Monday, January 24, 2011

Memoir Monday: A Diverted Post

It's time for another Memoir Monday. I usually review a memoir written by a writer or artist. I love reading and sharing what helps them creatively and productively. Today's post is a little different. I received an email from a local writer (Thanks Kate Rothwell) and thought it would make a great Memoir Monday feature. It's a collection of authors and their writing rituals posted on the blog on http://www.mastersdegree.net/. I hope you find it as interesting (and odd) as I did.

"20 Acclaimed Authors and Their Unique Writing Rituals"

Have a creative, productive week!

Kristin : )

Monday, January 17, 2011

Snow Day!

Hi, brrr... It's cold out there. Come in, put your feet by the fire. Here's a cup of cocoa. Do you take marshmallows? Now this is how you enjoy a good snow storm :)





This picture of my kids' playhouse during Storm Benedict reminds of Robert Frost's poem.






Of course I was not on a horse and Frost did not have to airbrush lawn furniture out of his picturesque poem. I don't think I did that bad if you don't look at it too long. Ok, look away.



Winter Storm Benedict paid a visit to Connecticut and dropped 2 feet of snow. Yes, 2 feet! I have been tweeting about how funny Scout is in the snow and thanks to some much needed reminders from a Twitter friend (wink @MarshaEpstein )I finally have a few pictures to share. Above my son Spencer takes a break, but Scout is still eager to run. Below Scout plows her way toward Spencer and my daughter Megan and then does her best super snow dog impression. I think she actually caught some air there! Look at those ears and her smile! lol
















Today is another snow day (3 inches + freezing rain) and those evil weather people are predicting another foot (A FOOT!!) of snow for Friday. I'm charging my camera now for more pictures and stocking up on the hot cocoa.

Do you have any snow pics? I'd love to see them. Leave me a link in the comments and I'll check them out.
Thanks for stopping by. Stay warm.
Kristin : )

Friday, January 14, 2011

New Zodiac Signs - Old Memories Shine.

Happy New Year everyone! I know, I'm a bit late, but in my defense it's a new year ALL year. :) I've taken some time off to focus on writing and family. It was a great break. So, what brought me back today? The new zodiac dates!

Now I'm not one to rely on star positions to plan my day and don't read my horoscope. I don't believe in finding my way through life using someone else's predictions and assumptions. I have many friends and family that do not or can not start their day without reading theirs. Whatever works for each of us, right? So why, when I heard that the Zodiac dates have changed, did I feel like someone had taken my internal ID and crossed out a big part? I'm no longer a Gemini? I'm a Taurus??? What? No, this can't be right.

Why was so shocked? So bothered by something I've never fully believe in? I really had to think about this. Why did it matter? What did being a Gemini mean to me? Why was it such a shock to loose something I didn't think I truly owned. Then it hit me. The first thing I associate being a Gemini with is my grandmother (RIP). She was a proud Gemini, among other awesome attributes.

On her wall, right beside the refrigerator, above the occasional chair that her blind chihuahua repeatedly walked into, were these wooden plaques. I'll never forget them. One was dark brown with the symbol of the Gemini, which was basically the Roman numeral 2 (II). Under that was all of the personality traits believed to be embedded into every Gemini in the free world. I always had a hard time believing that. The second plaque was lighter wood and simply said...

Gemini: Jack of All Trades. Master of None.

Under this was the picture of a man juggling many things with his face all twisted in concentration or constipation. I was never quite sure. I remember asking my grandmother what that meant. I could not understand why she would want this hanging in her kitchen, or anywhere. It seemed so negative to me. I saw a man who couldn't do anything right. Not a Jack of all trades, just a Jack Ass who couldn't juggle. But still, my grandmother loved everything about being a Gemini; the good, the bad, and even the Jacks. She would read "our" horoscope every morning and even got me interested in how our signs were depicted in the constellations. That part of it still amazes me, although the way our ancestors connected the star dots was quite imaginative.

I guess it shouldn't surprise me that the idea of not being a Gemini anymore bothered me. It's not that I feel I'm going to be changed today by it. But it will change a part of my past. It takes away, or changes something that I shared with a very special person, something that meant a lot to her. She unconsciously made it important to me. I've caught myself asking strangers if they were a Gemini because of something they said or did. I would immediately shake my head at myself and then think of Gram (and how much closer I'm getting to morphing into her). This morning, the thought of losing my standing as a Gemini felt like I was losing a connection to her.


A small consolation to this constellation chaos is my grandmother's sign would also change. Her birthday is May 31st and mine is June 15th. We would both be Tauruses. I wonder what she would think of this. Would she have been more like a bull in her life? As if she could have been stronger. Would she have taken life by the horns and have taken no BS from anyone? She already did that.


I guess this Zodiac change doesn't change anything at all. My grandmother, whether a Gemini or a Taurus, was the person who taught me what is important in life: family, friends, full belly laughter, dancing without music, singing off tune, helping others, and doing the best you can for the people you love. No sign in the stars or hung on a wall changes that.


I can't help but wonder what kind of plaque Gram would have hung if she had known she was a Taurus. Probably something along the lines of a bull saying, "If you can't pick up your own BS stay out of my pasture." I may have to make this sign for my kitchen!


Thanks for letting me blog this through. I'd love to know what you think of the Zodiac signs changing and the added 13th sign, Ophiuchus. I can't even pronounce it. No wonder it was booted from the pack eons ago ;)


If you want to read more about the new Zodiac signs here are a few links.


Happy 2011! May the new year bring all your heart desires :)


Kristin :)