I DON'T MIND WAITING

Have you ever returned merchandise to the shelf because the check-out line was too long?  Have you ever become impatient when your flight was delayed?  Have you been rude or sarcastic to  a wait staff because your meal was late arriving? Have you become impatient with a spouse or family member because they kept you waiting? The majority of people would probably answer yes to one or more of these questions.  I don't feel that way. I don't mind waiting.  Believe it or not I learn so many things about human nature when I'm forced to wait for my life's adventures to happen. ( No to mention that I often find material for my writing!)

The wait in the airport!   I rather enjoy it. Just think about how many life stories are represented.  Do you ever wonder about the life of the seat mate on the plane? What happened before they came to the airport?  Did they have someone to take them in their arms and say, "I  love you?"  Some passengers seem afraid to make eye contact. Others talk incessantly.  Perhaps thy are on edge about the plane trip. Others seem to be mute.  Even if you need to ask them something you hesitate. Oh well, we he gets up to leave the plane the edge of my  skirt will be free!  He is pretending to be asleep. How do I know?  I'm the mother of four children.  I digress.  Let's go back to the airport waiting room.  I like to play guessing games.  Will the man with the gray hair have a lap top with him.  I say, "No." But after he makes himself comfortable, out comes the expensive piece of electronic equipment.  Mark a zero for me!  Next person... she keeps dialing her cell phone and from the look on her face she isn't getting an answer.  Tears begin to roll down her cheeks.  Then I hear the cell phone ring. She answers and immediately her expression changes  Someone dear to her has been heard from. Write your own story.

Let's change places.  A long line at Wal-Mart.  Any Wal-Mart. Anywhere.  Human nature is the same all over. I have two items to check out...no short lines in sight.  Oh well, choose one and maybe a kind soul will say you can go ahead of them. No such luck but I begin to notice the baby held by a petite young woman who appears to be doing her best to keep him quiet and pay for her groceries.  I start to make faces at the baby.  Slowly his mouth turns up in a smile.  He calms down and a smile shows on the mother's face.  As she picks up the bag of groceries with one hand, she turns and mouths a thank you.

Another scenario...a waiting room in a hospital.  The middle-age couple sit as if they were made of stone.  The door opens and only their eyes move to see the person who came through. It's evident this is not their bearer  of news, good or bad. The man begins to cough and cannot control it. The woman does not react.  I walk to the water cooler and bring him a cup of water.  He takes my hand and whispers a weak, "thank you." Before another hour has passed he and his wife have told me their sad story.  I listen without comment.  They just needed to talk.

Reading has always been a great way to pass the time. I was curious to know what was popular.  Sometimes I twisted my neck out of place trying to read the title on the paperback. These days I would have to get in some one's face to read their NOOK or Kindle.

Times have changed.  But the art of waiting remains one of learned patience and tolerance. If you haven't  mastered the art....try it and you will find that it beats stress and fuming by a mile. And it lowers your blood pressure.

 

 

WRITERS NEED OTHER WRITERS

If you are what is kindly termed a "local writer" then you will relate to this post.  If you don't, you are probably on your way to becoming  a well known author, if not a best selling one

This post has been written with the following ingredients:

1/8 cup embellishment

1/8 cup  egotism

1/4 cup truth

1 tablespoon sarcasm

1 tablespoon tongue-in-cheek

1 cup of gratitude for Mary Anne Benedetto for her giving spirit

Local writers, for the most part, are hard working, goal oriented, wear -out the-shoe-leather entrepreneurs. We're always looking for the new gimmick that will trigger a reader's brain to buy our work ...the product  which came from our God-given abilities along with the sweat of our brows. At times I think some people have the idea that one day you wake up and say I'm going to take a few weeks and write that novel I've had running in my head for years.  After a day or two of preparation--going to Office Depot and buying a package of computer paper, a red pen( for editing), a yellow one for highlighting, a package of licorice all-sorts( just to boost my morale) and a box  of paper clips (I have no idea why)--and I'm ready to begin. I sit down and pull my chair up to the PC and I'm ready. But the words aren't there.  What had been in my past dreams about the novel?  Who were the characters?  Were they likable? Believable?  Did I have a general idea where the story was headed? I sat and gave some thought to these musings.  got up, opened the bag of all-sorts and went for a walk.  On my return the all-sorts were gone and I had thought of some new ideas.  Number one was that before I started writing, I needed a topic I was passionate about, one that I couldn't stop writing about.  Number two was that it had to be a topic which would grab a reader's interest.   Simple? No, as time would tell five books later.

Once, a local book store owner told me that if I would put more sex and romance in my novels they would sell like hotcakes!   I thought about that for about two seconds and responded, "that is not my style and if I had to do that to sell books then I guess I would never sell many books."  Oh, I could probably write at least 29 Shades of Gray but since 50 has been written, I'm afraid my sales would not improve and I would become a recluse because of my permanent red face. 

Getting serious, I will keep on doing what has become the norm; scheduling book signings, talks, charity events (they are the best), websites, and social networks. But one new outlet has become available recently. .....the new bookwriters' group, Beach Authors Network, organized by Mary Anne Benedetto. She has brought together an eclectic group of local writers who give support and encouragement to each other. Thank you Mary Anne for the time and expertise you donate to this group.

Writers do need other writers.

Your comments are welcomed.

WRITING--A GREAT HEALER

In a past post I told about how I came to be a writer. It wasn't a strong feeling that I was meant to be a writer, or that I had a topic burning to be told. I'll admit that I dreamed since sixth grade of writing a best selling novel. The years wore on, I taught elementary school, returned to college for certification in Library Science, and settled down in an elementary school library with two campuses. It was hard work but I learned the ins and outs of a school library. I think my years there taught me the difference in good and bad writing..the most popular books for the children were almost always the award winning ones. The desire was there to write but there was no time. I had four children and a husband to care for, plus the library responsibilities.

As the years past, jobs and locations changed but the desire to write was always there tucked safely in the recesses of my mind. Sometimes It was so strong that I wrote down ideas, titles for book, and story lines. Most of them were on scraps of paper and were soon lost.

Before I realized what was happening, I retired. That didn't mean that I slept late or watched teleision everyday. The days were soon filled with volunteer activities, church and community, doctors' appointments, lunches with friends, book clubs, "the feeding and care of grandchildren". The list was endless. Then one day my heart stood still for a few seconds. I didn't believe what I was hearing, although I had a suspicion. This could not be happening to me. As the doctor looked up from the report and said "I feel without a doubt you have Parkinson's Disease," I had flashbacks of my uncle who spent years in a nursing facility unable to wait on himself. Was this to be my fate? I researched this neurological disease with determination to find a positive result of medical research. It is true that there are new techniques and medications which work for some patients. As time passed I was prescribed more medication and my disease is manageable most of the time

Going back to shortly after I was diagnosed, I had a problem with sleeping ...some nights I slept maybe two or three hours. The time I was stressed out about not sleeping seemed wasted to me, so I began to write. I wrote everyday and soon I had to write or my day did not go well. I was into something that took my mind from the symptoms of Parkinson's.

I may never write that best seller but I'm having fun meeting other writers, doing charity book signings and doing a variety of writing, like this blog, for example.

I heartily recommend writing as therapy for mental and physical stress. It is good for the soul.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. Please comment if you desire.

Darlene Eichler

WRITING A MEMOIR CHANGES YOUR LIFE FOREVER

I thought it would be a challenge, as well as interesting to teach a memoir writing class.  It was a little scary at first.  What did I know about writing memoir?  I knew I loved to hear stories of how it used to be, but teach? I was a teacher for years and you know what some people believe?  If you're trained to teach then with some study you can teach anything. .I'm a little skeptical of that philosophy but I decided to jump right in with both feet.

That class was  made up of students who had kept journals, those who knew basically what they wanted to write and some who had no idea where to begin. At first they were hesitant to relax and open up about their concerns and stories. However, by the end of two hours they were talking and laughing and ready to begin their journeys of memoir writing to record the past for the future generations
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Most of my class sessions are for six weeks..each class session is concentrated with specific steps to aid in writing down memories.  Memory joggers are important.  Did you know that the sense of smell is the best memory jogger...remember the aroma of cookies baking in your mother's kitchen?  They learn that smaller is better and wirte in "slices' of stories. The process of reducing ones story can be difficult and heart wrenching .But they soon learned to be memoir surgeons!

The mechanics of writing memoir is important but not the primary concern in my class.  That can be addressed later with help in problem areas. Finding one's voice is near the top of the list.  A few students have found their voice or writing personality and others take a little longer. In the reading of homework there develops...new awareness of how another might feel, the release of pent up emotions,  humor that seemed to be hiding for years, and beginning to feel comfortable sharing one's stories with others.  I could go on and on  but I think you understand that a memoir writing class is special in many ways. So if you live in the Myrtle Beach area, we would love for you to join us on Wednesday mornings from 10-12 (see the OLLI catalog for dates.) If you don't live in  Myrtle Beach, check colleges in your area.  You will be glad you did.

Darlene Eichler
Teacher in the OLLI(Life Long Learning Program)
Coastal Carolina University
843-349-276--79th Ave.

Comments are welcome.