Hello! Diane here. Retiring and relocating to the Central Coast has created a kind of monster in me. I can't stop writing! I used to have a million and one reasons for not writing, including the dirty dishes, the loads of laundry, and the piles of paperwork I had to take care of on a regular basis. Then I got a netbook for Christmas, and I can't leave it alone! I crank out poetry, story ideas, journal entries, short stories, and plays faster than you can say, “Don't you have some errands to run?”
We creative types are famous for having sleep disturbances. I used to have a terrible time with that. Now, when I wake up in the middle of the night and the old anxieties start to creep into my consciousness, I grab my netbook and they melt away. In their place are the sparks for short pieces of writing: memoirs taken from childhood experiences, articles about music and travel, character sketches of interesting people I've known.
After I finish a piece, I have a sense of accomplishment, enough to allow alpha waves to take over in my brain (alpha waves are the ones associated with states of relaxation and peacefulness). Pretty soon I'm into the stages of sleep. Way better than sleeping pills, wine, turkey, or any of the other remedies insomniacs are told to try!
Anything can trigger a memory worth writing about. An old song comes on the radio—bam! I'm 16 again, at a high school dance. I get a whiff of peanut butter—zip! My mom's fresh-baked peanut butter cookies are on the counter and I am a hungry 8-year-old. A dragonfly floats into my yard—pow! I'm reminded of a pair of dragonfly earrings I had when I was 13 … which in turn reminds me of the time my best friend pierced my ears (it involved ice cubes and a sewing needle). Well, you get the idea!
And that reminds me to remind YOU about my next Adult Education class which starts in March:
Memoirs - Essays of Yesterdays (writing your personal life stories)
What to do: Go to the Lucia Mar School District website and register for the class online.
Need help with your report or manuscript? Get editorial assistance here!
Want study guides? A custom study guide can be created for whatever your English Comp, Literature, or Language Arts class is throwing at you!
Email with questions for Diane: mdcomposes@gmail.com
Don't forget that Evy is available for all your art questions and needs. You can email her at evymore@charter.net. We look forward to hearing from you!
Enjoy!
Diane
