08.31.08
1,000 Word Pledge Update – So far, so good.
I think this goal is going to work out really well for me. (Two days is a considerable indicator, right?) Well, I wrote 601 words for the novel and 409 words for the thesis today. That’s over the 1,000 mark and now anything else that I might do is just extra. I also like getting this done early in the day because now I can go and enjoy everything else that I do (besides writing) and feel like I have already accomplished quite a bit.
Happy Sunday!
~Melissa 
Random Acts of Kindness and Gratitude #2 – Donate Clothes
I tend to be a “saver.” I hate to throw anything away. Now, this bad habit of being a pack-rat left me with a closet crammed full of clothes that I didn’t ever wear, and boxes of off season clothes that I didn’t really even have room to store. In the beginning of the summer, I went through these clothes and made a “pile” for donation. I ended up with seven large bags full of clothes – many of the clothes actually still had tags on them and were in very good condition. They either just didn’t fit any more, or were gifts and really not my taste. But, I figured that someone could get good use out of them if I donated them.
I have a drop center really close to my house, and so that is where I bring the clothes. I keep a bag open on the floor of my closet at all times so whenever I come across something that I know I won’t wear again, I put it in the bag. As the bag fills up, I take it to the drop center. I brought up this idea because I have filled up another bag and will be dropping it off later today.
Here are some sites that may help you find a location where you can donate your clothes:
http://www.njredcross.org/clothingDrive.asp
http://charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/clothesshoes.htm
http://www.clothingdonations.org/service.htm
NOTE: Every suggested Random Act of Kindness and Gratitude that I post is something that I do myself. I won’t ever post anything that I think is unrealistic, costs a lot of money, or isn’t worthwhile to me. The point of sharing these ideas is to show that there are dozens and dozens of things that we can incorporate into our daily lives, and there are probably many things that you already do and don’t even think about. I hope we all get to that point and the acts ultimately become far less “random.”
08.30.08
New book by Nicholas Sparks
I have been a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks since his first book, The Notebook, was out in paperback. It was funny how I learned about the book because I was actually given a free copy from a book vendor who sold books to pharmacies. (I think that I also got a reference book about vitamins, a book of baby names, and a book about diabetes that day.) I was still in college and learning to write and enjoy writing much more than I ever had before at this time. I was learning how to tell stories and relished in reading a book by a good story teller. I read The Notebook out on a hammock in my parents’ backyard one summer afternoon. It was a glorious and memorable experience because Nicholas Sparks is a wonderful story teller. I smiled and cried through the book.
I think that most of the people I know who consider themselves fans of Nicholas Sparks feel the same way or have a similar story. We have some kind of a sense of “ownership” about him and feel like we each have a unique connection with him that no one else understands. (It is the strangest thing, but I have gotten in near-arguments with friends over his books.)
For me, any time that I wanted to relive that experience of The Notebook, I looked for a new book by Nicholas Sparks. Ironically enough, each time I checked the bookstore or the website, there was a new book about to be released. It was like some kind of synergy and was always a very cool feeling to know that there was another book whenever I needed one. Well, a few months ago I was having a particularly rough time with some things and hoped that there might be a new book coming out soon to cheer me up. I checked the website, but there was nothing posted about a new book. I was disappointed and re-read a little from one of the older books, but it just wasn’t the same as knowing there would be a new story.
Then, due to the wonderful world of blogging, I learned that there is actually a new book coming out this September. I can’t wait to get it and will probably pre-order it soon. I have all of Nicholas Sparks’ books in hardcover now, even The Notebook. (I lost the free paperback copy when I lent it to friends and had to replace it with a hardcover to complete the collection.)
I’m looking forward to the book, The Lucky One, and hope you will check it out too.
~Melissa
PS…Nicholas Sparks has a website with information about all of his books, plus some helpful thoughts and advice on writing. www.nicholassparks.com
Stargirl
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
I promised a review of this book in my recent reading post, and here it is.
I loved this book very much. I have to say that right away. I had heard about it for a while and knew that Jerry Spinelli was a good writer, but never really thought that I would be interested in the story. Maybe because the only other people I knew who did read it were very reluctant and struggling readers in middle school! I was evidently wrong because I read the book in one sitting (this was back when I could lounge by the pool for the afternoon) and couldn’t put it down. It was one of those books that I was sad to see end. (The good news is that there is a sequel.)
So, enough about me, let me actually tell you about the book. In this novel by Jerry Spinelli, we meet Leo, a 16 year old high school junior. He had been a transfer student to the school, but made friends and fit in nicely at the start of the book. A new student, Stargirl, comes to Leo’s high school and she is unlike anyone that the rest of the school has seen before. The other students are uncertain of her, then they are enamored and inspired by her, and then she is ostracised. Through all of this, Leo develops a special place in his heart for Stargirl. As she becomes a part of his life, and he learns to live and love the way she does (doing such unusual things as playing the ukelale and singing “Happy Birthday” to people she doesn’t know, having a pet rat, and keeping fresh flowers on her desk in school), and he struggles with issues of conformity and popularity.
I felt a certain connection with the character Stargirl as I read the story and imagine that anyone who has ever truly cared for someone else, or put someone else’s happiness before their own will connect with her as well. She is a free spirit, and is her own person. She finds joy in making others happy and expects nothing in return from them. However, she also wants to be happy herself (how can anyone blame her?), and when the pressures of being new to the high school, the reality of being different from everyone else, and her feelings for Leo become too much for her, everything changes and comes crashing down.
I won’t give away too much more about the book because it is a wonderful story. I think that the story of Stargirl is ultimately an inspiring and uplifting one. I hope that reading this book will help open the eyes and the minds of people who might become so consumed by their own personal issues that they do not know how to be compassionate for others. Stargirl’s example of selflessness and caring is one that I think we should all follow…in our own special way.
~Melissa
Title: Stargirl
Author: Jerry Spinelli
Publisher/Date: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2000
ISBN: 0-679-88637-0
Let me count the ways…
adoration, affection, appreciation, ardor, attachment, besottedness, bliss, care, cheerfulness, compassion, concern, contentment, delight, desire, devotion, doting, ecstasy, elation, endearment, enchantment, euphoria, exhilaration, felicity, fondness, friendship, glee, happiness, idolization, intimacy, joy, jubilation, keenness, lightheartedness, love, merriment, passion, penchant, predilection, rapture, regard, satisfaction, tenderness, triumph, warmth, worship…
~Melissa
Commitment and the 1,000 Word Pledge
I have noticed that on a multitude of blogs, the authors post entries about how many words they have written that day, the status of a particular project (there are even widgets designed specifically for this purpose!) and I have sort of read those entries and just said, “Okay. Gee, thanks for sharing.” But, I have to admit that I get it now!
I am probably the most inconsistent writer there is. I always was. In high school – somewhat, in college – definitely, and I would write when I was on the bus, walking on campus, when I was at work, or during calculus class when I should have been trying to understand the math! I couldn’t help it – I didn’t have a routine and just wrote when the ideas came to me. I’d stay up all night and work on a paper or story if I had to, but it all seemed worth it because the end product was usually pretty good. I still write my papers and stories in that way now. When I have an idea, I jot it down and the next time I have an idea, I jot it down and before I know it, the project is finished.
Well, I am going to try to take the advice I have been given (by many) and commit to a word count each day. Now, I have to be completely honest here because the word count is going to be divided among the major pieces that I have in the works. The first piece is of course my thesis, the second is a novel, and the third is going to be whatever else comes along. This may sound disorganized to you, but believe me it is much more structured than I have ever been.
So, my pledge is to write 1,000 words each day. (Productive, substantial words that I feel good about.) I think the the pledge is important because our attention spans are diminishing these days, we are all over-booked, and required daily to multi-task more than ever. This commitment will hopefully be exactly what I need to accomplish everything that I plan to in the next year with regards to my writing.
Wish me luck and let me know if you have made similar writing commitments or pledges to yourself. Has one worked better than another for you? Am I being too easy on myself or is 1,000 words a good number? Be honest!
~Melissa
PS…Blog entries don’t count!
Why Do You Write?
Do you write because you want to say something or because you have something to say? Do your write to communicate or to express an idea? Do you have a story that just has to be told? Do you like to talk, and continue to do so even when there is no one in the room to listen? Do you have questions that you want to answer? Do you write for therapy? Do you write for yourself or for an audience? Do you have an experience that will help others and want to share it? Do you think you are funny? Do you write to be remembered? Do you hope to record a significant event or happening? Do you write to stay in touch with others? Do you write because it is required of you? Do you write because you are good at it?
Writing is an essential way to communicate with others, especially in today’s world where so much communication occurs over text messages, email, and blogs. We can share important information, thoughts and other creative ideas through what we write. We can express ourselves and help other people with things that we write. In our daily lives, we all use writing at one point or the other (or at the very least, we read what someone else has written). There are many reasons to write, and before a writer begins (and during the entire process), a writer must be able to answer why he or she is writing.
Everything we write must have a purpose. We are answering one of the above questions (or any of the others that I left out) when we describe the purpose or intent behind a piece of writing. Concentrating on your purpose will help your writing stay focused, and keep you from experiencing any of the dreaded “writer’s block” that occurs when you let yourself forget. Purpose driven writing is our best writing.
Have you ever thought about these questions before? Are there several questions that apply to you? (There probably are because we each write for a variety of reasons.) Post a comment and let me know what you think as well as any other reasons you have (or know of) for writing.
~Melissa
“I am the only author…”
“I am the only author of the dictionary that defines me.”
-Star Jones
I found this quote today on the blog www.diabeticizme.wordpress.com. I really liked it because it has to do with authors and dictionaries…but also because it is about defining ourselves.
Some recent conversations have had me thinking about how we define our lives, how we live our days, how we value what is important to us, and how we value ourselves. (I know, way too deep for a gorgeous Saturday afternoon!) But, I think that through it all, the important thing to remember is that we are each our own authors. We are often so caught up in what is happening around us that it can become overwhelming and sometimes feels like it is all becoming the author instead of ourselves. Even when situations are beyond our control, we still have the strongest power over our own selves that no other person or no other thing can come close to.
So, when someone or something else adds a new entry to the dictionary that is you, remember that you are the only one who writes the definition. Make it good!
~Melissa
PS…This is actually a good exercise: Try to think of a few words that you would say “define you.” Then, write out definitions specific to your own life. I have actually done this with some of my middle school students and they have had a blast with it! The definitions don’t have to be like the ones that you find in an actual dictionary; they can and should be completely original and unique to you.
08.27.08
Grammar Girl and Spooky Story Contest
I have stumbled upon a great podcast called the “Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing.” This is the first (and only) podcast that I have subscribed to, but I wanted to make sure that I shared it with you. (First blogging, now podcasts…what’s next?)
If you feel like you need a little extra help with your own grammar or usage, or you just happen love grammar as so many of us do, you should check it out. The useful tips, which are easy to follow and remember, are explained and read by Mignon Fogarty. There is also a recently published book by this author and a website if you would like more information: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/default.aspx.
The last podcast was about the differences between ensure, insure, and assure. At the end of the podcast, there was an announcement for a story contest from a bookstore in Reno, Nevada. The contest is to write a spooky story in 250 words or less. You can get more information about the contest by clicking this link: http://sundancebookstore.com/htdocs/Pages/spooky_fiction.html. I think I will give it a try. If nothing else it is a good exercise in being concise! I may even encourage some of my students to enter a story.
Good luck!
~Melissa
08.25.08
Aestival
Aestival – “Of or belonging to the summer.” Isn’t that a delightful word for such a sentiment?
I learned this word courtesy of Dictionary.com’s Word of the Day emails…it came just a few days ago and I thought it was appropriate to post here since the summer is winding down. The summer is a special time for a lot of us, (though I am aware that not everyone gets to take as much vacation as teachers do). But, summer in this area means things do move a little slower, believe it or not! We take trips to the Jersey shore, have campfires and picnics, go to outside concerts and plays in the park, and there are lots and lots of carnivals with really great carnival food! My birthday is in August and I have always felt a special connection with the summer because of that as well – especially because when I was growing up, I hardly knew anyone else who had a birthday in the summer; I felt like the summer belonged to me in that sense. It is nice to know that there is a word to describe that very feeling!
Any special thoughts or memories about the summer? Post a comment and share!
~Melissa
