Hooked On Shakespeare

While in college, I took three Shakespeare courses. The first was a Shakespeare survey class in which we read a few of his tragedies, a sampling of his comedies and a smattering of his histories. Along the way, we also read a couple of his sonnets. It wasn't much, but once Shakespeare's language crawled inside my head, I couldn't let it go. So, I took another course in Shakespeare's tragedies and yet another in his comedies with the unforgettable Dr. Blount.

Dr. Blount's father had been a tax accountant, a job which had paid him well but often left him feeling drained. He had to do something to offset the soul numbing effects of his job. So, after dinner, he read Shakespeare - often aloud to his young son. It was no wonder, then, that Dale became a Shakespeare professor -- an unforgettable one.

You may wonder what can an aspiring writer for children could possibly want with Shakespeare. Certainly I can't squeeze it all into one blog post, but here's one small item that has stayed with me over the years. Shakespeare tempered his comedies with some tragedy and his tragedies with some comedy. He understood that life isn't isn't either all black or all white, but a textured blend of both.

If I'm writing something serious, I always try to insert a touch of humor. In my WIP about an abused girl, my main character covers up her pain with jokes and sarcasm, especially when she's around her friends. The humor serves the duel purpose of lightening up the story while helping my MC grapple with her fear. She doesn't want anybody to guess what really goes on behind the cheery front door of her home and so her witticisms, swift retorts and often biting barbs are her defense. In a sense, they also boost her self-confidence. Her friends appreciate her humor without realizing what's driving it.

Shakespeare not only had a firm grip on language and its power, but understood the forces that shape human nature in its infinite complexity. It may be but one facet of a successful novel, but it's an important one that I try to keep in mind when orchestrating a cast of characters and and all their predicaments.

Friday Five

It's been a while since I've updated this poor, neglected blog. Anyhow, here's my Friday Five.

1. Even with less snow than anybody can remember in recent history, skiing in Utah is still the best in the country. Favorite area is Solitude - just gorgeous - followed by Alta and Brighton. I love the trails winding through the spruce trees and aspens and the way they've preserved the beauty of the mountain. Wish we could afford to go every year.

2. Am finally slipping back into painting. It's been a couple of years and I got off to a rather ragged start but slowly, I'm remembering how to mix color and recalling the rules of applying paint to canvas.

3. I went to the endocrinologist recently who gave me an on-the-spot A1C test (measures the glucose in my blood). Three and a half years ago I was diagnosed with type II diabetes and had an A1C of 13.1 - totally off the charts. They admitted me to the hospital and there I stayed for a week getting insulin shots until they could bring my blood sugar down to something more reasonable. My last A1C test? 6.2. Am doing a little happy dance. It's my best yet and the doctor said I'm not diabetic anymore. I've been following largely a vegan diet and running 16-21 miles a week. Finally my diligence is paying off. Can't say how thrilled I am. For a while I was scared of the future - of losing my vision, a foot, my hearing, my kidneys. My dad was a brittle type 1 diabetic and I witnessed his struggle for years. Anyhow, this is the best news yet and I'm hoping to bring it down below 6.0 in the future. Maybe next test?

4. Am very proud of both of my sons. We visited Derek in Utah and he showed us the cello he's working on. I am so impressed. Like many young people, Derek struggled for a while with finding his place in the world and I'm glad to see he finally found it - a place where he can channel his creativity while creating something of beauty that will be used by others.

Am also proud of my youngest, Sean, who received tenure this year and found a job as an assistant wrestling coach. For somebody who wasn't sure he even wanted to go to college at one time, he's doing great. If you're not sure, college is a good place to discover what you want to do with your life.

5. Congratulations to former crit partner, Heather Ayris Burnell, who landed an agent after many many tries. Am so excited for her.


That's it for now.

Goals For the New Year

I don't like the word "resolution". To me, a resolution is just a promise waiting to be broken. Instead, this year I have goals I'd like to work toward. If I don't quite achieve them, at least I'll make some progress in the right direction and that's a zillion times better than some lame resolution I know I'll never keep. Anyhow, here are mine:

1. Take at least 2 minutes off my 5K race time. I love the afterburn of a hard run and I like to run fast. Alas, I'm not as young as I once was and my definition of "fast" has been revised over the years. Still, I can compete with other women in my age group and I'm not too far from earning an occasional medal. Here's hoping I can run through the winter and remain injury free, while increasing my base. If I can do that, I'll be on my way later this year.

2. To put together a group of good paintings for an art show. Natalia Clarke and I will be having a small art show sometime next spring and I need to be ready for it. This is actually a "must do".

3. To finish the novel I've been working on - a fantasy. I got a little tired of it and put it aside and now it's time to pick it up and finish it.

4. To get working on my second project - a verse novel. This one will be totally different from my current project. I am looking forward to it immensely. I just hope that I can "make it work", as Tim Gunn says.

5. To complete my 2nd Bargue copy and maybe almost finish my 2nd cast drawing.

I think that's enough for this year. What are your goals for 2012?

Crossroads

I'm standing at a sort of crossroads where visual art intersects the art of writing. I want to write and yet I want to be an artist, too. How do I find time to pursue both of these deeply embedded passions? Or should I merge the two and try my hand at writing and illustrating a picture book?

Problem is, I've been studying fine art, not illustration techniques. The two are totally different. Another problem is that picture books are a tough sell these days, even if I did write one. Also, I'm not much of a picture book writer. I find the short text confining. Perhaps if I illustrated my own I'd have more fun with it. Actually, I'm best at the short story but there's not much of a market for short stories these days. What do I do? What would you do?

Anybody have a suggestion?

What I Learned From Steve Jobs

I was always a fan of Jobs and his death has saddened me more than I realized. He wasn't always a nice man. He could be cold, demanding and a micro manager. He was a perfectionist with a vision who never compromised on his dreams -- not the kind of person I would have enjoyed working for. Still, I had an enormous respect for him.

He was born the same year as me - 1955 - and graduated from high school the same year, too. I remember reading an article that said my generation had nothing going for it, that we had no ambition and lacked vision so it always made me feel good to think there was somebody out there like Steve Jobs- somebody from my generation I could point to and say, "There!"

Here are five things I learned from Jobs:

1. No knowledge is wasted. Some may consider it silly to take a class such as calligraphy, yet when Jobs left school that's exactly what he did. He later incorporated his knowledge of calligraphy into his computer programs which is why we now have such a wide spectrum of fonts to choose from when it comes to writing an article, a paper, a card or even an invitation. You never know when the knowledge you gained from that class on basket weaving or yoga may be put to good use.

2. Elegance can be one with function. Apple products are a little pricey, but well worth the extra bucks. Not only are they sleek, lightweight and attractive, but they work incredibly well. They're virtually virus proof and have innumerable designs that make them easy to use and offer great creative possibilities. Elegant? Oh yes!

3. It's okay to fail. Steve Jobs was fired from the company he founded. For a while, he was down and sort of out, (though only for a short time), but eventually he discovered that getting fired was actually a liberating experience that gave rise to one of the most creative periods in his life. Our lives are a roller coaster, a cross country course that undulates with as many ups as it does downs. If things aren't going well, be patient and wait for the upside. Surely it will happen.

4. Don't compromise on your dreams. Compromise, I've been taught, is what life is about. You can't have everything your way. Life is about give and take. Still, Steve Jobs didn't compromise - not one single inch. Perhaps it earned him some enemies, but his attitude is also what propelled him to fame and helped him change the way the world operates. And he wasn't inspired by money but by his singular vision.

5. Make amends with your past. Steve did, for the most part. In seeking out his birth mother, he learned he had a sister. When they finally met, they discovered they had more in common than either had imagined. They were both driven, smart and intense. Too bad Jobs never connected with his birth father, too. Ah well, none of us are perfect.

There are many more reasons to applaud Jobs but for me, these are the main ones.

Art Where You Don't Expect It

If I go to an art opening, I expect a show complete with paintings or sculpture, wine, cheese and crackers and other finger foods. I expect the prices to be steep and the people to be dressed up - at least relatively so - while they stand around and schmooze. Some people will know a lot about art while others will just pretend to know a lot. Sometimes I find lovely, inspiring art at an opening or gallery, but often, admittedly, I walk away unimpressed.

One of the things that delights me is stumbling across a piece of art in an unexpected place. This happened to me in Border's once. I used their restroom and as I was washing my hands I noticed a lovely print of a teacup and saucer hanging next to the sink. I stared at it for a while. It was so nicely done - such a small, ordinary object - but the artist had found a way to capture its elegant beauty. From thereon, every time I went to Border's, I went out of my way to use the bathroom so I could look at that picture.

Quite a number of years ago, I bought Jeff Smith's cookbook, The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American. Yes, I know he was accused of inappropriate sexual conduct and is now dead. Still, his book had some great recipes that I've used over and over again. The thing that impressed me most, however, was Christopher Cart's accompanying pencil drawings. They were snapshots of an earlier America and included pictures of barns, rolling fields, the seaside, a rowboat and a stone hearth, to name a few. They were well done and made that cookbook a visual delight for me. Every time I open The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American, I take a few minutes to once again pore over the drawings. It's a small treasure tucked away in my kitchen pantry.

As a librarian, I read a lot of picture books. I was constantly delighted by the vast richness and quality of the illustrations. Most people would never think of looking to picture books for inspiring art; nevertheless it is there. Take, for instance, Chris Van Allsburg's riveting illustrations or those of Marla Frazee, Barbara McClintock, Diane Goode, Tony DeTerlizzi , David Biedrzycki and so many others that I can't possibly list them all here. Some of the best artists in the world are the illustrators of children's books.

Likewise, some of the best music in the world isn't found in a concert hall but on a city street corner or in the subway. While in Paris, I paused to listen to an amazing cellist playing Bach in the Metro. She seemed oblivious to the rush of people around her and played her soulful instrument with heart and concentration. She was impressive.

Some of the best art in the world is free or for only a small fee. Next time when you're out, just keep your eyes and ears open.

Ten Reasons to Love France

Few people know this, but I majored in French as well as English. At first, French was only a minor but by and by I fell in love with the literature, as well as the language - Baudelaire, Beauvoir, Hugo and Balzac. How could I stop after only 24 credits? So I took more classes until I'd earned a major. In recent years, I've also fallen in love with the French artists -- Monet, Bourgereau, Corot and Degas, to name a few.

I've dreamed of visiting France for most of my life, but always there was a problem. At first it was money. I worked my way through college and never had any where near the funds necessary to afford a trip abroad. Before long, I got married and had children. Then I went back to school to earn a Master's degree in library science and landed a teaching job. For years I was completely immersed in working and raising a family. Still, in my dreams there was far-off France, the land of great literature, fine artists and magnificent wines, a land steeped in history and the fabled Loire Valley. It all seemed like a kind of Shangri-la.

Earlier this year, Dennis said, "Let's go to France?" Really? France? Yes, really. So this September we at last flew to the country of my dreams for 16 days. It was the vacation of a lifetime. We saw the Louvre, Mt. Saint-Michel, the Eiffel Tower, art, history, azure blue waters, countrysides dotted with chateaus from the fairy tales of my childhood. The streets of France are narrow, winding and lined with medieval, half-timbered homes, sidewalk cafes and Gothic cathedrals featuring gargoyles, flying buttresses and glorious stained glass windows.

On our way home - a seven and a half hour flight - Dennis and I discussed our ten favorite things about France. Here are mine, in no particular order ('cause I can never decide what's the best).

1. The Loire Valley for its wonderful wines and fairy tales chateaus.

2. The bread. Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, what's not to love about French bread?

3. The Cluny Museum of Medieval Art. This riveting museum, located in Paris, doesn't get anywhere near the press as the Louvre (also awesome), but for Dennis and I it was truly one of the highlights of our vacation. It's housed above the ruin of an old Roman bathhouse in the Hotel de Cluny, one of only two remaining medieval homes in Paris, and features rooms full of tapestries, sculptures, jewelry, paintings and other stunning medieval treasures.

3. The Cathedral of Notre Dame of Bayeux. Every bit as impressive of Notre Dame of Paris, this magnificent cathedral made an even greater impression on us because of the sunshine pouring through its lovely stained glass windows.
With its soaring gothic arches, gargoyles and flying buttresses, it is truly awesome!

4. The castle of Fougeres. As I walked through the ruins of this castle dating back to the Dark Ages, I was transported back in time. We climbed a winding staircase to a tower room with walls 2 feet thick, crossed over the moat, stared down into the bowels of gloomy dungeon and walked the crenelated walls. Formidable!

5. Omaha Beach. It's one of the widest and most serene looking beaches I've ever seen. So beautiful now, it's hard to believe that over 2,00 American troops died here.

5. Mont Saint-Michel. It's France's second most popular tourist destination and I can see why. It rises out of the sea like a vision and is surrounded by some of the greatest tides in the world. Got my workout by climbing the steps for nearly half the day.

6. The people. I'd always heard that the French disliked Americans and were terribly rude. Quite the contrary. I think they often found Americans to be rude. We found them helpful, kind and accommodating. When I became separated from my husband on the Paris Metro, a woman named Valerie went out of her way to literally help me get "back on the right track". I was jet lagged and frightened. Thank you Valerie, wherever you are! A rule to remember: say "Bonjour" when you enter a shop or approach a news stand. It's common courtesy in France.

7. The Patisseries. I couldn't eat most of their creations, but I could sample a taste now and then and feast my eyes on their jewel-like beauty. Truly, their goods were works of art featuring colorful, delectable cakes and tarts. The French pastry chefs, like the butchers, the waiters, the teachers and everybody else, are specialists who take great care and pride in their work.

8. Bayeux. A lovely, smallish big town featuring the Bayeux tapestry, lovely shops and one of the most beautiful cathedrals I've ever seen. And we never got lost there!

9. The bed and breakfast inns. We expected big inconsistencies and while each was different, they were all equally charming and welcoming. I loved their hospitality, their home cooked breakfasts, their friendly chitchat and help with the language. Our favorite - Moulin de Rabion - featured a big, comfy bed, a room bathed in moonlight and the best tea and grounds. I'd go back there in a heartbeat.

10. The American cemetery and D-Day museum in Normandy. The crosses are perfectly aligned and the grounds immaculately kept. Although Omaha and Utah beaches look serene, we realized that thousands of brave American soldiers lost their lives there. It was undeniably the most moving part of our vacation. As a footnote, we noticed as many French paying their respects as Americans. I found that very touching.

Also loved Monet's Garden and home in Giverny, the Louvre and the French Metro which is cheap, clean and efficient. And merci, Serge!