" (all about the art of foreplay outside of the bedroom) and "How to Cook One Thing Well". Since they were both "kitchen" based, I decided to do a video set in the kitchen. I wanted to make it funny and memorable. I dressed up in a red apron with hearts (how apropo, thought I) and had a pot of water up to full boil in the background.
My neice filmed it on her digital video camera and I flubbed the first few times. But once I was up and running, we did it in one take. We watched it play back and laughed and laughed. Now... to transfer it to the computer and send it to New York. What's that? No memory card in the camera? Where's your transfer cord thingy? What?! You don't know? Well, hells bells! I've filmed it and now have no way to get it onto the computer and EDIT it.
Not to fear. My resourceful husband took the cassette disk thingy out of the camera and presto magico, converted it onto a DVD by configuring two devices and lots of color coded wires. Now, I'll just pop this into the computer and.....well, hell! Turns out, I can play it, but can't load it or EDIT it. Through all of this trial and error, I am in constant communication with WeBook Publishing in New York. Finally they just got tired on waiting on me to catch a clue. They suggested I just send them the disk. I did with an email apologizing for the UNEDITED bloopers and invited them to slice and dice as needed to make it fit for the promotion.
The next email I received talked about how clever, how very funny the video was, ESPECIALLY THE BLOOPERS....(gulp). They went on to say it was up and running on YouTube under WeBookCommunity videos and thanks again. I immediately pulled it up by link provided and yup: There I was in my red apron saying the "F" word. Should you want to view my blunder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX0VbIDZkdg
I broke the news to my mother Saturday. She took it rather well actually.
I wrote two articles: "How to Be a Chef in the Bedroom" (all about the art of foreplay outside of the bedroom) and "How to Cook One Thing Well". Since they were both "kitchen" based, I decided to do a video set in the kitchen. I wanted to make it funny and memorable. I dressed up in a red apron with hearts (how apropo, thought I) and had a pot of water up to full boil in the background.
My neice filmed it on her digital video camera and I flubbed the first few times. But once I was up and running, we did it in one take. We watched it play back and laughed and laughed. Now... to transfer it to the computer and send it to New York. What's that? No memory card in the camera? Where's your transfer cord thingy? What?! You don't know? Well, hells bells! I've filmed it and now have no way to get it onto the computer and EDIT it.
Not to fear. My resourceful husband took the cassette disk thingy out of the camera and presto magico, converted it onto a DVD by configuring two devices and lots of color coded wires. Now, I'll just pop this into the computer and.....well, hell! Turns out, I can play it, but can't load it or EDIT it. Through all of this trial and error, I am in constant communication with WeBook Publishing in New York. Finally they just got tired on waiting on me to catch a clue. They suggested I just send them the disk. I did with an email apologizing for the UNEDITED bloopers and invited them to slice and dice as needed to make it fit for the promotion.
The next email I received talked about how clever, how very funny the video was, ESPECIALLY THE BLOOPERS....(gulp). They went on to say it was up and running on YouTube under WeBookCommunity videos and thanks again. I immediately pulled it up by link provided and yup: There I was in my red apron saying the "F" word. Should you want to view my blunder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX0VbIDZkdg
I broke the news to my mother Saturday. She took it rather well actually.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
What Drama in Yonder Window Breaks?
There are days like today that I really wonder if one of two things are happening: has Ashton Kutcher decided to punk little old me or has the world gone clinically mad? When I was growing up, one of my favorite shows to watch was Candid Camera. Oh my! How I laughed at the surprised looks on the faces of the duped. How I looked forward to Allan Funt coming forward and saying, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera!" In moments like the many today, I kept thinking someone had revived the show and I kept waiting for the prank to be revealed. Where are the cameras?, I wondered in those "truth is stranger than fiction moments".
One of my personal favorite sayings of my own making is "When life hands you lemons, cut 'em up, stick 'em in a Corona and make the best of the moment at hand". But even me, Pollyanna, Suzie Sunshine, Silver lining and all that crap.....even the smile on my face cracks in the face of unrelenting melodrama. Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part, said Garfield...the cat, not the President. Amen and pass the chicken!
So prevalant was the drama I was cast in today, I even said at one point that should it continue, I would need to pass out Oscars by days end. No sooner than one histrionic person would exit stage left, but another would enter stage right proclaiming, whoa-is-meisms. Still, I kept waiting for the prank to be revealed. Surely, not everyone was this Florida-dinner-theater emotional!
Then, it was revealed....twas a full moon but the night before. Ahhh, such answers to my wandering reason do appeal. But, of course, the full moon and it's instinctive control over mankind and their emotions. It was the one reason I had not considered. Seems I was punked by the best; mother nature!
One of my personal favorite sayings of my own making is "When life hands you lemons, cut 'em up, stick 'em in a Corona and make the best of the moment at hand". But even me, Pollyanna, Suzie Sunshine, Silver lining and all that crap.....even the smile on my face cracks in the face of unrelenting melodrama. Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part, said Garfield...the cat, not the President. Amen and pass the chicken!
So prevalant was the drama I was cast in today, I even said at one point that should it continue, I would need to pass out Oscars by days end. No sooner than one histrionic person would exit stage left, but another would enter stage right proclaiming, whoa-is-meisms. Still, I kept waiting for the prank to be revealed. Surely, not everyone was this Florida-dinner-theater emotional!
Then, it was revealed....twas a full moon but the night before. Ahhh, such answers to my wandering reason do appeal. But, of course, the full moon and it's instinctive control over mankind and their emotions. It was the one reason I had not considered. Seems I was punked by the best; mother nature!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Life interrupted
Well, what do you know? Turns out that when writing isn't what's earning you a paycheck, what does will take precedence sometimes. Okay, well, most of the time. Sometimes, I may have an idea or two bouncing around in here, but have to treat it like an anxious child and say, "Not today, but soon....soon." Because life gets complicated and this "little hobby" of mine has to take a back burner.
But, then that little kid named Story residing in my imagination, gets tired of waiting and really starts to whine. I don't know how many parents are reading this, but I can tell you that the kids have figured out the best way to get their way is to make a nuisance out of themselves. It becomes glaringly apparent that the only way you are going to get anything done is to make good on that promise of time out for them and just do it. That's the only way they are going to shut the hell up! So, you do and they do and everything goes back to status quo....until the next time they're told to wait.
Well, obviously a story idea that has some weight to it acts the same way. Lately, it was that way for me. I had two short story ideas that just wouldn't sit on the couch and be quiet. I was quite embroiled in a hot drama in the parenthood realm (and still am really) and I just didn't have "time right now. Not today, but soon...soon". Well, those ideas just kept bouncing around the house, getting louder and louder until finally I sat down and just took them out to play until about 2AM, knowing full well I'd pay in the morning. But it was quiet when we were done and that was reward enough.
Are they good little children, my little twin short stories? Who knows? You can pop over to webook.com, check out my short story collection "Got a Minute" and look 'em up: The Passenger and HANGMAN. But it's quiet once again. Although, I do hear the teenager Novel starting to get louder upstairs.....
But, then that little kid named Story residing in my imagination, gets tired of waiting and really starts to whine. I don't know how many parents are reading this, but I can tell you that the kids have figured out the best way to get their way is to make a nuisance out of themselves. It becomes glaringly apparent that the only way you are going to get anything done is to make good on that promise of time out for them and just do it. That's the only way they are going to shut the hell up! So, you do and they do and everything goes back to status quo....until the next time they're told to wait.
Well, obviously a story idea that has some weight to it acts the same way. Lately, it was that way for me. I had two short story ideas that just wouldn't sit on the couch and be quiet. I was quite embroiled in a hot drama in the parenthood realm (and still am really) and I just didn't have "time right now. Not today, but soon...soon". Well, those ideas just kept bouncing around the house, getting louder and louder until finally I sat down and just took them out to play until about 2AM, knowing full well I'd pay in the morning. But it was quiet when we were done and that was reward enough.
Are they good little children, my little twin short stories? Who knows? You can pop over to webook.com, check out my short story collection "Got a Minute" and look 'em up: The Passenger and HANGMAN. But it's quiet once again. Although, I do hear the teenager Novel starting to get louder upstairs.....
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Art of Letter Writing
How many "writers" out there still take time to write a long letter to someone? I'm not talking a 10 slide powerpoint you're forwarding on with a "personal" comment from you. I'm talking a heart-felt, well thought out letter full of descriptive updates on the well being of family members, a "take me there" account of an important event that you know they may have wanted to be there for or how much they truly mean to you and why.
In this age of technology where we no longer have to wait for a letter to reach us through a mail carrier and where even emails are now considered too long-winded, the art of letter writing is akin to caligraphy. It's just not practiced anymore. What a shame!
Do yourself a favor and find some letters written years ago by ordinary people who had no other means necessary or readily availabe to them. Visit one of the war-time exhibits or museums and read the correspondence between husbands and wives, mothers and sons or sweethearts. It's some deep stuff! Go futher back and peruse the letters that read like short novels full of prose. It seems everyone was a writer. What era do most of our classic or contemporary classic writers come from? When people were still sending long letters back and forth. Could there be a correlation?
During that era of communication, one took time to put their thoughts and hearts into words when composing a letter. They knew what they wrote would have to take the place of words, loving glances and caresses. They were sending out themselves and every word was important. The practiced art of letter writing couldn't help but develop the skills of those doing the writing.
Become an artist! Pick a relative, an out of state friend or a stranger penpal and start writing letters. Make it your goal to write letters two to three pages long. It will help to develop two things: your ability to sit and write anything, removing the anxiety of the blank page and the ability to convey your thoughts and feelings through the written word. Practice may not make perfect; not in a writer's continuous self-editing mind, but it will make writing easier and better.
~Keep writing
Karen
In this age of technology where we no longer have to wait for a letter to reach us through a mail carrier and where even emails are now considered too long-winded, the art of letter writing is akin to caligraphy. It's just not practiced anymore. What a shame!
Do yourself a favor and find some letters written years ago by ordinary people who had no other means necessary or readily availabe to them. Visit one of the war-time exhibits or museums and read the correspondence between husbands and wives, mothers and sons or sweethearts. It's some deep stuff! Go futher back and peruse the letters that read like short novels full of prose. It seems everyone was a writer. What era do most of our classic or contemporary classic writers come from? When people were still sending long letters back and forth. Could there be a correlation?
During that era of communication, one took time to put their thoughts and hearts into words when composing a letter. They knew what they wrote would have to take the place of words, loving glances and caresses. They were sending out themselves and every word was important. The practiced art of letter writing couldn't help but develop the skills of those doing the writing.
Become an artist! Pick a relative, an out of state friend or a stranger penpal and start writing letters. Make it your goal to write letters two to three pages long. It will help to develop two things: your ability to sit and write anything, removing the anxiety of the blank page and the ability to convey your thoughts and feelings through the written word. Practice may not make perfect; not in a writer's continuous self-editing mind, but it will make writing easier and better.
~Keep writing
Karen
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Writing Through UpHeaval
How many of us only write when we have the time and everything is set? For example, for me the perfect writing environment would be a quiet morning or afternoon, a fresh cup of coffee in my favorite cup (well, really any cup would do) and a head full of stories just busting to get out. No worries, no background fighting from the rivaling siblings, no "honey, did you pay that electric bill", and no one interrupting me to play mom or "honey". Yeah, that would be nice. And on occasion, when the kids are in school, it actually happens.
But then there are weeks like this week. Where my schedule is all flipped around and I have so many "commitments outside the home and office" that I'm beginning to seriously doubt that the little green man was correct in calling me "superwoman". And then of course, there was that proverbial "other shoe" dropping moment of yesterday. Yeah, those times when life just sticks it in and twists. How fun it that?!
That's when all the ideas waiting in the writer's lounge of my brain are forced to continue flipping through their outdated magazines while the big bully of worry occupies my front office. It sucks for both of us, really. But you know what I found? Sure you do. You probably discovered this eons ago. That when I'm under stress....if I make myself sit down and write "for an hour", I free myself. That's right. Maybe it is just an hour, but it's cathartic. Many times, it ends up being a full writing session (3-4 hours). It may be late night or even the wee hours of the morning. Writing everyday, no matter what, gives structure and continuity to my life. And when the entire world is a chaotic sea around you, it's the one piece of drifting wood you need.
Keep writing,
~Karen
But then there are weeks like this week. Where my schedule is all flipped around and I have so many "commitments outside the home and office" that I'm beginning to seriously doubt that the little green man was correct in calling me "superwoman". And then of course, there was that proverbial "other shoe" dropping moment of yesterday. Yeah, those times when life just sticks it in and twists. How fun it that?!
That's when all the ideas waiting in the writer's lounge of my brain are forced to continue flipping through their outdated magazines while the big bully of worry occupies my front office. It sucks for both of us, really. But you know what I found? Sure you do. You probably discovered this eons ago. That when I'm under stress....if I make myself sit down and write "for an hour", I free myself. That's right. Maybe it is just an hour, but it's cathartic. Many times, it ends up being a full writing session (3-4 hours). It may be late night or even the wee hours of the morning. Writing everyday, no matter what, gives structure and continuity to my life. And when the entire world is a chaotic sea around you, it's the one piece of drifting wood you need.
Keep writing,
~Karen
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Writing Non-Fiction; Will They Read it?
When does one decide what they have to say is interesting enough to write down and share with everyone? What makes a true life account, one event or a lifetime's work worth telling? How narcissitic must one be to say literally, "Hey, listen to this!"?
I have wondered this myself. I have written one novel about the field of nursing, full of true stories and little human lessons I learned along the way. I am now starting to write about the struggles of raising an Asperger's Syndrome child. Why? Do I fashion myself on the next competition show of "So You Think You Can Write?". Do I seriously think my writing skills so sublime that no matter what I write, people will flock to read it? No, not even close.
As with any writer, I'm sure, I am quite positive that a "real writer" would tear my pathetic peices apart. But I can't help myself. I have to write and a daily journal entry just won't suffice. So, what do I do? I let all those stories bouncing around in my head come out to play in a Word document. That space will never be empty; although those in the know would claim it already is, perhaps. Because with all five senses up and operating daily, my mind is continuously playing the "what if" game.
And the true to life stuff? They were the bullies of my mind's playground. They were big undertakings and very, very scary. But every once in awhile, you have to face up to your bullies, maybe even try to befriend them. And maybe, just maybe, you'll find they are interesting enough to introduce them to everyone else. Maybe just interesting enough to start to line up speaking engagements!
So, will the non-fiction be read? That's not the question, after all. The question is really: is the non-fiction work worth the telling? Will it in some way benefit the reader and/or targeted audience? If you can answer "yes" to those questions, then take a minute to really look at that bully of an idea that's been pestering you. Is it time to make friends?
Keep writing ~ Karen
I have wondered this myself. I have written one novel about the field of nursing, full of true stories and little human lessons I learned along the way. I am now starting to write about the struggles of raising an Asperger's Syndrome child. Why? Do I fashion myself on the next competition show of "So You Think You Can Write?". Do I seriously think my writing skills so sublime that no matter what I write, people will flock to read it? No, not even close.
As with any writer, I'm sure, I am quite positive that a "real writer" would tear my pathetic peices apart. But I can't help myself. I have to write and a daily journal entry just won't suffice. So, what do I do? I let all those stories bouncing around in my head come out to play in a Word document. That space will never be empty; although those in the know would claim it already is, perhaps. Because with all five senses up and operating daily, my mind is continuously playing the "what if" game.
And the true to life stuff? They were the bullies of my mind's playground. They were big undertakings and very, very scary. But every once in awhile, you have to face up to your bullies, maybe even try to befriend them. And maybe, just maybe, you'll find they are interesting enough to introduce them to everyone else. Maybe just interesting enough to start to line up speaking engagements!
So, will the non-fiction be read? That's not the question, after all. The question is really: is the non-fiction work worth the telling? Will it in some way benefit the reader and/or targeted audience? If you can answer "yes" to those questions, then take a minute to really look at that bully of an idea that's been pestering you. Is it time to make friends?
Keep writing ~ Karen
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