Olympic Fever

What is it about the Olympics? I always say I’m not going to watch and somehow I always do.

Last night was “Wonder Boy” Michael Phelps taking all the gold medals in swimming. He was incredible! However, my favorite Olympians have always been the gymnasts. Gymnastics is so goshdarn difficult! I know this because I had a short-lived career in gymnastics back in grade school. Unfortunately, it all came to a tragic end due to a paralyzing fear of the balance beam. That plank of wood is unforgiving to toes, necks and crotches!

Last night’s gymnastic competition was intense. The judges gave high scores to the sweet little Chinese girl who kept falling down. I probably would have done the same thing (’A’ for effort), but this is why I’m not an Olympic judge. The scoring wasn’t fair to the other competitors, including Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson– the two Americans who were beyond amazing! At one point I thought a fight was going to break out between the technical judges and the supervisor. It was an emotional roller coaster that kept me up way past my bedtime. When Liukin finally took the gold, I found myself applauding. I’m not ashamed to admit that I got a little misty. OK, I bawled. I guess this is why I keep watching the games.

Anyway, in the spirit of the Olympics, I thought I’d post a video of my favorite Olympic champion. Those of you who remember Gilda Radner, may also recall her spoof of gold medalist Nadia Comaneci who scored a perfect 10 in the 1976 Summer Olympics. And those of you who have tried the balance beam will appreciate the phrase, “Oh! My chichnos.” 

 

Got Writer’s Block?

 

Sad Little Monkey 

Sooner or later it happens. You’re cruising along on a writing project, enjoying life– and then suddenly everything comes to a grinding halt. You can’t seem to craft a single sentence. It’s pure agony and it happens to every writer.

Don’t lose hope. Listen, writing is hard work! Unfortunately, some writers don’t give themselves any credit for this. They interpret writer’s block as a sudden loss of talent and walk away from the whole thing, feeling like they’ve failed. The irony is that nothing could be further from the truth! In fact, writer’s block is very good sign. It often indicates progress.

Writer’s Block or Writer’s Evolution?

Evolution, in its basic definition, means change. The stuff that isn’t working is discarded in favor of the stuff that might work better. Writing is a journey of discovery, a process of evolution. We’re not just honing the craft. We’re also exploring the inner realm of human existence. This is no small task! So instead of trashing your writing, calling yourself names & ordering that case of booze, take some time to appreciate the process. Meanwhile, here are some ideas to kick start those creative juices.

Seven Tips for Getting Un-Blocked

1. Consider the psychological undercurrents of the piece you’re currently writing. Is your writer’s intuition begging you to go in a different direction? If so, why are you resisting? You’ve probably heard it said: “What you resist persists.” This is true even in writing. The more we resist writing about something the more it seems to show up in bizarre and unexpected ways.
2. Address any fears you may have. When coaching, I sometimes suggest that clients write about what they are afraid to write about. For Example: No matter what, I can never write about… [you fill in the blank]… because…. Write for 5-10 minutes without stopping or editing. Sometimes, the act of writing about our fears can actually lessen the power they have over us.
3. Get support! Share the piece you’re working on with another writer friend and get some feedback. This may generate new ideas and provide the encouragement you need to keep going.
4. Time travel. If you’re writing a piece about your childhood or where you went to college, consider going back the place where it all happened. Observe, take a few notes on what has changed and what remains the same. Walk the same path you used to take when getting to school. Having your “present self” cross paths with your “past self” can be quite a trip!   
5. Read something. I often find that when I’m stuck, simply picking up a great book can do wonders. Paying attention to how another writer crafts his/her story can open up new directions for your own story. Visit my website for creative nonfiction finds, as well as books on writing & creativity.
6. Take a break. I don’t mean take a break from writing. No, no. You’re not getting off that easy! I mean take a little break from the piece you’re struggling with. Write something else. Write a story about penguins, or a story about a dead bug you found on your patio. Write about how upset you are with me for telling you to keep writing. Write anything, just keep going. In time, you’ll be able to go back to the original piece with a new perspective. In the interim you might find new stories to explore.
7. Finally, be patient. Don’t beat yourself up or conclude that an episode of writer’s block means you’ve failed. Remember, your writing is just going through a period of transition.  Although it may be incredibly uncomfortable, rest assured that something new is waiting for you on the other side.

 Happy Little Monkey

Cicada Death Stuns Residents

 

Victim: Charles W. Cicada

At approximately 3:30 p.m. on August 7, 2008, the body of this cicada was found in the back yard of a Denver home. He was later identified as Charles W. Cicada, also known as “Charlie C” or “Dizzy Charlie” of the the Colorado Singing Cicadas, a local jazz vocalist group.

 

Suspect A

Suspect B

The suspects, Blond Dog and Red Dog, were questioned by authorities and taken into custody later that afternoon.   

 

Anonymous Witness

The witness, who prefers to remain anonymous but did allow this photo, said she went into the back yard and saw [the suspects] jumping around on the south end of the patio. “I heard this noise… It was almost like a rattle snake sound, but not quite.” The witness said the suspects appeared to be chasing something. “There was such a flurry of motion that it was hard to tell what the heck was going on.” 

After a few moments, the witness said she went over the south end of the patio and saw the victim’s body. “There was a puncture mark in his torso, and some white stuff oozing out. He was clearly dead. It was, like, really sad.”

Area Residents Express Grief & Fear Over Cicada’s Death

“This kind of thing just doesn’t happen in Denver,” said Debbie Wintergarden, who lives somewhere down the street. “I’m afraid to let my kids outside now.”

Paul Bruckert, a postal carrier who delivers mail to the neighborhood says the death has left him feeling confused. “I’ve lived in Colorado all my life,” Bruckert said. “I’ve never even seen a cicada here. This may have been the only freakin’ cicada in the entire state of Colorado and now it’s dead. That totally sucks.”

Attorneys for the suspects released this statement: “The suspects are normally loving creatures who simply got a little carried away. This sort of thing happens. It was not premeditation or anything like that.” The suspects have been placed under house arrest pending a full investigation.

“We’re sure gonna miss Ol’ Charlie,” said Buzz Gold, a local yellow jacket and longtime fan of the vocalist group. “Man, that dude could really sing!”

Owners of the residence where the victim was found have announced plans to take care of Mr. Cicada’s burial. As one owner put it: “Like, uh, it’s the least we can do.”

Memorial services for Charles W. Cicada will be held Saturday, August 9th at 2:00 p.m. in The Back Yard. In lieu of flowers, members of the Colorado Singing Cicadas have asked that contributions be made to your favorite charity.

Creating Vivid Characters

Photo courtesy of GeekPhilosopher.com

 

I love this picture. The woman is kicking back with a giant stogie and doing a little daydreaming. It’s a great picture and it does what we writers struggle to do on a daily basis: it conveys action, emotion, setting and a sense of character.

Showing vs. Telling: If you’ve ever taken a writing class then you have probably heard that showing is better than telling. The idea behind this adage is that you want your readers to experience the story on a sensory level, rather than just glazing over words on a page. It sounds simple enough, but it’s actually pretty tricky for most of us. If you’re trying to write about real people it can be even trickier.

To create a vivid character, let’s pretend that the picture above is a snapshot of your late aunt. Let’s call her Aunt Gerti. Maybe Aunt Gerti was a Cuban refugee, or a pastry chef, or an infamous bank robber, or a prize winning poet. Whatever Aunt Gerti was, let’s say you want to write a little story about her. How do you capture her as vividly as the picture, without giving the actual photo to your readers? Again, it’s a matter of showing Aunt Gerti’s character versus telling us about her character. Let’s play with some examples.

Example 1: My aunt was a nice lady who wore colorful clothing and liked being outdoors. Sometimes she smoked cigars. In this example the narrator is telling us that her aunt was nice. This is something we need to decide for ourselves, after we’ve been shown more of the aunt’s character. Also ‘nice’ doesn’t really convey much, because it can mean different things to different people. It’s the same principle with ‘colorful clothing.’ That could mean the aunt wore yellow sundresses. The cigar smoking is interesting, yet we’re still lacking information to form a complete picture.

Example 2: Every afternoon Aunt Gerti could be found sitting on the front step of her apartment. She was easy to spot, given her love of Cuban cigars and eccentric taste in clothing. She had a fondness for hot-pink polyester pants, floral vests and bright red bows that she fastened to the top of her head with a bobby pin. Some of our neighbors saw her as a dissident, but in my eyes Aunt Gerti was a hero… 

Now we’re getting somewhere. In the second example, Aunt Gerti’s character is starting to take shape. We get a sense of style and habit. We get the idea that Aunt Gerti does not follow conventional standards. We’re also introduced to opposing perceptions of this character: dissident vs. hero. In this way Aunt Gerti has become real and complex. Now I’m curious. I’ve always openly admired heroes and secretly admired dissidents. I want to keep reading. Ideally, I also want to see Aunt Gerti in a scene where her character comes to life through speech and movement.   

Writing Challenge

When writing about the real characters in your life, try looking at some old photos. Consider things like style of clothing, habits, routines, preferred music and favorite expressions. Try to capture idiosyncrasies: gum chewing, cigar smoking, nail biting, nose picking, speech impediments, nervous scratching, etc. These peculiar character traits are what bring people to life on the page. 

Finally, don’t forget to include perceptions. How did other people view this person? How did you see him or her? Do a little free-writing if it helps to get you in the mood. Experiment. Remember, this isn’t brain surgery. You can always revise.

Until next time…

Pig Smuggling: Part Two

{This is Part Two. If you haven’t read Part One, you might want to do that first.} 

 

I slunk back to the ticket agent with my eyes cast downward, fully prepared to apologize for attempting to smuggle pork. I decided I would blame my friend, giving up her full name if necessary. (Hey, it was a matter of self-preservation.)

But the ticket agent wasn’t interested in my pork; she was interested in my boarding pass. She’d inadvertently given me the wrong gate number. She didn’t want me getting lost and missing my flight. She wrote down the correct gate number, apologized for the mix-up, and wished me a pleasant journey. Were all Turkish people this nice? 

During the flight, I wondered about a couple of things. First, was my canned ham even an issue? Second, what would this mysterious city be like? I knew Istanbul was one of the oldest cities in the world. So I wondered if there would be old things: dirt roads, pack mules, people selling strange fruit in open-air markets. Would all the women be dressed in hajibs and head scarves? Would the men be wearing robes? Would people point at me me and shriek, “Infidel” ?

All Of My Questions Were Answered In 2.5 Hours.

Upon landing at Ataturk Airport and going through customs (it seemed no one cared about the ham), I met my friend in the waiting area. To my surprise she had brought along another English teacher friend. We all exchanged happy hugs and caught a cab to the Istiklal Caddesi (a large pedestrian mall that is a must-see).

As soon as I stepped out of the taxi, my head was spinning in sheer wonder. What had I been thinking? This was not a place of dirt roads and mule carts. This was a thriving metropolis of 20 million people! (Actual population estimates for Istanbul range between 16 and 20 million.) Half of those 20 million people were on the streets, while the other half were in cars. Just imagine that for a moment.

Aside from all the people, there was an astonishing array of smells: flavorful teas and rich spices. There were smells of things being cooked with a kind of wisdom as old as the city itself. Istanbul was alive with aroma and activity and suddenly I didn’t want to be anywhere else in the entire world.

The Blue Mosque

 

My time in Istanbul went by much too quickly. It’s hard to describe all the amazing aspects of the city, but if you can imagine ancient history blending with the modern world, and unbelievable food, and apple tea and warm, peaceful people– you’ve got a pretty good idea.

 

Here are some highlights.

 

~~ Lamb kabobs & baklava that melt in your mouth!

~~Prayer calls 5 times a day that are actually kind of pretty

~~On public transportation, younger people give their seats up for older people– out of respect & tradition.

~~The Blue Mosque (above): a beautiful work of architecture built in the 1600’s by Sultan Ahmet. I did have to wear a head scarf to go inside & watch the prayers, but I had no problem with this– I was their guest.

~~Speaking of head scarves– they are colorful & absolutely breathtaking, but not every woman has to or wants to wear them

~~Sharp, clean, stylish, beautiful people!

~~Hagia Sophia (below): initial construction began in 500 A.D., during the Byzantine empire when the city was known as Constantinople

~~Fascinating to cross the Bosporus Strait to the Asian side: Istanbul is the only city in the world that lies on 2 continents

~~They don’t just say “Nice to meet you.” They take your hand and look into your eyes and sincerely welcome you to their city. 

Hagia Sophia

 

My Canned Ham Was Never An Issue.

Neither was the color of my skin or the fact that I was an American. I was greeted, welcomed and offered many warm smiles from complete strangers. 

To quote Shirely MaClaine: The more I traveled the more I realized that fear makes strangers out of people who should be friends. This is why I like to travel to places I’ve never been. I take a piece of the that place with me, forever. 

It’s also why the recent bombing in Istanbul has left me heart-broken. The people who were injured and killed in that attack are not just strangers from some far-way land. To me they are friends, from another place that I call “home.”