Saturday, February 15, 2014

* SATURDAY SALMAGUNDI *

Happy Saturday, everyone.

I have lots of news & information that didn't get posted during my blog hiatus, (due to my laptop/internet issues. Grrrr..!) so today I'm going to post a bit of a salmagundi. << If you don't need to look up the definition of that word, you have my sincere admiration! 

** Please stop by Bish Denham's blog to read something really uncanny! **

First of all, at Coffee & Critique about a month ago, one of the members, Jack Zerr, read from the novel he's presently writing, The JO Bunkroom. (JO stands for Junior Officer.) It is set in 1970/71 and concerns Vietnam, and carrier pilots encountering the war at that time. The two main characters are Amos Kane (self-proclaimed Cool Hand Duke) and Jon Zachery. I asked Jack for permission to post the following paragraph because I thought it was so beautiful. It was just one of those times when the writing really "got to me," ya know?

It was like I was the airplane. I didn’t pull back on the stick, to get the plane climbing. It was more like I got my nose up, to get me climbing. I felt as if I had two sets of eyeballs. One set flew the instruments, the other took in the stars, gazillions of them against the black, and they seemed to twinkle happy light at me. It was the first time I’d felt like flying was just the coolest damned thing, and at night, too. Night flying’s kind of like work, but, man, not that night.

To learn more about Jack, click here.
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On January 28th, I received Mary Kay Shanley's e-newsletter, which included a little write up about my memoir! I had the pleasure of meeting Mary Kay in 2010 when I attended the wonderful writer/spiritual retreat in Des Moines, Iowa. (Although I was born in Illinois, my roots are in Iowa. My parents, both sets of grandparents, and my two older sisters were eith born there, or lived there for many years.) I included a few chapters about Iowa, particularly Greenfield, Iowa, in my memoir, and I still love to visit as often as I can. I wrote about the 2010 retreat on my blog in the following posts, if anyone would like to read about it:

http://beckypovich.blogspot.com/2010/02/some-concluding-thoughts-on-retreat.html

http://beckypovich.blogspot.com/2010/01/day-two-of-winter-retreat-saturday.html

http://beckypovich.blogspot.com/2010/01/day-one-of-writerretreat.html

~~~
 
Hopefully, I'll do more catching up tomorrow with another new blog post!



"Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You cannot get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you're doing. What you discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself." -- Alan Alda

27 comments:

  1. I've been in that wilderness...got lost....haven't found myself yet lol.

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    1. Hey Delores! I'd like to hear more about that wilderness!

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  2. This is kind of weird. I just did a post on this word because it was a new one for me. And here you are featuring it! Wonderful! I love how the lines of connectedness work in mysterious ways.

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  3. Nice to hear from you again.
    I loathe flying so it was fascinating to read such a different perspective. Thank you, and Jack.

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    1. Hi EC! Something new I learned about you....you loathe flying! Interesting. I'm glad you enjoyed Jack's writing!

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  4. Hi Becky...Hope the laptop/internet problems have been resolved for you. Also hope your Sunday is good. Susan

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    1. Thanks, Susan! Yes, it appears all is well with the old laptop....knock on wood!

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  5. I think two sets of eyeballs at times would be most useful. Hope your Sunday is as happy as your Saturday.

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    1. Hi Mimsie! Yes, that would be helpful sometimes, wouldn't it? :)

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  6. I am glad you are back to blogging, Becky, and posting good stuff for us to follow up on!
    Sailing some rough seas here but so far managing not to be shipwrecked!
    Sun and warm tomorrow...a reprieve from winter, Yeah!

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    1. Thanks, Bookie! I'm glad to be back! I'm sorry you've been riding some rough seas, and hope things get better soon.

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  7. Have a wonderful weekend Becky!

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  8. When the computer is working properly, it's like being derailed. It's good to be back on track, busy woman.

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    1. Ha! That should have read: ISN'T working properly.

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    2. Hi Linda! I was definitely derailed, downtrodden, and down in the dumps! It's very good to be back!

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  9. The Alda quote is spot on. Have a serene Sunday and get in some big easy today.
    Best wishes Molly

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    1. Hi Molly The Wally ~ Glad you like the Alan Alda quote. I love that man!

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  10. Beautiful writing. I love the night, and have always felt connected to it. I especially love the Alan Alda quote. He is wise. Hugs, my friend.

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    1. Hi Annie! I'm glad you enjoyed Jack's writing and Alan Alda's quote! I like the way you said "I love the night, and have always felt connected to it." That's some beautiful writing, right there! I love looking at the stars and moon, and I love to fly, but I never felt like using the word "connected" to express how I feel. That's an amazing word for it!

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  11. Glad you're back in the saddle! And thanks for the goodies you shared. :)

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    1. Thanks, Lisa! It's good to be back! And you're welcome for all the goodies!

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  12. Thanks for the new word, Becky! Now if I can only figure out how to work it into a conversation...

    Pat
    Critter Alley

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    1. Hey K9! You're welcome....and just fit it into your next sentence about a hodgepodge! :)

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  13. Don't be impressed with me...I'm off to look up the word!

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    1. Hey Elizabeth! I'm still impressed with you, no matter what! LOL

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I'm still getting quite a few spam comments that are Anonymous, so I'm trying "User with Google Accounts." If anyone tries to comment that I know, and it won't let you, send me an email, okay? Thanks so much.