Zoom-
tethered,
across the
miles gathered,
a group of writers –
we found one another
I finally came to see
voices behind the author’s voice
the people who make words that make me
remember how good it is to connect
What fun I had yesterday at the Slicer Meet-Up! I had a great time chatting with some amazing fellow writers. Go swing by and visit Alice, Celia, Elisa, Melanie, Ona, Raivenne, and Vivian
Yes, yes, yes, yes, no, NO!, yes, yes, YES, yes, no
Yes, I stayed in my pajamas for most of today.
Yes, I changed out of said pajamas to walk the dog and back in again.
Yes, I baked hamantaschen with the rest of the filling I had in the fridge.
Yes, they were absolutely delicious.
No, I haven’t eaten any vegetables yet today.
No!, I don’t feel a single pang of guilt.
Yes, I’m beyond grateful for the privilege of doing nothing.
Yes, I’ll be ready to get moving again by the time school starts next week.
YES, I’m excited for the slicer meet-up tonight!
Yes, I’m having fun with this Slice structure.
No, I have nothing else in my brain to write. =))
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!
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.
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!
…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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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):
Minimum Qualifications
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.
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!
Soapbox: The Way I see Things