Again

The amazing thing about fifth grade writers in late January is that they've become fearless.

The amazing thing about blogger Lisa-Jo Baker is her ability to draw writers together every Friday to write on one topic for five minutes.

Mix the two and you have a Language Artsy Friday afternoon in my classroom.

We'd just spent 45 minutes reading and sharing books with our second grade reading buddies.  The room was so full of students sitting in pairs, the second grade teacher and I had to tiptoe our way through.

Finally, the second graders were gone and it was time for writing exercise.

Before the topic, we agreed to write prose rather than poetry or lists.

Twenty-five students sat eagerly, notebooks open, pens in hand, waiting to give their all for five minutes on a writing topic.

Lisa-Jo did not disappoint.  The topic was "again".

Pens scratched noisily across landscapes of notebook pages in an otherwise silent classroom.

A focused silence, almost reverent.

I walked from table to table peeking over shoulders as writers quickly penned their thoughts.

The five minute mark arrived.

Notebooks in hand, students left their seats for the comfort of a large, berber rug.

They shared their writing and personal approaches on the topic.

• the meaning of the word "again"
• the sound of the word "again"
• sibling rivalry episodes that occur "again and again"
• vacations they want to take "again"
• going to school "again"
• being out of dress code "again"
• if I had my ____ "again"
• wanting to see a grandmother, long gone to Glory, "again"

I sat listening, in awe, to writers who once refused to write more than a sentence in September and October.

Writers who once drew stickmen in the margins of pages rather than write.  

Writers whose mantra was once, "I can't think of anything!"  

Now, I can send a one-word topic orbiting around the room and students willingly reach out to reel it in, ponder its existence, and then write on its relevance.

Today,

there exists a classroom of fifth grade writers,

who in late January, 

are fearless, 

and do not disappoint.

This Writer's Affliction (Ways to Avoid Writing) -Part Two

I love journals.  

In truth, I have a drawer and closet full of them:

large and small, hard and soft cover, spirals

cloth covered, bound journals

tiny 'little black book' spirals
artful plastic covered spirals

and the list goes on. 

Every time Borders had a clearance sale, I was there looking for journals.  

I had collected such an inventory; I began giving them away as gifts.

But I didn't have one that continued to inspire me once I brought it home.

I needed to FIND THE PERFECT WRITING JOURNAL.

Writing guru, Natalie Goldberg advocates 'writing practice' in a cheap spiral notebook with a fast writing pen because the writing is the most important thing.  

I considered this advice as I entered the book store but forgot it quickly as I gawked at leather journals with thin leather straps.  

Besides, I wanted to do serious writing, not just practice.  

I perused the shelves, turning, opening and smelling the leather bound journals.  

As I was checking out a particularly expensive one, the bound pages fell out of the leather cover.  

A problem! 

Then I saw a tall turning rack full of Moleskine notebooks (hadn't Hemingway used those?).

They too came in all shapes and sizes.
Plus, the insides didn't fall out

I settled on a large, black, thick, hardcover Moleskine planner.
Each ruled, page was dedicated to one day of the year.

Perfect!
And, it fit in my purse.

Finally I needed to FIND THE PERFECT WRITING PEN.

That was easy.  

I already had it...

a TUL, Stick Ballpoint Pen

(actually several in black, blue, purple, red and green).

At last, I sat in my 'Jeep' chair,

opened my new Moleskine planner/journal,

clicked the top off my TUL pen and realized I had a problem.

Here was an inspiring writing space, and I had nothing profound to say...only 'writing practice' ideas.

No way was I going to mess this journal up with random thoughts.

What I needed was a cheap spiral notebook!

This Writer's Affliction (Ways to Avoid Writing) -Part One

Yes, it actually exists.  

There are several symptoms of "writer's affliction".  

The first is a need to CREATE THE PERFECT WRITING SPACE.  

I walked through my house with eyes closed, arms outstretched,  in search of the vibe I'd feel when my spirit connected with that space.  

To my wonderment, it was my 'sunny in the morning' kitchen.  

So I immediately began planning to make my bedroom my writing space.  

Second is a need to FIND THE PERFECT WRITING FURNITURE.

Desk?  

Large chair with ottoman? 

Chaise lounge?  

Hm mm??

Ah, the chaise lounge.  

Comfortable with plenty of room to stretch my legs and rest the laptop on my lap.
The answer was yes!  

So I bought one, a nice camel color, microfiber job.  

The movers placed it by the window in my bedroom.  

As soon as they left, I plopped down with my laptop and began thinking about what to write.  

Ten minutes in, every part of me connected to that chaise heated up.  

I stood up, cooled off, then sat down to write.  

Five minutes later, the same thing.  

This time I turned on the overhead fan.  

Ten minutes later...heat again with the added attraction of sweat on my forehead!  

Little writing was getting done.  

This saga played itself out day after day until I finally realized, my chaise was igniting "hot flashes". 

I promptly relocated it to my sister's living room and I began my quest for the perfect writing desk.

One week later, I'm in my local furniture store.  

There was a sale (that's Mychelle for "gotta have it").  

Walking through the maze of perfectly planned office scenes, I felt like Goldilocks.  

Some desks were too big,  others too small, and then I found the perfect one.

It was actually made to match my bedroom furniture (surely a sign that this writer was on the right track).  

I gave the salesman my card and arranged delivery for THE desk, and a 'Jeep' office chair. 

One week later, I'm in my bedroom/writing space at my new desk, with the pullout laptop drawer.  

I'm reclined in my 'Jeep' office chair when I hear birds singing through the open windows.  

I feel the breeze blowing through, cooling my warm face, and realize (with no uncertainty) that I need to be outside... 

in nature...

away from claustrophobic rooms and electronic gadgets...

for inspiration.  

So I shut down my laptop, slide closed the pullout drawer, stand, push in my chair, get my purse and head to the nearest bookstore to buy a journal...(to be continued)