Sunday, October 18, 2009
This is Getting Ridiculous.
Since this crap website won't let me paste anything I've written, it's clearly useless. This has happened at least the last three times I've attepted to post a new entry, and I'm rather tired of this nonsense. Just let me know when it starts acting like a real website.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Pressure to Have a Meaningless Life
Since this website refuses to cooperate and let me copy and paste an essay I wrote, I'll just supply a link to it from another website:
www.hubpages.com/hub/Pressure-to-Have-a-Meaningless-Life
www.hubpages.com/hub/Pressure-to-Have-a-Meaningless-Life
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Writing Prompt
Here's a writing prompt that I learned at the Willamette Writers Conference:
Write from the perspective of a different gender, describing getting dressed. (The panel speakers only acknowledged the existence of two genders, but I live in Portland in the year 2009. It's probably easiest to pick female or male, but if you want to write from a trans perspective, or from an intersex character's perspective, go right ahead.)
Write from the perspective of a different gender, describing getting dressed. (The panel speakers only acknowledged the existence of two genders, but I live in Portland in the year 2009. It's probably easiest to pick female or male, but if you want to write from a trans perspective, or from an intersex character's perspective, go right ahead.)
Monday, August 10, 2009
Great News about my Pilgrimage Memoir!
I sent an e-mail to Bina at Buddha Path (www.buddhapath.com) asking whether Shantum has read the manuscript that I sent him of my pilgrimage memoir. (I was on a Buddhist pilgrimage in 2007 and wrote a gigantic journal, and Shantum was the meditation teacher and tour guide during the pilgrimage. I was inspired to turn my journal into a publishable book.)
After reading my e-mail, Bina reminded Shantum of the manuscript, and he looked through it and, as it turns out, really likes it! He's even willing to write a forward, as I had sort of begged him to do during my second trip to India.
I had long since come to the conclusion that Shantum wasn't going to read the manuscript, let alone OK it, so this is all a big and very pleasant surprise.
Next month I start grad school in the Book Publishing program at PSU, which has a student-run publshing company...so that's one possibility for publication....
After reading my e-mail, Bina reminded Shantum of the manuscript, and he looked through it and, as it turns out, really likes it! He's even willing to write a forward, as I had sort of begged him to do during my second trip to India.
I had long since come to the conclusion that Shantum wasn't going to read the manuscript, let alone OK it, so this is all a big and very pleasant surprise.
Next month I start grad school in the Book Publishing program at PSU, which has a student-run publshing company...so that's one possibility for publication....
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
It's Not What You Think....
This evening I participated, for the first time, in a writing group called Scribble Sessions. We did a couple of fun activities, including jotting down a writing prompt and putting it in a hat. Each of us drew out a prompt and, for ten minutes, wrote something based on it. My prompt was "It's not what you think." This is what I wrote:
I stood in a dark alley gazing at a glimmering gold and silver amorphous blob floating in the air. I thought it must be some sort of alien, so I greeted it by holding up my hand in a Vulcan greeting, with the forefinger and middle finger together and pulled away from the ring finger and pinkie. I grinned and cheerfully said, “Nah-noo, nah-noo!”
I watched the shimmering object for any changes in its appearance. The only difference at first was a hint of grey spots, as if someone had dropped a pinch of a spice into a pot of soup. I decided to try a different tactic: I bowed gracefully, pulling off my stocking cap and swinging my right arm dramatically away. I stayed in a bowed position until I began to feel a twinge in my lower back, so I placed my left hand on the base of spine and slowly raised my head, till I stood straight.
The blob looked greyer now, and close to the top was now a translucent grey face. As I watched, a pair of grey translucent arms appeared, attached to hands raised in a supplicating gesture. Gradually an entire human form, almost entirely grey but for tiny swirling specks of gold and silver. The feet were a foot above the ground, but they very slowly and silently sank till the glowing figure stood on the potholed pavement. I could see a blue dumpster through the translucent body.
Finally recognizing the strange apparition, I said, “Uncle Gilbert?”
“Yes, I am your uncle,” the ghost said.
I stood in a dark alley gazing at a glimmering gold and silver amorphous blob floating in the air. I thought it must be some sort of alien, so I greeted it by holding up my hand in a Vulcan greeting, with the forefinger and middle finger together and pulled away from the ring finger and pinkie. I grinned and cheerfully said, “Nah-noo, nah-noo!”
I watched the shimmering object for any changes in its appearance. The only difference at first was a hint of grey spots, as if someone had dropped a pinch of a spice into a pot of soup. I decided to try a different tactic: I bowed gracefully, pulling off my stocking cap and swinging my right arm dramatically away. I stayed in a bowed position until I began to feel a twinge in my lower back, so I placed my left hand on the base of spine and slowly raised my head, till I stood straight.
The blob looked greyer now, and close to the top was now a translucent grey face. As I watched, a pair of grey translucent arms appeared, attached to hands raised in a supplicating gesture. Gradually an entire human form, almost entirely grey but for tiny swirling specks of gold and silver. The feet were a foot above the ground, but they very slowly and silently sank till the glowing figure stood on the potholed pavement. I could see a blue dumpster through the translucent body.
Finally recognizing the strange apparition, I said, “Uncle Gilbert?”
“Yes, I am your uncle,” the ghost said.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Bibliography of Peace
Adams, Judith Porter. Peacework: Oral Histories of Women Peace Activists. Twayne Publishers, Boston, MA: 1991.
Alonso, Harriet Hyman. Peace as a Woman’s Issue: a History of the U.S. Movement for World Peace and Women’s Rights. Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY: 1993.
Benjamin, Medea, and Jodie Evans, editors. Stop the Next War Now: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism. Inner Ocean Publishing, Inc, Makawao, HI: 2005.
Boulding, Elise. Cultures of Peace: the Hidden Side of History. Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY: 2000.
Buchwald, Emilie, Pamela R. Fletcher, and Martha Roth, editors. Transforming a Rape Culture. Milkweed Editions, Minneapolis, MN: 2005.
Chappel, David W., editor. Buddhist Peacework: Creating Cultures of Peace. Wisdom Publications, Boston: 1999.
Chapple, Christopher Key. Nonviolence to Animals, Earth, and Self in Asian Traditions. State University of New York Press, NY: 1993.
Chodron, Thubten. Taming the Mind. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaka, NY: 2004.
--Working with Anger. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaka, NY: 2001.
Chopra, Deepak. Peace is the Way: Bringing War and Violence to an End. Harmony Books, NY: 2005.
Cortwright, David. Gandhi and Beyond: Nonviolence for an Age of Terrorism. Paradigm, Boulder, CO: 2006.
Davies, Miranda. Women and Violence. Zed Books Ltd., NY: 1997.
Diamond, Louise. The Courage for Peace: Daring to Create Harmony in Ourselves and the World. Conari Press, Berkeley, CA: 2004.
Dunlap, Louise. Undoing the Silence: Six Tools for Social Change Writing. New Village Press, Oakland, CA: 2007.
Eisler, Riane. The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future. HarperSanFrancisco: 1988.
Eisler, Riane, and Ron Miller. Educating for a Culture of Peace. Heinemann, 2004.
Elgin, Suzette Haden. The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense. Barnes & Noble Books, NY: 1980.
Erikson, Erik H. Gandhi’s Truth: on the Origins of Militant Nonviolence. W. W. Norton & Company, NY: 1969.
Gandhi, Mohandas K. Autobiography: the Story of My Experiments with Truth. Dover Publications, Inc., NY: 1983.
Griffin, Susan. A Chorus of Stones: the Private Life of War. Anchor Books, NY: 1992.
Gyatso, Tenzen (the Dalai Lama). Healing Anger: the Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, India: 2003.
--An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life. Hodder & Stoughton, London, England, 2001.
Hahn, Thich Nhat. Anger. Riverhead Books, NY: 2001.
--Creating True Peace: Ending Violence in Yourself, Your Family, Your Community, and the World. Free Press, NY: 2003.
--The Thich Nhat Hanh Collection. One Spirit, NY: 2004.
Hooks, bell. Killing Rage: Ending Racism. Henry Holt and Company, NY: 1995.
Hopkins, Jeffrey, editor. The Art of Peace: Nobel Peace Laureates Discuss Human Rights, Conflict and Reconciliation. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, NY: 2000.
Hutchinson, Francis P., F. Hutchinson, and Frank Hutchinson. Educating Beyond Violent Futures. Routledge, NY: 1996.
Ikeda, Daisaku. For the Sake of Peace: Seven Paths to Global Harmony, a Buddhist Perspective. Middleway Press, Santa Monica, CA: 2002.
Iram, Yaacov, Hillel Wahrman, Zehavit Gross, editors. Educating Toward a Culture of Peace. Information Age Publishing, Inc., 2006.
Jack, Homer A. The Gandhi Reader: a Sourcebook of His Life and Writings. Grove Press, NY: 1956.
Juergensmeyer, Mark. Gandi’s Way: a Handbook of Conflict Resolution. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA: 2002.
King, Mary Elizabeth. A Quiet Revolution: the First Palestinian Intifada and Nonviolent Resistance. Nation Books, NY: 2007.
Kurlansky, Mark. Nonviolence: the History of a Dangerous Idea. Modern Library, NY: 2006.
McAllister, Pam, ed. Reweaving the Web of Life: Feminism and Nonviolence. New Society Publishers, Philadelphia, PA: 1982.
Meltzer, Milton. Ain’t Gonna Study War No More: the Story of America’s Peace Seekers. Random House, NY: 2002.
Piburn, Sidney, compiled and edited. A Policy of Kindness: an Anthology of Writings by and About the Dalai Lama. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, India: 2002.
Rosenberg, Marshall. Nonviolence: a Language of Life. PuddleDancer Press, Encinitas, CA: 2003.
--Speak Peace in a World of Conflict. PuddleDancer Press, Enicinitas, CA: 2005.
Roy, Arundhati. An Ordinary Person’s Guide to Empire. South End Press, Cambridge, MA: 2004.
--Power Politics. South End Press, Cambridge, MA: 2001.
--War Talk. South End Press, Cambridge: 2003.
Sivaraksa, Sulak. Conflict, Culture, Change: Engaged Buddism in a Globalizing World. Wisdom Publications, Boston, MA: 2005.
--Seeds of Peace: a Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society. Parallax Press, Berkeley, CA: 1992.
Stafford, William. Edited and with introduction by Kim Stafford. Every War Has Two Losers. Milkweed Editions, Minneapolis, MN: 2003.
Walker, Alice. We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: Inner Light in a Time of Darkness. The New Press, NY: 2006.
Woolf, Virginia. Three Guineas. Harcourt, Inc., NY: 1966.
Alonso, Harriet Hyman. Peace as a Woman’s Issue: a History of the U.S. Movement for World Peace and Women’s Rights. Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY: 1993.
Benjamin, Medea, and Jodie Evans, editors. Stop the Next War Now: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism. Inner Ocean Publishing, Inc, Makawao, HI: 2005.
Boulding, Elise. Cultures of Peace: the Hidden Side of History. Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY: 2000.
Buchwald, Emilie, Pamela R. Fletcher, and Martha Roth, editors. Transforming a Rape Culture. Milkweed Editions, Minneapolis, MN: 2005.
Chappel, David W., editor. Buddhist Peacework: Creating Cultures of Peace. Wisdom Publications, Boston: 1999.
Chapple, Christopher Key. Nonviolence to Animals, Earth, and Self in Asian Traditions. State University of New York Press, NY: 1993.
Chodron, Thubten. Taming the Mind. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaka, NY: 2004.
--Working with Anger. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaka, NY: 2001.
Chopra, Deepak. Peace is the Way: Bringing War and Violence to an End. Harmony Books, NY: 2005.
Cortwright, David. Gandhi and Beyond: Nonviolence for an Age of Terrorism. Paradigm, Boulder, CO: 2006.
Davies, Miranda. Women and Violence. Zed Books Ltd., NY: 1997.
Diamond, Louise. The Courage for Peace: Daring to Create Harmony in Ourselves and the World. Conari Press, Berkeley, CA: 2004.
Dunlap, Louise. Undoing the Silence: Six Tools for Social Change Writing. New Village Press, Oakland, CA: 2007.
Eisler, Riane. The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future. HarperSanFrancisco: 1988.
Eisler, Riane, and Ron Miller. Educating for a Culture of Peace. Heinemann, 2004.
Elgin, Suzette Haden. The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense. Barnes & Noble Books, NY: 1980.
Erikson, Erik H. Gandhi’s Truth: on the Origins of Militant Nonviolence. W. W. Norton & Company, NY: 1969.
Gandhi, Mohandas K. Autobiography: the Story of My Experiments with Truth. Dover Publications, Inc., NY: 1983.
Griffin, Susan. A Chorus of Stones: the Private Life of War. Anchor Books, NY: 1992.
Gyatso, Tenzen (the Dalai Lama). Healing Anger: the Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, India: 2003.
--An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life. Hodder & Stoughton, London, England, 2001.
Hahn, Thich Nhat. Anger. Riverhead Books, NY: 2001.
--Creating True Peace: Ending Violence in Yourself, Your Family, Your Community, and the World. Free Press, NY: 2003.
--The Thich Nhat Hanh Collection. One Spirit, NY: 2004.
Hooks, bell. Killing Rage: Ending Racism. Henry Holt and Company, NY: 1995.
Hopkins, Jeffrey, editor. The Art of Peace: Nobel Peace Laureates Discuss Human Rights, Conflict and Reconciliation. Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, NY: 2000.
Hutchinson, Francis P., F. Hutchinson, and Frank Hutchinson. Educating Beyond Violent Futures. Routledge, NY: 1996.
Ikeda, Daisaku. For the Sake of Peace: Seven Paths to Global Harmony, a Buddhist Perspective. Middleway Press, Santa Monica, CA: 2002.
Iram, Yaacov, Hillel Wahrman, Zehavit Gross, editors. Educating Toward a Culture of Peace. Information Age Publishing, Inc., 2006.
Jack, Homer A. The Gandhi Reader: a Sourcebook of His Life and Writings. Grove Press, NY: 1956.
Juergensmeyer, Mark. Gandi’s Way: a Handbook of Conflict Resolution. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA: 2002.
King, Mary Elizabeth. A Quiet Revolution: the First Palestinian Intifada and Nonviolent Resistance. Nation Books, NY: 2007.
Kurlansky, Mark. Nonviolence: the History of a Dangerous Idea. Modern Library, NY: 2006.
McAllister, Pam, ed. Reweaving the Web of Life: Feminism and Nonviolence. New Society Publishers, Philadelphia, PA: 1982.
Meltzer, Milton. Ain’t Gonna Study War No More: the Story of America’s Peace Seekers. Random House, NY: 2002.
Piburn, Sidney, compiled and edited. A Policy of Kindness: an Anthology of Writings by and About the Dalai Lama. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, India: 2002.
Rosenberg, Marshall. Nonviolence: a Language of Life. PuddleDancer Press, Encinitas, CA: 2003.
--Speak Peace in a World of Conflict. PuddleDancer Press, Enicinitas, CA: 2005.
Roy, Arundhati. An Ordinary Person’s Guide to Empire. South End Press, Cambridge, MA: 2004.
--Power Politics. South End Press, Cambridge, MA: 2001.
--War Talk. South End Press, Cambridge: 2003.
Sivaraksa, Sulak. Conflict, Culture, Change: Engaged Buddism in a Globalizing World. Wisdom Publications, Boston, MA: 2005.
--Seeds of Peace: a Buddhist Vision for Renewing Society. Parallax Press, Berkeley, CA: 1992.
Stafford, William. Edited and with introduction by Kim Stafford. Every War Has Two Losers. Milkweed Editions, Minneapolis, MN: 2003.
Walker, Alice. We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: Inner Light in a Time of Darkness. The New Press, NY: 2006.
Woolf, Virginia. Three Guineas. Harcourt, Inc., NY: 1966.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Gratitude
In the fall, I'll be starting out as a graduate student in Book Publishing and am very excited about it. As an author, I want to take a moment to thank people who have helped me in my writing career.
First, I must thank my ninth-grade English teacher, Ms. Downard, who was the first person to encourage my writing. She praised my short stories and essays highly, published some of them in the high school newsletter, and encouraged me to participate in writing contests.
Second, I am thanking my other high school English teacher, Mr. Floran, who among other things taught College Prep English and commented that I showed understanding in the class while most of my classmates were confused. He assured me that whatever art form I focused on for my future career, I would do well.
As a college student, my favorite writing instructor was Joe Schuster, and I thank him for giving such positive and encouraging feedback on my stories. He also happened to be one of the coolest teachers on campus.
I must also thank college friends, in particular Alice Warner Henderson and Jeff Spinks, whose words of encouragement and praise helped me to feel better about myself and to have more confidence in my art.
First, I must thank my ninth-grade English teacher, Ms. Downard, who was the first person to encourage my writing. She praised my short stories and essays highly, published some of them in the high school newsletter, and encouraged me to participate in writing contests.
Second, I am thanking my other high school English teacher, Mr. Floran, who among other things taught College Prep English and commented that I showed understanding in the class while most of my classmates were confused. He assured me that whatever art form I focused on for my future career, I would do well.
As a college student, my favorite writing instructor was Joe Schuster, and I thank him for giving such positive and encouraging feedback on my stories. He also happened to be one of the coolest teachers on campus.
I must also thank college friends, in particular Alice Warner Henderson and Jeff Spinks, whose words of encouragement and praise helped me to feel better about myself and to have more confidence in my art.
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