Writing Down The Bones

We did our spring cleaning recently (only two seasons late!), and I came across an old spiral notebook full of my scribbles and notes from many years ago. The cover has a big cartoon-looking rainbow with little dancing bears playing on it. I remembered I had gotten this idea from the very first writing book I ever read: write in spiral notebooks found in the kids' school supply section...because they're fun. The book was Writing Down The Bones, by Natalie Goldberg.

I adore this book and have great admiration for Natalie Goldberg. She studied Buddhism under zen masters and then picked up and moved to Taos, New Mexico to teach creative writing. Her book uses Buddhist principles to explain the process of writing.

Fortunately, I once had the experience of hearing Natalie speak. In 1993, she gave a presentation at Oxford Books in Atlanta (an amazing independent bookstore that has since gone out of business, which is such a shame). She was planning to talk about her book and writing, but before she could get very far into her speech, someone asked, "You keep mentioning meditation. What is meditation?" Natalie shrugged her shoulders and said, "I'll show you." So she got up on top of the table, then sat down on it, crossed her legs, closed her eyes and just meditated. For a long time. It was awkward at first, and then we all accepted what she was doing and settled in. It was...wonderful. I was mesmerized watching a real-life writer sit and meditate on a table inside an Atlanta bookstore! I'll never forget that image.

A couple of years later, I took her book with me when I visited Taos, New Mexico. I had taken a vacation by myself to look for a teaching job. I stayed at the hotel in Taos where Georgia O'Keefe once stayed and had gotten inspiration for her paintings.

Reading Natalie's book and staying in such an inspirational place really got me to thinking maybe, maybe I should do this writing thing. That was almost 15 years ago.

I think it's time I re-read Natalie's book. Then I think I'll head out to the kids' school supply section to buy a silly notebook to start writing down the bones...again.

Endings That Leave You...

I've been thinking about endings that leave you hanging. The kind where you don't know how to feel because the author didn't come out and tell you how to feel.

Yesterday I saw a movie with my Moms Movie Club friends...it was a Coen brothers film--A Serious Man.

Yes, it was a serious movie, but it was also utterly hilarious. I've never laughed so hard just from watching a person's facial expressions. It was amazing.

But! (*spoiler alert!) the movie ends very abruptly at a climactic scene and we're left never knowing what happens to our main character. Does he die? Does he save the day? And does it matter? Why do we feel a need that we have to know?

After the movie, our plan was to go get coffee and cupcakes to discuss, but as soon as we exited the building after that very intense movie, we decided bottles of wine were the only way to decompress.

At first we were angry that the movie didn't "wrap up nicely" but then we noticed we were talking about the movie in very critical ways (for a very long time) probably because there were no answers in the end. So maybe that's what the Cohen brothers intended? For people to really think about why we need closure in a story? Or perhaps they liked the thought of making a movie so intense it would drive four moms to drink? Either way, it worked.

What about you? Do you need closure in a story? Or is never knowing the outcome okay?

Do Not Push The Button

Have you seen the movie The Box? It's the one with Cameron Diaz where they have to decide whether to push a button and kill an unknown person so they can get a million dollars.

I haven't seen the movie, but the spoof on it is absolutely hilarious. I can't figure out how to embed the short video, but you can check it out here. The whole thing is great, but the first 30 seconds I could watch over and over for eternity and never stop laughing. If you have 30 seconds to spare, check it out!!!

So, That Didn't Last Long

I was trying to take a break from writing. I figured I would happily fill my time with taking Zumba classes, doing lots of baking, and waiting around for Adam Lambert's album to come out.

And yeah, reading every article I can find about him. It's excessive, I know.

But after about a week, my writing brain took over and my desire to not write was squashed. I couldn't control it. Sometimes I feel my need to write is both a blessing and a curse all wrapped up together. Why can't I just be content cooking various pasta dishes!!??

I'm excited about my new project, though! It's older, snarkier, but also sweet. I've always thought snarky & sweet made a nice combination. Which sounds like a good chicken recipe.

Maybe I'll go back to baking.

But knowing my brain...it's back to writing. Chapter three, here I come!

The Day AFTER Halloween

Yes, the day after Halloween is always pretty much a let-down. The costumes are crumpled up in a heap on the floor. The Reese's taste good, but not as good as they did at 10 p.m. on Halloween night. And there are no more scary movies on TV.

Ugh.

But today became the BEST day after Halloween! My son got to have one of those first time experiences that make us all feel great about being a kid...he got to chase down the ice cream truck as it drove down our street! It was his first time experiencing the act of rifling through drawers for money and then sprinting down the street while wearing completely unmatching clothes screaming, "Stop, Ice Cream Man! Please STOP!!!!"

And to make the experience even more perfect, the Ice Cream Man didn't have just your standard drumsticks and ice cream sandwiches. He had Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ice cream. With bubble gum eyeballs!!!!

Halloween was great, but this was seven-year old heaven...

Recharging

I’m taking a little break from writing to join that thing called “the rest of the world.” My manuscript is done and has been sent off into the world to hopefully find a new mommy (or daddy!). Good luck, little one. *sniff

So I’ve been trying new things. Like, I’ve taken up Zumba. It’s an exercise/dance/juke-about-like-mad class and I love it. A mom teaches it down at my son’s school and the profits go to the PTA. So cool! The thing about Zumba is that you don’t really “get it” until you’ve tried it…then you’re hooked. When I see other Zumba moms around town, we nod and wink, as if we’re members of a secret society.

Dancers by day, lycra-wearing secret spies by night…we’re Zumba moms. (Yes?)

I also started cooking again. I made a mean pot of Thai vegetable stew and vegan pumpkin cupcakes for dessert. When I explained to my son what vegan meant, I was worried he wouldn’t eat them. But I must have put in just the right amount of cinnamon…he ate four.

For the recipe for vegan pumpkin cupcakes, go here. They were scrumptious. I’m thinking I’ll make them for dessert at Thanksgiving!

My Great Judy Blume Experiment (#2!)

I recently read Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (1972) as part of my Great Judy Blume experiment. It was a strange experience for the memories of this book to come rushing back--little details, like the fact that the Dad is an advertising exec and he was in charge of marketing Juicy-O juice! How did I remember that!?

Here are the highlights...

Opening lines: I won Dribble at Jimmy Fargo's birthday party. All the other guys got to take home goldfish in little plastic bags. I won him because I guessed there were three hundred and forty-eight jelly beans in Mrs. Fargo's jar. (Makes you want to know who or what Dribble is, doesn't it!?)

Favorite passage: Fudge is always in my way. He messes up everything he sees. And when he gets mad he throws himself flat on the floor and he screams. AND he kicks. AND he bangs his fists. The only time I really like him is when he's sleeping. (I think a lot of kids could relate to this!)

My take-away: Judy really demonstrates the concept of "ramp it up!" The whole book is a series of episodes where Fudge bothers our main character, Peter. (Pee-tah, as Fudge calls him.) But in each scene Fudge doesn't just bug him, he drives him batty! Fudge's behavior goes further and further and further, to the point where you think the author couldn't take it any further. And then she does. The only problem with reading this book as an adult (and a parent) is I found myself wagging my finger and warning Fudge I would put him on the naughty spot if he didn't stop. (Which he never did!) But even as bad as Fudge was, he was still an endearing character--and that's quite a feat!

It's an adorable book, and Judy, yet again, never whacks the reader over the head with message. She lets her characters be kids, from start to finish. Love that!

Next up, another gem from 1972: Otherwise Known as Sheila The Great!