Possible New Project

I am considering creating an Almanac or Quotation book of my favorite quotes. I require my students to create one in Junior English and they are a lot of fun to make. The format has to have a theme and be assigned to a month of the year (i.e. October – Halloween). I want to create one for the entire year and have a quote per day and a theme either per month or a theme per day. I know that I can find a random holiday to fit every day of the year and I thought that would be an interesting theme to continue. I don’t know how much time I will have for this but I want to start collecting the quotes and see how many I get. If anyone has any quotes that they would like to contribute I would love to see them.

I also want to start working on my novel again. Since my computer has been totally redone and my hard drive was lost I was unable to use it for at least 2 weeks. I am so grateful to have it back again but I just want to cry every time I use it because I miss all of the things that I saved on my old hard drive. Lesson to learn from my computer woes, DO NOT USE GEEK SQUAD to fix anything!

You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you. ~Ray Bradbury

Bradbury had it right. I feel like the reality of my life is pleasant but not content. I need my creativity more now than I ever have to keep me grounded in sanity as well as the uniqueness that makes me who I am.

I love Disney movies, reading Science Fiction (as well as Classics with a scattering of Modern lit), I love working with children of all ages, I am obsessed with British TV and specifically Doctor Who, I never watch the news, I listen to NPR as often as I can, I follow only one blog – Hyperbole and a Half (sorry wordpress), I do find myself sitting and looking at all of my friends posts on FB just to see what other people are up to, I love to watch cooking shows (mainly on the Cooking Channel), I love to cook anything and everything, I have three cats that are playful and wonderful, I will have completed my Masters of Teaching English in July of this year,  I wish I had someone to snuggle with, and I am going to be an Aunt!

The previous paragraph is an update of who I am at the present. I often ask myself if I would be my own friend if I met myself, and I have to say that with a resounding yes, I would be friends with myself.  I have made a new friend through FB that is so similar to myself that we have formed a common bond. Renee is coming to visit in July and it will be a great time getting to know each other even better.

What I am truly ecstatic about is the garden that Leigh and I have been feverishly working on for weeks now. I will have a plentiful crop of: tomatoes (ranging in types), okra, squash, zucchini, tomatillos, bell peppers, banana peppers, jalapenos, cucumbers, and assorted herbs in a few weeks. I will be making salsa, and canning a lot of vegetables. I love fresh veggies and I look forward to all of the work involved with this garden.

As far as my writing is concerned I have some work that I have been doing while in the MAT program and I will post some of it for my three followers. I write because I have stories to tell and even if no one reads them I feel and enormous sense of accomplishment when I complete a story or poem. My talents for writing have been God-given and man-honed to make a writer out of raw creativity. If I am remembered for nothing else I want people to remember that I am a writer by grace and choice and a student of human nature. I want my passion for people to be conveyed in my stories.
Keep your eyes open for some new material coming up soon.

I’m back in the saddle again!

Well, a several month-long sabbatical (mainly because I go seriously busy with work and school) I am back to writing my blog. I will be posting some short stories and poems from now on.

I am officially a Graduate student at Lee University in Cleveland, TN. I am getting my MAT (Masters in Teaching) for English 7-12 grades. I am currently student teaching so I really don’t know how much time I will have to post on here but I am going to try to keep up with it at least once a week.

I also have a goodreads account if anyone wants to look me up there my username is Jecu Pahu. I had to create one for a class and I am glad that I did. It is going to be great fun getting to see what everybody else is reading and then compare styles and see if I want to read it too.

That’s all for now, but for those of you who want to follow along with my posting I GREATLY appreciate any and all comments about my writing and my ramblings:)

Thanks

Jess

Excuses Excuses…

I have missed the last four days for many reasons; the main reason is that I was seriously sick for two days and then I started my new job on the other two days. I will resume my journal tomorrow and also make up for the other days missed. I hate that I have broken my rhythm, but sometimes circumstances arise and get in the way.

Jess

Day 5: Feb 5 – The Extinct Bo – In memorium of Boa Sr.

When my last daughter crossed

over I was left alone.

No more Bo;

my words die,

as they leave my tongue;

no one to talk to.

I sing the songs of the Elders,

no one remembers

their voices.

In 85 years I walked

this earth- saw

earthquake,

tsunami,

flood,

saw my family- the Bo

-disappear.

Adaman is where I lay

my head and bake my bread,

when I am no more,

I will be like the dodo bird.

This was inspired by a true story of a woman by the name of Boa Sr. She was the last member of her tribe the Bo until she passed away. I read the article on CNN.com attached below if anyone cares to hear her story.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/05/india.extinct.tribe/index.html?hpt=C2

Day 4: Feb 4 – Tea for One

“He tasted of Earl Grey tea,”  Amelia remembered.

“I wanted so badly to kiss him again and again, but he was the responsible one.”

Amelia loved walking down to the docks on Burbary Ave. She would grab her favorite scarf – blue with yellow and purple plaid – and a pipping hot cup of Earl Grey tea and walk the six blocks to the docks. Sipping tea and listening to the gulls wander lonely above the shore she would remember how it used to be.

“I used to carry his handkerchief in my pocket” she mentioned as if it were a secret.

“Only he would still carry a handkerchief.”

She strolled beside the water catching wisps of the sea spray on her freckled face as it cascaded against the dock.

“He wore Aqua Di Gio so much that his clothes were permeated with the scent,”  exhaling the words as if exhaling the long lost scent itself.  “He didn’t have to spray much, it was his smell.”

No one was around, she liked it that way. She knew that while she was alone she did not have to entertain anyone, or pretend.

“So many times now that I think of it, he would call me and meet me for tea or coffee, just because he was free.”

She passed in front of an abandoned hot dog stand rusted and covered in leaves. The wind wiped fiercely blowing her hair into her eyes. For a split second she felt his hand on her check as she brushed the hair behind her ear.

As tears fell from her closed eyes affectionately she whispered, “Cameron.”

A little sad, a little sappy, but I like it. It just came out, so there you go.

Day 3: Feb 3 – On the Banks of the Old Mill Pond

On the banks of the Old Mill Pond

a girl who was brilliantly blond

walked out on the dock,

slipped out of her frock

and exclaimed “Now where is my wand?”

There’s a little limerick to make up for not having posted one for the third since I was driving all day.

Day 2: Feb. 2 – A Winter Morning

Now for a Haiku: my first attempt at this form of poetry.

As icy tears fall

cool breath tiny snowflakes make

hot cider, warm heart.

Day 1: Feb 1 – Dry Toast.

“Pass the marmalade.”

Emily buttered her toast.

“I thought you liked meremite?”

John sipped his coffee.

“I thought you loved me?”

Emily swallowed dryly.

John jeered.

“My tastes have changed.”

Writing project #1 – February

I have been going through a serious writers dry spell for the past seven month. In order to pull me out of the proverbial “writer’s block” hole, I have decided to start a writing project.

Effective February 1st, I will post a poem/short story everyday for the entire month of February. I took the idea from a blogger from Auburn University who is in the process of blogging a short story every day for an entire year. He rolls a set of dice and whatever number he lands on is the number of words he can use in his story. I will be doing the same thing, but for only a month (possibly longer but a month is a good goal at this point).  Look for the posts!