Anne Greenawalt

Gifts for Writers

2011-12-24T09:16:00.001-05:00

Looking for a last-minute Christmas gift to give a writer or artist friend?

Check out these suggestions.

These gifts work at all other times of the year - not just on holidays :)

Congratulations Brenda Tadych!

2011-12-05T08:21:00.000-05:00

by digitalart @freedigitalphotos.net

This fall I taught a creative writing workshop through a Mechanicsburg Area Parks & Recreation program and had the pleasure of meeting Brenda Tadych, one of the workshop participants.

The day after the last class, Brenda sent me an e-mail that said Tina, another workshop participant, inspired her with her idea to write Christmas letters to her family. Brenda went home that evening and wrote a Christmas letter, too, which she submitted to the Patriot News.

And guess what? The Patriot News published her very creative, inspiring letter to Santa Claus!

Congratulations, Brenda!

Video: Obvious to You. Amazing to Others

2011-11-23T08:11:00.000-05:00

The Power of Freewriting

2011-11-20T11:37:00.000-05:00

photo by healingdream @ freedigitalphotos.net

What I've learned this month as a writer...
Never underestimate the power of freewriting.

Read about it on the WOW! Blog.

Working Backwards

2011-11-13T10:30:00.000-05:00

The illustrious Group #3 is planning a very fun and enriching experience for you all on November 30! As Becky said in an earlier blog post, we don’t want to give anything away, but we are having fun planning it, we hope you all enjoy it and learn from it, and we’ll be looking forward to your feedback.

Our group met before class on Wednesday to hash out some details. We had a lot of good ideas but they were unfocused and raised a lot of questions. We kept asking each other things like, but how is that going to work? Where does that fit in? When we realized we had problems fitting our ideas together and having them make sense, we decided to work backwards.

“What do we want everyone to get out of this?” we asked ourselves. “When our lesson is over, what should they know or should have accomplished?”

We began to make a list of potential essential questions. When we had three solid questions, Melissa said, “I wish there was a way to turn these into one question.”

So we threw out more potential sentence that combined the ideas, and I think we came up with a winner.

It’s exciting to plan lessons – it allows us to put all the skills we’ve been learning to use in a practical way, and allows us freedom for creativity. Having the freedom to create is one of the main reasons I'm enjoying being a teacher.

I'm also excited to see what the other groups have come up with. I have started Group #1’s homework and have secured a digital copy of The Importance of Being Earnest.

Dystopian Immersion

2011-11-03T19:04:00.000-04:00

Our dystopian group already has some great ideas for our group teach project! We developed a rough outline in class on Wednesday night and divvied out some responsibilities. We’re trying to create ways to immerse the class in a dystopian world.

Usually, I dread group projects because most people do not take their school work as seriously as I do, and if I want my group project to reflect the quality of work I'm used to producing, I end up doing the majority of the work. It’s not going to be like that for this project because my lovely dystopia group-mates are as enthusiastic as I am about it. As we brainstormed ideas, we took each other’s ideas and made them stronger. I can see how collaborative teaching could be a rewarding and refreshing experience.

We’re planning to have all of our dystopian books read by next Wednesday, when we will meet again before class for more planning.

Web 2.0 in the Classroom and the Reading Gender Gap

2011-10-31T08:16:00.000-04:00

Web 2.0 in the Classroom

I would love to move my class to the computer lab, but the reality is that not every school has computers for each student. Most schools have shared computer labs, or just a few computers per classroom, making extensive computer use difficult.

I have been learning ways to implement Web 2.0 technologies in my HACC classroom, but half of my students do not have computers and Internet access at home so they frequently do not complete their online assignments. We only have two and a half hours of class time per week, and if I want them to use computers, I have to book the computer lab weeks in advance.

Although my students’ lack of computer access and lack of knowledge of the Internet and Web 2.0 technologies, I still want to continue using computers and other technologies to assist in learning process. I've asked them to complete in-class assignments on properly punctuating dialogue and quotations using text messages from their cell phones, which they did enjoy. I am actively trying to learn/create lessons like this.

photo by stuart miles

You Read Like a Girl

I also read “Why Johnny Won’t Read” by Mark Bauerlein and Sandra Stotsky about the gender gap in reading. As they succinctly put it: “Girls read; boys don’t.” If I relate this article to the “Moving my English Class to the Computer Lab” article, I wonder if more boys would be more interested in reading if it more closely related to their generation’s interest in information and communication technology. I know there are books like Lauren Myracle’s series (TTYL, L8R G8R, etc) that use discuss technology and text speak. Would boys be interested in these types of books but with male characters discuss male topics? Or would regular old books with more masculine topics be enough to generate more interest in reading?

Because I am a writer, I often read blog posts from literary agents, and there are increasingly more literary agents seeking “young adult books for boys,” so I believe that the publishing industry is well aware of the downward trend of boys’ book reading habits and are seeking to remedy this.

Reading Lolita "For Fun"

2011-10-22T19:34:00.000-04:00

Nearly Censored - A Literacy Memory

My mom used to take me to the Paperback Book Exchange, where I could trade old paperbacks for new ones at no charge. We’d browse the store for hours, she in the literature section for adults, and me in the teen/middle grade section, and then we’d reconvene to share our selections with each other before exchanging the new books for our old ones.

One day, when I was maybe 10 or 11 years old, I selected a book about a high school student who was raped by an ex-boyfriend. I was young enough that I didn’t know the word “rape.” Mom asked me why I selected that book, and I told her why (I don’t remember why now). Then she asked me if I knew what rape was. I was afraid to say no because I thought she wouldn’t let me get the book, but she did let me get it, and on the drive home, she explained what it meant.

Several years later, Mom also questioned why I chose to read Lolita as my “for fun” reading in high school. She wasn’t sure it was appropriate – she had never read it, but knew its basic premise. Instead of forbidding me to read it, she asked me more about it, and I shared excerpts of it with her, and she was eventually pacified that I wasn’t reading anything too explicitly “inappropriate.”

I know not every parent and educator can be as awesome as my mom, but wouldn’t it be great if everyone felt comfortable openly discussing uncomfortable topics? If more people would take the time to ask questions about books and answer their children’s / students’ questions and curiosities with honesty, and not feel like their jobs were in jeopardy for doing so?

Another Reason to Get to Know Your Students

My initial thought on censorship in the English classroom is that nothing should be outright banned. I still feel this way, but “Huckleberry Finn and the Issue of Race in Today’s Classroom” helped me to more clearly see the other side of the argument. I strongly agree with the author that “Huckleberry Finn should not be taught in a curriculum that simply showcases literary works without developing student skills at challenging the classics and thinking critically about literature, history, politics, and language” (117). Couldn’t this same statement be made for many books (all books?) taught in an English classroom?

The forementioned article helped me to see how people with different backgrounds and life experiences can be affected by different topics. As an English teacher, it's important to be aware of how your students might experience some topics that could arise in the classroom. I also think it's important not to outright ban a book because it makes a certain person or group of people feel uncomfortable. Teachers should clearly explain the controversial aspects of a text to their students/parents in the beginning to confront any questions or concerns head-on. No one learns when controversial topics are deliberately ignored or forbidden.

Hey, Kids - Wanna Watch My Home Videos?

2011-10-17T13:59:00.000-04:00

Teaching Using Personal Experiences

I enjoy it when my teachers use personal experiences to illustrate a topic we’re discussing in class. Their personal experience gives the subject matter relevance to real life, helps to create a visual image in my head, which I'm more likely to remember than facts from a textbook, and helps me to get to know my teacher. I especially appreciated when my creative writing teachers talked about their writing process or how they dealt with self-doubt and writer’s block.

I would also like to use pieces of my personal experience in the classroom, and I sometimes do. I tell my students about my personal writing process, some things about writing that I find challenging and how to overcome them. Several students have told me this is helpful for them.

I'd like to take this a step further and share pieces of my own writing with my composition class, but I'm afraid they’ll think I'm being conceited. I feel very hesitant to stand in front of my class and talk about myself because of this fear, even though I've never thought my teachers were conceited for talking about themselves in class. Some teachers, though, talk about themselves in a way that's off topic for class, and it feels like wasted time. I don't want students to feel like I'm wasting their time.

Karen Wink talks about reading directly from her travel journal to her students, and sharing photographs from her trip. I would like to do something like this if it’s interesting to my students, but it would have to presented in a very specific way so it doesn’t come off sounding self-gratuitous.

photo by jannoon028

World Literature Tourism?

Wouldn’t designing your world literature class like a journey (as Raquel Cook describes in her article) be too similar to the “tourist” approach to teaching diversity and culture that we should avoid? I know this whole article is about the success of her World Literature class, but I don’t understand what she did differently to prevent it from being a tourist experience.

Bored Kids Cause Problems

2011-10-02T20:19:00.000-04:00

What I disliked most about my English classes was having assigned readings followed by whole-class discussions that sought right or wrong answers, so when I first heard about literature circles, I thought, “Why didn’t my teachers use these?”

picture by AKARAKINGDOMS

English 101, 102 Literature Circles

I have been mulling over the idea of using literature circles in my English 101 and/or 102 classes because I love the idea of allowing students to choose a book that interests them. I envision offering 5-6 different books and asking each student to choose whichever one sounds most interesting, rather than let them choose any book in the world, because HACC has a pre-approved list of acceptable books for these classes, and the list has a several very good, interesting books.

Prior to reading Literature Circles by Harvey Daniels, I was apprehensive about allowing students to choose from a variety of books because I assumed I would have to have read all of them and know them all intimately to be an effective facilitator. But Daniels has eased my mind and I am more excited than ever to use literature circles.

In chapter 2, Daniels suggests that teachers become fellow readers in a literature circle and model the process for their students with a book they’ve never read. I take this to mean that teachers do not have to be familiar with all of the books their students are reading. Apparently, I am not the only teacher to have this apprehension because Daniels says, “This mandate to model can be threatening to teachers, who assume they must be a paragon of cognition, of elevated literary taste, and authoritative interpretation” (24).

Tracking English Classes

I left public high school for a private high school after my sophomore year because I wasn’t learning anything. The teachers in public school spent their time on ineffective classroom management in untracked classes, which left me bored and frustrated. The administration’s answer was to offer me a spot in the “gifted” class – but that was just an extra class I’d have to take instead of study hall. I didn’t want EXTRA work – I wanted better QUALITY work, which I got at the private school.

Would my experience in public school have been better if classes were tracked? I doubt it. But because of this experience, I can easily understand the “misconceptions” that the “Untracking English” article mentions: “Parents and educators worry that the behavior of unruly, uninterested students will keep the teacher focused on classroom control rather than on teaching” (173). I must note, however, that it was not the “poor” or “colored” students causing problems; it was the bored kids causing problems, and that could occur at any academic level.

Brown Eyes Are Better Than Blue Eyes!

2011-09-24T20:24:00.000-04:00

Elementary School Memory

When I was in 5^th grade and learning about the Revolutionary War, my teacher gave us fake money and charged us taxes for things like having a messy desk, not following instructions, not completing our homework, etc. Then she started taxing us for things we needed, like using the pencil sharpener, going to lunch, going to recess. The taxes got so ridiculous that I and a handful of my classmates rebelled. We tried a few tactics to get rid of taxes, but it just made things worse. Finally, I wrote a “Declaration of Independence” and had everyone in the class sign it, so then she got rid of the taxes.

I don’t remember many specific details about elementary school, but I have always remembered this unit, and I have been fascinated by the Revolutionary War time period ever since. It was such an effective tactic for her to re-create certain circumstances and have us experience these injustices, or in our case “taxation without representation,” for ourselves.

Risky Business

I am impressed by how well the lesson worked. How did she know that I (or someone) would create a Declaration of Independence? How did she know it would happen precisely at the end of the unit? What if no one had done it? What if we all just sat there and paid the taxes and never complained? Teaching like this is so effective, but also difficult and risky.

A Class Divided Experiment + To Kill a Mockingbird

That is what I thought about while watching A ClassDivided. Jane Elliott took a great risk by teaching about discrimination by separating the class by their eye color, but it was extraordinarily successful with her students and with the prison workers. I would love to be able to teach a unit like this in which I can transform the classroom by creating new rules and allowing students to experience something for themselves rather than just read about it or listen to it. This would be a great lesson to pair with reading To Kill a Mockingbird. Perhaps it could even be tweaked to include people with green or hazel eyes to represent that in-between social class, like the Ewells.

Stay at Home Daughters (yikes!)

2011-09-23T08:56:00.000-04:00

A new movement called "Stay-at-Home-Daughters" (SAHD) "encourages young women to relinquish higher education and employment outside of the home and devote themselves to their fathers until they become wives and mothers."

Wow. That's the scariest thing I've heard in a long time.

Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin, two women who are a part of this movement, created VisionaryDaughters.com to tout this movement and encourage young women to stop being so ambitious.

"The purpose of this site," they write, "is to condone practical, purposeful, productive, dominion-oriented femininity."

No, just wait, it gets worse.

They say that "womanhood dedicated to useless ambition...lead[s] girls to squander their youth." They don't define what they mean by useless ambition, but it's pretty clear they mean that women have no business going to college or getting jobs because they believe they should just get married and be mothers.

Some of the articles they write or hope to write include:

The dangers of Christian romance novels
Ways I help my father with his business
Ways I help my father with his ministry
Ten ways that Hollywood has tried to destroy me
How to encourage and show respect to your brother
The ten traps young Christian women can fall into on the Internet
From a father: ten things a daughter can do to encourage and delight her father
Tips on giving yourself a higher education: recommendations on alternatives to college

Nowhere do they speak of how to encourage or respect their sisters, help their mothers with business or with anything at all. They do not mention mothers in any context except that all women should strive to be one.

Both of my parents have been such huge advocates of my education...I can't imagine them ever encouraging me to not go to college and so I could stay home and be a delight to my father. I think they would be disappointed if that's the path I chose.

I kind of wish my mom and I could have interviewed one of these women for The Daughter Project...but I'm also thankful we didn't have to.

Scary stuff. It's like the last several decades of women's rights never happened for these women. I feel sorry for them. What do you think?

What Is the Use of a Book Without Pictures?

2011-09-19T15:59:00.000-04:00

“Alice was beginning to get very tired sitting beside her sister on the bank, and having nothing to do: once or twice she peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversation in it, ‘and what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice, ‘without pictures or conversation?’ – Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland

A Literacy Memory

My parents used to read picture books to me nearly every night when I was a child. Before I could read the words, I followed along with the pictures. Sometimes I would “read” to them by narrating what I saw in the pictures. I remember my older brother asking my parents, “Why are you letting her think she can read? She’s not really reading the words.” And I remember thinking, “What is he talking about? Of course I’m reading.”

Engaging Adolescent Readers with Visualization

I recalled these memories while reading Chapter 5: Seeing is Reading in You Gotta Be the Book. Wilhelm discusses different methods of visualization activities to help students “see” the characters, actions, setting, etc., and discusses how graphic novels can aid in this process. He writes, “My hypothesis began to develop: the pictures, paired with words, helped less engaged readers to visualize the action of the story and to understand how words suggest various characters, settings, and activities” (160).

This hypothesis makes a lot of sense because this method was presented to me when I was learning to read at age three. Some disengaged adolescent readers may not have been taught to read in this way when they were younger, so why not go back to the basics with them and try again?

The "Books with Pictures" Stigma

“Books with pictures” had a certain stigma after I reached a certain age. It was a momentous occasion when I read my first full book without pictures. It meant I was growing up, getting smarter. My classmates and I knew that the kids who still read books with pictures in them were not good readers, weren’t as smart as us.

Does this stigma still exist in today's classrooms?

Based on Wilhelm’s experience, and the experiences of Nancy Frey and Douglas Fisher, authors of “Using Graphic Novels, Anime, and he Internet in an Urban High School," students love the opportunity to read books with pictures. Prior to reading Dr. Mortimore-Smith’s article “The Conventions of Comics,” I never considered the different types of conventions (speech, page, graphics) that readers need to use and analyze to successfully read a graphic novel. It's actually a very complex reading/thinking process. I can now easily see how reading graphic novels or other novels with pictures can be a challenging but engaging and rewarding process, especially for adolescent readers.

American Born Chinese in the Classroom

American Born Chinese is probably the third graphic novel I've read in my life, and it was different than the others I read. The jumping back and forth in time and reality was interesting and even slightly confusing. A lot of meaning and learning opportunities can be unpacked from it, and I think it would be a great text to use to show a non-linear timeline in literature.

I am still not entirely sure what teaching graphic novels would look like in a classroom. I'd worry that if it wasn't done correctly, it would just create busy work for the students and they'd just be creating a lot of pictures without much meaning or without a connection to literature and reading.

I Am a Literature Snob

2011-09-13T11:19:00.000-04:00

I keep mulling over the question: “Why do we value certain literacy practices over others?” We discussed this in class last week, but it’s something I’ve given much thought to in the past, too. I continued to think about it as I read You Gotta Be the Book by Jeffrey Wilhelm.

In class, I tried to articulate that some books are definitely of a higher literary quality than other books. I define this “higher literary quality” as the way in which the book was written. “Literary” authors agonize over HOW they write the book through word choices, sentence structure, characterization, and other literary devices. “Genre” authors value plot and action over the quality of the writing.

photo from freedigitalphotos.net

The teachers I had while completing my BA and MA degrees in creative writing distinguished literary books (not necessarily classics) as “good,” and genre books as “bad.” Even as a child, my elementary school teachers and my parents steered me away from certain books because they were “lower quality” books. My mom, for example, would not let me read the Sweet Valley High series because “there are so many better things to read.”

But now I'm back in school and taking a class that’s not teaching me how to write, but teaching me how to teach to adolescents to read and write, and suddenly the idea of what’s “good” and “bad” literature changes. Wilhelm discusses the benefits of “formulaic fiction” (which I have described as “genre” fiction above). He says he is “continually impressed by the depth and intensity of student response” to these books, even though he himself feels only disgust when reading them (50).

Wilhelm outlines three benefits of reading formulaic fiction:
1. “…these formulaic books speak to the students and are helping them discover the power of reading, and that they often lead to the reading of other material.”
2. “…reading mysteries to “rest” between what [Wilhelm’s wife] describes as “intense” literary experiences.”
3. “…readers of what might be considered trash literature (like the romance) actually use it in highly creative or resistant ways that must be considered “literary transactions.””

Wilhelm makes valid points here, but I still feel very strongly that some books are of higher literary quality than others. I feel sick in my stomach when I hear someone refer to the Twilight series as great literature, especially when that same person has not read or does not understand books by authors like Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, or Barbara Kingsolver.

But I guess it is time for me to stop thinking of literature just in terms of being a literary author. I now need to consider it in terms of teaching students, too. I guess what a reader chooses to read depends on the reader’s goals, and in the case of adolescents, it’s probably better that they read books by R.L. Stine than nothing at all.

First Draft of the Daughter Project Manuscript

2011-09-10T16:04:00.000-04:00

I finally started the rough draft for The Daughter Project manuscript!

It only took me three months to do it, but I finally started. I now have five single-spaced typed Word document pages.

I only wrote maybe one and a half of those pages today. The rest of the pages are from journals, short stories, and other documents I wrote in the past year. I compiled them and added/subtracted some details to create an intro chapter.

Three cheers for journaling and prewriting! They have made the start of this project easier than anticipated.

All summer I kept telling myself to start writing, and all summer I had excuses for why I couldn’t start. I was too busy with my intensive, five-week summer class. I had to transcribe interviews first. I got a job teaching English composition and had to use all of my free time to create the syllabus and lesson plans. I took a second job as a writing consultant for the forthcoming Dixon Writing Studio. I was just too busy.

HACC York closed on Thursday due to flooding, which gave me an extra full day to myself. I spent the entire day catching up on lesson plans. Friday I continued working on lesson plans and then ate Thai take-out with my mom and watched Practical Magic. Today, though, I spent (wasted?) time catching up on all the feeds in my Google Reader, read a backlog of Twitter and Google+ posts, and created some posts and tweets.

photo by Keerati

I finally ran out of social media upkeep tasks and found myself confronting a blank Word document with the cursor relentlessly pulsing. And then I ate lunch and ran some errands. And then I returned to the computer screen.

And then I struggled through writing a terrible, wordy, clichéd first paragraph. Then I tinkered with it, and then I added a few more paragraphs, and alas...my first five pages.

My Literacy Profile

2011-08-28T17:42:00.000-04:00

photo by Stuart Miles

Literacy Origins
For many years my mom and dad used to read to me nearly every night before bed. Sometimes they’d read out loud, sometimes I’d tell the story based on the pictures, and sometimes we’d listen to a tape with a narrator reading the story. Because of my parents’ encouragement, I began reading at a young age and I loved it. Some of my early favorites were Bedtime for Francis, The Black Cauldron, and The Elephant's Child.

Reading in High School

Although I loved to read, my English literature classes in high school and college were largely uninspiring. I read books of my choice constantly, one after another, but often skimmed or skipped texts assigned for class. Some texts I specifically remember skimming and/or not finishing were: Great Expectations, The Scarlet Letter, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, and the Heart of Darkness. I made successful attempts at reading some of these books outside of the classroom and enjoyed them.

The question-and-answer format of my English classes made the books seem dull. I didn’t want to look for symbolism and metaphors. I just wanted to read the books to enjoy the characters and their situations. Analyzing the books to death stripped them of their fun.

Favorite Books as an Adolescent

Some books I enjoyed reading on my own in high school were: To Kill a Mockingbird, Atlas Shrugged, She’s Come Undone, and books by John Irving. I enjoyed, and still enjoy, books about women’s lives, especially female coming-of-age stories. I rarely read books from the “Young Adult” section of the bookstore because my mom said they were below my reading level and encouraged me to read adult books. I appreciated her high expectations and encouragement.

Review: Any New Books?

2011-08-28T10:42:00.002-04:00

Any New Books?

More about this new, free book notification service at WOW! Women on Writing's blog, The Muffin.

Writing Resources on Google + (aka Why I'm Using Google +)

2011-08-16T08:42:00.002-04:00

photo by basketman @ freedigitalphotos.net

Google + is quickly becoming my favorite social media site ever! I know, that’s a big claim, especially since there are plenty of social media sites I’ve never used, and some I’ve never even heard of. But Google + is the all of my favorite aspects of facebook combined with all of my favorite aspects of Twitter.
Want to know why I love Google + so much....?

The Daughter Project: still transcribing interviews!

2011-08-15T14:41:00.000-04:00

from photostock

I am in the middle of transcribing my 10^th of 11 interviews from the Daughter Project!

For awhile, I thought I might never finish. But now that I'm nearly done, it’s getting easier and going a lot faster.

I'm very much looking forward to finishing so I can start drafting ideas and writing.

I am waaaaay off of my proposed timeline. Oops.

There’s one week left until I start my teaching job at HACC York. Crossing my fingers that I can catch up on my writing/drafting this week!

Some themes and topics that have continually come up in the mother-daughter interviews include, but aren’t limited to:

- Traveling together internationally, or regrets about not traveling

- Difficulty choosing just one favorite memory together because there are so many

- Differences between raising sons and daughters

- The significant presence of a third generation, either the daughter’s children or the mother’s mother

- Shifting mother-daughter roles as the daughter becomes an adult, and again when/if the mother’s health declines

- Mothers learning from their daughters as much as daughters learn from their mothers.

As I continue to draft and go over my transcription notes, I’ll post snippets from the interviews so stay tuned!

Review: The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti

2011-08-08T09:01:00.003-04:00

I met Hannah Tinti in 2005 when she visited my senior creative writing class at Hamilton College to speak with us about her writing processes and meet with each of us one-on-one to critique our writing. At the time, she was in the middle of writing The Good Thief.

I hit a wall while writing a story earlier that semester, so I submitted that story for a critique. I thought her comments might push me in the right direction. Most of my classmates, however, decided they would submit their best, most polished work because they didn't want to show a published author their problem drafts.

In my one-on-one session, I rememeber Hannah Tinti asking me what level writing class I was in, even though she should have known that everyone she was critiquing was in the senior class. She described to me all the basic elements of fiction writing, which I already knew. Apparently, my story had none of those...? I left the critique session feeling like a failure as a writer.

I hoped that I would dislike Hannah Tinti's The Good Thief so I could publicly berate it, but it just isn't so. Tinti writes wonderful prose, and it was her use of language that kept me interested enough in this story to keep reading. The book does not seem to have much purpose beyond entertainment value, though, which is ok if you're not searching for an indepth read.

Click here for my full review of this book.

Creative Writing Classes for Adults and Children in Central PA

2011-08-03T15:24:00.002-04:00

photo by graur codrin

If you're a creative writer or aspiring creative writer in the central Pennsylvania / greater Harrisburg area, I'd like to invite you to enroll in my creative writing class this fall!

I will be teaching two creative writing classes, one for adults and one for children, through the Mechanicsburg Recreation Department.

Creative Writing for Adults

6-week program: Tuesdays from 10/18/11 to 11/22/11 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm

All levels of writers 18 years of age and older are welcome! This is a chance for you to get feedback on your writing from and a published writer with a master's degree in creative writing (me) and your peers. I will also help you work through writing exercises and other activites to spark your creativity and writing muscles. Creative writing is also an opportunity for self reflection.

Creative Writing for Kids

6-week program: Tuesdays from 10/18/11 to 11/22/11 from 5 to 6pm

Children ages 8 to 12 are encouraged to sign up for this class. If your children or other children you know between these ages love to hear and tell stories, this is the class for them. These young writers will learn how to create characters, plots, settings, and more to tell their own stories. They'll read books and play games and other activites to inspire their creativity.
Enrollment Information

Enrollment information is available from the Mechanicsburg Recreation web site. (If the Fall enrollment information is not yet available, it will be soon. Check back at the end of August/beginning of September.)

Questions?

For questions about enrollment, check out the online registration portal, or you can contact the office directly at 717-691-4572 or mrec@mbgsd.org.

For questions related to the content of the creative writing classes, please contact me.

I look forward to working with you!

Love in a Bookstore

2011-08-01T10:36:00.000-04:00

If anyone would like to propose to me, I think this is the way you should do it...

Love in a Bookstore

My New Lab-mix Puppy, Ellie

2011-07-30T08:11:00.001-04:00

Ellie in a moment of calmness

This is my new puppy, Ellie!

I rescued her from the Humane Society in Harrisburg, PA last Friday. The Friday before that, I was bored and wanted to do something I hadn't done in awhile, so I took Dan and went to the Humane Society to play with the puppies. I met Ellie and it was pretty much love at first sight.

She's an 8-month old black Lab mix. Not sure what she's mixed with. The vet suggested possibly German Shepherd.

Her hobbies include: biting my ankles (and calves and thighs and forearms, and Dan's ears), chewing Dan's shoes, eating yellow leaves, ripping apart soft things, sleeping by my feet when I'm typing on the computer.

Her dislikes include: sleeping in her crate, fans, the dumpster.

The world's greatest mysteries include: her reflection in various surfaces, like the mirror, the oven, the balcony door, the sides of cars...

I can easily see how this could turn into a blog about Ellie instead of about writing. I'll try not to let that happen.

Where do you get your book recommendations?

2011-07-28T11:44:00.000-04:00

photo by Teerapun

Amazon reader reviews vs. professional book critics - what do you think?

Have you ever written a book review on Amazon?

Have you ever bought a book based on a review you read on Amazon?

Famous Authors from Pennsylvania

2011-07-27T11:06:00.001-04:00

Did you know that all of the books you see pictured here were written by Pennsylvania natives, or by authors who have spent a significant portion of their lives living in Pennsylvania?

PA has seen numerous successful authors florish in its boundaries over the decades.

Check out this list of additional PA authors.

If you know of any PA authors not on this list, please let me know by leaving a message in the comments section. Thanks!

Jane Austen: Video Game Superstar

2011-07-25T10:19:00.002-04:00

If you love word games like Boggle and Scrabble, and you have an Android device, or an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch, then you should definitely check out this new app Word Fighter, which will be available later this year.

Jane Austen stars in this game as "a very prim and proper lady … but when it’s time to throw down, she’s ready to destroy you."

The video below shows a brief demonstration. You can also find out more information here.

(By clicking this link you are helping to support me and my writing, so please click and pass along to your friends if you like what you see!)

New and Used Bookstores in Central PA

2011-07-22T11:13:00.000-04:00

photo by Vichie81

I'm compiling a list of new and used bookstores in the greater Harrisburg, PA area.

Please check it out, and any of you locals let me know if there are other bookstores I should include on the list.

I plan to write a review of each one.

Elie Wiesel's memoir Night: A first-hand account of a Holocaust survivor

2011-07-20T22:26:00.000-04:00

Elie Wiesel's memoir Night (Oprah's Book Club): A first-hand account of a Holocaust survivor.

After meeting with the Holocaust survivor's group during my visit in Tucson, AZ, I was more interested than ever to read Elie Wiesel's memoir about life in the concentration camps in Nazi Germany.
Check out my 5-star review.

Have you read this book? What do you think?

Bookstores are not yet extinct (Examiner)

2011-07-18T16:38:00.000-04:00

photo by digitalart

Time-lapsed video showing the creation of a Half Price Books bookstore...

Transcribing Hours of Interviews

2011-07-11T10:31:00.000-04:00

photo by graur razvan ionut

I was supposed to spend the month of June transcribing all of the mother-daughter interviews I recorded while traveling cross-country. It is now the second week in July and I have only transcribed ¾ of the first interview!

I ended up taking a 5-week summer graduate class that took up all of my time in June, so I blame that. The class was wonderful and definitely worth it, but now I'm a month behind on my project, which accounts for the final 3 credits of my master’s degree in communications.

Even if I had not taken a June class, I would probably still be behind because it seems to be taking me, on average, a full hour to transcribe 15 minutes of recorded audio. I can’t type as fast as people talk so I keep pausing and restarting the audio. Sometimes I have to rewind because I can’t understand what someone is saying. And I'm trying to transcribe it as accurately as possible.

It’s really tedious work, but it will be worth it. I think all forms of art have very tedious, super detailed elements to them.

Has anyone else had to transcribe hours of audio recording? Is there some trick to this to make it go faster and stay as efficient? Any tips are appreciated!

Mother-Daughter in the News: Casey and Caylee Anthony

2011-07-10T22:33:00.000-04:00

I don't know where I've been that I hadn't heard about Casey Anthony until reading old copies of Newsweek this weekend.

Short recap for any of you as clueless as myself: Casey Anthony was accused of murdering her daughter Caylee in 2008, but on July 5, 2011 was found not guilty. The jury "suspects" she is guilty, but suspicion does not get someone arrested in the US. More details from this article in Newsweek.

This is not the kind of mother-daughter duo I hoped to hear about when researching mother-daughter duos in the US.

Social Networking for Authors and Avid Readers

2011-07-04T12:46:00.001-04:00

Check out my post about Goodreads at WOW! Women on Writing's blog, The Muffin:
Social Networking for Authors and Avid Readers

If you like what you've learned about Goodreads, sign up and add me as a friend!

Amtrak Train Explodes When Hit by Semi Truck

2011-06-28T19:25:00.001-04:00

the California Zephyr

Last Friday, June 24, 2011 a semi truck ran into an Amtrak train in Nevada and exploded. The train was the California Zephyr, en route from Chicago to San Francsico - the same route Mom and I traveled a few short weeks ago.

Some survivors talk about their experience with the explosion

My mom and I went on a cruise in the Aegean Sea and the cruise ship hit a rock and sank a week after our trip. Now we ride cross-country by train and it explodes a few weeks after our trip.

Remember when I made fun of my mom for being scared that our train might blow up?

Sorry, Mom.

My Mom and I Are Criminals, Apparently

2011-06-20T22:29:00.000-04:00

So...turns out my mom and I are criminals.

At least it's more publicity for The Daughter Project....right?

Editorial in The Sentinel on Thursday, June 16, 2011 "Railroads Need to Help Promote Safety" referring to this article and photo.

"It's Ok to Fail"

2011-06-09T15:12:00.001-04:00

I'm a blogger at WOW! Women on Writing's blog: The Muffin.

Check out today's post on first drafts, performance, and learning to fail.

PA State Representative Recognizes the Daughter Project

2011-06-07T22:17:00.001-04:00

Sheryl M. Delozier, a state representative in Pennsylvania, sent this card to me and my mom to wish us well on our adventure.

Reflecting on an Adventure (aka Finding Motivation to Write)

2011-06-05T21:59:00.000-04:00

mom's photo from the back of the train

I’ve been home 10 days after returning from the 20-day cross-country train trip with my mom to interview other mother-daughters.

In the past 10 days since I’ve been home I have:

· Attended my 5-year college reunion – a three-day extravaganza at Hamilton College in upstate NY

· Spent approximately 10 hours searching for jobs and writing cover letters

· Caught up on all the TIME magazines I failed to read since January

· Worked for about 15 hours on freelance assignments I neglected during the 20-day trip

· Sat for over an hour getting a suntan (aka burn) on my legs at the pool

What I have not added to this list, because I have not done it, is anything with the hours and hours of audio and video clips I recorded while traveling cross-country.

I wanted to give myself time to reflect on the experience, but the more time I take to reflect, the more the memories start to fade at the edges. My mom and I both journaled extensively while traveling, and the audio/video will, hopefully, jog my memory.

But the more I wait, the more this seems like a daunting, insurmountable task. What was I thinking when I took on this project…when I designed this project myself??

The thing is, this is the same feeling I have before starting any writing project, no matter what the scale. The anticipation leading up to sitting down at my computer and writing or organizing notes or delving into any part of the process seems impossible until I actually sit down and do it.

And then I fall into an almost meditative state and just get it done. And I love every minute of it.

Writing this post is my first step towards getting it done.

Tomorrow, I will begin to transcribe interviews – after I complete my first day of summer classes.

Mother/Daughter Duo Beth and Evelyn in Atlanta!

2011-06-01T08:47:00.002-04:00

In Atlanta, our last stop before home, mom and I stayed with Beth and her family (my mom's first cousin and my second cousin, if my kinship terminology is correct). They regaled us with stories, including the one in which Evelyn's car was stolen from the dealership when it was in for repairs, and later found full of women's clothes and undergarments, drug paraphernalia, and air fresheners. Hmm...

Beth had us set up with a mother-daughter duo to interview, but they had to cancel at the last minute due to a family emergency.

Luckily, Beth and Evelyn agreed to let us interview them! After the interview, when we went to dinner, they thought of even more "favorite moments" they've shared together.
Here's a short clip!

Mother/Daughter Duo Lynn and Nicole in New Orleans!

2011-05-31T12:04:00.000-04:00

My mom's old high school classmate, Chaz, introduced us to mother/daughter duo Lynn and Nicole in New Orleans, who spoke with us about AA, surviving Katrina, and more. We ate in the French Quarter at a restaurant called Tujague's. There wasn't a menu - we had a choice from four different entrees, and the servers kept bringing out other courses of their choice. Delicious.

Here's a short sample of our interview with Lynn and Nicole (sound is a little muffled because of the background noise in the restaurant):

See here for more on our short stop in New Orleans.

Mother/Daughter Duo Melvillyn and Her Mother in San Antonio!

2011-05-26T08:54:00.000-04:00

While exploring the shops in La Villita, we spoke with a woman running one of the shops who asked us where we were from and what we were doing in San Antonio. We told her about the Daughter Project and said, hey, if you have a mother or daughter in town, we'll interview you! She said her mother had died several years ago and she was the mother of sons, but she told us about her friend who owns the stained glass store next door, whose mother works in the shop with her. She said they'd both be there the next day (Monday) and she'd give them a heads up that we'd stop by.

So that's how we got connected with glass artist Melvillyn and her mother (who wished to remain anonymous). We spoke with Melvillyn as she created a glass pendant in the workshop at the back of the store and with her mother as she worked the front-of-store.

See here for more on our trip to San Antonio.

We Got Sweaty in New Orleans, too!

2011-05-26T08:46:00.000-04:00

Mom and her classmate from high school, Chaz, never spoke to each other while in school, but became "friends" on facebook a few months ago. When mom put out the message that we'd be in New Orleans, he immediately offered mother/daughter nominations and to show us around while we were in town. He also took some great photos of me and mom, and during our interview.

We only had about 12 hours in New Orleans, and 5 of those hours were spent sleeping, so we definitely have to go back to see more.

Here are some things we saw in the short amount of time we had...

Mother/Daughter Duo Nancy and Renie in Tucson!

2011-05-24T11:59:00.000-04:00

While at the meeting for holocaust survivors in Tucson, we met Renie, a companion/care-giver for one of the group members, who told us she was very interested in our project and if we needed any mother/daughter duos in Tucson to interview, she would like to volunteer herself and her mother. I said that would be fantastic!

Renie and her mother, Nancy, talked a lot about their family dynamic, about the daughter's transition into adulthood and becoming an equal with her parents, and more.

For more on our trip to Tucson, see here.

We Sweated in San Antonio!

2011-05-24T10:45:00.001-04:00

We spent nearly two full days sweating while walking the Riverwalk in San Antonio. We also spent a lot of time in La Villeta, a little artists' village along the Riverwalk, which is where we met our San Antonio mother/daughter duo. We also ventured away from the Riverwalk and down to Market Square to eat at the Mexican Restaurant Mi Tierra.

Here are some highlights:

See here for more on our mother/daughter interview in San Antonio.

Mother/Daughter Duo Tobie and Tamara in Tucson

2011-05-23T07:31:00.001-04:00

Prior to meeting with Tobie and Tamara in Tucson, Arizona, Tamara invited us to speak at a group meeting for holocaust survivors. Her grandmother used to be a member of this group, which is how she became involved as the group coordinator. My mom and I told the group a little bit about the Daughter Project, and then they very generously shared stories about their mothers, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands and fathers.

Here's a short clip from our interview with Tobie and Tamara:

For more on our trip to Tucson, see here.

An Interview with Linnea Duvall - Family and Marriage Counselor

2011-05-22T10:27:00.000-04:00

Linnea Duvall, a family and marriage counselor, spoke with me about the patterns she sees developing between mothers and daughters that cause conflict and cause them to seek help through counseling.

Here's a short clip from the beginning of the interview about mothers, daughters, and jealousy.

The Daughter Project in Los Angeles!

2011-05-22T10:19:00.002-04:00

Oops, I forgot to post this earlier, but this is more on our trip to Los Angeles, where we met with my mom's friend from high school, Linnea. They had not seen each other since high school graduation!

Check out this exclusive interview with Linnea, a family and marriage counselor, on the conflicts between mothers and daughters.

For more on our LA mother/daughter interview, see here.

Mother/Daughter Duo Toby and Julie in Los Angeles

2011-05-22T10:14:00.001-04:00

Toby invited us to meet with her and her daughter Julie in her home for an interview. They discussed their family and Julie's children, conflicts while Julie was growing up, their passion for fashion, and spending quality alone time together.

Please see the clip below for a sampling of the interview! (I'm disappointed the film got so dark!)

See here for more on our trip to LA

A Navajo Blessing for the Daughter Project

2011-05-22T10:08:00.000-04:00

While exploring the San Xavier Mission on the Tohono O'odham reservation near Tucson, Arizona, I met Joe Begay, a Navajo silversmith who offered to bless the Daughter Project with a Navajo song - and he let me film it!

See here for more on our visit to Tucson.

My First Time in the Desert - Tucson, Arizona!

2011-05-21T11:54:00.001-04:00

Two full, sunny, busy days in Tucson, Arizona!

On Thursday, we were invited to speak at a Holocaust survivors group meeting. There were about 8-10 members present who were either holocaust survivors or the children of holocaust survivors. We described the Daughter Project to them and a little bit about our journey and the people we've met so far. They also shared their stories about their mother, fathers, sisters, daughters, sons, and other family members, which was a fantastic experience.

We had two mother-daughter interviews on the first day - the group's organizer Tamara and her mom Tobie (whose mother was a holocaust survivor) met with us after the meeting, and we met with Renie and her mom Nancy later in the evening.

Between interviews, we explored downtown Tucson on foot, walking through the Presidio.

Day two mom hired Reisen Arizona, a tour company, to take us to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and Old Tucson Studios, which were a bit of a drive outside of the city. Mike, our guide and owner of the business, gave an excellent, in-depth tour. We ended up going to the San Xavier Mission on the Tohono O'odham reservation instead of the studio, where I met a Navajo silversmith.

And for a perfect ending to a great day, we met Linda, a family friend and journalism professor at the University of Arizona, for dinner!

More on the interviews soon!

Mother/Daughter Duo Valorie and Danielle in Los Altos, CA

2011-05-20T20:26:00.000-04:00

After exploring Fine Art in the Park in Lincoln Park, Los Altos, Valorie and Danielle invited us to their home for a chat about their mother-daughter relationship which included the relationship with another daughter, Danielle's younger sister, the college search, wedding plans, and more.

Watch below for a small sample!

What challenging experiences have you and your mother/daughter faced together?

Learn more about our mother/daughter adventures in (near) San Francisco.

Angels on the Tracks

2011-05-18T18:38:00.000-04:00

Picture by renjith krishnan

written by Laurie, Anne's mom

A few words to the angels we meet on the journey.

I am forever grateful for the people I meet. Some I know. Some I just cross paths and remember a kindness.

My first angel was Mike. He welcomed our opportunity to travel the states. He is forever gracious in his thinking and offering any support I’ve needed from preparation to meltdowns to hearing of fun things we’ve seen.

It was late when we arrived in Pittsburgh, PA and we had a four-hour layover. We were hungry so we started walking the dark streets near the train station. The first place we came to was the Golden Palace Buffet. It was ten minutes to nine and they were about to close. They welcomed us in, told us not to hurry and fed us a warm meal.

The angels on the California Zephyr #5 heading from our boarding station at Salt Lake City to San Francisco had a long journey ahead of them as they were already 8 hours late to pick us up. We needed an extra night in Salt Lake City (no hardship there!) because of the delay. The staff (trained well) kept the passengers happy and remained pleasant in spite of all the setbacks. They even served an unscheduled meal while running out of food.

The shuttle drivers at the Loews Hotel, Denver and the Plaza Hotel, Salt Lake City went out of their way to get us where we needed to go.

The angels making the Daughter Project work are those mother/daughter duos who are taking time from their busy schedules to reflect on their lives together. We never met them before our interviews and all are so happy to weave stories of their lives for us.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t include my angel contacts that helped introduce our duos. Thank you angels Micki, Linnea, Linda, Charlie and Beth.

Anne is my favorite angel.

And there are other angels I have yet to meet.

We Almost Made It to San Francisco!

2011-05-18T18:27:00.001-04:00

When we were in Salt Lake City, we learned that our 11:30 pm train to San Francisco was delayed by over 8 hours (!) so we stayed another full night in Salt Lake City and caught the train when it finally got there just before 8 am.

The train was delayed for two reasons.

1) A drunk driver drove up the tracks and got stuck and then decided to take a nap there. Someone alerted the train so it was able to stop before it his the car, but it still took a long time to move the car.

2) A freight train in front of the Amtrak train de-railed and it took several more hours to fix that.

When we got on our train, we were alerted that the toilets in our sleeper car didn't work so we had to go to the next train to use the toilets. No big deal. Then the power went out.

The train stopped for an hour to try to fix the electricity and learned that one of the two train engines had stopped working. We were able to go for awhile on one engine, that we had to stop again to hook up to a new engine.

Then the train ran out of food...right before going through Donner's Pass...in the middle of a snow storm.

Mom and I got off at the Martinez train station (a few stops before San Francisco) around 1:30 am. We stayed with Aunt Micki in Concord, and interviewed a great mother-daughter team in Los Altos, and we kind of drove past San Francisco to get to Los Altos, but never really got to San Francisco.

Read more on our Los Altos mother-daughter duo!

Mother/Daughter Duo Paula and Tina in Salt Lake City!

2011-05-16T14:55:00.001-04:00

Over a delicious sushi dinner with Paula and Tina in Salt Lake City, mom and I mentioned we'd be in LA, staying near the beach, but both of us forgot our swim suits! Paula and Tina offered to walk with us to a nearby mall to find some, and we did.

Here's a small sampling of the conversation with Paula and Tina...

Do you and your mother/daughter have any adventurous travel stories to share?

See here for more on our stay in Salt Lake City.

Mother/Daughter Duo Debbie and Elan in Denver!

2011-05-16T12:08:00.001-04:00

My mom and I met Debbie and Elan at a restaurant in Denver called Zengo's, an Asian-Latin fusion restaurant that Elan said is one of her favorites - and I could see why!

Our table was in the far back corner of the restaurant, which I thought would be perfect for recording the interview. But just as we got started, a large group of people were seated beside us. I use the word "seated" lightly because they mostly stood and had a cocktail party beside us.

Because of this party, the audio below is a little difficult to hear, but not too bad. It just adds some flavor to the story.

What are the big or small moments you've shared with your mom or daughter?

See here for more on our trip to Denver.

Cruising Through the Rockies

2011-05-16T11:57:00.000-04:00

Just leaving Denver on a 14+ hr trip to Salt Lake City. Chugging along through the Rocky Mountains now.

I have a lot of content to post but I'll be on the train all day and will post it tomorrow morning!

So...he had an affair with the housekeeper?

2011-05-14T23:01:00.000-04:00

Salt Lake City = Beautiful.
We spent several hours in the Family Heritage Center, which was right beside our hotel. Mom and her cousins had traced her dad's family back four generations so she wanted to go find the fifth...and she did!

We also found out some extra information about her great-great-great grandfather according to the 1910 and 1920 census records. You'll have to buy the book to get all the juicy details on that one.

Here's a sampling of the rest of our trip to Salt Lake City...

Day 7 Question - What is your favorite moment together?

2011-05-14T22:49:00.000-04:00

What is your favorite moment together?

Mom:

Define moment?: “An indefinitely short period of time. An instant. A definite period or stage as in a course of events.”

So here are my favorite moments:

Nursing

Watching you sleep
Reading to you
You reading to me
Cuddling in bed
Sharing tears when Lynne died
Meeting at IAD when you got home from England
Expressing yourself on your first trip to meet Poppy
Anytime we talk with openness
Happiness when you accomplish goals like breaking a minute in the 100 free
Dinner at Garfield’s when you were working at Mercersburg camps
Visitation in Hamilton when you were stressed from school
Shopping for fun things that make you happy
Sitting next to you in silence

Anne:

I have lots of little moments I remember when I think of my mom, like the sound of her keys jingling and echoing down the hall when she came to pick me up at elementary school, the sight of her maroon Bravada and then the white Honda Accord parked on the side street when she picked me up at middle school and I was so relieved I didn’t have to ride the bus, and listening to that weird "Art School Girlfriend" song by Stone Temple Pilots on repeat in her car when I was about 12 years old. I always liked coming home on school breaks and mom would make all of my favorite foods, like macaroni and cheese and carrot cake and baked chicken. I also liked when she came to visit me at school and whisked me away for the afternoon to a restaurant of my choice or to go shopping. It was always such a relief to leave campus, take a break, and have her take care of me for a few hours.

Day 5 Question - Do mothers or daughters have to be brave?

2011-05-13T18:28:00.001-04:00

Mom and I attempted to video our answers to this questions, but the video did not sync up with the audio, so I have just uploaded the audio for your listening pleasure.

Join our conversation - do mothers, or daughters, or both have to be brave?

Mother/Daughter Duo Eileen and Alex in Chicago!

2011-05-13T17:52:00.002-04:00

As mom and I stood in line at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, I checked my e-mail on my phone. I had a message from a woman named Eileen. She said friends of hers told her about the Daughter Project and she and her daughters, all living in the Chicago area, are interested in participating.

It was already about noon, and mom and I were only in Chicago until 2 pm the following day with an interview that mornining before departing. So if we wanted to meet with them, it would have to be that evening.

I was so tired on the day after my first experience in a sleeper train car that my first reaction was: "I don't have the mental or physical energy to set up this interview and navigate Chicago right now."

My second reaction was: "We're hear to meet mothers and daughters, so let's make this happen."

And we did. And I'm so glad we did! Eileen and Alex gave a wonderful interview. I'm sharing a bit of it with you below.

What is your most memorable experience with your mother or daughter?

It Rained All Day in Denver!

2011-05-13T17:44:00.003-04:00

It rained (poured) all day in Denver, but we had a great dinner and interview!

See here for more on our Mother/Daughter interview in Denver.

Day 3 Question: What do you like best about being a daughter?

2011-05-10T17:59:00.001-04:00

What do you like best about being a daughter?

Mom:

My favorite time of being a daughter was in my late 20s and 30s. Mom and I did a lot together. I learned a lot of cooking techniques and we had fun in the kitchen. We went to market, we went antiquing, and we went to visit her old friends and relatives. I also enjoyed sharing Mark and Anne with her. She just loved them so much! I feel blessed we lived so close they could be a part of their grandchildren’s lives.

I am also glad I was able to help my parents as they aged. The roles reversed and respecting their wishes became a challenge. I hope I did so with grace even though my heart was pulled apart at times.

Mom and I were good friends, even though she would say she wasn’t my friend, she was my mother. I am beginning to realize what she meant. For her, she didn’t want to lose being that mother figure. For me, I have enjoyed my friendship with my children.

The best part of being a daughter is relishing in the goodness of my mother, and evolving into the type of person and type of mother that I want to be.

Anne:
I enjoy, and appreciate, having all of the support that both of my parents have given me my entire life. They’ve encouraged me to be the best I can be and have supported me every step of the way. I'm not sure I would have accomplished all of the things I have accomplished so far - my swimming career, graduating from some of the best schools in the country, going on this trip - if it wasn’t for their support and encouragement. We have a lot of memories because we spent a lot of time together when my brother and I were growing up, and we all enjoy recounting those memories when we get together, many of which revolve around old swim team stories.

Exploring and Interviewing in Chicago

2011-05-10T17:24:00.001-04:00

See here for more on our Mother/Daughter interview in Chicago.

Now on the train from Chicago to Denver...

Day 2 Question - What did you forget to pack?

2011-05-09T22:50:00.002-04:00

What did you forget to pack?

Mom: tweezers (but I remembered mine and I'm nice enough to share)

Anne: face wash. But I do have body wash, so no biggie.

So far it seems we've done an excellent job packing and are well prepared.

We made it to Chicago today and will take off for Denver tomorrow afternoon!

I Slept with a Seatbelt on Last Night

2011-05-09T11:20:00.002-04:00

Day 1 of The Daughter Project - Travel from Harrisburg to Chicago

Day 1 Question - What was the hardest thing to leave behind?

2011-05-08T16:04:00.003-04:00

Every day during our 20 day trip, mom and I will think of a question that we both have to answer.

(This is also my first-ever blog post sent from my phone!)

Today's question is:

What was hardest to leave behind?

Mom: my familiar surroundings and my routine

Anne: Dan

The Daughter Project in the Local News!

2011-05-08T09:26:00.000-04:00

The Sentinel, a local newspaper, covered our mother-daughter cross-country train trip as a feature for Mother's Day! Great story!

Mother, daughter set out on cross country adventure

Four Things That Worry My Mom About Our Train Trip

2011-05-07T17:45:00.000-04:00

While waiting for the photographer to arrive at my mom’s house yesterday to photograph us for an article in the Sentinel, the Carlisle newspaper (!), mom told me some of the things that worry her about our trip.

1. The trains will run out of food, especially on one of our 12 hour trips.

2. The train will fall off a cliff when we’re in the Denver area.

3. The train will be bombed by terrorists.

4. The train will be bombed by terrorists and then fall off a cliff in the Denver area.

I am also worried that the train will run out of food. I can get pretty cranky if I don’t eat at regular intervals, and mom knows this. So, I’ve packed a cranky-prevention kit filled with peanut butter granola bars, nut clusters, and homemade dried fruit (made by Dan, who also knows I get cranky when I don’t eat.)

Pears and watermelon about to be dehydrated

Leaving at 2:30pm tomorrow, and I'm mostly packed!

At This Time Next Week, We'll Be on a Train

2011-05-01T23:35:00.001-04:00

T-1 week until departure! I didn't even realize we left on Mother's Day. How appropriate.

At this time next week, we'll be on a train headed for Chicago.

I just have to make it through the final week of the semester!

photo by Sura Nualpradid

Preparing to Walk with 30 lbs on Her Back

2011-04-10T20:39:00.000-04:00

(written by Laurie, Anne's mom)

photo by Michal Marcol

My favorite saying of late is, “stand on a star and look down.” I can only hope to constantly remind myself of this as I prepare for a month long trip.

My shopping adventure for a backpack started with calls to local sporting good stores, Dicks, Eastern Mountain Sports, Cabellas and finally REI. I definitely wanted a pack that had a side loader as I can’t imagine the inconvenience of a top load. Our closest REI store is located in Timonium, MD. Last Sunday I decided to make the trek down to see what they had. Husband Mike, deep into tax season, decided he wanted to go along. Great, I thought…company for me and a break from work for him! We decided to take our dog Cody with us. Our trip went well until I started to talk about Sunday’s service that morning which was about friendship. I started telling him about it and then went into my own philosophy and spiritually. I glanced over to see if Mike was listening and he was ASLEEP! How hilarious! Am so glad Cody was still listening!

We had a very nice associate help me with choosing the right pack. What I thought I was going to purchase from prior research was a pack suited for outdoor walking and camping. The sales associate led me in another direction and showed me a pack by REI that was really a suitcase for your back. She loaded one with pillows and sandbags and strapped it on me! It was about thirty pounds. Not too bad, until I squatted down to pick up something. Geewhiz I thought, I’ll NEVER get back up!! Pretending like it was nothing, I stood up.

I did buy this pack. It has side and top load. The best feature for me is a detachable day pack that is also a backpack! Also has a rain proof cover with drawstrings that can be used to store it without having zippers out for greedy pick pockets. There is also a section on the bottom to keep shoes separate and a smaller section on the top of the pack to keep toiletries.

I’ve decided to include lunges in my next workout. AND I am hoping I don’t put Anne to sleep on our trip!

Today’s Google News Headlines for Mother-Daughters

2011-03-31T09:51:00.000-04:00

Alabama mother, daughter are indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit murder for hire

“BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Authorities say a federal grand jury has indicted a mother and daughter from Shelby County who are accused of conspiring in a 2009 murder-for-hire plot targeting the daughter's ex-husband.”

Katy Perry - Katy Perry's Mother Mary Perry Causes Stir With Tell All

“"California Dreams" artist Katy Perry's evangelist mother Mary Perry Hudson caused a stir last week when it was alleged that she was writing a tell-all about her daughter. Katy's mother and father are both Christian evangelists and are allegedly embarrassed by Katy Perry's overt sexuality.”

Mother who held police at bay released from jail

“DETROIT— A Detroit mother who refused to let police and Child Protective Services workers take custody of her 13-year-old daughter has been released from jail after a judge lowered her bond.”

Mother, teen daughter die in McAlester fire

“McALESTER — Students and teachers in the McAlester Public Schools are mourning a high school junior who died in an overnight fire that also killed her mother and injured her father and young sister.”

Cocaine, a middle-class mother and the daughter who saved her from destruction

“The bedroom door swung open to reveal a female figure huddled over a wooden chest of drawers. Try as she might to hide the evidence, the tell-tale trail of white powder and tightly rolled £20 note had already been spotted.

‘I’ve only done it a couple of times,’ she stammered. ‘It’s under control. Please don’t tell Dad.’”

Mother-Daughter Duo Suspected of Child Prostitution

“Homewood police say 51-year-old Alicia Ann Abram and her daughter, 30-year-old Amber Michelle Abram are responsible for abusing a male relative, under the age of twelve.

Police believe the young boy was sodomized, sexually abused, and forced into prostitution.”

Mother-daughter duo accused of attacking elderly Wal-Mart greeter due in court

“ELYRIA, OH (WOIO) - UPDATE: The mother-daughter duo accused of attacking an elderly greeter at Wal-Mart appeared in court on Wednesday."

Organizing The Daughter Project

2011-03-21T21:08:00.000-04:00

created by jscreationzs

Organizational skills are among my top traits, or at least that’s what I'm advertising in these cover letters/job applications I keep writing ;-)

Keeping The Daughter Project organized is a bit more challenging than I imagined! Actually, I hadn’t really thought about the organizational process of it until now – now that I am getting at least one or two e-mails daily about people interested in participating in the project or from people responding with nominations.

I am keeping track of who we’re meeting...

and when we’re meeting...

and where...

and any additional information about the duos that will be helpful when we’re interviewing them.

I am keeping track of everyone who has nominated (or has proposed to nominate) mother-daughter-duos.

I’ve created a spreadsheet and it’s all going on there. The Master List.

I'm also making a list of all the publications where I'd like to submit stories about the trip,

and places where I'd like to submit press releases.

My day-to-day job and school work keep getting in the way of my time to organize The Daughter Project.

I can’t believe it’s only a few weeks away!

Pre-travel Traveling with Mom

2011-03-15T09:20:00.000-04:00

Mom and I had a chance to travel together during my spring break (even though it seems ridiculous admitting to having a spring break in my mid-late 20s), not for The Daughter Project, but to visit my brother and his baby girl - my niece. She's about six months old and this is the first chance I had to meet her!

So now that I've drawn you in with the cute factor, I can talk a bit more about our trip. While out in Portland, Oregon, we took advantage of stores like REI, Columbia, and North Face to check out durable, easy-to-wash gear for extensive train travel. I guess it's not like we're going for weeks without a shower or washer/dryer, but we will be going several days at a time without them and we will be packing as few clothes as possible, so it's best that they are durable and easy-to-wash.

I've also started contacting some people for interviews in our destination cities! And in some cases, people have started contacting me for interviews! Some of the stories and relationships they've mentioned with mothers and grandmothers are shaping up to be very exciting...I can't wait!

It has also occurred to me that we'll be departing in less than two months, and I still have a lot of work to do to get everything set up and to make sure we have contacts in each city.

If you are a mother-daughter located in one of our destination cities and would like to be interviewed, or you know mother-daughters in our destination cities, please contact me!

The FIRST Daughter Project Podcast!

2011-03-03T07:45:00.000-05:00

Mom and I got together to chat about why we're traveling cross country via Amtrak, what excites us most about the trip, what we think will be most challenging, and the ultimate outcomes we hope to get out of it.

Listen to us now!

Thoughts on Traveling Cross Country with Mom

2011-02-24T09:11:00.001-05:00

I'm a big picture kind of person. I get ideas like, “Let’s travel across country” “Let’s interview mother-daughters across the nation” “Maybe I’ll write a book about this” and then assume all the little details will fall into place as I work towards those big ideas.

Mom and Me in Italy

Mom is a details person. She keeps asking questions like, “What happens if we miss one of our trains?” “What kind of bags do I need?” “What if we don’t connect with any mother-daughters in some of the cities?”

This is why we will travel well together: she fills in the gaps in my plan and/or I tied a bow around all of her details.

We’ve been talking about what kind of bags to bring because we’ll have them with us all the time. I said I would absolutely not bring a bag on wheels – that would be a huge pain. I want to bring my school backpack filled with my communications tools (computer, camera, video camera, etc) and a shoulder bag with a few changes of clothes and toiletries. I figure I won’t need to pack many clothes because I can just wash them and re-wear them as we go along.

Me and Mom in Greece

Mom, at first, thought she wanted a bag on wheels until my cousin Matt talked her out of it, so now she’s thinking about a hiking backpack. That could be a good idea. She also thinks she wants to pack a lot of Under Armor-type of clothes because they’re easy to wash and dry quickly. I won’t know what to pack until I start throwing clothes in a bag at the end of April.

Mom keeps asking, “Do you think we’ll kill each other by the end of May?”

But we have already traveled together – we spent two weeks in Italy and another two in Greece – and didn’t kill each other. We’ll be going across country for three weeks…could that extra week make the difference in the kill-factor? Ha ha.

Questions: Would you be able to travel across country and back with your mother (or daughter) without killing each other? What would you pack to go cross country by train? How many pairs of shoes would you suggest? What type of bag would you use?

Mother/Daughter Travel Update: Mom's preparing for train travel

2011-02-20T18:54:00.000-05:00

written by Laurie, my mom

I am already planning our adventure. Our first priority was contacting the travel agent, Maryann, who has always done a great job for us when we go to unknown territory. We now have a down payment on a new adventure. The train itinerary was difficult to read, so I couldn't wait to go get my travel journal to put it all in perspective! I have used moleskin journals on past trips. I like them because they come in all sizes and you can choose plain, lined or graphed pages. And the best feature is the accordion pocket in all of them. When I got home with my new treasure, I immediately sat down and drew the May 2011 calendar and wrote in our itinerary. Boy, does that ever look like FUN! (and grueling! LOL)

My next thoughts went to travel gear. Do I really want to use a wheeled carry-on for as many times as we are getting on and off the train...steps and all the walking?

My nephew Matty is a seasoned train traveler. After a lengthy discussion with him, I am nearly convinced that I will be investing in a travel backpack. He tells me that if fitted properly, that most of the weight will sit on the hips. Sounds good to me. Also packing is a breeze with "stuff bags". They come in colors and you can color coordinate your clothes...long sleeve tee's in one, toiletries in one, trousers in one...well, you get the picture. I am hoping that the pack I get will fit in the compartment outside the sleeping car.

Deciding which clothes to take will be a problem for me. I love my variety, but apparently it will be like being pregnant again and you end the trip hating your three shirts that you owned for the ride!

And SHOES! Come on girls...I need several pairs when I go away, cut me a break! "Sorry Aunt Laur, but it's not a fashion show!" Ok, ok, one pair of comfy walking shoes and sandals.

How hard can this be? I will pack light, I will pack light, I will pack light. You know I have to leave some room for souvenirs!

Stay tuned.

Mother/Daughter Travel Update: Our itinerary is set!

2011-02-20T18:47:00.000-05:00

After much deliberation and the help of our travel agent, Mom and I chose our Amtrak cross-country destination cities:

Harrisburg
Chicago
Denver
Salt Lake City
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Tucson
San Antonio
New Orleans
Atlanta
Greensboro
Harrisburg

We'll be on the go, go, go for three full weeks. More updates soon!

Do you ever speak with your mother about healthy eating and nutrition?

2011-02-07T07:00:00.012-05:00

I don’t remember my mom specifically talking to me about weight and dieting when I was a kid, but we frequently discussed healthy eating and nutrition, especially in the context of my competitive swimming career.

When I was “in season” for swimming, both of my parents encouraged me to limit my desserts to popcorn or sugar/fat free ice cream. My mom rarely bought “junk” food; it was never in our home so that made it easy to not eat it, although I do fondly remember occasional pizza nights on Fridays while watching TGIF. Other than chocolate and soda on rare occasions, I did not eat candy. After Halloween trick-or-treating, Mom told me to pick out a few of my favorite pieces of chocolate. She’d put the rest of my candy in the freezer and said I could eat it when the swimming season ended. I’d always forget it was there by the end of the season, and then I guess she’d throw it away.

Now, as a 26-year-old adult, I don’t have a taste for candy or most junk food. I appreciate my Mom’s efforts to instill healthy food habits in me as a child because those habits have carried over into adulthood. My mom and I still frequently talk about healthy foods and nutrition. She recently e-mailed me about the positive and negative effects of magnesium. She’s taken me to Amish farms to talk to the farmers about benefits of raw milk. We talk about potential gluten allergies, how certain foods make us feel, how weird it is that our pants fit better at certain times of the month than others. These conversations help us both learn more about health and nutrition and keep a positive outlook on ourselves and our bodies.

Nina Marinello’s post discusses the delicate issue of weight between mothers and daughters, and how damaging it can be for women when their mothers get on their case about weight. Marinello believes it is best to keep “weight” out of the discussion when mothers talk to their daughters about food and nutrition, and I would agree.

Questions: Did your mother ever speak to you about healthy eating, nutrition, dieting, body image or weight issues? How did she speak to you about these issues? What has been the impact of these discussions on you as an adult? How do you speak with your own daughters about these topics?

Mother/Daughter Travel Update: Cross Country via Amtrak

2011-01-31T09:00:00.001-05:00

Mom and I are finally making some concrete travel plans for The Daughter Project cross-country trip!

A few weeks ago, she mentioned how stressful it will be to drive through cities like Chicago or Los Angeles. I admitted that I do not like driving in general. So she said:

“We should travel cross-country by train.”

Cross Country via Amtrak

Train is my preferred method of transportation: it is a nice mixture of comfort, speed, and affordability. It would prevent us from having to drive through cities. I could write, blog, and do more work on The Daughter Project while traveling. And we have never stayed in a train’s sleeping car before, which sounds like an experience we can’t miss.

The only negative to this solution: we have to plan our days of travel well in advance, which makes us lose our travel flexibility. This would be fine if we were traveling solely for vacation, but losing flexibility here might mean losing out on potential mother-daughter interviews.

Last Monday, we visited a travel agent at our local AAA to get more information about cross-country train travel.

Yesterday, Mom and I sat down with bowls of Pad Thai and a map of the Amtrak train routes across the country and set a tentative schedule that takes us from Harrisburg, PA to San Francisco, CA and back. The trip will last approximately three weeks.

Want to know which cities we’ll stop in along the way?

Wait for some updates in the near future because our initial itinerary may change. If you have any suggestions for must-see cities, let us know!

Mother/Daughters in the News: Amy Chua and Her Daughters Respond to Criticism of Chinese Motherhood

2011-01-26T21:16:00.001-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Fantastic interview with Amy Chua on her new book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.

In a previous post I wrote about the excerpt from Chua's book in The Wall Street Journal that had a viral effect across the Internet.

In my personal response, I mentioned I wanted to know how Chua's daughters felt about her parenting style. As part of this interview, Chua's daughters speak briefly about their experience as daughters and seemed please with the girls they have become.

What type of mother do you have?

2011-01-22T22:03:00.006-05:00

According to Christiane Northrup, MD’s book, Mother-Daughter Wisdom, there are three general categories of mothers: nontraditional, traditional, and a combination of traditional and nontraditional (17-19).

Mother-daughter

Some Characteristics of the Traditional Mother:

- “Having babies and caring for them is the happiest and most fulfilling activity of her life.”

- Enjoys creating a home, baking cookies, being available for her children

- Doesn’t feel a need for a career or other interests

- Feels at her best when pregnant, nursing, or having their children in her home

- May go through difficulty in midlife if she feels her children no longer need her

- Often continues care-giving later in life by volunteering or caring for grandchildren

Some Characteristics of the Nontraditional Mother

- “primarily turned inward toward meeting creative needs that come from deep within her.”

- Needs to take care of own creative needs to be “emotionally balanced and physically healthy.”

- Motherhood and nurturing can take a physical toll on her unless she has a lot of support

- Although she loves her children, motherhood does not fulfill her

Some Characteristics of the “Combination” Mother

- Not interested in babies until having her own

- Need to pursue a career in addition to motherhood

- Shares other traits with both the Traditional and Nontraditional mothers

- Because of changes in society, some women who would be traditional mothers are forced into combination motherhood

My mother falls into the traditional mother category (Mom, you can correct me here if I'm wrong). I get the impression that she has always loved being a mother, that my brother’s and my needs were always fulfilled, that she was (and still is) always available for us. She continued care-giving when my brother and I grew up by teaching nursery school and now taking care of her granddaughter as often as she can. She certainly has interests other than just me and my brother, though. And I don’t know if she felt at her best when pregnant and nursing, but she’s always seemed content to have my brother and I (and other family) around her as frequently as possible.

I picked up on my mom’s love and dedication for motherhood at a very early age, so I have known I’ve wanted to be a mother since about age two. My favorite toys were dolls, I always cast myself as “the mother” when playing with friends as a young child, I love children and am looking forward to being a mother in the future. On the other hand, I have known since a young age that I’ve wanted to be a writer, a career woman, and that’s a goal I'm not willing to give up. Having the perfect combination of motherhood and career-hood would be the ultimate fulfilling situation for me, so therefore I imagine I will end up in the combination motherhood category.

Questions: What type of mother do you have? How has that affected you and your views on motherhood? If you are a mother yourself, what type of mother are you? What types of societal conditions affect how you feel about motherhood?

Mother/Daughters in the News: Is your mother as strict as Amy Chua?

2011-01-13T12:17:00.002-05:00

On Saturday, January 8, 2011, The Wall Street Journal published this article by Amy Chua: “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”, which is an excerpt from her recently published book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.

This controversial article has had a viral effect across the Internet and, as of this posting, has generated 4,119 comments – some agreeing and some disagreeing with Chua’s Chinese method of mothering.

The first paragraph of this article lists the activities Chua’s daughters were never allowed to do:
• attend a sleepover
• have a playdate
• be in a school play
• complain about not being in a school play
• watch TV or play computer games
• choose their own extracurricular activities
• get any grade less than an A
• not be the No. 1 student in every subject except gym and drama
• play any instrument other than the piano or violin
• not play the piano or violin.

When I read just this portion of the article, I thought, wow, those poor kids do not have much of a childhood. But as I continued reading, I realized there was some method to Chua’s motherhood madness, and I definitely recommend reading this article in its entirety.

Chua compares Chinese motherhood to Western motherhood in a variety of ways. She gives an example of how she pushed and pushed and pushed her daughter to play a difficult song on the piano. Her daughter threw fits, but Chua persisted in making her practice. Her daughter hated her for it, but when the piece finally clicked and her daughter got it just right, they went back to having a happy mother-daughter relationship.

In response to this example, Chua writes, “Western parents worry a lot about their children's self-esteem. But as a parent, one of the worst things you can do for your child's self-esteem is to let them give up. On the flip side, there's nothing better for building confidence than learning you can do something you thought you couldn't.”

Chua’s methods seem over-the-top extreme for many Westerners, but I think she makes some very good points. My parents were never as strict as her, but I do believe they set boundaries and had a good balance between allowing me to be an individual while pushing me to be a better, successful person. As a kid, I remember I occasionally threw fits before going to swim practice, but somehow my mom always got me to pack my swim bag and get me to the pool. After I finally got to the locker room, surrounded by all of my friends, I was fine and I enjoyed the practice. Swimming became the most important activity of my childhood and I'm very thankful that my parents pushed me and did not allow me to quit just because I threw a few tantrums.

That is just one of many examples.

Questions: What do you think about this article? How does your mother compare to Chua's idea of Chinese motherhood?

Do you remember your mother potty training you?

2011-01-03T22:46:00.003-05:00

Holidays are a great excuse to over-indulge food-wise. Having great cooks in the family (my mother) makes it that much easier to indulge. I considered making a list of all the foods I ate between December 25 and January 1, but I was too scared. But now, although it was totally worth it, all the cookies, chocolates, cakes, pies, roasts, vegetable medleys, and alcohol have knocked my gut out of balance.

As I sit here at my desk fondly recalling the lovely foods I digested (or have yet to digest) over the holidays while simultaneously nursing a bloated belly, I'm reading sections of Christaine Northrup, M.D.’s book Mother-Daughter Wisdom: Understanding the Crucial Link between Mothers, Daughters, and Health. Probably because of the current state of my belly, I found the chapter 8, “Mouth and Gut Wisdom,” to be especially interesting. Northrup discusses potty training and how this can affect the mind-body connection of your digestive system later in life.

Northrup writes, “The ability to use the toilet is a major step towards autonomy and independence. If toilet training is negotiated well, a daughter develops a sense of power and control around her own body and a deep trust in her ability to allow her body to do what it knows how to do naturally” (218). This makes potty training seem like the most important step in a young girl’s life.

My mom says I was potty trained at 11 months – younger than average. I would like to think this means that I am “more intelligent or superior to those who take longer,” but apparently this isn’t so, at least not according to Northrup (224). (Well, I may be more intelligent and superior, but my toilet training is not an indication of this, ha ha.)

The only thing I do remember about potty training is a book called Once Upon a Potty. On one of the pages there’s a picture of poop in a little plastic toilet. According to my mom, I loved that picture. Don’t ask me why.

I’ll take it as a good sign that potty training was relatively uneventful for me because “eventful” potty training for many women causes great emotional and physical problems down the road. Northrup writes, “If there are power struggles or undue fears around toilet training, a child may also develop a personality style referred to as anal and withholding. She will grow up to have difficulty relaxing and letting go psychologically in ways that appear to have nothing to do with her sphincters” (222). Not to mention that chronic and debilitating problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, gas and bloating, and diarrhea can also be caused by power struggles during potty training (224).

Northrup’s advice to women as they potty trained daughters is this: “If you have a daughter, leave her BMs alone. And leave your child alone as she is moving her bowels. Don’t hover. Teach her how to wipe herself properly […], help her if she “messes up,” and then leave her alone” (220).

Questions for other Mother/Daughters: Do you have any specific memories of being potty trained by your mother? What was the experience like potty training your own daughter? Do you have any advice for other mothers potty training their daughters?

Do you and your mother bond over shopping trips?

2010-12-22T21:16:00.001-05:00

Mom and I drove nearly an hour away in Christmas-time traffic to go to one of our favorite stores – H&M. (We also made a pit-stop at our other favorite store, New York & Company, and, of course, a bookstore.)

This is what it’s usually like when we go clothes shopping: we start out browsing the same area of the store together, pointing out different cool or quirky styles. Then we start to wander off at different paces but in the same general direction. We’ll start to pull clothes from the racks and then look around to find each other to get an opinion on colors – I’m best in browns and reds, and mom’s better in yellows and pinks. We both can pull off many shades of blue. If it’s a good day, we’ll each take an arm load of clothes into the fitting room. We’ll knock on each other’s fitting room door if we want to show off an outfit that looks great on us, but it’s more likely that we’ll knock on each other’s door to show off and/or laugh about the disastrous clothes that looked much better on the shelves (ahem, those skinny-leg jeans). When we’re finished with our bundles, we may have 2-3 items each left in our hands. We usually end up having the same clothes but in different colors.

It doesn’t have to be Christmas time for us to go shopping together because the trip isn’t just about the purchasing of material goods. Minahan and Huddleston (2008) conducted a study to learn why mothers and daughters shop together and what these duos value in the experience. Their study found, unsurprisingly, that the majority of mothers and daughters shop together to foster their special mother-daughter bonds. Minahan and Huddleston (2008) wrote, “The relationships provided a wealth of memories for both women as they recall the myriad of experiences that they share in the shopping centre. The experiences can be hilarious, sad, quirky, poignant, revealing of many of the multidimensional nature of the mother and daughter relationship.”

Some mothers teach their daughters how to shop at ages as young as three and four, or daughters just “absorb knowledge of shopping through passive observation of the mother’s approach to the store and to choice and the shopping experience” (Minahan & Huddleston, 2008). Minahan and Huddleston (2008) also wrote, “Whilst mothers are known to teach their daughters to shop, daughters also influence their mothers, in a process called “reciprocal socialization””, which is when a daughter coaches her mother on brand and style choices.

To Mom: I as a child and pre-teen, I remember that I hated to shop and I wasn’t interested in clothes…any idea when, why or how this changed? What's it like to shop with me? What was it like to shop with your mom?

To other mothers/daughters: Do you and your mom/daughter use shopping as a bonding experience? How do you shop together? What is your shopping experience like? Do you have favorite stores that you’ll go out of your way to visit? Do you and your mom/daughter wear the same clothes?

The Daughter Project

2010-12-17T12:22:00.003-05:00

Me and Mom in Greece

The Daughter Project (The Mother-Daughter Edition)

Every woman is a daughter!

The mother-daughter relationship plays an integral role in every woman’s life. This relationship, or lack of it, helps to determine how women view themselves as women. Christiane Northrup, M.D., author of Mother-Daughter Wisdom, writes, “Though I acknowledge that the culture at large plays a significant role in our views of ourselves as women, ultimately the beliefs and behavior of our individual mothers exert a far stronger influence.”

I believe every woman has a story (or two) about her mother, or a mother-like figure, that describes how the relationship has shaped her life – for the better and/or worse. I want to discover the stories of mother-daughter duos across the nation as well as explore my relationship with my own mother. My mom and I will traverse the nation via Amtrak to meet with other mother-daughter duos and conduct in-depth interviews with these women.

Your Help is Appreciated!

In order to do this, we need your help! We know some mother-daughters in the cities we will visit, but we would like to be introduced to more. We are accepting nominations for mother-daughter duos in the following cities:

Chicago
Denver
Salt Lake City
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Tucson
San Antonio
New Orleans
Atlanta
Greensboro

If you know any mother-daughter pairs in these cities that you think would be interested in meeting with us and sharing their stories, or if you know anyone in these cities who might be able to connect us with mother-daughter duos, please let me know. Please respond with their names, e-mail address, and/or phone number. Also, let them know that you nominated them and that I might contact them to schedule a date and time for the interview.

Other Mother-Daughter Duos

Do you and your mother and/or daughter have an interesting story? Or do you know dynamic mother-daughter duos in cities other than the ones listed above?

Contact me about them, too! We'd love to hear any and all mother-daughter stories!

Contact Information

For more information, check out the posts on my blog labeled “The Daughter Project.” If you have any questions about the project or the mother-daughter nomination process, please contact me. If you know my e-mail address/phone number, please use them. If you do not, please use the contact form on my Web site.

Thank you for your help! I’ll look forward to hearing from some of you soon.

Are Men's Sports "Naturally" More Exciting Than Women's Sports?

2010-12-10T11:50:00.001-05:00

by ambro @ freedigitalphotos.net

As a teenager, I asked my dad (an avid sports fan and a huge supporter of my 20+ year sports career) why professional women’s sports are not as popular as men’s. He responded by saying something like women’s sports are not as visually interesting or exciting as men’s sports, probably because professional female athletes do not have the power, strength, speed, agility, etc. as professional male athletes.

He did not say this as a put-down to women in sports, just as a general observation of an avid sports watcher. So I took his word for it. That reason, combined with the other cultural constraints against female athletes, made sense to me.

Greer, Hardin and Homan (2009) conducted a content analysis of the television coverage of men’s and women’s track and field during the 2004 Olympic Games to analyze the visual “excitement” of men’s versus women’s events. Imagine my surprise when I read that “men’s coverage was presented as more visually ‘exciting’ than women’s – it used more shot types, camera angles, and motion special effects per minute. These differences may contribute to perceptions that women’s sports are inferior or ‘naturally’ less interesting than men’s, reinforcing men as the symbolic authority in sport” (Greer et al, 2009, p. 173).

Because this study is a content analysis, the researchers did not have the benefit of speaking with the producers to explore how their beliefs, attitudes and values could impact visual production decisions. In the study’s conclusion, the authors wrote, “It is vital that such research and activism continue to interrogate practices that minimize women in sport, for this will allow sports viewers to eventually receive mediated events that are naturally fair and, perhaps, interesting” (Greer et al, 2009, p. 186).

Not only should research continue in this area, but the public (adults and children, both male and female) should be educated about producers’ decisions and how they can affect their viewing perceptions and opinions. There are some programs for middle school and high school girls and boys on sports media literacy, but they do not address this issue. In the programs for boys, most of them address issues of violence in sports. For girls, the programs mostly emphasize the importance of physical activity to promote self- and body-esteem as well as other healthy decisions (GoGirlGo!; Girls on the Run).

Through my research on gender and media literacy, I have learned about so many subtleties (like camera angles) in different forms of media that can easily, and do easily, influence and reinforce gender stereotypes. These subtleties arise from cultural perceptions of gender. Until these cultural perceptions change, these subtleties will continue to exist. If we teach children about these subtleties now, perhaps they can grow up to become the producers who use the same camera angles, cuts and special effects for both men’s and women’s sports.

Hey, a girl can dream, right?

Other References:
Greer, J., Hardin, M. & Homan, C. (2009). "'Naturally' less exciting? Visual production of men's and women's track and field coverage during the 2004 Olympics." Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 53(2), p. 173-189.

Effects of Video Games on Boys' Body Image

2010-12-10T11:46:00.000-05:00

(Re-posted from my class's media literacy blog.)

Many studies have shown that female characters in video games are sexualized, with a bodily emphasis on erogenous zones such as breasts, hips and thighs, and that these representations (coupled with the sexualized images of women in other forms of media such as advertising) play a role in lowering the self- and body-esteem of girls and women.

In a recent article, G. Christopher Williams asks, “People like to talk about the changing dimensions of Lara Croft’s chest over the course of years, but have you ever noticed the upper-arm development of Ryu over just four Street Fighter games?”

Just as women’s bodies in video games are idealized, so are men’s bodies, with an emphasis on the inverted triangle and impossible sets of rippling muscles. Are these overly-masculine bodies as troublesome as the sexualized bodies of female characters?

To date, I have only discovered one article about the effects of video games on men’s body image. This study found evidence of an increase in negative body image after men played games using muscular male characters and a decrease in drive for muscularity when playing non-muscular characters. But, as the author of the article notes, more studies and examinations are needed (Barlett & Harris, 2008).

Daniel Landis, the National Game News writer for The Examiner says he has been playing video games since at least age three. He describes female video game characters as “stereotypical action hero types – women who are strong but feminine and good looking” and male characters as “scruffy and muscle bound.”

In nearly 30 years of game playing, he has witnessed an evolution of body images in games and believes some game developers are pushing for more realistic body images, especially for male characters, so gamers can be more immersed. But, he says, “Video games are an escape. I don’t think most people want to play a fat loser in their fantasy.”

Landis does recognize that after coming out of a fantasy in which men are playing strong, masculine heroes and returning to their real lives where they are not heroes may have an impact on self- and body-esteem. “But that could be the same after reading a book or watching a movie or looking at an ad where you’re comparing yourself to another character. It’s not just video games.”

And he is completely right. Studies on the effects of men in advertisements, although another very limited area of research, has found evidence that “men are developing an ‘Adonis complex’ and eating disorders after being over exposed to idealized and unattainable male bodies in advertising” (Elliot & Elliot, 2005).

Landis suggests that if video games are put in context for children, it could help them understand that the muscular, idealized male characters are just fictional images and do not represent a body goal. He cites one game, Assassin’s Creed, that warns players about the stereotyped portrayals of multi-cultural characters within the game before the title pops onto the screen.

Although these warnings may seem ridiculous to adults, they may be beneficial for young gamers by generating awareness of these stereotyped portrayals, including the unrealistic body images of male and female characters..

“If parents aren’t going to put the games into context for their children, then the gaming industry could step up,” says Landis.

References:
Barlett C. & Harris, R. (2008). The Impact of Body Emphasizing Video Games on Body Image Concerns on Men and Women. Sex Roles, 59, 586-601.
Elliot, R. & Elliot C. (2005). Idealized Images of the Male Body in Advertising: A Reader-Response Exploration. Journal of Marketing Communications, 11(1), 3-19.

Are Girls More Susceptible to Media Messages Than Boys?

2010-12-10T11:41:00.000-05:00

(Re-posted from my class's media literacy blog.)

As I passed the magazine rack at the Giant grocery store last week, I couldn’t help but notice the large number of bare-chested men with six-pack abs and hairless, bulging pecs on the covers of most of the men’s magazines. I have been spending so much time contemplating how media messages affect girls and women that I had not considered how they affect boys and men. So I started wondering: do these hyper-masculine images affect boys’ and men’s body- and self-esteem in the same way that unrealistic, idealized images of women affect girls and women?

As I searched the Internet and academic databases for information about girls and media literacy, I found dozens and dozens of media literacy programs focused on girls, but when I changed the search for boys and media literacy, I found very little and wondered why. Why is it so common to find media literacy programs specifically for girls and not for boys? Have studies found that boys are not affected by media in the same way as girls, therefore rendering media literacy for boys unnecessary?

Via e-mail I presented these questions to Renee Hobbs, a leading authority on media literacy in the USA, the founder of the Media Education Lab, and a professor at the School of Communication and Theater at Temple University.

Hobbs wrote, “It's mostly that there is special funding for educational programming to support girls' development. Also, feminist scholarship has taken an interest in the role of media in girls' development, career aspirations, etc. Media literacy programs on media violence are often targeted at boys, actually. But there are few funding programs designed to meet the needs of boys, even though they are more likely to have difficulty in school and drop out. This is likely due to our cultural reluctance to address issues related to violent videogame play, violence in sports, representations of hyper-masculinity, and other topics that are not commonly explored by male scholars themselves.”

Few scholars, men or women, have focused media literacy efforts on boys because of, as Hobbs says, “a cultural reluctance” to focus on media violence and hyper-masculinity. Hobbs pointed me in the direction of a video by Jackson Katz, a leading anti-sexist male activist in the USA, entitled “Tough Guise: Violence, Media and the Crisis of Masculinity.”

Katz narrates this video and discusses the ways in which media and society perpetuate the myth of manhood’s connection with mental and emotional toughness, violence and aggression. From boys’ action figure toys, to the hip-hop culture, to the sports culture, to violent films and pornography, Katz leads viewers through an array of media images and messages that have allowed violence and sexual aggression to become a cultural norm in the USA.

There is nothing “natural” about masculinity, says Katz. Masculinity is a performance modeled from pop culture. He emphasizes the need for boys to see honest portrayals of male vulnerability in the media so they understand that they don’t have to wear their “tough guise” all the time.

Based on Hobbs’ comments and Katz’s video, I would say there is an equal need for media literacy for boys as there is for girls.

Gender-Specific Youth Media Programs

2010-12-10T11:36:00.001-05:00

(Re-posted from my class's media literacy blog)

Did you know that about 16,000 ads flicker past our consciousness daily? Or have you ever considered how these messages affect pre-teen and adolescent girls? Have you ever considered what these messages mean to you?

Check out this great video created by the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty that illustrates the bombardment of these messages on young girls. It will give you goosebumps, I promise.

In an article on the Youth Media Reporter website, writer Rebeecca Richards Bullen discusses the importance of gender-specific media literacy. She says, "Constant exposure of sexualization, objectification and images of gender stereotypes directly contribute to girls' lack of self- and body-confidence, as well as depression and eating disorders." Some of these negative aspects are vividly illustrated in the above video.

Bullen’s suggestion for reversing these negative effects of the media on girls’ health choices is to “incorporate creative ways to encourage thinking beyond socialized gender norms.”

She highlights some programs, such as TVbyGIRLS, Reel Girls, and Beyond Media Education, that promote media literacy for girls using these creative techniques. In just a few quick Google searches, it’s easy to find other media literacy programs and resources for girls, such as Girls Inc., My Pop Studio and New Moon Girls.

Yet despite these numerous resources, there is still a great need for media literacy in schools and other youth programs, specifically for girls.

Gender-Specific Media Literacy

2010-11-02T22:26:00.000-04:00

I've been blogging for my Press & Public Affairs class blog about media literacy. We've all chosen a seperate topic within that broad category and are trying to pull together originial information to help others seeking info on media literacy. It's an educational experiment to help us see and learn hands-on about news dissemination.

The topic I've chosen is gender-specific media literacy, so I've mostly been blogging about how media affects girls and how we can reverse those effects. If you'd like to check it out, click this link. All of my posts should be slotted into the "gender" category tag.

Literary vs. Commercial Fiction (and Franzenfreude?)

2010-10-08T08:53:00.000-04:00

I’ll admit upfront that I am a literary snob and I consider literary fiction to be a superior art form than commercial fiction. Literary fiction requires more skill, time and attention to be written correctly. Commercial fiction, although potentially more plot-driven and entertaining, does not require the same kind of skill and language precision. If the book reviewers at the New York Times prefer to review only literary fiction, I commend them. Commercial fiction already gets a lot of publicity and word-of-mouth attention because they are easier reads and much less complex than literary fiction so more people from the general population read them. Literary fiction deserves critics’ attention and it angers me to hear that some commercial fiction writers want more attention placed on them.

I might take Picoult and Weiner’s argument more seriously if it was Margaret Atwood and Zadie Smith stirring up the dust, or if they targeted writers similar to themselves like Nick Hornby or Nicholas Sparks. (However, if they had targeted Sparks or Hornby, I would still disagree with their argument because I think those two male authors are on the same plane as Picoult and Weiner and get equal publicity). Picoult and Weiner trying to take issue with Jonathan Franzen receiving awards and attention is like Britney Spears taking issue with Bob Dylan. They’re not even in the same category. Picoult asked how seriously a reader would take a critic who refused to acknowledge Katy Perry or Lady Gaga as musicians. I would answer that I’d take that critic even more seriously than others.

Maybe I’m just an anomaly, but most of the novels I read are by female literary fiction writers: Margaret Atwood, Zadie Smith, Maxine Hong Kingston, etc. I have spoken with many different writers, publishers and agents and I’ve never heard the argument that a woman couldn’t write the next great American novel or that female novelists are less valued than male novelists. And I most definitely disagree with the idea that “women end up writing less ambitious books” (O’Rourke).

O’Rourke also writes that “gender also shapes how we evaluate novels themselves.” I don’t really agree with this, but even if it is true for most readers, it shouldn’t be. A fiction writer’s background and demographics should have nothing to do with the reception of the writer’s novel or the novel’s literary merit. But I guess some writers would agree that their gender will affect their reception. JK Rowling, for example, uses her initials instead of her name because she didn’t want her gender to decrease her male readership.

I am surprised at the statistics of the 545 books reviewed between June 29, 2008 and August 27, 2010. Clearly, critics reviewed more books by men, but, as the articles point out, they don’t have the ratio between the total numbers of books published by men vs. women during that time period so I don’t know how seriously I would like to take these statistics.

With all of my experience as a creative writer, which has allowed me to interact with many other writers, editors and literary agents, I have never heard the argument that the work of female novelists is valued less than male novelists, and I have met and spoken with many feminist writers that I believe would have made it a point to mention these biases.

Creative Writing Classes in Central PA

2010-09-03T04:20:00.001-04:00

I'll be teaching creative writing classes this fall through the Mechanicsburg Recreation Department!

One class is for adults, 18 years and older, on Wednesday nights from 7:30-8:30pm. The other is for kids, ages 9-12, on Wednesday nights from 6-7pm.

So excited! I hope this will be a chance for aspiring writers to come together and share ideas. For kids, I hope to engage and inspire creativity.

Check out the program brochure here. Click here for online registration details.

This Is What A Young Feminist Looks Like Blog Carnival

2010-08-27T08:24:00.001-04:00

I'm participating in the "This Is What A Young Feminist Looks Like Blog Carnival" hosted by the Fair and Feminist Blog to raise awareness of all the young women who are afraid to call themselves feminists.

I'm proud to call myself a feminist, even if it's a term that often gets mistaken for "man-hater" or "bra-burner" or "militant bitch" (which are just not true).

Some people think that feminist is an outdated, unnecessary or obsolete word. Ideally, I hope that one day everyone (men and women) can call themselves feminists, in which case the word would become obsolete. But until then, I hang this badge proudly.

check here for links to other young feminist blogs

Interview with Judith Redline Coopey - Historical Fiction Novelist

2010-08-19T18:31:00.000-04:00

Ever wonder what's so great about Pennsylvania?

Ask Judith Redline Coopey, a native of PA who writes historical fiction set in her homestate. Her first novel, Redfield Farm: A Novel of the Underground Railroad, was released this month and she'll be signing copies at the Midtown Scholar Bookstore on Saturday, August 28 from 2-4 pm.

Want to know more about PA history, about Judith Coopey, or about her new book? Check out this interview series with Coopey. I will be posting one Q&A with the author every day from now until Friday, August 27th.

New Member at FanStory.com

2010-08-11T09:36:00.002-04:00

For the past few days I’ve been hanging out on this writing site called FanStory.com. I heard good reviews of it from several different trustworthy writing sources (WOW-Women on Writing, C. Hope Clark), and I’ve been hearing repeatedly good reviews for several months. So finally peer pressure kicked in and I thought, hey, I better check out this site.

What is FanStory.com?

It’s a site for writers (and/or readers) to share their writing and read their peers’ stories, essays, poems and book excerpts and give/get feedback. It works on a point system – if you review and rank other people’s stories, you receive points that allow you to post your own stories and receive feedback. It’s a good system because then each person helps other writers and doesn’t just post their own work without giving back to the writing community.

I’ve posted one story so far. I'm not completely sure how it all works yet, but it seemed like I could have spent more of my points to have my story looked at by more people or to be an “active” story for additional days. But I opted for the most basic option – I posted my story for two days at a low ranking position. Even then I still got three reviews.

There are also free contests for all site members – contests that pay in cash prizes and site points. The contests, of which there are several every month, are definitely a perk of the site and great motivation to keep writing and posting work.

As I said above, I'm not completely sure how it all works yet and I'm still exploring the site and learning more about it. But it’s fun to be involved in this little online community of writers and I'm hoping it will motivate me to keep writing on a consistent basis.

Negative Aspects?

The only aspect I don’t like about it so far is that when I want to review stories, it takes me through the list of review options one by one and most of them are poetry. I could review poetry, but that’s not my strong point, I don’t write it anymore, and I’d rather read/review short stories and novel excerpts. But this abundance of poetry is good news for any of you poetry fiends out there.

The Catch?

The only catch is that there’s a small monthly fee. To pay month-by-month, it costs $6.95 per month. If you pay for a year in advance, it’s $3.95 per month. You get the best rate at $2.80 per month if you purchase a two-year membership in advance. I purchased the one-year membership and at came to about $48. That's just a few pennies per day, right? Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be worth it :-)

Have any of you checked out this site yet? What do you think? Any tips?

Check out my FanStory.com page at http://www.fanstory.com/orange459.

You can also check out my article on FanStory.com in the Examiner.