Fighting the Resistance!

As the weather becomes friendlier the creative juices are beginning to flow again.   Not ready to tackle any outdoor projects yet, I've been writing and also doing a bit of painting.  Need to have some entries for Fair which is moved up to the last week in July now.  Camp NaNoWriMo has begun, it's only a few days in but I anticipate success.  I'm taking my unfinished November project and finishing.  To start, I input scenes and ideas I wrote during "Make Me Write" sessions into what I had started in Scrivener.  Next I spent some time getting my chronology in order, mapping out the timeline of challenges and tragedies for my main character.  I've also needed to do a little research into the time period which is during the 1960s with some childhood flashbacks to the mid 50s.  It is challenging to keep in mind the lack of technology during that time.  Things that I've grown up with and become so naturally acclimated to were not part of the regular daily routines back then.  It was much easier to remain anonymous which is what my character seeks to do.

First layer...still in progress.

Fox had a harrowing writer's event recently.  He has been writing for years, working on different projects until he gets bored then starts a new idea.  Recently his tower died but with dad's help they did recover his creations and he stored them on a flash drive.  Lately he's been working on my old computer but still saving to the flash drive, even though I told him to save a copy on the hard drive also.  Well, he bumped a chair against the flash drive and broke it beyond repair even though they did try to solder it together.  He put a copy of the old stuff on the hard drive but not all the new material.  That he was saving to the flash drive so he lost about 5000 words and three months of creative effort as he says.  He immediately sat down and started noting manually everything he could remember.  I feel awful for him since he was just commenting this was a work he was actually considering developing to completion and letting others read it.  Wow.  He has now taken himself into his cocoon of creativity to try and recapture and continue the momentum.  This has entailed building with Legos, watching a marathon of Harry Potter movies, walking, and listening to his music. 

The 'big room' is covered with Legos. 

At least he clears me a path to get to my bedroom in the evening. 

This is the start of our enrichment activities that I had planned to do with the boys this month.  Perfect timing because we've all been in need for a punch of inspiration.  Last weekend we took in a play at the Flint Youth Theater called "Jackie and Me" which was about Jackie Robinson.  They always have top-notch productions and this one did not disappoint.  Quite a contrast to the local high school musical Aladdin that we watched the evening before.  Still a fun show, sets and costumes were great but boy do we need to upgrade the sound system in our theater!

Confab during intermission during dress rehearsal. 

Great production they even sang with Brooklyn accents! 

Kim Josephson in the role of Eddie was our favorite.

The next week the boys got a day off of school to venture down to Detroit for some cultural exposure.  First we took in a dress rehearsal at the Detroit Opera House of "A View from the Bridge" which takes place in New York circa 1950.  Click HERE for a synopsis. 

A view from the DIA

Then after a quick lunch at the DIA Café we toured their traveling Samurai exhibit.  It opened in early March and will run thru June 1, 2014.  Audio was available so Fox, Ethan and I listened to both the adult and youth commentary which was very well done.  Ben decided to free form and read.  The video about how they make the swords was fascinating and all the ornate armor was incredible, hard to imagine someone actually wearing that get-up around.  Part of the samurai life section talked about literature and the ink and watercolor illustrations were gorgeously detailed.  Now I want to purchase a pack of watercolor paper and some ink quills.

It was a real gritty city adventure day too.  Since I'm not usually down in the area any more I had a little bit of wanderlust in me to explore.  First we went down through Palmer Park where all the stately old homes are.  Many have been retained and restored and are used by organizations as offices more than residences on some streets.

 

I love the show Rehab Addict with Nicole Curtis and last summer she restored a house in Detroit so I wanted to go and see it.  It was quite an experience driving around the ghetto with the boys.  They were pretty shocked at the conditions as was I.  Especially being a Detroit girl and remembering a childhood of city experiences.  We also found my old house, so sad.  Even the neighborhood Nicole did her project in is deplorable.  Houses are abandoned or burned out and the ones with people living in them are riddled with trash.  The route that I once walked to elementary school is now blocks of empty lots full of garbage.

 

 

 

 

 

Seeing the conditions of the city sparked some good conversation.  We discussed the type of environment they'd like to live in when they are on their own.  The differences between rural life low-income and city life low-income.  It also gave us all a new perspective and appreciation for our little town.  I am curious to see where the boys end up....will they stay small town or try movin' on up to a deluxe apartment in the sky.  ;)

 

It was a good day out and helped bring about inspiration in various ways as I continue to work on my third novel.  Since I started formulating this post we have moved into our spring break and the weather has turned warm finally.  The past couple days the boys and I have gotten outside to combat the multitude of limbs and branches that have fallen in the front yard.  I've also done some raking and the place is beginning to look fresh and alive again!

 

 



Damn December

I've lived in Michigan all my life and I have never come to like winter. It's flippin' cold but thankfully there isn't much snow and I can only hope there won't be. Praying for a mild winter all around. The boys however are estatic about the white stuff and immediatly went out to try and make snow balls. But I guess I shouldn't complain, Rob is spending the week in Manitoba, Canada on a training and service call.....the shop is way out in the middle of nowhere he said, and its good the guys from the shop have been chauffering him around otherwise he'd be totally lost.

Last weekend I participated in my first concerts with the Lapeer County Community Chorus, the Friday night performance at Hunter's Creek Church had a decent turnout and went well but the Sunday afternoon concert at Trinity United Methodist Church rocked the house! It was packed to the gills, they had people in the choir loft and brought in more chairs to the sanctuary. Everyone sounded great; voices, brass, and our amazing accompanist. I have the utmost respect for our director Garth Starr, I'm really learning (and 'borrowing') a lot from him.

Now I'm in the final throws of the Star of Wonder program which will be ministered next Wednesday and we're finalizing things for our Holiday Program at North Branch Schools. My elementary group has been a delight, the Ruth Fox group has gotten through a lot in a very little time and the middle schoolers are starting to perk up to things as well.

In addition to that Ethan's teacher asked me about helping the class with a holiday skit so I found a cute Reader's Theater script that we ammended a bit to accomodate the whole class and I've been in three times so far to work with them. The 4th graders will be putting on a program next Friday and that's where we'll present "A Crazy Mixed-Up Christmas Tale." The kids have really been getting into it and are coming up with some great ideas for costumes and props. Some have even ventured into using silly Elf voices and Mrs. Claus is just too cute.

Not sure if I had mentioned it before but the Praise & Worship Choir I'm directing at church made the jump from practice room to platform last month. It's a small group at the moment but I'm anticipating more people adding in soon now that they've seen what it really entails during services. Most of my members are on the older side but I'm very proud of them for pushing beyond their comfort zone and am honored to be working with them in this capacity. Make a joyful noise for the Lord, all ye lands!


Comic from Stuff No One Told Me (but I learned anyway).

So, I hope people are getting that my first post of the month title has been a take-off on a Broadway play title. Get it? Damn Yankees, No No Nanette, Oklahoma.....? Oh, whatever. Gotta think of a good theme for next year, any suggestions?

Creative Arts Camp-Week 1

Creative Arts Camp for week one was definately a good time and my teaching partner was great thinking on her feet as we revamped our lessons, ideas and daily structure at the close of each day to accomodate the abilities and desires of our participants. At the end of the week I can confidently say I made 16 great new friends: Pauline, Megan, Angie, Addison, Jessa, Jenna, Mary, Alajondra, Emilee, Owen, Oscar, Devarshi, Hannah (teen helper) and Ms. Brenda.

After introducing some basic movement concepts the first day, the next day I brought in banners and billow cloths and we did some praise dance. The kids broke up into groups and presented moves to represent Joy/Power, War/Peace, Glory, Death/Rejoice. It was very sweet and I was honored that they took it seriously and with reverence. I polled the group the day before and they all had church associations except for one of the boys but he went with it.

A couple of the days we took a trip to the park which was only a few blocks away, one day we did soap carvings, another leaf & tree rubbings.

The second day for drama they worked on creating their own skits based on a folktale and it had to teach a lesson or present a problem and then a solution. The beginning of the third day we worked on masse to create masks for the skits.

We also took a trip across the street to the School of Rock on the third day and they split into two bands and learned how to play 'Wild Thing' by the Troggs. Good times!

For the conclusion of day three all the groups presented their scripts to each other, for my afternoon time with them we created props, sets, and blocked out the scenes. We had some very different stories one was 'The Tortoise and the Dog' (no pix), 'The Death of Jonie' (an annoying octopus gets thrown in a volcano), 'Get Along' (boys group), and 'The Three Pickles and the Big Bad Squirrel' (an adaptation of The Three Billy Goats Gruff).

The last day I brought in a bunch of native instruments my mother collected throughout her travels and we had fun making up rhythms and playing along with a drum CD from a group in Nova Scotia. We also took our lunches down to the park and ate picnic style.

Our final activity was making God's Eyes which was a huge hit, many of them made several 'eyes'. They'd get done then run out to the side yard of the art center to find a couple more sticks then jump back in and get to work. At the end of each day we brought the two groups together for a time of reflection. Ms Brenda introduced me to a technique called 'Rose and Thorn' the rose being the best part of the day the thorn being the thing they liked the least which helped us gauge how to proceed the next day. I'm happy to say as the days went on the majority of campers had 'no thorns' to report. Woot! Good time....exhausting schedule being completely in charge from 9a-5p with no breaks but great to have something new to put my mind and energy into. Next week I'll do it again with a fresh group of campers and a different teaching partner....stay tuned!

I Love ...

the theater! All forms of theater I find intriguing and entertaining and I am very proud of Alexandra's directorial debut on the production "Cut." It was a very convoluted and involved piece to take on with many cast members playing multiple roles. The kids had a great time with it even though the audiences left fairly confused, but that was part of the point. She didn't write it, just direct and with virtually no help from her loosely titled co-director. In this life you have to learn to deal with difficult people and Alex has had her fair share of experience in this area, which will make her a strong authority as she progresses with her craft.

Mr. S and my superstar!!

... my dog! Ok, technically he's my daughter's dog but I spend a majority of time with him. Jake loves to travel in the van or car and is a great companion to walk with. His only downfall is he is not a watch dog at all being that he never barks at people.


... not being afraid to defend my faith. This hasn't always been the case and I'm still not really a get in your face 'you gotta get Jesus or you're going to hell' kind of person. But I know, what I know and believe what I believe and seen what I've seen regarding the mighty power of God and the saving grace of salvation. With Him all things are possible!

Psalm 91 (New King James Version)

Safety of Abiding in the Presence of God

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
--
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler^"
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
--
A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.
--
Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
--
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”