Category Archives: creativity

My Reasons Why

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Over the last few week or so I’ve finally started writing again.  What was I waiting for?  I’m not quite sure, but I do know this:  I missed it.  It isn’t that I haven’t written at all since the pandemic, it is just that I’ve been selective and focused on other things.

So, why do I keep coming back to writing?  There are so many reasons …

  1. It is my creative outlet.  

Some people make beautiful music, others play sports, and yet others draw or paint.  I am not good at any of those things.  Writing is something I can do fairly well.  I know how to improve.  It is a nice mix of being able to accomplish something and yet striving to make it the best it can be.  If I tried to play a musical instrument, I would want to give up before I could get anywhere.

  1. It allows me to practice the art of storytelling.

Both of my parents are wonderful storytellers.  There is nothing I love more than a good story (hence my love of reading).  In my opinion, there is something comfortable about writing down a story before perfecting the art of telling it to others.  Writing allows me to get it right before I share it with others.

  1. I can curate many of my favorite things – and share that them with others.

Blogging can be so much fun.  I actually started “blogging” before it was known as blogging.  I used to use an online notebook/diary to keep track of my favorite websites, poems, photos, memes, and more.  I have enough content now that I can go back and reread things I wrote years ago.  Some of which I have long since forgotten.  It is always fun and gives me ideas for future projects.

  1. It is a challenge.

The writing process is never quite finished.  At some point, it is time to let go.  Frankly, like a good challenge.  As with so many things, I know just enough to be dangerous!

  1. It goes hand in hand with another favorite pastime – reading.

I’ve always loved books.  In fact, I’ve written extensively about my first love – books!  I outline some of my favorite childhood books here.  My love of writing, as with so many others, grew out of my love of reading.  I can’t imagine trying to separate the two.  In fact, I’ve thought about starting a book podcast, just for fun!  I’ve read so many great books this year.  I have yet to discuss any of them here.
The reasons why I write – and my love of writing – is a topic I revisit from time to time.  You can read earlier posts here, here, and here.

Ellen Vrana @ The Examined Life

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My cousin Ellen Vrana has a wonderfully rich, intellectual, yet somehow unstuffy, blog called The Examined Life.  It is wonderful, and if I am honest, intimidating as a fellow writer.  She happens to live in London with her family and discusses just about anything one can imagine.

You may want to start with her about page and A View of Fathers.  Her intelligence and depth come shining through.  You won’t be disappointed.

Review: The Day the Music Died (Documentary)

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Every so often there comes along a rock documentary that I can recommend to just about everyone.  That is the case with The Day the Music Died, which is currently streaming on, and exclusive to, Paramount +.  If you care about Don McLean’s American Pie at all, or the stories behind it, it is a must-watch.  I adore everything about the song, and clearly, after watching the documentary, I am in great company.

I grew up loving the song, which is a story in and of itself.  Very few songs from the time period steal from so many genres.  Stop and think about it for a minute:  Exactly which genre does it belong to?  It isn’t exactly a folk song, it isn’t entirely a rock song, nor is it a pure pop song.  American Pie is all that and more.  It has been covered by country artists and even Madonna, whose version I’ve had mixed feelings about ever since she released it during the summer of 1999 (it was definitely in heavy rotation the summer before I headed to Michigan State).  In the documentary, Garth Brooks discusses in depth the influence the song had on him and his career.  Yet, I feel it is SO much more.  It is timeless.

“The Very Best Of Buddy Holly And The Crickets” by Brett Jordan is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Several years ago now, during one of my subbing experiences in a high school Spanish class, I was instructed to show the movie La Bamba, which was, quite frankly, an unforgettable experience in all the best ways.  First, if you know the movie at all, you will easily recognize why showing it to high school students required some careful editing (fastforwarding).  Fortunately, that went well.  What pleasantly surprised me is how much those students loved the story behind La Bamba and the music.  As we had a few minutes left after the end of the movie – thanks to the inappropriate parts I had to skip – I had a moment to explain the term the day the music died and Don McLean’s song.  Most students knew the song American Pie, of course, but I don’t think that most realized that it referenced an actual event.  I loved watching them make the connection!

The documentary itself covers so much.  It dives deep into exactly how Don McLean wrote the song and came up with the lyrics, as well as his childhood.  Of course, one of the best aspects of the song and lyrics is trying to figure out all of those cryptic references – ie the king with his thorny crown, jack flash, etc.  According to McLean, the only one that is truly “correct” is the double reference ”Lenin/Lennon read a book on Marx.”  Yet, I am not entirely convinced.  That is what makes the lyrics great.  Just as with the best poetry, there are layers upon layers.  Definitely a must-watch.

By the way Michiganders, watch for an interesting reference to Grand Rapids.

“THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED” by akahawkeyefan is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Dreaming On

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I refuse to settle.  I refuse to give up on my dreams.  It is that simple and that complex.  What I want out of life has been on my mind so much lately, especially when it comes to family.  The beautiful part of it all is that I will be fine no matter what happens.  Inspired by former classmates who have shared their intense personal struggles, I would love to do something similar here.

That said, I want to make a few things clear.  I’m not going to dwell on the past.  I have no intention of airing dirty laundry – or anything that involves anyone other than me.  It will be my story that I will share here.  As I have stated earlier in other deeply personal posts, my intention here is to help others not feel so alone.  Nothing more, nothing less.

Now that that is out of the way, here is what I envision for Rambling of a Misguided Blonde moving forward.  I want to largely focus on three things I adore:  1.  Writing and the writing process; 2.  Reading, including emerging adult novels, young adult, and even children’s literature – and much more; and 3.  Music, particularly how lyrics have inspired me as a writer and memories tied to certain song/artists, as well as concerts/live performances.  I will also bring in art from time to time, along with whatever happens to be on my mind.

There are a few things you will not find here.  I won’t be discussing education or the educational system.  I could fill several different blogs on that topic.  I have strong opinions, I see so much room for improvement, and I want to keep things here positive.  As a result, I will skip discussing issues in education.  I also plan to stay out of politics for the same reasons.  I want this to be a place to fully explore things I love deeply, art that has truly carried me through just about anything and everything – good and bad.  I need this.  We all need to do more of what we love.  I have so much to share!

Welcome September

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Closing Out Summer 2022

It is no secret that fall is my favorite season.  The hustle and craziness that is the canoe livery during the summer comes to a swift end once school starts.  There is nothing quite like it.  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.  No matter what I am doing, there are always new routines come September.  While I will eventually be returning to the classroom as a substitute teacher (within the next few weeks), I am taking this year to tie up several loose ends, namely my teacher certification in English (secondary).  I have two classes yet to complete – the first of which started on Tuesday.  I admit it:  I LOVE being a student, even if taking classes at the undergrad level makes me feel old. It is sobering to realize that I am old enough to be my classmates’ mother.  Although, as my mom pointed out, I would have been a young mother.  As for my plans, there are also some surprises in store, so stay tuned!

This year, I want to take the time to put things in place for the canoe livery next summer.  I’m in the perfect spot to do so.  I have the knowledge, time, and interest.  I just hope that it all pays off.  Frankly, I am proud of what I have accomplished in the ten years I’ve been back at the canoe livery.  I’ve created Facebook pages for both of our locations, which are thriving; redid our website, and then outsourced it once I realized my limitations; and implemented Canoebook.  We’ve grown, evolved, and faced huge, unforeseen challenges as a family.  I’ve also worked on our supply chain.  I will always look at things from a supply chain perspective (much more on that later).  Hopefully, after some tweaks, Canoebook will be even better.  Yet another project to complete before May.  Let’s face it:  I am the IT department of Russell Canoe Livery (with a little help, of course).  Thankfully, I enjoy it.

As I thought about what I wanted to write today, as I reread some of my previous blogposts, I kept coming back to the same themes:  1.  Writing about the writing process, 2.  My love of new beginnings, and 3.  Carpe Diem (seize the day – cue Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society).  I can’t help myself.  The writing process fascinates me, and I am constantly learning, even when I wasn’t active here.  This point in my life truly is a new beginning – or it at least feels like one.  As for Carpe Diem, well … I lost a dear friend this summer to pancreatic cancer and recently a former classmate and her family lost everything in a house fire (including her husband, another classmate).  I’ve watched over the last couple of years as my dad wrote and then published a book on his life.  Speaking of my dad, he continues to set a great example in terms of going after what one wants out of life, even if we don’t agree on everything.  I just need to follow it.  It is time to get to work.

Thank you for reading, for staying with me.  Welcome back!

Thank You

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Here’s to a great 2022!

Restarting my conversation with all of you here has been on my mind for quite some time.  As with so much in my life, things became bogged down during the pandemic.  It is telling that my last posts described my feelings at the beginning of the shutdown – my experience as a new teacher suddenly thrown into the great unknown and then a two-part series on the pandemic and the canoe livery.  The survival of that constant in my life weighed so heavily on my mind during the darkest days of the shutdown.  It was almost unspeakable.

And now … Well, I feel as though I just witnessed the end of an era on Friday with the death of Betty White.  I watched The Golden Girls during its original run.  Yes, I am that old.  Even though I was a child and tween during that time, there always seemed to be something timeless about that show and the principal actresses as well.  I spent many Saturday evenings watching with my grandparents.  Grandpa Owen adored Sophia, and of course, we all loved the humor.  Out of the remaining three actresses, Betty White’s Rose reminded me the most of Grandma Reid.  However, there is one huge catch:  Grandma was never, ever even close to being that naïve (or dumb)!  Yet, Rose’s willingness to help anyone and everyone fit the bill and her constant positivity reflected my experiences with both of my grandmothers.  I think it is that kindness, reflected in both Betty White’s character Rose Nylund and anecdotes of Betty White’s generosity towards her colleagues and fans, that I am sensing is gone.  It is also a longing for a simpler time.

If I am honest, the feeling that it is the end of an era started before Friday.  This past fall, one of my Grandma Reid’s last remaining friends passed away (although there may be a few left).  It hit particularly hard because Ginny was such a positive person.  I have fond childhood memories of visiting her home during Halloween, at which time she would show me her vast porcelain doll collection and shared stories about working for my grandfather.  As an adult, I saw her often as she volunteered at the Skilled Nursing Facility where Grandma Reid lived out the last few years of her life.  I can only hope that I will be around to volunteer in my 80s and 90s! I remember her as so full of life. Again, the world could use more positivity at this point.

In fact, I am done.  There are so many times I’ve wanted to write that simple sentence, and I now know how to explain it a bit better.  I am done listening to the negative, which, let’s be honest, is everywhere now.  I’m also done spending any time or energy on people who only focus on what could go wrong.  It is time to finally move forward after the last nearly two years of hiding in the shadows and not living to the fullest.  Yes, I truly believe that there have always been ways to do so safely.

We can get back to ourselves, but we might find that we have discover ourselves once again.  As I work on decluttering my life, I will hopefully make even more room for what is truly important.  I still have important to decisions to make, but I am finally once again headed in the right direction.  There is hope for me yet (see article below).

So, thank you. Thank you for staying with me through all the craziness that is my life. Thank you for still reading even if I am nothing but inconsistent. Thank you for letting me share a tiny piece of my life.

It’s Never Too Late:  On Becoming a Writer at 50

There Are No Words

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Statue

If I have learned anything over the last few weeks, it is that I crave structure.  I need it to be productive.  I am slowly working on getting back into some type of routine as everything has shifted over the last couple of weeks.  Right now, I’m not even sure what it would look like.

I’d love to put tons of time and energy into my Google Classroom now, but Michigan just closed schools for the rest of the school year.  Up until this point, I was unable to assign anything for a grade.  I could share things I would like my students to look at and do, but that was about it.  I did come across some great stuff that I will be using with my students moving forward.  Unfortunately, that is the point.  Until we can figure out what distance learning will look like at our school, I’m not sure how we will handle students without out devices and internet access.  Hopefully, we will know more next week and will be able to move on from there.

I miss and worry about my students.  My heart breaks for my 8th graders who will be heading off to high school next year.  Will they be ready?  We did not get to send them off in the way they need to be sent off – not yet, anyway.  I worry less about 6th and 7th graders.  I can put things in place to help us fill in gaps next year.  It may not be fun, but it might be necessary.  I still miss them though, and they are certainly missing out on so much.  When we left school on Friday, March 13th – a day I will never forget – I was in the middle of planning a field trip to the Michigan Science Center and the Detroit Institute of Arts.  My 6th graders were also supposed to go to Lansing on another field trip in early May – a field trip that never happened last year.  8th graders are also missing out on their last dance, usually put on by 7th grade.  Not to mention track and field day, the last events surrounding Lent and Easter, and the wonderful chaos that is the last week of the school year.  Oh, and I could cry when I think of what we had planned for March is reading month, most of which never took place, including Prime Time Live Friday Night (originally slated for that ill-fated Friday the 13th) and a poetry café, among so much else.

Then there are the student council events.  I am the student council advisor, and my students pleaded with me to plan an end of year event.  A trip to an escape room and laser tag were in the works.  We were also supposed to have a carnival for younger students during March is reading month, all sponsored and put on by student council.  I’m now trying to figure out how we are going to do elections for next year, which take place every spring.  I may be able to come up with something there.  The point is that everyone who works in or deals with education day-in, day-out – teachers, administrators, volunteers, staff, parents, and certainly students – lost so much over these last few weeks.

I feel as though that goes double for students in Catholic schools.  I am not Catholic, and I do not teach religion, but I know what my students are missing at a time when they could use their faith the most.  They need guidance when it comes to faith formation, and that is what they are lacking now.  I keep thinking … 20 years from now, how I will I explain these times to my students?  There are times when I feel at a loss when I try discussing September 11th with current students who were born longer after 2001.

This is not what I wanted or dreamed for my first full year teaching.  It just isn’t.  I do hope that next year will bring a “normal” year.  During the 2018-2019 school year, those of us in Michigan experienced a record number of “cold”/snow days.  Something no one experienced before.  Now this.  I think everyone could use a return to “normal” at this point.

Change the World

Then there is the canoe livery.  Fortunately for us, we don’t truly begin to get busy until the end of June, early July.  August keeps getting busier and busier every year.  This time of year, we get things ready for opening on Memorial Weekend.  We will see what happens.  While we can make some progress, in other ways, it is difficult.  For example, I can’t finish ordering our t-shirts and sweatshirts at this point.  Would it be wise to do so right now with so much uncertainty?  Same goes for other merchandise in our stores.

There are so many summer scenarios that are running through my head.  I can’t help but think we’d be especially busy if things start returning to normal by early June.  If it is towards the end of June, that might put more pressure on already extremely busy weekends.  Should we extend our season?  Time will tell.

I do know that I will survive.  My family will survive.  The canoe livery will survive.  We’ve weathered so many storms in the past.  I keep telling myself how bleak things looked in 2018 in the wake of massive 100-year flooding due to ice.  We made it and came back better than ever.  Eventually a path will be made clear, and there will be a new “normal.”  We all just need to hold on until then.

Empty Classroom

Why I Write

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Writing 1

Why do I write? I write because I must write. I have a story within me that must be told. There may be other ways to tell that story, but writing fits me – and more importantly, it fits the story I need to tell. I’ve dabbled in many forms of writing over the years, everything from daily throw away articles to blogging to academic papers. I view it all as preparation for writing a larger story.

More than anything, writing allows me to organize all the seemingly random thoughts rambling around my head. I love reading what I wrote years ago as it normally takes me back to a certain time and place. It is a way for me to see just how much I’ve grown over the years, both personally and as a writer.

As a teacher, it saddens me when students tell me they hate to read and write. In my mind, my love of writing grew out of my love of reading. I loved to read as a child – and I still love to read. Reading and writing are so intertwined in my life that it is difficult for me to tell where one begins and the other ends. For example, something I plan to write will inspire me to read a certain book. Other times, a book I pick up because it looks good will inspire me to write. One of my all-time favorite books, Reading Like A Writer by Francine Prose, sums up the symbiotic relationship perfectly. In fact, it changed how I read as a writer in every sense of those words. As long as I have books, paper, and pen, I will never be bored.

Writing, to me, also means a sense of community. I’ve taken writing classes at the local community college, spent years as a member of Mid-Michigan Writers, Inc., and attended workshops and seminars for writers. I have yet to meet one writer who didn’t have something to offer others, whether it be a new critique technique, a new source of writing prompts, or information on various programs for writers. As with teachers, writers are happy to share. We can all learn from one another.

The wonderful thing about writing is that it can be personal or shared, solitary or social, and organized or spontaneous. There is room for all types, and there is no one set of rules that apply to everyone. I love that young and old have access to reading and writing. Unlike many sports, there is no expiration date. There is no real barrier to entry other than basic literacy. I like to think that my writing will just get better with age, like a fine wine. It inspires me that many writers did not find their way until late in life. Above all, there is no stopping a great story.

Let’s face it: Good storytelling isn’t going anywhere, whether that means books, movies, television, or something else entirely. As long as there is hunger for a good story, there will be writers. I am proud to be a part of that tradition.

Writing 2

Writing On …

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goddess-185457_1920

I admit that I have a love/hate relationship with writing.  I love writing and it brings me a lot of joy.  At the same time, I hate it when I get so busy with other things in my life that I let writing go by the wayside.  It isn’t that I don’t have time.  I don’t make the necessary time.  That must change.  Not a month from now, not a week from now, but today.  As I now have nothing but time, maybe I need to work it into my schedule in a way that is sustainable when the world rights itself again.

It’s strange.  Growing up, I always wanted to live through historic events.  I loved history and wanted to be a part of it.  What I didn’t realize when I was younger is that we all live through history.  The reasons I love genealogy and history so much are the countless stories of ordinaries peoples’ lives during extraordinary circumstances.  If that doesn’t describe these times, nothing will.  If nothing else, I hope those of us who love to write, whether for an audience or just ourselves, take this opportunity to detail our lives in this moment.

I can’t wait for the day when I argue with my mom whether the corona virus epidemic hit in 2020 or 2021.  We will get through this, and I can’t wait for the party when we do!  I do hope it brings us together and closer to God.  I also hope that our society somehow learns patience.  We need to slow down and appreciate what we do have.  Every one of us.

You can find my podcast here …

darkness

One Week …

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I will never forget Friday, March 13th, 2020.  I teach middle school at a small, rural Catholic school, and we had just had an unexpected day off due to a boiler issue.  Late in the day on Thursday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer mandated all schools closed as of Monday, March 16th.  Suddenly we were all faced with an undetermined amount of time off.  Not only did teachers and administrators not quite know what to expect, students looked to us for answers and we had none.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way.  After school on that Friday, we were supposed to have an after school event for March is reading month, Prime Time Live Friday Night.  Games, dinner, and prizes all cancelled.  Our once full March calendar suddenly free.  Now, our last Stations of the Cross is the last school memory I will have for a while.

I can’t help but think of all my 6th through 8th graders through all of this.  Are they OK?  How do I help make sure they are still learning?  What can I do when I can’t assign any graded work as not everyone has internet access?  I’ve worked my way through a crash-course on creating Google Classrooms, learning by doing.

Oh, the events!  I so looked forward to so many events this spring!  We had one field trip planned to Lansing in May, and I was in the process of booking another to the Michigan Science Center and the Detroit Institute of Art.  We were just beginning the novel Esperanza Rising as a middle school.  Oh, and the poetry unit I wanted to do.  Then there were the professional development opportunities now cancelled.  I looked forward to learning to become the best possible middle school teacher I can be.  I am hoping that I have the same opportunities next year.

Then there are the longer-term questions.  When will we return to school?  What to expect when we do?  When will society return to “normal’?  How will things work with our seasonal family business, which is due to start Memorial Weekend?  In fact, I’ve been splitting my time between trying to round up resources for my students and using this opportunity to get some business done.

Watching and observing how we have all come together as a profession (teachers are the best!), a church, a community, a state, and a country is heartwarming.  Ultimately, we will all become stronger through this adversity.

I will post resources soon!