My First Storytelling Review

(Tombstones on my 10-day, solo cycling tour in Ireland)

One of my fellow storytellers sent me this link the other day, for a blog post made after my storytelling event: http://thewanderingjewess.wordpress.com/2013/10/27/artist-date-45-the-sometimes-kindness-of-strangers/

It is very exciting to write something, have an audience member relate to it, continue to think about it after the show is over, and then write something too!

(one of the many spots on Mt. Haguro where I sat and listened and thought)

I was especially happy since I had some doubts about the story. This was a tough writing and editing process and it was an intimidating performance process too -- that began with a directors suggestion that I try out Welsh and Australian accents and included a lot of tricky jumps in scene and timeline and thought bubbles verses narration. I was aware a more seasoned performer could have brought something to the piece that was beyond my limited skills.And I admit, when I arrived at the technical rehearsal and performance night and heard Clover and Eric's stories -- with deep revelations about poverty, mental illness, abandonment -- I was worried that my mostly perky little story would come across as "Whenever I get sad, I take a trip!"

My blogger/reviewer is not alone with her tendency to compare!!

(Camping in the Outback)

I hope I get to read (or hear) some of the art that comes from this blogger's year of self-discovery and loneliness too.

Cream Clock

From one of my Black Boxes filled with Favorite Things.
I believe this belonged to my Grandma Schemanski but it possible belonged to my great Aunt Val. I even love the yellow stains left by the scotch tape that, for years until it dried up and fell off, covered the crack. This palm-sized clock, like all of the watches in my favorite things collection, does not work.

Creamsicle Orange or Robin's Egg Blue?

I am telling a story tonight at The Kindness of Strangers storytelling festival. This weekend, in addition to rehearsing and being nervous, I had to decide what to wear. It came down to a choice between two much loved pairs of shoes. One is creamsicle orange and the other is robin's egg blue. I wasn't sure what I would choose before I went out for a walk. These are the things I passed.

Turquoise doors and bright blue domes.

Blue porch chairs, window frames and mosaics.

Old blue cars, splotches, and dots.

I decided on the blue.

Black Boxes and Favorite Things

Comcast is too expensive and never works.
I can't remember the last time I turned on my tv.
I miss looking at my little shoe collections.

So, while I need to figure out something for internet eventually, I cancelled, packed up the TV and filled the gap in my shelves with things I love.

Enter photo documentation project Number 2: Black boxes and Favorite Things.
These boxes are PACKED with treasures!

Locks and Keys and Doors

Starting up a locks and keys and doors project.

"All day long consciously and unconsciously I thought of Mary. I love her"

I'm looking for some things I can't find. But, while looking, I came across this journal that I bought many years ago. It is dated from 1912 to 1916, written by a machinist, in Denver I believe. I know that between the pipe and the mines there is also a broken heart and a love of music and a lot of technical lingo I don't quite understand. Maybe it will all be clear as I become more familiar with it.

I am a reader of spoilers.
I have been known to page forward in mystery novels, I don't mind. I want to know the end, it is reassuring, and I enjoy seeing how it all develops without the anxiety.

So I especially like this five year diary, with all the January 1s on one page and then all the January 2s. I plan to read down five years and follow each year's plot forward until they all meet. I want to know about Mary at the bottom of my page and then meet her in the middle of my book.

Knowing the future creates suspense even while it soothes it.

January 1 1912
(?)ate. K's keys to gate (?)ore opens up 140 mt(?)s of new cable on P.M. and composition of cable socket filling. Other (????) wound. Eve. Fooled around sitting room. Setter to M. (?)

January 1 1913
Juan and I set up one pole & get O(???) line fixed. Ask central for pulleys, no bay. R. is in school next door. Harrow goes hunting. At 5th (mine?). More about R. in school. Hard to (slep?) M. on R.

January 1 1914
Plant runs. Juan & I clean heating pipes. Harrows to S.P.S. St. (????) Get pipes finished by 4:30. H and I have tie to get (??/) started.

January 1 1915
Doerr, Bill and I at mine. (?)add, Lucas, Bill, Doer and I at dinner. Julia cooked well. Turkey fine. Back to mine on Lucas' mule.

January 1 1916
Read "news" in depot. A long walk past St. John's and the Immaculate Conception: P.M. Bed not made up; walked to City Park, saw skating; a girl almost exactly resembles Mary. To Hotel by 4:30. Low cut shoes. Wet. Snow is melting. All day long consciously and unconsciously I thought of Mary. I love her.

Lend Me Your Eyes?

I'm starting to gather illustrations for a project: a supplement to a story called "Lazy Eye."
Lazy Eye was supposed to be Volume One, Number One,but I think it is probably going to be Volume Three or Four now.

It's got a complicated moving part, and I've got limited art skills.

But since there is a delay, I want to work on a supplement to it and the supplement involves a call for submission:

If you are willing to send (email, snail mail, whatever) an artistic, mostly two-dimension version of an eye -- a drawing, collage, photograph... whatever, anything goes -- that you will allow me to print off 10 color-copies to put together in a booklet and eventually dump off in the Free Library box on Chicago Avenue, please do so.


And let me know how to credit you.

I'll scan the whole thing before dumping the originals into the box and post it here so you can see it, if you like.


My gmail is: bbqpickles@gmail.com