Soapbox: The Way I see Things

Story Challenge Day 23: Midnight Lyrics

Last night I woke up and song lyrics came into my mind:

I hear the drizzle of the rain
Like a memory it falls
Soft and warm, continuing,
Tapping on my roof and walls

“Kathy’s Song.” Simon and Garfunkel. It was, for a time, my very favorite song. I taught myself to play it on guitar.

And from the shelter of my mind
Through the window of my eyes
I gaze beyond the rain-drenched streets
To England where my heart lies.

Question is, why? I mean, it was raining when I woke up last night. And rain, I see, can get that song going in my head. But it took over my sleep. I spent the rest of the night in and out of dreams, drafting a blog post around those words. The rest of the night (and much of my day today) was centered around those lines. I had no idea what I was going to write today, only that I was compelled to shape it around a song I loved and left behind.

My mind’s distracted and diffused
My thoughts are many miles away
They lie with you when you’re asleep
And kiss you when you start your day.

So today, I knew that the only thing I’d be able to do was to set Simon’s words to the screen and see what would happen. I didn’t have any other choice. It’s almost as though the muse I had called for decided she was going to show up, unannounced, for her first day at work, regardless of whether or not I hired her. (She may or may not have also missed the memo about not waking me up.)

And the song that I was writing is left undone
I don’t know why I spend my time
Writing songs I can’t believe
With words that tear and strain to rhyme.

Oh. So.

Now I see it.

There’s a certain amount of heart that goes into writing, a measurable chunk of myself that deserves to be placed into all I do. If not, it’s probably not worth the effort. I’m also going to go out on a limb and guess the same holds true for everything I do.

Oh.

And so, you see, I have come to doubt
All that I once held as true
I stand alone without beliefs
The only truth I know is you.

Muse, 1. Lainie, 0.

Story Challenge Day 22: Ray of Sunshine

Technically, spring has started.

Technically, it’s spring break.

And with the rain falling outside, and me not going anywhere today except for a Zoom meeting and an appointment to replace my son’s driver’s license, you could say I’m expecting today to be kind of like the weather: meh.

Still, there is something that’s bringing me joy today, and that’s the prospect of Thursday night. Thursday night at 7 pm my time, I’ll be logging on to Zoom for a virtual meet-up of folks from the Slice of Life community.

For the last three years, I’ve read people’s work and gotten to know them via their words. So many of you have become what I consider to be my Trusted Reader Circle. How much would I give to sit down with you for a cup of tea, a few moments on the porch watching the world go by, some parallel play at a coffee shop while we absorb the activity around us? It would be AMAZING.

I’ll settle for the next best thing: some time to connect virtually with humans I’ve grown to respect and admire. Who else is going? Leave a comment if you are! And…if there’s space, you can still sign up at the link that was emailed last week.

Hope to see some of you there!

Story Challenge Day 21: You Asked For It…

…you got it!

I had some folks mention yesterday that boy, it might be cool to see a story I’ve told.

Well…after digging around, I found a video of one! There are others I’m trying to dig up (especially The Great Banana Fight of 1978), but this one below is a favorite.

I made this recording when I was working with a group of kids, teaching them how to be storytellers. Some of you with eagle eyes might also catch the “story triangle” of teller-story-listener on the board behind me. Hey…if an idea works, roll with it.

The story itself is about 4 minutes, if you’re up for a listen. Enjoy!

Truth Comes to Town

Story Challenge Day 20: World Storytelling Day

Yes! Yes! You read that right! Today is World Storytelling Day. Some of you folks from online know me as a writer. The folks who know me in real life know me as a storyteller.

I’ve been a storyteller ever since I was three, putting on puppet shows for myself with my gloves.

I’ve been a storyteller ever since fifth grade, when Mr. Stifel came and told my class the epic tale of Beowulf.

I’ve been a storyteller ever since my class went to the St. Louis Storytelling festival down at the Gateway Arch and I looked at the people performing and decided I wanted to do THAT.

I’ve been a storyteller ever since high school, when I competed in the Missouri State speech tournament.

I’ve been a storyteller ever since college, when I’d share stories as a student teacher.

I’ve been a storyteller ever since it got me my first teaching job. I completed my interview with the principal and assistant principal, and I happened to mention that I did storytelling. A moment after the interview, they stepped back in the room and said, “You said you told stories. Can you tell us one?” So I did.

I’ve been a storyteller ever since a the mom of one of my students, who happened to be a professional storyteller herself, encouraged me to do my first professional gig, and I couldn’t believe someone would actually pay me for it. But they did.

I’ve been a storyteller ever since I could drag my children to my storytelling performances, only to have them heckle me beyond recognition in the process.

I’ve been a storyteller ever since I’ve encouraged countless kids (and hopefully teachers!) to put the book or the paper or the cards to the side, take a deep breath, and speak from the heart.

And I’ll do it as long as I can.

Interested in learning more about the March Slice of Life Challenge, or wanting to read more great posts? Head over to the Two Writing Teachers site!

Story Challenge Day 19: All in the Family

Today, again, was hamentaschen day. I had posted about my yearly tradition before, but that was a solitary affair.

This year, I was a lucky duck.

This year, my mother and one of my sisters joined me in the kitchen. And yes, I know that the Jewish holiday Purim was actually this past week, but in keeping with family tradition, we moved our celebration to a day we could be together.

So today, I bring you joy, love, and (my favorite) baked goods.

Coupla pretty fine baking partners, if I say so myself

This is us, freewheeling an apricot filling recipe

*somebody* is sulking because she wants in on the action

Interested in learning more about the March Slice of Life Challenge, or wanting to read more great posts? Head over to the Two Writing Teachers site!

Story Challenge Day 18: A Nod to William Carlos Williams

So much depends
upon

Giggly fourth
graders

Writing new
poems

And finding their
power

simplicity. specificity. clarity. there are worse things to teach…

Interested in learning more about the March Slice of Life Challenge, or wanting to read more great posts? Head over to the Two Writing Teachers site!

Story Challenge Day 17: Help Wanted

Thanks, Raivenne, for providing me with the inspiration for today’s blog post. (Maybe you should polish up that resume and put your name in the hat!)

VACANCY: Personal Muse

Position Type: Management

Date Posted: March 17, 2022

Location: Inside my brain (hazard pay included)

Date Available: Immediate

Job Description:

Lainie Levin is an aspiring writer, poet, and occasional hot mess. She is currently seeking an artistic muse to spur her into action and inspire her to push her boundaries. Lainie Levin offers a competitive compensation package, including love, adoration, baked goods and the occasional, reluctant thank-you.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The artistic muse assumes authority for the general artistic growth and creative welfare of Lainie Levin. Responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

Giving Lainie good ideas for writing
Giving her better ideas for when she doesn’t like the first ones
Nudging her to get writing
But being nice about it
But also kicking her in the rear when she needs it
Giving Lainie the space to find inspiration
Pointing said inspiration out when she needs it
Letting Lainie sleep, for heaven’s sake
But also helping her shape a story when she’s ready
And reminding her she has the skills to DO the THING

Minimum Qualifications

A thick skin
The patience of Job

Working Environment:

The usual and customary methods of performing the job’s functions require the following physical demands: pulling along, shouldering the burden, general nudging, doing the heavy lifting, and some amount of stooping to levels.

Interested applicants, please respond below.

Story Challenge Day 16: On Coffee Shops

Today, I was reading this blog post about coffee shops, and how at one point they were hubs for philosophical conversation and debate.

Which got me thinking (which sometimes gets me into trouble, but that’s the fuel for a whole other post). What if I were just sitting in a coffee shop, minding my own business, when all of a sudden a nearby table erupts into one of those conversations? What would I do?

And THAT got me thinking, and remembering. That DID happen to me, in a way.

Picture the scene: a neighborhood Starbucks, 6:00 am. I’m settled in to catch up on school work and grad work before starting work-work because it’s the only time I can capture (fuel, I suppose, for another blog post).

All of a sudden, a guy comes up to me. “You’re pretty smart, right?”

I don’t know this guy. But I know the guy he’s with, who just happens to be the parent of one of my former kiddos.

I reply, “Umm….well, it depends on the subject, or who’s asking.”
“This guy is trying to tell me that it’s OK to say that he’s ‘more busy,’ and I’m telling him that’s not a thing. He’s ‘busier.’ Right? You’re not supposed to say ‘more busy,’ that’s just not right.”
“Well…I suppose technically you’re right with the grammar, so that’s a thing.” I quickly check my sources before moving on. “You do only use ‘more’ or ‘less’ when the adjective is three or more syllables long.”
“A-HA!” he shouts, with a satisfied smirk to his friend.
“But.”
He stops smirking. “There’s a but?”
“But. Have you ever heard the word ‘pedantry?'”
“No.”
“Pedantry. It’s a great word. It’s the word we use for when someone corrects an error that doesn’t need to be corrected.* Did you know what he meant to say with ‘more busy?'”
“Yeah.”
“Well.”

A moment of silence sweeps across, followed by a moment of thought, then a moment of recognition.

“Pedantry. That’s a new one. I’ll have to use that one.”

And then the guys and I, we launched into conversation together that day. And many days after that, our chats extending towards all sorts of subjects about this world.

Since then a lot has changed. I finished my degree. COVID hit. The shop closed. But still, I find the guys hanging out together on a morning walk. We always say hello, chat, catch up on things.

So, to bring things full circle, I guess I can imagine what it might be like to be in one of those Paris cafés, enjoying a tasty beverage in the midst of philosophical debate and witty repartee. And I think it might not be so bad after all.

* Remember. I’m a teacher of gifted kids. The answer is yes, the talk around “pedantry” comes up probably as often as some of you might imagine. Classroom teachers and parents, you can thank me later.

Interested in learning more about the March Slice of Life Challenge, or wanting to read more great posts? Head over to the Two Writing Teachers site!

Story Challenge Day 15: Rambling Autobiography

I was born right after midnight on July 5, right after my parents enjoyed the last of the fireworks display, right after their police escort to the hospital through traffic, right after my dad went to park the car, only to come in to his newest baby girl.

I adore new school supplies, and maybe that caters to the nerd in me and I don’t care. I was nerd before nerd was cool. (Does that make me hipster?) “I bought” isn’t really a phrase that I use much for myself, because I’m usually buying for other folks: groceries, candy for the copy room, stuff for my boys – or I’m just buying stuff I need like gas or what-not. I have a problem, maybe, in treating myself to wonderful things, or maybe I’m just happy with what I have. Depends on the day. I never really want to use never, because there are so many nevers I’ve done. One of my favorite things to do is to bake, because it’s a creative endeavor that I can see the beginning and end of, and I pretty much know without a doubt it’s going to make other people happy.

When I was 21, the same age as my older son, I thought I knew so very much about life, but I really was just a puppy, which gives me perspective, perhaps, on how he sees himself, sees me. My favorite place is somewhere outside, like on a mountain trail or in the forest or on the beach with my toes stuck in sand. I can still feel the cold early-March waves of the Gulf of Mexico as I body-surfed with my dad on that one trip to Florida when I was in junior high. I dated sparingly in high school, and I think it’s a combination of 1) not being tremendously dateable and 2) being completely oblivious to the signs of anyone who may actually have wanted to date me, and 3) yes, I see the irony in the combination of my first two reasons. I fainted once, I think, in high school, when I was at a dance, because I felt myself go down and then opened my eyes to a bunch of people standing around, and I was so embarrassed that I just got up and pretended like nothing happened, although if I really fainted, I probably should have gotten looked at.

I gave blood for the first time shortly after my first son was born, realizing, after having given birth, that being stuck with a needle is really not as big of a deal as I had originally made it out to be. I once had a need to have people like me, but now that’s faded in contrast to my desire to live as my authentic self and let other people figure out what to do with it. I am my best version of myself every single day as I’m waiting to fall asleep, thinking about all the ways I can improve myself the next day, which is coincidentally why I gave up writing New Year’s resolutions.

I want to keep living in a way that lets me learn more about myself, that lets me bring light to other people, that brings me to new places and lets me try new things.

Thanks, Fran Haley, for bringing this writing form my way! She got her inspiration from Denise Krebs. Here are the starters, if you want to give it a try.

I was born…
I adore…
I bought…
I have…
I never…
One of my…
When I was (age)…
My favorite place…
I can still (sense)…
I dated…
I fainted…
I gave…
I once had…
I am…
I want to…

Interested in learning more about the March Slice of Life Challenge, or wanting to read more great posts? Head over to the Two Writing Teachers site!

Story Challenge Day 14: On Letting Things Marinate

I’ve had a lot more writing time with my kids, and it’s one of the things I’m proudest of this year.

It’s something kids look forward to, because they get to spend time writing whatever it is they choose. It’s a class session I really look forward to, because I get to be eyeball-deep in my kids’ work. That, and I get to see a bunch of kids all jazzed up about things.

There is, of course, a catch. I review work each week, keeping tabs on how the students are progressing towards their goals and what skills and strategies I think should be in their pipeline.

Most of the time, I can get a pretty clear direction about how help a kid move their writing forward. Perhaps we can work on punctuating dialogue, fleshing out a story, or keeping a balance of narration so a story makes sense.

Yet each week, there are one or two pieces of writing I just can’t get a feel for. For one reason or another, I just can’t think which direction I’d like to push a writer. Usually, it’s either because the writer has demonstrated exceptional skill, or because there are so many areas that need improvement that the whole thing seems overwhelming.

In those cases, I have sometimes just…not done anything with that writing. I’ve not written down any notes for further instruction or improvement. Just let it pass of until our next session, where I can see what develops further.

Until now, I’ve beaten myself up for letting that writing go. I’ve held the mindset that I owe it to my students to give them feedback or something to work on with every turn.

But what if that’s simply not true?

What if a bit of separation and time would make things clearer?

What if I let that piece of writing go one more week to see what develops, and look at it anew? Would I be letting my kids down?

Judging by how that strategy has done so far? Surprisingly, no.

Surprisingly, it feels good to relieve myself of that pressure.

It’s not an every-kid-every-week sort of situation, but it’s nice to know sometimes that a bit of patience pays off from time to time. And payoffs in this time of year? I’ll gladly take what I can get.

Interested in learning more about the March Slice of Life Challenge, or wanting to read more great posts? Head over to the Two Writing Teachers site!