When I set my original goal of blogging every day in November, I didn't know that the boys would be scheduled for ear tube surgery at the end of the month. Yipes, that's coming up tomorrow morning for all four ears! So this is going to be my final post for NaBloPoMo. Taking care of the kids will occupy my time quite fully the next few days. At least, if surgery proceeds as scheduled. Despite me basically quarantining them since Monday, they both came down with colds yesterday. Gibson was up most of last night for reasons only he knows (I suspect another ear infection).
I hope y'all have enjoyed reading along with my reflections on life this month. I will continue to post from time to time as the fancy strikes!
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Monday, November 30, 2015
Day 30: Mission Accomplished
Our NaBloPoMo journey together has come to an end. Thanks for reading! When I decided to try blogging every day for a month, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to achieve the goal, but I made it!
Why did I do it? I suppose I wanted to prove to myself that, although it doesn't always feel true, I do still have a functioning brain in my skull and am capable of communicating thoughts with the world beyond discussions of baby feeding schedules.
It's been a good exercise. While I'm glad to be done with the (self-imposed) pressure to post daily, I do plan to still write from time to time as interesting things happen. If you'd like to subscribe to my blog via email to be notified of new posts, there's a link over to the right side of the page (on the desktop version, at least). Or, add me to your RSS feed (I like Feedly). I'll post links on my FB page as well.
According to my Blogger stats, this month's most popular post was The Emotions of Motherhood. Does this mean I've become a mommy blogger? Ack! That wasn't part of the plan. But I guess being a parent is a common experience that lots of people can relate to, so perhaps that explains the popularity.
Someone asked me (IRL) why I refer to my husband as DF on the blog. No, those aren't his initials. It's short for his online nickname, Das Fenster. If any other readers have questions for Salmonista, ask away :)
File under: NaBloPoMo Day 30
Why did I do it? I suppose I wanted to prove to myself that, although it doesn't always feel true, I do still have a functioning brain in my skull and am capable of communicating thoughts with the world beyond discussions of baby feeding schedules.
It's been a good exercise. While I'm glad to be done with the (self-imposed) pressure to post daily, I do plan to still write from time to time as interesting things happen. If you'd like to subscribe to my blog via email to be notified of new posts, there's a link over to the right side of the page (on the desktop version, at least). Or, add me to your RSS feed (I like Feedly). I'll post links on my FB page as well.
According to my Blogger stats, this month's most popular post was The Emotions of Motherhood. Does this mean I've become a mommy blogger? Ack! That wasn't part of the plan. But I guess being a parent is a common experience that lots of people can relate to, so perhaps that explains the popularity.
Someone asked me (IRL) why I refer to my husband as DF on the blog. No, those aren't his initials. It's short for his online nickname, Das Fenster. If any other readers have questions for Salmonista, ask away :)
File under: NaBloPoMo Day 30
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Writers I Admire
Although I don't necessarily seek to emulate these authors, I certainly enjoy reading their work, and perhaps in so doing I've been influenced along the way.
Anna Quindlen used to write a bi-monthly column at the end of Newsweek. (If memory serves, I bought a subscription to that publication in high school to support my brother's school fundraiser, and I chose it because I thought it was what smart people read.) I liked the way Ms. Quindlen wove motherhood and her Catholic faith into much of what she wrote about current events. Thanks to reading her column, I expanded my vocabulary to include words like miasma and insouciant!
Chaim Potok first came across my radar in college when I was assigned to read The Chosen. That's a good book, but my favorite of his works is My Name is Asher Lev. Seriously, the end of that book is amazing. I know people say this all the time, but I literally could not put it down! I like Mr. Potok's books because they transport the reader to a different time and place. You feel like you're experiencing a different culture up close and personal.
Jhumpa Lahiri's collection of short stories, The Interpreter of Maladies, is another remarkable work that I heartily recommend. I don't know how she's able to craft such memorable characters and scenes in just a few short pages, but I wish I could do that!
Emily Yoffe, better known as Dear Prudence to Slate.com fans, makes the list because she's witty and smart. I was bummed to hear she's departing Slate for the Atlantic and will no longer be dispensing advice to the world. That she often starts sentences with "that" is something I admire, just because it makes for interesting reading :)
File under: NaBloPoMo Day 14
Anna Quindlen used to write a bi-monthly column at the end of Newsweek. (If memory serves, I bought a subscription to that publication in high school to support my brother's school fundraiser, and I chose it because I thought it was what smart people read.) I liked the way Ms. Quindlen wove motherhood and her Catholic faith into much of what she wrote about current events. Thanks to reading her column, I expanded my vocabulary to include words like miasma and insouciant!
Chaim Potok first came across my radar in college when I was assigned to read The Chosen. That's a good book, but my favorite of his works is My Name is Asher Lev. Seriously, the end of that book is amazing. I know people say this all the time, but I literally could not put it down! I like Mr. Potok's books because they transport the reader to a different time and place. You feel like you're experiencing a different culture up close and personal.
Jhumpa Lahiri's collection of short stories, The Interpreter of Maladies, is another remarkable work that I heartily recommend. I don't know how she's able to craft such memorable characters and scenes in just a few short pages, but I wish I could do that!
Emily Yoffe, better known as Dear Prudence to Slate.com fans, makes the list because she's witty and smart. I was bummed to hear she's departing Slate for the Atlantic and will no longer be dispensing advice to the world. That she often starts sentences with "that" is something I admire, just because it makes for interesting reading :)
File under: NaBloPoMo Day 14
Thursday, November 12, 2015
An Ode to College Writing Class
Today, I'd like to tell you about a person who helped me become a better writer, my College Writing teacher, Ms. C.
When I was a high school senior, my school offered either AP English or College Writing for college-bound students. (I believe there was also a class called Senior English, but it was for slackers.) I chose College Writing mainly because I didn't really care to read and analyze a bunch of long, confusing books. This turned out to be my favorite class I took in high school in no small part due to the great teacher, Ms. C. Her love of the written word was obvious, and she passed this passion on to us - or at least to those students like me who were eager little sponges.
We did daily writing journal exercises in that class. She would give us a prompt, and then we'd spend 10-15 minutes writing about it. Once a week or so, we'd trade journals with another student and provide each other feedback. It was great! This was before the days of blogs, so I really didn't have much of an audience for my entertaining prose otherwise :)
I remember that after we turned in our first essays, Ms. C selected a few of the best ones to read aloud to the class. Mine was one of those she picked! I was so proud and felt like a legitimate writer. In fact, I still recall the topic, "The Time I Tried Out for Teen Jeopardy." (Spoiler alert: I didn't make the cut, but at least I got a good story out of it.)
Before taking this class, no one had ever specifically taught me how to write before. By focusing on writing as a discipline and art form in and of itself, it's like a light bulb went on in my head. I realized writing isn't just about using proper grammar, punctuation, and paragraph structure. It's about saying exactly what you want to say in the style that is most appropriate to communicate your message.
A few of the things I remember learning, to be a good writer:
When I was a high school senior, my school offered either AP English or College Writing for college-bound students. (I believe there was also a class called Senior English, but it was for slackers.) I chose College Writing mainly because I didn't really care to read and analyze a bunch of long, confusing books. This turned out to be my favorite class I took in high school in no small part due to the great teacher, Ms. C. Her love of the written word was obvious, and she passed this passion on to us - or at least to those students like me who were eager little sponges.
We did daily writing journal exercises in that class. She would give us a prompt, and then we'd spend 10-15 minutes writing about it. Once a week or so, we'd trade journals with another student and provide each other feedback. It was great! This was before the days of blogs, so I really didn't have much of an audience for my entertaining prose otherwise :)
I remember that after we turned in our first essays, Ms. C selected a few of the best ones to read aloud to the class. Mine was one of those she picked! I was so proud and felt like a legitimate writer. In fact, I still recall the topic, "The Time I Tried Out for Teen Jeopardy." (Spoiler alert: I didn't make the cut, but at least I got a good story out of it.)
Before taking this class, no one had ever specifically taught me how to write before. By focusing on writing as a discipline and art form in and of itself, it's like a light bulb went on in my head. I realized writing isn't just about using proper grammar, punctuation, and paragraph structure. It's about saying exactly what you want to say in the style that is most appropriate to communicate your message.
A few of the things I remember learning, to be a good writer:
- Vary the beginnings of your sentences, so the reader doesn't get bored (as in, don't always start with "I" or whatever)
- Edit ruthlessly
- Don't use big words just for the sake of using them; chose the word that best conveys what you mean
- Tie it all together. For example, in a research paper, you want a solid introduction and conclusion that clearly state your thesis. In a more creative format, you'll still want to keep a unifying theme running through the piece.
Posting on my blog now feels like a writing journal that the world can read. I hope you enjoy it!
File under: NaBloPoMo Day 12
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