Journal 1--HW--Narrative-- Sag

Journal 1--HW--Narrative-- Sag

Thursday, June 28, 2012

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An exercise from Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter's What If?: Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers, 41.

Make a list of some of the ways you can suggest approximate age.  Wrinkles and gray hair are the most obvious.  Many are more subtle.  You should be able to list at least a dozen.

Style and type of eyewear
"Don't give a damn what people think" swagger
Constant presence or absence of a cell phone
More formal style of clothing-- no jeans
Thickness to voice
Lines around eyes and mouth
Color of the whites of the eyes
Condition of ears and/or earlobes
Sagging in the neck and chin
Hairstyle or lack of hair

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Aaaah!!! Great Game! So, I'll turn it into homework ;)

Aaaah!!! Great Game! So, I'll turn it into homework ;)

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

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Casey at the Bat by Ernest Lawrence Thayer

Game One by AJC

A Ballad of the Republic, Sung in the Year 1888 The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day; The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play. And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same, A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game. A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast; They thought if only Casey could but get a whack at that— We’d put up even money now with Casey at the bat. But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake, And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake; So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat, For there seemed but little chance of Casey’s getting to the bat.

A Ballad of the NBA Finals, Played in  2012 The outlook was uncertain for OKC that day; The five-point game was Miami's, but Westbrook had pretty plays. And when Wade rejected the slam, and hurtled toward the hoop, Westbrook split the seas, and the crowd heard, "alleyoop." The crowd of Okies stood and screamed with force for more While King and Flash deflated as their jump shots failed to score; The Thunder pounded ahead with a launch to 82-- While Durant dug in and with a twist, mouthed, "LeBron who?"   Miami gained possession and tried to recover their heat Such a carefully crafted team surely couldn't be beat? So fourth quarter dawned with hope and electricity As Durant sank another shot to tally 91 to 83. Wade danced, shot, and whispered a wind through the net, and Collison returned one, not even breaking sweat. James sank one sideways and the ball flew down the court, where Durant slammed another, making art from sport. The fans chanted wildly as a minute left of time Sefolosha landed two more, and the Thunder up by nine. Collison sealed a  with half-a-minute left to go and the coaches looked ready to call "curtains" on this show. A few more from the line, easy as the breeze And the Thunder take Game One, and bring Miami to its knees. Sorry Boys :(  What a great game!  Westbrook is smiiiiiiilin' tonight!

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Homework, Take Three, Draft One

Homework, Take Three, Draft One

Sunday, June 3, 2012

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Every Haven its Hammarplast

In the early 1980s, Howard Schultz, a new employee to the Starbucks Coffee Company, visited Milan on a buying trip for good coffee beans.  Walking the streets of Milan, he was struck by the proliferation number of coffee bars.  Old men, young men, and women of all ages stood at the counters, sipped cappuccinos, and threw out lira and lies.  More than the lattes, though, Schultz connected with the culture of the neighborhood coffee bar.  These people had what Schultz would come to market as a "third place."  It wasn't home, it wasn't work, it was somewhere else, and that somewhere was a rich --- and marketable--part of life.  Since that first buying trip, the Starbucks Company, at times without Schultz, has grown to almost 13,000 stores, more stores than only McDonalds and Subway in the United States.

Anyone who has spent more than a few days driving the streets of the United States-- or of most other countries--recognizes the black-and-white Starbucks Siren, surrounded by her bright green moat.  It is true that Schultz and crew have realized Schultz's original vision.  There is, as some say, truly "a Starbucks on every corner."  Some might see this as coffee house overload, as a corporate street-washing, but these coffee companies are providing a valuable service to each neighborhood that has one.  Every neighborhood needs a local coffee shop.

Coffee shops offer neutral ground.  Because life is not pH balanced has a natural tension ebb and flow, most people need a place that is neutral.  Whether for a job interview, a first date, or a business meeting, coffee shops are spots where no one but the barista has the upper hand.  All are welcome to come, stay a while, and take care of whatever business they have . . . or don't.  The coffee shop is the quintessential pressure-free zone.

Most coffee shops have a variety of food and beverage options.  Starbucks has a range of espresso drinks: frozen, iced, and hot, a range of tea drinks, and smoothies and other coffee-free options.  In the last few years, the company has even expanded its food offerings, including warmed sandwiches and breakfast wraps.  There is something for everyone at most coffee shops.

Most important of all, coffee shops can serve as the  modern community center.  In ancient times, settlements were built around the temple, the cathedral, or the church.  Often, the monks, priests, and clergy would also serve as the teachers, lawyers, and doctors of the villages.  In today's more secular society, coffee houses are a natural "town center."  An emerging dominant philosophy of valuing all equally finds its freedom in a place where nothing reigns but the freshest brew.

Though to some, the domination presence of coffee shops on nearly every corner seems like too much, each of these coffee stores is serving a valuable purpose for the culture of the neighborhood.  It is providing that "third place" environment that is neither home nor work, but something equally as worthy worthwhile important.  So, the next time you spend $3.00 on a drink at a coffee shop, consider it an investment in the neighborhood. 

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