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Dialogue with my muse |
| I have been carrying on a dialogue for almost a year. During this time we have discussed the progress of my writing, editing, and publishing efforts. Join in to listen to our conversation about my daily writing life and add your comments if you think of anything Calliope and I miss. |
It is sad to grow old, but nice to ripen.~Brigitte Bardot JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today? JOE: Not bad. I had my annual physical yesterday and found that I had few signs of aging. CALLIOPE: I suppose that's not surprising. JOE: It's better than the alternative. CALLIOPE: Anything serious? JOE: No. Just little things that most people face as they grow older. CALLIOPE: How do you compare with others? JOE: I don't have any life threatening or debilitating conditions. I did have a bout with rheumatoid arthritis but now that's under control. CALLIOPE: Sounds like you're doing better than most people. JOE: I think so. I count myself fortunate to be in such good health. CALLIOPE: Do you need to make any adjustments? JOE: I will have my vision checked to make sure nothing serious is going on. I also need to get back on the track with my nutrition since I have put back on some of the weight I lost. CALLIOPE: In other words, you just have to be a little more careful. JOE: Correct. I can't just take my body for granted. Talk with you tomorrow. |
There is no greater challenge than to have someone relying upon you; no greater satisfaction than to vindicate his expectation.~Kingman Brewster JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today? JOE: Exhilarated. I completed all my registration procedures at AmeriCorps and planned my initial activities at my GoArt placement yesterday. CALLIOPE: Congratulations. Any surprises? JOE: I wasn't expecting any and none appeared. CALLIOPE: I guess that's good. JOE: It is. CALLIOPE: What are your duties. JOE: I will work three days a week. One task will be working on web presence. Another will be to develop more interaction with the artists. CALLIOPE: Anything else. JOE: I most likely will be working with teens on creative writing. The program is still at the idea stage. CALLIOPE: Sounds like you will have plenty to keep you busy. JOE: I think so. If not, new challenges always arise. CALLIOPE: Good luck with you project. JOE: Thanks. Talk with you tomorrow. |
There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth...not going all the way, and not starting. ~Buddha JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What's up for today? JOE: A new beginning. CALLIOPE: Oh? JOE: You recall that in May I explored the possibility of involvement with AmeriCorps? CALLIOPE: I do. JOE: Well, it's finally time. I am going this morning to sign up and get my schedule so I can start my placement in January. CALLIOPE: Remind me what you will be doing. JOE: I will be working at GoArt in Batavia. It is the local arts council. I think I will be doing mainly publicity but I'm not entirely sure yet. CALLIOPE: So you will become familiar with my fellow muses. JOE: I will. GoArt focuses mostly on visual art, but also music sometimes and community events. CALLIOPE: Anything special you would like to bring to it? JOE: I am interested in working with teens interested in developing their creative writing. CALLIOPE: Would that be something new. JOE: It is there. We shall see what interest there is. I'll update you tomorrow. |
"Blessed are the peacemakers. For they shall be called the children of God."~Matthew, V:9. JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today? JOE: I've been quite busy. I woke up at 2:00 AM, my mind churning with ideas for this week's column. CALLIOPE: As I recall you were writing about peace. JOE: Correct. I usually start with a relevant quote and went in search of one. CALLIOPE: What did you discover? JOE: Hundreds of quotes about peace. I just couldn't decide which was best. CALLIOPE: So what did you conclude? JOE: To write a column consisting entirely of peace quotes and brief commentary. Even then I went over my space allotment and still did not include all the quotes I had chosen. CALLIOPE: Anything surprising? JOE: Yes. William Gladstone said, "We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will the world know the blessings of peace." Jimi Hendrix said, "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." CALLIOPE: How do you suppose both came up with almost the same quote? JOE: Beats me. The only think I can imagine is that Hendrix read Gladstone or heard about him. After all he did become famous in England in the mid sixties and became friends with The Rolling Stones, The Who and Eric Clapton. CALLIOPE: Quite interesting. JOE: As Cicero said over two thousand years ago, "Laws are silent in times of war. We are born to unite with our fellow men, and to join in community with the human race." |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. Ready for another week? JOE: I am. With plenty to do. CALLIOPE: Such as? JOE: I'm nearing the end of my latest review of Marital Property. Then I'll read it aloud and make copies for a few readers. CALLIOPE: Sounds like you are making good progress. Anything else on your plate? JOE: It's column/ newsletter time again. CALLIOPE: Do you have a topic ready? JOE: In a general sense. I would to write about peace. CALLIOPE: A common topic this time of year. JOE: Indeed. I don't want to offer platitudes. CALLIOPE: What will you offer. JOE: Perhaps some of my musings about how peace can be achieved. No matter how many people reach for it, terrorists and other ne'er-do-wells continue to prowl the earth. CALLIOPE: Do you think you have the answer? JOE: I wouldn't be that presumptuous. But perhaps I can help clarify the question. Talk with you tomorrow. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How is the review of your manuscript coming. JOE: I am happy to report that Marital Property has aged well over the past few months. CALLIOPE: I take it you have found time to continue working on it. JOE: I have. CALLIOPE: What have you discovered? JOE: Mostly typos and weaknesses in phrasing at points. CALLIOPE: Other than fixing those, anything else? JOE: I found a few places what I assumed the writer knew what I did. CALLIOPE: Bad assumption. JOE: I realize that and fixed it when I came across passages where there was no foundation for a character acting or talking a certain way. CALLIOPE: That's good. JOE: I also found a couple actions which I foreshadowed but did not include in the story. If I didn't fix that some readers might finish the book wondering what happened. CALLIOPE: Also a good catch. Best of luck with the rest of the manuscript. JOE: Thanks. Talk with you on Monday. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today? JOE: Pondering bread. CALLIOPE: Sounds like there might be a story behind that. JOE: Nothing too profound. Carol and I are having friends over tonight who will be away from Christmas. CALLIOPE: And? JOE: I am making bread for the occasion. CALLIOPE: I see. How about the pondering? JOE: I thought about the various flours, yeast and other ingredients and how it would be to put them on a plate and serve them. CALLIOPE: Not too appetizing. JOE: Yet with the correct balance, rising and baking, a wonderful result ensues. CALLIOPE: I see. JOE: The same is true of a pile of words, phrases, editing and revision. Each in itself is rather boring. CALLIOPE: But with care they result in an intriguing story. JOE: Precisely so. With the bread in the oven, I will return to writing. Talk with you tomorrow. |
JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How are you today? JOE: Bracing for winter. CALLIOPE: Tell me more. JOE: Just as I am reviewing late Fall and Winter scenes from Marital Property, the first winter storm arrived here in Western New York. CALLIOPE: A double whammy. JOE: Indeed. My real and fantasy worlds are both preparing for a long siege of blustery weather. CALLIOPE: Does that depress you? JOE: I must admit I prefer sitting in the back yard in shirt sleeves. CALLIOPE: Any advantages to winter? JOE: Overall I do less traveling and become more focused on indoor activities such as writing. CALLIOPE: Not a bad thing. JOE: No, it isn't. Sometimes I wonder if I would appreciate summer if I did not have winter for contrast. CALLIOPE: You might take it for granted. JOE: Perhaps. But I'll use whatever incentives I can find. Talk with you tomorrow. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. How goes it today? JOE: Well. I'm hard at work. CALLIOPE: Continuing to review your novel? JOE: Correct. I have pored over eighty-eight pages of Marital Property. CALLIOPE: What have you discovered? JOE: I am happy with the plot, character development and the rotating point of view. CALLIOPE: Did you encounter any difficulties? JOE: Nothing of much importance. I did find minor typos and ways to improve wording and phrasing. CALLIOPE: So you are happy with what you see? JOE: In general, yes. I think my characters and I were getting a little too familiar with each other. The break has been good for all of us and we are ready to get back to work. CALLIOPE: Do you have a deadline for finishing work on the manuscript? JOE: No. I have learned from past projects that pushing myself leads to mistakes although I satisfy my impulsive nature. I'm working on patience. CALLIOPE: Good for you. JOE: Talk with you tomorrow. |
| JOE: Good morning Calliope. CALLIOPE: Good morning Joe. What are you up to today. JOE: Continuing my visit with Cynthia and Denis. CALLIOPE: Those names sound a little familiar. JOE: They are two of the main characters in my book, Marital Property. CALLIOPE: I see. How are the three of you getting along? JOE: Pretty well considering their dire circumstances with their marriage crumbling around them and their children at wit's end wondering what will become of them. CALLIOPE: Sounds like a mess. JOE: It is. Fortunately they are just characters I invented. CALLIOPE: From what raw materials. JOE: Partly from couples I have met over the years and partly based on how I would feel in their predicament. CALLIOPE: How does the manuscript look after a rest in the wine cellar. JOE: Not bad. I'm going through it sprucing up the grammar here and there but the plot and description don't sound too bad to me. CALLIOPE: Keep at it. JOE: I plan to. Talk with you tomorrow. |
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Hope they like snow! 
I just tell them to go get a life...
It's a sunshiny 24 here at the moment; 19 in Buffalo.