Monday, March 7, 2011

Quiet


It's a quiet day of catching up on work--lots of it--and preparing the new Magpie's Pen blog for its debut on Friday.  I am sure I won't have all the kinks worked out yet, but I know you'll understand that like any labor of love, it is a work in progress.  Mostly I am just happy to be creating a space for writing exercises, resources, and for thinking about sentences and books and the people who craft them..

In the meantime, there are other writing projects to finish up, submissions to send out, and other people's texts to edit.  So many words, so little time!  Some days my life feels like giant stacks of papers and books, teetering on the edge of some great old, dusty desk, ready to come tumbling down if someone sneezes.  It's not a bad life, but a precarious one, and then there are always the pencils to sharpen, the cups of tea to brew, and the t's to cross with a flourish.  

A writer's life is extremes of great activity followed by long periods of stillness.  We need to live in order to have something to write about, but we also must love solitude and hours of quiet.  Maybe "love" isn't the right word.  "Need" is probably better.  I know I have friends who are reading this right now and nodding their heads.  That's why I love you.  Well, one of the many reasons why I do.

Tonight I'll make some great potato stew, the inspiration for which I found here, and Mr. Magpie and I will watch a movie in the living room to take a short break from all these words.  And yet, we won't escape them entirely, for there are the shelves and shelves of books around us and the small portrait hanging quietly on the wall of that great and wild poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley.  No matter what we do, he's there, reminding us every night of our purpose and our passion.  Reminding us that to be heard we must spend hours keeping ever so still, keeping ever so quiet.

19 comments:

  1. I so often feel more relaxed after reading what you write. You make me think, you teach to take time to breathe. Enjoy your movie!

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  2. Thanks, Sue. You're the best.

    Btw, I'm making that potato stew I mentioned in the post, and it truly rocks!

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  3. I agree with Sue wholeheartedly

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  4. Hi Gigi,
    I've worked in education all my life and have been exposed to many, many teachers in both secondary and university education. I have to say that you're a wonderful teacher. You present your thoughts in a well formulated way and though you put forth an objective, you leave room for creativity. Believe me, that's a gift not all educators have. I truly enjoy your blog and I'm glad Vicki turned me on to it.
    McKenna

    textilediva.blogspot.com

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  5. i want to hear more about the stew. i think that part of my love of photography, food and words stems from seeing babette's feast - so descriptive and yet beautiful too.

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  6. Thank you, Anyes. That makes me happy.

    And thank you, McKenna. I can't tell you what your words mean to me. I've had a really, really tough year--maybe the worst one ever--and I lost any faith in myself. Working one-on-one with writers and meeting people like you has helped me rebuild my life and believe in my abilities again. My biggest wish is that I can help other people do the same.

    That Vicki works magic, doesn't she?

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  7. Oh, Char, I love Babette's Feast! In fact, I love food movies in general. One of my favorites is Big Night.

    That stew, which you can find the recipe for if you click the link in the post, is made with potatoes, tomatoes, red peppers, garlic, onions, peas, and crushed green peppercorns. Plus a little bit of cream, if you like. I let mine simmer for quite a while until everything was soft and luscious. It was so simple and really fantastic.

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  8. I love how you describe your world. I can visualize all the books around you. I love quiet time. your stew sounds wonderful. take care.

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  9. I love your photo at the top of the typewriter. Lovely.

    I'm in a slump right now. I feel like going back to "quiet" and letting that stack just blow away. Food photography was to be my calling. Blogs out here are sooooo saturated with wonderful photographers. All of my submissions to Foodgawker were rejected. Its probably like when a writer submits something to an editor. Ouch. Humbling.

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  10. Keep practicing your craft and submitting! I've been a writer--and an editor--for two decades, and while I've published a lot, I've gotten far more rejections than acceptances. They are totally humbling, but part of the process. On the flip side, when I edit, I have to say no to many really good submissions that I know another editor would say yes to. There are just soooooooo many submissions that we can't take all the ones we like. I also know how this works with photography as I've had some luck with submissions, and lots of rejections, too. Keep photographing and sending out your work. I'm sorry to be bossy, but I don't want you to give up! You rock. xo

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  11. You have created a lovely image of still and quietness. Thanks!

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  12. Your words make me wish I were a writer:) I do need lots of solitude:)

    Potato stew and a good movie sounds like a divine way to spend an evening too....

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  13. A life honing a craft is one of the richest, I think, for all it's variety--for all the rush, and then all the stillness. :o) I love me some solitude...*sigh*... Happy Day, Gigi. VERY exciting for Friday! ((HUGS))

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  14. It all sounds so incredibly familiar, as I sit to ponder what shall I read today of the ten books I'm trying to get through. Okay, I exaggerate, six. Despite, will.bake.something.today.while.on.break. :) Have a lovely day ~ xox Alexandra

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  15. Yup, nodding my head! "A writer's life is extremes of great activity followed by long periods of stillness." How true - and you just made me realize why it took me so many years to sit down and commit myself the art: I was never comfortable with the stillness, needed to be busy all the time. But since I've begun living the life of a writer, I love those periods of stillness.
    You're writing is so soothing, Gigi. Stopping in here is always comforting. I'm looking forward to reading your other blog. :)

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  16. 'A writer's life is extremes of great activity followed by long periods of stillness...'
    I know, echoing every one of your readers ;) nodding away like crazy...

    Just today I was thinking... the thing that is WRONG with my life is that I have no real routine. But the thing that is so RIGHT with my life is just that flexibility, that shifting chaos, that ease of accepting life's unpredictability... the pieces only come together when I write.

    Thankyou so much for the blueberry recipe - it's going to be potato soup soon too... although spring is here... what's a truly springy recipe??

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  17. Whenever I come for a visit, dear Gigi, I leave feeling so good. Your words have amazing power, dear you. I'm wondering how the stew turned out.

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  18. Gigi, your words are like a balm to me as I sit here at 6.30 am, trying to steal a few moments of quiet and catch up with those most valuable of friends, people like YOU, who inspire and encourage me.

    Ah. But no. I hear stirrings down the hall, little footsteps, and the rumble of hungry tummies, and then the first train to be caught by the eldest, followed by the tumult of people and needs to be met that is my everyday!

    Thank goodness it's Friday..... :-)

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