This week a legal travesty occurred when Governor Brewer of Arizona signed into law SB1070 as a response to the problem of undocumented immigrants. The law requires peace officers to stop and inspect legal identification of anyone who appears to be in the state illegally. The potential for racial profiling as the law is presently configured is enormous. Although I am not personally targeted as a potential scofflaw, this law is heinous because it specifically goes after individuals of Latino/a heritage. People from other countries are also here without current visas in record numbers. Arizona cites the lack of effective federal solutions to the problem of illegal immigration as the genesis of its attempt to solve the problem with this law.
I personally disagree with this law for several reasons. First, because on its face, it can only be described as racist. Second, because political borders are artificial constructs; they do not show up when Earth is viewed from space. Third, because all residents of Arizona who are not members of indigenous Native American tribes are trespassing on that land. Finally, this law represents a perspective that contradicts the pillars of democracy, principles articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Whatever your personal beliefs about immigration, the exercises this week are designed to help you think and write about them.
Writing Exercises:
External Exercises
(See previous posts for detailed instructions)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Weekly Exercises: April 26, 2010
1. You have just crossed the border between Arizona and Mexico illegally. As you search for a place to stay, you are stopped by the police. Write about what happens next.
2. Do a word cluster on "immigrant."
3. If you were suddenly deported, who would be the person that is most painful for you to leave?
4. How would you explain this law to a pre-school child?
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 14
Today is my 60th birthday. One of my friends maintains that at this age, a birthday is just another day. Which is true. What is also true is that I have experienced so many days that my life is now an historical experience. I can say, "I was at the March on Washington in 1963." I can remember where I was when President Kennedy was assassinated. I have vivid memories of watching the television during coverage of both the Challenger and Columbia shuttle disasters. I love watching Jeopardy and realizing that I can recall an event that occurred before the contestants were born.
While narrative accounts of these and other events are the stuff of "history," personal recollections are used as the building blocks of memoir. Whether an author chooses to label anecdotal writing as memoir or fiction is a personal choice, but all good writing results from the writer's willingness to open a vein and bleed onto the page, as the proverb demands. Whether a specific piece of writing details an actual event or simply draws the emotions from one, the reader should not be able to discern the difference. Put your true emotions into whatever you write!
Weekly Exercises
External Exercises
1. Observation Exercises
Sit in a public place, such as a mall, a restaurant, a bus stop, or a waiting room. Use a notebook to record overheard conversations or physical descriptions of people you see or details about the place. These will come in handy as you create characters and settings for your writing.
2. Reading Report
This is NOT the dreaded book report you detested in school. This is a chance for you to use reading as a laboratory for your own writing. Write down the things about the book that made you excited to turn the page. Likewise, record the parts that turned you off, bored you, or otherwise made you want to stop reading. What character pops up in your thoughts even after you completed the book? What about an author's style makes you want to read everything they have ever written?
3. Literary Journal
Write about ideas that you have for future work. Write about your PROCESS as a writer. What makes it easier for you to write? (time of day, at home or in a public place, hand written or computer keyboard, with music or silence, etc.)
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Choose an event (ANY event from brushing your teeth to a wedding). First describe the event as a photograph (what you can SEE). Then describe the event as a radio program (what you can HEAR). In succession, write about each of the senses separately as they pertain to your chosen event (what you SMELL, TASTE, and TOUCH). Then record all the EMOTIONS associated with the event. Finally, write one piece that integrates information from all the preceding writing.
Weekly Exercises: April 19, 2010
1. Do a cluster exercise on the word "history."
2. Pick an event that was important to you during your childhood. Write about that event as it would have been described by a grandparent.
3. What is your relationship to technology?
4. Start with the phrase, "I never liked..." and keep writing.
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
While narrative accounts of these and other events are the stuff of "history," personal recollections are used as the building blocks of memoir. Whether an author chooses to label anecdotal writing as memoir or fiction is a personal choice, but all good writing results from the writer's willingness to open a vein and bleed onto the page, as the proverb demands. Whether a specific piece of writing details an actual event or simply draws the emotions from one, the reader should not be able to discern the difference. Put your true emotions into whatever you write!
Weekly Exercises
External Exercises
1. Observation Exercises
Sit in a public place, such as a mall, a restaurant, a bus stop, or a waiting room. Use a notebook to record overheard conversations or physical descriptions of people you see or details about the place. These will come in handy as you create characters and settings for your writing.
2. Reading Report
This is NOT the dreaded book report you detested in school. This is a chance for you to use reading as a laboratory for your own writing. Write down the things about the book that made you excited to turn the page. Likewise, record the parts that turned you off, bored you, or otherwise made you want to stop reading. What character pops up in your thoughts even after you completed the book? What about an author's style makes you want to read everything they have ever written?
3. Literary Journal
Write about ideas that you have for future work. Write about your PROCESS as a writer. What makes it easier for you to write? (time of day, at home or in a public place, hand written or computer keyboard, with music or silence, etc.)
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Choose an event (ANY event from brushing your teeth to a wedding). First describe the event as a photograph (what you can SEE). Then describe the event as a radio program (what you can HEAR). In succession, write about each of the senses separately as they pertain to your chosen event (what you SMELL, TASTE, and TOUCH). Then record all the EMOTIONS associated with the event. Finally, write one piece that integrates information from all the preceding writing.
Weekly Exercises: April 19, 2010
1. Do a cluster exercise on the word "history."
2. Pick an event that was important to you during your childhood. Write about that event as it would have been described by a grandparent.
3. What is your relationship to technology?
4. Start with the phrase, "I never liked..." and keep writing.
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
Monday, April 12, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 13
This weekend was the conclusion of the Annual Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. The news from this year's event included two stories outside the obvious sports angle. First, Tiger Woods returned to golf after months of absence from the circuit because of his much-publicized marital infidelities. The winner of the tournament was Phil Mickelson, who celebrated his victory with his children and his wife, who has been battling breast cancer. As someone who has always been bored by the pace of golf, even I was intrigued by these ancillary headlines.
I am a basketball fan. I am totally in love with the sport. I watch televised games on the high school, college and professional levels for both men and women. I attend the L.A. Sparks games whenever I can and watch their games whenever they are televised. However, I recognize there are many who find sports of any description to be uninteresting. As a writer, it is not important what your passion is so long as you infuse your writing with that passionate energy so that your readers can vicariously experience it.
Writing Exercises
External Exercises
(See previous posts for detailed instructions.)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Weekly Exercises: April 12, 2010
1. Write about a parent at their child's sporting event.
2. Start with the phrase, "I can't believe that people actually enjoy..." and keep writing.
3. If you had the physical talent to pursue a career in sports, which one would you choose?
4. Do a cluster exercise on the word "sports." Instructions for cluster exercise: put the word in a circle in the middle of the page. Then add spokes to the wheel with words that pop into your mind associated with the starting word. Repeat the process for each of the new words two times. Now use one of the words from the outermost ring to start writing.
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
I am a basketball fan. I am totally in love with the sport. I watch televised games on the high school, college and professional levels for both men and women. I attend the L.A. Sparks games whenever I can and watch their games whenever they are televised. However, I recognize there are many who find sports of any description to be uninteresting. As a writer, it is not important what your passion is so long as you infuse your writing with that passionate energy so that your readers can vicariously experience it.
Writing Exercises
External Exercises
(See previous posts for detailed instructions.)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Weekly Exercises: April 12, 2010
1. Write about a parent at their child's sporting event.
2. Start with the phrase, "I can't believe that people actually enjoy..." and keep writing.
3. If you had the physical talent to pursue a career in sports, which one would you choose?
4. Do a cluster exercise on the word "sports." Instructions for cluster exercise: put the word in a circle in the middle of the page. Then add spokes to the wheel with words that pop into your mind associated with the starting word. Repeat the process for each of the new words two times. Now use one of the words from the outermost ring to start writing.
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
Monday, April 05, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 12
April 4, 1968 was an early spring day in Poughkeepsie, New York, where I was a freshman at Vassar College. I had grown up in Boston, Massachusetts, known for its role in the American War of Independence (from Britain). Ironically, Boston was also known as the Birmingham of the North for the vitriolic racism it harbored. When I was age 7, I attended a freedom school organized and implemented by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. at a local church to protest the racism in the school system. I also attended a community rally the preceding day. At that age and in that time, I had no idea that I was in the presence of greatness, that Dr. King would go on not only to spearhead the national movement for Civil Rights and justice but also to experience such personal triumphs as his speech at the March on Washington, D.C. in 1963 and winning the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1964.
In 1968, I and other African-American students at Vassar were sticking our toes into the tidal wave of change that swept the country. Our efforts resulted in the creation of an African-American studies department at the college as well as increased enrollment of Black students. I was personally crushed to learn of the horrific and violent end to such a peace-loving man. As a statement of grief and celebration, I went to the campus quad the next morning and began reading aloud from "Why We Can't Wait," Dr. King's book. It was my first individual political action, which initiated my career as an activist. One of my first published pieces recounts the events of that day: April 4, 1968.
Writing Exercises
External Exercises
(see previous posts for detailed instructions)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Weekly Exercises: March 5, 2010
1. Pick a date that has emotional significance for you and write about where you were on that date.
2. Think about a public figure that was heroic for you when you were a child and write about how you came to know of that person.
3. Start with the phrase, "Everything changed when..." and keep writing.
4. What makes you angry?
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
In 1968, I and other African-American students at Vassar were sticking our toes into the tidal wave of change that swept the country. Our efforts resulted in the creation of an African-American studies department at the college as well as increased enrollment of Black students. I was personally crushed to learn of the horrific and violent end to such a peace-loving man. As a statement of grief and celebration, I went to the campus quad the next morning and began reading aloud from "Why We Can't Wait," Dr. King's book. It was my first individual political action, which initiated my career as an activist. One of my first published pieces recounts the events of that day: April 4, 1968.
Writing Exercises
External Exercises
(see previous posts for detailed instructions)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Weekly Exercises: March 5, 2010
1. Pick a date that has emotional significance for you and write about where you were on that date.
2. Think about a public figure that was heroic for you when you were a child and write about how you came to know of that person.
3. Start with the phrase, "Everything changed when..." and keep writing.
4. What makes you angry?
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 11
Last night there was an incredible full moon. Every month, the full moon signals a time of fertility, ripeness, energy ready to burst forth and enlighten, change, heal. The full moon after the Vernal Equinox is also the determinant of two of the world's most significant religious holidays: Passover and Easter.
Even as a child, I was struck by the connections between these two events, choosing to discuss them in my first sermon as a junior minister on Palm Sunday. I have always been mindful of the traditions associated with the Passover Seder, which was the Last Supper. Both Jewish and African-American history contain periods of cultural adversity that ultimately forged a strong people.
Although American society reshapes such powerful and emotional occasions into Halmark moments and retail frenzy (Easter baskets and candy), there is still a compelling beauty and power in the true meaning and values of Easter and Passover. The equinox, when night and day are of equal length, is a perfect time to bring one's life into balance. My writing this week will evolve from my thoughts of Spring and the equinox.
Writing Exercises
External Exercises
(Detailed Instructions are in prior posts.)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. Sensory Details
Weekly Exercises March 29, 2010
1. Describe a holiday meal in detail. Be sure to include the various items, how they were prepared, who was present at the meal.
2. Tell a story that members of your family repeated on a regular basis. Start with the line, "I remember the time..."
3. If you could travel to one place in the world that has powerful meaning for you, where would you go? Be sure to give a full description of the place as well as its importance.
4. What book has had the most impact on your life (and why)?
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
Even as a child, I was struck by the connections between these two events, choosing to discuss them in my first sermon as a junior minister on Palm Sunday. I have always been mindful of the traditions associated with the Passover Seder, which was the Last Supper. Both Jewish and African-American history contain periods of cultural adversity that ultimately forged a strong people.
Although American society reshapes such powerful and emotional occasions into Halmark moments and retail frenzy (Easter baskets and candy), there is still a compelling beauty and power in the true meaning and values of Easter and Passover. The equinox, when night and day are of equal length, is a perfect time to bring one's life into balance. My writing this week will evolve from my thoughts of Spring and the equinox.
Writing Exercises
External Exercises
(Detailed Instructions are in prior posts.)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. Sensory Details
Weekly Exercises March 29, 2010
1. Describe a holiday meal in detail. Be sure to include the various items, how they were prepared, who was present at the meal.
2. Tell a story that members of your family repeated on a regular basis. Start with the line, "I remember the time..."
3. If you could travel to one place in the world that has powerful meaning for you, where would you go? Be sure to give a full description of the place as well as its importance.
4. What book has had the most impact on your life (and why)?
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
Friday, March 19, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 10 March 22, 2010
Violence. Desperation. Upheaval. There have been devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile and Japan. There are violent assaults against young children (like the infant who died in foster care recently) and adults (home invasion robberies and attacks by sexual predators). With the news reports of wars between nations, violence at the individual level is hardly surprising. Some people seek solace from religion or spiritual principles. Others seek refuge in alcohol or drugs. Like the ostrich, some people bury their heads in the sand and hope that the storms will blow over before they emerge from hiding.
I was heartened by the story of a courageous 7-year-old boy who bravely took his sister into the bathroom and locked the door before he called 911 during a violent home invasion robbery.. Like the dispatcher who took his call, I wanted to give him a reassuring hug. Although I have never met this juvenile hero, the story of his breavery will stay in my memory for years to come. Like other events, stories from the news can often inspire me as a writer to create a story from my own past or based on the contemporaneous experience. This week, catch a story from the news or write about something that happened in your own past.
External Exercises
1. Observation Exercise
Sit in a public place (mall, library, restaurant, etc.) and take notes on the appearance and behaviors of the people around you. Be sure to include sensory details.
2. Reading Report
Write about a book you have just finished from a writer's perspective: what did you learn about writing from the book, i.e. who were the memorable characters, where did the action occur (setting), what was the author's style, how did the plot progress, etc.?
3. Literary Journal
A place to write about writing: new ideas you want to explore, examination of your writing process, rituals and friends that support your work, etc.
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Write about a specific event specifically as a snapshot, a radio program, a version devoted to the tastes and smells, an examination of the feelings and the tactile sensations. Now write a final version that draws on all the information you have gathered.
Weekly Exercises Week 10 March 22, 2010
1. Create a phrase that is a color and a weather phenomenon (e.g. purple tsunami, yellow flood, pink tornado, turquoise mudslide) and use that pair of words to start writing.
2. You are in a mini-market buying a beverage and getting gas in your car. The door opens and an armed gunmen enters. Write about what happens next.
3. You see an ad for an animal shelter that awakens your love of animals. If money and space were not an issue, what kind of animal companion (pet) would you want to adopt?
4. In which outdoor setting do you find the most peace?
There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
2.
I was heartened by the story of a courageous 7-year-old boy who bravely took his sister into the bathroom and locked the door before he called 911 during a violent home invasion robbery.. Like the dispatcher who took his call, I wanted to give him a reassuring hug. Although I have never met this juvenile hero, the story of his breavery will stay in my memory for years to come. Like other events, stories from the news can often inspire me as a writer to create a story from my own past or based on the contemporaneous experience. This week, catch a story from the news or write about something that happened in your own past.
External Exercises
1. Observation Exercise
Sit in a public place (mall, library, restaurant, etc.) and take notes on the appearance and behaviors of the people around you. Be sure to include sensory details.
2. Reading Report
Write about a book you have just finished from a writer's perspective: what did you learn about writing from the book, i.e. who were the memorable characters, where did the action occur (setting), what was the author's style, how did the plot progress, etc.?
3. Literary Journal
A place to write about writing: new ideas you want to explore, examination of your writing process, rituals and friends that support your work, etc.
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Write about a specific event specifically as a snapshot, a radio program, a version devoted to the tastes and smells, an examination of the feelings and the tactile sensations. Now write a final version that draws on all the information you have gathered.
Weekly Exercises Week 10 March 22, 2010
1. Create a phrase that is a color and a weather phenomenon (e.g. purple tsunami, yellow flood, pink tornado, turquoise mudslide) and use that pair of words to start writing.
2. You are in a mini-market buying a beverage and getting gas in your car. The door opens and an armed gunmen enters. Write about what happens next.
3. You see an ad for an animal shelter that awakens your love of animals. If money and space were not an issue, what kind of animal companion (pet) would you want to adopt?
4. In which outdoor setting do you find the most peace?
There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
2.
Monday, March 08, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 9
Last night's Academy Awards broadcast brought to an end the annual film awards season that begins at the end of the calendar year. While the actual results in the major acting, directing and production categories held few surprises, there were still interesting elements to a show that was largely boring. The show started with the best actor and best actress nominees on stage followed by Neil Patrick Harris in an entertaining song and dance number. Also, each of the individuals in those two categories had a personalized introduction before the winner was announced. I was personally moved when Gabourey Sidibe, nominated for her compelling work in Precious, based on the novel Push by Sapphire, was visibly emotional during Oprah Winfrey's introduction of her. What is already an interminably long show is extended to fill an entire evening and night of programming with red carpet interviews, after show parties, the Barbara Walters and Jimmy Kimmel specials, and news shows which recapped what had just transpired.
For people not interested in the glitz and glamor, there is a kinship with people who eschew football on Super Bowl Sunday, when streets and freeways are deserted, retail outlets and restaurants offer unbelievable access, and even television addicts have to settle for reruns from competing networks. Whether you love the Oscar saturation or search desperately for quality options, the annual movie celebration provides writers with a plethora of topics from fashion to film technology to family rituals. This week in your writing, take advantage of the chance to address these subjects while your memories are still fresh and the details still vivid in your imagination.
Weekly Exercises
External Exercises
(see previous weeks for detailed instructions)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Exercises Week of March 8, 2010
1. Of the films which you personally viewed in 2009, which one affected you the most?
2. If you were invited to a party on a Sunday night, what would you wear?
3. At my high school prom, the theme from "The Pink Panther" movie was popular and instantly reminds me of that time whenever I hear it. Think of a piece of music that provokes a similar response from you and write about it.
4.Imagine receiving a prestigious award in your chosen field of endeavor and write your acceptance speech.
There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
For people not interested in the glitz and glamor, there is a kinship with people who eschew football on Super Bowl Sunday, when streets and freeways are deserted, retail outlets and restaurants offer unbelievable access, and even television addicts have to settle for reruns from competing networks. Whether you love the Oscar saturation or search desperately for quality options, the annual movie celebration provides writers with a plethora of topics from fashion to film technology to family rituals. This week in your writing, take advantage of the chance to address these subjects while your memories are still fresh and the details still vivid in your imagination.
Weekly Exercises
External Exercises
(see previous weeks for detailed instructions)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Exercises Week of March 8, 2010
1. Of the films which you personally viewed in 2009, which one affected you the most?
2. If you were invited to a party on a Sunday night, what would you wear?
3. At my high school prom, the theme from "The Pink Panther" movie was popular and instantly reminds me of that time whenever I hear it. Think of a piece of music that provokes a similar response from you and write about it.
4.Imagine receiving a prestigious award in your chosen field of endeavor and write your acceptance speech.
There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 6
February is celebrated as Black History Month. I am old enough to remember when Carter G. Woodson instituted Negro History Week to inspire youth to understand the accomplishments and achievements of members of our race that had been overlooked by traditional historians. Today, there is still controvrsy about this annual observation. Some individuals think BHM is a superfluous concept while others alternately joke or complain that we have the shortest month of the calendar year. I believe that each cultural group needs to make sure that their stories and heroes and values are not lost in the "melting pot" philosophy. As a writer, I am particularly drawn to authors such as Audre Lorde, Pat Parker, Alice Walker, Zora Neale Hurston, and James Baldwin for inspiration and motivation. However, I also am proud of the millions of African-Americans from Mae Jemison to George Washinton Carver to Fannie Lou Hamer to Benjamin Banneker whose efforts have earned them an entry into the annals of history.
This week in your writing efforts focus on the individuals in your life that have had a significant impact on your universe. Whether that be a relative that people in your family celebrated or a teacher whose energy propelled you forward in your own career, write about them so their stories have the chance to live on. I am simultaneously amused and impressed to recognize that my youth has become the historical era studied by my grandchildren in school. That knowledge drives me to write my memories down while I still can. I encourage you to write your stories, this month and every day.
Exercises
External Exercises
(see previous posts for detailed instructions)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Weekly Exercises February 21, 2010
1. Start the page with "Everyone in my family used to talk about...." and keep going.
2. Think about a figure from history that you would consider a role model. Write about the qualities that person possessed that inspire you.
3. You have been hired to design a museum. What would be the primary focus of it and what would you include as artifacts for the core exhibits.
4. Which day of the calendar year has the most significance to you and why?
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
This week in your writing efforts focus on the individuals in your life that have had a significant impact on your universe. Whether that be a relative that people in your family celebrated or a teacher whose energy propelled you forward in your own career, write about them so their stories have the chance to live on. I am simultaneously amused and impressed to recognize that my youth has become the historical era studied by my grandchildren in school. That knowledge drives me to write my memories down while I still can. I encourage you to write your stories, this month and every day.
Exercises
External Exercises
(see previous posts for detailed instructions)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. Sensory Details Exercise
Weekly Exercises February 21, 2010
1. Start the page with "Everyone in my family used to talk about...." and keep going.
2. Think about a figure from history that you would consider a role model. Write about the qualities that person possessed that inspire you.
3. You have been hired to design a museum. What would be the primary focus of it and what would you include as artifacts for the core exhibits.
4. Which day of the calendar year has the most significance to you and why?
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 5
Okay, I admit it. I am a sports junkie, especially basketball and football. So I have been in seventh heaven, what with the Super Bowl last weekend and the NBA All-Star Game this weekend. Personally, it would be fine with me if all the overtures to the actual game, like H.O.R.S.E. and the Dunk Challenge and Three Point Shooting Contest and the Skills Challenge and the Rookie -Sophomore game, were eliminated. However, all the sponsors that pay for those events would be missed.
Held in the Dallas Cowboys' Stadium in Arlington, Texas, more than 100,000 fans watched the game itself along with tremendous entertainment by The Canadian Tenors, Carrie Underwood, Usher, Alicia Keys and Shakira (much better than the Super Bowl lineup, IMHO). For all of you who just yawn at the thought of sports, I apologize but this just illustrates one of the prime directives of writing: write what you care about! Even if your "cup of tea" is tatting Belgian lace, there is someone out there who shares your interest.
SO here are this week's writing exercises.
External Exercises
(see Week 1 for details)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. (NEW!) Sensory Details Exercise
Think of some activity that you really enjoy. First, imagine that you have a photograph of that event. Describe everything that you can SEE in the picture. Next, imagine that you heard a radio program of the event. Write down everything that you HEAR during the show. Next, write about every SMELL and TASTE associated with this activity. Then, write about all the tactile sensations (TOUCH) from the event. Also, write about any emotions which have been aroused by this event. Finally, write a piece which incorporates all the information you have gathered from doing this exercise.
Weekly Exercises February 15, 2010
1. Start the page with "When I was seventeen..." and keep writing.
2. Write about a teacher that made you really want to go to his/her class.
3. If you could spend a week anywhere in the world, where would you go?
4. If you could only keep one item from all of your possessions, what would it be?
There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
Held in the Dallas Cowboys' Stadium in Arlington, Texas, more than 100,000 fans watched the game itself along with tremendous entertainment by The Canadian Tenors, Carrie Underwood, Usher, Alicia Keys and Shakira (much better than the Super Bowl lineup, IMHO). For all of you who just yawn at the thought of sports, I apologize but this just illustrates one of the prime directives of writing: write what you care about! Even if your "cup of tea" is tatting Belgian lace, there is someone out there who shares your interest.
SO here are this week's writing exercises.
External Exercises
(see Week 1 for details)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
4. (NEW!) Sensory Details Exercise
Think of some activity that you really enjoy. First, imagine that you have a photograph of that event. Describe everything that you can SEE in the picture. Next, imagine that you heard a radio program of the event. Write down everything that you HEAR during the show. Next, write about every SMELL and TASTE associated with this activity. Then, write about all the tactile sensations (TOUCH) from the event. Also, write about any emotions which have been aroused by this event. Finally, write a piece which incorporates all the information you have gathered from doing this exercise.
Weekly Exercises February 15, 2010
1. Start the page with "When I was seventeen..." and keep writing.
2. Write about a teacher that made you really want to go to his/her class.
3. If you could spend a week anywhere in the world, where would you go?
4. If you could only keep one item from all of your possessions, what would it be?
There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
Monday, February 08, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 4
According to news stories, Drew Brees, quarterback for the Super Bowl Champions New Orleans Saints, woke up and asked his wife, "Did it really happen?" For him, realization of a lifelong fantasy seemed like a dream. For writers, turning our fantasies into real stories is not only a possibility but a definite intention. As I watched the Super Bowl yesterday, there were certain parallels I observed between the game of football and the craft of writing.
First and Ten
Each series of plays begins with a first down. The team has four chances to advance the ball ten yards before relinquishing the field to the other team. Similarly, a writer starts witha ten minute writing exercise or prompt to move the writing into gear.
Pass Play vs. Running Play
The quaterback chooses between passing the ball (typically in an effort to gain a big chunk of yardage or a running play, often used to grind out shorter yardage. In the same way, a writer can use an exercise for short yardage to stimulate the imagination or a more extended effort, such as an essay or short story.
Exercises
External Exercises
(see week 1 for details)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
Writing Exercises February 8, 2010
1. "Life is like a box of chocolates." Start with this line and keep writing.
2. Think about a weather phenomenon (e.g. hurricane, tornado, blizzard, windstorm, tsunami, etc.). Now describe your emotional state as the event that came to mind.
3. Open a telephone book and randomly select a name. Now write a story about an incident in that person's life.
4. It is four a.m. You are awakened by the ringing telephone. Write about what happens next.
As always, these prompts are merely suggestions to jumpstart your imagination when other ideas are not vigorously trying to make their way onto the blank page. Feel free to bypass these ideas if there are others already working their way out of your imagination. Remember to keep your hand moving in order to bypass the inner critic. Have fun and chase those ideas to the end zone, like a running back sprinting away from his defensive counterpart and making the touchdown. Enjoy the exhilaration of writing your ideas and tickling your imagination.
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
First and Ten
Each series of plays begins with a first down. The team has four chances to advance the ball ten yards before relinquishing the field to the other team. Similarly, a writer starts witha ten minute writing exercise or prompt to move the writing into gear.
Pass Play vs. Running Play
The quaterback chooses between passing the ball (typically in an effort to gain a big chunk of yardage or a running play, often used to grind out shorter yardage. In the same way, a writer can use an exercise for short yardage to stimulate the imagination or a more extended effort, such as an essay or short story.
Exercises
External Exercises
(see week 1 for details)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
Writing Exercises February 8, 2010
1. "Life is like a box of chocolates." Start with this line and keep writing.
2. Think about a weather phenomenon (e.g. hurricane, tornado, blizzard, windstorm, tsunami, etc.). Now describe your emotional state as the event that came to mind.
3. Open a telephone book and randomly select a name. Now write a story about an incident in that person's life.
4. It is four a.m. You are awakened by the ringing telephone. Write about what happens next.
As always, these prompts are merely suggestions to jumpstart your imagination when other ideas are not vigorously trying to make their way onto the blank page. Feel free to bypass these ideas if there are others already working their way out of your imagination. Remember to keep your hand moving in order to bypass the inner critic. Have fun and chase those ideas to the end zone, like a running back sprinting away from his defensive counterpart and making the touchdown. Enjoy the exhilaration of writing your ideas and tickling your imagination.
There is no wrong way to do it: just WRITE!
Monday, February 01, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 3
It is award season again. From last night's Grammy awards to the announcement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences tomorrow morning of the contenders for this year's coveted Oscar statuettes, prizes are being given in many different media to deserving recipients in the entertainment arts. Writing is a core element of artistic creations, from song lyrics to screenplays to dramas to novels (which are often turned into scripts). To acknowledge the central role that writing plays in so many different media, the exercises for this week will explore the connection between writing and other arts,
Exercises
External Exercises:
(see Week 1 for details)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
Weekly Exercises February 1, 2010
1. Start with a line from a song and keep writing, e.g. "I gotta feeling...."
2. Make yourself a character in your favorite recent movie and write what happens in your first scene.
3. If you were a painter, describe the first canvas you would complete.
4. You get home, tired and drained from a grueling day, and smell a pie baking in your oven. Keep writing.
As always, feel free to write about whatever is pushing itself onto the blank page. Just keep your hand moving for the allotted time, without concern for spelling, grammar, making sense or any other critical thoughts until after the writing time is finished (a minimum of ten minutes per day).
There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
Exercises
External Exercises:
(see Week 1 for details)
1. Observation Exercise
2. Reading Report
3. Writing Journal
Weekly Exercises February 1, 2010
1. Start with a line from a song and keep writing, e.g. "I gotta feeling...."
2. Make yourself a character in your favorite recent movie and write what happens in your first scene.
3. If you were a painter, describe the first canvas you would complete.
4. You get home, tired and drained from a grueling day, and smell a pie baking in your oven. Keep writing.
As always, feel free to write about whatever is pushing itself onto the blank page. Just keep your hand moving for the allotted time, without concern for spelling, grammar, making sense or any other critical thoughts until after the writing time is finished (a minimum of ten minutes per day).
There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
Monday, January 25, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 2
Now that some of the rust has worn off and your hands are getting used to writing non-stop for at least ten minutes at a time, it is important to continue your new routine for at least two weeks to create a good habit. Here in Los Angeles, the rain has paused for a few days and the sun came out. The contenders of Super Bowl XLIV have been determined and Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints fans are dancing in the streets. The world responded to the Haitian Earthquake with donations during the Hope for Haiti fundraising telethon. Avatar was number one at the box office for another week. And I got up this morning and thought about the stories you can tell that we all deserve to hear,
WEEKLY WRITING EXERCISES
EXTERNALWRITING EXERCISES
(see Week 1 for details)
Observation Exerciise
Reading Report
Writing Journal
Weekly Exercises January 25, 2010
1. "I love to ..."
2. Write about the teacher you had in elementary school who had the strongest impact on your attitudes about learning.
3. What is the first animal that you want to see when you go to the zoo?
4. If you could only keep one item of clothing from your closet, which one would you choose (be sure to describe it)?
If you want to submit your exercises as part of the WordPlay! class, send them to me at wordplay419@gmail.com. Use Assignments as the subject of your email. I will gladly read your work and return it with comments. However, feel free to simply write for your own writing skills development.
There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
WEEKLY WRITING EXERCISES
EXTERNALWRITING EXERCISES
(see Week 1 for details)
Observation Exerciise
Reading Report
Writing Journal
Weekly Exercises January 25, 2010
1. "I love to ..."
2. Write about the teacher you had in elementary school who had the strongest impact on your attitudes about learning.
3. What is the first animal that you want to see when you go to the zoo?
4. If you could only keep one item of clothing from your closet, which one would you choose (be sure to describe it)?
If you want to submit your exercises as part of the WordPlay! class, send them to me at wordplay419@gmail.com. Use Assignments as the subject of your email. I will gladly read your work and return it with comments. However, feel free to simply write for your own writing skills development.
There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
WordPlay! WriteNet Week 1
Let's get right down to the real nitty-gritty! You learn to write by writing! Each week I will post new exercises here to get you jump-started. Instructions: get pen and paper or keyboard and start writing. Don't stop until the time (at least 10 minutes) is up. No editing allowed. There is no wrong way to do it: JUST WRITE!
Eternal Exercises (always available):
1. Observation Exercise
Sit in a public place and write down all your observations of the people around you: snippets of dialogue, physical description, sensory details (what you see, hear, smell, taste, and/or touch).
2. Reading Report
As a writer, it is essential that you read not just for pleasure but also to study writing. When you read, notice the writing. What worked? What made you turn the pages? What made you stop and think? What stopped or bored you as the reader? You can learn as much from "bad" writing as from good!
3. Writing Journal
Jot down ideabox snippets, things you want to work on in the future. Write about the process of writing: what makes it easier, where do you like to write (home, cafe, outdoors, anywhere?), dreams (literally and figuratively), unedited "daily pages," etc.
Weekly Exercises January 18, 2010
1. I would never ...
2. Describe a perfect day in detail.
3. Pick a number between 6 and 17. Write about the first day of school for a child of that age.
4. Wrie about lunch with your favorite book or movie character.
Eternal Exercises (always available):
1. Observation Exercise
Sit in a public place and write down all your observations of the people around you: snippets of dialogue, physical description, sensory details (what you see, hear, smell, taste, and/or touch).
2. Reading Report
As a writer, it is essential that you read not just for pleasure but also to study writing. When you read, notice the writing. What worked? What made you turn the pages? What made you stop and think? What stopped or bored you as the reader? You can learn as much from "bad" writing as from good!
3. Writing Journal
Jot down ideabox snippets, things you want to work on in the future. Write about the process of writing: what makes it easier, where do you like to write (home, cafe, outdoors, anywhere?), dreams (literally and figuratively), unedited "daily pages," etc.
Weekly Exercises January 18, 2010
1. I would never ...
2. Describe a perfect day in detail.
3. Pick a number between 6 and 17. Write about the first day of school for a child of that age.
4. Wrie about lunch with your favorite book or movie character.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Monday, Monday!
For those of you who live in Los Angeles, this is the week that starts the WordPlay! class series. Every month, on the second Thursday, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm we will get together for the joy of writing in Leimert Village at Adassa's Island Cafe.
For those of you who either read the book Push by Sapphire or saw the movie Precious that was made of this compelling story, like the teacher portrayed by Paula Patton, I believe in every class participant's ability to tell an important story.
One of my favorite books is Grand Central Winter by Lee Stringer. A homeless addict living in the bowels of New York City's Grand Central Station, he discovered the joy of writing when he realized that part of his drug paraphernalia was actually a pencil stub.
What both these writers have in common is that neither imagined that they would become published authors. However, their stories were so compelling that a publisher realized that readers would benefit from the chance to absorb their work.
Among the many reasons I respect Oprah Winfrey is her creation of the book club. Because of it, loyal viewers who had not touched a book in decades started reading again. From weighty classical tomes like Anna Karenina to Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth to Pulitzer Laureate Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon and Beloved, Oprah has nurtured a rediscovered love of storytelling that began with young children listening to stories at bedtime.
One of my favorite quotations from Audre Lorde states, "what are the silences that we swallow day by day? If we wait to speak until we are not afraid, we will be sending messages back from the grave."
Rediscover your stories. Have the courage to tell them boldly. Take the risk, like Precious and Lee, to learn the skills that will allow you to engage readers with your words. Have fun with the process of creation and experience the delight of telling a good story. Come to WordPlay!
For those of you who either read the book Push by Sapphire or saw the movie Precious that was made of this compelling story, like the teacher portrayed by Paula Patton, I believe in every class participant's ability to tell an important story.
One of my favorite books is Grand Central Winter by Lee Stringer. A homeless addict living in the bowels of New York City's Grand Central Station, he discovered the joy of writing when he realized that part of his drug paraphernalia was actually a pencil stub.
What both these writers have in common is that neither imagined that they would become published authors. However, their stories were so compelling that a publisher realized that readers would benefit from the chance to absorb their work.
Among the many reasons I respect Oprah Winfrey is her creation of the book club. Because of it, loyal viewers who had not touched a book in decades started reading again. From weighty classical tomes like Anna Karenina to Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth to Pulitzer Laureate Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon and Beloved, Oprah has nurtured a rediscovered love of storytelling that began with young children listening to stories at bedtime.
One of my favorite quotations from Audre Lorde states, "what are the silences that we swallow day by day? If we wait to speak until we are not afraid, we will be sending messages back from the grave."
Rediscover your stories. Have the courage to tell them boldly. Take the risk, like Precious and Lee, to learn the skills that will allow you to engage readers with your words. Have fun with the process of creation and experience the delight of telling a good story. Come to WordPlay!
Friday, January 08, 2010
Announcing WordPlay! Writenet
This blog is heading in a new direction for 2010! Each week, there will be a list of daily writing prompts on the blog and responses can be emailed to wordplay419@gmail.com.
Class Philosophy
There is a proverb from Zimbabwe that says “if you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing.” I have always believed that homily and taken it one step further: if you can think, you can write. I speak from experience. I was told by a high school English teacher that I would probably never communicate effectively in writing. She made this discouraging pronouncement after I responded to an assignment to describe Harvard Square by writing as an extraterrestrial sociologist sending a report to his home planet. While my cavalier approach to her assignment earned me a failing grade, it liberated my inner writer and allowed her to express herself.
This class is NOT your eighth grade writing class. There are a few rules.
1. There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
2. Keep your hand moving!
3. Have fun!
I am not concerned with spelling or grammar as they can always be fixed later. In this class, your goal is to tell your story. Each person has a story (or two or a million) that only s/he can tell. I cannot unzip your brain and magically read what is there. Once it is on paper, in even the most rudimentary form, then I can help you to improve it.
Charles Barkley, the NBA sportscaster and former player, loves golf. However, he has developed a bad habit of stopping at the top of his stroke that ruins his shot. Stopping and starting as a writer has similar disastrous effects. I used to warn my students that they should write as if “letting the pen stop causes a guillotine to drop that suddenly your hand will chop.” Writing is the process of filling the page with words. If you keep your hand moving, it is a simple process to be successful. It is also a proven strategy to thwart the inner critic whose only function is to sabotage your writing efforts.
Even though your subject matter may arouse deep emotions, the process of putting the words on the pages is liberating.
Your goal should be to write for a minimum of 10 minutes per day. This is not the same as writing for an hour once a week. Writing is like a muscle that is toned through frequent and repetitive usage.
If you want to participate as an ongoing class member, please send an email with "Registration" in the subject line and details will be sent to you. However, feel free to consider this a drop-in group where no longterm commitment is required.New assignments will be posted each Monday, starting January 18, 2010.
Class Philosophy
There is a proverb from Zimbabwe that says “if you can walk, you can dance. If you can talk, you can sing.” I have always believed that homily and taken it one step further: if you can think, you can write. I speak from experience. I was told by a high school English teacher that I would probably never communicate effectively in writing. She made this discouraging pronouncement after I responded to an assignment to describe Harvard Square by writing as an extraterrestrial sociologist sending a report to his home planet. While my cavalier approach to her assignment earned me a failing grade, it liberated my inner writer and allowed her to express herself.
This class is NOT your eighth grade writing class. There are a few rules.
1. There is no wrong way to do it: just write!
2. Keep your hand moving!
3. Have fun!
I am not concerned with spelling or grammar as they can always be fixed later. In this class, your goal is to tell your story. Each person has a story (or two or a million) that only s/he can tell. I cannot unzip your brain and magically read what is there. Once it is on paper, in even the most rudimentary form, then I can help you to improve it.
Charles Barkley, the NBA sportscaster and former player, loves golf. However, he has developed a bad habit of stopping at the top of his stroke that ruins his shot. Stopping and starting as a writer has similar disastrous effects. I used to warn my students that they should write as if “letting the pen stop causes a guillotine to drop that suddenly your hand will chop.” Writing is the process of filling the page with words. If you keep your hand moving, it is a simple process to be successful. It is also a proven strategy to thwart the inner critic whose only function is to sabotage your writing efforts.
Even though your subject matter may arouse deep emotions, the process of putting the words on the pages is liberating.
Your goal should be to write for a minimum of 10 minutes per day. This is not the same as writing for an hour once a week. Writing is like a muscle that is toned through frequent and repetitive usage.
If you want to participate as an ongoing class member, please send an email with "Registration" in the subject line and details will be sent to you. However, feel free to consider this a drop-in group where no longterm commitment is required.New assignments will be posted each Monday, starting January 18, 2010.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
The King is dead. Long live the King!
For twelve days the world has been obsessed with Michael Jackson. From the moment that news of his untimely death on June 25th was released until yesterday evening, every other news story was shifted to "the back burner." At first I was not that interested in the incessant rehashing of the details of his life, which had been under the magnifier of public attention for more than forty years.
At some point I succumbed to the international curiosity about the musical genius of the proclaimed "King of Pop." No one can deny the unparalleled compositions and choreography that were born inside his imagination to explode onto the stage. No one can deny that he was fragile, both physically and emotionally, after more than four decades of hard work on stage and in the studio that resulted in hit record after hit record. No one can deny that his emotions were frozen at a young age that made him identify children as his peers. No one can deny that he loved his children, a love that was equally returned by Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II.
Whether he died of a drug overdose remains to be clarified by the results of toxicology tests which are still pending. Whether his actions should be described as pedophilia was never decided by the courts. Whether his musical genius was developed at the cost of his personal psyche is something that I can only guess at. What is certain is that I don't need answers to these questions in order to admire the incredible talents that Michael Jackson displayed during his lifetime.
Michael Jackson died too soon. It is impossible to know whether more magical genius would have transformed into lyrics or melodies or choreography during his planned fifty concert tour. What is certain is that the world is a better place because his music touched generations of listeners around the world. From "We Are the World" to "Man in the Mirror" or "Thriller" his music touched numerous hearts. For that I am grateful and wish that his troubled spirit can now rest in peace.
At some point I succumbed to the international curiosity about the musical genius of the proclaimed "King of Pop." No one can deny the unparalleled compositions and choreography that were born inside his imagination to explode onto the stage. No one can deny that he was fragile, both physically and emotionally, after more than four decades of hard work on stage and in the studio that resulted in hit record after hit record. No one can deny that his emotions were frozen at a young age that made him identify children as his peers. No one can deny that he loved his children, a love that was equally returned by Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II.
Whether he died of a drug overdose remains to be clarified by the results of toxicology tests which are still pending. Whether his actions should be described as pedophilia was never decided by the courts. Whether his musical genius was developed at the cost of his personal psyche is something that I can only guess at. What is certain is that I don't need answers to these questions in order to admire the incredible talents that Michael Jackson displayed during his lifetime.
Michael Jackson died too soon. It is impossible to know whether more magical genius would have transformed into lyrics or melodies or choreography during his planned fifty concert tour. What is certain is that the world is a better place because his music touched generations of listeners around the world. From "We Are the World" to "Man in the Mirror" or "Thriller" his music touched numerous hearts. For that I am grateful and wish that his troubled spirit can now rest in peace.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Can't We All Just Get Along?
I am truly excited by the ramifications of President-elect Barack Obama. However, I am equally saddened by the passage of Proposition 8, the demand for an amendment to our state constitution that excludes gay and lesbian couples from the definition of marriage. It is a time to celebrate the choice to elect an African American to the Presidency, and it is a time to mourn that those who supported Proposition 8 seem to have forgotten that one of the pillars upon which America was founded was religious freedom. The Pilgrims endured the voyage across the Atlantic so that we could believe according to our innermost hearts. What religious conservatives have forgotten is that also includes the right to believe in something other than Christian principles or to define those principles to include homosexuality as the Metropolitan Community Churches and the Unitarian Universalist churches do.
I have been estranged from the Pentecostal Church for many years precisely because within their tenets I am considered an abomination. It is an ostracism that saddens me, because I am at heart a Christian who has based my life on the principle that I should "love my neighbor as myself." It is a belief that encompasses world peace and healing the environment on this planet and finding ways to share the wealth so that no one dies of hunger. To me, those principles are paramount in my world view.
While the crafters of Proposition 8 are determined to exclude homosexuals from the legal definition of marriage, they seem unconcerned with the state of an institution that is marked by messy divorces and painful revelations about pornography and adultery. For me, having love at the core of any marriage should be the principal intention of any marriage, especially one "sanctioned" by God. Shame on you, so-called Christians, for your hateful and discriminatory campaign.
I have been estranged from the Pentecostal Church for many years precisely because within their tenets I am considered an abomination. It is an ostracism that saddens me, because I am at heart a Christian who has based my life on the principle that I should "love my neighbor as myself." It is a belief that encompasses world peace and healing the environment on this planet and finding ways to share the wealth so that no one dies of hunger. To me, those principles are paramount in my world view.
While the crafters of Proposition 8 are determined to exclude homosexuals from the legal definition of marriage, they seem unconcerned with the state of an institution that is marked by messy divorces and painful revelations about pornography and adultery. For me, having love at the core of any marriage should be the principal intention of any marriage, especially one "sanctioned" by God. Shame on you, so-called Christians, for your hateful and discriminatory campaign.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Monday, Monday
Monday, Monday. Can't trust that day...is the opening lyric of a Mamas and the Papas song from my youth. I used to hum it to myself as I rode to work on Mondays, riding the IRT subway from Harlem to Brooklyn when I lived in New York City back in the days of flower children. Although the song referred to a couple's breakup and the inherent sense of betrayal when that happens, I feel today as though society has sent me a "Dear John" letter of the cruelest kind.
Now I am part of the AARP generation, the flagging Baby Boomers who have nearly reached retirement age in a time when they can no longer afford to retire as food and fuel costs soar into the stratosphere. The promises that hovered around me when I went off to college have all proven to be spurious shams and my neighbors have packed seven family members into a one bedroom apartment while the foreclosure sign is planted on their shriveled lawn.
While the world exclaims over the incredible achievements of swimmer Michael Phelps, I can't afford to buy the Wheaties cereal adorned with his image, complete with the eight medals he achieved in the 2008 Olympic Games. I am not bitter, since I am morbidly obese and coping with diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and sleep apnea: a roll call of conditions that appear in my peers like spring flowers emerging from the earth. My doctor has mandated that I lose the weight, anyway.
I haven't had much to say recently. I have been stunned into silence by the appearance of Russian tanks in Georgia, the resignation of the Pakistani president and the ability of Americans to channel surf while millions die in genocidal purges in eastern Europe and central Africa. Now, instead of soothing ballads, I find myself humming the gospel standard I Ain't Gonna Study War No More...and agreeing with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he challenged us to remember that "Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows."
I was struck by the story about a Georgian athlete at the Olympics hugging her Russian competitor. I applaud the nobility of good sportsmanship, where integrity and effort are rewarded and cheating and mean-spirited bullying are discouraged. I am not Pollyanna: I have read my share of articles about athletes on steroids and hate-filled actions that encompass malicious injuries or dishonest actions. I just wish that we could replace all wars with the generosity of attitude that has been displayed by most of the athletes in the Beijing games.
Now I am part of the AARP generation, the flagging Baby Boomers who have nearly reached retirement age in a time when they can no longer afford to retire as food and fuel costs soar into the stratosphere. The promises that hovered around me when I went off to college have all proven to be spurious shams and my neighbors have packed seven family members into a one bedroom apartment while the foreclosure sign is planted on their shriveled lawn.
While the world exclaims over the incredible achievements of swimmer Michael Phelps, I can't afford to buy the Wheaties cereal adorned with his image, complete with the eight medals he achieved in the 2008 Olympic Games. I am not bitter, since I am morbidly obese and coping with diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and sleep apnea: a roll call of conditions that appear in my peers like spring flowers emerging from the earth. My doctor has mandated that I lose the weight, anyway.
I haven't had much to say recently. I have been stunned into silence by the appearance of Russian tanks in Georgia, the resignation of the Pakistani president and the ability of Americans to channel surf while millions die in genocidal purges in eastern Europe and central Africa. Now, instead of soothing ballads, I find myself humming the gospel standard I Ain't Gonna Study War No More...and agreeing with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he challenged us to remember that "Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows."
I was struck by the story about a Georgian athlete at the Olympics hugging her Russian competitor. I applaud the nobility of good sportsmanship, where integrity and effort are rewarded and cheating and mean-spirited bullying are discouraged. I am not Pollyanna: I have read my share of articles about athletes on steroids and hate-filled actions that encompass malicious injuries or dishonest actions. I just wish that we could replace all wars with the generosity of attitude that has been displayed by most of the athletes in the Beijing games.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Racism Is Alive and Well in America
People are buzzing about the recent gaffe of Don Imus, who is known for his radio programs which are also televised on MSNBC. In what he claimed was "a crazy attempt at humor" he made several racist slurs about the Rutgers women's basketball team, which is predominantly African-American. Despite his claim, previous "attempts at humor" on the Imus Show have included a mockery of celebrated poet and author Maya Angelou. The program is a platform for well-known sports figures and public personalities. Rev. Al Sharpton has called for the termination of Imus and has pledged to bring the matter before the FCC. Although Imus was initially apologetic, he has retreated to a posture of being "a good man who said a bad thing."
Michael Richards ("Kramer" on Seinfeld) unleashed a vitriolic torrent of racist verbiage when an audience member complained that his act wasn't funny. These remarks had nothing to do with the situation but were an opportunistic moment for those prejudiced feelings to be aired. The sad irony is that Al Campanis and Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder were chastised for the same behavior more than twenty years ago. Others, like Mel Gibson, when challenged about an anti-Semitic tirade, blame the outburst on being intoxicated. There is never an acceptable excuse for intolerance.
Whenever I challenge someone about what I perceive as racism, I am accused of playing "the race card," as though I carry a special Geiger counter calibrated to detect any miniscule yet hidden vestiges of racism in others that are really insignificant. Prejudice in any form is not accidental. It is something we must consciously excavate by having a persistent attitude of acceptance. We are not cookie cutter copies of one another. Differences are real and offer an opportunity to learn and grow once we are willing to acknowledge and accept them.
Racism is not just an antiquated view of the world held by our ancestors. It is a subtle overlay that imports negative assumptions (stereotypes) about a person based only on their membership in a particular ethnic group. All forms of discrimination (sexism, classism, homophobia, et al) fail to see the individual by focusing on the shortcomings of the group to which they may belong. I hope that each one of us can make the commitment to start right now to look at the world through glasses that promote acceptance of diversity.
Michael Richards ("Kramer" on Seinfeld) unleashed a vitriolic torrent of racist verbiage when an audience member complained that his act wasn't funny. These remarks had nothing to do with the situation but were an opportunistic moment for those prejudiced feelings to be aired. The sad irony is that Al Campanis and Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder were chastised for the same behavior more than twenty years ago. Others, like Mel Gibson, when challenged about an anti-Semitic tirade, blame the outburst on being intoxicated. There is never an acceptable excuse for intolerance.
Whenever I challenge someone about what I perceive as racism, I am accused of playing "the race card," as though I carry a special Geiger counter calibrated to detect any miniscule yet hidden vestiges of racism in others that are really insignificant. Prejudice in any form is not accidental. It is something we must consciously excavate by having a persistent attitude of acceptance. We are not cookie cutter copies of one another. Differences are real and offer an opportunity to learn and grow once we are willing to acknowledge and accept them.
Racism is not just an antiquated view of the world held by our ancestors. It is a subtle overlay that imports negative assumptions (stereotypes) about a person based only on their membership in a particular ethnic group. All forms of discrimination (sexism, classism, homophobia, et al) fail to see the individual by focusing on the shortcomings of the group to which they may belong. I hope that each one of us can make the commitment to start right now to look at the world through glasses that promote acceptance of diversity.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
SPRING FLING
Today is the first day of spring, a time I always celebrate. The shorter days of winter encourage me to hibernate and basically hide away from the inclement weather and limited hours of daylight until the advent of spring. Although snow and rain may still fall, I find myself experiencing a personal and creative resurrection. My mind hums with new images and fresh ideas ready to explode into existence.
This is the time when I remember what makes me smile, what makes me want to give someone a hug, all the reasons to share light and love with others. Lest I be accused of being overly sentimental, let me state with absolute assurance that these good feelings are not indicative of madness but of a real spring fever that has infected me.
I am ready to write or sculpt or play a musical instrument or dance. This newly-discovered wealth of energy demands expression and will accept no refusal to participate. This is no solitary artist, a hermit laboring in an isolated garrett. This is an invitation to a huge party of revelers, the Mardi Gras and Carnivale conjoined to maximum excitement. This is the time to grow new wings and fly away from the mind-numbing doldrums created during the winter.
Even if you are the kind of person who says, "I can't carry a tune in a bucket" or even if you see your artwork as primitive representations, this is the ally-ally-oxen free moment in the year when the mysteries of creative process are demystified and only the willingness to participate is listed as a prerequisite for admission to the party. Look in your imaginary closet for the loveliest ball gown or most handsome attire as you prepare for the grand event.
No booming clock at midnight will end this celebration. You have from now until forever to enjoy escapades in the playground of your imagination. Be willing to step outside the realm of critics and naysayers. Choose to connect with your inner artist and plant the tiny seeds that will blossom into fully formed works of art. Like plants creating oxygen during photosynthesis, your creative endeavors will fuel harmony in the universe that will eclipse the war and hatred and ill will that are rampant in our experience. Open your calendar or fire up your computer and schedule weekly appointments with your soul for the next 12 weeks. You'll be amazed at what happens when you reinvent your creative self.
This is the time when I remember what makes me smile, what makes me want to give someone a hug, all the reasons to share light and love with others. Lest I be accused of being overly sentimental, let me state with absolute assurance that these good feelings are not indicative of madness but of a real spring fever that has infected me.
I am ready to write or sculpt or play a musical instrument or dance. This newly-discovered wealth of energy demands expression and will accept no refusal to participate. This is no solitary artist, a hermit laboring in an isolated garrett. This is an invitation to a huge party of revelers, the Mardi Gras and Carnivale conjoined to maximum excitement. This is the time to grow new wings and fly away from the mind-numbing doldrums created during the winter.
Even if you are the kind of person who says, "I can't carry a tune in a bucket" or even if you see your artwork as primitive representations, this is the ally-ally-oxen free moment in the year when the mysteries of creative process are demystified and only the willingness to participate is listed as a prerequisite for admission to the party. Look in your imaginary closet for the loveliest ball gown or most handsome attire as you prepare for the grand event.
No booming clock at midnight will end this celebration. You have from now until forever to enjoy escapades in the playground of your imagination. Be willing to step outside the realm of critics and naysayers. Choose to connect with your inner artist and plant the tiny seeds that will blossom into fully formed works of art. Like plants creating oxygen during photosynthesis, your creative endeavors will fuel harmony in the universe that will eclipse the war and hatred and ill will that are rampant in our experience. Open your calendar or fire up your computer and schedule weekly appointments with your soul for the next 12 weeks. You'll be amazed at what happens when you reinvent your creative self.
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