final exams

you don’t have to read this, really.

it.

is.

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monday, nov. 9, 2009

1. The power in your house goes out, and you are stuck with candles and nothing to do but think. How long could you entertain yourself just sitting?
at least an hour. there are lots of things you can do by candlelight. but after about an hour a nap would definitely be on my list.

2. You’re writing and the phone rings. You:
finish my sentence, then answer it. or multi-task and do both at the same time.

3. The person calling is one of your dearest friends, who wants to get together for brunch and a good long chat about her ex. Unfortunately, this juicy brunch will take place during your scheduled writing time. You:
this is why i don’t schedule my writing time. which is ok, because i am not really a serious writer.

4. You’re at the restaurant with your friend when you have a fantastic idea for a novel. You:
will manage—napkins receipts, whatever—i wrote my latest essay for segullah in red pen on the back of my wrinkled up internet contract.

5. You imagine yourself as a successful writer. What is the image that is clearest in your mind?
a handful of diverse magazine articles and essay with my byline.

5. If money was no issue, what would you do with your spare time?
volunteer abroad, quilt, write, read, make soap, travel…the list is endless

6. Do you have . . .
a few ideas for different blog posts

7. You figure the biggest benefit of becoming a writer is:
the writing—getting thoughts out of my head, where they tend to make me a little crazy.

8. You read:
blogs, the news, magazines, short stories, novels, the back of the shampoo bottle

9. You have some strong opinions about a political issue. You

~Yell at the car radio.

~Debate it with your bookclub.

~You write a letter to the editor.

all of the above. seriously.

10. You realize you have an experience that would benefit others. You
blog about it. or write an essay. and tell everyone and their dog

essay question: am i right for writing?

that depends. am i right for blogging? not really. i don’t play the game. my blog is rather eclectic. i write for me an not an audience. i am blessed that a handful of people read it anyway.

am i right for essays? i don’t know. i hate being edited and i always wait for the last minute to revise. while i enjoy editing blog posts at will, i hate it when someone tries to project their experiences or perceptions of my experiences into my writing. eventually i will tire of my essay no matter how much i loved it when i wrote it, to the point i don’t care to see it again.

could i write for a magazine or newspaper? i’ve done the newspaper thing. i learned everything the hard way, but i learned. i read a lot of things in print that i know i could have written better, technically, but i am not content with my writing.

i wish i were funny. i’m not. instead i can pull on your heartstrings. i’d rather make you laugh.

people tell me i am a good writer, and i think to myself, “there are a lot of good writers out there.” and it’s true. there just happen to be a lot of bad writers out there too.

and some of them are making a whole lot of money.

tuesday, nov. 10, 2009

1. What is your traveling style?
get in the car and drive. loose itinerary, if any. maybe a handful of things i really want to do, but time to be spontaneous.

2. How many clothes do you usually take along on a holiday?
~ I can easily manage in 3-4 sets, no matter how long the vacation.

3. How many pieces of luggage did you carry on the last vacation?
a bag that i can carry or put on my back. if i’m traveling out of the country (one time. hope to go again) two suitcases, the one with my clothes packed inside the larger one. i want to bring stuff home. if not, a large duffle bag. i’m not fussy.

4. Given the following choices, where would you prefer traveling to?
~ Alaska or Tahiti
alaska
~ India Or China
india
~ Kenya Or Greenland
kenya AND greenland

5. What is your preference regarding hotels, while on vacation?
~ A luxurious five star, with a room service 24 hours duty.
~ A medium priced hotel, with just the necessities.
~ A Tent rules.
i’ll take what’s behind door number two. but to tell you the truth, i really want to stay in a luxurious five star hotel. just once.

6. What are your food preferences on a holiday?
i want to eat peter mayle style.

7. How do you travel while on a holiday?
i heart public transportation, which is so much better done abroad. feet are good, too.

8. What’s your dream vacation?
~ Biking down the California coast.
~ Eurailing around Europe for three months.
~ Two weeks at a beach resort.
a. only if i can start at canon beach, oregon and b. someday…

9. You and your friends are hiking. You
you will not catch me hiking. at least not now. but my good friend donnette hike across the entire country of england till her feet bled. she is my hero for that (and many other things).

10. While on a beach
being from northern oregon, i do coasts, not beaches. and therefore i would be walking in the sand with my barefeet in the freezing cold water and the wind whipping my face. and i wouldn’t complain.

11. In an amusement park, you will be seen
i won’t be seen in an amusement park. except i did have a much better time than expected that time i chaperoned a whole bunch of high-school band kids at disneyland.

12. Someone says they’re taking you bungee jumping.
i would pass. seriously. absolutely. no. desire.

13. When you are on a camping trip
i like to camp and cook family style. did i ever tell you about the time i tore my acl in a dutch oven cook-off?

14. You’re planning a long road trip with the kids. You
books on tape (cd). really.

15. You’re in Washington DC for a long weekend. You can’t wait to
holocaust museum. cherry blossoms. art museums.

Timed test: You have 15 minutes to plan a trip. Use Expedia, Travelocity, or any other resource to find a flight/driving route, plus a hotel/place to stay in a city of your choice. Is it do-able? Pack your bags!

10 days in liverpool? you bet!

wednesday, nov. 11, 2009

Are you a bookworm?

1. Do you own more than 100 books?
indeed.
2. Do you read any book or magazine that is handy?
yes. and even the occasional shampoo bottle
3. Have you ever read the cereal box?
oh yeah. that, too. i draw the line at milk jugs, though. bo-ring.
4. Do you have a membership with the local library?
yes, but i’m not a good library mom.
5. Do you go to the library more than once a week?
no.
6. Would you rather read a book than go out with friends?
depends on the day.
7. Do you visit the bookstore more often than you do your mother?
no.
8. Do you wear glasses? If so, was reading the reason you got them?
yes. that and reading the back of the medicine bottle.
9. When asked your favorite hobbies, do you reply with a single word “reading?”
no. i reply with multiple words, one of which is “reading.”
10. Have you ever stayed in bed all day reading?
usually i end up on the sofa by the big picture window eventually.

Essay question: Leave a comment about the book you’re reading right now.
i’m in between books at the moment. i haven’t found anything lately that i couldn’t put down.

thursday, nov. 12, 2009

What’s your opinion on family matters? Answer these questions yes or no.

(these questions were answered privately)

Think about the questions you answered “no.” Do they matter to you?
yes

Essay questions. Choose two.

1. What does your family count on you for?
2. If one of your relatives were to brag about you, what would they say?
3. What praise or acknowledgment have you gotten from your relatives that is meaningful to you?
4. Name five qualities of your mom or dad that you most respect or admire.
5. Which of those qualities are also true about you?

2. i will never forget a particularly difficult weekend when we make ourselves go, completely unprepared, to two family reunions in the same weekend. (i wrote about it here.) i loved the hugs and the smiles, but i particularly appreciated a conversation i had with my uncle in which he recognized and appreciated a certain quality i have been blessed with: i am a cup-half-full kind of girl. not everyone sees that or appreciates that in me. but i know it is a gift from god. and my uncle’s timing couldn’t have been more inspired. that weekend was the beginning of a long hard road. i needed to be reminded of the stuff of which i am made. i needed to acknowledge that gift from god. because it is the one thing that got me through–that continues to get me through–the hard things in my life.

4. the top five qualities that come to mind when i think of my mother are empathy, hard work, developing talents, provident living, pie baking. she developed and demonstrated many of those while raising six kids in two different homes: one in eugene, which she mostly did alone, as my father was a traveling salesman for john deere. the second on a six-acre farm. that’s a lot of hard work.

when i consider the favorite qualities i saw in my dad, i have to include his work ethic, his ability to be a friend, how he could cut to the chase in a meeting, how even though he was tall dark and handsome and sometimes intimidating, he really was a great big tease; and, of course, his integrity. to this day i hear no and then from people who remember him and still admire these great qualities in him.

friday, nov. 13, 2009

Are You A Fascinating Person?

1. Are you updated on current affairs? Do you follow the latest news?
yes.
2. In a one-one conversation, do you talk more or do you listen more?
it depends on who i am with and what we are talking about.
3. Do you like trying out new things like visiting a new restaurant, trying out a new sport, etc?
yes and no. i’m up for trying new restaurants. but i generally don’t like to try doing new things unless i think i’m going to be able to be good at it.
4. Do you devote time to your dress and appearance before you go out?
i’m not a slob, but i’m not very fussy, either. totally depends on the venue.
5. Are there any secrets about you that you haven’t shared with even close friends?
yes. there are a lot of things i keep close to my heart.
6. Are you game for adventurous stuff?
depends.
7. Do you manage to get introduced to new people in parties and indulge in long conversations?
sometimes.
8. Are you a well-read person?
yes. english majors tend to be well read.
9. Are you a well-traveled person?
i grew up out of state. i’ve been back east. i’ve been to europe twice.
10. Can you make people laugh?
some people think i’m funny. but i have some really funny friends. usually they are making me laugh.

Are you a confident person?

1. Can you choose a new outfit alone?
yes. thank goodness!
2. You walk into a room full of people. Suddenly you find everybody watching you. Do you become terribly self-conscious?
only if i tripped and fell, my skirt was tucked in my tights, or spilled grape juice down the front of my shirt.
3. You reach the airport to find that your flight got canceled in the last minute. What would you do?
try to get an upgrade or a good deal on the next flight. deal.
4. You enter a posh restaurant to find everybody else in formal clothes. You are wearing casuals. Would it ruin your evening?
i honestly have no idea.
5. You are at a job interview in a big corporation. Suddenly you find out that the CEO himself is conducting the interview. Do you panic?
no. i totally made a fool of myself in front of our last ceo and managed to earn his respect anyway.
6. You are attending a seminar. Suddenly the speaker wants you to come on the stage to give your views. Will you get jittery?
not as long as everyone in the audience is naked.
7. You are enjoying a party with your new date. Suddenly your ex walks in. What do you do?
introduce them. who knows, it might suddenly get interesting.
8. Are you afraid of visiting families that have suffered a death?
no. i lost my father when i was only 19 and held my best friend when they carried the body of her 22-year-old out of her apartment. i can deal with it.
9. Would you go and visit a dying person?
yes. i’ve done that before as well. but only if i’m wanted and i’m not invading family time.
10. If someone embarrassed you in public, you would you react?
i’d try to make a joke about it.

Are you a crafty person? (maybe or maybe not, but i’m a darn good googler.)

1. What do you call the art of folding paper?
origami
2. What is the name of the fabric commonly used for cross stitch?
aida, jobelan, lugana, and the various linens
3. What is papier-mache?
applying torn-up paper to something to form a shape. i made a killer whale once. because in my other life i work at sea world and live by the sea.
4. Is acrylic yarn natural or man-made?
i prefer natural fabrics and therefore am not a big fan of acrylic.
5. Where does mohair come from?
from a mo? or possibly and angora goat.
6. With which piece of crafting equipment would you use a shuttle?
loom–and i didn’t even look that one up, i swear it.
7. How many threads are twisted together in a typical skein of embroidery floss?
six?
8. What do pinking shears do?
they cut a nice little zig-zag or saw-tooth edge to limit fraying.
9. Old sewing machines were powered by using your feet. What was the foot pedal called?
trundle. i’m looking at my great-grandmother’s old trundle machine even as i type.
10. Is a Spinning Jenny used for making pots or making yarn?
making yarn.
11. What is Kumihimo?
japanese braiding.
12. Which craft would you be doing if you were making a plant hanger by knotting long lengths of rope?
macrame. as a child of the sixties and seventies, been there. done that.
13. In which craft would you use the stippling technique?
quilting. i could have answered that one with my eyes closed. although i first learned the term in art.
14. What are lazy daisy, french knot, stem and blanket?
embroidery stitches.
15. Which craft tool cuts out a shape from paper or card when you press on it?
die-cut.
16. What is a highly scented purple/blue flower often used in scented sachets?
lavender. it’s good in soap, too. but it turns brown.
17. What is gutta used for?
fondue? no. really. painting on silk? a type of music?
18. What is repoussage?
metal stamping.
19. Is whittling a wood craft or a wool craft?
wood. it’s always nice to whittle while you work.
20. What do you call the hole in a needle where you push the thread through?
eye.

Craft Trivia Answers 01. Origami / 02. Aida / 03. The art of modeling with torn or shredded paper stuck together with glue / 04. Man-made / 05. Angora goats / 06. Weaving loom / 07. (6) / 08. Scissors which cut a zig-zag line / 09. Treadle / 10. Making yarn / 11. The art of Japanese braid making / 12. Macrame / 13. Stenciling / 14. Types of embroidery stitches / 15. Punch / 16. Lavender / 17. Outlining designs on silk for painting / 18. The art of forming a raised impression on metal from the reverse side / 19. Wood craft / 20. Eye

monday, nov. 16, 2009

my writing credentials:

i wrote an awesome poem about mute swans in the 7th grade.

and some amazing teen angst poems shortly thereafter.

graduated in english after mostly sitting on the back row until impressing the prof in renaissance lit and catching the visiting and completely intimidating french lit prof in an apparent contradiction to which she replied, “elle n’est pas bette, sa questione.”

got hired as copy editor at a free newspaper. two weeks after i started they fired the editor. i took over her responsibilities, but not her title. learned everything the hard way. eventually they threw me a bone and i was called “associate editor.” edited a couple of books for people i knew. don’t know that they were ever finished or published. first published robert kirby. wrote police beat column for a time. and a memory of 9-11 in the deseret news. was runner up in ann cannon’s worst writing contest one year, but i did that on purpose. have had a handful of letters to the editor published. some better than others. have also had a handful of essays published–a few in segullah, one in a book. i have three more coming out (two in a book, one in segullah) soon.

fin.