Survival Award

Elizabeth Mueller created this fun award for those of us that participated in the A-Z Blogging Challenge 2011... While I didn't post nearly as much as I wanted to I did learn a lot and will definitely participate in future challenges like this. It was fun and showed me I have so many ideas floating around in my head. Thank you Elizabeth for the award. While the challenge ended yesterday I still want to post a couple more Alphabet posts and will hopefully get them done soon.

Blog Hops

I don't normally link up blog hops on the writing blog but figured why not introduce some more people to this litle journey...
This is a fun relaxed blog hop great for a Sunday afternoon..



If this is your first time to the Curtain Journey feel free to grab a cup of tea and relax and read a bit...  Comments are always welcome.

Writer's Club Weekly Prompt 4/29/2011

This week’s prompts

#1 I am human, which makes me complex. Name five things about yourself that may drive other people crazy. 
#2 Did you ever date anyone you met online? Do tell……
#3- List six reason why you need him/her.  
#4- Becoming a teenager is difficult. Write a letter to your 13 year-old self.


So I couldn't decide which one to pick so I am going to do them both... (#1 and #2)


#1
I could list so many things about  me that drive people crazy, well I think they drive people crazy...
First off I know that my clutter drives my husband crazy, he doesn't understand it at all. Some days I don't understand it either but it is me. I am cluttered and if it wasn't for an organziner and an online calendar I would be scatter brained as well..  I'm sure that for some people I see very relaxed and almost passive when it comes to my kids, but  then ask my husband and he would say I'm not passive that I need to let them have a little more space... Balance that is all I can think of and trying to obtain it every day is harder than it seems.  Some people think I am too involved in the online communiity, well I'm sorry if that offends you; I am a people person and have found that interacting and learning from people online works well for me. I have been blessed to find some wonderful people online that I might never have met otherwise.  Finally some people feel I hold back and am non confrontational. Well, guess what I am! unless of course I am writing and can think about what I want to say... I tend to censor my words before I say them to find what I pray is the right thing to say before I say it.


#2. Did you ever date someone you met online? Yes I did...  We met in a chat room on AOL (back in the day that was social networking.). For almost a year we emailed back and forth, IM'd each other whenever we were online, and began talking on the phone (I think it had been about 6 months).  The end of December '96 we finally "met", I flew to Salt Lake City, Utah where he and his Dad picked me up and drove back to Wyoming. We spent about a week together and then planned several other visits (he came here , I went back to Wyoming). I can say  we had a real good run at it until I couldn't handle it anymore. Do I regret an online relationship and a long distance relationship , No. Would I recommend it to anyone else, depends on the person.

W is the Weekend

This really doesn't have much to do with my novels, but it is much of my inspiration... The weekend!
When I was in school and active in theater weekends usually meant 1 of 2 things. First chances are there was a work party where the entire cast would gather at the auditorium and paint backgrounds, set pieces, etc.... The other option was the Show!  Most of the shows I was ever involved in ran Friday , Saturday, and maybe a Sunday matinee.  So weekends meant business. If it happened that I wasn't involved in some show , recital, etc... weekends meant work, church, or camping... I don't remember many empty weekends in High school and College... Welcome to the weekend, what are your's full of now?

n is for Nook

N is for NOOK. Today I am writing from my Nook at the local McDonalds using the free

wi- fi signal. Finishing the post at McMenamins Roof Top.
While the keyboard isn't great it works pretty good.
Guess I need to learn how to type of a touch screen better...
More to come...

Mom's Tree House Writing Club 4/8/2011

This week’s writing prompts were….

1. Describe the events that led to the first time your heart got   broken.
2. List the people that make up the pieces of you.
3. I love my best friend because….
4. Take a picture of yourself right NOW, What were you doing?  Explain why you have not washed your hair and why you are still wearing pajamas.


Since I can see bits of this fitting into the novel I decided to use #1 this week.

Thinking back on the roller coaster of my love life (well at least this one...) I realize the heart broken wasn't necessarily mine but in a way it was. I was young (high school) and new to the idea of romance and dating.  We were from different environments although we shared a love of music and were both passionate when it came to friendships. Not fully understanding each other and rushing into things freaked me out a little and rather than communicating my true feelings I broke his heart, in the process though I broke my own heart by not letting anyone else close for the next 2 plus years. I put up walls when it came to romance. Looking back on that year I can say we had fun together and luckily we have remained friends over the years. Hind sight is always 20/20 they say and as cliche' as it is , it really is true. Everything we experience teaches us something. While it took me a long time I really learned how critical communicating is in a relationship. I hope I can convey the emotions as I write of these experiences but still keep an open mind.

Writer's Workshop at Bloggy Moms 3/30/2011

Imagine you're home alone (I know this may be hard to visualize but work with me here) and you stumble upon a secret passageway in your living room. The passage leads to a room of your very own, one that you will never tell another living soul about. This is your sanctuary. What does your room look like? What will you do here? Be as creative as you want and add a twist of magic.


I love this idea... a secret room just for me, someplace I can hide... A Mommy time out... honestly the space doesn't have to be very big. I can see a quiet comfortable room with a loveseat, a wooden rocking chair (vintage),  a fireplace, and a small stereo. A coffee table or at least a small endtable with a journal, a bible, and a small lamp would be requirments.. I must have a place to write my thoughts, especially if I'm in time out... "why am I in time out"  "how can I handle myself better next time", things like that.

F is for Friendship

Friendships in theater take on a different life. Rather than just friends you become more like a family, well at least that is how it was with the group I was involved in. We cared about each other and were there for each other no matter what. We dragged each other to auditions, we helped wipe away the tears over lost parts, celebrated open and closing shows at the local eatery (in our case it was a Red Robin's)

With the rise of Facebook many of those friendships have been rekindled. We are all grown and most of us are married and have families now. The building we called our theatrical home has been demolished for a soccer field. But the memories of those friendships and the life lessons we learned from those days will live with us for a long long time.

D is Director

(This is just a sketch but will help me expand on one of the characters in my novel)

"Let's get to work people" Her voiced echoed through the auditorium and the kids knew she meant business.  Sheila held her own with the rowdy bunch of kids; rough around the edges but gentle and compassionate when called for.  "I want to get the blocking done so we can move on. Top of page 7...."

"Ms.Carey?" Addy broke in cautiously. "I think we have a slight problem." her voice shakey as she pointed to the first bank of lights on the stage.  Little sparks flickered from the center pin spot.

" Oh crap! Jason, kill the lights on the stage and give me the full house now!" her voice and demenor changed almost immediately. "Addy, go find Mr. Burgess he should still be here... We need an extra ladder. Kyle grab the ladder from back stage and set it up under that bar of lights stage left." The down side to an old auditorium , old wiring."

C is for Curtain

Thought I would write a little about the name of the blog and part of the writing project...
"Curtain Journey" is or was the working title of a novel I was working on for NaNoWriMo'09. Basically parts of the story were vignettes from my past life in Junior High and High School Theater. I loved the time I spent in theater all 5 years plus some of the arts I worked in after high school.

I remember our theater well.. The art deco pieces on the walls of the auditorium, the very uncomfortable seats, the rounded balcony. The building that housed the theater was originally the high school and became the junior high after a newer facility was built in the early 1970's, so we were lucky to have a larger auditorium than most junior highs.. The stage had a wood floor and was fairly deep. The curtain that hung in the front was blue velveteen and something about the curtain mesmerized me. It was warm and comforting giving a feeling of security much like a quilt on Grandma's bed.  I spent time both on stage and back stage always comforted by the great expanse of the curtain.  When I began planning the novel project knowing much of the story would take place in or around that theater I decided the curtain had to play a larger than life role in the book, thus the title.  The auditorium and building are now gone but the memories from those years are forever etched in my mind.  I hope as I work more on the project the comforting of that curtain will be a presence to the reader as well as the author.