Jealousy

 Today, my writer’s group, Senior Scribblers, had their book release.  We wrote a book with some of our writings.  It was well received.  What surprised me was the petty jealousies that some of our participants displayed.  

I heard comments like, "he read five poems and I only read ONE story."  "I didn't get as much time, as he did, and mine are much better than his."

Do you believe it!

Omniscience

One reason I like to write is because I can play god.  I create my world and people it with characters that suit my creation.  Even better, I can make them think what I want them to think and do what I want.  In fact (in a burst of hubris) my world is better than our real world.

Omniscience is a narrator's technique.  The author has either the first or third person express the narrator's point of view.  Hence, omniscience is a point of view. The narrator's techniques may change, but the narrator herself does not.  The story really only has one point of view--the narrator's.  So don't think of what person is the point of view, but rather, what technique.

The Answer to “Do Clothes Make the Man?”

Every time Sally put on that white dress, her personality changed.  Was it her imagination?  She didn’t think so.  Admittedly, she did look extraordinarily pretty in it.  It showed off her slim figure, her long dark hair and tan.  She received many compliments.  People approached her.  They seemed to want to hang around her.  Were they basking in the aura of the attractive dress, or was it her confidence in appearance?

Whatever!  Sally didn’t think about it too much.  She just reveled in feeling good about herself, the dress, everything.  She was planning to wear it to her cousin’s graduation.  It was perfect, not too dressy and not too casual.

The entire family was going to Beth’s high school graduation.  It was quite an achievement.  Beth had always been in “special needs” classes because of her hearing problems.  Her auditory perception was poor.  In a way, the disability was a gift, because she was forced to work harder than everybody else.  She did, and it paid off; she was graduating with honors.

Beth’s father was so proud.  Beth’s mother had died when she was young, so their life wasn’t easy.  Her dad had medical problems, so there never seemed to be enough money.  He also was kind of clueless when it came to “girly” things.  Beth didn’t have the nicest or the latest clothes, never mind make-up.  Sally was never sure whether Beth dressed poorly because she didn’t know any better, or she couldn’t communicate with her father, or they didn’t have the money.  She always felt sorry for Beth.

So Sally wanted Beth to have a good graduation.  Beth deserved some happiness.  She couldn’t wait to see her and catch up on each other’s lives. 

Sally slept in Beth’s room, in a sleeping bag.  They usually watched TV, talked, giggled, talked, play cards, and talked.  Sally had grown up a lot since Beth had seen her last.  She was interested in boys.  There was one boy in particular whom Beth would like to know better.  His name was Dave.  He had never asked her out, but he seemed interested when they talked together.

Sally perceived that Dave was maybe clueless about Beth liking him.  Yet he and Beth talking together was a sign that he knew Beth was alive and wasn’t adverse to her attention. 

In their all night “gab” session, Sally learned that Dave’s parents were having a graduation party, after the ceremonies.  Sally offered to help Beth with her hair and makeup. 

Despite the lack of sleep, both girls were up early and jazzed to go.  Sally helped Beth fix her hair to fit under the square mortarboard.  The girls talked about makeup and clothes.  They decided Beth was to wear just a little makeup for the ceremony and shower afterward and start over from scratch, for the party.  Off they went.

Sally thought Beth was one of the prettiest girls graduating.  She could compete with every girl in that school, in looks alone, never mind brains.  She spotted the boy-friend-to-be, Dave, too.  He was attractive.   Dave and Beth had much in common, according to their yearbook bios.  Sally didn’t see any reason why the two of them wouldn’t get along.

After the ceremony, Sally and Beth rushed home with an aura of special happiness.  So far the day was perfect.  While Beth showered, Sally looked in Beth’s closet.

 It was sad.  No dresses, no skirts, only tops and jeans. 

What to do?

It was too late to go shopping.  The only thing Sally, herself, had in her suitcase was jeans, shorts, and carpenter pants.  “Oh dear!”

Sally wanted so much to make it happen for Beth.  She’d give her the shirt off her back if she could.

Er…she could. 

Sally could take off her lucky dress and let Beth wear it—just this once.  After all, Sally wasn’t going to this party; she wasn’t invited.  And it would mean the world to Beth.

When Beth came out of the shower, Sally was in shorts, and the beautiful dress was on a hanger waiting for Beth.

The girls reeled around the room giggling, with a curling iron, mascara wand, and all kinds of female accouterments.  Thank goodness the shoe style was thongs because Beth’s feet were too big for Sally’s shoes.  Beth was no Cinderella.

The piece de resistance was the dress.  As Sally dropped the dress over Beth’s head, she felt kind of sad, but she ignored it.  Sally couldn’t ignore the vision before her.  The ordinary tee shirt and jeans, hair in a ponytail girl, was transformed into Cinderella.  Extraordinary--breath-taking extraordinary. 

Sally took pictures with her cell phone.  No one is going to believe this is Beth.  What a transformation!

As Sally watched Beth walk down the street, again she felt sad.  She wondered if the dress was magical.  Does the dress make the wearers feel beautiful and that’s what everyone sees; or is it the beautiful dress itself?  Beth is a beautiful girl, inside and out.  Why doesn’t everyone see that?  Should Sally be asking the same question about herself? 

When Beth returned a few hours later, she had to shake Sally awake.  Sally had fallen asleep watching TV.  Sally rubbed her eyes and then opened them in shock.  Her dress was ruined!  It was a wilted, damp, soggy mess. 

Beth was happily waltzing around the room relating her tale of Prince Charming rescuing her.  She babbled on and on—Dave asked her for a date.

“But the dress…” Sally managed to croak.

Beth said, “Dave wants to go to a concert.”

“The dress?”  Sally asked.

Beth continued, “Dave works at Patriot’s Place and we have our pick of concerts.”

“The dress?”  Sally voice got louder.

“Actually, any event, Dave said.”  Beth was in a dream.

“THE DRESS!  THE DRESS!!!” Sally screamed.

“Oh.”  Beth looked down and remembered.  “Oh, someone pushed me in the pool, and Dave jumped in to save me.”

Sally was speechless.

Beth apologized about the dress and said, “I don’t know how to swim.  I panicked until Dave saved me.  Everyone remarked what a shame such a pretty dress was ruined.  It was, I mean, I was the talk of the party.  I was a big hit.”

The Blogging Apostolate

The One True Faith

Today's Zenit, contained an article by Father John Hardon, S.J., entitled Writing to Sainthood.  You know how the internet is.  Reading this article, led me to the Marian Catechesis Blog, which led me to the Catholics Writers' Guild, which led me to think.

Blogging is my way to preach.  My blog isn't preaching catechesis.  It's giving witness to how a human being is trying to walk the straight and narrow; how a saint in the making is about never giving up; how Christians are human, yet trying to do as Jesus wants.  So, OK, I guess it is catechesis without the catechism.  I hope it is a living human catechism.

That's the intent.  Hence, I post my thoughts, poetry, jokes, pictures, and rants.  Now, after reading the aforementioned  posts on writing, I realize how easily Hardon's suggestions apply to blogging.  Here's my adaptions:

(1)  Post daily.  This disciplines your thoughts.  If you can't think of what to write on any given day, write anyway.  Share your thoughts on Sunday's Gospel.  Put up a picture, and give your thoughts.  Post a YOUTUBE.  Post a favorite quotation and tell why it appeals to you.
     Forcing yourself to post daily is important to fix spiritual thoughts in your mind.  You'll remember important occurrences, better.  You'll remember failures, too.  How's that to keep you humble?  Rereading the week's posts, like I do for Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival, organizes my thoughts.

(2)  The benefits garnered from (1) carry over in speech.  Thoughts will be more organized and expressed more easily because you've trained our mind that way, through daily blog posting.

(3)  Blogging, especially mine, shares my soul's journey with others.  The hope is to bring others to Christ.  My life is like a parable, that I pray will give others faith.

Calling All Catholic Writers

Several prominent Catholic writers will speak at the fifth annual Catholic Writers’ Conference LIVE taking place August 7-9, 2013, at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset, NJ. Sponsored by the Catholic Writer’s Guild and the Catholic Marketing Network (CMN), and held in conjunction with CMN’s annual retailer trade show, the Catholic Writers Conference LIVE provides Catholic writers with a prime opportunity to meet and share their faith with editors, publishers, fellow writers, and bookstore owners from across the globe. The theme of this year's conference is “The Year of Faith.”

Speakers at this year’s conference include authors Patti Armstrong (STORIES FOR THE HOMESCHOOL HEART), Teresa Tomeo (Ave Maria Radio, WRAPPED UP, EXTREME MAKEOVER), Michelle Buckman (RACHEL’S CONTRITION, MY BEAUTIFUL DISASTER), Randy Hain (THE INTEGRATED CATHOLIC LIFE), Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle (EWTN, CATHOLIC PRAYER BOOK FOR MOTHERS), Ellen Gable Hrkach (STEALING JENNY), Regina Doman (RAPUNZEL LET DOWN), author, blogger and podcaster Pat Gohn (BLESSED, BEAUTIFUL, AND BODACIOUS) and many others.

The conference will give authors an opportunity to meet personally with publishing professionals and pitch their writing projects. Some participating publishers are Ignatius Press, Full Quiver Publishing, Ave Maria Press, Christus Publishing, Tuscany Press and Servant Books.  In addition, attendees have the opportunity to sign up for critique workshop with award-wining short fiction writer Arthur Powers, and attend a writing workshop with award-winning novelist Michelle Buckman. Information for these events can be found on the conference web site.

Maurice Prater of Missionaries of the Holy Family attended in 2012, and he says he did not know what to expect at first. “But, what I gained from attending the Catholic Writers Conference, in terms of personal contacts and what I learned, has proven to be one of the best decisions I have ever made." Author Ann Frailey, concurs. “I met writers, publishers, artists and a whole host of other people whose mission it is to transmit the message of truth and hope to the world in a living, vibrant manner.  It was an exciting adventure!”

The Catholic Writers Guild, a religious non-profit organization affiliated with the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, sponsors this conference in August, an online conference in March, and a writers' retreat in October to further its mission of promoting Catholic literature. "With members all over North America, these events bring our diverse membership together for fellowship and networking to promote our mission of creating a rebirth of Catholic arts and letters," says CWG President and award-winning novelist Ellen Gable Hrkach.

Registration costs $80 for CWG members, $85 for non-members and $45 for students. There's also a discounted combined membership. To register or for more information, go to http://www.catholicwritersconference.com.

$ 500 or a Year in Prison

Due to the blizzard, Feb. 8, Governor Deval Patrick declared a state of emergency and closed all the streets at 4:00 PM and posted a fine of $ 500, or a year in prison, for violating the ban.  Hence, I’m stuck at home.  Fortunately, the electricity has not gone out and the television and computer are still operating.

In checking my email and Facebook, some friends were discussing the penalty for violating the emergency ban.  Joking, it was commented that perhaps being in prison wouldn't be so bad; they’d get some writing accomplished. 

 Mmmm, what would my “cloistered brothers” think about that.  Writing?  Pencils and pens aren't that readily available in prison.  Were they thinking of using a computer—in prison?  You would be lucky to be able to think.  There’s a constant din of noise; it’s not a hotel with privacy doors.  Would you like to use the toilet in your cell? Actually, that’s the only available seat.   Do you want a desk lamp?  Get real!  The lighting depends on where your cell is.  The overhead lighting in the halls and corridors are it.  Deal with it.

Yet, St. Paul managed to do quite a bit of writing, in prison.  And his writing was filled with hope and joy.  I’m sure there were deprivations, but Paul never mentions them.  His sufferings added depth to his words.  His chains were part of his apostleship. 

Others have done likewise.  Remember the religious sisters jailed for demonstrating against the US Army School of the Americas.  Their arrest, their diaries, and the publicity surrounding their imprisonment allowed their message to get out further than they thought it ever would.

Is the idea of getting their writing more publicity, enticement enough to want to risk prison?  Not, for violation of an emergency ban.  There’s no honor in that.  Better to book a weekend at an inn.  Do your writing in quiet with accommodating surroundings.  St. Paul says:

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.  May no temptations take hold of you but such as man is equal to.  God is faithful and will not permit you to be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also give you a way out that you may be able to bear it.  (1Cor. 10:12-13)