Despite being a four-day work week, I feel like this week is dragging on and on and on. I woke up this morning thinking it was Friday. I was positive! It has to be Friday! But, alas, it is not; it's only Thursday. Gah!

Last night's writing class went quite well. We had read three stories out of the book - Girl, by Jamaica Kincaid, Cathedral by Raymond Carver, and I Stand Here Ironing by Tillie Olsen - and started off by discussing them. I really didn't care for I Stand Here Ironing when I first read it - in fact, it took me two tries to get through it! - but after hearing my classmates' take on it, I think I will have to give it another read. There were nuances I apparently missed because of my initial dislike for the story. The other two stories I really liked. Cathedral I started out not really liking - the writing was okay, but I really didn't like the narrator; I thought he was a total jerk, and I wasn't sure I cared to read his story. But, it sucked me in, and by the end, I loved it, and even started liking the narrator a bit! Girl was just wonderful! Only a page and a half long in the book, it's just one big sentence! It was wonderful and unique, and something I think I'm going to have to try for myself. The story is basically a list - a mother instructing her daughter on what to do, what not to do, how-to's for things like pressing her father's khakis so the seam is just so, and when to do the white washing as opposed to the color wash. The daughter, distinguished by italics, speaks only twice. I could see the whole thing in my head: the mother dragging her daughter along while she does her chores, showing her how to do things, and telling her how to behave so she doesn't end up a slut. I imagine the girl is around 16 - just on the verge of womanhood - and her mother is passing down her knowledge and advise before sending her daughter out into the world. Wonderful story! Our instructor recommended a book by this author called Annie John that sounds really good, and I might just have to pick that up!

After going over the stories we'd read, it was time to go over the first page of our own stories. (Thankfully, I was going over my notes from last week as I had my dinner, and came across that little instruction. I had completely forgotten about it! Luckily, I had something I could quickly make copies of in my notebook.) We passed around our first pages and began, but were only able to get through two of them. A bit disappointing, but it's to be expected, I guess. It's hard to critique someone else's work - at least it is for me - particularly when they're sitting right there in front of you, and when you've only just read the page! So, it was a bit slow, and there were a lot of long silences. Still, it was good, and I suspect that we'll all become braver and the work shopping will go faster as time goes on.

I have decided to work on my 2001 NaNoWriMo novel concept, "False Memories" for my story. I've always liked the idea of it, so I've decided to give it a go, and see if anything can come of it. Or not.

for what it's worth,
Hez

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Escape

Reading: You've Got to Read This ed. by Ron Hansen.

Classic Book: Animal Farm by George Orwell.

Listening to: Klife radio.

Writing: Mostly writing exercises, notes, and just trying to come up with something original for class.

Gratitude: The end of the week.

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