Lilian Nattel's Blog, page 29
September 29, 2011
Writing Again
I have 2 projects on the go–a fun idea and a serious one. However, from past experience, I know that fun can morph into serious and serious can take a completely different turn from where I begin. So this time I have no expectations of where I'll end up with either or perhaps with something completely different that may materialize in the process.
I'm having a wisdom tooth pulled this morning, so I'll likely be out of commission for a couple of days, writing and otherwise. Send healing thoughts for me!
Filed under: Literary, Personal Tagged: Writing Life
September 28, 2011
A Sweet New Year
Rosh Hashanah starts tonight, the Jewish New Year, and in celebration we'll dip apples in honey to ensure a sweet new year for us and all our friends, online and offline. Have a wonderful one, dear friends.
From The River Midnight:
The village of Blaszka has reached the final moment of Yom Kippur. The Rabbi calls tekiah gedolah, the great blast, the long call that closes the gates of eternity. Hershel raises the shofar. As he sounds the call, the ram's horn curls in its spiral toward heaven. Awake, awake, the gates are closing, and we are left again in the world of time, alone with each other.
In the village of Blaszka, as in every other place, even in fairy tales, there was an oldest son and a youngest son, a rich sister and a poor sister, the clever, the wise, the wicked and naive, a constellation of people, seemingly motionless, a river of stars in the midnight sky. But go closer and the stars are exploding suns that come into being and die and in between give life to all manner of things. Look and you'll see the planets with their seas rising and falling under the pull of the circling moons. Even closer, you'll see the trees of the forest and mushrooms sprouting in the dark places. Watch how the mushroom pickers, when they find one that's wormy, cut it into pieces which they scatter on the ground to spread the spores, so new mushrooms will grow.
Mushrooms are the fruit of the fungus. Below ground are cell-wide threads that take sugars from the roots of trees, giving in exchange water and minerals. Because the roots are hard and thick, they would have trouble getting what they need without these threads, this network of life blood running through the ground connecting all the trees, making of the woods a single living thing. So make yourself a bowl of mushroom soup, and as you lift the spoon to your lips, remember that this, too, is the river midnight, and as you drink, know that Hanna-Leah made this exact same soup for Hershel, once upon a time.
From the mountain top:
Filed under: Literary, Personal Tagged: rosh hashana 2011
September 27, 2011
Poet and Mentor
I've mentioned Rhea Tregebov here before and am happy to have occasion to do so again. I've known Rhea for years, ever since The Writer's Union of Canada matched us up to work together on my first novel, The River Midnight. Rhea was my mentor, a fine freelance editor, a children's author and a poet.
Since then she's also written a novel, which I blogged about previously, and has become a prof at UBC. But it's still Rhea's poetry that brings tears to my eyes through its beauty and its acuteness. Have a look at this one.
Filed under: Beautiful, Uplifting Tagged: poetry about family
New Blog!
Writers have so many ways of procrastinating. But this one is constructive and has a higher purpose…seriously. I was inspired by the bookclub Slaves of Golconda.
When I was asked to suggest a few books for our next reading, I thought it would be fun and interesting to come up with a list of recent, terrific novels by Canadian writers. After that, my editor provided me with a few more fabulous titles, and looking at the pile of wonderful books I was excited by the thought that I was part of this writing world.
One thing led to another, my recent website endeavours, participating in a literary festival, and I decided to start a new blog featuring Canadian writers beyond the few literary icons (as well deserving of the title as they are) everyone knows about.
Come and have a look here! Let me know what you think.
Filed under: Fun, Interesting, Literary Tagged: canlit rocks
September 26, 2011
car ads on the Colosseum?
Rome is looking for "sponsors" soon to show their wares on tickets & exterior http://ow.ly/6EM8M
Filed under: Miscellany
September 25, 2011
stuffies proves evolution is a myth
However the illiteracy of the Jewish fundamentalists belies their point. http://ow.ly/6Eai3
Filed under: Miscellany
September 24, 2011
September 23, 2011
making the most of difference
people with Aspergers excel in company that tests software http://ow.ly/6D3KU
Filed under: Miscellany
September 21, 2011
Low Tech and High Tech
Today there was construction on my street and I have a cold. The combination of noise and brain fog meant no work. Instead I listened to music and sewed in the most low tech way, with a needle and thread. I am not a great sewer but I enjoy it greatly. There is something peaceful in the movement of the needle with classical music to accompany it. I was finishing off a netbook cover to go with my new netbook.
I bought the netbook, an HP mini 210 for several reasons. I work on a laptop but it's my main computer and not to be risked traveling. It's new, fast and wonderful. But I did want something that I could take with me to readings, cafes, library, and on trips. For less than half the price of an IPad or smartphone, I got a netbook that can surf the internet as well as function as a second computer. At home, it provides access to the internet for my younger daughter when needed for school.
(A tip: to speed up your netbook, just put a 2g or 4g SD card in it. You can also use a USB stick but the card is unobtrusive. When you get the menu on your screen asking you what you want to do with it, click on the down arrow until you get to "ready-boost." Click on that and a dialogue box comes up. Click on use this always and your netbook has extra RAM available to speed it up.)
I got the netbook because, for the price, as it had the best specs, but it didn't hurt that it's a lovely shade of blue. I took it with me when I went to Oshawa. I had a couple of books loaded on it for the train ride as well as the notes for my talk and reading. (I also put great music on it but forgot to take headphones.) I found it worked well on the podium. I was slightly awkward getting from place to place in my notes, but that will change with practice, and it took no more time, really, than turning a page.
The morning of the festival, after skating and before my train, I used one of my sewing machines to whip up a cover to give the netbook some added protection in my bag. I didn't have time to do it properly and so I had to be inventive in adding the lining, cardboard and decoration after the fact.
I wouldn't qualify as a real sewing enthusiast because I don't have a stash of fabric. (Truth? I am an enthusiast but I am more enthusiastic about putting spare change toward my mortgage or taking everyone out for ice cream.) Instead I cut up my family's old clothes for the fabric.
Here's the finished cover for my netbook, made from A's, M's and H's old shirts, with cardboard between the lining and the shell for added support. By the way, the cardboard came from the box that delivered the printer toner.
Filed under: Fun, Personal Tagged: crafts, netbook enhancement
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