1/18/01 - Thursday

Second seminar with Gene Wolfe this morning at OCWW.  He was wearing another t-shirt with a wolf picture like last week.  I'm guessing he has a big collection.  Here's some writing tips from his talk:

• Your novel should have 'flip strength.'  This means that no matter what page an editor reading your manuscript flips to there's something important going on.

• There are four types of endings:
• Resolution:  one side wins/one side loses
• Revelation:  the truth is made plain
• Decision:  a path is chosen
• Explanation:  the puzzle is solved and the reader, if not the main character, is no longer baffled

• An ending should have
• A sense of closure
• A sense of inevitability
• A sense that something significant has happened

After the meeting, I had lunch with Shelley at our favorite restaurant "Jacks" on Touhy Ave.  Her craving for a Reuben sandwich was satisfied and I had "the usual" -- a cheese omelet.  She treated me for my birthday and gave me a scented candle.  I love it when birthdays stretch beyond the one day boundary.  Later, Shelley emailed me this Bagel site.  I don't eat too many bagels since I entered the Zone but they are still a fave special food.
 

1/17/01 - Wednesday

Wrote in Book Journal instead of weblog.

1/16/01 - Tuesday

For late night goofing around on the computer, I've been playing Bejeweled.  Hey!  I worked hard today.  Got the postcards for my February classes printed up at Kinko's, bought stamps, ran off the mailing labels, and stuck the labels & the stamps on hundreds of postcards.  I'm a very excellent secretary for myself.

1/15/01 - Monday

New site for links to free readings :  Lots of interesting Tarot layouts at Annikin Divination Systems.   They even have a daily email one-card-a-day reading.  Cool!  Here's my disclaimer:
For an indepth tarot reading schedule a consultation with your personal divination professional ;-)

Speaking of Tarot - The International Tarot Society has scheduled it's 3rd World Congress for September 14 - 16th, 2001 right here in the Chicago area.  I had a great time at the last one -- educational and fun.

1/14/01 - Sunday

Noon Meditation at the Temple was another video message from Kriyananda.  The affirmation for the month is "Let noble thoughts flow to me from every side" and the mantra is "Aham Brahmasmi" (I am the creative principle).

Kriyananda asked us to meditate on this Zen statement:
"Although in Kyoto, I long for Kyoto."

More quotes from Kriyanandaji:

"The goal is the transformation of your consciousness -- and it is possible in this lifetime."

"If our emotions are moving us, then we aren't doing anything -- the karma of the past is moving us."

"In your reflection, observe the mind and the impulses of the mind; cultivate peace of mind; understand Dharma*"

* This word means both "the underlying law of the universe" and "your duty of this lifetime."
 

1/13/01-Saturday

FYI - My favorite science fiction site is SCI-FI News of the Week.  I like to keep track of The Lord of the Rings movie production (please let this be a good movie!) and new shows coming up on the Sci-Fi channel.

Yesterday, between errands, I had an "artists date" ala Julia Cameron in The Artists Way.
I went to a quilt exhibit at the Schaumburg Atheneum.  These were modern quilts - more like textile paintings for the wall, not a blanket for your bed.  I was most impressed by Caryl Bryer Fallert and Ann Wasserman.

1/12/01 - Friday

Yesterday, I went to two writers groups.  OCWW in the morning for a workshop with science fiction author Gene Wolfe.  He stressed that as a writer you must be teachable.  In other words, if you go to every writing workshop and every single writing instructor says, "Show, don't tell" and you decide that doesn't apply to you ... well ... publication may not be in your future.

In the evening, our local Barnes & Noble on Golf Road in Schaumburg has the Writers Support Group.  I'm the leader or facillitator or whatever.  It's a fun group of writers of every genre and level.  We start by going around the table and telling what we've been working on.  Then we do a 'free writing' assignment using a prompt I provide.  Sometimes, I just throw out a word or phrase but last night, in honor of the new year, we went a little more complex.  Here it is:

1.  List your top three writing goals for 2001.
2.  List your number one obstacle in attaining those goals.
3.  Now write a story, personifying the obstacle as a character or creature, do battle with the obstacle, and win the battle at the end.

We wrote for about twenty minutes, then shared our stories.  Try it.  It's fun!  After a short break to stretch and get coffee, we gather again to read other pieces we've written since the last group.  Lots of poetry this week, with a memoir of Valentine's days past, too.  Some weeks it's essays and exerpts from short stories or novels in progress.  We meet the second and fourth Thursday each month.

After the group ended, I went browsing for books with my birthday gift certificates.  I browsed for a long time, trying to intuit what I should buy.  Part of me wanted to get something spiritual.  Another part was determined to pick something literary.  I kept thinking, what I'd really like is a new Terry Pratchett book.  I could just taste it -- a little like that craving for a hot fudge sundae.  Just as I was about to give up, right on the "New" shelf at the front of the store was Pratchett's latest Truth.  When I got home with it, David said, "Interesting symbolism for your birthday, Mom."  He learned from me that the symbols that come into your life around your birthday, are keynotes for the year ahead.  Maybe I'll find Truth.  Wisdom would be good, too.