After a difficult week, I offer some of the more positive views I experienced (outside of my post-election distress, complicated migraine, screwed-up-and-painful leg, and ridiculously hectic travel). Today my father has been gone exactly 18 months.
My peace pole (built and erected by my father) as seen through the palms as a sort of liminal space. Here it is in Korean and English. The other sides are Spanish and Hebrew. Dad chose the languages.
We were in California again this past week. The Virginia Dare winery crusher building in Rancho Cucamonga. The Virginia Dare wine company is close to 200 years old and is now owned by the Coppola family.
The gate of the medical office complex that is part of the Virginia Dare center now. The metal grape leaves are a nice touch. Sorry it is so crooked. I thought I had that problem solved, but apparently not.
A mug with my life’s motto (the mug itself belongs to someone else, but the wine is mine): I just want to drink wine & pet my cat. Or cats. Which I can’t do when I am in California.
The view of Phoenix when I drove back in from California.
And when I got to the house I discovered that Pear and Tiger had decided to share the window seat.
Memoir Writing: Structure
I am doing some writing–just enough to feel as if I am writing. Rewriting my memoir into chronological order is really not difficult. The material is almost completely written–and it seems to more effortlessly fall into place this way. I remember now when I first started putting the story in a different order. I was in a workshop where the students insisted that because the main secret that is revealed in my book is not HUGE, as in not huge for the public and only huge for me and for my family, that I had to reveal just enough of it up front so that nobody would get the wrong idea. I think this started me on the wrong path that has gone on now for years. I hope my new revelation that they were wrong is correct, otherwise I don’t know how to tell the story. So I am following some hopefully wise advice from Lewis Carroll:
“Begin at the beginning,” the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
I had a couple of revelations about my writing this week that has made my novel SO much easier to rewrite. I, too, took some outside counsel that was not my intuitive path and I’ve finally let that go. Best wishes to you, Luanne
Oh, I’m happy to hear that, Michelle! So glad you were awakened to these thoughts about your project! So funny though: if you’re like me, you probably wanted advice on the book and then figured he/she must be right. heh I’m slowly learning that it is really difficult to give good advice to others about their writing, unless it’s pretty rudimentary stuff that needs the basic foundation. Not sure that makes sense or not. Best to you, too, Michelle.
I love the idea of the multi-lingual peace pole.
The winery seems like a great trip. I like that gate and the mug. 🙂
(And the kitty cuteness when you got home.)
You will appreciate this. When we got home from my sister’s yesterday evening, I of course had to feed the boys first thing. Then when I went upstairs, I found one of my bras on the stairs. My “baby” has not carried any of my clothing around for a while. I guess he missed me.
The king gives good advice.
I should clarify that the winery no longer operates in Rancho Cucamonga, but it is the old building, etc. LOL, I love that bra story! So so so cute. Ah, they are wonderful in their simplicity.
I hope the king is right!
Thanks, Robin.
I thought you’d like the bra story. For awhile last winter, he was carrying one of my slippers around. 🙂
Sorry, I looked up at another name and typed Robin instead of Luanne. Yes, 7:40 P.M. and I’m ready for bed. Geez. 🙂
You and me both. I’ll go look.
Well, I always did want a different first name growing up. I’m sure I would have been thrilled to be Robin! I have found that cats LOVE slippers. Seriously love them. They particularly like the gardener’s stinky outdoor flipflops that he wears for slippers. But in a pinch they like mine, too.
Hahaha.
Cool
Thanks for stopping by. You never know when I’m going to need some secret advice–or advice on a secret!
That is true
Very good to start the week with a post by you, Luanne. I’m striving to create the plot of my novel-forever-in-progress. You are an inspiration, writing in spite of election fallout/aftermath/skepticism/concern, your physical issues, everything. I’m hiking this morning (first time in two months, as I’ve been dealing with plantar fasciitis); promised myself to work, afterwards, for at least two hours on The Hand of Ganesh, a sequel to All the Wrong Places (the latter to be published by Pocol Press). BTW: love your kitty photos. My sweet Charlie Chapman is curled up in the office window seat reminding me that I need to be here – writing – all afternoon.
Oh, I’m so sorry to hear about the plantar fasciitis, Elaine! How painful–and when walking (hiking, labyrinth, etc.) is so important to your wellbeing. It must be so exciting to have All the Wrong Places being published by Pocol Press soon! Best of luck to you with your current project, too, and have a good writing week (with kitty contentedly purring)!
Good advice from Carroll. I was sick this weekend–but just sick enough to kind of enjoy it. Everyone else was busy and there I was in bed with my dogs. I hope you have a better week with your cats and some wine.
So so sorry that you were sick, Adrienne. I hope you’re feeling better??? Still, so wonderful to have the dogs to lie in bed with! And I hope Carroll’s king is right!!! My week is a little iffy, and my leg is so painful. I feel like I twisted it, but now it involves my hip, too. The gardener has decided I’m a wimp with pain, and I am starting to think he might be right. But wine is good for pain, right? hahaha
I usually make a fool of myself with wine. 😉 But it’s better than pain. Hope you feel better soon.
I don’t mind making a fool of myself once in a while (apparently)! Thanks, I am hoping it will be better by the end of the week.
Great pictures of the cats.
Hah! Aren’t they cuties, though?! My two oldest girls. I was at the shelter last night and got some pix that I hope are good, but I don’t have time to go through them yet. And remember Moe? The lighter gray of the longhaired feral brothers? He is turning into a little model or a ham. For such a shy cat he certainly likes his picture taken!
Boy, it’s hard to believe it’s been eighteen months, Luanne. Sending you a cyber hug and wine today.
Thanks so much, Jill. I cannot even believe it’s been this long. It seems like yesterday and yet next month will be two years from my father’s aortic dissection and his life or death surgery (where I stayed up all night, wondering what was going on).
All great. I love the peace pole in all four languages. And the other photos. Best of luck — always — with your writing.
I love that peace pole, too. My parents had one at the lake, but I don’t think they took it when they sold the house. So I don’t think my mom has one :(. If my father hadn’t gotten sick he probably would have eventually brought it over as he had a lifetime use of the property on the woods side of the road where the peace pole was. But he got sick so soon after moving. Thanks re the writing. YOU TOO.
Love that door and the mug! As for your father, it’s good to remember, and time will heal the hurt.
Thanks so much, Anneli. I would feel strange if I had let the anniversary day pass without noticing. Maybe someday I will, but for now I am always looking at the 14th of the month and counting up.
A piece pole-how wonderful. And how it helps the memories feel warm and thankful. Yes, a dismal week, and we can only keep writing and petting our dogs and cats and writing. And then it will get better.
Writing and petting our furballs are very soothing activities. Even when writing gets hard there is something very positive about it. I feel afterwards as if I exercised!
Truly! <3
The cup made me smile. And your tenaciousness with the memoir revisions is truly inspirational. Keep exercising your writing muscles!
Tenaciousness. hahaha, I like that. It means stupid but sounds nicer, right?
Wrong. Clearly you believe your work has merit (which it does) and you keep plugging. You are my heroine!
Hah, that’s what i mean by stupid. My mentor through Stanford didn’t seem to think my story had a lot of merit. It didn’t have an outrageous twist to it, I guess, and thought I needed to beef it up with research. But then the other readers wanted more of the more personal events, so go figure. Made me realize that to keep going I must be a complete idiot and time-waster.
You sound discouraged and for that I’m sorry. Maybe step away from it for a while?
No, I am really not discouraged. I am like a mindless robot, plunging ahead ridiculously! My head knows that this is a waste of time, but I still feel compelled to write it.
2016 has been a ‘sickly’ year for me too, Luanne. My mother passed and then I got a bout of gastro followed by bronchitis and then I trod on a bone one of the dogs had been chewing and my foot got infected and then I got an eye infection. Hopefully today will be my last doctors visit and I can go on to enjoy my birthday in a couple of weeks! Phew – what a year it has been! Sending you love and hugs xxxx
Oh, Dianne, I’m so sorry you have had so many problems. You are the one needing love and hugs more!!!! oxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo You’ve had some bad luck. I hope that means that 2017 will be a magical year for you!
I hope so Luanne – but I am feeling much better now. Loads of vitamins etc. I think I was a little run down xxxx
Sounds smart. I am going in the sun every day for at least 10 minutes to get my vitamin D because it was very low! 🙂
Luanne – So sad that I missed you when you were so close! The Virginia Dare building is right down the street from us! Lovely photos and prayers for the work on your memoirs. I am eager to read them!
Texted you . . . .
So sorry about your father but glad that your have his peace pole to honor his memory. I’m jealous of the blue skies in your photos, and the sunshine and clear pavement. Such luxuries! Also jealous of the cat mug. Maybe you should have swiped it, hee, hee.
I’m also rewriting a memoir. It’s difficult to follow one’s instincts when writing about personal history, isn’t it? I’m glad that you’re disregarding the advice and following your gut. That’s the only way to write, isn’t it?
Big hugs, and happy writing.
Weather has been beautiful here. No longer hot, but perfect, and of course sunny. I wouldn’t mind some nice rainy days, though, if they are true rainy days kind of like non-Arizona haha. Happy writing to you, too, rock star writer.
I love the cup with the cat face in the bottom. 🙂
Ups and downs, Luanne. I feel drained tonight but yesterday I was full of get up and go.
Isn’t it amazing how that happens? I feel drained tonight, too. In fact, I think I’ll go lie down!!!
🙂
I’m really glad the memoir is moving along smoothly. Sometimes our writing wants to carry us along rather than vice versa.
It’s moving now. Not sure if it will be all I wanted it to be haha, but at least it feels right now.
This is not a lazy bones post! I am very happy you shared the cat and wine mug! I love my coffee or wine in a mug sometimes!
I loved the beautiful gate!
The scenery was special out there.
My very favorite part was about your father choosing the language for your peace pole in the gorgeously lit up, sunny liminal space in the trees. God bless fathers who share the heavens above and have had such a loving impact on their daughters.
Hope you and your family have a marvelous Thanksgiving! My family is carpooling up to Cleveland, all seven grandies, three grown children and significant others to see my Mom. Love you, Luanne!
My kids are Korean and my dad was served in the army during the Korean war and had his mother send little gifts for the children he met there so Korea had a lot of meaning to him. That’s why he chose Korean as one of the languages! Have a FABULOUS time in Cleveland. I will be thinking of you and yours xoxo!
Wine and cats. Perfect combo. I’m glad to hear you’re moving along with your memoir. I have to admit (and I’ve probably admitted this before), I worry about critiques that might send me on the wrong path with my writing. I mean, I have had the experience of being sent on the right path so feedback can be very helpful, but I’ve also seen the opposite. And so you try and ultimately you — the writer — have to do what feels right to you. By the way, we are STILL ordering from Home Chef 🙂 Although I have skipped a couple of weeks (one because I didn’t find anything appetizing enough and another time because we’ll be out of town). At some point we expect to “pause” the account and use the recipes we’ve collected. Just takes planning (which is why we haven’t paused the account yet … lol).
We are ordering from them still, too! It’s kind of surprising to me. But it’s so convenient for us. When Mom comes for a month I’ll have to order for 4 and the gardener will get more to eat ;). I hear you about the critiques–pros and cons. I guess it’s how to handle them mentally and then when to say enough is enough?
I have a feeling we’ll keep Home Chef until my husband retires and he can do the planning and cooking. For now, it is convenient and we are spending less $$ at the grocery stores and I still have plenty of room in the binder 😉 Regarding critiques: definitely a challenge to know when enough is enough ..
I am spending less for meals, that is for sure!
I don’t have much of an imagination with it comes to cooking. Definitely not with meal planning. I’ve found that now I look forward to making Home Chef meals just like I would look forward to trying a new knitting pattern. I don’t have the imagination to design my own knitting patterns but I appreciate that other people do 😉
I like it, too! It saves so much time. I don’t like to spend my time searching for recipes. And I do change out some things, but if I don’t have anything else in the house, I don’t need to worry about it. Our shipment comes today!