writing

library / TV / work / writing — Comments Off
22
Feb 08

Back home

Thank God. How I loved seeing the dingy buildings of Queens on my taxi ride home. How I missed walking around outside, though it was cold as a mofo last night and snowing like crazy today, so not that enjoyable. But at least I didn’t have to walk through a smoky casino and get totally lost.

My time in Vegas was soso. I didn’t have the chance to go outside at all, and missed seeing dayling and whatnot, but like I said, at least my presentation went well and I had a beautiful room with three – count ’em, THREE – flat screen TVs. One in the sleeping area, one in the living room, and one in the BATHROOM, which I didn’t even notice till my last day.

However, the problem was they were all HD so anything not in HD looked like crap, distorted and grainy. I ended up watching HD Discovery! and random movies like Lawrence of Arabia and The Natural. They did look really amazing.

Wednesday night I ended up going to the wrong dinner. Our group has a new name, which I didn’t recognize, so while all my teammates went there, I went to the one I usually go to. I recognized some people from headquarters, but no one from my own team, and ended up making small talk with a bunch of strangers, which I HATE.

Afterwards as I was walking back through the casino, I heard my name, and there were my co-workers playing slots. I ended up hanging out with them till about 11, or 2 AM eastern time, and then didn’t get to sleep till almost one after packing and chatting with MB. Had to wake up at 4:30 to catch my 7:30 flight, which got me in barely in time for class at 6:30. So needless to say it was challenge to get through that particularly boring class.

Today it’s snow snow snow. In fact our offices have already closed and I’m just hanging out. Had my first interview for that position I want. I guess it went well – it didn’t go badly – but it’s always hard to tell. I have another interview for the same position on Monday.

This weekend it’s all about homework. I’m a little behind with reading for my boring class, and I have a short paper for the Monday one. We have to write about a “library leader” and how they contributed to the library profession. My choice is Andrew Carnegie.

I picked up this book, which may have been a mistake because it’s a zillion pages and goes on and on about his businesses, as well it should but it’s not necessary for my 5-page essay. I’m trying my best to skim through it at least, and concentrate on the sections that talk about his contributions to public libraries.

I’ve been neglecting my own writing lately. After this weekend I want to pick it up again.

friends / writing — Comments Off
06
Feb 08

Bad blogger

Okay, so I’ve been absolutely awful about keeping up in here. Same old excuses: work, school, the boy.

Last week I had another excuse: AWP, otherwise known as the biggest frigging writers’ conference ever. It was good though a little overwhelming. Usually I go to the one the Small Press Center throws every April – this was about 10 times bigger.

All in all the panels were inspiring, and there seemed to be less tolerance of dumbass questions from the audience. Usually I’m the only one leaving when Q&A starts, but people left in droves.

One of the dumbest question? To an author of a historical novel: “How did you find the old letters and diaries you used?”

The author: “Um, I looked for them.”

Dumbass: “Yes, but how did you get started?”

Audience member: “Ask your librarian!”

Word. Don’t waste our or the author’s time.

I went to several sessions on Thursday, just a few on Friday since I had to annoyingly go back to the office, and just three on Saturday but they were very good: the Art of Writing Craft and a couple on memoir. By then PL and I met up, and we ended up wandering around the very very crowded book fair before finally heading out to do what we do best: eat and chat.

This Sunday of course was the Superbowl. PL had a party for her hubby, which she had described in the invitation as a Superbowl party, but for some reason I thought she was being ironic.

Neither MB nor I are football fans, but it was still fun, especially watching everyone get so riled up. I swear I thought someone was going to have a heart attack.

Apparently yesterday there was a parade. I had no idea. Plus it was Mardi Gras, plus it was Super Tuesday. Craziness. And tonight is Chinese New Year’s Eve. It’s the year of the rat, which means one thing to me: I’ll be turning 36.

Wah.

library / rant and/or rave / work / writing — 3 Comments
07
Dec 07

Too many meetings

So I’m on this task force, or steering committee, or whatever they hell you want to call it. We have painful 2-hour meetings sometimes twice a week. So far I’ve had no active role. Thus, I’ve started skipping them like crazy.

But that doesn’t stop me from feeling guilty about it. This morning I was totally going to go to the one from 10 to 11:30, but then I got an updated invite that said 4 PM – on a Friday! I reluctantly accepted.

Turns out that was for a DIFFERENT meeting. Same task force, different meeting. Turns out the 10 to 11:30 hadn’t changed, but by the time I realized, it was about 10:45.

So I guess I could have gone for the last 45 minutes. Then I checked my calendar for next week and there are three – count ’em, THREE – on this same topic. One on Tuesday for 2 hours, one on Thursday for 2 hours (can’t go to that one), and one on Friday at 4 (the one I thought was today).

Are you freaking kidding me?

Library school, library school, library school.

My memoir is coming along as well. Lately folks from my last class have been finding me on Facebook, MySpace, and LinkdIn, as well as good old-fashioned email. It’s funny cuz I’m used to being the one in the background, the one people don’t notice, and don’t remember later on. But I guess when you’re in smallish class and spilling your guts out on paper every couple fo weeks, you create an impression.

Maybe if I get back in touch with enough people, we can form a little online writing group or something, which would be conducive to next year while I’m busy with MLS classes.

11:15 and I’m hungry already.

rant and/or rave / writing — 2 Comments
25
Oct 07

Another boring post about writing

Writing class was good last night.

There were just four of us and the teacher since a couple of people couldn’t make it, but it was still worth it. We spent some time talking about the writing process, and two of my classmates talked about how hard it was to write for a living, and then go home and try to write for themselves.

I was actually kind of glad to hear of that. As you know, I’ve been back and forth, wondering if I should go to j-school or pursue freelance writing more diligently. My job is boring as hell, but that leaves me lots of energy to write. For instance yesterday I spend the bulk of the afternoon working on the piece I workshopped last night.

And my marketing job probably pays better than something artsier or non-profit. But I still definitely don’t want to stay in it for too much longer.

I’m excited about my book. I’m finishing up the China/cousin part, and will begin to intersperse through the already written marriage/divorce part. Maybe the cousin parts will sort of be the thread that the rest is tied to. She and I have had such parallel lives, it almost seems like it would have to be thread. But I won’t know for sure till I actually start revising.

The teacher teased me for being so adamant about at first not wanting to mix the marriage/divorce and China/cousin parts. “When I suggested it,” she told everyone, “she was like, ‘Um, no.'” I really like her. We’re the same age, and she tells it like it is but at the same time is sensitive about her critiques (unlike my professor in grad school who was a complete asshole). Plus she had a good sense of humor.

Next week people may or may not show up because it’s Halloween. I can’t remember the last time I actually did anything.

~ ~ ~

On two other notes, 1) it’s freezing today! Yay! But I wish I had worn a scarf. 2) Something’s wrong with the lock on the first outside door of my apartment building. My key doesn’t fit it in it, though it fit in the day before, and it fits in the second outside door, and the door to the basement.

Last night I was panicking as I tried to get in. Finally, I buzzed a neighbor on my floor and they were kind enough to buzz me in.

I think it’s a lock rather a key problem since the door was propped open this morning. Hopefully it will be fixed soon.

nanowrimo / writing — 2 Comments
22
Oct 07

NaNoWriMo No Mo’

Wyn’s post reminded that National Novel Writing Month is right around the corner.

I was a “winner” last year and the year before, churning out of 50,000 words in 30 days. Too bad it was 50,000 words of crap.

The thing about banging out about 1700 words a day, at least for me, is that you sacrifice quality for speed. One could argue that speediness forces you to write and not overthink. But a huge part of writing is just sitting there thinking, as well as rewriting the same few pages or chapters again and again.

I suppose NaNoWriMo is good for people who have trouble getting started or finishing. Once in a while I’ll feel stuck, but usually I’m able to finish stuff.

Getting in 50K words in 30 days isn’t writing for me, it’s typing.

There’s something to be said for slowing down, and putting pen to paper. For feeling the pen in your hand, your hand moving, seeing your writing. My work is always more robust when I handwrite it, whether or not that robustness is warranted. While I’m typing is when I edit and cut, and sometimes add.

Skipping the handwritten phase and going straight to typing makes my work thin and rushed. It’s actually sort of detrimental.

So that’s a long way of saying I won’t be doing NaNoWriMo this year. Besides I’m taking a writing class and am working hard on my memoir.

library / tcob / writing — Comments Off
19
Oct 07

To do’s

The first of November is creeping up and I’m still working on my MLS applications. Yikes!

Outstanding:

One set of recommendations (out of three)
One set of transcripts (out of two)
My personal statement

I should get the last set of recs today, and the transcripts today or Monday. If I don’t get them on Monday, I’m following up with the school. My undergrad ones came lickety split. And I’ll work on the personal statement this weekend.

I don’t think I’ve written that I’m taking another memoir class this semester. Better get one in before school starts.

It’s a very different format than my other classes. Usually two or three people workshop per class, having emailed their pieces to everyone beforehand. There’s in-class writing, as well as discussion about books.

In this one, there’s no emailing beforehand. Everyone – all five of us – reads 8 to 10 pages aloud, and then people critique. If you have more pages, people can take your stuff home and give back to you the following week with comments, if they have time. The teacher always takes home and returns with detailed comments the following class.

At first I was wary, but it’s actually been okay. Gives us more time to work on our own stuff. The only problem is that the stuff I’m working on is already pretty polished; it’s more the overall structure of the whole book I’m concerned about, which can’t really be addressed within 10 pages.

Then again, I can work on the structure part on my own, and maybe speak with the teacher off-line, and get my 10-page sections extra polished. Polished doesn’t mean perfect. People always find things that don’t make sense, which is extremely helpful. Or you can say, “Well in an earlier draft, I had this. . .” and people might respond, “Oh you should put that back,” or “Cut this other section.”

I like feedback like that. No pussyfooting. Just, “Cut it.” Awesome.

At first I thought the book would be divided in three parts. Part 1 my marriage, divorce, etc., part 2 China, and part 3 unknown. When I first told the teacher about it, she immediately thought I should intersperse parts 1 and 2 into one book. At first I resisted, but now I think she’s right.

I’m actually excited about the idea. I want to finish the China portion as quickly as possible, then print everything out and look at how I can move the parts around to make a whole, which will show me overlap and gaps.

dating / library / work / writing — 1 Comment
20
Sep 07

Another rambling post

Work
My boss was such a jerk yesterday. He totally chewed me out in front of a couple of other folks for something small. We’re all on a learning curve here, people! He apologized later but we are not in agreement about the nature of a new role I’ve taken on. At this point, there’s no way for me to win, and I don’t care enough to fight it. One day at a time.

On the up side, I got some praise from some folks my boss deems important on the very thing he flipped his lid on. These expectations do not compute. It’s some consolation to know that I’m not the only victim here.

Library school here I come!. . .or writing school. . or j-school. . .wait. . .
I reached out to my most recent writing teacher about a recommendation. He very graciously agreed, then said, “Of course what you should be doing is pursuing writing,” though he’s ambivalent about MFA programs (and also forgot I already have one).

Then he wrote that he himself wishes he had gone to journalism school, and *that* got my head spinning. Shoud I? Should I? Prolly not. Still I emailed a former classmate who I know is in j-school and want to pick her brain.

My teacher also said that he mentioned my memoir to his new class, not the subject – not that I would have cared – but the structure and imagery. I’m beyond flattered. Amazing how a little bit of external validation can do wonders on the ego.

I signed up for another memoir class, not his, a shorter one. Starts in October.

Boys on the side
So I have a date tonight. Erp. He’s quite a bit older than I am, though he looks pretty young.

And that supercute boy wrote me again! He was like, “Hey, what happened?” and asked if I still wanted to get together. His last message was from a week ago, and I didn’t answer. In that email I had asked if he was born the year of the monkey, and in his reply he didn’t even answer, just asked if I wanted to get together, which irked me.

This time he signed off, Monkey Man. So he *did* read my message! Sure, why not? It’s just a date.

running / writing — 2 Comments
17
Aug 07

The desert that is my brain

Maybe I’m just not in a blogging frame of mind lately. I’ve been working on my other writing – the positive thinking essay, a running essay, the second part of my memoir – and have started trying to take more pictures again. Also reading a lot. Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures is pretty engrossing.

I thought it was a novel, but it’s actually more like a series of vignettes with the same cast of doctors. Most of the vignettes focus on a particular patient, and once the patient leaves the doctor, the story for that person is over, like on E/R, which always leaves me feeling a bit dissatisfied. Like, did the mother live? did the baby? is the baby healthy? I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s a great book, like The Kite Runner and Atonement are great books, but I like it very much.

I’ve been obsessed with running, actually scheduling it into my weekends. This afternoon or more likely tomorrow I hope to run 10 miles. (6 on Sunday, 4 on Tuesday, 4 yesterday.)

I reactivated my online ad once again. Eep.

This time around: lots of dating. Lots and lots of dating with a variety of people before you-know-what. I’m gonna party like it’s 1959.

friends / running / TV / weekends / work / writing — 1 Comment
30
Jul 07

What weekend?

Not that it was busy. More like one minute it was morning and I was vegging in front of my computer, and the next it was five hours later.

Thursday and Friday were pretty busy, between coming back from the meeting in Chicago, my office move, interviews, and a semi-big meeting I ran Friday afternoon. By Friday night, I crashed and just did laundry, then chilled with my book and TV.

Saturday was the day I managed to do almost nothing till about 4. My one accomplishment was cleaning the bathroom, no small feat I guess. Late afternoon I ran a couple of errands. It was so hot and humid, by the time I got home, the last thing I wanted to do was go back outside. Cleaned more.

Sunday I was finally able to get it together and write a little, though not as much as I wanted. Another humid day, though cloudy and not as hot. Had lunch with SB and company. Was going to go to the Park to write, but it was pouring by the time we left the restaurant. Went home and finished cleaning. Cleaning my place really kills a whole weekend.

I finished up around 5, and by then the downpour had slowed to a drizzle so I headed out for a run. Since I hadn’t had one since Tuesday, it was fairly manageable. Plus there was no sun. I’d rather have a steady drizzle than sun. I was going to run the Reservoir but there were too many giant puddles. The lovely Loop instead.

Didn’t pull any muscles, but I did have some stomach issues. Literally had to sprint home and up three flights of stairs. Made it in time! Whew. That would have been really embarrassing, not to mention disgusting.

Watched The Two Coreys last night. It wasn’t that entertaining. Corey Feldman’s wife came off as really uptight. Corey Feldman looks kinda good, I have to say. Corey Haim looks like a washed up frat boy. Both still look pretty young though.

I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since The Lost Boys. That’s so wrong.

Had my last interview today. Four for one position. I’ll hear at the end of the week.

Sushi for lunch. Wholly unsatisfying. I need something dessert-like, and yogurt’s not gonna cut it.

friends / running / weekends / writing — 1 Comment
22
Jul 07

Sunday quick-scramble

Gorgeous weather makes all the difference in the world.

Yesterday morning I did the writing-at-Starbuck’s thing, getting there earlier than I usually do, by 9:30. About an hour later, I looked up to see – Derek Jeter! He was on his way out with big iced coffee in hand. No one in the cafe seemed to notice, and if there was any hubbub beforehand, I didn’t hear it since I had my headphones on.

At first I thought, That guy looks a hell of a lot like Derek Jeter. Then outside someone came up and shook his hand, and then someone else asked for his autograph so that pretty much guarunteed it.

Later in the afternoon I had my Loop run. It was quite sunny so the run was a bit tougher than usual. But my knee and hamstring didn’t bother me much at all.

I had my first encounter with an annoying fellow runner. He was pretty far ahead of me, but when we hit a hill, I was able to slowly close in on him, not on purpose or anything. I wasn’t even paying attention, but suddenly I was right behind him. I know it’s annoying to have someone running in your blind spot, so I pulled ahead.

Then he decided we were competing and caught up to me, and ran right next to me. It’s like, dude, either go slower or faster, I don’t want you as a running partner, thank you very much. So I forced myself to pull ahead again, going faster than I wanted. Luckily I didn’t poop out towards the end.

On my walk back home, I saw that SB, her hubby, and Ellie were sitting outside their building, eating popsicles. The Manhattan equivalent of sitting on a porch on a summer evening. I had a popsicle too – which surprisingly hit the spot – and suffered Ellie putting her freezing cold hands on me every two seconds.

This morning is writing and maybe some pilates if I can squeeze it in. This afternoon YP and I are heading to Central Park to take pictures.

I wish I had my camera yesterday when I was in the Park; I had to make do with my cell phone when I saw this dog sitting on a bench like a person.

You can barely make out the German shepard on the left. He has his back to me.

I have to get back in the habit of carrying my camera everywhere.

Angela Tung Oversharing on the internet since 2005.