A Quick Hello...

photo by oskay

Stopping by to say a quick hello, since I haven't actively written since last Sunday.  It's been a busy week, and busy is good!  Earlier this week I spent a couple of days teaching some young up-and-coming performing artists and I have to say the experience was quite gratifying. 

I love teaching, but I did go through a bit of burn-out a while back. It's to be expected...teaching is a tough gig.  And I'm the type of person who puts my heart and soul into it as well, so it's no wonder that I went through some physical and emotional exhaustion.

But it felt really good to be back in the saddle so to speak. And working with students who are so eager to learn; they were sponges willing to soak up everything they could.  I love that!  I get to do it again next week, and then I'm off to the Big Apple for another grand adventure. 

I will do my best to get another post in before I leave.  But fear  not...you will hear all about the festival upon my return.

So, until the next time...if you're currently on the east coast of the USA...stay cool...and if you're anywhere else in this great big world of ours...hope you're enjoying what you've got!

Blaze of Glory

photo by sonewfangled

I live on a hill and from this vantage point I am fortunate enough to simply walk out my front door and see three simultaneous fireworks displays.  I look directly in front of me, and I see the show my home town is producing at the park just down the hill.  To my right and left, neighboring towns set off their own fireworks and the night sky is filled with vibrant color and a cacophony of booms.

I've missed seeing the fireworks from atop my hill for the past two years since I hadn't been at home.  So it was lovely tonight, to see this stunning light show with a relatively quiet group of neighbors.  Even though tomorrow is a holiday, there is the distinctive feeling of Sunday night in the air.  Everyone was noticeably mellow. 

My favorite fireworks tonight were the stars that popped out from below, rose high in the sky and fizzled away.  And the grand finale was spectacular. Red, white and blue stars, and sizzling, squirmy bursts of light and gigantic chandeliers of color.  And the booming sounded like a torrential downpour of rain on the roof.  It was terrific.

Happy Birthday America! You deserve to have a grand celebration.  I hope you feel better soon.  I really do!

Perspective

photo by heinrock

Yesterday I pulled into a parking lot and when I got out of the car, there were broken pieces of green glass neatly piled on the perimeter of the parking space.  It appeared that some kind-hearted person didn't want anyone driving over broken glass and puncturing the tires of the car. Thank you, kind-hearted person.

But here is the interesting part:  I didn't immediately think, "Oh no...broken glass...now I'm gonna get a flat tire..."  I thought, "wow...how beautiful...look at all the lovely emerald gemstones on the ground."

It was a very childish notion...it was a very idealistic thought...but spotting all that shattered green glass made me feel very happy for some unknown reason.  My attitude toward the glass surprised me.  My perspective had changed.  I wasn't thinking I was staring at some broken Heineken bottle...I was thinking..."that is quite enchanting!"

No, I did not stoop down and fill my pockets with broken green glass.  But I did let my gaze linger awhile, noticing and appreciating its beauty.  More importantly, I surprised myself and I love when that happens. It's a rare thing!

It's not that big a deal, this seemingly meaningless incident.  But to a writer, we have to notice everything.  And small occurrences such as this one are gold.  Or in this case...emerald!

Interview with Samuel French

35th Annual Samuel French Off Off Broadway Play Festival

Just a quick post to let everyone know my interview with Samuel French went up today. 

The festival is only three weeks away...anticipation grows but I'm doing my best to hold it in check.

The judges were announced the other day on Playbill. Lots of impressive heavy hitters on that list.  This opportunity is enormous.  I take a breath, give thanks to the Universe, and move forward.

Speak the Speech, I Pray You....OUT LOUD!

Writing is such a solitary occupation, and typically a quiet one. But I talk out loud to myself all the time. It's becoming pervasive...branching out into all areas of my life, and not just when I'm sitting at my desk working on a piece. I have been known to carry on full-length conversations with myself in public places like Target.

Here I am…in the toilet tissue aisle…talking. To no one…!

As I examine various rolls of toilet paper the conversation goes something like this:

"Hmmm…should I get the Northern bathroom tissue, or is the Angel Soft a better deal?"

No…that doesn’t really sound right. Actually, in reality the conversation probably goes something like this:

"Why have I been standing in front of the toilet paper for 10 minutes trying to figure out how to get the most for my money? Just pick one already, will you Deb?"

Yeah, that sounds more like me. I'm sure many people in Target have noticed my toilet paper diatribe and steered away from the odd woman who is obviously a bit tweaked in the head.

Ah well...occupational hazard.

As a playwright, it's essential that I read my work out loud. I need to hear the rhythm of the dialogue. I need to hear if the writing sounds natural; if it truly sounds like a conversation and not just words on a page. But I also think it’s useful to read any piece of writing out loud. It doesn’t have to be a play or a speech. Short stories, articles, advertising copy, even blog posts! I think it works to the writer’s benefit to hear the words spoken out loud and outside of their head.

If nothing else, it helps give me a sharper eye when proofreading. I’m more apt to spot an error if I hear it…sometimes my eye is lazy and doesn’t see a mistake, but I’ll hear if a sentence sounds weird, or a comma needs to be placed. You get the idea, right?

So whatever you happen to be working on…a press release, a journal entry, a poem, a blog, a memoir….sing out Louise! Let the words of your writing reverberate back to you…out loud…it’s kinda fun. I just wouldn’t recommend doing it in the middle of Target.

And now a few words from Carl Jung...

image by alice popkorn

"The artist's life cannot be otherwise than full of conflicts, for two forces are at war within him—on the one hand, the common longing for happiness, satisfaction and security in life, and on the other a ruthless passion for creation which may go so far as to override every personal desire. There are hardly any exceptions to the rule that a person must pay dearly for the divine gift of creative fire."
 - carl jung

Time Management

image by jean-louis zimmermann

I am working on so many projects simultaneously, I feel a bit overwhelmed.  In order to be as efficient as possible, I'm needing to write "to do" lists and set priorities...but sometimes, when my brain goes into overdrive, it simply freezes...like a deer in the headlights.  And then of course, I freeze, and feel like I can't move forward.

My projects are creative ones...lots and lots of writing.  Because I am a writer.  That's what I do.  Some of the stuff I'm working on is actually more creative than other stuff, so I am definitely using two different parts of my brain.   But at the end of the day, all I'm doing is dealing with the art of crafting words.  Plays, articles, blog posts, course outlines, cover letters...it's all words, words, words.  And as much as I love words...instead of having this constant running stream of words flowing through my brain, I sure could use a brief bit of quiet. There's so much noise in my head these days...I need to turn down the volume.

I truly believe that we create our own lives, and I have definitely created my life as a writer.  I welcome all the opportunities that are coming my way, but I also treasure the moments when I can put down the dictionary and the thesaurus, close my eyes, and see images rather than words.  I am a pretty cerebral gal, and usually think in terms of words and phrases---that in itself is not a good thing or a bad thing, it's just who I am. 

But I do wish I thought more in images...I wish my brain were more cinematic...sometimes it is...in my dreams it is...I see movies in my mind from time to time, and that actually helps me a lot when I'm constructing plays or short stories. But mostly I think in terms of ideas and concepts...sounds kinda boring, but actually if you were inside my head, you'd realize it's not boring at all. Trust me on that one!

Wow...I have really gotten off topic here...but I guess it's okay for my mind to wander like this.  After all, it's 3AM and I've got the rest of the day to prioritize and utilize my fabulous time management skills.  Yes, I'm writing a blog post at 3AM so I can write other stuff later in the day.  On a Sunday.  Freelancers never have a weekend.  I don't mind...I like what I do...but it would be nice to spend a Sunday flitting away the day looking at pretty pictures....

Please tell me--how do you organize your time?