"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined." ~ Thoreau
I’ve written seven consecutive days! I’m pretty impressed with myself. It’s been quite some time since I’ve had the guts to write. Although a lot of this isn’t deep or moving or inspirational, it’s writing. And, I am doing the writing. I like getting back into the groove.
For three years, I had been involved in an all-girls writing class. It was creative and uplifting and freeing. I was able to share so many things with these women; and developed close relationships with a few. The experience was so wonderful! My creative muse was released. My writing took strange and satisfying turns with each class, with each 8-week session. I was growing and finding my writing strengths. At some point, I felt comfortable enough to try writing for an audience outside of my class and Facebook friends. I started entering contests. I did fairly well, pleased that stories I made up were being read and critiqued by others.
I didn’t expect the critiques to be quite so harsh. As I read and re-read, I understood most feedback was really personal preferences – you should have used ‘cerulean’ instead of ‘turquoise’ or this would have been better told in first-person narrative. Not much of the criticism offered was helpful. I still entered contests and submitted my stories for review.
A few months ago, I entered another contest. This time, peer review
Last month, I found an interesting class offered by the Writing Pad. It’s a class that appeals to me and my writing style. It’s a five-week course, small group and I’m scared to death to write! First, it’s going to be a personal, revealing piece. (I guess it’s like writing a blog…but I don’t see your face when you read it…and if you have something not nice to say, it’s typically not commented…so, there’s some separation, some distance). Second,
Crap! I got distracted and lost my train of thought. Sigh
**I would like to wish my dear friend, Aly, a very happy and most excellent birthday!**
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
If Fraulein Maria were to ask me to list my favorite things, at the top would certainly be “a British man in a suit, singing.” Bryan Ferry, Squeeze, Tony Hadley & Spandau Ballet ~ mm hmm. One of my all-time favorites, of course, is Duran Duran.
I’ve loved DD since they hit
My family was late to the cable TV craze. I had pen-pals write me, describing videos in great detail because I couldn’t see them for myself. When we finally got cable, MTV and I became one. There would be a blank
My love for Duran Duran never waned. It’s been 30 years. And, I must admit, the band has whipped me (and other Durannies) into a frenzy! We’re all ready for the new Girl Panic! video!
A track from their recent release All You Need Is Now, the guys in the band have given us few details about the glam video starring the original supermodels – Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Eva Herzigova, Helena Christensen and Yasmin LeBon. Via Twitter, John Taylor shared some vague snapshots but gave no details. On Thursday, @duranduran shared ten (so far) video snippets, giving us a peek at the video.
You can only see the videos via the links on the Duran Duran Twitter page (@duranduran). The video looks glam and sexy and very Duran Duran!
Monday, November 7 is the day the video will be world-premiered at a Harper’s Bazaar event. After that, I expect it to be all over You Tube and Twitter. Hope you get to see it!
Were you – or are you – a Duran Duran fan?
Last night, I ran into my building manager and a prospective tenant. The guy had seen the three vacant apartments – all of which had been upgraded and are gorgeous. Building manager was doing the big push when I walked by.
"Darling girl, come meet Tom! He likes number 16."
We exchange the usual pleasantries ~ Hi…Hi…nice to meet you…you, too…should I move-in? Uh, yes, move into this building please – you’re adorable. I told him what I liked about the building, living there, etc. Then he asked how long I’ve lived in the complex. Er…uh…carry the one…13 years, I answer. Whoa, he said, with furrowed brow.
Yeah, I’ve been in my apartment for 13 years.
It was the summer of 1998. I had just returned from vacation to find my roommate had bought a place and I had to be out in a month. At the time, I was a Sign Language Interpreter out in Santa Clarita making about $28K. I needed to find a decent, cheap place ASAP. I drove around the area, writing down numbers. I collected newspapers, those rental books at grocery stores and Penny Savers. I found this in the Penny Saver - Lrg studio in NH, quiet bldg. $485/mo. Call Allan. It was more than my current rent, but I figured with some penny-pinching, the amount was doable.
I stared at the building from my parked car. Charming, pretty blue color…let’s take a look. As we walked to number 3, Allan gave me the history of the building and its tenants. The person who had lived there for the shortest amount of time had been there for eight years. Allan had been there for twenty. The longevity of the tenants appealed to me. The previous tenant of number 3 had moved to a one-bedroom upstairs. When Allan opened the door, I was in love. Who knew a spacious single apartment could come with a full-size kitchen, not a hot plate, and a full-size bathroom with a shower and tub?! What truly sold me was the dressing room with its built-in dresser, full-size closets and tons of storage space.
Back in the manager’s office, I filled out the application. Allan looked it over. “Oh, you work in the schools? I’ll knock $25 off your rent.” Done. For $460/month, I got my own apartment.
It’s 13 years later and I’m in the same place, paying a little over $600/month in rent. Every single day I think about moving. I dream about a one- or two-bedroom place or a little house with space and such. But, seriously. My rent is $600. If I moved, rent would easily double or even triple. I'd rather spend my money on living! I wouldn’t be able to do a lot of the extra-curricular activities I love – concerts, dining out, get-aways, vacations. And those are things I am just not ready to give up. Yet.
Until then, I’ll sit here in number 3 and wait for new neighbors.
