Mindy's Musing

NEW BLOG! Miss Mindys

Hello again.

I made a new blog so I can have the comment button. Please use the new one:

missmindys.blogspot.com

Hopefully this will work now.

posted by mindyrosin @ Wednesday, June 03, 2009 0 Comments

Mindy's Musing: Mindy's Musing: Character Description-Beth

Mindy's Musing: Mindy's Musing: Character Description-Beth

Apparently, to leave a comment, you need to click on create a link and then click again to leave the comment and then just click the publish post. I will work on getting the simple comment link on the blog later. I have to go to class right now. Thanx for the patience.

posted by mindyrosin @ Tuesday, June 02, 2009 0 Comments

Mindy's Musing: Character Description-Beth

Mindy's Musing: Character Description-Beth

Testing

posted by mindyrosin @ Tuesday, June 02, 2009 0 Comments

Character Description-Beth

Beth was weary of looking at discount stores and nurseries for a replacement pot to house the delicate plant that needed a new home. Earlier that morning, the plant had tumbled off of the stand and fell to the floor. She was devastated to think that she had just ruined the only thing she had left of her beloved Grandmother Grace, or GG as Beth affectionately called her. She wanted to just lay down with the broken and scattered pieces of dull clay that surrounded her and forever melt into the wooden floor. “Nonsense!” she thought she heard. She recognized the tone and knew what it meant. It was her grandmother’s voice inside her head telling her it was time to get up and move on. Beth could hear her grandmother telling her the same thing she had heard every time when Beth was experiencing an emotional struggle. “It’s OK to lick your wounds a bit, as long as you shift your fanny into problem solving mode shortly”. GG had a way with words that was quirky but effective.

It was hot and sticky in her un-conditioned 19-hundred something Cavalier. There wasn’t anything cavalier about this car. It had long lost its luster, but she felt comfortable in it and was grateful to have it. She wiped the strawberry blonde bangs off of her sweaty head and put her long soft curls in a loose ponytail bun. She rarely liked to have her face so exposed, not so much because she feared her pale skin might burn but because she didn’t feel comfortable having anyone’s eyes on her. She had been apathetic since the funeral and it she didn’t have the energy to care, it was just too hot. GG would have liked seeing her with her hair up and out of her face. “Classic Beauty, that’s what you are, a Classic Beauty” she would say. Beth would roll her eyes in disagreement and wonder what Classic really meant.

On her way home, Beth drove by a HUGE GARAGE SALE sign that couldn’t escape her view. She never really cared for these “Sales”, but she had good memories of going on “Treasure Hunts” with GG, so she parked across the street hearing GG’s words again. “You never know what you might find Bethie” she would say. “You might just find your Prince Charming, a Jeanie lamp, or at least something that resembles a glass slipper”.

She lingered over books neatly arranged on a warped upside-down cardboard box that was being used as a display table. She loved to read but couldn’t concentrate enough to read the synopsis on the back. She slowly strolled up the driveway into the shady garage and accidentally kicked a half used bag of mulch over spilling some on the grease stained concrete. At least it wasn’t going to hurt anything she thought. As she was bending over to lean the bag back up against the old cooler something caught her eye. It was the perfect pot for her GG plant! It was a deep red color with happy looking flowers painted on the sides. If a person could resemble a pot, this one “looked” like GG for sure she thought. A smile crossed her lips for the first time in weeks. She knew this was what she had been looking for.

posted by mindyrosin @ Sunday, May 31, 2009 0 Comments

Story Idea-2

The Problem: A story about a financially strapped young college student that is faced with selling a prized sentimental ceramic pot for more money than she could make in ten years as an English teacher once she got her degree, and holding on to the only thing in this world that gives her comfort and peace, a potted plant she was given at the funeral of her beloved Grandmother.

The Struggle: If she sells the pot, she believes she can fix all the things in her life that keep her from experiencing joy. On the other hand, she could lose the connection she feels to the only person she ever felt love from.

Conclusion: She must make a choice and live with the consequences. I have an idea but like my character, I'm not sure which way I am going with it.

Labels: Story Idea-2

posted by mindyrosin @ Saturday, May 30, 2009 2 Comments

Story Idea-1

I always thought I’d be great at choosing topics and characters for stories but now that I have to actually do it, not so much.

My first story idea is about an 8 yr. old girl that has lived in foster care homes and with babysitters for much of her life. The story will be about the last place she lives before finally going to live with her Mother and new step-Father.

My character will have to adapt to yet another unfamiliar “family” that is not her own. She will struggle with understanding why she doesn’t have her own home. She will also have to explore her feelings when she does.

There will be some kind of a resolution when she moves in with her Mom and new step-Father but what will that be? I think that will be one of the driving forces of the story, Curiosity.

I think this story will hold the readers interest by developing interesting characters that have a past that shape who they are as well as how they react to new situations.

posted by mindyrosin @ Monday, May 25, 2009 1 Comments

Week 2 Excercises

I didn't have my book, but I found a couple of the excercises in my old one. I found the "What If" section to be very helpful. When I create a character, I think I will use this to mold them into more realistic beings. I also liked the "Putting the Care into Character" aid. I never thought of that. I guess if we think of our characters as real people we will be better able to reflect that to our readers.

Labels: Week 2 Excercises

posted by mindyrosin @ Monday, May 25, 2009 0 Comments

I imagine Lisa as someone that doesn't take no for an answer. She is manipulative and just plain mean, although she can appear as the essence of kindness. She will be nice to a friend when in her company but complain about her to other friends. If confronted, she will deny doing such a thing and convince you that it must be the other person causing the problem.

She probably married a wonderful man that thinks she is perfect. Her step-children however are painfully aware of the reality of her demeaning and demanding personality. She treats them as second rate and expects them to do more than their share of household responsibilities. In front of her husband, she is always careful to treat everyone in the most appropriate manner leaving her husband to wonder why anyone would take issue with her. If the children try to tell their father of her cruelty, they are not believed and she makes life more miserable. She can switch from the nastiest tone to the voice of a songbird in an instant with the answering of a ringing phone.

Of course her house is always presentable because she demands it of the children, although it is never good enough. The child she shares with her husband of course is not submitted to the same treatment. She only wears the finest clothes her credit cards will allow, which means the majority of her wardrobe is actually knockoffs. Her closet is organized and uncluttered. She is a master of returning items she no longer wants, usually well past the deadline. The manager of the store will usually give in to her demands to avoid the inevitable and familiar scene. s

She can't tolerate those that smoke. You can always find her with an assortment of gum and mints in the only authentic designer case she owns which is reserved solely to hold her minty treasures. She is quick to share her treats, reinforcing her obvious facade believing that it impresses.

She rarely drives the sporting equipment filled van. She prefers her regularly detailed used Mercedes. It is old but not a previously popular model. No matter though as just the name is of importance and she always refers to it as "the Mercedes".

Her fake nails are always manicured to a gaudy perfection which gives her a self-believable justification for not being able to perform any duty she finds distasteful.

(I can't do exercise 27 yet) I look forward to seeing how this character develops. I do not know anyone quite like this although I have experienced many of the feeling she invokes in others I think.

posted by mindyrosin @ Monday, May 18, 2009 3 Comments

Hello fellow classmates, and Ray,

I am experiencing some problems with having the wrong edition of our book. I will remedy that tomorrow. In the meantime, I wanted to add something here at least.

The "Character" I remember that made quite an impact on me was a little girl in my first grade class. I don't remember her name, so I will call her Lisa. I painfully remember the incident of impact vividly.

It was recess and I was playing "Star Trek" on the Monkey Bars with the boys (Yes it was the 60s). She came over and wanted me to play Hopscotch with her. I said no. I didn't know how to play that game. She insisted. She grabbed me and was holding me with her arms wrapped firmly around me and wouldn't let go. I told her to let go and she didn't. I then warned her to let go, telling her that if she didn't, I would bite her! She didn't, I did, bite her that is.

Back in the dark ages of the 60s, it was commonplace for a disobedient child to get a swat from a teacher or the Principal if it was really serious. Well this was big time serious because not only was I sent to the office to receive my swat from the Principle, but I also earned a visit with the psychologist too. What a deal. I obviously was not believed and she was. It's difficult to prove that you don't know how to play a game.

I felt so helpless. There was nothing to be done, power is limited in the first grade. This stayed with me until I was able to redeem myself, completely by chance. I was attending the graduation of a younger friend of our family when I actually ran into my old Principal! It must have been 12+ years. Although I was sure she wouldn't remember, or care for that matter, I was eager to make her aware of the injustice I experienced at such a tender and impressionable age. She apologized with an aire of indifference but it didn't matter. I was heard.

Perhaps this contributed to my strong need to be heard as an adult. I know there were many other events that added to this but it was an awful feeling to be accused and convicted of a crime not committed.

Labels: Excercise 1-a (14)

posted by mindyrosin @ Monday, May 18, 2009 1 Comments

Testing

Testing, one-two-three, testing

posted by mindyrosin @ Wednesday, May 13, 2009 0 Comments