Sunday, June 28, 2009

Challenge

Photobucket

My challenge to you today - go write something interesting.

It would make your high school English teacher very happy.

13 comments:

JC said...

Thanks, I think I will ... is there a contest ?

marbea said...

YES, ma'm!

martina said...

Have other not as much fun chores to do. Plus, I need to have constant punctuation and grammar supervision. Run on sentences and overuse of exclamation points.

Anonymous said...

But... but... but..... I don't have a typewriter, Teacher. Please don't flunk me!

Di
The Blue Ridge Gal
(lovin' that old typewriter!)

bv said...

i had a conversation with my 88 year old dad the other day about blogs. i said my life was to boring to have a blog. he looked at me like i was looney. boring? i thought, no it is not boring it's how you look at it. so everyday i 'blog' something about my day to dad. it is a wonderful way of 'talking' with dad as he is pretty much deaf. and fun for me to look at my day through creative writting. today it might be the wasp bite on my face!
bv

Unknown said...

Okay, I'll bite. But, I don't believe for one second that you care about my old English teacher's happiness.
I would believe you if you would of said: "Go write something, it will make YOU happy."(or sad, or glad, or mad, etc.etc.)
That's what I read in between your lines.

It's the writer in you that you embrace and sometimes deny that is asking your readers to write today. Why? I don't know and it's really not important. Too many possible reasons to count! A long list, for sure. My best guess is, you want us to feel the benefit from writing.

Wisely, your approach to us is very laid back- no strings attached. The phrase, "Do something, even if it's wrong", comes across my mind. I can't tell you how many times I've heard that phrase on construction sites. Now, I ask you to pause for a second and ask yourself why is that said so often on construction sites?

My God, one could interpret that as alarming! Geez, you are building something! Don't do something if you're not perfectly sure of how, what, where or when! Someone could get hurt! Something could go wrong! Something could go in the wrong place!
If we would apply that reasoning than I argue we wouldn't live in a modern society. Heck, that logic would and should keep you from getting into your car or trying a new recipe.

The first time someone said, "Do something even if it's wrong", literally froze me in my tracks. My mind rejected this advice, yet I trusted the person who made the request because after all, they seemed to know everything to know about the job that I knew so very little about! This wise, experienced person knew the long list of benefits to this challenge.
-Find out for yourself what needs to be done next around here.
-Feel for your own self, failure and the bravery it takes to try again.
-Learn to accept that second guessing and self doubt as part of your job.
-Be proud of yourself. Learn to savor the joy you feel when you know it's a job well done.

I could go on and on with the long list because now, after years of experience, I know exactly what's on the long list and have earned the right to say, "Do something, even if it's wrong". I also know there's a lot of care, love and respect when a wise list holder makes this seemingly confusing request of "just do it".There are some things in life that can't be taught. You just have to do it.And it's always a benefit no matter how ugly it turns out.

I'm not a writer but Suzanne is. It only took her two sentences to hide a very long, well earned, list in plain sight. I found this interesting, so I wrote about it.

p.s. To answer those rhetorical-ish questions this week. Yes, respect is hanging on the edge of a cliff and yes it's important to write/journal. I ain't gonna lie to you. You asking these questions this week really bugged me! It baffled me why you were asking such easily answered questions! Right or wrong, I came to my own conclusion as to why you were asking. If you combine the two, one comes up with a much different, deeper question. Without stating that question, I decided to answer it. See above, it's hidden in plain sight.

With love, your friend ~di

Dodie said...

Love that old typewriter. How many don't know what it is for?
That is what I learned on in High School 1940's. Wonderful memories, now look what I am typing on.

Marfa (formula for a life) said...

What a lovely photo. I like your challenge. Funny thing, I have interesting stuff to write about, a huge post full of what I consider to be interesting information is going on my blog sometime today. I woke up this morning and I said to myself: OK, now is the time. Get those photos ready and start typing. But the comedy RV was on (found it as I sneakily switched channels, you know... just in case). I love comedies, so of course I had to watch. Then I realized that my hair was really dirty and my scalp was itching. We've had very hot days lately and I have been swearing like crazy! I figured the post would look better if I felt clean and comfortable. So I showered and washed my hair. I also took time to dry it and make it look pretty. But an old, black and white movie called Letters To Three Wives completely pulled my attention. I love old, black and white movies. I noticed that my nail polish looked old and was chipping big time. Lunch was ready, so I ate first. Then my mother came over to give me a massage. I hurt a leg muscle yesterday. When she was done I took my favorite red nail polish and I painted my nails, toes and fingers! I figured they would dry as I typed, but then I saw that the old Titanic movie was about to start, another black and white. It is the 1953 version, with Clifton Webb, Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Wagner. It is a totally different version from the one with Leonardo DiCaprio. As my nails dry and I drink my afternoon cuppa joe, I decided to turn on my laptop and start working on my post. Alas, I decided to check email first, which means reading my feeds, and your post came in. So here I sit, partially dry fingernails, empty coffee cup, terrific movie on the tube, and still haven't written my interesting post! Thanks for the reminder.

Marfa (formula for a life) said...

By the way, when you read my comment above, make a mental revision, I haven't been swearing, I have been sweating!!

Stacie said...

Sounds like the perfect way to spend the afternoon.

Thank you!

life in red shoes said...

Only if I can do it on that typewriter.

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

Ah, writing...so very good for the soul. I love the blogging community. It is full of interesting people and--even more important--people who are interested in others! Thanks for the challenge! C

Cottage Rose said...

Hello Suzanne; Wow; that is going to be a very hard challenge,,,, I was never very good in English class.. lol But I do have a Pen Pal and I will do my best to write something very wonderful to make some one proud..... hehehe great challenge;

Hugs;
Alaura