Archive for Play
Communication — A Better Life through Word Play
Posted by: | CommentsI believe in words. I believe in the power they hold. I believe in the story a single word creates.
Bouquet. Tendril. Secret. An encounter with my junk drawer unearthed a buried book of Magnetic Poetry – that simple but ingenious invention—affirmed my faith in words.
My Magnetic Poetry book—a chunky spiral bound tome—is filled with refrigerator cryptograms and provides the perfect opportunity to tell a story. Magnetic words can be used anyone—anyone big enough to reach the icebox and with enough digital dexterity to separate the tiny words from their magnetic home base.
Precocious toddlers, stooped elders and funny kids can participate. Lovers, newly-weds and the long married have equal access. Universal in its appeal, you can love it or hate it and still partake in it.
It’s Scrabble without the stress, a crossword without the clues or hangman without the noose. The object is to embrace all of poetry’s shapes—odes and lunes and tanka and tercet. Forced to create from limited resources compels us to pare down to essentials. It requires the sentence creator to wholeheartedly do their job.
In this game the words take center stage. I have my favorites among the magnetic options.
Summer and song and secret.
Liquid and love and leave.
I love the creativity of put-together words like out-let and song-bird.
I love vivid words like summer and plums.
I love lexis that buzz and jump and make you look twice while pretending not to.
I love Haiku and tiny tales that jump off the board and send tidal waves of Oh’s to passersby.
liquid songs pronounce
morning shower so lovely
summers secret sound
Or
teach from here you said
bruised tongue staggers over his page
dark red book blossoms
Pure expression and creative endeavor—pick up a few words today—tell a miniature story.
Leave your poem below!
(original post Aug ’09)
Word Games – Literary Lucky Charms
Posted by: | Comments
I believe in words. I believe in the power they hold. I believe in the story a single word creates.
Bouquet. Tendril. Secret. An encounter with my junk drawer unearthed a buried book of Magnetic Poetry – that simple but ingenious invention—affirmed my faith in words.
My Magnetic Poetry book—a chunky spiral bound tome—is filled with refrigerator cryptograms and provides the perfect opportunity to tell a story. Magnetic words can be used anyone—anyone big enough to reach the icebox and with enough digital dexterity to separate the tiny words from their magnetic home base.
Precocious toddlers, stooped elders and funny kids can participate. Lovers, newly-weds and the long married have equal access. Universal in its appeal, you can love it or hate it and still partake in it.
It’s Scrabble without the stress, a crossword without the clues or hangman without the noose. The object is to embrace all of poetry’s shapes—odes and lunes and tanka and tercet. Forced to create from limited resources compels us to pare down to essentials. It requires the sentence creator to wholeheartedly do their job.
In this game the words take center stage. I have my favorites among the magnetic options.
Summer and song and secret.
Liquid and love and leave.
I love the creativity of put-together words like out-let and song-bird.
I love vivid words like summer and plums.
I love lexis that buzz and jump and make you look twice while pretending not to.
I love Haiku and tiny tales that jump off the board and send tidal waves of Oh’s to passersby.
liquid songs pronounce
morning shower so lovely
summers secret sound
Or
teach from here you said
bruised tongue staggers over his page
dark red book blossoms
Pure expression and creative endeavor—pick up a few words today—tell a miniature story.
Creativity – Your Soul’s Calling
Posted by: | Comments“Age is something that doesn’t matter unless you are a cheese.
–Billie Burke (1886-1970) American Actress
Every now and again when I feel a twinge of doubt creep into my soul, I seek an inspirational quote or story to snap me out of it.
The above quote got me thinking about “late bloomers”-those whose talents don’t burst open until later in life. The list includes:
Julia Childs – who published her first book at 49.
Laura Ingalls Wilder – whose first book Little House in the Big Woods came out when she was 65
Colonel Sanders - who didn’t franchise Kentucky Fried Chicken until he was 65
Grandmas Moses – who started painting in her 70′s
I celebrated a birthday at the beginning of the year and started a new venture at the same time. I questioned my sanity about embarking on another career at this age. (If you haven’t figured it out I’m AARP eligible and then some.)
But here I am. Thirsty for learning and hungry for the challenge. Eager to express something creative. Grateful for the opportunity to express something that hasn’t had an outlet for expression until now. As Susan Boyle stated to Simon Cowell on Britain’s Got Talent–”I guess I never had the opportunity.”
What creativity do you need to share with the world? What hobby have you always wanted to try, but kept putting off? What talent has been lurking beneath the surface that needs to bloom? Stop hiding. Share your talents or explore new avenues for expression. Besides, who are you to deny us your talent. Get out there and shine.
As Barbara Sher says, “It’s Only Too Late If You Don’t Start Now.”
Listening to Intuition – There’s Much to Learn
Posted by: | CommentsYesterday I was sitting on my porch writing. There are few distractions there 
and I enjoy the expansive view of Turkey Lake from my four-story perch.
Occasionally, I can hear the rhythm of skate boards on the concrete path, the buzz of leaf blowers when the landscapers are working and the animated voices of cell phone chatterers who can’t seem to take a stroll alone.
What I heard yesterday was the sound of rustling paper and the tumble of charcoal falling into the lone grill parked just off the corner of the path, before it loops around for a U-turn. The grill is for the convenience of condo owners, but it is rarely used.
Curiosity got the best of me.
After all it was mid-afternoon, mid-week, not exactly rush-hour for barbequing. Read More→
Need Some Inspiration to Get Started or Keep Going?
Posted by: | Comments“Age is something that doesn’t matter unless you are a cheese.”
Billie Burke (1886-1970)
American Actress
Every now and again when I feel a twinge of doubt creep into my soul, I go find some quotes or stories to snap me out of it.
The above quote got me thinking about “late bloomers”–those whose talents don’t burst open until later in life. The list includes: Read More→
