Dopping off the Face of the Map

So, I dropped off the face of the map for a little while. There are a couple of reasons.

First, as my previous blogs indicated, from the end of July until the end of August, I was very busy assisting my friend who was struggling with stage 4 breast cancer. Myself and two close friends were able to help her to come home from the hospital for a week so that she could spend time with her husband and dogs. On Friday, August 13th her needs became such that she was transported to a Port Moody Hospice where, embraced by her loving husband, she passed away peacefully and quietly on Sunday, August 15th. The following weeks have been a whirlwind of activity with helping to plan her memorial and helping her husband as best as we can.

In the meantime, I've been extremely busy at work with a number of very exciting projects. Most of my time has been taken up with creation of two new blogs for BC Children's Hospital; one is the BC Children's Hospital Family Centred Care Courier News Blog which is public and the other is a private member blog for the volunteer group I manage, The Partners in Care Family Advisory. As part of the social media aspect of the blogs I also created a Facebook Page and Twitter account.

Just last week, the Provincial Government released the funding for the new BC Children's Hospital that will be built over the next 5 - 10 years. This has resulted in some changes to my job as a good deal of my time will be taken up with finding volunteer families who can provide the "family voice" and feedback. The changes have already come into effect as evidenced by the fact that I'm working full-time this week on new hospital planning.

In July, I also made some decisions about where I was going with my writing and home business. I started by creating two new blogs; the setting up and populating of these has not left me a lot of time to write here. You may wish to check them out:

http://www.newwestbungalow.com/

This blog details life in our Arts and Crafts New Westminster Bungalow & features local information related to the Arts & Crafts movement, etc.

http://www.artsandcraftsenthusiast.com/

This blog is a resource of websites and events that I have found in some of my internet searchs; it will serve as a great resource for people interested in Arts & Crafts style & architecture.

Wilde Tide Press, my publishing company and new website which will feature Forever Special Friends, is not yet up and running but it's my hope that between everything else I'll have it finished by the beginning of November. Add into all of this mix the photography website I'm helping set up for my daughter, my agreement to set up another website for a friend in exchange for a piece of custom furniture, the creation of a new website for the Federation of BC Writers AND last but not least the presentation I'm preparing for a Winnipeg medical conference called "All a'Twitter--using branding, blogging and social media to connect families and staff", and you can see I have a ton on my plate. I'll try to keep up with Wilde Tide but if you don't hear from me for awhile, at least you'll know why!

Salynne©2010

Spoons

Since my last posting was food related I've decided to keep with that theme today. Here is a poem that I wrote in February at my Wednesday Closet Writers Group.

Spoons

Memories of my grandma’s kitchen
Wood carved by hand, now bent and warped
Stirring porridge or cookie dough
Sitting in the drawer amongst other utensils

Memories of my mother’s kitchen
The harsh reality of wooden pain
Brandished with angry blows, hitting my arms and legs
An ever present threat resting on the counter

Memories of my kitchen
The curved stripes of smooth olive and acacia wood
Tossing fresh baby greens and dressing
Reminders of Provence held in a Pottery vase


February 2, 2010
Salynne

The Soup Pot of Life

Sometimes life takes over....
My apologies for not posting more regularly; I got behind in postings and the soup pot of life started filling up. After the pleasure of my in-laws 50th Anniversary the news that my husbands grandmother was palliative was thrown into the mix, followed by the funeral and the family lunch afterwards. A lot of people think that I have an outgoing personality but over the past few years I've found it increasingly challenging to be with new people. Part of it, I'm sure, is that our life tends to be so full that down time with people who I'm close to is treasured. Thankfully, Keeley and I sat with Bruce's Uncle and Aunt whom I do know and love so making conversation was easy; Bruce sat with the other relatives and he had a great time too.

Looking at it from the culinary aspect of my life soup a few really large chunks of tough meat were thrown in next. The week after the funeral I got a disconcerting call from someone in the Ministry of Health telling me that their Patient Care office had a complaint about me and the department I run. Solving the systemic issue took a couple days of working full time which I'm certainly not used too.

At the same time a particular hospital department that has been making leaps and bounds in moving forward with Family Centred Care took a huge step back towards the "medical model". That chunk of meat fell uncontrollably into the pot splashing me right in the face. The next couple of weeks haven then been a mish mash of things. The directive from another part of the Ministry asking me to become involved with a "delicate" family situation was a bit of a surprise, then came the not so good news about a close workmate who is going through a very difficult family situation, concern for my daughter-in-law who was slammed with a whole lot of family bad news, sadness for the two friends who got bad medical news and sorrow when a friends mother and an elderly friend in our congregation died. Throw in a full time 8am-4pm, Monday-Friday project at work that had site wide implications for families that week and it is no wonder there was little time for blogging.

It was crazy busy but it hasn't all been bad. Keeley and I took the long weekend and headed down to Seattle for one day of shopping and two days of pure relaxation. We hit Deception Pass on the way home which is always a place where I can let absolutely everything go.

There was also the wedding of one of girl's who had been best-friends with Brenna. I thought it might be an emotional hurdle watching this last friend of hers get married but it was pleasant; very, very pleasant and all I felt was pure happiness for her, her husband and her family. I really should send a thank you note for their careful planning of the seating. We got to sit at dinner with two old friends who I have a lot in common with and don't get to visit with often. Then to our absolute delight another table mate who arrived late proved to be new acquaintance whom we'd only met a month ago but with whom there was that "instant" click of friendship. Throw in a little bit of dancing, a couple tears shed when the groom started to cry during the speeches and the soup was pretty tasty that evening!

Then 10 days later her brother got married so we attended another lovely wedding which you could call icing on the cake or some additional flavouring to the soup. Our convention followed, we spent a few days in Kamloops which of course always clears my head and thinking. Spending time with my best friend is always balm for my soul. It was during this time that I was able to make some decisions about the future of my current job, my plans for my author website & online business and future goals when it comes to writing. Clarity is always a good and tasty thing.

We had a lovely week of holidays and visit with my husbands parents shortly thereafter and I planned to start blogging again. Then we got news that my congregation friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall of 2008 was in the hospital with organ failure. Since then I've been either at the hospital or assisting to get things set up in their home. K**** is considered palliative but she has a strong will to live and despite her doctors prognosis she is determined to extend her life.

My summer soup pot is overflowing with experiences, both good and not so good. One thing is for sure, it will certainly be a soup/summer to remember.

Salynne ©2010

I Love You a Bushel & a Peck

My apologies for not writing over the past month. Things have been busy at work but I have also been suffering from writers block. For the past month I have not been able to write because I have been mourning the loss of someone very special in my life. The following is what came out because of the encouragement I received from my Closet Writers group at work and the opportunity I had tonight at my other writing group to get this down on paper.

I Love You a Bushel & a Peck

Grandma Minnie died last month. She was ninety-two. She wasn't my relation but my husband's grandmother. All of my grandparents had died by the time I was twenty-five so that element of aged wisdom was missing from my life until she came in to it. I treasured Minnie and I loved her because she became my Grandma too.

Minnie was everything a grandmother should be; warm, inviting, ready to wrap you in a hug at a moments notice. She cooked, sewed and canned showing us younger women how it was done. Her homemaking skills were a product of a bygone era when women's rights and equality didn't have a lot of meaning. Most people today would, of course, consider her old-fashioned but I always found comfort in her domesticity and her warm, fresh from the oven cookies. Whenever Bruce and I visited, we women-folk would do the dishes after dinner while the men would go play pool in the basement. Then we would sit in the warm kitchen and play a board game or perhaps sit and chat about local goings on while her knitting needles clacked harmoniously with the sounds of the crickets and night birds.

The last time I saw Minnie she was in the lock down area of a seniors home. Diagnosed with dementia several years previously she needed a safe place and constant care. One of the nurses told me before I went in to visit her that even though she might not remember who I was she was a delightful, happily confused tenant. When I entered Grandma Minnie's room she was laying on her bed reading and re-reading a letter from her daughter, my husbands mother.

She looked up at me. "Well Hello".

"Hello Minnie. It is so good to see you. I've missed you", I said.

Confusion registered on her face and I could see her struggling to remember who I was.

"I'm Susan, your grandson's wife".

"Susan. Well, I like your face. You look like a nice person. I think I like you. Come sit beside me". I did as I was told.

Minnie started to sing, "I love you a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck." She reached over and hugged me. Then she held my face between her hands. "Yes, I like your face. I can tell you are a nice person. I LOVE YOU. I love you a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck."

I stayed for another twenty minutes. I tried to make small talk about her lovely room and asked her how she liked living there. She would start a sentence and then her brow would furrow because she just couldn't hold on to the thought and express what she wanted to say. She would drift off and comment on the weather or talk about her slippers and then sing a bushel and a peck and hug me again. When it was time to go I gave her a final hug and said goodbye.

Walking out of the building tears sprung up in my eyes, not because I was sad, but because I left feeling that somewhere deep down Minnie could sense that I loved her and despite her failing memory I think she felt love for me. Today I look at the photos that I took of her that day, grateful that I captured her happy and grateful that I have a visual portrait of those cherished last moments with her. Yes, I loved her a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck.

Salynne ©2010

Poetry - Fifty Years Gone

Insomnia strikes me from time to time and last month was no exception. During these times I sometimes don't remember what I write and like today, I come across a file and wonder how it got there. The following was obviously inspired by my in-laws approaching 50th wedding anniversary, which was beautiful, by the way.

Fifty years gone
Promises and vows of long ago
Not remembered but lived
Youthful dreams relinquished
Family grows and pales
Youthful vigor slides away
Leaving only fraility
And two hearts sitting close
Moving to and fro on their own
But on the same path
Till death do us part

Salynne ©2010

Week End Laughs - Wrinkled Ladies

A little something to brighten the end of your week!
Even if you're not a Woman of a Certain Age you'll still appreciate this video for its outright silliness-it has certainly put a smile on my face and encouraged outright giggling by quite a few of people who've watched it with me.



Susan©2010

Kindred Spirits: Life with--and without--Sydney

Ruth Hartanto, a mother whom I have a lot in common with and know from time we spent together at several hospital conferences wrote an article on the first anniversary of her daughter, Sydney's death. Ruth was involved with the planning stages of CHEO and Roger's House Hospice and now serves on their Family Advisory Committee. Her writing is powerful and captures the realities of living with a child who is medically fragiles as well as the loss one feels when our precious children are gone.

The Globe & Mail - Facts & Arguments Essay

"Life with--and without--Sydney?"



Salynne ©2010

Book Review - Wanted Words

I've discovered that I am a Herbicidal Maniac who often puts things in my Cacheblanca and I suffer regularly from Aneurythms, Namenesia, and Interangst. My husband suffers from Powernoia and Napsnaps and my daughter often wakes in the morning Sheetfaced.

Confused? You will be until you become familiar with some of the words, all created by fellow Canadians, to express things in our society that don't have a name. While perusing a small thrift store in my neighbourhood I came across a small book entitled "Wanted Words From Amalgamots to Undercarments. Starting in mid-2000 CBC Radio One's "This Morning" program put out a call for things and processes that didn't have a name. Listeners wrote emails, sent faxes and phoned in words that filled gaps in the English language.

The book is not only entertaining but I am definitely going to be using and introducing you to some of the the words that somehow really capture those unnamed niches.

Herbacidal Maniac
-noun
a person who kills plants; the opposite of a green thumb. (Jeff Daniels, Kitakami-shi, Japan)
Totally me; I don't think I've had a living houseplant for at least 10 years. Someone brought me a plant recently and it's sitting on my counter. I'm trying to take care of it, really I am, yet I'm watching it slowly die....

Cacheblanca
-noun
a place for safekeeping; valuables, once stored there, are irretrievable because its location cannot be recalled. (Raymond Gallant, Neguac, NB)
The latest thing to go into my Cacheblanca? One of my flash drives; and I should also mention this is often the place I put my glasses whenever I get into the shower.

Anuerythm
-noun
the term for a song that sticks in your head, usually against your will. (Rick Spanjer, Moose Jaw, SK)
They list a number of songs that listeners felt were the greatest anuerythms of all time: Monday, Monday; Stayin' Alive; New York New York; Pink Panther Theme; Beethoven's Fifth Symphony; Goldfinger; I will Survive; Feelings, Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head; Hotel California; Don't Worry, Be Happy; Muskrat Love; and anything by ABBA. I bet you are really thanking me about now for listing off all those songs......
Happy Humming!

Namenesia
-noun
the inability to recall the name of someone, even though you know his or her face. (Pat Brown, Sidney, BC)
My biggest fear when I'm at conference, assemblies or meetings.

Interangst
-noun
the waiting period between swiping your credit or debit card and getting approved or denied by the bank. (Joanna McGarvie, Ucluelet, BC)
I never used to suffer this angst until my debit card got cancelled & the bank hadn't had a chance to contact me yet. I had to borrow money from an acquaintance & I could tell that they thought I didn't have enough money in my bank account for a $3.00 coffee!
Powernoia
-noun
an irrational fear of authority, of "getting caught," when you have done absolutely nothing wrong. (Noel Griffin, Vancouver, BC)
My husband suffers from this every time we got through the US/Canadian Border. The guard asks "What city are you all from?" He answers Canada. "What's your country of birth?" He answers Vancouver. "Where are you going?" He answers Orlando (FL) when we're going to Ontario (CA) or San Diego when we're going to San Bernadino. Now I drive until we get to Bellingham.

Napsnaps
-noun
the full body twitch and jerk that often snaps a person out of a sleep just as he or she is drifting off. Sometimes accompanied by a dream of falling or colliding with something. (Ludvick Prevec, Burlington, ON)
The bane of my bedtime existence and the cause of many sleepless hours. I also like some of the other words submitted such as slumberjolt and I think my favorite, slumberjerk!

Sheetfaced
-adjective
having lines on one's face made by pillows and sheets. (Ron Boyle, Careleton Place, ON & Paul Sullivan, Victoria, BC)
My worst experience with this was when we had a layover in an airport and I decided to catch a cat nap. I lay down and used my purse for a pillow. Of course I was awakened during the last call and we ran to the gate. The attendants and Bruce started killing themselves laughing; the lattice pattern of my purse was deeply entrenched on one side of my face.

Wanted Words is a definitely a keeper as far as I'm concerned and a must have for any word lover. After doing an Internet search it appears that this book was a bestseller along with its 2001 sequel, Wanted Words 2-Armajello to Yawncore and they are both sold out at Chapters/Indigo. I have been left hungering for more of these language gap words so I'll be watching at my thrift store and checking out some used book haunts. Oh, and and if you wouldn't mind, can you all check out your Cacheblanca's to see if you might happen to have an extra volume hanging around? Then again, never mind. You'll never be able to find it anyway.

Salynne ©2010

Pictorial Websters - The Making of a Book

John Carerra discovered his grandfather's old tattered copy of the Webster's Pictorial Dictionary under a chair and decided to reprint it. See what this fascinating ten year labour of love involved.
Pictorial Websters-Inspiration to Completion Video

The Leather & Deluxe Leather Bound 100 edition books run between $3500.00 and $4600.00 US dollars at the creators website, Quercus Press. Fortunately for us mortals there is a more realistic Trade Edition that is on sale for $26.33 on Amazon.ca . I also saw these last week at one of our favorite haunts, a fabulous little store on West Broadway called Stepback; although since they were closed I don't have any clue as to the price.

Salynne ©2010

Spring Cleaning - A Dream Come True

Over the past couple of weeks we have been busy doing some of the physical spring cleaning that needs to be done. Last year when we thought we would be moving I started packing up boxes of items that we wanted to keep but didn't need for home staging. Now it's a year later, we're not going anywhere and we have had to decide what we're going to do with these packed treasures.

To get myself in the mood I watched part of the "Hoarders" marathon last weekend--it's that show that tells the stories of people who have serious collecting issues, to the point that their children will be taken away or they'll be evicted from their homes. My family hates when I watch these shows because they know that as soon as its over I go into "Super Susan" cleaning mode; I throw things out and simplify anything my eye lights on and that usually means that I want them to go through their spaces too. Fortunately, the spring cleaning bug has hit them too because they actually watched several shows with me and didn't roll their eyes when I said that we needed to get busy!

After the shows we turned our attention to the myriad of boxes that have been sitting for the better part of a year. Now it is true that some of the things that have sentimental value I have missed, but to tell the truth, probably 80% of what I thought was important was not. If I can live without seeing something for a year chances are it wasn't that valuable in the first place. Ten years ago I read about this technique for people who have trouble getting rid of things and they use it on Hoarders too--you place items into a box, tape it shut and put a date six months in the future. If you haven't gone into the box to retrieve something during that time and the date arrives, you take the box, lock, stock and barrel to charity. I have practiced this in the past but had gotten out of the habit because I thought I was good at getting rid of things. Wrong. The number of boxes of "stuff" that I packed was much bigger than I thought and now that I've been going through them it's surprising that there is so little that really means anything to me. Over the weekend we filled several large boxes and bags with items that someone else should be able to use. We quite obviously will not miss them.

What's been most interesting about this process however is the type of items that I found I really do treasure. There is the odd trinket from someone special or that I picked up in a special place; what I missed the most was my books. Getting back my Cadfael series, a number of self-help books that made an impact over the years on my life and favorite novels was like having a visit with long-lost friends. These are the books that I have and will read over and over again.

The second part of this yearly springtime ritual has been facing some of the storage issues we didn't deal with when we renovated with a view to selling the house. Everything was a quick fix and the reality of getting it ready for show versus living in it means we are reviewing the space we have and making it more practical and useful for our needs. We have taken stock of our boxes of books, culled whatever was not that necessary and have now created an entire library for our spiritual resources in the basement. We also put a bookshelf in our guest room to house less-read but favorite books and its our hope visitors will thank us for having something to read. Near future plans include increasing shelving in our office space for business items but I'm most looking forward to another upcoming project on our list. We're going to start by painting and installing more shelving in our boudoir/closet area and then it will be searching for that just-right, comfy lounge chair. Having my dream of a luxurious and private reading nook where we can curl up and devour our literary treasures come true, is probably going to be one of the best end products of spring cleaning that I'll ever receive!


Salynne©2010

Setting Up a Blog - Tips

One month from now I'm going to be celebrating the one year annivarsary of writing Wilde Tide. I haven't always been as consistent as I would've liked, I've jumped all over the place as far as topics but I have truly enjoyed the discipline of writing that this blog has brought into my life.


Along the way I've learned a few things about blogging, although most have been learned the hard way, through trial and error. For example, I just recently realized the power and ease of writing a large number of postings and scheduling them in advance. This is just one of the many great tips that Elizabeth Spann Craig, author of the blog, Mystery Writing is Murder advises in her posting:


Mystery Writing is Murder: Setting Up a Blog


Salynne ©2010

A Woman of a Certain Age

For over a year I have subscribed to a blog, Paris Breakfasts , by photographer & water colour artist Carol Gillot, that caters to my love of both France and New York. She lives in the Big Apple but stalks the streets of Paris three or four times a year; her trips are usually related to food and her love of french macarons. Carol's photography and artwork gives us a glimpse of the everyday, somewhat quirky things that make up the rich culture of the romantic city of lights. Yesterday her posting focused on Older French Women (OFW) or those elegant "Women of a Certain Age". Très bon!

(Photo by Carol Gillot-Paris Breakfasts Blog)

The discussion of older french women reminds me of the comments of Anne Barone in her book (one of my favorite "how to live french" books), Chic & Slim Encore-More About How French Women Dress Chic Stay Slim-and How You Can too. The subheading Women of a Certain Age (page 106) provides an interesting perspective which is very different from our youth obsessed Canadian and American societies. "In France, they don't say a middle-aged woman; they say a "femme d'un certain age," a woman of a certain age. No one need be too certain precisely what that age is. The French are not so youth focused as the Americans......The French are comfortable with obvious signs of age." "The French revere fine old wines....In France, la femme mure, the "ripe" mature woman too is revered." French culture is certainly different in its view of older women and it is clear these women themselves have a certain grace that older North American women do not have.

(photo by Carol Gillot-Paris Breakfasts Blog)

I agree with Anne's further comments that it is perhaps that French women have better role models in this age group than we do; in looking into my history I know this is certainly the case. My grandparents on my father's side were immigrants so my Grandmother was a farm wife with no more than one or two practical cotton dresses in her closet. Spending time on herself was relegated to washing her hair once a week in rain water. My maternal grandmother was Métis and living below the poverty line, so as a single parent, just getting any hand-me-down clothes on the backs of her children was a challenge. She continued to work until she was past sixty-five and during her retirement years she would buy new things for her children & grandchildren but felt that any type of thrift store clothing was good enough for her. Once my mom left home she worked to leave the first nation stigma and poverty behind and "passed for white". From the time she dated my father until after my brother and I were born, photos show she followed in the style footsteps of Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn & Chanel. I rather doubt though that she did anything to really take care of herself or establish regular beauty routines. Unfortunately she got very sick around the time I was eight or nine so all I really knew was a mother who spent the rest of the majority of her life in a housecoat in a house with the curtains drawn.

During my tween years my mom’s best friend entered into our lives and Angele became my second mom. Her grandmother and mother raised her in what I would consider more of a French or at least European style and she had opportunity to learn from them, especially as they became women of a certain age. Angele was the one who took me to the store to buy perfume for the first time and discussed the idea of having a signature fragrance. She continued helping me in the early years of my marriage by teaching me how to iron properly, how to wash fine china & crystal, and how to spend more money on fewer, but quality clothes. My life then got derailed during the eight years that my daughter was alive; she needed 24 hour care so it was difficult to get more than 4 hours of sleep at night, style had no place in my washable, stretchy pants wardrobe, ironing anything went out the window & there was absolutely no time for anything personal.

When we took our first trip to France in 1999 I learned about the mysterious personal style & elegance that these women seem to come by so naturally and I’ve been working since then to adopt ever more French sensibilities, culture and style. Old habits die hard though, especially eating habits, but I am continually searching to find the originality and chic style that the women in Carol’s photos have. If as the poster above indicates, older French women are forty years old and up, then that means I’m already in this age group and I still have a lot of work to do. Perhaps by the time I’m in my eighties, like Carol’s OFW, cousine second, I’ll have the self-knowledge and acceptance that I see so clearly in her beautiful aged and lined face. For those of us who don't have French mom's as mentors it was very refreshing yesterday to have some guidance and a vision of what my future can hold; above all else it reinforced for me all that I want to pass on to my own daughter.

(Photo by Carol Gillot-Paris Breakfasts Blog)

Thanks to Carol for the use of her photos today!

Salynne ©2010

4 Line Poetry - Volcano

Marc's Daily Writing Practice - 4 Line Poetry

The exercise:
It's four line poem day once again. This time around your topic is: the volcano.

Score another one for Mother Nature.
Marc:

They feel safe, it's been so long
Since I have woken;
But they've forgotten - I sleep
With one eye open.

Mine:
Mother nature & Human nature-not so different.....

Deep inside my belly, my core
Rumblings of red hot anger ascend;
I erupt, spewing molten words of bitterness
And subside into the gloom and darkness of guilt

Salynne ©2010

An Eye Opening Email

"Have I got a TV show for you!" That was the opening line to an email sent by a friend recently. It was also an eye opener into an aspect of my life that I hadn't really considered before. My friend said that she loves all things British and suspected that we had "a similar leaning too......*wink." A "Love of all things British", whatever could've given her that idea? And was it true?

I took a quick survey of my bookshelves which tended to reveal a love of British authors like Jane Austen, Ellis Peters, PJ Wodehouse, & Agatha Christie. It was also interesting to see that my love seems to extend from historical times; Cadfael in the 1300's, Anne Elliot's early nineteenth century, Amelia Peabody in the enlightened Victorian age, Poirot's mystery cases in the 1920's & 1930's, on to Juliet Ashton's letters written just after the second world war and ending finally with the cases of Inspector Morse, Lynley and Barnaby of the 1980's, 90's and present day.

My DVD cupboard tells the same story with theatrical renditions of my favorite books: Cadfael, Jeeves & Wooster, House of Elliot, Poirot, and Midsomer Murders. On a side note-although I so obviously love England & the countryside I really would not want to live in the (fictional) county of Midsomer-its not a safe place, just too many murders!

Next I wandered over to my tea cupboard and there were no big surprises there either; Twinings Earl Grey, Harrods loose leaf Rose Petal Tea, and Whittard of Chelsea Chocolate Chai. Tea is generally the drink of choice next to water in this household, we hold after school tea time sacred and frequent the very English, Secret Garden Tea Company at least once a month.

(The Jane Austen Tea we held last summer)

Then in one of those AH HA moments, it occurred to me that, next to Victoria, I live in one of THE most British cities in all of Canada. New Westminster, "The Royal City" is oldest city in Western Canada, established of course by the very English Royal City Engineers and personally named by Queen Victoria herself. I live on and walk through my neighbourhood on streets that are all named in honor of English towns and areas. The biggest celebration of the year, held since 1870 is Queen Victoria's birthday combined with May Day celebrations. The primary schools here spend several months and a final two weeks in preparing their children to dance around the Maypole; which I certainly do not think is a good way to spend their time especially when you consider Beltane & Walpurgis Night, the original celebrations it's based on & the May pole dance which was enacted generally to ensure fertility for humans, animals and crops. However, as the city's website states "Our community isn’t just another suburb of a larger city – New Westminster’s heritage, traditions and character sets us apart with a unique identity." I have to admit that the "small town" feel is one of the reasons why we moved back here. I've often bragged that it is one of the only areas in the lower mainland that is considered a small town in the a big city wherein the front page of the local newspaper will feature the fiftieth anniversary of well-known couple who've more than likely lived their entire life here.

Last but not least I looked at my own signature. My married name "Greig" comes from the Scottish McGregor Clan; my husband's mother was a "Little", definitely an English/Scottish name and to cement the fact, her family participates in the yearly provincial Scottish games. We even blessed both our daughter's with Irish Gaelic names- Keeley and Brenna Colleen! So, despite the fact that I have an extreme love affair with France, as also evidenced by my bookshelves, DVD's, decor and food in my cupboard & fridge, I'm surrounded by all things British.

So in the spirit of recognizing this new found truth I want to share with you what my friend shared with me: The BCC television shows called "The Supersizers Go......" and "The Supersizers eat....". As I have learned on doing research, the shows are based on the concept of the documentary "Supersize Me" wherein the filmmaker documents his 30 days of eating only McDonalds. In the TV shows, British restaurant critic, Giles Coran and broadcaster & comedian Sue Perkins "eat" and enjoy a typical lifestyle thru various ages of British history. Before each week of eating and living for whichever time period has been chosen they visit a doctor and return later to find out the effects the diet had on their bodies.

Via Youtube I have already watched all of the "parts" of the Supersizers go Victorian and the food channel featured The Supersizers Go Restoration last Saturday morning. I'm already a confirmed fan and have set up my PVR to record other episodes on the Food Channel. Besides getting a glimpse into British history it's completely entertaining to see this modern day couples reaction to some of the horrendous foods and items that were eaten and the sometimes ridiculous lifestyles that were consider de rigueur during those days. Be sure to check them out!

Salynne ©2010

4 Line Prose - The Best Medicine

Marc's Daily Writing Practice - Friday, April 16, 2010

The Topic for your 4 Line Prose this week is: the best medicine.

Marc's:

Good afternoon everyone, and thank you for making time in your busy schedules to join us.

We here at Jester Laboratories have some very exciting news to share with you today. What you are about to see is the culmination of twenty years of lab testing, field research, divorces, great leaps forward, and soul destroying setbacks.

But we are all in agreement that it was worth every sleepless night to reach this moment when we are finally able to say: Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to present to you… Laughter in a BottleTM

Mine:

Curled up in a big comfy chair with a hot cup of tea sitting on a side table.
Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice sits open on my lap.
My eyes see words but my mind takes me into a world of refinement, beauty, and simpler times.
The very best medicine for a stressful life.

Salynne ©2010

The Home Library - More than Decoration

Years ago I read a book called Decorating Rich: How to Achieve a Monied Look Without Spending a Fortune. The authors show how to get the feeling of opulence through a collection of items that you would expect to see in a wealthy persons home; an animal print chair cover, a paisley shawl and the ever regal and organized floor to ceiling library.

For book lovers like myself having a library is not about decorating but about surrounding yourself with the things that you love. Sometimes its the words written inside a book, the way the lines and verse speak to your soul; other times it's the publication itself, the quality and feel of the paper or the vibrancy of its illustrations. Holbrook Jackson said it well, "Your Library is Your Portrait".


Now there's even more reason to fill your shelves with books; research shows that having a library gives school children a decided advantage over their peers. The article "Home Libraries Provide Huge Education Advantages" explains that researcher M.D.R. Evans has compiled data to show that a home library is a "reflection of a family’s “scholarly culture,” or a “way of life in homes where books are numerous, esteemed, read and enjoyed." If children are used to reading and find enjoyment in books while growing up the chances they will enjoy and do better in school is that much higher.

The writer of the article Tom Jacobs concludes that "mom and dad don’t have to be scholars themselves; they just have to read and respect books, and pass that love of reading down to their children." I cannot think of a better reason to have a library.

Salynne

My husbands parents will soon be celebrating their 50th anniversary. During a family meeting to discuss plans for their anniversary party we bantered ideas back and forth about what to get them for a gift.

Our first thought was a gift of experience, specifically a trip somewhere or a stay at a bed & breakfast. The idea of an Alaskan cruise came up but that would be a repeat vacation for them plus they don't have passports and don't seem in any way to be inclined to get them. Next we considered a Rocky Mountain Rail Tour which starts in Vancouver and ends in Calgary but then there is the hassle of getting them home. Neither of his parents like flying so we would have to get the round trip train route making the gift about double what our budget is. We finally decided after talking for an hour and getting nowhere to shelve talking or thinking about a gift for a time in the hopes that the ideal "something" would pop up.

We started discussing our relationship with his parents and we all concurred that it was too bad that they weren't Internet connected because it would be so much easier to keep in touch with email. I exclaimed how sad it was that Bruce's mom did not have access to either of our blogs or facebook as a way of knowing what was going on in our lives. I recounted how last fall I had explained to Bruce's mom that I was writing a blog and although she was not at all familiar with the idea she was very interested especially when I explained that it was a great way to keep connected to friends and to share things like writing and poetry. Suddenly Bruce's face lit up and he said he knew what to get his parents for their anniversary! A new Internet able computer and a one year subscription for the Internet.

It's makes perfect sense, at least to us. There is so much of our life that is now related to computers. Like the many grandparents who keep in touch with their children via facebook and email I hope his parents will be ushered in a new type of relationship with their laptop, mp3, Internet-savy granddaughter. Bruce's mom has already taken several computer courses and the world-wide web may still seem a rather scary place for her but I don't think it will be long before she will be comfortable with it. What freedom it will give these two seniors! No longer will they complain that we don't send photos because they'll be able to go to one of our photo storage sites, upload and print any picture of their granddaughter that they want to stick up on their fridge. We'll be able to share poetry and maybe I'll be able to help "Momma" set up her own poetry blog to showcase some of the wonderful things she's written.

The anniversary party is coming up at the end of the month and we're looking into what we have to do to get their gift in place. It's true, the gift is for them, to give them a better connection to our life and to our world, but I have to say that I'm feeling a little guilty and a little selfish in this choice. This gift is for us too. It will mean that we get to see Bruce's parents in a new light, get to know more about their daily lives and what is important to them. We'll simply be getting "more" of them. I absolutely cannot wait to send Bruce's mom one of those "Get to know Your Friends" emails that ask all of those questions: What are you wearing on your feet right now? What three things did you eat last night? or what is your favorite color? The answers to those questions might be mundane but I'm really looking forward to getting to know another side of the mother and father-in-law whom I so dearly love.

Salynne ©2010

Spring Rituals - A Visit to 12th Century England

Each year when the trees are in blossom and we get more sunny days than rainy ones, I get a very strong urge to get down on my knees and put my hands into the earth. The yearly spring gardening bug has bitten. This is when I dig out my gardening journal and note the dates when I saw the first crocus', the first snowdrops and when the first of the trees swell into bud.

My garden journal details almost 20 years of weather, the emergence of spring, the time of the first frost and winter dreams of what my garden would hold in the new year. When we lived in Vancouver we had a lovely yard with good drainage and I always had a great organic vegetable & flower garden. Here in New Westminster, our soil is good but it does not drain well and therefore gardening is usually a rather damp and wet affair, certainly not as pleasant as in our previous location. Since many of my planting and growing experiences here have not been as satisfactory most of our flower beds are now planted with perennials and only need tidying up every spring and fall. Getting my hands in the soil and planting has been relegated to a small herb garden on the side of our yard. The joy of this small plot reaches its peak when basil and cilantro are in season; there is nothing like having garden fresh herbs in a salad or pasta dish.


Another ritual that goes along with my urge to get my hands in the dirt is reading gardening books and the twenty Brother Cadfael Mystery books written by Ellis Peters. Brother Cadfael is a Welsh Benedictine monk who is a talented herbalist; I affectionately refer to him as a medieval CSI detective who also serves in roles such as coroner, diplomat and physician. His knowledge of herbs is extraordinary, something he learned in his prior life as a knight while on a crusade in the Holy Lands. My yard boasts plants from his herbarium and apothecary like the very poisonous and lethal Monk's Hood along with more mundane herbs like Borage, Mint, Poppies and Lavender. Just this past winter I found out there is a David Austen rose called Brother Cadfael and the next step is to go down to my local garden shop and get it ordered. Between the new rose and the book on Medieval Gardens I picked up at our local library I should have no problem in creating a new plan to turn my little bit of earth into more of a physic garden similar to the one Cadfael grows.


The past few days I have watched and enjoyed the PBS Cadfael series starring Derek Jacobi who does a fabulous job of portraying this insightful benedictine monk. Tonight however, my springtime ritual will start when I make myself a cup of tea, perhaps chamomile or mint, and sit down to devour the first book in the series, A Morbid Taste for Bones. If you need to get in touch with me at least you'll know where I am, visiting the town of Shrewsbury in the 12th century!

©2010 Salynne Wilde

Writing for Strangers

One of the things I learned at The Writers Union workshop was that if you are a blogger and you want your work to become popular you should be writing on topics that would be interesting to strangers. That's an interesting concept and it has caused me to ask myself just who have I been writing for and what the intent of this blog is.

After giving it some thought and reading my profile I've come to realize that I've been writing to please myself and if people find it interesting then that is an added bonus. Many of my friends have said they enjoy reading my posts because it's a great way for them to keep up with what is going on in my life. I really enjoy getting emails or hearing from a friend how one of my posts has inspired them to take action or do something that will make their life better.

The workshop really focused on how to promote yourself as an author, how to get your work out there and establish a reputation in the field. It is certainly my intent to set up a website for self promotion but I'm now working on how to meld my new business venture, a niche market greeting card company, with my book and other pieces of fiction that I intend to finish. When you combine those two things, this blog under my pen name and the writing and speaking that I do professionally as Susan Greig, most of which is related to special needs children, pediatric bereavement and grief and the philosophy of family centred care, I certainly will have to put my little grey cells to work on how to create myself into a "brand".

For the time being everything will stay as it has been and I will continue writing Wilde Tide for myself and for those of you who enjoy reading my ramblings.


Salynne/Susan

I AM a Self-Published Author

On Friday I was able to attend an excellent workshop sponsored by the Writers’ Union of Canada and Canadian Heritage entitled: Secure Footing in a Changing Literary Landscape.

This professional development symposium for writers was so inspiring for me that I have barely been able to sleep since attending. Deborah Windsor, the Union’s executive director, discussed authors’ contracts which was informative and helpful if you are considering going the route of getting a traditional press to publish your work. Information from authors Betsy Warland and Ross Laird outlined the huge changes in the literary industry. What really fired me up was the information they gave on the innovative digital and Internet opportunities that are out there for people to take advantage of. The world-wide web has spawned new pathways and creative venues for publishing and it means re-thinking what we are currently doing and how to take advantage of the constant barrage of new technology.

The entire publishing industry has been turned on its head and many of the long-established bastions of literary production are now publishing, not manuscripts that have been submitted in the traditional way, but books based on what people are reading on the Internet. A good example of this is the book/movie Julie/Julia; another case in point is Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman whose successful blog created such a stir that a traditional publishing company offered her a cookbook contract.

The most gratifying point for me was Ross' comments about self-publishing. He profiled several authors who have become very successful selling their own work and explained that the days of vanity publishing "shame" are now over. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, self publishing has been viewed as derogatory often implying that the author is only printing their book out of vanity and that the work would not be commercially successful enough for a traditional publishing house to take on. Curse the fellow who invented the term. Many companies, including the Writers Union of Canada now offer printing on demand and this is allowing authors, who have stories to share but who may not have been able to get a traditional press to look at their work, to become very successful. Did you know for example that if an author in Canada sells 5,000 books they are considered a best selling author? With the world wide market of the Internet available that it not such a difficult feat.

Those points all brought tears to my eyes. I wanted to stand up and shout the proclamation, "My name is Susan Greig and I AM a self-published author. I had four books sell in a bookstore & now my books sell all over the world on the Internet!" As detailed in my previous blog the Batten Disease Association approached me in 1995 and gave me funding so that I could self-publish my book, Forever Special Friends. To tell, the truth I've always been ashamed of this and have felt that I was somehow not a "real" author. I put in my profile that I was published but it felt like a lie. People from all over the world have sent me wonderful letters of appreciation for FSF all of which I have denigrated and discounted only because of the spectacles of shame that I have been peering through.

On Friday, Ross helped me throw away those lenses; I saw things in a new way and there will be no going back. I will proclaim off the roof tops and eventually a new website that Forever Special Friends is an amazing resource for families who are battling a disease that will take their children away from them. To think that we started out with a print run of 5,000 books and I have less than a thousand left. Within a few years I will be a best selling author! It may have taken me fifteen years to sell the first 4,200 books but I can guarantee the last 800 will fly off the shelves in comparison.

There are so many other things that I learned and have to work on but sharing them with you will have to wait for another posting. You can also look forward to some new announcements about my plans for my new author website and an up and coming entrepreneurial venture that I've been working on.

Cheers,

Salynne/Susan
©2009
(sorry no photos today--I cannot get them to upload-must be a problem with the site-will add later!)

Doing the Grind-The Olympics

Today I was able to attend my first Grind Writers group although the location turned out to be a different because of the Olympics. I met a number of other very creative individuals and was very inspired by each of their stories. Some people are just trying to add more writing into their lives, several are working on books and one writes for a living. It is my hope that I will be able to attend regularly.

We started with a 15 minute free-write on the prompt The Olympics and this was my offering.

For some people the Olympics must be everything. They'll go to a number of the sporting events, their hearts will swell when they hear the national anthem and someone from our country gets gold. Twenty years from now they'll say to their kids, "Remember when the Olympics were on and we did this or that.."

In contrast I find that my life is never defined by these big events and that I remember them in the context of what I'm doing or where I am. Thirteen years ago I was sitting by my daughter as she lay dying in a children's hospice and while watching TV a newscaster came on to explain that Princess Diana had died. Over the next few days people took flowers to the British Consulate & because there were so many of these expressions of grief they started taking bouquets to old folks homes and places like the hospice. I arranged vase after vase and filled every room including my daughters with them. Two weeks later when she had died I threw out all of the fading blooms in a symbolic gesture. That is what I really remember about the time when the Princess Diana tragedy unfolded.

Last week, when the world was glued to their TV's or standing in the streets of Vancouver, waving and cheering on the Olympic torch as it made the final leg of its journey I sat across from my girlfriend in a local chemo treatment room. She sat on a leather recliner with her arm outstretched on a tray while poisonous chemicals ran into her veins. I looked around the room at all of the other people there for treatment; young and old sat there, proof that cancer doesn't discriminate.

The TV was on and some people watched the event, others were too distracted by the book they had brought or were sitting with their eyes closed. Suddenly the news broke through and it was announced that a young man doing a training run for the luge had died. Everyone in the long line of chairs seemed to come out of themselves, the staff stood still and we all turned our eyes to watch in silent horror as the fellow careened down the chute and flew off his sled into a pole. Involuntary sounds of shock and dismay passed from every person watching.

The room was dead quiet and no one moved for a time but then the nurses began checking chemo bags and IV's, machines started beeping and we were all pulled back to the reality of what was happening in the room. My friend tugged on her hat, pulling it lower to hide the fact that her hair was starting to fall out again. The gentleman two seats over looked up at his chemo bag, sighed and grimaced, clenched and unclenched his hand and shut his eyes. Another young man adjusted his Ipod and turned back into his world of music and song.

It occurred to me then that every cancer patient in that room was like an Olympic athlete fighting for the gold; Remission. Others, like myself, were there to cheer them on in their struggle. Some will win and their lives will carry on and some sadly will not. And twenty years from now when I'm talking to my children about this time I know I'll have a different view than many others. "Remember when my friend was going through Chemo and the Olympics were on?"

Salynne ©2009

Info on Grind Writers: The Grind Café Writers' Group - Vancouver
Meets every 2 weeks (alternating on Saturdays and Sundays) at the Grind Gallery Café, 4124 Main Street @ King Edward Ave (25th Ave). 10 am to 12:30 pm. Writers of all ages, stages, genres, genders, orientations & outlooks are welcome. We write at every meeting, so bring pen & paper or your laptop. Occasionally we do move the venue, so please email before you come to your first meeting, or if you have any questions, email Margo - wonderwords@shaw.ca.

Revelations....

Today is a big day--I'm revealing something that I have not done so before and that is why this blog is entitled Revelations; although it is in no way related to anything biblical. My original intent was to use the term Coming out of the Closet but that has too many other connotations as well.

As you know from my blogs I have indicated some things about myself such as the fact that I work at BC Children's Hospital, I had a daughter who died twelve years ago and I am a published author. Since I became involved with the Closet Writers group at C&W and since starting this blog most everything has been done under by pen name, Salynne.

The book that the Batten Disease Association published about my daughter lists my real name as author. Up until recently I have wanted to keep these parts of my life separate and my identity to others, except friends, private. Today when I visited the Facebook Page that I set up for the book I was delighted to see that there were over 200 "friends". I invited them to read Wilde Tide Blog as a way of following what is going on in my life now and I decided that also meant that it was time to introduce you to my published book "Forever Special Friends" and its website.

Forever Special Friends



© Salynne

Writer in Residence

On Thursday I called in sick. I was really not feeling well but I was not the "can only lay on the couch, eating soup" kind of sick so I decided to grab my journals and head over to my favorite Starbucks.

It was really full and I ended up sitting in a crowded area with a number of the other "regulars". I've chatted with a few of them before but never anything more than comments on the weather or the meaningless chit chat that you do with people you don't know. Besides, I'm usually too busy writing for much in depth conversation anyway.

As I sat down one of the older fellows said to me, "So how's the book coming?" His question caught me off guard because I've never told anyone what I'm doing. Then again I guess it doesn't take rocket science to figure out that if a person shows up at a place continually and sits head down scribbling in a book that they are a writer.

I replied that it was "going...not always as fast as I want." and then we went on to discuss the Olympics. Later, when I again immersed myself in my paper tablet and turned back to my own thoughts a smile kept breaking through the concentration on my face. It's true that I've always viewed myself as the resident writer of my local Starbucks but now I've had confirmation that my coffee shop peers think the same of me. It was a really, really good feeling.

©2010 Salynne

Feb 5 - Think About Your Heart Today

Please take a few minutes today and think about your heart.

"Heart Disease Doesn't Care What You Wear—It's the #1 Killer of Women.®"

Today is National Wear Red Day and it occurs each year on the first Friday of February. This national movement aims to give women a personal and urgent wake-up call about their risk for heart disease. Wear Red Day™ serves as a reminder to every woman to care for her heart, because heart disease is the #1 killer of women.

The campaign is especially aimed at women ages 40 to 60, the time when a woman's risk of heart disease starts to rise. But its messages are also important for younger women, since heart disease develops gradually and can start at a young age-even in the teenage years. Older women have an interest too—it's never too late to take action to prevent and control the risk factors for heart disease. Even those who have heart disease can improve their heart health and quality of life. Everyone can participate by wearing a red dress, shirt, tie, or the Red Dress Pin.

For more info check out:
http://www.goredforwomen.org/

I challenge each and every one of you to choose one of the following healthy heart activities and do it as many times as you can during the following month:

•Take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator at school, work or the mall.
•Park your car at the far end of the parking lot.
•If you ride the bus or skytrain, get off a stop before your destination and walk the rest of the way.
•Spend a few minutes of your lunch break taking a stroll around the block or on the grounds where you work or go to school.
•Think of housework as an extra chance to exercise. Vacuuming briskly can be a real workout.
•Mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, and raking leaves are chores that can be done yourself as a chance to exercise.
•Take your dog for a brisk walk; them of him/her as an exercise machine with fur. It will be good for both of your hearts.
•If you have a family, schedule an after-dinner walk. Make it quality time.
•Put on some really great music and dance for 20 minutes.
•Talk to your doctor & find out your risk of heart disease.

I'm having a really hard time choosing between walking the 3 flights of stairs at work vs putting on some really great music and dancing. I've got it! I will pledge that on days I am at work I will only take the stairs and on days I work from home I'm going to put on my dancing shoes & boogie-watch out Beyonce & Single Ladies!

Please let me know what challenge you will take and lets inspire each other.

Happy Heart Day to All!

Salynne ©2010

The Write & Wrongs of Free Writing

On Wednesday when our C&W Closet Writers Group at the hospital meets, it oftens takes around fifteen or twenty minutes for everyone to arrive. This was the case this week and so we all worked on a "Free Write" while waiting to get officially started.

For those of you who have never heard of the term "Free Write" before, it is a popular and contemporary "no rules" excercise. There is no write or wrong way to get your words on paper. You are given a word prompt and you are free to do with it as you wish. Your mind is allowed to go in whatever direction it wants, you can write prose, poetry, create a list of associated words, whatever strikes your fancy; the idea is to put down whatever pops into your head. I guess if there are any rules it is that you just keep writing and don't stop to criticize, change or agonize. You can set a time limit or write until it feels like its time to stop. For specific detailed instructions check out:
http://www.wikihow.com/Freewrite

We chose the word "Compass" because one of our members, whose keys were sitting on the table, carries a small globe compass on her keychain. My offering was short and to the point. I stopped writing not because the time was up but because it felt right to do so.

Compass
Backpacking in the woods,
The direction of my life,
Taking steps forward, taking steps back.
I watch my 17 year old daughter struggling in that place between childhood and adulthood. She doesn't know where she is going, what she wants to do after school.
As a parent I want to give her my compass, my beliefs, my set of values but in the end she will create and choose her own. I have tried my best to guide her and be there for her while she finds her way but she is on her own journey, her own path.

Other members wrote on a similar theme-the direction of life. Some did not. Some wrote prose, some wrote poetry, and some wrote word lists. Every single piece was unique and wonderful.

Between now and next week we have the assignment to write on another prompt: What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear "Shanghai"? I'm looking forward to a jaunt over to my local Starbucks for some writing time with this one and to hearing what everyone else comes up with at our next meeting. What comes to your mind?

Salynne ©2010

The Discipline of Writing

I admire anyone who has the discipline to write every day. It was my hope that through this blog I would make that commitment and follow through. As you all well know that hasn't happened. During the past month I've done a lot of re-thinking about the expectations I hold for myself and the reality of my life.

Part of my "problem" is that I have so many projects on the go that I feel pulled in all directions, this blog being one of them. Last week the leader of our writing group sent us all a blank Goals and Inventory Sheet and I filled it out almost immediately. Having had a week to think more about it I've revised it slightly. My motivational guru, Brian Tracy, says that written goals with a deadline have more likelihood of being achieved and since I am a person who responded clearly to such in the past I thought it worthwhile to post them for everyone to see. Public accountability will no doubt spur me on to achieve what I set out to.

What are your goals as a writer?

Short Term Goals (3-6 months) Deadline-April 31, 2010
1. Submit two articles for publication (paid or unpaid).
2. Write my blog consistently-whether its every day, every second day, every third day.....(decision pending).

Long Term Goals (6 months – 1 year) January 31, 2010
1. Flesh out my BCCH Mystery novel (that's right I'm writing a mystery novel).
2. Start typing the manuscript for my BCCH Mystery novel.
3. Work on and flesh out my Mom’s book (uncertain...I've determined that I've suffered several anxiety attacks while working on this and so it may have to go on the back burner for a while however I will keep it on the list).
4. Start typing out the manuscript for the huge group of commentaries that I've written called The Writing Group Chronicles (this covers my journey since joining the BC Children's Hospital Writing Group; I'm actually surprised at how much material I have-it will be interesting to check the word count once it is in manuscript form).


Writing Inventory
What kinds of writing do you do on a regular basis? (course papers, lab reports, correspondence, e-mail, research papers, fiction, poetry, plays, etc.)
Short Stories; fiction; novels; At work I write tons of emails and correspondence.

What is your favorite kind of writing? Why?
Fiction. I love that I get to step into other peoples lives for a few minutes. I get to figure out what makes others tick and learn what makes me the same or different from them.

Describe yourself as a writer using 10 adjectives.
Sporadic, enthusiastic, insecure, raw, positive, emotional, solitary, creative, willing, inspired.

What is your biggest challenge as a writer? What kinds of critiques have you received from the professors, friends, and other readers?
My biggest challenge is finishing something. Negative critiques are that I’m too wordy and tend to be superfluous. Positive critiques come from seeing people moved by what I’ve written, whether they're reading it or as I’m reading it.

What is your greatest strength as a writer? What do other people normally praise about your writing style?
That I’m honest and open about things people might not normally talk about. I mean really, who else has written a blog about the Little Known Stress of Getting a Pedicure or The Zen of Doing Laundry ?!

If you could change one thing about your writing or your writing process, what would it be?
That I could be a more consistent writer. I would write every day and accomplish something on one of my current projects every day until each one is done.

Although today is February 2 I think that on the first of each Month I'm going to schedule a blog that will detail what I have done to accomplished on my goals. If I do that at least I'll have one blog for the month done!

Salynne ©2009

Give a Hungry Man a Fish

Last week I received one of the most interesting, fascinating and touching gifts of my lifetime. It came from the leader of our Writing Group who spotted an Artists Trading Card Travel Kit (ATC kit) at Ruby Dog's Art House on Kingsway & Fraser in Vancouver.

Essentially this travel kit is a blank CD case filled with tidbits of amazing things. Through the clear plastic I could see a small compass, clothespins, teeny tiny puzzle pieces, a piece of 8mm film, a coin of foreign origin, stamps, pieces of maps, a slide for a slide projector, and even a piece of blue fringe-like string. As I turned it over and over to get a look at the pieces I thought that perhaps it was a scrap-booking kit but the note from my friend said that although this was actually an ATC travel kit she saw it as a portable writing prompt kit. She suggested keeping it in my purse for whenever I had a ten minute break and needed writing inspiration.

When I opened the case it was if the world around me slipped away and I was presented with a feast of sensual and tactile delights. It was magical. The 8mm film piece revealed scenes of natives in Africa, there was pieces of foreign paper money, the thick cardboard of a ticket stub, and the crisp tissue like paper that had the Eiffel tower on it and the words French Madeleine's.

A red folded sheet inside explained that the movement started in 1997 when Swiss artist, M. Vanci Stirnemann, created an exhibit of 1200 hand-made cards. On the last day he invited others to create their own cards and trade with him. These miniature pieces of art are traded around the world and ATC swaps are run in almost every major city around the world. The only official rule is that each ATC must be 2.5" x 3.5".

During this past week I've spent time with my kit several times; a few days ago my eye was caught by a map piece that was obviously biblical in nature and the back discussed the King of Tyre and Israelite King Ahab. This made me think that it would be fun to write something from that biblical period as it is a time frame I know something about; I just never considered such a historical setting before. Now I have the beginning of a story starting to swirl around in my mind and when it takes a more definite shape I know there will be something worth putting down on paper.

I've spent some time checking out ATC's on the Internet--its an amazing concept. Keeley and I are planning a trip to Ruby Dog's Art House soon. I've mentioned the store name to a number of friends and they have all said its is the most incredible place and well worth a visit too. I'll let you know when we visit.

The old adage “Give a hungry man a fish and you have fed him for today; teach a man to fish and you have fed him for a lifetime” came to mind as I was writing this story. The gift my friend gave me was a really quite simple but it is one that has inspired me and has endless possibilities. My friend didn't just give me a one time gift; she gave me a gift that triggered my creativity and that is going to last a lifetime.

Salynne ©2009

January - An Experiential Gift for You

My blog today contains a gift for each and every one of you. Please follow the instructions to get the most out of your gift.

1. Read through the full instructions first so that you know what you will need to do. Then go back to the beginning and take action.

2. Get up from the computer and get yourself a drink-and I'm not talking about the alcoholic kind. Since our bodies are made up of 55% to 75% water and 90% of us do not drink enough water on a daily basis I want you to do this as an act of personal care. You might want to put the kettle on and make yourself a cup of herbal tea or get a big refreshing glass of water, perhaps with a slice of lemon (remember black tea & coffee dehydrate); the key is to choose something that is nourishing and refreshing for your body.

3. Sit down at the computer & have a sip or two of your drink.

4. Reposition yourself with your feet on the desk or do whatever you need to do to get into a comfortable relaxing position in front of the computer.

5. Take another sip or two of your drink.

6. Put your mouse on the play button of the video below.

7. Close your eyes (this is the most important part).

8. Hit the left button on your mouse so the music starts to play.

9. Sit back and listen to the music with your eyes closed. If you feel like having another sip of your drink please feel free to do so. Remember to open your eyes though because I won't be liable for anyone who tries to drink hot tea & spills it on themselves because they're crazy enough to try drinking with their eyes closed! After each sip of your refreshment close your eyes again and let yourself be carried away by the music.

10. When the music stops you can decide if you want to hit the play button again and extend your gift one or more times until your drink is done. You might want to watch the video the second time as there are many beautiful photos. If however, the house is quiet you might just linger and sip your tea or water in the silence.

11. Enjoy. Wishing you a few moments of peace and a simpler life.

Salynne ©2009