Attempting to Catch Up

Feb. 9, 2011



I started this blog a couple of years ago but as you can see I didn't keep it up. So now with this class I'll breathe new life into it. Let me start with a couple of assignments from ENG819.
First, the writing responses to the readings we're doing, then the DNA exercise, and then this week's assignment to create a story using the mixed up index cards.

1) Reader Response - "Birds of America"
By Lorrie Moore
TBD
2) Reader Response - "Mixquiahuala Letters"
By Ana Castillo
This book made me think of my best friend in high school. The letters are like telephone conversations we might have. The book moves along like each letter were its own individual story. Being given options on how to read the letters was interesting. I’ve never seen that before and I am still not sure why Castillo did this. I read the book the “regular” way since I can be a bit of a conformist. On page 22, last paragraph I love Castillo’s wording and how she says they are “not furious enough.” It’s a unique way of saying how their ideas are squashed. On page 31 I liked the clever way she wrote that the baby had no cradle and the father was a carpenter – a reference the Jesus perhaps. Castillo often uses simile – page 36 – “ground over the summer like Colombian coffee beans.”

DNA Exercise

1. Painting with blue finger paints in kindergarten wearing one of my dad’s old button down shirts as a smock.

2. My teacher – Mrs. Hahn – I just liked the way it felt

3. Probably my best idea was to do the photography books.

4. The books were a fresh idea and the one for my hometown was a fresh new one for the town.

5. I like to think that I don’t have too many stupid ideas

6. NA

7. I’m usually able to figure out how I got writing certain pieces

8. I have two creative ambitions – one is to quit the shitty job I have now and write a book (I know it’s not original but very true) and I would like to have my own real photo studio instead of the outdoor one I have now.

9. Time and money

10. The vital steps are organizing my time and planning better.

11. ….



Index Card Exercise aka "A Muse for a Killer"
By Sue Ellen Woodcock

Nobody ever told me there were so many rocks at the Parthenon. Each stop I took I seemed to twist my ankle. The sun was beating down on me and I untucked my shirt to get a breeze blowing up. I was on the run but my past seemed to keep following me. Tour guides walked past me with unsuspecting subjects following. Could they tell I didn't belong? Did I care? Had they seen the television news? I am a wanted woman with a passport to guide me around the world if I like.
I never meant to hurt anyone but it's just something inside I can't help. I took off to Greece after the last time. I was quick enough to get to the airport in New York even though I had to drive like a bat out of hell on the Long Island Expressway....


The plan is to play catch up this weekend...we'll see