One More Year of School- the MFA in Creative Writing from Wilkes

Yay! I am stoked. I was accepted into the MFA in Creative Writing at Wilkes University- I'll be finished with the MA in Creative Writing in January, and with a dozen or so of my writing pals, we're continuing on to the terminal degree and I'll be done in January 2010. The MFA differs from the MA in that it's a terminal degree, like a PhD. I am excited about having the higher degree and would love to teach a class or two part-time once I am able, but I am most excited about more creative writing residencies and being a part of this creative community longer. Write on!

Back to Normal- Normal as I Can Be, Anyway

Ahhhhh.

That's a sigh of relief that my memoir draft is complete for the purposes of submitting it to the MA in Creative Writing Office, to then be sent to an outside reader. Of course, I still have a long road ahead of me to polish and rewrite and edit until it's truly ready to be submitted for publication. The past two weeks, I kicked it into high gear and just cranked out work. My housework as fell to the wayside, and now that I am done, I have laundry, dishes, floors to clean.

At so many points the past few weeks I've been inspired to write a blog post, but then my mentor's words came into my head. I was a slacker. I lack self-discipline. I think a lot of writers do. But the thing is, with her pushing me and me ultimately finishing, I realize that I CAN write something that long. I CAN finish a book.

Now, I can get to work on all the other ideas I have now that I know I can do it. And since I have no looming deadline or due date, I can get back to my random blog posts and get back to doing some freelance writing.

I have to say, too, that I am so super proud of everyone in my program at Wilkes. On June 22, 2007 we met for the first time in Breiseth Hall at Wilkes- all eager writers with lots of ideas, but not all of sure where we wanted to focus our MA efforts, which genre we'd choose, which story idea we'd run with. Now, TODAY, we are all dropping off our final drafts. Wow. I cannot believe we've come this far. Many of us (hopefully I will be accepted) will be continuing on for one more year for the M.F.A in Creative Writing. I just want to be part of this community longer. I am not sure that I'd start a new project, as I may continue to polish my memoir... choices....

The Reasons it Hasn't Been a "Daily" Dose

Last night, I received an e-mail notification that I had a new blog comment. It was from an anonymous reader who made the point that I now have an Internet connection at home, yet am blogging less. On the surface it doesn't make a hoot of sense. But, here's why.

I'm a slacker by nature, like a lot of creative people are. I realized that I was quite behind where I should be with my memoir draft- and with the help of my mentor I had to set a VERY aggressive deadline to get the draft done in time to graduate-- without having to take an extra semester. She made the comment that I blog a lot. If I had put this much effort each day onto my memoir, I would not be in this perilous situation. She's absolutely right. There are other, more personal reasons, I've been struggling with the memoir, but I wanted to check in and let the folks who read by blog regularly why I haven't had a new post in a while.

What's worse, is that as soon as I got my Internet connection- I was infected with something. I thought I fixed it- until today when the same thing happened. For that last hour and a half, I've rebooted six times. I think I am killing this computer in Office Space fax destruction styles. Or, if you watch family guy, the way Brian and Stewie destroyed the "Bird is the Word" record.

I keep the Internet closed, and Word up (haha, that sounded funny) to focus in my story. But the porn and loan and other advertisements still pop open. The only way to prevent this is to unplug my Internet. But in some cases, I needed research-- in going through the draft today, I wanted to add some stuff about George Carlin and "A Place for my Stuff" since that was a big part of my family's nomadic life. I wanted to get the wording just right, so I came to my blog where I had posted the video several months ago. That's when I realized that I no longer had flash. I tried to download it. Firefox wouldn't let me. Something must have happened when I wiped out all of my viruses and tried to increase my security settings. So, after spending an hour with help files, I got it to work. And that's how I came back to my blog- to see if the video was there. And then I decided, what the hell, let me take a break, vent and blog for a minute.

Please wish me well- I don't have much time to finish this. It won't by any means be publishable by next week, but it will have a beginning, middle and end and be able to get me to graduate. I have a lot of work to do to really finish this, but this is only the beginning.

Stuff Sweet Stuff. A Memorist Strikes Gold (and Mildew and Mold)

I cannot believe the crap I found. I mean stuff. Stuff. Stuff is good. I like stuff- I wrote about stuff before on this blog, and posted the video of George Carlin's schtick on stuff- it was a family favorite growing up. Here's a link to that- since I wrote that post, he passed away, so as you click on the link, think of George and all he shared with us.

So anyway- I like to save stuff. And I like to keep that stuff in boxes. Over the years, some of the boxes were transferred to Rubbermaid tubs for safer preservation. Many of my boxes of stuff have went from my house in Tulsa, to my several houses in the Poconos, to my mom's storage shed, to my apartment in Wilkes-Barre, to my house in Luzerne, to my apartment in Luzerne, to my house in Bear Creek and to my house in Sweet Valley. I've been on my own since I was 17 and some of these boxes, as just said, preceded even that. Some have not really been opened except to peek in and say, "Oh wow! I'll look at that later." When Dave and I decided to go our seperate ways, I got a very small apartment with no place for said stuff. So, I left with just what I needed, proclaiming to get a storage unit in a few weeks. Four months passed. I finally got a shed and moved a big chunk of that stuff into it tonight.

THE STUFF MEANS MORE NOW, THAN EVER BEFORE!
I have been thinking of this stuff for a while. Since I writing a memoir set from age 5 until about 16, I have been struggling for details. I knew I had pictures-- but little did I know just how much stuff I've saved. I struck gold tonight. Forget about my losing a few hundred dollars last night at the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Plains. I'm rich as ever-- in memories!

I found a journal from when I was about 14!! I only wrote 11 entries- but it's good stuff!! I now have dates of important teenage events, like the day I got my braces on. I told my mentor about how I was missing details- I couldn't remember how I met this one girl who became a close friend. I had this gang of people in 8th grade, but I didn't remember how we got together. Lo and behold, tonight I find a journal from 1991 that starts off like this: "I can't think of anything to write so I will tell you how I got my good friends...." Just like that- my answer from a young me!! I now kick myself for not writing more back then. But the material!! An amazing find! I found photo keychains with dates on them- so now I can piece together details!! I can now use these times and places as settings for my memoir. I now know WHAT I wore to a school dance. And-- where I bought it.

I found all my old paycheck stubs from when I was 13-16 working for the Tulsa World- not shabby for a young kid!! I found a clipboard I broke in half because I was having a bad day while selling papers. I found two Cadillac hood ornaments that my friend and first boyfriend (if you can call it that when you are 13) stole for me. I found MY GLAMOURSHOTS which I found once before, but shoved in a box somewhere. I found a dozen Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Super Mysteries found brother and sister's baby pictures. I found a button from a fife & drum corp event I went to in St. Charles-- I couldn't remember when that was and now I know that dates. I found my first business card from my first 'real' job in radio. Just so much stuff. I brought some of the stuff here, but eveything else is in storage now. These are all things I have been writing about-- but now I have access to them again-- now they aren't just things in boxes!!

My old footlocker I used for Girl Scout camp, which is filled with photo albums-- these pictures that I haven't look at for so long reveal more details I have been struggling for. What's even more is that I describe a lot about Dado's house and when I was 16 before I moved back to PA, I flew in for Dado's funeral. While I was there, I took pictures of everything so I could remember Dado's house. Everything that I talk about in my book- that lacks detail- has a photo. It was as if at age 16 I knew I would need these pictures one day. There are plane ticket stubs, receipts and so much more so I can piece together the memories. I know what happened- but sometimes forget in what order. I found a Friendship Fill-in book my mom got me before we moved in OK- it has all these little details of my childhood friends, what we'd do together, etc. and just brought a smile and a tear at the same time! I still keep in touch with Jasmine and Laura more than any of the others and just saw Cori last month-- but to read my words about my friends when I was 12 is just incredible. I learned that skiing, playing outside games and playing Nintendo were my favorite things back then. I could go on and on, but I guess that is why I am writing a book!!

All this stuff I have been carting around for 15 years finally has a purpose. It's my life, in boxes. It's my research lab. It's my memory lane. It's my fact checking station.

My mentor is on a retreat until the 14th, but I CANNOT wait to tell her about all this stuff I found, especially these journals. Reading those entries brought me to my state of mind back then-- gave me a peak inside what I was thinking and feeling.

Fun and Games and Writing in Amish Country

It's Sunday, Day Three of the Labor Day writing retreat. My Wilkes writing pals and I are having a fantastic time! We have an overstocked refrigerator, lots of coolers and the entire dining room table is covered in a Junk Food Buffet-- about a dozen kinds of chips (Lay's, Dorito's, Sun Chips, Fritos, Tortillas and more), rice krispie treats, pretzel rods, cookies- lots of cookies, and oh god, so, so much junk food.

Friday, we were up late catching up and there was a major dent put in a bottle of Jagermeister. We did a reading-Mike shared from his amazing story and then we played some games. I learned a new one, "It's true for me that...." which is kind of like a cross between Musical Chairs and Truth or Dare. It was after 4 a.m. before the last of us hit the sack.

Saturday, we slept in a little and enjoyed breakfast on our own and then my contribution to the food was lunch. We had a "Build Your Own Bob" lunch, where I had chicken, shrimp, green peppers, red peppers, onions, squash, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. The grill at our rental house was a little slow, so the cooking of the bobs took longer than expected, but it was a fun project. On the side we had Sweet Baby Ray's barbeque sauce for the chicken, Amish potato salad, coleslaw and pickles. Mmmm!! After lunch, my hangover dwindled- thank goodness.

Carol, Viannah and I took a field trip into Intercourse and stumbled upon Kettle Kitchen- a quaint, well-kept tourist-y village that had closed at 5 p.m. that day- so we missed seeing the insides, but we are going back Monday (they are closed today) to check everything out. I already took tons of pictures- there are 42 shops, a petting zoo and lots of cool things. So, so cute! On the way back, we got our picture in front of the "Welcome to Intercourse" sign and bought some baked and canned goods from a roadside stand-- the Shoo Fly pie was amazing! Just had another slice!

Later, we started to have some beverages, did some readings- Carol and I- played Balderdash-- but we were all starting to crash- long day and we up so late from the night before. I hit the sack around 2:30 a.m. Angie and I are sharing a Beauty & the Beast themed bedroom. Too cute.

This morning, Cory & Sara were in charge of breakfast- Eggs in a Nest (which I grew up with, calling them picture frame eggs) and mimmosas. Now it's about noon and we're getting ready to do some readings. We're having Taco Lunch and another grilled dinner- steak and corn and fruit salad.

As far as my reading went, my classmates gave me some great advice. I can't say enough about this group of people!

The Ghost of My Blogging Past

I don't really think of my blog as a diary. But in a way, it kind of is. I don't really get too personal or gushy like you would in a diary, but when you go back an re-read things from months or years before, you sometimes get a good feeling. You remember the emotions that you were feeling at the time you wrote it. As someone striving to become a memoirist, I've realized how much I wished I had written more down as I've lived my life. I looked back at a post from June 2007. It was a point in my life where I was somewhat content with a job at a local career school, although I hated the fact that they didn't use computers and hated the fact that they laughed at me when I mentioned that we should try advertising online and maybe doing something with MySpace or Facebook to attract students. (Haha- I now laugh at that company because I work for a company now that "gets it.")

So, I found a post that captured my thoughts at the time I made the decision to leave that place-- and because I believed in my ideas, my goals and myself- I found such happiness. Here is what I wrote in June 2007:

NOW SOME ADVICE FROM DONNA FOR ANYONE WHO NEEDS A PUSH:So, I was really thinking about how happy I am that I stood up for my choice in leaving my job. For those that don't know "The Man" (as I collectively call corporate America) wasn't gonna let me take off the last Friday of the residency. I don't think anyone with heart and soul would let The Man stand in the way of their dreams. Unhappy with other 'goings-ons' at the place, I decided that because they didn't see the value in letting me take off one measly day and missing a mandatory training, I gave my two weeks notice.What did I get in return for staying true to my heart, you ask?

1) A kick-ass new job @ Solid Cactus

2) 40+ new writing friends who understand the creative life!

3) Some great new writing mentors

4) A few people who I think will be close friends for life

5) Tons o' fun & lots
'o memories and jokes

6) 3 credits toward my master's

7) Motivation and energy

8) Ideas

And to think I would have traded eight hours of corporate training for all that! I made the right choice and I absolutely can't wait to continue on with this program. I seriously think this will change my life. Screw The Man. Let's write. Someone is smiling down on me....

I guess getting ready to spend more time with the peeps I met right before I wrote this last year is really reinforcing my decision. Since then,
not only has my writing grown, friendships blossomed, but things
career-wise have been awesome too. Hmmm. Think I'm happy??

Another Writer's Retreat this Labor Day Weekend! Second Annual!

I can't believe it has been one year since the first time my fellow Wilkes creative writers and I have gotten together for a retreat! Last Labor Day, my friend Mike S. invited us out to his house in Western Pa. We had a blast- you can read all about it here from my blog archives. Some nice pics, too.

Then, in April, we all got together again- even a few more of us than the first time- for a houseboat weekend at Raystown Lake in Central PA. Equally an awesome time. Here is my post-trip post on that.

This Labor Day, we're celebrating our second annual Jan09 Cohort Labor Day Outing-- doing something in Eastern PA- In Amish Country, Gap, PA to be exact. We're chipping in to rent a big house for three days-- we're gonna eat, brainstorm, read, critque, help, write, play games, party a little I am sure and enjoy some relaxing time in the hot tub or just in the quiet Amish country. There are almost 30 in our cohort group, but a small group of us- about 10 (including two spouses) are coming along for the fun! I can't wait-- I am all packed. Well mostly packed. And I am sure I will forget something. And I have to stop for groceries and beer along the way. Tonight, I have been deciding what I want to read to the group. I have a few chapters I want to read to entertain, and then a few I could use some help with-- so I am torn.

A sidebar to this is we were originally going to rent a home that was suspected to be haunting, but the property manager failed to update the website- the house was no longer available for rent. That was a big bummer because I was secretly thrilled about waking up in the middle of the night with a scary looking girl jumping rope in my room. But it really doesn't matter where we are- a friend's house, a house boat or a haunted house- it's about the time together!

I can't tell you how much these weekends mean to me- and I am sure the others. Time is ticking- we graduate in January! Some of us are considering sticking in the Wilkes program for one more year to do the M.F.A. in Creative Writing. I almost want to do it not for the additional degree or teaching credentials, but to be around my comrades of composition one more year. I know that this group we have is tight and we'll stay in touch the best we can, but I am going to soak up these retreats we do, the actual classroom/seminar time we have on campus each January and June and the online correspondence with my mentors and friends.

Oh- here's some pics and info on where I will be this weekend: http://www.lancaster-vacation.com/

Days 3-4 in Oklahoma

After I checked out of the hotel on Saturday morning, I didn't have Wi-Fi until very late Sunday night when I checked back into the hotel near the airport- then, I wanted to write my final OK vacation blog from the Tulsa airport- but they charged $5.95 an hour for W-Fi. Ugh. My Cleveland layover you'll learn about in my next blog. And Monday I traveled all day and crashed and went right to work this morning and went on a shopping extravaganza after work- so ah, the final vacation post isn't happening until just.... about.... now.

THE FINAL DAY IN TULSA

So- Saturday, after I checked out almost an hour late, my friend DG called me- he wanted to meet up- I wanted to get to my cousin's by 6ish, and they all live about an hour and a half from Tulsa in various towns like Krebs and Haileyville. He had to run his daughter somewhere and said he'd call when he was done. So, in between I did some more memoir research. I drove to the Yacht Club Apartment Homes, the first place I lived in Tulsa- first staying with my Grandmother and Theresa, and then getting our own place in the same complex. I actually made a video of it to help with my memoir. I recorded myself on the walks I used to take. Then, I stopped at Sonic and had a Coney and a Cherry Limeade- my first one in 14 years. (The pic to the left is of DG and I-- he is also in that pic a few posts back from when I was in OK as a teenager!)

After my enjoyable lunch, I decided to do more gallavanting- wanted to walk around the Woodland Hills Mall in Tulsa-- my mom worked as a manager of a store in the food court for a while and I spent a lot of time there-- but the mall parking lot was an absolute zoo-- so I didn't go in. By then, DG had called and we decided to meet up for a beer at a place called The Fox & The Hound in Broken Arrow. It was great catching up with him! Like with J, he reminded me of things I forgot, I reminded him of things he forgot- we caught up about families and careers. My visit with him wasn't as long as with J's, but it was equally wonderful! He said something really pivotal about our teenage years selling newspapers: "Somehow we accidentally learned some morals." My memoir centers around this job and what it meant- he and I discussed how at the time it was just something to do, to earn some money and have some fun. As adults, he and I both look back and see how this job helped us be the hardworkers we both are today. Kind of neat about reuniting with these people I haven't seen since I was a kid and hearing how we were similarly affected and all consider the job one of the most important things in our lives.

THE COUSINS

I made one more stop at Quick Trip and hit my cousin's address on the GPS. I met my cousin Shawn and is girlfriend Rachel at her parent's Italian grocery (where they live in the above apartment)-- it's a 100-year-old building and just adorable. He made an kick-ass lasagna with fresh veggies and herbs from the garden and a kick-ass bruschetta-- oh my good. Amazing. We all ate dinner at my cousin Eli's groovy pad, which was walking distance from Shawn's. My Uncle Pat; my cousin Zack and his wife and daughter, Tina and Ember; my cousin Michael, Shawn & Rachel and her son Matteo, and a few friends enjoyed the awesome dinner and some drinks. After dinner, me and Pat went to get some beer and we pretty much partied into the night at Eli's- went to a bar to see a band- hung out again until about 3-4am. Eli has lots of friends and neighbors so throughout the night, I got to meet of ton of locals passing in and out of the house. We took lots of pics, videos and laughed the light away. It was incredible to see everyone again- we had one killer time. (Picture- Eli, Michael, Shawn, Me, Tina holding Ember, Zack and Pat in front.)

The next morning, we didn't get up until about 11am-- we all got ready and went up the mountain to hang out at Pat's (and where all the boys grew up) and hung out, played Balderdash and chatted. We decided to head back into town-- picked up some pizza and this time headed to Zack and Tina's house for dinner. Tina made an awesome salad and pulled out some of her homemade bread and butter pickles- awesome. All of a sudden it was almost 8pm- I decided to head back to Tulsa to get a hotel by the airport so I didn't miss my flight. (Picture- Their friend Gates, Rachel, Shawn, Friend Kyle, me, and Eli an an awesome Beatles shirt).

FINAL THOUGHTS

Taking this trip was the best idea I've had in a long time. Just being in Tulsa brought back a flood of memories. As I walked various spots around town, I could feel emotions-- like my mind/body knew something important happened at that very place. I tried to take in everything- even smells and sounds. The hardest part about writing a memoir is the details- not just the little details about people and places from long ago, but also the feelings and how I felt that long ago. This trip really helped me. I took lots of notes. I even did some research that I didn't think I'd do.

Aside from the memoir research, being back with most of my cousins (there is only one I didn't get to see of the Duffy pack- he's in NJ) was awesome. All of them now have their own places, and in some cases, their own families. I grew up with these boys at the most important part of our lives I think- the childhood years. It's with them that I learned how to be one of the boys, a trait I think I've had since I was very young. They've all done some incredible things in their lives-- many have explored a lot of the globe- and they have such strong family values yet live simple, humble lives-- I often wish we saw each other more. Love them so much!! But I'll tell ya what- even though we don't see each other very often, when we get together, we instantly connect like we just saw each other yesterday and we always stay up until dawn together- whether it's partying (now that we're older), playing games or watching the Goonies over and over again.

Day 2ish in Tulsa

Wow am I tired. I kind of like that everything is slower paced out here in Tulsa- speech, driving, etc. I woke up at 11:00am and was worried I was late for check-out- I called to let them know and they said, "You're good- check-out is at noon." So what did I do? Slept a little more and know I am blogging- won't have wi-fi now for a day or so- so I am checking out about 15 minutes late.

The "Quadroplex" - this is where I lived for most of my memoir. Good and horrible memories from this place!

Yesterday was awesome- I already wrote about lunch with my cousin, but after that I met up with my old friend J and we went gallavanting aroud Tulsa- he has a great memory, so we were able to find all my old houses. We heard that our one other old friend M. worked at the Wal-Mart in Sand Springs, so we headed out there to see if she was there- about 15 minutes out of town. On the way there, we got off an exit and J directed me to DG's old house- it was tinier than I remember-- he was our first friend back then who had his own place and we partied there one night- the first night I ever got sick from drinking. See? This is what this trip is all about- the good memories. We never found M. but we did get in touch- through a Nancy-Drew-like-process with DG- he doesn't know we went by his old house yet- he was busy last night but I may do lunch with him today.

D and his girlfriend J had a bunch of the old newspaper crew over here in West Tula one night- my first time being sick and some other memorable things.

Our other old crew buddy DT was going to meet up with us, but never made it. That made me a little sad. So, J and I hit up a bar called Crawpappy's- the kitchen was closed. Darn. We had a few Bud Lights, a Yager and two Rattlesnakers, which I forgot existed- again- brining back memories. After the bar, we were gonna do breakfast because I was starving but I asked if Taco Bueno was open late- they were- so we went there instead. That was a top priority on my list for this weekend! Eat at Taco Bueno.

J and I inside my first Tulsa bar experience- Crawpappy's- not a bad place. Hey-- scroll down a few posts to "Knocking on Tulsa's Door." There is a pic of me and him from 1993 and here we are today! Haha! He still likes green stripes.

Old School. No really. My Old School. And catching up with cousins....

Had a great lazy morning! Slept in, wrote a blog, took my time getting ready. I made plans to meet up for a late lunch with my cousin G. and his wife M. before they headed to Texas for the weekend to see her brother- wow- talk about timing! If I came in a day later I would have missed them.

School is already in session in Tulsa, so I stopped by my old Middle School first, Nimitz Middle School, got a visitors badge and asked about what teachers from 1990-1992 were still teaching there- three of them that I had were there and all had their lunch breaks at noon- so they let me hang out in the teachers lounge until then. I found all three- they were a great three to run into as well. Mr. S. was the art teacher, but also the yearbook advisor and I was on the staff- it was his second year doing it, so he didn't remember me exactly, but he remembered the yearbook- I explained to him that I remained doing yearbook and newspaper stuff through the rest of my school years-- and we talked about how when I was in 8th grade we cut pictures with scissors and used rubber cement to make collages and for all the layouts, we used to do everything my hand with these big layout sheets. Wow! Mrs. B. was my English teacher and she was thrilled that I was writing a book- she literally jumped for joy. Mr. Y. was my civics teacher and I didn't get to tell him that for a time I was active in the local young democrats. So they were three classes and teachers I enjoyed so it was neat they were still there. Our reunion was only for five minutes, but it was neat!!

Then, I went to Memorial High School. Got a visitor pass and said I was going to the office, but I walked the whole school. I knew a guy I went to school with that was teaching math there-- I walked by a classroom and heard a very loud teacher- it was R.P!! I peeked in the window and he was in-depth in the middle of a lesson, so I didn't knock- but I kind of wish I did. I was at the school at a bad time- the bell had just rang, so it would have been hard to get to see anyone and time was ticking- I had to meet G and M for lunch.

We chose El Chico, a Mexican place with a few locations in Tulsa, but we chose the one in the mall. We had a really nice time catching up- mainly talking about our schooling, major changing, etc. They are both super smart and sharp and I wish them all the luck in the world! The great thing about my family is that we take chances and never settle-- I can see that in G and his wife too. When they graduate college, they are likely to leave Tulsa and head to the Northwest-- just like that. It's awesome.

Just thought I'd check in with a blog so I can keep these memories fresh, too. Tonight- gonna drive by the old places I've lived and walk around, try for some pics (one of the apartments became a gated community so not sure how to get in there now- but I have been known to be very resourceful) and then later try and catch up with some old friends from the newspaper crew. I asked G where some hot nightspots were so if I can't meet up with people I know, I may just go hang out on Cherry Street, where there is supposedly some great live music on weekends. Loving my trip so far.

Day 1.5 in Tulsa

Hello everyone. I cannot believe I am here. Seriously. It's one thing to grow up somewhere and go back and visit every now and then- it still seems recent that way. But man- it's been 14 years since I have been here. It was hard to see Tulsa last night becauseI arrived around 10:15 Central Time and was dark. I actually had a great flight from Wilkes-Barre to Cleveland- sat next to a man I checked in behind and then subsequently saw him again in the airport bar beforehand- I had a few Lagers before the flight. It's kind of strange- every time I fly I play a game with myself in the terminal called, "Who Do I Think I Will Sit Next To." So, I won. I thought it'd be nice to sit next to him because he seemed nice, and I was the last one on the place and looked at my seat, and lo and behold, it was next to his.

We struck up a conversation and it was amazing- he's a newspaper guy. Publishes a Midwest alternative weekly like the one I used to freelance for-- and he used to work for the Village Voice- the god of all alt. weeklies. He's getting ready to launch his new website and I work in the Internet industry so we had a great conversation the whole way about the net, targeted marketing, the future of advertising, books, skydiving-- the whole nine yards. We didn't exchange information or anything, but I may try to look him up and tell him how he made my flight!

My flight from Cleveland to Tulsa was pretty bumpy. We rode on clouds the whole time. I did play the, "Who Do I Think I Will Set Next To Game." I was kinda hoping Drew Carey would be on my flight since he is from Cleveland. As I was enjoying a Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie (which cost me $6.00), I scanned D8 terminal and picked out a nice lady I thought I'd hit it off with. Turns out, the way this plane is set up, I sat next to no one. The left aisle only had one seat, so I scored gold and got a window and an aisle, the wing seat. It was so cloudy, I couldn't see a thing the whole way, but the sky cleared when we were over Tulsa- pretty cool and hopefully telling of my trip.

The landing was bumpy- the wheels were squeaky, but I landed so I wasn't going to complain. I got my purple luggage and headed to Hertz. I was given a free upgrade to a small SUV- a Mazda Tribute- also with a free GPS. I punched in the address of my hotel and let the computerized lady tell me where to go. So, I didn't have to worry about remembering my way around. I still made a wrong turn and ended up passing my old apartment-- my heart was racing- I could tell I was getting excited for my adventure. I turned around and found my hotel, checked in, called one of my friends here in Tulsa and crashed.

I just got out of the shower and am waiting for my cousin G. to call me back about breakfast. If he doesn't call soon, I am headed to my old middle school and high school. I heard that some of my old HS friends teach at the high school, which is cool. Have to get some batteries first for by DV(oice)R.

So, since I am in OK, I will say, see y'all lated.

Knocking on Tulsa's Door: Excavating Memories

Wow. I can't believe I am headed to Tulsa, Oklahoma tomorrow after work. I'm packing light and prepared to walk, talk, interview, observe and finally, just visit. Most of all, I want to excavate memories. Some for the purpose of my memoir, some with my family.

14 years since I've been there. I've seen my Oklahoma aunt and uncle and cousins since I've moved, but always here in PA. I haven't seen or really heard from anyone I went to school or worked with in Tulsa since I was 16. Thanks to social networking, I've reconnected with one of my best Tulsa friends and coworkers and have been talking with for a few months, we'll call him JP. Aside from that, very recently I've connected with a few on Facebook- but many of them do not live in Tulsa anymore. And just this week, I found two more friends- one via the online white pages (GH) and then another from GH who passed along DTs (not me, haha, same initials) number. I wasn't sure where I would stay, but I finally decided to book a room in Tulsa for my first two nights this way I have wi-fi and a reference point while I am in town. I found a hotel a few blocks from where I used to live. This is great because I can walk around my old neighborhoods!! I am stoked.

J and I before a Little Texas concert at the Tulsa Fair in 1993 (?)

Now let's get back to GH. And let me preface this by saying this will be a rare "sentimental blog entry" for me.... GH was my boss when I sold newspapers door-to-door for the Tulsa World. My first boss and a HUGE part of my life. Can't give away all the details or else you'd have nothing to look forward to for my in-progress memoir. At any rate, a few years ago I watched The Secret. One part of that DVD really struck me- about gratitude for what others have done for you and how once you start to feel that and recognized that, positive things can come your way. So, that inspired me to write hand-written letters to several people who really inspired me and enouraged me in my life, or even some that did really big favors for me in the past. One of those letters went to GH- although I was never sure if it was the correct address.

I really didn't have business cards. There was a machine at the mall and we all made our own cards. I think for $1.00 you got four.

So- one of the first things he said when we began to talk last night was, "So, I got your letter." There's long stories involved, not for this blog, but he didn't respond to the letter back then. And that's okay- I wasn't looking for people to respond. Anyway, in my letter to him I mentioned the positive impact he had during a difficult time in my teenage years, and how to this day as an adult I used things he'd taught me. I really could go on, but this is a blog post and not a memoir chapter. At any rate, he said this to me: "Your letter meant the world to me."

When he said that, I kind of choked up. I can't imagine what it must be like to receive a letter out of nowhere from someone you mentored 14 years earlier saying how much they meant in your life and life choices. It must have been an amazing feeling. Furthermore, he explained that it was actually a tough time in his life and it reassured him. He and I then talked for nearly two hours-- not really much time to catch up for 15 years-- but nonetheless it was a cherished conversation-- he told me how I always had the desire to win, and had "the fight" inside me to be the best, to be unstoppable. Back then, it was selling newspaper subscriptions door-to-door, but its still something I have inside me. He recognized that when I was 13-15 and kept me motivated to always do my best. And when I do my best, to show me that I can still get better than my best. My industries have changed, but the fire that GH lit all those years ago still burns strong. He groomed me for success. I am completely happy with my life and where I've been and where I am and where I want to go. Were there bumps? Oh god yeah. But the spirit and heart GH dug out of (I always had it- just took someone to notice and pull it out) is what kept me kicking.

The newspaper crew, led by GH and then later by M. and the guys I worked with were my life, my family. That's why my memoir centers around them. That's why I am going to Tulsa. Here's a crew of them below from an overnight sales trip to Arkansas in 1994 or 1994-- is the one giving the peace sign and DT, who I will also see is the the right under him next to me and the redhead.

My classmates in my creative writing class have read my early drafts of my memoir but it has took a complete turn. I have a great mentor who is pushing me- like GH did all those years ago- and I look forward to sharing this story with everyone soon.

Okie Dokie Here I Come.... Most Likley

I hate that I am actually writing a blog about going to Tulsa, Oklahoma before I have the plane ticket. But, I am a firm believer that writing things down helps "make it happen." Most motivational speakers will tell you that.

So, here I am writing about a trip that I still need to get a ticket for and that I still kinda need to plan more for. But last I checked, I can go round trip for $269. That's not a shabby deal. Renting a car for two days on top of that may not be too bad either. I haven't had a vacation in years, so this is close to one as I'll get. Three days of reminicising. I don't need many plans- I'll flop somewhere. I still know people there. Or, I'll just get a hotel. Since I was small, I've had an infatuation with hotel rooms.

This whole trip to Tulsa is all to help me with my memoir, a literal trip down memory lane. A few other memorists in my class have visited their roots- but the problem with my story is that most of it takes place 14oo miles away. But- I've been meaning to visit anyway, so may as well pop in and see my cousins and then do research:

My Plans:
1) Visit Nimitz Middle School
2) Visit Memorial High School
3) Eat at Taco Bueno
4) Go to Woodland Hills Mall
5) Visit all old houses:
a. Yacht Club Apartments
b. Villa Fontana Apartments
c. Duplex off 51st Street
d. Perhaps the house in Muskogee if I feel like it
6) Visit Tulsa World Building downtown
7) Drive aimlessly throughout neighborhoods I used to knock doors on (Selling newspapers)
8) Drive by my orthodontist's office
9) Visit the hospital my brother and sister were born at
10) Meet up with as possibly as many people as I can that I knew... you never know what detail that will job
11) Visit my relatives in McAlester area -- that will jog some memories too

I'll bring my digital recorder so I can talk about what I see... and then snap a ton of pictures to add to my memoir research wall. When I have pics of the past in front of me, it helps me remember. I will practice saying, "pop," "y'all," "fixin' to," and "right yet."

OTHER COOL THINGS THIS MONTH
-Bethlehem Musikfest and visiting with some gals from my creative writing class
-PAINTBALL with my Cacti co-workers- not as many people going this time around, but I am so stoked about this-- http://www.skirmish.com/
-A picnic arranged for my friend Cori and her brothers and sisters- she lives in AZ and her sister is overseas in Turkey and her other brother is in NY-- so while it is a family reunion of sorts, a bunch of friends are invited too- I see her once every few years- but I have never met her two kids, so I am thrilled!

So yeah- anyone with any ideas about Tulsa today- lemmee know! I heard things are very different now. I am sure I can find my way around still..... If I had the time, I'd drive there to relive the whole moving experience.

I Wanna Write Superpokes for Facebook & Relaxing Saturday

I've had quite the relaxing weeked. I've needed one, too. It's been pretty non-stop between working and writing for school. Mental strain and drain is sometimes more of a reason than physical labor to just sleep....

I've started completely over with my memoir and I must say, it is worlds better than my first draft. And- even after the first 50 pages, I've gotten some great guidance from my mentor Bev (Riding in Cars With Boys), and I am pretty much going to revise these 50 before moving ahead-- which just with revisions alone, it will turn into about 80 pages I am sure.... It's amazing the memories that flow out when you get prompted from an unbiased source... Bev went through all 50 pages with me during a phone conference and she'd ask, "Why did you feel that way?" or "Well, what did he look like?" -- all these obvious questions that made me think I was rushing through the first chapters to get to what I thought was the focal point of thebook.... turns out, I've missed a lot of details. I have never been more excited to write, thanks to her encouragment and honesty. It's what I really needed....

One of the main reasons I went out on my own in May was to focus on the writing, so I have to. I am cheating myself if I don't. I gave myself the freedom, now it's what I make of it. I have to admit I've been enjoying freedom by going out a lot, too.

So- I kinda went off on a tangent there.... I was originally going to blog about how I've caught up on sleep. And it felt good. I slept in until noon on Saturday. Read a book. Fell back asleep, woke up at 2:00. Read a little more. (Crackpots, Sara Pritchard... lovely!) Got up, did a few things. Decided I may go to a camping birthday party. Was going to shower and get ready, but laid down again. Woke up at 6:00. I repeated the lounge, read, nap cycle until about 2am when I actually went to bed for the night. (haha) And then, I slept in until about 11:00 on Sunday. No one can understand how I can sleep so much except Dr. Dellarosa from the Wyoming Valley Sleep Disorders Center. But that's a whole other story. But today, I feel refreshed. I have some writing to do, must go get some food and stuff for the house and then will spend the day revising/rewriting.

But, I was on Facebook earlier today, and I just am in love with the SuperPoke application. It's fun. There's something for everyone. It made me realize that I could write some pretty good Superpokes. I wonder if they accept freelance submissions? I think that'd be pretty sweet if I was responsible for people poking each other-- but in another sense, by throwing a good party, I could do the same thing. Haha.

My Twenties Are Over ... and I Am Okay With That: Donna enters 30-hood- a lifetime summed up in a blog post

When I was a kid, 30 seemed so old. Heck, so did 21. I mean, 30 is a milestone birthday I guess, at least according to the greeting card companies. It's a new decade, so that's something special I suppose. But what I am not, is old. 30 is not old. Since I have been 29 for 364.5 days, I must say that I truly feel younger than ever, even though each day I've been growing older. The past few years have been pivotal- I finally graduated college, I started a career in ecommerce at an excellent company and I've started and am more than halfway through my Master's in Creative Writing. I recently also made some choices in life that have given me independence- the freedom to truly find out who I am and what I want to be. So, the late 20s have been the best years of my life, but I know the 30s will only get better.

Recently, I was trying to remember dates for the memoir I am writing- I was trying to get a focus on the years 13-16-- they seem so distant- but to help, I had to physically draw a map- so I thought I'd share the timeline of my life up until now.

1978- born in Philadelphia as Donna Ploshay.

1979-1981- learned to walk, talk, pee in a toilet, moved a lot

1982- started nursery school; mom got remarried and I get new last name too; moved to Poconos; travel to music shows on weekends

1983- started kindergarten at Tobyhanna Elementary Center; travel to music shows on weekends

1984-1987- no major life events, continued elementary school, was a great Girl Scout; played Mrs. Do Right in "Invasion of the Quarter Snatchers"; travel to music shows on weekends; go to Disney World

1988- 1989- mom got divorced; we moved around & mom met Joe who'd be stepdad

1990- move to Reading, Pa for part of 7th grade, back to Poconos for part of 7th grade and then to Tulsa, Oklahoma to finish out the year at Nimitz Middle School; my most nomadic year

1991- got braces and contacts; had my first boyfriend and first kiss; join fife & drum corp; start job selling newspapers door-to-door for Tulsa World & Tulsa Tribune newspaper

1992- little brother born; mom got remarried; I got drunk for the first time; start high school, join marching band (flute)

1993- Still in high school; still working for Tulsa World; quit marching band; little sister born; lost my virginity (details reserved for the memoir!); join school newspaper staff, The Sentinel, try working at McDonald's for little while but went back to selling papers

1994-Get driver's license and first car, move to Muskogee, OK to start 11th grade; move back to Poconos to finish 11th grade; start working at Big Boulder Ski Area, Split Rock Resort and Piggy's

1995-Start senior year, still have those three jobs, join local radio station's high school intern program; editor of high school newspaper and on yearbook staff; pretty uneventful

1996-1998 Won high school a rock concert, get in first car accident, graduate high school, move to Wilkes-Barre, start at Wilkes, get first apartment, get my cat, Spectra, work briefly at Red Lobster and Taco Bell, work in radio part-time, start dabbling in writing and internet stuff; organize protest on campus, join every possible communication studies club there is; present petition to city hall to allow roller blading in downtown Wilkes-Barre

1998-2001- Leave college at end of sophomore year to work in radio full-time, do really cool things, some that can't be printed, go to Memphis 2x, Nashville 3x; win some industry promotion awards, start freelance writing locally; Turn 21; HIGHLIGHT: Meet my birth father!; have first long-term relationship with boy

2001- leave radio to go back to school, but don't go back to school yet; have a stint at Best Buy and then start as admissions rep at local career school; still freelancing; first real break-up (but it was all good)

2002-2004 Start back at Wilkes part-time to finish degree; still working at school- GO SKYDIVING & Go on TLC for reality show called Help Wanted and place 2nd; still freelancing; meet new guy and move in with boyfriend for first time

2005- quit work to finish degree; enjoy being a full-time college student again; still freelancing; self-publish, Kids, Have You Seen My Backpack? And Other Inspirational Stories of Non-Traditional Students.; get pregnant, miscarry (twice).

2006- start working at same school again, but still have two more college classes to finish; still freelancing

2007- Resign from job at school when they don't let me change schedule for school; start at Solid Cactus, graduate college with BA in Communication Studies, begin Wilkes' MA in Creative Writing program; have College Prowler guidebook on Wilkes published; get engaged

2008- Here I am. What next?

P.S. Wanted to add more links, but I got lazy. Wanted to add pictures, but they are all still at Dave's house. I'll perhaps update with some baby pics later. ; )

A few changes

So, after coming back from residency I have a fresh outlook on my memoir project. To meet my deadline, I pretty much have to be dedicated to write two hours or more per day. To do this, I must 1: sacrifice sleep and 2: social networking time.

1. SLEEP
I've always been a wake-up-with-exactly-as-much-time-as-I-need-to-get-ready-for-work kind of girl and then to hibernate all weekend, except at night when there are things happening. Some of you know about me sleeping disorder, for which I am no longer taking medication for since Health Care in America Sucks. So, waking is tough for me.

Since I am really dedicated to my full-time job and often work late, my mentor suggested the best thing for me to do would be to get up early and write for two hours. Getting to work at 9am is a contstant, as opposed to what time I get home each night. Since I moved, I am less than two miles to work, so I actually do not have to get up that too entirely early. Maybe 6:30 until 8:30 so I can still have time for last minute stuff before I head out the door. This will take some adjusting, but the most important thing I was missing last semester, aside from support at home, is self-discipline (which kind of was detered anyway without the support: I almost gave up).

So, to keep on a schedule and make this work, I must get up early. I did yesterday and today. However, yesterday I had to write a freelance piece for the Ebiz Insider and then this morning Dave stopped over to pick someting up and we got to talking, and then I finished a few chapters in The Glass Castle and now am writing this, so while I've been up two hours earlier, I haven't written on the memoir in this time slot yet. I worked on some pages last night, however. Practice makes perfect is what the trite saying says. If my body can adjust to this change, then I am set. Plus, I won't feel as rushed going into work- I'll be relaxed.

2. SOCIAL NETWORKING
I can't help it. I get home from work, check my email, check MySpace, check Facebook and then somehow two hours pass and I've beat my high score on every word game on Facebook. I play Word Twist, Word Challenge, Bubble Words, WordScraper, Text Twist, and my favorite, Scramble. I am an addict to these word games and I HAVE to stop. I am wasting way too much time. It goes back to the self-discipline. I already do not have a TV and have been reading more. I don't think I am going to get a TV for a while. The only reason I really want one is for when I am bored (which I shouldn't ever be because I have so much work to do) and in case I to want to invite someone over to watch a movie, but I could always go to someone else's house. (And besides, we all know what "coming over to watch a movie" really means anyway.) And, I have to keep the Internet closed when I am writing so when I hit I lull I don't repeat my Word Game downfall in mid-paragraph. Maybe I will hook up my old desktop as a Wilkes faculty suggested a January panel- great advice- have one computer with ZERO internet access so you can just write.

So those are my issues. I need less sleep and less time online and then the writing will get done. I live alone now, I have no TV. I have the motivation of my mentor and classmates and no DEmotivation of someone who does not understand the creative writing life. I CAN do this.

Back from Residency #3 - A Week of Creative Writing and Fun

My third residency for my MA in Creative Writing at Wilkes University is over. ; (

As I pulled away from my parking space at the University Towers apartment, the lump formed in my throat. As I turned left onto Northhampton Street, I could feel the tears welling up. As I turned left at the McDonald's onto Wilkes-Barre Boulevard toward the highway to my house, it came out. I bawled. I made it home okay, but it was through a stream of tears.

That always happens when I leave the creative writing residency. It's a completely emotional experience. Only this being the third of four residencies, the bonds with my classmates and faculty are tighter, the work is better and we're all getting closer to being done.

Why did I cry? First of all- the people. I've written about this before on this blog, after the first and second residencies- When you are a writer, it's very hard to find people that understand you. So, the common thread we all share brings us tighter together, even though we see each other less than those in our daily lives. Some of my classmates had some breakthroughs in their own work this week and that made me so happy-- I am so proud of everybody. And it's not just the work we do- but the residency is filled with late night fun... there was not one night-- okay, morning-- that I did not go to sleep after having a great time with my classmates- whether it was at a bar, having an impromtu concert in a dorm room, playing board games or just shooting the shit while eating junk food. I think I saw the sunrise five times.

I also was brought to tears because I have more direction in my own memoir. I was struggling this past project semester (this is where we work from home between on-campus residencies) not only with the work, but not having the support I needed at home. Leaving the residency with a better direction, suce great inspiration from my mentor and classmates, having had an emotional breakthrough about what I want to include in my book and learning that I did make the right choice to move on my own recently really brought me to those "happy tears."

IF YOU WANT TO BE A WRITER--- JOIN US....

The creative writing program at Wilkes University is a force to be reckoned with. This week, we learned that several of our classmates ahead of us now are being represented by agents, are having screenplays optioned, are being published-- it's not just the writing, it's the networking and the community that takes place on campus. That combination can really set a writer up for success. There are other creative writing programs out there- not saying any names- that kind of mold a student to be the writer that school wants- maybe not allow a certain genre or something. At Wilkes, everyone has his or her own distinct voice and that's what makes this program different. That's the Wilkes difference. Other programs, a graduating class produces 30 of the same book... here, it's a grab bag!

If you are into poetry, non-fiction, fiction, screenwriting or playwrighting- you've got to consider the Wilkes University MA in Creative Writing. http://www.wilkes.edu/.

I am considering the MFA- Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Wilkes. Not so much for the advanced degree, but I think just to have one extra year there!

Okay-- sorry if this blog was way too sentinmental... Oh yeah- and to check out videos of our impromptu concert- check out my friend Jon's blog: http://www.jonwritesforthescreen.com/.

Back From a Blogging Hiatus

I'm back to posting. I cannot believe how long it has been since I wrote a post to the blog, but as you can see from the previous post, I just moved. That, and work has been busy. I've finally kicked my school work in high gear and I've also become addicted to this word game on Facebook that has sucked up an enormous amount of my time. So everything but that latter is a valid reason for not blogging.

The past few weeks, I've had random things happen and then I meant to blog about them, but didn't and now I kinda forget what they were. So, let me just rehash the past month.

MY NEW APARTMENT
My friend Andee said it best, "Ghetto can be very inspiring." The paneling on the walls here is odd and the bathroom has some strange pegboard wall. So to say the interior is interesting would be correct. But, it has character and is different and I think that suits me well.

The handyman still did not fix the outlet at the kitchen counter, so I make coffee from the TV stand in the living room. I don't have a TV- I left that for Dave because he deserves it. I figure I will get a TV, but I am not going to until after June 28th. I want to finish my memoir draft before I get sucked back into 6-hour CSI marathons on Spike TV every Sunday. My dryer broke two days ago, so I need to get that looked at too, or I may have to venture to the, GASP, laundromat. Ugh. Although it is a scorcher and could probably air dry my clothes- but then again, I don't have much in the way of a drying rack. I have a couch and a bed and a coffee table and two end tables. I need so much still. I need a desk, I need a dresser and a need a storage cabinent thingy. So, I am settled, but yet, not settled. But I can sleep, cook, shower and write. That's all I really need.

I think two people have called me on my new home number since I have been here. The first time, it was a weekend morning and it was Dave. I kept hitting the alarm clock. Both the phone and the alarm clock are new and I hadn't heard the phone ring yet, so I didn't know what it was. So, that was comical.

I realized that I waste a lot of food. I already had to chuck two loaves of bread. Since I live alone and really don't eat now since I have no one to cook for and am too lazy to just cook for myself-- so I buy groceries, but then they all go bad and I throw them away. I finally learned this week that instead of buying a whole gallon of milk, I can buy a half at a time. Instead of buying the bigg ass half and half, I can get a pint. Of course, that lasts a while anyway. I threw away these great onion pouch bread pocket things-- there were eight in the bakery bag... and I couldn't have the same thing eight days in a row, so they went bad. I bought a loaf of wheat bread-- I had three sandwiches, but then the bread went bad. Mold. Ick. The only thing that seems to keep is Diet Pepsi, Miller Light and iced tea. I fare okay in the bevergae arena, but I can't keep food to save my life.

FREEDOM
It's weird being nearly 30 (one more month to go!) and somewhat starting over again. I work with some of the coolest people in the world and I have so much fun hanging out. Right now, I am having my second cup of tea with honey because I have no voice. I had that much fun last night. Not that Dave or I ever had to ask each other permission to do things, but it is just cool to be on your own and just pick up and do something. I like that. Being in a relationship is nice too, but I forgot what living on my own meant. I've also reconnected with a few older friends I haven't seen in a while that maybe I didn't hang out with because it was just too hard to get together, so it's nice to just be able to do what I want without having to leave someone out. I have so many people I need to go see- I want to see Laura in DC-- she's lived there for years and I just never took the time to drive down. I want to go to Tulsa to see my family and old friends -- and also to do research for the book.

The important thing for me now is to just take time for myself- I am in the process of writing that memoir, and am really in a discovery phase-- it's strange to be this old and then are still learning about yourself- but I guess we all do, every day. Having my own space right now is the wisest choice I made. I can focus. Who knows where I will end up-- maybe being on my own was something temporary and things will go back to the way they were just two months ago. Or, maybe I will end up being a cat lady. Or, maybe I will meet someone. But I am not looking. The bottom line is that- I am just taking each day as it comes.

WRITING
My third creative writing residency is coming up in two weeks- June 20. I cannot wait. I absolutely can't. For anyone who just has that dream of writing a book- look into the MA in Creative Writing program at Wilkes. Even if you don't want to be published- just for personal enrichment- do it. This program is amazing. It's low residency which means that you start with an 8-day residency, then have a "project semester" where you learn two genres. Then, you come back for the second residency, choose a genre to specialize in and come with your story pitch-- you spend the week, in addition to classes, pitching your idea- you leave that Saturday assigned to a faculty mentor-- all whom have been published and we have some crazy, talented and successful authors on the faculty-- then you spend the next "project semester" drafting. So, that's where I am at. These next 8-days are less structured- we do readings, meet with our mentors and gain direction for the final "project semester".... between June and January- we revise. I go back in Jan. 2009 to graduate, read and also get to meet with agents, etc. So, that's the program in a nutshell- more like the mechanics of it because i didn't even get into what happens outside of class- the hilarity that ensues when you put a few dozen creative people together in a dorm or a hotel-- with or without alcohol. The friendships that are formed are amazing, the mentor-student relationships that are formed are too.

So, that has been my life recently. All good positive stuff. Are things hard being on my own? Sure. Can I manage? Yes.

What I learned from Augusten Burroughs

When you were a teenager, do you remember having heart palpatations when you were at a New Kids on the Block concert and you were close to, say, maybe Donnie Wahlberg? Yeah. I felt that way yesterday at the Free Library of Philadelphia when Augusten Burroughs walked on stage. 12 or so hours later, I still kinda have those butterflies.

My fellow Wilkes University MA in Creative Writing friend and classmate, Angie and I, along with her avid-reader friend, Shannon trekked into the city of brotherly love to see Augusten Burroughs read from his new memoir, A Wolf at the Table, which by the way is getting rave reviews from places like The Washington Post.

I cannot put to words how I felt when I read Running With Scissors. That book really gave me the courage to write my own memoir-- but at the same time, it also entertained the hell out of me. I don't think there is anyone else on this Earth like Augusten. In Running with Scissors, we learn that as a kid he loved shiny things and dreamed of fame. Now that he has it, guess what? He's just like you and me. He's honest, sincere and just so super-freaking inspiring to people like me. And he is funny as shit, too.

I did the unthinkable. I wrote him a fan/thank-you letter this morning. It's so strange-- when I worked in country radio, I had the really cool opportunity to meet some big names in the music biz-- and not so much with the big stars, but I also got to hang out and do some really cool things on a personal level with lots of singers (many who turned out to be one-hit wonders) that have had a lot of mainstream radio success. They were all cool, but it was so usual for me. I didn't get excited about meeting someone famous anymore. I don't get star-struck easy is what I am trying to say. Meeting Augusten was very different. He's truly someone I have related to for years. And I met him. And when he signed my book, he gave me writing advice and recommended a book to read (Elizabeth Berg- The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted.) There were hundreds in line ahead of us- but he didn't rush us. He wasn't tired. He wanted to talk to us. He's so humble.

I am not ready to share my story with the world just yet through this blog- but there are some things I never had the courage to put on paper yet-- some painful things I want to include in the memoir. Through reading Augusten, as well as the support from my Wilkes mentors, things are really coming together for me on the writing front. Finally. I am drafting it now, and will hopefully one day get to see it printed.

In his reading- which was FANTASTIC- he was just so animated. A Wolf at the Table is a little different than his past memoirs- this one is a told a little more seriously because as Augusten explained, he didn't have the humor defense mechanism developed yet- he was a lot younger. So as an aspiring memoirist, it was very cool to hear about this being in a totally different voice because it was a different time in his life. But Augusten Burroughs does not hide behind the podium. He walks around the stage with a wireless mic and tells us a story- he doesn't read to us. He shared it like he was talking to a few friends- not an auditorium filled with fans. He also reads his own audio books. I also listened to Running With Scissors and my god, did he do a stellar job. Makes me wonder why he never got into film or theater.

During the Q&A, he was just so open. He gave some great writing advice as well, describing the memoir process like I never heard before. Someone in the audience had asked if Augusten felt Scissors helped create the memoir craze-- which of course led to some "lying memoirs" so Augusten commented on that with an answer so amazing that I took notes on my checkbook (I didn't have my moleskine). The answer itself was one that I have been sort-of taught- that a memoir is the way we remember something. But the analogy he used was awesome. Maybe I'll post it later, but Angie and I were both blown away by his advice. He also quoted Einstein, that there is no one point of relation in the universe. We all see things from a different perspective. It was powerful. The whole freakin' night was just powerful.

And- if you have not read Augusten Burroughs. Do it. Read Running With Scissors first-- if you read that, I know you will fall in love with him too. Then, Dry. Then read the others- Possible Side Effects was great and so was Magical Thinking. I actually was with Augusten from the beginning because I bought Sellevision when it first came out- that's his only novel. I was a communications major, so I was always fascinated by TV stations..... Buy them from your favorite bookstore because I want his sales to soar. However, if you want you can also use the library or if you are local, borrow them from me.

But by golly, read Augusten Burroughs. Turn off the freakin' TV and read a reality book-- a memoir.

P.S. Speaking of courage, I have more. To really focus on my career, education and writing, I have decided to move into my own apartment in Shavertown- less than a mile from where I work. Out of respect for Dave, I won't publicly write a blog about the whole thing or share those kinds of feelings right now, but wanted to at least mention it because it goes along with this whole theme here-- but please know that everything is fine- it's on good terms and just something that I need to do. This week has really been a week of change! So, here is to new beginnings.

P.P.S- I didn't realize that I've blogged and written so much about him: http://randomthoughtsfromdonna.blogspot.com/search?q=augusten+burroughs

Procrastination

I am in the drafting semester of my MA in creative writing program, the semester we've all been waiting for-- to get our ideas on paper and get sound advice from our mentors and classmates and just kick start that book that's inside all of us.

I have an awesome mentor -- and am late with my first subsmission- not a good way to start things off.

So why is it that a lifetime of stories for my memoir aren't getting on the page? I think it's because don't know where to start. I think I am too sponstaneous a person to work with an outline.... The bulk of this is going to be my early teenage years- but I feel like I need to start earlier. Can I start in the middle? Do I start at the end?

While I've been contemplating where to start, I have been looking at coffee tables on Ikea, uploading pics to Facebook and biting and feeding and turning people in Zombies on Facebook-- and other random online things that are fun, but quite distracting. In one of the panels we had at the January residency at Wilkes was to have a computer NOT hooked to the internet, that way you are focused solely on writing. I guess in the days of typewriters, writers were a lot more productive.

I have so many ideas and so much to write, I just am having trouble getting them "down on paper." Anyone else have the problem?