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I’ve often heard it said that humans are creatures of habit. Whether habit or no, many are the daily tasks that one must perform in order to ensure Order be kept, maintained and, occasionally, given an extra polish.
Monotonous work–often used synonymously with terms like ‘tedious’, ‘droning’ and ‘boring’—comprises much of my day; early rising, splash of cold water upon the face, brush hair, teeth, wake the children, make coffee, get out the breakfast items for assembly (the children help assemble), search in the garden for ripe tomatoes, pick lettuce… herbs, wipe up mess after coffee…breakfast, dishes rinse, dishes ‘en washer’, sweeping, hugs and kisses for daddy as he leaves for work, check children’s outfits for stains/holes, check backpacks for stray items, bundle older kids off to school…
From then on there is more cleaning, laundry, gardening (a fancy word for pulling weeds), lunch for my youngest, cleaning up after lunch, more sweeping, mopping, wipe down counters, cupboards, refrigerator, microwave, appliances, table, chairs, vacuuming the office floor, hallway check for stray toys, bathroom 1 cleaning, bathroom 2 cleaning, fold laundry, hang shirts, et cetera.
Reading the above even I have to admit it sounds daunting for such to be worked on in the same way, every day. However, despite the apparent repetitious nature of my diurnal endeavors, I found (some years ago) that there is–hidden in monotony–a resource far more precious than any money can buy.
Time.
Having finished these tasks there is suddenly time for play, for singing, for dancing, for reading, for writing, for smelling of roses, for sewing, for projects, for laughter and all the things that make life just a little bit better. In contrast I do have several friends whom hire people to do for them the ‘housekeeping’ work that I do daily; they arrive home each night to an enviably clean domicile… exhausted. I used to think ‘how nice it would be to–like them–have a maid and have all that time freed up’, but to my surprise they inform me that those little bits of time that I procure all but escaped them. They constantly wonder where Time has gone.
Monotony has its uses; efficiency in movements is one. Having discovered that spare time lies hidden in finished tasks, I found ways to speed up those tasks to fruition… to get them over with, as soon as humanly possible. The end result is worth it: to be able to romp and play with tiny feet just a bit more, to type a few more lines, or read a bit more prose, to laugh at one more amusement, to smell one more rose. There is an additional comfort in these monotonous toils; alongside me floats an invisible badge, the insignia of a group of women, like myself, that over the several millenniums of human existence have found joy in the lifelong career of keeping home. It is world-wide club, encompassing women of all classes, colors and clothes whom daily wash, sweep, launder, cook, comfort, mop, watch children, teach… and live.
Tedious? Droning? Boring? I think not.
1. ‘Three Cups of Tea’, from one teabag.
2. Make do with local ingredients; not everyone can drink from ‘The Cask of Amontillado’. (Indeed, it may behoove one not to…)
3. In hard times ‘Pride & Prejudice’ are last to leave, and first to return.
4. Learn ‘Of Mice and Men’ that eat them; corn-fed rodents are quite tender, actually.
5. ‘Great Expectations’ are always free, though be prepared for the possible sequel, ‘great disappointments’.
6. Berries are pricey; with diligent seeking they can be picked for free ‘Where the Red Fern Grows’.
7. A sunset can feed the soul; take a moment to enjoy ‘The Remains of the Day’.
8. ‘Robinson Crusoe’ found solace and sanity in daily labor; keep busy.
9. Making creative dinners of leftovers earns you ‘The Red Badge of Courage’.
10. Lettuce soon bolts; gather the seeds before they are ‘Gone With the Wind’.
11. ‘Little Men’ and ‘Little Women’ can do little tasks to help out.
12. Diets including ‘Leaves of Grass’–especially of wheat—provide a nutritious boost.
13. Despite the seemingly interminable rain, the ‘Sun Also Rises’.
14. If you see a ‘Cat on Hot Tin Roof’ leave it be; they’re a bit gamey.
15. ‘The Call of the Wild’ is dual-edged; there is free food to hunt, providing something is not hunting you.
16. If only briefly indulged in, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ will cost you nothing.
17. With good company, a simple picnic can be ‘A Moveable Feast’.
18. A house without laughter is ‘A Bleak House’.
19. Keep the ‘Dust Tracks on the Road’; use mats at all entrances.
20. Smaller home? Be glad of it. ‘The House of Seven Gables’ runs up quite a tab with Merry Maids.
21. At any time–but especially during bad times–one learns the ‘Importance of Being Earnest’.
22. If you are ‘In Search of Lost Time’, set the morning alarm a bit earlier.
23. The ‘Idylls of the King’ are for the king’s budget.
24. ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ may suffice, but it takes six to fill a rotisserie spit.
Using various free help available on the Internet, I’ve been teaching myself ‘Flash 8′. A far cry from merely a cartoonist’s tool to poke fun at political figures, thousands of companies and individuals use this program as part of a greater advertising plan. Among other things, I’ve seen–over the last two years–that Flash is being used more and more for making mini promotional videos to announce independently published books & film, or previously unknown products. You Tube is being utilized by said artists, writers and entrepreneurs verses hiring expensive advertising firms… and it’s working.
In the same school of thought, our little company put together a promotional video for our bestseller, ‘Draw Me a Picture’; it’s a 45-second ’short’, set to part of Mendelssohn’s Symphony #4. As fun as the program can be, using Flash presented a few difficulties: not only do the various facets of instruction require one to ’slog through’ the minute, repetitive steps, but one must possess the mind of a film director as well. i found my self asking “What do I really want to say?” to myself several times; invariably this questions would result in erasing frames and starting over. Around eleven at night I showed the finished product to the Editor, my husband and got a thumbs-up. He indicated that I’d hit my audience and that it resembled one of those movie previews for a “chick-flick”. I was elated. It’s not professional at all,but for complete amateurs the short seemed pretty good.
We put it up on You Tube this morning. A rather exciting surprise awaited us as we did so; You Tube has now connected with Twitter and Facebook to immediately let your entire list of friends/contacts know that you’ve uploaded a new video, without having to log in to those programs and update them.
Feel free to take a look at the video and let me know what you think, for I appreciate the views posted, not only on a literary plateau but a world-wide one as well:
Click Here To See The Video on You Tube
Thank you,
MG
As a freelance writer, my professional experience is limited; besides penning six novels (the seventh is currently in the works) I’ve only been reviewing books for a ‘real’ publication for five months. Before that, my expertise was limited to posting blogs on a handful of literature-inclined websites. Upon being hired as a serious reviewer, I felt eager to read as many books as possible; getting free books hot off the press adds to the ‘mystique’ of this, particular industry.
The age-old perceptions of ‘critics’ yet appears to hold true: an elite group of hallowed citizens, whose opinion is sought out by magazines and newspapers nationwide. As appealing the idea of becoming one of ‘them’ someday, I cannot forget what it feels like to receive criticism of your own hard work. A step back when reading any given piece is therefore necessary, to evaluate not only the first impression of the prose but also to hold up the goggles of creativity, to strive to see what the writer(s) meant to write. Thus, as I am reading a certain kind of mutual respect wells up within me, vying with matched force the more critical aspect of the job. The human eyelid is adept at changing perception, however; with each blink my mind’s eye travels back and forth between writer and critic. This almost yin-and-yang struggle produces a unique form of literary stress; where most read for pure pleasure or learning, the reviewer must read with squinted, hawk-like eyes, always vigilant for glaring mistakes, yet all the while striving to enjoy the book as a reader would.
I recently read an encouraging perspective on the issue of creativity VS criticism, one which re-buoyed my enthusiasm for reviewing more books; it came in the form of a prologue for a book I am reviewing for the upcoming August publication. The writer weighed critics against writers and came across so well in his prose that I was immediately at ease and able to soak in his arguments. The main premise put forth was that writers made the best critics, as they understood the anguish and sweat that goes into each beloved piece and feel passion for writing in general, unable to flippantly dismiss a piece without really looking at it… or at least finding something good to say about it.
As one-sided as his– or my own–opinion would be as a writer, reading the few lines on the subject once again affirmed in my mind the responsibility of a reviewer: to give an impression without cruelty, balanced with prior pieces read and bearing in mind the classic pieces of the ages and yet, never forgetting to return to viewing a piece with an inquisitive reader’s eye.
I am a poet. Since the age of fourteen I have bent my pen and thought towards pouring out the lyrical corners of my soul onto paper. Often received was the ‘why’ from peers, family and even friends. Admittedly, there is little market for poetry volumes these days. Much of the younger generations tend to attribute poetry to the realm of homework, or as an old fashioned method of expression; the best man could do before ‘texting’ was invented.
Upon reflection, I can understand the parameters of this mindset, schoolwork mentality notwithstanding; good, true poetry requires time to produce, not to mention a bit of concentrated thought. Trying to ‘text’ poems would be arduous; the very idea brings to mind a person on a hill, trying to fervently communicate recipes in semaphore. Poem materials are generally old-fashioned, such as notebook and pen; however, several of my poet acquaintances use naught but Word and a laptop to compose their prose.
Time is the greatest luxury item of all and most fine, worthy things call for a sizable share of it. Poetry requires an additional expense: Truth. The words themselves open a small portico in the soul of the writer and unlike literature the general public is then invited in to peruse at will and scrutinize. They are directed in a steady stream up velvets roped paths; onlookers stop and view each line, weighing both effect and meaning. Some browsers give a philosophical nod and move on; some shake their heads in puzzlement. A few, however, will stand and ponder and walk away uplifted, even moved.
Such is poetry; it can be mere scribbles on a paper napkin scented with the oily perfume of diner french fries. It can be typed up via PC and left to breaths while the poet searches for the perfect, subtle font in which to ‘set the mood’. The presentation method matters not, for though humbly shown or elegantly tinted the lines will be treated equally; each word will be read aloud or, whispered, audibly tested and savored for the complete poetic experience.
Poetry can expound on anything, anywhere to anyone; unconstrained by literary requirements, opinion or the woes of advertising trends, poems allow one to un-tap emotion (whether all of it, or a merely portion thereof) letting it drip down and run over the page. Something as simple as a string of thoughts, inspired by some action or scene, can provoke the most profound interest in humans; it spans race, time and cultures.
Nothing seems to incite curiosity in our fellow man more than how others see the world and what they are thinking. After a few false starts, we even begin to understand Shakespeare’s perspective, by the penning of his lines. The views and genius of Wordsworth, Elliot and Keats hold relevance even for the most agile and dedicated texter.
A breath… a moment… a look at a few lines… a pause to reflect and enjoy… a reverie. A true poet causes simultaneous interest and idyll… a tear and a sigh… recollections and shouts. They write not for fame, for there is but little to go around in this sphere; they write for themselves. As to how it is done, nothing is simpler: the moment is either captured or it is not.
A poet must write; there is no ‘why’.
Meredith Greene
Ten days ago the escrow on our new home closed. Well, it’s not new, per say… but to us it seems so. We’ve spent a frantic yet satisfying week moving in and organizing everything to optimum efficiency, and we hope it stays that way. My husband is in the construction industry and saw the housing downturn coming quite a ways back; he said the way houses were being over-inflated there was no way it could last. So, we put our home-buying plans on hold and rented for seven years… waiting for the market to come back down to a reasonable range.
Many of our relatives said we were insane to rent that long. “A house is an asset!” said they. “You’re just pouring your money down the drain!” It did seem they were right for awhile, especially when many of our cousins bought homes. The half-plex we rented looked awfully small with its pocket-handkerchief-sized garden and corner location. However, it was all worth the wait. The house we bought, just four years ago, sold for $200,000 more than we paid for it… so perhaps we were not so ‘crazy’ after all. Our new mortgage payment is now $150 less per month than we were paying for rent, and the garden… it’s simply enormous. The children are free to run and play without my having to worry about their safety.
As I walk around the home putting things away, the very air seems surreal. Keeping busy seems to help bring closer reality, combining bliss with blisters. Just completed is the pleasantly arduous task of planting the vegetable garden: Brandywine tomatoes, snow peas, basil, onions, garlic, loose-leaf lettuces, spinach, radishes, carrots, cantaloupes and butternut squash. Once matured, they should help out on the grocery bill for our family of six. The only downside to our haven seems to be the increased amount of cleaning time required, seriously cutting into writing time (indeed I have been falling into bed exhausted, able to merely scribble a few lines on a notepad by my bed) but this somehow does not dampen the overall bonhomie.
The culmination of all the work (unpacking, digging, planting, sweeping, painting, vacuuming, organizing, pruning and family meetings) seems to be a very thorough confirmation of Longfellow’s assertion from auld times past:
“All things come round to him who will but wait.”
May your waiting be invariably worth the blisters and blessed with fruit.
MG
The literary publication for which I write book reviews for part time started a new campaign of ‘sponsored reviews’; for just a bit of coin your book, whether self published or not, gets a featured spot and quick turn-around. Here’s a quote from the in page:
“SBR Sponsored Reviews is a paid-review service that allows authors and publishers to receive expedited reviews of their book. You are not guaranteed a spot in the print publication, but a Sponsored Review gets your book reviewed by one of our already established reviewers, and the review will be put into our publication pipeline. If we do not use the review in the paper, we will place an ad for the book in the Sacramento Book Review, and we will place the review in our online edition, post it on Amazon, and make it available in our upcoming book review syndication service. You will also be able to use the review in your own marketing efforts.” – Sacramento Book Review Submission Page
To sign up or for pricing and more information: Click Here for Info
The SBR folks have proven themselves ready and able to promote writers; this just another great tool in the digital arsenal… with a touch of old-world paper publication thrown in.
- Belator Books
Two of my book reviews made it to the front page of the SBR website:
http://sacramentobookreview.com/
Just scroll down the page to read them. I reviewed four books this month:
A to Z Storage Solutions
Garden Anywhere
Gordon Ramsay’s Healthy Appetite (Cooking, Food & Wine section)
The Paper Architect (Crafts & Hobbies section)
If you liked the reviews, please feel free to drop my new boss an email praising my skills at the website, or if you are on Facebook they have their own group. I must admit it is an interesting occupation and the books received are of good quality and shall be cherished (and read).
Much obliged,
Meredith Greene
While I wish I could write without err, whether grammatical or spelling, the true facts are surprisingly contrary to that whimsical daydream. The blatant correcting editor has grown in my esteem over the last two years to a place where I resent them not, at least not usually.
I have four beta readers now, in several countries and they constantly edit not only my work but each others edits and thus most (if not all) the mistakes are located and scoured from the surface of my books. Over the last year alone the books for sale on our website have undergone four separate edits for the things that one missed, gleefully pointed out by another and corrected.
Take the humble pill and have others look at your work, and bite back the retorts that bubble up as valid mistakes are pointed out, for thus is the reason they edit…. to make your work as good as it can be. Some great places to put your work up for scrutiny: fictionpress.com, gather.com, livejournal.com and writerscafe.org. All are free and fairly easy to navigate. Join writers/ readers groups and help edit the work of others as well.
Cheers,
MG
I recently got a part time tele-commuting job reviewing books for the Sacramento Book Review; it’s a relatively small position but hey, I get to see my name in print… and get free books. Life is good. They liked my blogs and website; they read some of my previous reviews of my favorite classic book on websites like Mouthshut and Library Thing, and subsequently challenged me to not be so long-winded. (Translation: word-count limit)
I came in just at the tail end of the March pool so I only get to review one for the upcoming issue, due out on March 5th; you can see the digital version at this website (after the 5th anyway): Sacramento Book Review Website
I got to review ‘The Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle’ by Russell Miller; it’s right up my alley (being an ardent Sherlock Holmes fan) but I wanted to know more about the author. I’d certainly appreciate any here on Facebook to take a gander my review and call out yea or nay in comment-form.
There’s also a group on Facebook one can join; just type in Sacramento Book Review. I like how they keep the issues free for the public, coupled with simple layout design and a passion for literature.
Many thanks,
Meredith Greene
