Quote of the Day: Time marches on, and suddenly you realize it is marching across your face! Truvy from Steel Magnolias. I played Truvy (Dolly Parton’s role in the movie) in a community theatre production of this play. It was my biggest role, and I loved it. The ladies I worked with were wonderful. Our director was my friend Pete. How brave of him to direct an all female cast. Drama inside a drama.
Today is the first Wednesday of the month (Again, that time keeps marching on!), and I’m participating in the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh. You can visit his site for more info and to visit other bloggers who are participating, and join, if you like.
It’s noon here in Minnesota, and I’m just getting to this post now. Today is the last day of school (Sing it, School’s out for summer!) which has it’s own kind of frenzied schedule. You’d think it would be slower paced, lazy days of summer, but not for us. We have driver’s ed., band lessons, choir camps, other camps, a Boundary Waters canoe trip for the scouts, motorcycle trips, Ride to the Rally, meet-ups with family and friends, not to mention a brand new attempt at Straw bale Gardening. (I’ll be writing about that later.) Plus, now, I need more food around the house for all those teenage boys. In fact, the next thing I need to do is go to the grocery store! So, you guessed it, where does writing fit in? Who knows? I have high hopes of finishing my current play and having a read-through. I think I’ll shoot for early fall. I really want to see it produced. I may even attempt to get into the Minnesota Fringe Fest next year. There’s where a big insecurity screams at me. Who would want to take a chunk out of their summer to do my play at Fringe? Well, I have a few people in mind. But, still, it’s hard to ask, to put your work out there, to take a risk.
Biker Chef Straw bale Gardens
For some strange reason I was feeling small this week, then my friend reminded me of all the things I do, many of them to improve the quality of life in our community and to promote the arts, and she said, “You’re not small, you’re big.” And, the editor of Her Voice (a magazine I write for) wrote a lovely editorial on me, which you can read online, along with my article on picking strawberries, and a photo of my beautiful sister Joy is on the cover, which I took. In the article by Meg about me, she writes “I found my voice through Her Voice, then it got real loud.” Maybe I’m afraid of being Big and Loud. Maybe I hear the old voices that say, “Good girls aren’t big and loud.” (shoulder shrug) I guess it happened anyway.
Mr. Happy hanging out on the 1981 Sturgis, shovel, ready for the big ride. He says, “Don’t worry. Be happy, and jump on the bike for a ride!”
Go. Create. Inspire!
Journaling Prompt: How are you feeling today? Insecure? Confident? Any tips for feeding teenage boys all summer?
Summer is so busy! I hear you with all the camps. We’ve got the same–band camp, boy scout canoe trip, cub scout camp, girls camp and a youth conference. When are we supposed to take a family trip or visit the grandparents?
Luckily, any down time we have will be spent at the pool. That will be my writing time.
Good luck finding the time you need for your writing. Here’s to surviving the summer!
Clinking my coffee cup and full calendar with you, Charity!
Sounds like you have a nice balance going on. Keep that going for as long as possible. (I sometimes feel like I’m doing a high-wire act. Not too fun.)
Anna from Elements of Writing
I know that feeling, too, Anna.
You do indeed do a lot for your community. Almost every week it seems. And because of that, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of people who want to be in your play.
Gardening in bales of hay? I’ve never seen that before.
Thanks, Alex. And, the straw bale gardening is the new trend in gardening.
Your summer sounds full of great things, Mary. I would dearly love to canoe the Boundary Waters! When I taught third grade, I’d walk out of school after a long and hectic last day with “School’s out for summer” ringing inside my head. It was a wonderful feeling, a much needed break before a new group of beautiful kidlets arrived for the next school year. I’ve never had to deal a lot with feeding teenaged boys, but I would start with making sure you don’t run out of food. My nephews seem to chow through anything! Go for that Minnesota Fringe Fest! How exciting it would be to be a participant! Good luck!
Thanks, Louise. I will enjoy all the summer fun, and yes, I think I’ll get brave and attempt to get into Fringe.
I’ve got a book on straw bail gardening! Once we actually have a backyard, I’m definitely going to give it a try! Can’t wait. 🙂
It sounds like you have some supportive people in your life. That’s awesome. Finish that play and get it out there! 🙂
Thanks, Madilyn!
Fringe Festival would be so awesome! Great goal. I can’t even imagine how crazy summer gets with the kids. I understand feeling small but let’s be loud & bold!! 🙂
Grabbing your hand, Tracy, and lifting it up as we loudly and boldly go where no woman has gone before! Ha. We can do it.
Good luck with getting your play finished. Yeah it’s scary to think about, but will be so exciting when you do it that you’ll forget how afraid you were. =)
Thanks, Patricia. I’m working on it.
Man, I wish I had time to do some community theatre. I was a theatre nerd in high school and actually have a degree in fine arts. Maybe one day when my little ones are a bit bigger and life settles down (does that ever happen?)
It doesn’t ever really settle down. You’re just a different kind of busy. You need to make time to do what you love.
It sounds like you have a wild, woolly, and fun summer ahead. Well-deserved after a long winter. All this means is you will value your scarce writing time even more. I live in a tourist town and summers are crazy, but I love it. There’s always something to do, and I can vacation by walking out my front door. I may spend fewer hours writing, but those hours are more productive… go figure.
Wishing you many fine words and luck on your play!
Thanks, VR, our town/area is also touristy. We have beautiful lakes and fun activities. Play writing will happen in due time.
Never heard of straw bale gardening but it looks like an interesting idea. Well, if you’ve got the straw bales that is.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Road trippin’ with A to Z
Tossing It Out
Thanks, Arlee. You can find the book online. Straw bale gardening can be done on any surface, concrete, rooftops, backyards. The bales are the container and they create the soil. It really is a neat way to garden. I’ll have more posts on it throughout the summer under the heading Dine off the Page. It will produce great dining, I hope!
Tips for feeding teenagers: Pasta, lots of pasta.
It’s hard to put your work out there where it will be judged, but you will never see it come to life if you don’t take the plunge. It’s always worth asking people, you will find people who love the story almost as much as you and they will help carry out your vision. Good luck from an IWSG blog hopping friend.
Thank you so much, Michelle. Other people might love my story as much as I do? What a wonderful thought. You might be right. Won’t know if I don’t ask.
Cheers!
I’m behind on my reading, Mary, but I hear you on the revolving fridge door, and can I have some strawberry shortcake when it’s ready? 🙂 You are going to have a great summer, I can tell. I hope we can cross paths at least once. Enjoy!
Me, too, Roxane!
I love Steel Magnolias. I remember going to a special screening before it opened. I was working in a theater at the time. And yeah, I also have that thought that good girls should be quiet and stick to that out of the house. But when I write, I can be as loud and crazy and inappropriate as I want. So there.
Amen, Sista!