Yes, I call myself a writer

Over the past few days I have unintentionally initiated quite the debate on my facebook page. The cynicism, sarcasm and disbelief over the healthcare debate I have posted in my status has riled up my sister-in-law (out of four kids, she's the only one who doesn't have the liberal views of her siblings, including, thankfully, my husband) and a former Sunday School/Bible School (boy)friend. But I have also gotten thank yous and Amens! from high school classmates and current friends.

I am not a political person. I never read the paper and the news is usually background noise to me, but once in a while my ears perk up. When I believe injustice is occurring (opposition to same sex marriage) or people are making insane accusations (Obama is a Muslim), I get really miffed.

However, I'm not a debater. Conflict makes me uncomfortable. Rightly or wrongly, I'm not a fighter. I can't think on my feet, I think with my pen (keyboard). And I think with my heart.

I have many things I want to say in response to the comments that were made on my facebook page. But today's not the day. I only have two precious hours to sit in the air-conditioned bookstore and just write before I have to pick up Tator.

I wasn't sure what I was going to write about when all that "other stuff" was on my mind and I wanted it off. And then I clicked on my google reader and saw this:

Call yourself a writer?

Why, yes, I do. Gotta read this one, thought I. And then at the bottom of the post I saw this:

I’m tagging Blues of a Waxwing, J. Lucy Muses, Motherhood: The Final Frontier, Some Mothers Do ‘Ave Em and This Is Worthwhile but feel free to do it even if you weren’t tagged.

I've been tagged. Love it! And incidentally, I've been tagged by the one person who makes me feel inferior when it comes to "reporting" opinion on the news of the day. Noble Savage is a journalist by trade. She know her stuff and she's not afraid to tell it like she sees it. She is one of the reasons I'm not quite up to telling it like I see it today (maybe tomorrow after I've a chance to think with my mind and my heart). So, thank you NS for the following meme.

Which words do you use too much in your writing?

Actually, just, and really.

What’s your favourite piece of writing by you?

For its honesty and the response it drew, this one. For its silliness, this one. For the therapy of telling a painful story, this one. And for my mommy world in all its glory, this one.

What blog post do you wish you’d written?

Due to my constant inability to keep up with all the blogs I've already bookmarked and my fear of falling in love with more if I follow too many links, there aren't too many options for this answer. I'd have to say pretty much anything by Noble Savage (did I mention how much I admire her informed rants?) and this honest description of normal, womanly, motherly despair and the self-prescribed solution by Lia Mack.

Regrets, do you have a few? Is there anything you wish you hadn’t written?

I do regret how much time writing this blog has taken from my family and any "real" writing (for possible publication). I do regret how some posts are not examples of my greatest writing, but I don't regret any particular posts.

How has your writing made a difference? What do you consider your most important piece of writing?

I don't have a large following *yet* so I don't know that I've made that much of an impact on the world at this point. But although no one has told me my writing has made a difference to them I have had positive response to a few of my posts. The one with the greatest response was this one asking mothers to keep talking so we can stop judging ourselves. I believe this to be so important.

This blog has made a difference to a friend of mine. She also started writing one only to discover it is therapeutic and that she, too wants to be a Writer. That makes me cry!

Name three favourite words

Debit or credit

…And three words you’re not so keen on

I'm soaked, mama! (at 2am)

Do you have a writing mentor, role model or inspiration?

In the world of writing I have a number: Julia Cameron, Barbara Kingsolver, Madeleine L'Engle, Anais Nin. In my new career of teaching journal-writing, it is Kathleen Adams.

What’s your writing ambition?

Immediate: To write everyday. Near Future: To be published in Brain, Child. Long Term: To make a living as a freelance writer and teacher.

What is the best compliment you’ve ever gotten about your writing?

That I am inspiring.

The rules:
If you have time to do this meme, then please link to my original, then link to three to five other bloggers and pass it on, asking them to answer your questions and link to you. You can add, remove or change one question as you go. You absolutely do not have to be what you may think of as a “published” or “successful” writer to respond to this meme, I hope people can take the time to reflect on what their blogging has brought them and how it has been useful to others.

I tag: Raising Smart Girls, Heidi's Notes from Vermont, and Slightly Irrational

Let's Mingle!

One of my newly established "internet friends" at raisingsmartgirls.wordpress.com asked her readers to answer some questions about themselves so we might get to know each other a little better. I have some readers I know nothing about other than by the comments they occasionally post (come on people, I need more love!). Will you join in? Either answer in the comments or post on your own blog.

• What do you do for your job?

I am mother of two, wife of one, and cleaner of much. I am also trying to establish myself as a freelance writer and journal writing workshop leader.

• What work feeds your souls (this may be identical to your job, but if so, then you are a lucky creature)?

The mother, wife, and cleaner part of my life are definitely not soul-feeding (except when Hubby and I have long talks - after the house is finally quiet and we're still fractionally lucid - and remember why we are so good together.) Writing is my life line.

• What intellectual topics fascinate you and want to learn more about?

After reading RaisingSmartGirls' extensive list my few intellectual interests seem sadly inadequate. But here goes:

1. Spirituality (finding it myself and seeing how it works in other people's lives)
2. Writers, their lives and their techniques
3. The real lives of historical - not necessary famous - figures (particularly females)
4. Human behavior based on personality/type (Myers Briggs, for example)
   

• What are your hobbies?

Hobbies aren't on my radar right now. I barely seem to have time to breathe these days. I'm also way too hard on myself - when I have a moment free from the kids I work. Even if I do get to a coffee shop I bring about four projects. I guess the truth is, my work is my hobby. For example, right now I am reading Christina Baldwin's Life's Companion and I am trying to go through all the journal exercises that accompany it. I give myself homework and make myself feel guilty if I don't get it done. True hobbies are:

1. Writing (journal, blog, personal essays)
   
2. Reading (historical novels, personal essays, mysteries)
   
3. Coffee shops
4. Rearranging furniture & decorating the house (NOT as in painting, wallpapering)
   
5. Antique stores or other fun shops/little towns
   
6. Creative projects (that I regrettably never get to do anymore): drawing, making notecards, photo albums (not scrapbooking).
7. Chatting with friends (I don't have many, we're new to the area... and shy)
   
8. Guilty pleasures? TV, shopping.

So, there goes. Your turn!

edited to say: This shows how much I am out of touch with my own loves - I completely forgot to list a couple of my hobbies. I love to sing and I used to sit at the piano or in my car and sing and sing. I have sung numerous solos over the years and at times (especially when a little down) I would go through my entire repertoire (and usually make myself cry). I also like to dance. I'm not good at it but sometimes I will put on some Middle Eastern or African music and just lose myself in the rhythm.

Let's Talk About Me

I had no patience with the children's antics tonight, and while I would like to turn to a glass of wine for solace, the bottle is dry. So, here I am hunkered over my laptop instead. Writing is my drug of choice and thankfully I don't have to put on a bra to go out to get it.

But, unfortunately, my bottle is also dry and I need to borrow a blog topic. This one is from Noble Savage: visit her - she's a working/writing mother who is intelligent, opinionated, and funny.

Here goes...

15 years ago today I would have been:

• Finishing up my thesis for my History Honors Degree (comparing the fashions of Renaissance and Victorian Europe... don't ask when I thought I would use that in real life.)
• Living at home.
• Driving around in a 1984 Subaru (the first car I purchased with my own money) with the license plate "Yeovil."
  

10 years ago today I would have been:

• Suffering through the death throes of a seriously wounded relationship.
• Living in a large house with two exotic dancers (not by choice).
• Working in the Trust Department of a bank but actively searching for something less boooorING.
  

5 years ago today I would have been:

• Fighting off fire ants and casserole-bearing church ladies in Mississippi after moving there a month earlier.
• Loving being a stay-at-home mom to 15-month Little Lady after leaving the Youth Orchestra where I had worked as Marketing Assistant for the last five years.
• Wondering what the hell I was doing 1,500 miles away from my parents and four seasons.
  

1 year ago today I would have been:

• Celebrating the first anniversary of being back in Vermont and two months in our own home.
• Walking from home to the coffee shop, library, book store, and park.
  
• Finishing a course in Children's Literature.
• Beginning a instructor-certification course in Journal-Writing.
• Laying out a program for a local theatre group.
  
• Starting Tator in playschool for two mornings a week so I could write...(ha! laundry had a way of ruining that plan.)
• In disbelief that Little Lady was finishing pre-school and headed to Kindergarten in a few months.
  

This year I am:

• A certified instructor of Journal to the Self through the Center for Journal Therapy.
• A published writer... finally!
  
• Working part-time in a 45-female-only gossip tank (there are two males but they sit there quietly enduring the catty-ness) and wondering every day if I'm crazy not to leave well enough alone.
• Writing whenever, whatever I can and trying to make (and stick to) writing goals.
• Attempting to overcome my "impostor syndrome" and schedule journal-writing workshops.
  

Today I:

• Actually got up early enough to write in my journal before the kids woke up.
• Walked to work.
• Endured another (extra) gossipy-catty-entitled-employee day at work (and I admit I was part of it).
• Did a Walmart diaper run (why are boys so hard to potty-train?).
• Talked to/got emails from three people interested in my workshop.
• Am watching American Idol (Adam, that should have been you!).
  

Next year I hope:

• Not to be working outside the home.
  
• To have a regularly-scheduled workshops and plenty of word-of-mouth advertising.
• To be more comfortable with submitting essays and queries.
• To have time to write (and actually using it to write).
• To have more readers on my blog (and maybe making money off it).
  
• That Hubby is settled in a job he really loves (and that we don't have to move because of it).
• To be balancing motherhood and me-hood better than I am now.
• Have the money to re-do our kitchen, build a sunroom, and fix up the "guest house" (converted garage) to make it "The Writer's Retreat" (and pigs might fly).
  

In five years I hope:

• To be Joanna: Freelance Writer and Certified Journal Therapist.
• To have a real group of friends.
• To be a (contributing) part of this community.
• That both kids are happy in school (but not participating in every extra-curricular activity).
• That I don't have three children.
• That I'm aging graciously and that my 40s are the new... ME!