The Women

My favorite reading from this week was The Women, and not because I am into lesbian action or anything, but because strangely I felt myself in the story. The author really grabbed my attention and captivated me in a way that not many short story authors have done so far. There were a few things that I could connect with, simply because I grew up around people who were "mentally ill." My dad was bipolar so this story reminded me of times with him, one minute he was normal and the next he was not so much, which the lady who is narrating seems like she goes through those same type of moments.

Also after reading the notes at the end of it, I found out why the author wrote what she did. And recently I've dealt with a lot of kids and people who have asbergers and autism. The interesting thing is that she mentions how modern "syndromes" would have been classified as crazy in the past, yet now as our times discover more and more about these syndromes, we realize that they aren't so crazy after all. Years ago people thought that autism was a person who was demented, now we have a whole new way of understanding and realizing who these people are.

Bird by Bird- Set Design

I really found the chapter on Set Design interesting because often times I've found myself trying to write about something that I have no personal first hand experience on. I think it's pretty impossible to write about something when I've no idea what it really is like, so the advice on going to someone who does have the actual experience and getting them to describe it to you is awesome. I've been many cool places, for instance Spain, so I am able to envision a lot from that experience myself. However, had I never been there, writing about it would have been a lot more difficult and I would have needed to do research and ask someone who does have that experience.

Wreckage of Reason- Whirlwind

My favorite of the first set of short stories is New York/LA Whirlwind Romance. Reading through the quotes by the man in the first half remind me so much of the things a guy says before actually engaging in a sexual relationship. So often guys will tell you the things that they think you want to hear, in order to get to the place they want to be; in bed. And the second half of the story are the things that I would associate with how a guy starts behaving and acting after the sexual relations have already taken place.

Not only do I relate well with this short story, if that's what it is called, I also think it's a great idea! Many times while out with friends we'll be walking along and I hear someone say something who is off in the distance. I catch myself actually answering their questions and many time, I do it out loud. My friends think I am a little odd for listening in on other people's conversations, but it's actually a lot of fun and very insightful. And to read a story that is composed entirely of other people's conversations is kind of cool. It has inspired me to actually write down some of the interesting things I hear along the way. Especially since I've already gotten past the whole "it's weird to listen in on other people" phase.

"Thank ya, Lord"

I couldn't have been anymore excited this week when I realized that we finally had an assignment to read that wasn't poetry, which I am sure is pretty similar to the response Latmott's agent had when Latmott finally sent in something new. I'm not much of a poetry fan, so this was a great new speed of pace for me.

I picked up Bird by Bird and didn't want to put it down until I had finished. Ann Lamott is very fun and brings to life much her suggestions on writing. I countlessly "laughed out loud" while reading through the first 60 or so pages. And although I enjoyed everything I had read, her character chapter stuck out to me the most.

The suggestions she made about allowing the characters the freedom to be who they are rather than making them be someone for a book is great advice. I'm excited to sit down and write in that way.

Another thing that I found interesting is that she said just sit and write, write everything you can remember from your childhood. Because it's ok to be bad at a rough draft, no one is going to read that anyhow, except of course if you happen to die before you can finalize that work.

Just reading through the first third of the book has motivated me to start just sitting down and writing everything that I can remember as far back as possible. I'm excited and look forward to this section of the class!

Division of Things

I really liked part 2 of "Sit In What City We're In" the best out of the rest of the parts of City Eclogue. Most of the time when I was reading, I wasn't inspired to think beyond the text and dive into what the meaning behind the poems were. However, this part of the poem actually took me into more of the meaning and what I think the author might have been trying to say.

I'm not sure that I actually completely understand what the author was saying, but I've created meaning for myself out of it. I especially liked this line, "You can't smash the mirror there but it break here. And in it you see that you can't see your own back, your angel of unfamiliar, of that not like your face...See." What I take from that is that we are constantly learning new things about ourselves and that at no point in time we will know completely who we are. There is always going to be some part of ourselves that we don't understand.

Which I can relate to life in general. As I've gotten older, my thought process has completely changed itself over time. Obviously, age brings changes. And who I am presently isn't who I will be in my future, so I feel like everything is going to constantly be changing and nothing is going to stay the same for awhile. So in the poem, not being able to see your own back, kept me thinking about these parts of life.

Sister and Preference Response

            Of the poetry packet, my two favorites were “Sister” and “Preference.” Since we’ve started this class, I’ve had a very hard time relating to the material. I don’t understand this kind of writing through poetry, mostly because my brain isn’t wired this way. However, I read and read over the poetry, trying to gain some meaning from it somewhere. I had aimlessly read through all the poems until I came across the section where these two are at, and I finally was able to understand and get something from them.

            The lines “Did it ever occur to you, boy, that a woman does the best she can? Comment on Stoop So does a man,” really struck home for me. I grew up heavily involved in my church, which we were supposed to be taught to not judge our neighbors. However, I found that to be opposite in my church. Everyone in my church was judging everyone else more heavily than I had seen anywhere else. Which really bothered me for a long time, because what was the point of a church family if they were going to rip each other apart and judge one another. I always felt like people were doing what they could and to the best that they could do it. So when I read these two lines, a lot of old mixed feelings rushed back to me and made me realize that not everyone is on the same level as someone else. And it reminded me that no level is better than another, everyone is at a different place in life and each level is of equal importance.

            The following poem, “Preference,” reminded  me of my life right now. I’m an extremely independent woman. I have a job, an apartment and a car of my own. I’ve worked very hard to be able to support myself, all on my own, without needing someone to take care of me. I don’t want to find a man who I have to rely on to support me, I’m too independent for that. I want a man one day, if at all, that will bring more to the table than money. And if that means that I find a younger man to do so, so be it.

            Not all poetry I can relate to, much like all things in life, however, when I do come across a poem that I relate to, I see that I am able to enjoy it a lot. Hopefully, I will be able to find more that relates to my life now, my past self and eventually what I want in my future self and in that, I will begin to enjoy poetry more altogether.

I'm Here!

Two years ago I walked into a home for an interview, not knowing that the job I was trying to get would change my life forever. And had I not taken that job two years ago, I wouldn't be in this class today, literally.

That nanny position has completely changed the direction of my life in many ways. The family that I work for has become more than my bosses, they have become MY family. I had always thought about going back to school, but it wasn't an option for me a few years ago. However, my boss, Katherine, has given me a rare blessing. She is sending me to school, tuition and expenses paid for.

So now, I am a 23 year old set out on the education journey trying to figure out who I am and what exactly I want to do with the rest of my life. I'm still working full time as well as going to school close to full time, leaving me busier than I've ever been in my life. But there is nothing else I would trade this life style for now.

I've not decided on a major yet, but I know that in time as I discover more about who I am, that will come easy. I feel no need to rush into that completely, but hopefully it will come to me within a year or so as I begin to apply for a transfer to the University of Michigan.

I'm taking this creative writing course to hopefully find out more about myself and career possibilities as I have come to know that thinking outside of the box is the most important asset in the job world. I'm hoping this class continues to embark an exciting journey on this new path I've begun to take.