two of a kind

Last night, I listened to a Freakonomics podcast on three professors who influenced journalist, Steven J. Dubner.

I liked the idea of paying reverence to the teachers who have influenced me. 

• Peter Murphy, retired high school teacher and current professor at Richard Stockton College.

 Murphy was the first to warn me that life gets hard during the mid-twenties, and that it’s important to keep writing.  I also give him credit for teaching me everything I know about poetry and a lot about selflessness.

• Deb Gussman, Literature Professor at Richard Stockton College.

Professor Gussman was the professor for both my literature thesis and my writing minor seminar class.  Professor Gussman taught me to think outside of the box, especially in writing.  She encouraged, even helped formulate, my thesis on The Robber Bride as a retelling of the fairytale Bluebeard.  

Bluebeard was a scary, scary character 

She also paid me a compliment—which I still haven’t forgotten— when she asked for some of my work to use for future classes. 

• Laurie Greene, Anthropology professor at Richard Stockton College and owner of Yoga Nine Studio in Smithville, NJ

  

Although I took an Anthropology class with Professor Greene, and thoroughly enjoyed learning about other cultures, what I really learned from her is the benefit of yoga.  Laurie taught me how to correctly do yoga, made attending class affordable for college students, and with the very Iyengar way, was a perfectionist when it came to poses.  I owe my practice to her. 

• Cat Doty, middle school English teacher and former Governor’s School teacher. 

Cat taught, and continues to teach me, about having a zest for life. I first met Cat when she was my Governor’s School teacher, and now I get to see her a few times a year.  Aside from being a hilarious illustrator and an amazing image-driven poet, she is one of the best people I’ve ever met.  I consider her family and continue to learn about humility and life in general from her. 

Tell us: who has inspired you?  Did they also inspire you to pursue a similar career to his/her own?

-SM

photo source: google.com

The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain, is about Ernest Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley.  In a review that I read, McLain said that while researching Hemingway, she came across a statement where Hemingway said he would’ve rather died before hurting Hadley. 

Such an interesting, sad statement. 

Hadley and Hemingway (source: google)

This is the slowest I’ve ever read a book (I’m working on two months), but it’s because I am enjoying it.

The language is simple and beautiful.

Here is my one of my favorite parts: “I had just turned twenty-nine, but in a way I felt younger and more carefree than I did my first year at Bryn Mawr, when I couldn’t enjoy the smallest happiness or intimacy.  It was as if I was experiencing a long-delayed coming out, and I was grateful for every minute of it.”

It’s possible, even probable, that one of the reasons that I am enjoying this book so much is because it resonates with me and some changes I am thinking about making in my life.  I, too, feel that comfort with myself, and I’m okay with facing some of my fears.

Once I finish this book, I’ll update you with a more comprehensive review.   

Tell us: what books “speak” to you? How do you face your fears? Any favorite quotes from books?

-SM

This week, a lot of my inspiration has come from everyday people who worked hard to achieve his/her dreams.

1. Rudy

I saw this movie for the first time this week.  What an incredible story about a guy who did what everyone told him he couldn't do.

2. Candle making

wedding favors

At Jen's wedding, she gave handmade soy candles as the favor.  She (and some family members) spent almost two years collecting orphan tea cups.  For the holidays, I am making ball jar candles for co-workers.  I'm excited to work on them this weekend, and to see how they come out. 

3. Anna Bond, founder and creative director of Rifle Paper Co.

Every time I look at her paper products, I start daydreaming.  They are whimsical and clever. Plus, we are both from the lovely state of NJ.  

I just ordered both of the items pictured above and can't wait for them to come in.

Pasricha started 1000 Awesome Things back when he needed to pay attention to the sometimes small, everday awesome things in his life.

If you have a couple minutes, his post about why he started blogging is truly worth reading.  Pasricha was struggling in life and chose to focus on the positive. Read more here: http://1000awesomethings.com/2010/02/17/567-getting-to-the-light-at-the-end-o...

5. Holiday Season in Red Bank, NJ 

picture courtesy of my roommate

I moved to this sweet town over a year and a half ago.  Seeing the trees lit up each night and every morning when I'm driving to work makes me smile.  Many of the downtown shops even compete in a window display contest!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Tell us: who and what inspires you? Are you handmaking any gifts this holidays season? 

-SM

While in Greece, I took a day trip to Aegina, an hour ferry ride from Athens.  The day was clear, beautiful, and incredibly windy.   After tiring of walking down streets trying to duck the wind, I sat in a café and drank French pressed coffee for the first time.  I was just about to turn 22.

More Aegina exploring

I spent hours reading The Robber Bride for my senior thesis on intertextuality, and I felt so content being alone. 

A too-brief moment in my life, which I will not forget because I felt adult.  It’s also another experience I won’t forget because I almost missed the last ferry back to Athens.  Hilarious now—it wasn’t at the time—and that is a story for another time.

Aegina

In many ways, visiting Greece was a serendipitous trip—in Athens, we stayed in a beautiful hotel which had a rooftop view of the Acropolis.  As I sat up on there on the last night, a shooting star flew above the Acropolis .

Soon after returning home, I realized that traveling closer to home was just as rewarding.   Nowadays, I visit my twin sister, Jen, often.  I’ve followed her to DC in college, Sacramento, and now Austin. 

And as I enter my mid-twenties, I look to the every day to inspire both my writing and me.  Some of my most successful work has come from listening to others’ conversations, from reading, from watching TV. 

Interesting writing stems from slowing down, listening and experiencing life. 

So I leave you with this: a writing prompt.  Keep a list of phrases that inspire you and use them as epigrams to spark your writing.  It’s what I often turn to. 

Tell me: what inspires you? Have you had any funny traveling mishaps? 

-SM

Traveling inspires me in the best kind of way.  In college, I took fancy, transformative trips to Buenos Aires, Argentina and Greece.

While out one night in Nafplio, Greece, I misunderstood a woman’s son’s career when she said her son was in medical sales. 

This poem is the product of that mix-up:

The Body Part Salesman
 “I am a girl who does know better, but…”
-John Berryman

He knocks on my door, flashes
a gummy smile and says I look
like I need parts replaced.
I know this guy’s crazy
but I say Come on in.

He sits, says he heard my knee
crack and thinks this probably
means a hip replacement.
He watches me pull my hair up,
sees that my left elbow doesn’t fold
like the right one. I think I don’t trust
him and the Donald Trump
tie, but I say Why don’t you show
me what’s inside your bag.

He says to replace a knee joint
before its time is like an everlasting
massage, and buy now because
the price will only go up.
He pulls out the parts—plastic-metal
elbows and titanium hip bones.
I think I’m too young to need this
but I say How much?

Do you buy the parts whole sale?
He tells me I don’t want to know,
and finally, I believe him. He says
business has been slow and he’s forced
to go door-to-door. Then he says
he’ll give me a deal: a hip and knee
combo if I let him stay the night. 
I say no but he begs some and what’s
a girl to do.
© SRM 2008  

This poem was a gift, and it reinforced that I “still had it.” I remember feeling that, before I had written this poem, that I wasn't feeling very inspired. Don’t most artists question themselves and their craft?

Next time, I will share two other ways that my Mediterranean trip inspired and influenced me.

And I leave you with a picture of the Pynx Hill, Greece: 

-SM