Twelve Blessings on a Wednesday

I do not want to complain this morning so instead I will count my blessings and then get to work.

  1. The whether is chilly and lovely. 
  2. My sons are happy.
  3. My hubby is a lovely caring man and I’m lucky to have him.
  4. We all have our health.
  5. Hubby and I both have jobs and healthcare.
  6. We live in a country that allows a voice for everyone over 18 and allows for dissent.
  7. I’m part of a wonderful community of writers who try to give voice to those under 18.
  8. I am able to write for my work.
  9. I know how to look at the world as an artist even if I’ve not been doing my art recently.
  10. My agent is excited about a PB manuscript I sent him and is going to start making some calls about it.
  11. My family is near by.
  12. I am educated and connected. 

Tomorrow I might complain…

ACK!

 So here I am at my computer, dutifully printing out the contracts for the workshop presenters for 2009. I took the old contract used it as a template and inserted the new info. Around number 20 I’m getting into the swing of things and I realize that there are two or three times where I left 2008 as is. Well, the kids have a new bunch of drawing paper now and I’m starting over.

A Poetry Friday Post on Sunday

 I’m a little behind on my postings. I wanted to tell you all about my visit to Newport, RI last weekend and the amazing group of volunteers at the workshop committee meeting, how thoughtful and considerate everyone was. This is not that post. This post really should be on Friday (as in Poetry Friday) but I’m posting it now because I have time. 

A scene from my home on Thursday last:

E: Mommy. I was on the bus and I made a poem. 
Me: Do you remember it? I’d love to hear it. 
E: Uh-huh. Red, blue, yellow, green, my favorite colors, especially green. 
E: But green isn’t my favorite color.
Me: Right, I thought it was purple, has that changed?
E: No. 
Me: What do you want your reader to feel when they read or hear that poem.
E: I don’t know.
Me: I think you have a really good first draft. Sometimes, that’s the hardest part, getting past the white paper and writing down an idea. Remember when I came into your class we talked about creating a picture for the audience with words.
E: We used your toolbox.
Me: Right, metaphors and similes. But how do those colors make you feel. Close your eyes. What do you feel or see when I say red?
E: Hot. 
Me: What about blue?
E: (Closing eyes) Blue is like a cool breeze at the ocean.
Me: E. that’s beautiful, and it’s a simile. You’re using the tool box. 
E: (excited) I’m going to do it again, I’ll be back.

The new poem…by E.C. Boll, reprinted with permission.

blue like a cool breeze at the ocean
red on a hot summer day
yellow like a sandy park
green like morning dew
purple like the sky at sunset
the best of all

Edits we can believe in…

 I’m actually sharing this Obama video for a writer reason. About 2/3 of the way through, Senator Obama is sitting with the speech writer making edits. Before the camera goes into the room, we see a sign that says Edits Changes we can believe in. I thought you all would appreciate that. The family interactions are also so sweet.
Watch the video…

Atonement: please pass the mashed potatoes

Today is Yom Kippur, the Jewish high holy day of atonement. This means that I’ve been fasting all day and thinking about the wrongs I’ve committed throughout the past year. I’ve also been thinking of how I can make myself a better person and the world a better place. I went to services with my children. It was the first time we went to the synagogue in our new town and as in many smaller communities, it isn’t even in our town and required a bit of a hike. The book that they used was wonderful. Developmentally appropriate and focussing on peace and sharing and apologizing because none of us is perfect. It really spoke to me as did the Rabbi who spoke to the kids about laundry as a metaphor for Yom Kippur. Our clothes get dirty and it just happens. Then Yom Kippur (laundry day) comes and we ask for forgiveness. We come out clean and pure, as white as linens flapping in the breeze. We should try to keep our clothes clean but we know that they are bound to get dirty again. That we all make mistakes but we can always ask for forgiveness. 

The sun sets at about 6:30pm today and I haven’t eaten since last night. I’m feeling pale and weak so I’ll take just a moment to atone in public. (At least in cyber space.) I certainly make mistakes.

  1. I yell at my children more than I should and sometimes I’d like to whack their tushies. (Usually an, "I’m so angry I’m going to bite your nose off," gets everyone laughing instead.)
  2. I sometimes speak without thinking which hurts people I love. (I hope you’ve accepted my apology C.)

Recently though, jealousy, has been my undoing. (and at the root of #2) I can only speak for myself but I think that there are probably more than a few of us in this children’s publishing game who have been chugging away for a while watching friends and acquaintances receive their first, second, third… (you get the picture) contracts while we are yet to get our first. It’s hard not to feel that green nibble of envy, the hardness of heart that sneaks like a shadow over an otherwise cheery, supportive countenance. Perhaps it is only me and once again, I’ve spoken without thinking. In this case, please blame the light headedness that comes from lack of food. Or just accept my apology. I’m sorry. Sincerely.

The Deadlines Approacheth

Things have been crazy busy. This is crunch time for conference planning, I’m working hard at meeting my monthly freelance deadlines, my WIP is tugging at sleeve, and I’m trying to slog through daily household and family chores. This said, I still found time to request my Maine absentee ballot and vote for Barack Obama. This week, registration deadlines are popping up in many states. This is a turning point election. Don’t miss your chance to have your voice heard! 

No matter where you live, if you have three minutes to spare, you can check your registration status, register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and find your early voting site or polling location at VoteForChange.com.

Guys Read

My husband has three sisters. One has no children, and the other two have three children. Add that to our two and you have some serious "cousining" when they are all together. Eight children under the age of nine and seven of them are boys. On my last visit to one of these homes, my brother in law and I got to talking about books for boys. I thought I’d list some resources for fathers and their boys and hope that the rest of the LJ community will chime in with other ideas. 

The first stop on our Guys Read tour is Guys Read. (funny that) Jon Scieszka, rhymes with Fresca, is the catalyst for the site and funds it with help from the New York Foundation for the Arts.  He is also the newly appointed National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature. The position is a collaboration between the Library of Congress and the Children’s Book Council. Use this site with your kids to input your favorite books, and authors to create a list of recommended books for your child.

I’ve found that my boys had a sort of "ah-ha" moment when the stars aligned and the time, book and mood was right and then they took off. Until then, read to them, read with them (page for page, or paragraph for paragraph.) A great resource for this is the We Both Read series. 

Boys tend to be infokids. They love to learn about new subjects and learn more about what they already know. I’m sure many of us have seen our child check the same dinosaur, baseball, volcano book from the library a million times. We roll our eyes and wonder why they don’t want something new. Fugedaboudit! Let them take out that book and pack yet another dry bologna and American cheese sandwich and just watch them smile. To learn about interesting nonfiction for kids check out I.N.K.

Penguin group also has an early version of the Guys Read reading list here. 
A mom and pop site is here.
An internet "hotlist" with links on the subject and reading lists here.
Another blog "Books and Boys" with great links here.
A Random House book list is here.

If you have a teenage boy, make sure they bookmark Guys Lit Wire. This blog generally posts on Mondays and Fridays from a stable of contributors including our own kellyrfineman . Here you’ll find  YA reviews, discussions, news and books, books, books. 

(Necessary disclaimer: As always, please check out any internet site to make sure you think it is appropriate for your child.)

Remember that there are a lot of ways to enjoy books and reading. The sports page of the newspaper? Sure. Comic books? Absolutely. Humor or subjects that you might not enjoy yourself? Even better because they feel independent. Audiobooks? Yes, yes, let them enjoy these stories however they can access them. Trips to the library? All the time! Meeting authors? Whenever you can. Online book extensions and author websites? Please do. All of these experiences will bring your boys enjoyment when they read, and that’s the goal.