Jane Yolen turns 85 today. She is the prolific author and/or editor of over four hundred books for both children and adults. She was born in New York City, and now resides in Massachusetts. The book that I loved as a teacher was Owl Moon. I read this to my young classes all the time, and it cemented Jane Yolen as a favorite author of mine. I also remember reading an anthology that included her when I was in college. Back then, I read nearly anything with the science-fiction/fantasy label.
You would think I’d be an expert on this but needs change and so does organization. Looking around the piles of files and notebooks around where I’m working, I wonder if this is something I should be giving advice on. I think that most of us, while not great at taking our own advice, are in fact, great at giving it. Some of the following suggestions are things that I’ve done and have worked, and some are things that I’m planning on implementing. It’s still January, so there’s still a bit of time before those New Year’s Resolutions go the way of the mastodon. Or Dodo Bird, whichever fits your fancy.
As I mentioned at the end of 2023, I plan to make more specific goals and follow through on intentions. I also think it’s important to look back and see if there is anything I could have done differently or better. I’m sure that there is, but I’m also proud of the work I’ve done in 2023, especially in my writing and expanding my writing and creativity.
In 2023, I made a total of 210 published writings. Most of these appeared right here, although a few of them were submitted to writing classes. This amounted to a total of 74,626 words. I may not have “won” Nanowrimo this year, but I did do a lot of writing.
I expect to teach a writing class again this spring, this one for eight weeks. I’m finalizing the syllabus and power points.
I’ve fallen into the Doctor Who rabbit hole. That will end this week after I rewatch the last two specials on Disney+ (for the second time). I loved the Christmas special that is starting out Ncuti Gatwa’s run as The Doctor. He returns in May with his first full season. It was brilliant to see David Tennant and Catherine Tate return as The Doctor (the 14th this time) and Donna Noble, my favorite Doctor/Companion pair.
Our tree went up with help from my middle son (he put it up) and my daughter (she put on the lights), and we celebrated Chanukah for a few extra days since we were interrupted by Covid by both myself and my husband. So far, entering the new year healthy.
I’ve expanded my spirituality, attending regular religious services as well as numerous retreats throughout the year. I’ve already scheduled a few for the next three months. I’ve also participated in the Cursillo movement and am currently writing a meditation card that is similar to other groups’ Examens. I am also on the women’s weekend team this fall. I’m looking forward to my presentation.
This is an Election Year (I mean, I guess every year is an Election Year, but this is a Presidential Election Year) and Election Connection will return in the near future, perhaps as early as next week.
Inspire will continue as Inspired as will Friday Food, and other fun series; yes, including Mental Health Monday, also popping up next week and then sporadically throughout the year. Suggestions and questions to address are always welcome, either as comments or as emails. There are also a couple of new pages coming soon! I’m very excited!
Overall, I’m looking forward to 2024, and I hope you’ll visit me here throughout the new year.
Probably to break the resolutions I make on the first! I prefer setting goals and intentions rather than “resolutions”. This year, in addition to the traditional lose weight, be kinder, eat out less and cook more, be present, I have decided to set some intentions specifically for my writing. Not writing goals, but writing intentions. Things I intend to do. I discovered this word and process from my memoir teacher (Hi, Mary!). I’m not sure why, but the word (as well as the idea of) intentions sounds more possible, more do-able, and less harsh. It has a gentle feel of the possibility of anticipated accomplishment. It’s not the boss of me, but it’s more than a pie in the sky.
Not only have I decided to set intentions, but I’ve decided to set actual deadlines for some of these intentions. My blog planner has been supportive of setting an editorial calendar for myself, but firm deadlines are foreign to me, and I’ve decided to change that.
I have so many projects that have great potential, some of which I’ve been working on for years. My Wales journey has journal entries from 1987 where it all began, and I’m no closer to a finished product. I have two very special projects that have great potential: St. Kateri’s Shrines and the Labyrinth Prayer Book (working titles only) that I need the impetus to buckle in and move them forward.
That’s where the intentions come in; with setting definitive goals for aspects of their completion, both of which I can see in the near future.
I will possibly share progress under the “writing” tag, and once the calendar turns over to January, I’ll have the next three to six months of deadlines.
Wish me luck. I know I’ll need it and the moral support is invaluable.
Happy New Year, and happy new intentions! May they remain for more than two weeks.
I will still try to post one of two items before the end of the year, and if you don’t follow my Instagram, you might want to subscribe for a few, quick picture posts. Unfortunately, I am not able to accomplish all that I set out to do in these last two weeks as I have unexpectedly contracted covid. It is mild enough to pass itself off as a cold, but believe me, it wallops you in the end. Test yourself. I was very lucky that my husband insisted that I take the test before going about my meetings, which I deemed too important to miss. However, with the positive coming up, I did miss them and fortunately miss my colleagues and aquaintances with the virus, so that is a good thing.
In our house, we were unable to light our eighth night of candles on the menorah, so when I’m able to rejoin the family tomorrow, we are going to light them then. It may be beyond the eighth night, but light in the dark is always welcome, especially in these days of war and strife.
Open every door. Look through every window, around every corner. Where there is no light, bring light. Where there is light, bring more. Brightly shine. See the wonder: in every season, in every holiday, in every person you meet, in every day and every way. Shine bright. (c)2023
On Mark Twain’s birthday, I wanted to share some of the photos we took when we traveled to his study’s current location at Elmira College in Elmira, New York. The study was originally on the Langdon land where he did his writing in this small building. He wrote many of his classic stories here. I’ve included an information sign from the site.
St. Jerome was known for his writing. He translated the Hebrew Scriptures from Hebrew to Latin, which was unusual at the time since most people translated it from a controversial text called the Septuagint, also called The Greek Old Testament. He is the second most prolific writer of in ancient Latin Christianity. The first is Augustine of Hippo, who actually had no problem with the original Septuagint.
As a result, perhaps, he is the patron of translators, librarians, and encyclopedists as well as archaeologists, students, Biblical Scholars, and against anger, the latter of which I believe stems from his widely known bad temper.
As a student in Rome, he indulged his hedonistic side, but also attended the catacombs of Rome to visit the martyrs and Apostles there. There were early inscriptions and wall art that I imagine he studied, although he referred to the place as giving the feeling of the terrors of hell.
To put it simply, Jerome was a person of contradictions, some of which can be sourced as his being a student, a constant learner, and a voracious reader and writer. He had a group of women who surrounded him that read his scholarly works, and several were turned towards a life of consecrated virginity and the ascetic monastic life. This had a negative impact on these wealthy women’s donations, and he became at odds with the Roman clergy.
He is considered a saint in the Catholic Church (and a Doctor of the Church there), Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican.
His iconography is often depicted in libraries and/or scriptoriums surrounded by books, parchment, vellum, and writing implements. He sits at a desk, holding a quill. He is also depicted with a lion having apocryphally removed a thorn from one’s paw.
In my sketch below, I have chosen to leave the lion and the saint outside the view as we look into his small cell of scholarly works.
I was watching The Shuttlepod Show, hosted by Star Trek alums, Connor Trineer and Dominic Keating. It’s a conversational show where they invite and talk to a guest for an hour or so, usually also a Star Trek alum. I’ve seen several, and enjoyed them. There is insight into the actors, behind the scenes, and the world of Star Trek, past, present, and future. Recently, they had on Star Trek: Voyager’s Garrett Wang, and in a segment I had never seen before, Connor Trineer asked him a desert/deserted island question about what he’d bring with him.
There were six categories, although for books, you’re already given the religious text of your choice and the complete works of Shakespeare. I thought this was a great thought experiment as well as a terrific writing prompt, and so I share it with you, with credit and thanks given to Connor for the inspiration.
What one ____(1-6)______ would you bring with you on the desert island to occupy your time, for all time?
1. Book 2. Food 3. Author 4. Composer/Musician 5. Dessert 6. Plus a bonus item
As I mentioned in the June Inspire last week, I’ve been awed by the number of inspiring events I’ve been privileged to have participated in since the very beginning of the month. Since I was unable to choose one or two to write about, I thought I’d write about most of them, and include some photos and links so you can explore on your own in your own timeframe and let them capture your imagination and inspire you as well.
One warning before I really get into it: this will be picture heavy (as well as, from my estimate, word heavy).
June began with a weekend retreat that I’m still feeling. June is also the end of the school year, and so during finals and Regent’s exams, my youngest often doesn’t have to go to school, and since the whole crew at home took a day off to see The Flash movie (no spoilers ahead), we decided to take a road trip to Connecticut. And then finally, a field trip to a college outside of Albany to tour a set of books (a Bible actually) of Biblical calligraphy and illuminations. And in between all of that it’s been busy with driving my kids, funeral for a colleague and friend, interfaith doings, Red Hats lunch, a broken hearing aid, weekly rosary, and Father’s Day, an interfaith prayer service, and a fellowship luncheon.
June has been a lot more than usual, and it’s still got a few days left; Indiana Jones will be inspiring in its own way. I don’t want it to sound as though I’m complaining; I’m really not, although once I get started it’s hard to turn off the listing; it’s like a waterfall. However, I can’t say it’s been dull or uninspiring; it’s definitely been the opposite of both of those.
Felicia Day, taken from her book jacket. (c)2019-2023
Felicia Day is Human Extraordinaire. She’s talented, cute as a button, and has the perfect color red/ginger hair that I strive for. I had known her in geek and fandom circles, and then she appeared in my favorite television show of the moment, Supernatural. Her character was the epitome of geek, nerd, D&D master that I grew up with and grew up as. In honor of her birthday, I am recommending one of her books that I am currently reading.
I borrowed her book, Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Creativity from the e-library at the end of 2019. I read about two chapters in, and knew that a borrowed book, an e-book would not do. I was expected to write in this book – something both foreign to me and impossible to do with an e-book. I broke down and ordered a hard copy in paperback with my Christmas Amazon money and waited until the perfect moment to start.
One word of advice: there is no perfect moment.
Embrace Your Weird book with my go-to post-it notes and the pens I bought especially for working in this book. (c)2023
Some of the tasks are really thought-provoking, and some were emotionally draining, but also exhilarating. I was proud of getting through the tasks thus far. I am not even halfway done with the book. I did put it aside for a time for other (creative) projects, and I’ve picked it up again, and in picking it up, I wanted to share it with you.
There are seven chapters with several parts in each chapter. Each chapter lets you look into yourself and learn what might be holding you back from busting out the creativity and finding your jam. That sentence channels Felicia in all the best ways. Don’t be afraid to try. A lot of the hesitation for me (and for Felicia, as it turns out) is anxiety. Name the monster and it can’t hurt you, or something like that.
The book is go at your own pace, which is why I’ve been able to start it, put it down, and continue it. Notice that I said “continue;” not “start again.” The book, like your creativity, is a never-ending journey that pauses when the need arises and continues when you’re ready. I was ready last week, actually, but the book’s been missing. It was a victim of cleaning for guests, and shoved in a large green tote bag, which I only remembered yesterday morning.
This book breaks two of my rules:
Read and follow the directions as closely as possible.
Write in the book.
Despite my guilty childhood of scribbling in books, writing in books is anathema to me, but I’ve adapted with this special book.
Griffins and Ginger Snaps 