Abydos 2014-Richard Allington

I wanted to post something tonight, before I hit the hay.  I haven't been able to post a lot lately, due to my healthier life style.  I try to get a certain amount of shut eye now.  I am exercising the stress clear out of my life, like the Calgon lady does, when she bathes in a huge bath tub.  She shuts out the craziness of life and its demands, by stepping into a warm bath.  Meanwhile, the phone is ringing, the pasta is overflowing on the stove top and the baby is crying.  I do believe that a bath would not solve those types of demands. The house could burn down and the baby, hey the baby, needs to be attended to right now, lady!  Priorities, right? I do have stress, but I think I am managing it a lot better than I did earlier in the year. Now, I pay attention to my diet, I exercise and try to get some decent sleep.  I find that I have more energy, can sleep sounder and I have lost 14 pounds and inches.  My clothes are loose and people have noticed my weight loss.  They say they notice it in my face.  Funny, that seems to be a place where I really wasn't trying to lose it.  I would have preferred to have lost it around my mid-section and in my glutes.  I am happy, though, to have lost some and gained some muscle, somewhere on my body.  Maybe my face will start showing off its muscular side.  I can see my silhouette slimming down, as I write!  So why post tonight? I am in the mood and my fingers and wrists have felt quite neglected for a while.  Time to exercise my fingers and let them do the walking!  I also understand that by posting, I might have a gem or a diamond in the rough.  Who knows where this silly post may end up?  One thing is for sure, it I don't write it as a draft of some sort, it will never have a chance to go anywhere.  That's like that saying among basketball aficionados-if you don't shoot, you will never have a chance to make a basket.  Here's my shot!  Will it land? To be continued another time!

Friday, February 21, 2014

Drafting Phase with Coffee...to be continued

This is not a perfect piece of writing.  Just some scribbles that might turn into a masterpiece.  I wanted to track my progress and see if it will go anywhere.  I will continue to work on this poem.  Just wanted to you the very beginnings of my thought process outside of a general store sipping on some Starbuck's Coffee. I was debriefing my day at Abydos with my good friend and colleague Noemi Leon.  She was trying out Sobe Dragonfruit Flavored Water.  It was a great conversation.  We were trying out some silly ideas that poetry can be about anything.  Anything.  Not perfect.  Just trying out a notion.  More later.

Creativity...Quote from Maya Angelou

Poetry from Anonimo-Draft

Hoy En Abydos

por Anonimo

Hoy aprendi

muchas cosas nuevas

cosas que

me ayudaran

a ser mucho mejor.

Una mejor maestra

para

una nueva generacion

Una nueva generacion

de lectores y escritores

Great First Session by Diane Lebahn-Growing Into Published Writers

Diane Lebahn

Diane Lebahn's morning session was nothing short of spectucular.  She shared the many ways that she nudges and encourages her young authors.  One way that she does this is to have them publish their writing on real blank books.  I could tell that the students clearly took so much pride in making these books.  They researched their topics and put a lot of time and effort into the making of these pieces of art.  They were original and well written and presented.  She also shared with us an iMovie documenting the process and what impact this project had on them.  All the responses were very positive and impactful.  There were so many books to look through.  I was impressed with the variety and craftmanship and care that went into making these books.  I tried my best to capture this with my phone.  Please have a gander and glimpse into Diane's world of young authors.  This session was truly inspiring!  Thanks Diane and thanks to all these young writers.

Richard Allington is at the Abydos Conference

Richard Allington

Today I spent the day in great, great company. I had the enormous pleasure of listening to Richard Allington live and unplugged. I thought my day was perfect until opportunity knocked on my door.  I actually met him in a book signing!  I am so excited to read his new book about Summer Reading.  He signed my book and I videotaped him giving a little synopsis of his new book.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Boxed Inn

Boxed Inn
By Maureen Ucles

You've got me

Boxed In

Cornered in all directions
This place

Reeks of moldy cardboard

Peanuts and puffy plastic pillows

or was that your ego?

Inflating my brain

Contusion
Utter
Confusion
So

Concussed

Withering to rust

Oxidation in

this stinking, stifling, stagnant

Boxed INN

Where do  I reside?
In your embrace?

No more like

a chide

slap across my face

'cause I can't find

anything

in this dastardly, dilapidated

place

incarcerated --
cruel and unusual
torture

Feels like
 I am banished
ostracized
tainted

with my original sin
like

Adam and Eve

out of paradise
descending
into depths of darkness
abyss to abysmal
Get me outta of this

horrible, hellacious, horrendous

Boxed Inn

 Hotel California
Checking in
No out in sight
wanna

Tear down these wailing walls

crumbling
piece by piece
inch by inch

imploding,
exploding
onto me...

 I  now
reach beyond reach
try to
capture
a glimpse
a spark
light eternal
the heavens
I
gravitate
 encapsulate
the tangible
surreal
peace...peace
permeates
infiltrates
my being

without you--
outside this cruel confinement
into solemn serenity

Boxed in
No more

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Camtasia Training

I am playing around with the embed code and the url.  So I am including the link.Hiding Icons on Desktop

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Promising Young Artist Pamela Salas

Pamela Salas' artwork that she shared with me

A young fifth grade student, Pam Salas, shared her artwork with me on Saturday.  I loved it!  She definitely should be proud.  It is a beautiful painting.  I hope that my Samsung S4 did it some kinda justice.  I will say though, that you have to see it up close.  There is so much detail.  Such a cute puppy!  She told me she painted it, while looking at a calendar photograph. Her mother gave me permission to post this. Pam's mom is very proud of her daughter!  I loved it and maybe I will have some time to post more of her artwork and interview her. We'll see.