Tagged (Again)-Eight Random Things About Me

Are there eight random things you don't know about me? I think over the past 18 months I've confided many of my most "interesting" secrets, but since Michele asked so nicely, I'll give it a go.

• I can't stand loud, repetitive mechanical noises, like lawn mowers and gas powered edgers. They make me want to scream.
• I'm claustrophobic, and get really edgy in traffic jams or wedged in the middle of the row at the theater.
• I love animals with a passion, and am so tenderhearted I cannot bear to hear or watch anything where animals are hurt. When I was a kid, I couldn't even watch Lassie, because she was always in some kind of danger during the show.
• I drive fast - too fast.
• I'm not nearly the perfectionist that people think I am ;)
• I have no talent whatsoever for art - drawing, crafting, etc. I really don't. Or for any type of needlework.
• As much as I love working as an accompanist at the high school, I do not like teaching, and, not surprisingly, I'm not any good at it. Years ago, when I taught private piano students, I remember feeling an overwhelming urge to push them off the piano bench so I could play the piece the right way.
• I don't like talking on the telephone or making phone calls, and will put off doing it until the last possible moment.

There you have it~I'm not tagging specific people, but feel free to play along if you haven't already done this one.

Write on Wednesday-Addendum

Visit Writing Time to "cyber audit" a class called "Courage and Craft: Writing Your Life Into Story." Author, teacher, and blogger, Barbara Abercrombie teaches this course at the UCLA Extension Writers Program, and she's sharing some of her class lectures and writing exercises with those of us who read her blog. The class is based on her newly published book by the same title, and promises to offer some exciting suggestions and inspiration. So get yourself a new spiral notebook and a pen, and head over to class. Don't be late!

Write on Wednesday-Working Nine to Five

Each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I work in an office~a real business type office, where I have my own cubicle, complete with plastic desk protector, overhead bin, file folders, an "in-box," and a telephone extension. I spend those three days a week writing medical reports, summarizing medical records, preparing billing statements, and shuffling great lots of paper - bond paper, that is.

If one must work in an office, (and, at this juncture in my life, I must, for the checkbook demands the extra weekly feeding) my particular situation couldn't be better. I work with six other women whom I'm very fond of. They range in age from 27 to 67, they're all bright, personable, funny and easy to get along with. My work hours are flexible, I can do lots of my work remotely, and I have an "alter ego" who can trade off with me when I travel to Florida.

Perfect, yes?

And no. As much as I'm grateful for my job and all its conveniences, I have to admit that it's become awfully boring. Twice lately, I've literally fallen asleep at my desk after lunch! ( Luckily, my cube is in the corner so no one noticed!) Six years ago when I interviewed for my original position as a "medical report writer," the interviewer was concerned that I would become disenchanted with the pedantic nature of the writing required.

"Don't worry," I assured her. "I like writing fact based reports. I'm certainly not a creative writer!"

Hmm. At that time, I was being completely truthful.

But things change, don't they? Nowadays, my head is filled with poems and stories and ideas for stories and blog posts and books and...my oh my.

And somehow, I don't feel as if I could ever explain this compulsion to any of the women I work with. I feel as if I'm harboring a secret life, that when they ask what I did over the weekend and I say, "oh, not much"- leaving out that I wrote three blog posts, or started a new story, or did some research for the novel I'm thinking about writing, or for the one I've already written- I'm denying them the ability to know who I really am.

A while back, I wrote about coming out of the writers closet, and this post is certainly reflective of those feelings. As much as I love and am grateful for the community of bloggers with which to share words and ideas, I'm feeling the need for the kind of interaction you can only have with people in the present.

How about you? Do you have a "day job" and does it hamper or inspire your creativity? Do your real world friends understand and support your writing?

Tagged!

I've been tagged by Jennifer with this meme - so get ready to learn more about my household than you've ever wanted to know !

What kind of soap is in your bathtub right now? I'm trying out a green tea and lavender body wash by Neutrogena~it's supposed to be relaxing. Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator? Not right now- I did have watermelon all summer. I keep a big tupperware container filled with watermelon chunks that I munch on like candy. What would you change about your living room? The biggest change would be to get rid of the carpet completely and refinish the dark oak flooring that's underneath. Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty? They are being washed as we speak. What is in your fridge? Nothing old or stale, for a change. I cleaned it out today. But I generally have a pretty well stocked fridge - milk, OJ, beer, wine, cheeses, ground turkey for chili tomorrow, eggs, yogurt, romaine lettuce, celery, carrots, grapes, red onion, all kinds of salad dressing, apple juice, grape juice...well, enough already. White or wheat bread? Multigrain. What is on top of your refrigerator? A portable stereo/CD player and a wicker tray. What color or design is on your shower curtain? I have icky gray tile with maroon flecks in my bathroom (old house), so my shower curtain is maroon with green and gold design. How many plants are in your home? None. I have a totally black thumb. Is your bed made right now? Yes, I have a real thing about unmade beds. Can't leave the house unless I make it first. Comet or Soft Scrub? Soft scrub. Is your closet organized? It's a totally unorganized mess! Can you describe your flashlight? It's a red plastic lantern style that -oops, forgot to list it - on top of the refrigerator. Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home? Glass. Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now? Always! I've been making green iced tea, which I love. If you have a garage, is it cluttered? It is cluttered to the max with more than 50 years worth of junk. Really. We still get two cars in in though. Curtains or blinds? Blinds. How many pillows do you sleep with? One. Do you sleep with any lights on at night? No. I need total darkness. How often do you vacuum? About once a week. Standard toothbrush or electric? Battery powered. What color is your toothbrush? Green. Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch? Yes. What is in your oven right now? Nothing. About an hour ago there were two chicken breasts roasting and a loaf of French bread baking. Is there anything under your bed? Two flat plastic storage boxes with sweaters. Chore you hate doing the most? Cleaning the bathroom. What retro items are in your home? Ha! My whole house is retro! (LOL) Do you have a separate room that you use as an office? I am lucky enough to have my own "office" with desk, TV, big overstuffed chair, and ceiling fan for hot days. How many mirrors are in your home? Probably about 4. Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home? No. I keep an emergency $20 bill hidden in my wallet. What color are your walls? Off white. Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home? No. What does your home smell like right now? I don't use scents in the house very often because I'm sensitive to them. Usually if my house smells like something, it's food - e.g. roast chicken and French bread! Favorite candle scent? As above, I don't use scented candles either. I do like the vanilla scented ones, though, and would burn them if I could. What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now? Sweet gherkins. What color is your favorite Bible? White. Ever been on your roof? No. Do you own a stereo? Yes. How many TVs do you have? Three. How many house phones? Three. Do you have a housekeeper? Sadly, no. What style do you decorate in? Probably traditional. Do you like solid colors or prints in furniture? Both. Is there a smoke detector in your home? Two, actually. In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you’d grab if you only could make one quick trip? My dogs first, of course. After that, my pictures, jewelry, computer, and as many books as I could grab. My piano would be high on the list, but I know I couldn't get it.

Whew! I won't tag anyone specifically, but feel free to play along if you're so inclined.

One Deep Breath-Snips and Snails

boys play games of war

never anticipating

its grim reality

With apologies for the somber tone of this haiku, I've always been bothered watching little boys "playing war," although most of them seem to gravitate toward fighting games no matter how much we try to steer them away. It makes me wonder about the seemingly inherent tendency toward violence among men, one that leads even boys to "play" at killing and destruction.

for more haiku, look here