Friday, February 13, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Book in a box
I should probably stop blogging about my book. It may just confuse you all. Yes, I really do change my mind about things every day. No more water, just two sections. Now the fun part of trying "final" revisions. Ack!
And though I am not supposed to think of it right now, I just can't decide on a title. I officially hate titles!
Also, I really want to make a book in a box. But this book I don't think belongs in a box. I think I may be making a lot of books this summer. They will be in boxes. How cute is that?
And though I am not supposed to think of it right now, I just can't decide on a title. I officially hate titles!
Also, I really want to make a book in a box. But this book I don't think belongs in a box. I think I may be making a lot of books this summer. They will be in boxes. How cute is that?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Wet, Sunny Weekend
I've found my weekends to be so trying lately, that it is best to summarize them.
Did not get my oil changed because I got caught up in school work and forgot it had to be done. There's always next weekend.
Finalized our plans for Valentine's Day.
Tried desperately to get my manuscript to tell me what kind of book it wanted to be. Finally decided on sections: Droplets, Puddles, Rivers, Flood, Fog, Dew, in that order. These may change if I change my title in the next week, but I like what they're doing so far. I just have to figure out if the right poems are in each section. Final ms due next week, so I'm a bit stressed out getting it "right."
Fought with InDesign to create my chapbook. Figured some things out, none of which will help me create the final book. I think I cheated on a lot of things and took the long way through certain tasks. The instructions were not helping, which was surprising as I've found them to be good in the past. This just means more studying before I start putting the real book together. This assignment is at least done. Or will be when I print it. Must find a really great paper to use.
Stayed home alone Friday night while John went out with friends. I did homework most of the evening. It was sad. Then I drank a glass of wine to unwind, which was also sad as I was still alone.
Feel asleep during Benny and Joon, which is so wrong I can't stand it. I missed a good hour of Johnny time. I woke up 15 mins from the end, 10 mins before John walked in the door. But in my defense, I had been doing school work for like 12 hours straight. So I was dead.
Got a virus on my pc, from who knows what. It didn't want to go away either. But it's better now.
Got a flat tire. Had to stay home from work today to take it to get fixed. Ended up having to get two new tires, since the flat was unrepairable. Need to get the other two replaced when I can afford it cause they're getting old.
Got mad at someone who I think has been lying to me. But of course, didn't tell that person I was upset.
Saw "He's just not that into you" with a friend. It was pretty cute. And in some instances, realistic. Ben Affleck's character was the one great man in there.
What I learned:
I will need 4 day weekends, not 3, in order to not cry each week from the stress/frustration of school.
While I am stressed, I really love my book and making it. I mean, I cried over my book not speaking to me, but then was utterly thrilled when I finalized my section titles. Does this say something odd about be loving stress? Maybe.
Did not get my oil changed because I got caught up in school work and forgot it had to be done. There's always next weekend.
Finalized our plans for Valentine's Day.
Tried desperately to get my manuscript to tell me what kind of book it wanted to be. Finally decided on sections: Droplets, Puddles, Rivers, Flood, Fog, Dew, in that order. These may change if I change my title in the next week, but I like what they're doing so far. I just have to figure out if the right poems are in each section. Final ms due next week, so I'm a bit stressed out getting it "right."
Fought with InDesign to create my chapbook. Figured some things out, none of which will help me create the final book. I think I cheated on a lot of things and took the long way through certain tasks. The instructions were not helping, which was surprising as I've found them to be good in the past. This just means more studying before I start putting the real book together. This assignment is at least done. Or will be when I print it. Must find a really great paper to use.
Stayed home alone Friday night while John went out with friends. I did homework most of the evening. It was sad. Then I drank a glass of wine to unwind, which was also sad as I was still alone.
Feel asleep during Benny and Joon, which is so wrong I can't stand it. I missed a good hour of Johnny time. I woke up 15 mins from the end, 10 mins before John walked in the door. But in my defense, I had been doing school work for like 12 hours straight. So I was dead.
Got a virus on my pc, from who knows what. It didn't want to go away either. But it's better now.
Got a flat tire. Had to stay home from work today to take it to get fixed. Ended up having to get two new tires, since the flat was unrepairable. Need to get the other two replaced when I can afford it cause they're getting old.
Got mad at someone who I think has been lying to me. But of course, didn't tell that person I was upset.
Saw "He's just not that into you" with a friend. It was pretty cute. And in some instances, realistic. Ben Affleck's character was the one great man in there.
What I learned:
I will need 4 day weekends, not 3, in order to not cry each week from the stress/frustration of school.
While I am stressed, I really love my book and making it. I mean, I cried over my book not speaking to me, but then was utterly thrilled when I finalized my section titles. Does this say something odd about be loving stress? Maybe.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Open Hearts
Jane Seymour (yes the JS from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman) has used part of an essay I wrote in her new book, Open Hearts. It's a cute little book about love. It includes her artwork as well as personal experiences of her own and others (me!). Her new open hearts jewelry collection and paintings really speaks to my sentiments-love can be painful and grand, but through it all you need to remain true to yourself. Great Valentine's gift, if you still need something.
Cover of the book:
Here's my DPS:
I know you can't read that. I may type it up later.
Cover of the book:
Here's my DPS:
I know you can't read that. I may type it up later.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Water quotes
If I do keep the water thing going, these are two possible quotes to use as an epigraph at the beginning of my book. Thought?
“Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.” ~Lau Tzu
“Water is life's mater and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.” ~ Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
“Nothing in the world is more flexible and yielding than water. Yet when it attacks the firm and the strong, none can withstand it, because they have no way to change it. So the flexible overcome the adamant, the yielding overcome the forceful. Everyone knows this, but no one can do it.” ~Lau Tzu
“Water is life's mater and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.” ~ Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Manuscript frustration
The good news is my book will be great, one day. The bad news is I don't know how to get it there.
I am now completely panicked about my manuscript. It is pretty much done in terms of writing. I still have a few revisions I'd like to make. But turning it into a book is another story. I knew this was my main problem, but I thought class would help me figure out where to go with it. Class just made me more confused.
I need to come up with sections for the book. The obvious thing may be chronological or by "themes" (marriage, divorce, siblings, old boyfriends, etc). I don't like either of these options. Probably b/c they are both obvious. And I don't like the tone that theme sections creates. It's far too much about marriage/divorce and not enough about finding a peaceful relationship.
So what to do? I think of Laux, she has two sections Smoke and Fire. Or Olds has a book with different seemingly unrelated things, blood, tin, straw, as the titles of her sections. I think something like this will work. But what.
The title is currently "To Understand Water." My inclination is to have a set of water words as my section breaks. Bay, river, storm, evaporate. I don't know that I like any of these words, but it gives you an idea of what I'm talking about. The question is do I separate my poems and then label them or come up with labels and then put the poems where they belong.
Or is water totally the wrong way to go and I need to figure out something else. I think I will rearrange it like this and see what Kendra says next week. She'll probably be more help one-on-one.
I am now completely panicked about my manuscript. It is pretty much done in terms of writing. I still have a few revisions I'd like to make. But turning it into a book is another story. I knew this was my main problem, but I thought class would help me figure out where to go with it. Class just made me more confused.
I need to come up with sections for the book. The obvious thing may be chronological or by "themes" (marriage, divorce, siblings, old boyfriends, etc). I don't like either of these options. Probably b/c they are both obvious. And I don't like the tone that theme sections creates. It's far too much about marriage/divorce and not enough about finding a peaceful relationship.
So what to do? I think of Laux, she has two sections Smoke and Fire. Or Olds has a book with different seemingly unrelated things, blood, tin, straw, as the titles of her sections. I think something like this will work. But what.
The title is currently "To Understand Water." My inclination is to have a set of water words as my section breaks. Bay, river, storm, evaporate. I don't know that I like any of these words, but it gives you an idea of what I'm talking about. The question is do I separate my poems and then label them or come up with labels and then put the poems where they belong.
Or is water totally the wrong way to go and I need to figure out something else. I think I will rearrange it like this and see what Kendra says next week. She'll probably be more help one-on-one.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
This Week
I had a sore throat all week. John was worse. I think we're almost well.
Read responses from students, one of whom suggested "we can handle a little flooding".
Worked from home to avoid an ice storm.
Was still forced to dig the car out from the ice to go to class. Somehow avoided a cracked windshield from ice flying off of other cars. Also did not die on 95, though I could have if I'd left 10 minutes earlier.
Had my first class of my last semester. Freaked out a bit about how close the end is and how much I still have to do.
Applied for graduation.
Went out for restaurant week at Cazbar.
Read responses from students, one of whom suggested "we can handle a little flooding".
Worked from home to avoid an ice storm.
Was still forced to dig the car out from the ice to go to class. Somehow avoided a cracked windshield from ice flying off of other cars. Also did not die on 95, though I could have if I'd left 10 minutes earlier.
Had my first class of my last semester. Freaked out a bit about how close the end is and how much I still have to do.
Applied for graduation.
Went out for restaurant week at Cazbar.
Monday, January 26, 2009
I'm an aunt!
Well sort of. John's sister just had a baby, so I get to pretend to be her aunt. Her name is Caroline and she's the sweetest thing. We spent all day yesterday at the house watching her sleep. I think I held her for four hours, which included a very nice bottle feeding. I totally have baby fever now. Not the kind that makes me want a kid, but the kind that makes me want to babysit this one as often as possible.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
So far...
So far this weekend I have:
~tricked MS word into formatting my Table of Contents. I didn't want to be in columns.
~relished in warm weather, driving around the block after my errands were finished, just so I could keep driving around with my window down
~stared at one word in a poem for 10 minutes before deciding to take it out
~cleaned up meat juices leaking in our fridge, and cooked said meat
~got addicted to online monopoly, where one computer always went bankrupt and the others never traded properties, won 1/3 games, almost one the last one
~did my part in fixing a leaking pipe on our sink-cleaned up object that had been soaking in the puddle that formed under the sink, 3 trips to the hardware store, sawing pvc, etc
~talked to my mom for almost 3 hours
~cried in frustration at not being able to get a poem to do what I wanted
~started a tally; Poetry 5, Melissa 1
now it's just about time to shut down and finish this bottle of wine
~tricked MS word into formatting my Table of Contents. I didn't want to be in columns.
~relished in warm weather, driving around the block after my errands were finished, just so I could keep driving around with my window down
~stared at one word in a poem for 10 minutes before deciding to take it out
~cleaned up meat juices leaking in our fridge, and cooked said meat
~got addicted to online monopoly, where one computer always went bankrupt and the others never traded properties, won 1/3 games, almost one the last one
~did my part in fixing a leaking pipe on our sink-cleaned up object that had been soaking in the puddle that formed under the sink, 3 trips to the hardware store, sawing pvc, etc
~talked to my mom for almost 3 hours
~cried in frustration at not being able to get a poem to do what I wanted
~started a tally; Poetry 5, Melissa 1
now it's just about time to shut down and finish this bottle of wine
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Chickenpinata
My poem "Unrequited Love" has been published by Chickenpinata. Check it out in their first issue.
Well it seems like for this week, all I have to post are new publications. This is the last one for awhile though. Once I reorganize myself and finish revising I can start sending things out again.
Oh yeah, and we have a new President! At last! I won't elaborate on that, we all know how thrilled I am. I wish Obama a lot of luck. It'll be a tough job, getting us back on track. Yesterday was great though. I stayed home, worked from here in the morning, but mostly just had a nice day with John. Avoiding the insane crowds that were not to far away, loving T.V. coverage and mugs of warm tea.
Well it seems like for this week, all I have to post are new publications. This is the last one for awhile though. Once I reorganize myself and finish revising I can start sending things out again.
Oh yeah, and we have a new President! At last! I won't elaborate on that, we all know how thrilled I am. I wish Obama a lot of luck. It'll be a tough job, getting us back on track. Yesterday was great though. I stayed home, worked from here in the morning, but mostly just had a nice day with John. Avoiding the insane crowds that were not to far away, loving T.V. coverage and mugs of warm tea.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)