Posts tagged Writing

Another Unpublished Letter

November 26, 2007 · Filed under Animal Rights, Environmental, Politiks, Writing · Tagged , , , , ,

Surfing some new Vegan websites I am reminded of another letter to the editor (the last one was for closing the tragedy called the Utica Zoo) that I submitted on behalf of local animals, that again didn’t make it. But we keep writing.
This one is about horse racing, to the editor of The Observer-Dispatch (Utica NY):

Dear Editor,

I am glad to see that Vernon Downs had to cancel yet another horse race. The public is obviously wising up to the fact that animal racing is cruel and antiquated, as evidenced by the track’s financial losses. People just don’t want to participate in this cruel sport.
Every year, about 800 racehorses sustain a fatal injury on the track, and thousands more sustain serious injury on the racetrack but are forced to continue racing. Those that are “spent” are euthanized or sold to slaughterhouses to make glue and pet food. The industry itself is corrupt and animals are bred solely for certain ‘desirable’ traits which actually weaken the horses and make them more susceptible to injury.
Animals are not ours to use for entertainment. Let’s set an example in the Mohawk Valley by continuing to shut down Vernon Downs and look for other ways to generate revenue in our beautiful region. Please boycott local horse racing.

Thank you.

Sort of funny story is that right after I submitted this letter, I was actually interviewing for a position in the newsroom when the managing editor who recieves these letters walked in. I introduced myself and watched the lightbulb go on as he made sounds of recognition. Now we just have to start printing them, Mr. D!

Speaking of Zoos, The Sun Magazine has some great articles right now about this sorry institution. Some very good points are raised in the feature article by Derrick Jensen. I don’t see how anyone can argue now that zoos are in anyway ‘natural’ or that they serve some purpose of education for our youth.

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Back into it …

November 18, 2007 · Filed under Healing, The Day to Day, What I'm Reading, Writing · Tagged , , , , ,

At this point it would be easy for me to throw up my hands ands say “i’m just not a blogger” or “I’m just not a writer.” I’ve let small obstacles get in my way or writing anything consistently, perhaps hiding the fact that I just don’t put the effort in to say what I want to say , post the interesting things I want to post, and in general laziness.
As a brief chronicle of life though, this will serve as an update. Last Friday I was admitted to the hospital and stayed there until Tuesday to treat Ulcerative Colitis … [an auto immune disease whereby the lining of the colon is chronically inflamed] … long story short this is a ‘diagnosis’ that I’ve had for seven years, on meds for six and then actively trying to ‘heal’ myself for the past year, sans pharmaceuticals. While I have made much progress, I ended up in the hospital with the inflammation having spread to my entire colon and a warning that letting it go again could drastically increase my chance of cancer- very painful and scary indeed.
Needless to say, I’m taking the drugs again if only to save my life. I am working out alternative therapies to use in conjunction with the drugs so I don’t have to take as many in the long run. Again I am truly blessed to have such a support system and network of healers and listeners around me – friends and family. All the doctors that I saw were very respectful of my right to choose or refuse treatment and I received excellent care at the hospital I stayed at, even though I didn’t have insurance.
In all, the experience created a space of completion and ‘what’s next’ … Just another wake up call that I can’t afford to live my life without active participation, and that I get to say how it’s going to go. I’m not a victim of circumstance but can create an environment that will help me succeed in the ‘face of’ those circumstances.

***
New Books/reading materials:
(obviously I went on a B&N binge)
Adbusters #74
Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
Studying about Tara (the female incarnation of the Buddha)
The Gaia Project 2012 by Hwee-Yong Jang
Still working on Don Juan Road to Ixtlal

Writing –
Article submitted to beturtle.com, but I haven’t seen it up there yet … keep checking for me!
Business plan for bulk herb and tea shop??
– this would be my dream come true right now-

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The Writing Life, in Central New York

September 10, 2007 · Filed under The Day to Day, Writing · Tagged , ,

First off, I want to congratulate David Dancy on his post at Life & Times of Utica writing features for them. David, I am duly impressed and proud at how far you have come. I just read your front page story about Root and it was great, very edifying and concise. You are an inspiration to me in your “dogged determination” and confidence. Keep it up!

I ran into David today outside my work building…. to make a long story short, over the past few weeks I have been going through a flare of a chronic condition, which I believe was brought on by the stress of working full time at this new job, in an unnatural environment. I am feeling a lot better with help from some of my healer friends and my own work on myself (no doctors please!) and this morning was thinking I would go into work and give my two weeks notice – deciding it is not worth sacrificing health and sanity for financial security.

Against that initial judgement though, I will be staying there a bit longer, but now my boss is fully aware and appreciative of my qualms about the state of the office environment (strictly physical – the people there are really great and I have nothing about them) and I requested he look at reducing my hours. This is also partly to allow me to work on writing and doing other things outside of work…. since right now basically my experience is – come home, collapse, eat something, sleep, and be frustrated that I’m not making progress anywhere else.  I know that I need to respect my body’s signs to take time for myself and my creative endevours, the energy of which I have not cultivated very much, so at this stage take a lot of energy from me …

It’s difficult to explain the many aspects of this clash between my desire to work for myself and the fear of that same thing.  It’s not that being self-employed and being financially successful are mutually exclusive, just that my confidence is not that high right now and I would like to actually repay some debt before incurring more … thus the decision to stay longer in the ‘corporate model.’  Luckily I have plenty of alternative models and supports, including a local woman writer I met a few days ago and a healer friend who is encouraging me to become a yoga instructor and foster my inner entrepreuner.

Needless to say, I feel extremely lucky and supported … it is just up to me when I want to ‘take the plunge.’  Right now I am still on the side of the pool, nervously fixing my cap and goggles, watching the other kids splash and charge through the blue.

My first book – Pre-Press: Life on the Underside – summary: How a struggling writer finds herself starting out in the wrong department of the local newspaper, taking the long way to finally getting published, and proves that the newsroom is not always home to the better bylines.

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