- Spent an afternoon hanging out at the pool with girlfriends
- Went out to dinner (2x) with girlfriends
- Got a pedicure
- Watched chick flicks late at night (I highly recommend this and this. This was not as good as I expected)
- Read a lot of a really good book
- Cleaned and organized the laundry room
- Made very simple meals
- Organized my books
Showing posts with label reflection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reflection. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
On Living Without Men
What do I do when there are no men in the House of Dirt and Rocks? So far I have:
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Voice
I want to stretch my voice, my writer's voice that is. As a child/adolescent/young adult I wrote fiction but never kept a journal. I also wrote papers for school but never really worked too hard on them. As a graduate student and an emerging professional I learned (with great difficulty) to write in an academic voice. Once I became proficient at that voice I found it difficult to write fiction. Then in my early thirties I started writing poetry. However I found I couldn't freely go between creative writing and academic writing. If I was productive on my dissertation or with journal papers I wasn't free enough to create; if I was happily writing poetry (or one attempt at a novel) I couldn't fit my voice back into the narrow confines of academia. Eventually I stopped the creative writing to get "serious" about my career.
Changing jobs and moving down south seemed like a good time to try and bridge my voices. I started a journal that, for the first time, I've managed to keep going. At the same time my research started to change--to get more innovative, more creative itself--and I started to explore different academic writing styles that were less conventional, less lab report-like, than what I had done previously.
This winter I had an opportunity to write a scholarly chapter and came up with an idea for structuring it that really tested my writing limits. It has recently come back from the editor with major revisions. I've only glanced at the review as I need a few days to face them without emotion. Holding off on a review is something I haven't had to do for a long time. I believe this means I'm deeply invested in wanting this new style to succeed.
I started this blog, in part, to help with the process and so far I think it has been working. I haven't gotten back to fiction or poetry yet but I'm getting more comfortable switching between my traditional academic work and my new work. The journal entries have definitely slowed down but I'm happy to report it is still in existence.
So progress to be sure, but still a long way to go.
Changing jobs and moving down south seemed like a good time to try and bridge my voices. I started a journal that, for the first time, I've managed to keep going. At the same time my research started to change--to get more innovative, more creative itself--and I started to explore different academic writing styles that were less conventional, less lab report-like, than what I had done previously.
This winter I had an opportunity to write a scholarly chapter and came up with an idea for structuring it that really tested my writing limits. It has recently come back from the editor with major revisions. I've only glanced at the review as I need a few days to face them without emotion. Holding off on a review is something I haven't had to do for a long time. I believe this means I'm deeply invested in wanting this new style to succeed.
I started this blog, in part, to help with the process and so far I think it has been working. I haven't gotten back to fiction or poetry yet but I'm getting more comfortable switching between my traditional academic work and my new work. The journal entries have definitely slowed down but I'm happy to report it is still in existence.
So progress to be sure, but still a long way to go.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Happy Imbolc
Today is Imbolc. Actually it is a little unclear which day Imbolc falls upon. For some the evening of January 31st is the holiday (Imbolc Eve), for others it is today-- with the biggest celebration being the evening feast-- and still others celebrate tomorrow as Candlemas Day.
Imbolc is an pagan holiday that celebrates the midwinter and coming of Spring. Spring is my favorite season so I'm all about celebrating it's pending arrival. Imbolc is also know as Brighid's Day* (or Saint Brigit's day depending upon whether you are Pagan or Christian). It is a day to " illuminate, reflect and purify."
For myself, I've decided to spend part of the day cleaning and organizing (we have a BIG house reorganization/fix-up scheduled for Spring Break) and then make myself a nice Imbolc feast for dinner. I'm not sure yet exactly what goes into an Imbolc feast but I understand dairy (to signify that lactation of the lambs) is important. Candles will be lit and although I can find no specific mention of alcohol, it seems to me some Guiness is in order (ok so Guiness almost always seems like a good idea to me).
b is leaving today to fly to his hometown for a few days and Boy will be out working most of the evening. It is also a chilly, rainy day here. Perfect conditions for private reflection and purification.
*Brighid, who goes by many names, is a Celtic goddess. She is the keeper of the sacred flame (her name means either "fiery arrow" or "exalted one") and the guardian of home and hearth. She is the patron saint of poetry, childbirth, and smithcraft.
Imbolc is an pagan holiday that celebrates the midwinter and coming of Spring. Spring is my favorite season so I'm all about celebrating it's pending arrival. Imbolc is also know as Brighid's Day* (or Saint Brigit's day depending upon whether you are Pagan or Christian). It is a day to " illuminate, reflect and purify."
For myself, I've decided to spend part of the day cleaning and organizing (we have a BIG house reorganization/fix-up scheduled for Spring Break) and then make myself a nice Imbolc feast for dinner. I'm not sure yet exactly what goes into an Imbolc feast but I understand dairy (to signify that lactation of the lambs) is important. Candles will be lit and although I can find no specific mention of alcohol, it seems to me some Guiness is in order (ok so Guiness almost always seems like a good idea to me).
b is leaving today to fly to his hometown for a few days and Boy will be out working most of the evening. It is also a chilly, rainy day here. Perfect conditions for private reflection and purification.
*Brighid, who goes by many names, is a Celtic goddess. She is the keeper of the sacred flame (her name means either "fiery arrow" or "exalted one") and the guardian of home and hearth. She is the patron saint of poetry, childbirth, and smithcraft.
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