Wednesday, June 30, 2010

day 6: Grand Canyon rafting

I guess this day will have contained Lava Falls - one of the highest levels of rapids, from what I've read. I know there are many more miles we will have covered than the few seconds it will take us through this set area. But this is the big one.

Ahhh. There are several sized crafts that go through on this video. And, again, I'm fine with not being in a paddle boat. Really. I will be holding on, staying in the raft. And screaming with laughter, joy, and getting totally soaked! Cool 50 degree water contrasting with the 100+ degree air.




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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

day 5: Grand Canyon rafting

Somewhere around this day will be the well-known Havasu Creek and Havasu Canyon. Another gorgeous site with incredibly clear crystal waters. Look at the transition from one to the other at the rafting video below.

I know there is much more we will have seen today. This will be over half-way through the trip. We will probably be stinky, though I doubt that will matter.

I will not have any type of timepiece with me. No blackberry, old Palm VX calendar, clock, watch. Floating through the days, guided by the river (and the motor on the raft; we're not on a paddling raft - I'm fine with that), the sun coming in over the canyon walls and leaving us in their shadows on the other side.

There probably will be some sort of transformation. I can only guess. I don't know. I do know something will have changed or will be changing.

Like the waters going from terracotta mud color to topaz blue glittering.










Monday, June 28, 2010

day 4: Grand Canyon rafting

This is apparently the day for many beautiful waterfalls. So I'm anticipating more hikes. Getting wet while walking.

Breathing deep.

Thinking. Soaking it in with my eyes and my body and my lungs. Breathing easy.









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Sunday, June 27, 2010

day 3: Grand Canyon rafting

This video covers more than what we did on day 3, but now I'm not really sure where we will be. Somewhere around the Upper Granit Gorge, I think - near mile 80, maybe. So many factors, so many unknowns. So much adventure awaiting and I'm sure I've already had some by the time you read this.

Two days of camping, sleeping on poco mats and probably in the tent though it would be lovely to sleep outside and see the stars and the river at night. But there are bugs and the tent supposedly offers some protection.

Anasazi ruins probably happened on this day, maybe the infamous granaries and more.

I don't know. What I do know is that it will be gorgeous. And hot. And I will be floating in the Grand Canyon - with about 30 people on our two rafts alone.
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Saturday, June 26, 2010

day 2: Grand Canyon rafting

I will have camped in the Grand Canyon last night: I think I will have slept soundly with the sound of the river, night animals, a darkness that only comes far away from cities and no street lights or car lights or seeping lights of electronics.

We will get up early - though I know I will be asleep early, too, given that the sun is rumored to go down early over the high canyon walls. I will have also been up early, excited, rafted through some rapids, maybe hiked, and helped set up camp (that's maybe not true - rumor is we only have to set up our own tents, they do everything else).

Here is another group's video of a similar area to where I'll be. It looks beautiful and you can see that it is not going to be rockin' and rollin' rapids all the time. There will be plenty of float and stare and think time, too. Ahhhh. And the aquamarine blue waters of the Little Colorado.





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Friday, June 25, 2010

day one: Grand Canyon rafting

I am in the Grand Canyon on a giant raft with 14 other people: 12 passengers, a guide, and a swamper. I have no cellular phone service, no internet, no electricity, no flushing toilet. I'm wet and drying and hot and hiking and riding big rapids. By now we've probably set up camp for the night. Our first night camping.

This is day one of the trip. We were picked up about 4:30 AM from the hotel in Las Vegas and bussed about 5 hours up to Lees Ferry, the put-in.

This is someone else's video (duh, I know!) and a different company. But it's the same route. I don't know if we'll be stopping at the same places or going the same distance - but I do know we put in at Lees Ferry and go through Marble Canyon. It's not like there are a lot of routes to take.







Thursday, June 24, 2010

vacation day one


I'm out of town on vacation. Not quite disconnected from everyday life, but almost. I'll be at the hotel in Las Vegas. Meeting/orientation with the guides at 8pm for the big adventure that begins tomorrow: rafting the Grand Canyon from one end to the other.

But tonight, meet. Get our dry bags. Then stuff everything into those grocery-sized dry bags -- all eight days worth of stuff.

Followed by sleep and an early rise. The bus leaves at 4:30 or 5 in the morning for a five-hour drive to Lee's Ferry for our put-in.

photo:
Residence Inn Convention Center
Las Vegas, NV

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

The GCEX Grand Canyon Route

This is a map of where I will be from Friday 6/25 to Friday 7/2. In the Grand Canyon. On a raft. 
June 25 we put in at Lee's Ferry.
July 2nd we take out at Pearce Ferry.
July 3rd I come home to partner and cats and my own bed.
Bed - where I need to go now
so I can get up early to go to the airport.


Keep your eyes on this spot. I have some posts ready to go of thoughts and videos for you of some of the things I'll be seeing. Including one video later about Lava Falls, the big one. And it's interesting to see different sized craft running those rapids. Don't worry - as fun as the oar boats and kayaks look, I'll be in one of the caterpillar like big rafts; and that's a-okay with me.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Weather Update

Yesterday the local metereologists announced that it looks like summer here in the Willamette valley may be canceled. July temperature are predicted to be mid 60s to low 70s and -surprise - wetter than normal. Our range of weather looks like "partly sunny" to "mostly cloudy."

Today I checked the forecast for Phantom Ranch in the Grand Canyon. I head out on my trip on Thursday - flying in to Las Vegas and then early Friday morning we are bussed to the put-in at Lees Ferry.

In contrast to the local predictions, here's what we can expect in terms of the weather on our 8-day rafting trip.


Friday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 111. Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 75.

Saturday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 104. Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72.

Sunday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 103. Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74.

Monday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 110.


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Monday, June 21, 2010

On Its Way

Three minutes ago I bought the stamp, put it on the large manila envelope and dropped it into the mail slot.

My Oregon Literary Fellowship application is on its way.

With three copies of the application, three copies of the Women Writers Fellowship addendum, and three copies of 20 pages (the intro and three chapters) from my memoir. All collated according to instructions and paper-clipped together.

Fly, application, into the hands of the judges.

If nothing else, I got a good sense of direction and intent for my work. Not quite at the "elevator speech" level - but concise and clear.
graphic from sciblogs
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Sunday, June 20, 2010

preview

Below is a preview of the trip I'll be on next week and this is the company my group, organized by MissFit Adventures, is going with, Grand Canyon Expeditions Company (GCEX).




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Friday, June 18, 2010

Razor's Edge 6/18/10

This is the day for the Razor's Edge. Instead of prompts, I'm going to share a story. A true story - but a story, still. The theme of this post is, Contradictions. How sometimes we have to take what is and look ahead and move on, even though it seems like we might want to pause. Or, at least I do.

This is another example of what Pamela calls, Resiliency.

I'm working on it.


Behind me here in the cafe, at the tall faux marble table along the inside wall, are two students studying their Chinese medicine. At first I wasn't sure what they were doing - talking about swollen lips and, by their description, it may have been a human specimen or a car or some unknown piece of machinery. But now they have moved on to talking about stagnant Chi and I know. It's Chinese medicine - and they are probably acupuncture students from the school out a couple miles, just past where I live. They've come here, a little further in toward downtown, to escape the other students that are crammed in the cafe just up the street from my house.

Stagnant Chi. That's what I'm trying to avoid by moving forward with this Oregon Literary Fellowship application.

See, today I found out that another submitted story was rejected. This is the life of the writer. Keep the stories going out and wait to see what happens, which is very often rejection. I'm not sure right now when the balance starts to tip so that there might be more acceptances than rejections, but, like visual artists, writers have to be able to take the rejections, which are numerous. For most of us. And victories are to be cherished and worn as badges of honor - such as honorable mentions, like my writing friend Christi just received from Glimmer Train. A big congratulations to her and I hope she holds that Honorable Mention high, like the Olympic torch, and lets it light her days and nights.

So another of my stories was rejected. And I have to have the Oregon Literary Fellowships (OLF) application in by next Friday, if I'm going to do it. I've wondered whether to try or not. One friend told me it was very difficult to get and very few are selected and it was way too much work. He applied once, years ago, and it was not worth the effort, he thought. Another friend who has read a lot of my work encouraged me to do it. And I first heard about it from a published writer who thought I might want to give it a shot (my words, not hers). And I asked another published writer-friend-mentor for advice and, while she doesn't know anyone who has ever won one so she doesn't have any specific advice, she said it would be good to try and gave me some advice about the submission from an editor/judge-of-a-different-residency experience standpoint.

And here I am in the cafe with the women studying about Chi and sad about my piece not being published and looking at the two sets of poems and two personal essays and one more short story that are out there being considered. And I just finished pasting and editing my writing sample submission for the OLF into a new document. I will read it aloud later to find places where more tightening or other editing is required. I made more notes for the questions I have to answer.

And I will submit. I will give it a try even though part of me is in that post-rejection what's-it-all-for-anyway-no-one-will-pick-me mood. I am resilient and I will keep on trying.

As my writer-friend-mentor who moved away to Santa Fe said, "I don't think there is any harm in applying. It is a lot of work, but I think sometimes the process helps clarify a project and gives us a deadline for the story rewrites. I think you have as good a chance as anyone." She's right. So far this has helped me come up with an intent for my writing, something I've been unable to put into words. Until now.

Reject. Reflect. Rewrite.

Submit.

Ah, the life of a writer!


What are two or three of your contradictions right now? Go: write!
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Thursday, June 17, 2010

Paddling Poet workshop

Paddling Poet:
a creativity series that is not for poets only

Dot Hearn, poet and author, has teamed up with Ridgefield Kayak
to offer creativity workshops on the water.



A two-hour guided paddle on Lake River with the intent
to be in flow with the water, the wildlife,
letting nature be our guide
and our muse.

Join us as we share poetry and inspiration,
being present as our creativity blooms.
Writing and note-taking time will be included.


Dates:
Thursday, July 15th; Thursday, August 5th; Friday, August 27th

Location:
Ridgefield Kayak in Ridgefield, WA
visit their website for directions 

Time:
Thursdays we will meet at 6:00 pm for paperwork and discussion; paddle begins at 6:30, returning to the boat house at 8:30.
Friday we will meet at 10:30 am, and paddle from 11 – 1.

Cost:
$55 each session, which includes kayak rental, paddle, PFD, and guide.

Pre-registration is required
by contacting Ridgefield Kayak at (360) 727-3120 or (503) 319-1146
and paying the $35 paddling fee. The balance of $20 will be due at the time of the workshop, payable to Dot Hearn.

photograph c. Ridgefield Kayak

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

MissFit Dragons capture the flag

This is a great picture from the Rose Festival Dragon Boat races last weekend. It shows the coming together of all of our work and training: the paddlers give us the momentum to get from the start on the east side of the river to the finish on the west side of the river, I steer us from point A to B in as straight a line as possible to maximize the efforts of the paddlers and to hit our target - the flag, then Tawna grabs it from its buoy and raises it high to signal the time-keepers, with our coach-caller Nikki kneeling on the deck keeping us in time and motivated. We all work together to make it happen - each piece important on its own and yet its significance is lost without the others: power, direction, achievement, and guidance.

Thanks for the beautiful picture and the amazing weekend, Nikki.
You brought us all together.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

"Women, Creativity, and Healing" with Serena Barton

If you are looking for a credit class for this summer, Serena Barton is teaching "Women, Creativity, and Healing" again through the Portland State University Women's Studies department. This class has been popular and there are still a few slots open. The class starts next week!

....from Serena's blog...


PSU Summer Class


Attention PSU Students!
If any readers are currently PSU students, I'm looking for you! I am scheduled to teach my four credit class, "Women, Creativity, and Healing", this summer term on the main campus. 
The class covers many women, famous and not-famous, who have used their creativity to heal themselves and their communities. You'll make an altered book, have spirited discussions, and explore your own creativity.
This is a great class to teach and to be part of. Feel free to contact me (Serena) with any questions. The class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays in Cramer Hall from 4:30-7. 

Register online at the PSU website.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

MissFit Dragons update before exhaustion overtakes

We made it to the finals today and brought home third place bling in our division.

Way to go, MissFit Dragons! You paddled hard and well, I held us on a straight line (which was not easy in the strong winds and very choppy waters of the finals), and Tawna captured the flag every time. All under the leadership of awesome coach and caller, Nikki.

Thank you, everyone. It was an incredible weekend and we all performed well.

And we have the hardware-bling to prove it.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Rose Festival Dragon Boat races: day one

The MissFit Dragons were in excellent form today, as was the weather. We paddled hard and kept competitive. We are in the "B" teams - and we're fine with that. Tomorrow morning we will have a semi-final race about 10:45 am. And then we'll see after that - hopefully we will go on to the finals.

What we really care about is that we work together, keep our timing in sync and I hold a straight line to our flag so that the flag catcher can grab it effortlessly.  We did that really well today and we were against all (except one) "A" teams.

Even with the swifter current due to higher than average water tables, excess debris in the river, and the anticipated warm weather wind (which was milder than it could of been, but still present).

We all can sleep well knowing we gave it our all.

And awake refreshed and ready to go for day two tomorrow!
photograph from www.pksca.net
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Friday, June 11, 2010

Razor's Edge for 6/11/10

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Word and picture prompts for today:

As she approached I felt...
... and the sound of her breathing let me know ...








first graphic from PeacefulMind
photograph from
TripAdvisor

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Thursday, June 10, 2010

resting and waiting

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The Rose Festival Dragon Boat races are this weekend. Day after tomorrow they begin with the opening ceremony at 8 AM. The races begin about 9 AM each day and end somewhere around 5 PM. My team, the MissFit Dragons, know our races for Saturday (9:42 and 2:03); the Sunday times, heats, and lanes will be determined after Saturday's races are done. At this point, we don't know if we will be an A team or a B team. We could fall into either category this year. On Sunday we may be in two races or three.

The weather being forecast is amazingly perfect, especially given all of the weather drama we've been having. I will qualify that "drama" as being relative to here - where drama does not generally involve tornadoes or hurricanes or severe earthquakes. What we have had is a lot of rain. Here in the known-for-cloudy-skies-and-rain Pacific Northwest when I say a lot of rain, I mean a lot of unseasonably frequent and heavy downpours. Buckets and buckets of water, for days on end. By the third or fourth day of the month we had tripled what we normally get for the entire month.

But this weekend it is forecast to be upper 70s to low 80s for a high and sunny. Okay, a little overcast would make those temperatures perfect in my opinion for when we're on the boat - but I'll take it. We will have two tents and enough shade to keep from overheating. (Boy, do I sound like a typical Oregonian, or what!) Seriously, when we have the races, it's best to keep our muscles warmed up and keep our bodies from getting chilled or overheated.

And it looks like this weekend the weather will be perfect. The races themselves are about three minutes long; it takes longer to get the team on board, paddle out to the start, get all four boats in the heat lined up, and get going than it does to get from the start to the finish.

With all this rain, it will make my job a little more challenging, as will the nicer weather. The amount of rain we've had has raised the water level. Normally this time of year it's running about a level six to seven; right now it's about fourteen to sixteen. Which also makes it swifter. That means that steering will be a little different, since we are crossing the river which means going across the current. I am visualizing holding a straight line and hitting our target (the buoy with the same color flag as the one on the boat we're assigned to) on the other side, so that our flag catcher - the long-limbed and limber Tawna who will be hanging out over the nose of the dragon - can grab the flag easily. Which brings me to the wind.

I'm really good at holding the line. We've also done some deliberate "near miss" flag catching practices to build confidence on last minute corrections. That may be caused by the swifter current carrying us off target, other boats encroaching on our (unmarked, generally) lane, or - tada - the wind. We did have one practice run on Thursday where the swifter current did carry us one way and the wind blew the flag the other direction and I had to do a sharp adjustment. And the amazing Tawna still grabbed the flag, even though it was on the opposite side of where we want it and was bending toward the water.

The clearer skies typically mean more wind. So the "oops we might miss it, correct! correct!" practices will come in handy. We are expecting stronger winds than we've had - though I know they won't be terrible. But the dragon's ears and tail really snag the wind and it does up the challenge of going cross-wind and change my tilling. Keeping the line takes more focus and work - and I can do it. I won't need to be also looking out for the "dare you" boaters, or the other teams practicing & who has the right of way, or the floating flotsam and half-trees that have been prevalent the last couple weeks. There will be booms put up to keep out the boaters (along with a couple of patrols) and the floating debris. My whole focus will be on keeping us on target, as straight as possible, and bringing our nose in to the perfect position for Tawna to grab our flag smoothly.

Tonight we had our final gathering before the races. We are strong. We are fit (well, I'm getting back to fit; still not quite back there after the long annoying "Northwest Crud"). We are ready. And we are a great team - cohesive - willing - and focused.

An easy day today. An easy day tomorrow. And Saturday and Sunday we sweat.

Bring it on!
photograph from http://www.pksca.net/
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Wednesday, June 9, 2010

"Be Patient"

words of wisdom from tricycle's daily dharma today:

When you plant seeds in the garden, you don’t dig them up every day to see if they have sprouted yet. You simply water them and clear away the weeds; you know that the seeds will grow in time. Similarly, just do your daily practice and cultivate a kind heart. Abandon impatience and instead be content creating the causes for goodness; the results will come when they’re ready.”

- Tibetan Buddhist nun and author Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron, "Meditator's Toolbox" (Fall 2007)

Monday, June 7, 2010

On the Water

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I have two major events in process right now.

One, the dragon boat races, is just around the corner. My team starts practice at the beginning of January and we end with the Rose Festival Dragon Boat Races. Which are happening this coming weekend, June 12-13. (A couple weeks ago coach tossed out the idea that we might go to a race in Canada in 2012 that is three weeks or so after the Rose Festival races; but this year, as in the previous seven years of this team's existence, the MissFit Dragons goes on to other activities after the Rose Festival).

We still don't have the full schedule of events - but this morning our coach sent out the schedule for the first day. We are an all women's team, so check out those times if you'd like to come see us paddle! We are a strong team this year and practices have been going great. We know we will be competitive and give it everything we have. Where we will place remains to be seen - but we will know we gave it our all.

Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Races for Saturday, June 12th:

8:00 AM Opening Ceremony

First Round:
8:30 AM to 8:57 AM High School
9:06 AM to 9:42 AM Women
9:51 AM to 11:30 AM Mixed

11:30 AM Gorman Cup

Second Round:
1:03 PM to 11:30 PM High School
1:39 PM to 2:15 PM Women
2:24 PM to 3:54 PM Mixed
We will be in at least two races on SUnday; but we won't know the times until Thursday night.

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The second "water event" is my 8-day rafting the Grand Canyon trip. I'll be leaving for that in just over two weeks. Yikes and yippee!

This morning our leader (who just happens to be the dragon boat coach, and many members of the trip are also MissFit Dragons) sent out the current weather for in the canyon. As we are facing another day of rain here - we did have a sun break on Saturday, thankfully - I see that today's temperature IN the canyon is going to reach 112 degrees. The overnight 'lows' are warmer than some of our highs. Again, I find myself thinking, "really? I need a rain suit for the mornings on the raft in the canyon?" And I know that Nikki and the guides wouldn't steer me wrong, so I'll take it. But all I can think of is sweating inside even a "breathable" (I've yet to find one where that statement is really true) rain suit in those temperatures while I'm being baked by the sun and splashed with cool/cold water. But I trust them.

Anyway...

So here is the forecast for in the Grand Canyon for this week (we start our rafting journey on 6/25):
Today: Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 112. West southwest wind 5 to 8 mph increasing to between 14 and 17 mph.

Tonight: Clear, with a low around 67. West southwest wind 14 to 17 mph decreasing to between 5 and 8 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 108. Calm wind becoming west southwest between 18 and 21 mph. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph.

Tuesday Night: Clear, with a low around 72. Southwest wind between 8 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 108. Southwest wind 6 to 9 mph increasing to between 15 and 18 mph. Winds could gust as high as 24 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 71.

Thursday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 103.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62.

Friday: Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 99.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63.

Saturday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 97.

Saturday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 61.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny and hot, with a high near 96.
No matter the termperature, I know it is going to be amazing. I have a pile of things to practice packing. That large grocery bag sized drybag is shrinking as I remember more things I "need" to take. I have a day later this week where I will actually spend a couple of hours seeing what I can get into a similar sized container. Eight days; 20 punds of stuff in a grocery bag. Huh. Oh, plus one "ammo" container for camera and a waterproof notebook and weather resistant pen.

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I'm excited. For both events.
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Saturday, June 5, 2010

AIDS LifeCycle

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I have a friend and co-worker who is participating in the AIDS LifeCycle event. She attended the orientation meeting just a couple hours ago. Tomorrow morning she will head out at 4:30 AM to begin the 545 miles in 7 days bicycle ride.

Tammy has trained hard and is an excellent fundraiser.

I wanted to give a cyber shout out to her and to invite everyone to check in to see how the 2500 bicyclists are doing on this incredible event.

What a cause and what amazing people to do this.

Here is a map of their route:

You can click here to follow the riders or get more information.
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Friday, June 4, 2010

Razor's Edge for 6/4/10

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This week's Razor's Edge theme is belief and dreaming.

The theme came up after I received a message from a friend, writer, and an interpreter I enjoy working with. He and I have interpreted a poetry recitation competition the last two years and, as even non-interpreters could guess, poetry brings with it a number of challenges when going between two languages. This week he had the opportunity to interpret for an amazing poet and, well, an amazing person all around. Unfortunately I couldn't be there to see him do what I am sure was a congruent and flowing interpretation of her words.

But what I could do was remember one of his interpretations from the competition this year. It was not a poem - but it was the surprise-to-us musical entertainment as votes were being tallied and runners up and winners determined. A local a cappella group performed a number of covers and Bug and I didn't find out this was happening until the night before it happened; in between the two days of the competition. We did what prep we could and hoped we could do it justice, not knowing exactly what songs they would do.

The next morning at the venue we were able to grab the musicians for a few minutes before the event began and get their probable song list. Most of the songs we had found online the night before and had at least an idea of what they were; one of them was one of Bug's favorites.

But this week it wasn't that song that I remembered Bug's interpreting. Rather, it was "Fireflies" by Owl City. A song I'd heard on the radio but hadn't paid that much attention to - no judgment, it just didn't grab my attention. He was the one up for that song and I watched from behind the curtain backstage. This song carries some challenges that, again, it might take a sign language interpreter to understand so I won't try to go into details - but he came up with a beautiful translation of the chorus, which worked and was very much in keeping with the concepts of the words.

It was his interpretation of the chorus that I remembered as I thought of him being on stage with the great poet. Bringing her words to visual life on his hands for the Deaf and hard of hearing people attending this event.

So, in honor of Bug and his world turning fireflies, below is Owl City's video of Fireflies. Watch and listen to the video. And then write in response to the word prompt below it.

Open up and let yourself dream and then .... create.





Word Prompt: I'd like to make myself believe ...
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Thursday, June 3, 2010

NaNN movement

Instead of calling my writing WIP (work in progress) "The Novel" or the '08 NaNoNovel, I've updated it to be the NaNN Novel: "Needs a New Name" Novel. But, as my friend Jenny pointed out today, when it gets to an editor and publisher, they will probably rename it, anyway!

Last I wrote about NaNN, I was wondering if I was straying too far with the preparations: research, margin notes, note cards, an outline, and many pages of conflicts or character flaws or things to delete/expand. Shortly after that, I made some section revisions and too scissor and tape and started moving pages around after I reordered the cards. Which was after I wrote down a plot of what has to come before what in order of events for the story to work.

I took a little detour on the web during my writing time with Jenny. You see, a part of NaNN deals with possession and/or multiple personality disorder. I wanted to do some research on those to see where they overlap and where they diverge because in my mystery-ghost story there are questions about just this issue. I was fascinated by what I was finding and then realized that - voila - I had indeed become distracted and lost the focus of the reason I was in that space, with latte and laptop at hand and Jenny on the other side of the table.

So I bookmarked a few things and went back to NaNN with new energy because this little conundrum in NaNN will actually work. And what I saw will be interesting when I get back to reading it more in depth.

The real movement of NaNN today, however, came when I started inserting some section updates I've done elsewhere, as part of an assignment or just working on the novel. Seven major sections have been edited and inserted. I know there will be more rewrites on those, because they were done with different foci and at different points of time in isolation. But it's still exciting to be updating the master document.

And, yes, I have the original safely stored somewhere else.

It is now just over 61k words and growing.

The story is being refined and cleaned up.

I have actually begun the revision process. And it feels great.
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