Linger: More May thoughts on reading and writing

Good days and bad days is a phrase I say a lot lately. I'm finding some solace in my elders--these two interviews, one with former U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins and this one with Great British Bakeoff Judge and Excellent Eyeglass Wearer Prue Leith, made me feel tended, parented in some sweet, rare way. On harder days, I lie face down on my yoga mat for awhile. My yoga teacher assures me this counts as yoga.

There is something miraculous in this time, I am coming to believe, in how it cuts to the quick, forcing honesty and acceptance. Making us feel things we might otherwise be able to elude with some convenient denial or distraction.

I'm following my gut, which at the writing desk means revising old essays--what a delight to delete!--and writing flash fiction, for the first time ever. 

I hope you're finding some good surprises and solace too. There are some chances below to sharpen your writing pencils with others. I'm keeping classes online for awhile; it's not the same as gathering around the table, but it feeds me and feels right for right now. If I don't see your face in a Hollywood Squares-style Zoom box, do let me know how it's going on your end, what's comforting you these days. And take good care.

J.

Reading and Writing Memoir starts this Saturday

I've been excitedly collecting readings for the next memoir class that starts this Saturday. If you are hankering to read good work and get some of your own thoughts on the page, click here to register. Here are the full details:

Reading and Writing Memoir
Meeting times: Saturdays, 10:00-11:30am, May 23 through June 27 (6 sessions)

In this weekly class, we’ll write to prompts and discuss readings, exploring how to express our experiences authentically and understand the deeper themes of our work and that of others. The emphasis will be on making space for creativity, allowing ideas to flow as freely as possible, and cultivating attention to deepen our work.

Storytelling starts Thursday May 28

I'm sure some of you are thinking Storytelling?! On Zoom?! It's true that nothing is the same now as it was in the Before, but it's also true that we can still tell our stories and feel connected, even through a screen. In this class, we'll still be moving our bodies, discovering our most crucial stories and giving them a shape. Never done storytelling before? No problem. 

I am confident this class is going to be a blast, a welcome respite from a day to day that's starting to feel like a drag. If you're ready to change the channel, sign up now.