Thanks to Jim and The Hero Factory, I have created my very own alter-ego superhero. Behold… Professor Reinforced Chrome:
Aw, come on, you know you’re impressed. Aren’t you?
Archive for the ‘Personal’ Category
My Hero
Friday, February 27th, 2009Why do I write? Because it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
Monday, December 8th, 2008A person I feel very fortunate to call my friend, the successful and talented Kevan Atteberry, recently wrote an article in the Chinook (the quarterly newsletter from the Western Washington region of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) entitled, “On Being a Fraud.” I wonder if he’s read about the imposter syndrome, because he described it quite eloquently.
I have to commend Kevan for outing himself and for sharing feelings that we can all relate to, even though many of us might not care to admit it. I totally get the questions of talent and self-worth, the irrational second-guessing of skills and talents, the yearning to produce meaningful results that we can truly feel proud of. I certainly have my share of those emotions, too.
But writing, indeed doing anything creative, also feels, to me, like the great equalizer. More years ago than I’d care to admit, I was riding the wave of a pretty successful career in software engineering. At its peak, I was the technical liaison between Intel’s graphics chip division and Microsoft’s Windows. Not bad for a small-town girl from cow-town Wisconsin! But talk about feeling like a fraud. I felt like I was supposed to handle all the technical details and all the politics—all while making it look totally effortless. It wasn’t effortless, of course, but it was a heck of a lot easier than writing, and I suspect I was better at it, too.
Why, oh why, then, do I write? I write precisely because it’s so darn hard. Yes, I like a challenge, and I’m stubborn, and I want to continue to improve and find ways to make it easier. But I also love knowing that it’s hard for everybody. What joy, what freedom–it’s not just me! How can I be a fraud if we’re all struggling in this together? Even multi-published, award-winning authors (and artists) say every time they sit down to create it’s the same feeling of dread. No one prances around pretending it’s easy (if they do, we all KNOW they’re robots!). There is a huge community of like-suffering souls out there. And of course, self-publishing notwithstanding, one hopes there are some very talented and worthy gatekeepers barring the path to publication until our efforts are ready for primetime (now THEY must feel some pressure, don’t you think?).
I think that the beauty of writing, or attempting to master any other creative endeavor, is that it is so clearly a life-long apprenticeship. Even the masters feel there is still much more to learn. We all strive to enhance our skills and perfect our craft. We are all on a hero’s journey that will not end until the very last breath. We have all been forced (I hope) to switch from a fixed mindset (talent) to the growth mindset (practice). Now we just have to work at it, individually, yet all together.
Many thanks to all my creative friends who are walking this road with me, and to the ones who slap me upside the head and tell me to “knock it off” whenever I feel like giving up!
This is not me
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008I have lived in many different places, had more than one career, and done a lot of different things. So, in case you’ve ever wondered…
I cannot speak Swedish, and this is not me. Nope, neither is this, although it’s fun to see my name on Amazon.
I do not write paranormal romance novels, although it sounds like fun and maybe someday I will.
I have never been, nor ever will be, a member of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (G.L.O.W.), although I was a cheerleader (small ‘c’) and am a member of the Gorgeous Ladies of Publishing (G.L.O.P.).
I would love to be a zookeeper, but I’m not.
I enjoy playing with my camera, but I’m not a professional photographer.
Not an executive search professional, or a finance and business affairs executive, or a science teacher.
This is DEFINITELY not me.
Perhaps a pseudonym is in order? Any ideas?
Does anything interesting come up if you Google your name?
I’m it!
Thursday, September 25th, 2008Wow, I’ve been tagged! I don’t normally do this kind of thing, but I’d do just about anything for Jolie, so here goes:
1. What are your nicknames?
One of my best friends called me Spoory Laur (since my maiden name was Laurie Spoor). I guess I’m not really a nickname kind of gal, though.
2. What was the first movie you bought in VHS or DVD?
Dirty Dancing. I still have it!
3. What is your favorite scent?
Pumpkin pie.
4. What one place have you visited that you can’t forget and want to go back to?Whistler, B.C., my favorite (borrowed) “cabin” in the mountains. Thanks, dear friends, for all the wonderful mountain getaway trips!
5. Do you trust easily?
Yes, probably too easily.
6. Do you generally think before you act, or act before you think?
I think before I act, way too much. I just finished reading Chris Eboch’s Well of Sacrifice, and I think I need to take a lesson from Eveningstar: sometimes you need to act before you think, or the opportunity is lost.
7. Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
Politics, negative ad campaigns, lies and manipulations of the truth, the deep divisions and disagreements in our society and around the world.
8. Do you have a good body image?
Good? No. Sufficient? Yes.
9. What is your favorite fruit?
Hmmm… tough call. Peaches or strawberries? (You decide; I hate making decisions.)
10. What websites do you visit daily?
My Google calendar, Google reader, Facebook (in that order).
11. What have you been seriously addicted to lately?
Coffee, the all-important productivity enhancer. Facebook, the fun but insidious productivity killer.
12. What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
Determined, modest, generous, glamorous, wonderful mother.
13. What’s the last song that got stuck in your head?
The theme song from I Dream of Jeannie (no, I have no idea why it’s in there).
14. What’s your favorite item of clothing?
Pajamas, the fuzzier the better.
15. Do you think Rice Krispies are yummy?
Yes, with or without butter and marshmallows. Snap, crackle, pop!
16. What would you do if you saw $100 lying on the ground?
Just lying there, with no one around and no idea who it belongs to? Well, in that case, I’d pick it up, silly!
17. What items could you not go without during the day?
Coffee. Hugs and “I love you”s from my family. (Okay, family comes first, but they don’t come anywhere near me until after I’ve had my coffee.)
18. What should you be doing right now?
Cleaning the car out for the drive down to the Second Annual Kidlit Blogging Conference!
Now, to tag eight more who haven’t yet been tagged. I’m going to tag a few Facebook friends since they don’t have active blogs that I know of, but hopefully they can post their answers on their wall or profile or something. 
WooHoo!
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008I just got back from my first ever SCBWI Summer Conference in Los Angeles, and besides all of the:
- inspiration and information to be soaked up “like gravy on a biscuit,”
- wonderfully creative, talented, generous, and adorable people,
- frivolous fun with friends old and new. . .
the best part of the whole conference is that my teen nonfiction manuscript about how to save the world got nominated for the Sue Alexander award!
So, now I’m feeling this awesome pressure and responsibility to GET TO WORK! (Along with an irresistable urge to break into my happy dance.)
Busy, busy, busy…
Thursday, May 8th, 2008I haven’t posted any new articles for quite awhile now, so you’re probably thinking I’ve been sitting at home all day eating bon-bons and watching Oprah. No way! I’ve actually been taking a conscious break from article writing to focus on a book… or two. What started out as an idea for one middle grade book has now become a picture book biography of Emmanuel Yeboah AND a teen how-to guide for Youth Venture! I’m not sure working on two so totally different books at the same time is a good idea, but they’re slowly moving along.
I also joined the Advisory Committee of our regional SCBWI chapter last year, and was very busy helping to organize our 17th Annual Writing and Illustrating for Children Conference. It was one of the most daunting, eye-opening and rewarding experiences of my life, and I truly can’t wait to do it again!
And now, back to work…
Unprecedented victory against measles
Wednesday, January 31st, 2007Here’s some encouraging news. The Measles Initiative partnership recently announced that worldwide measles deaths fell 60% from 1999 to 2005, from 873,000 down to 345,000 deaths per year. That’s 528,000 lives saved every year.
“One of the clearest messages from this achievement is that with the right strategies and a strong partnership of committed governments and organizations, you can rapidly reduce child deaths in developing countries,” said Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
We’ve seen that it can be done. What’s next?
Get talking, America!
Tuesday, January 30th, 2007Doctors Without Borders recently released a list of the 10 most under-reported humanitarian crises of 2006, which they say “accounted for just 7.2 minutes of the 14,512 minutes on the three major U.S. television networks’ nightly newscasts for 2006.”
- Central African Republic
- Tuberculosis
- Chechnya
- Sri Lanka
- Malnutrition
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Somalia
- Columbia
- Haiti
- Central India
World’s Deadliest Catastrophe
Thursday, May 18th, 2006On May 14th, the UN sought to remind people that the Congo remains world’s deadliest catastrophe. The problem is, who in the world even knows that 1,200 people are dying there every day, or that three months ago the United Nations launched an appeal for $682 million to provide the needed water, food, medical assistance, shelter and protection? Yes, we’re all distracted. Yes, there are other crises to tend to in Africa and elsewhere around the world. But let’s face it, there are countries in the world who can, and should, step up. The people of the Congo have suffered long enough.
Reducing birth defects benefits the entire population
Saturday, April 1st, 2006Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah was born in Ghana without the tibia in his right leg, leaving it deformed and useless. His father abandoned him. His mother was told to kill him. That is just what it means to be disabled in Ghana.
Fortunately, his mother was strong, and raised Yeboah to have high expectations for himself, even if nobody else did. In 2002, at the age of 25, he rode a donated bicycle 360 miles across Ghana – with one leg – and showed his entire country that the disabled could be very able indeed. His story became a movie that continues to inspire.
When I heard Emmanuel’s story, I too was inspired by his incredible triumph. I was enraged by the plight of the disabled in Ghana. But even more, I wondered what causes all those disabilities in the first place? Could they be prevented, and if so, what effects would that have on Ghanaian society?
The March of Dimes Global Report on Birth Defects might offer some answers, and will hopefully spark some positive change. According to a March of Dimes press release about the report:
“…it is a common misconception that attention to birth defects will draw funding from other priority public health efforts — when, in fact, increased efforts to reduce birth defects in children contributes to the health of the entire population.Experience from high-income countries shows that overall mortality and disability from birth defects could be reduced by up to 70 percent if the recommendations in this report were broadly implemented…
Among the interventions that would have immediate impact are:
- folic acid supplementation to prevent neural tube defects;
- iodination of salt to prevent severe congenital hypothyroidism; and
- rubella immunization to prevent congenital rubella syndrome.”
I think it’s a great place to start. If you agree, go to http://www.marchofdimes.com/howtohelp/howtohelp.asp.
