The Oxymoron ... a Reminder to Laugh at Ourselves

A Sanitary Sewer!  (photo by Jan Siebold)

    I snapped this photo of a "Sanitary Sewer" cover in Washington, D.C.  It is a perfect example of an oxymoron ... a self-contradictory term from the Greek oxus, meaning "sharp", and moros, meaning "stupid".  One translation of the term is "pointedly foolish".
    Popular examples of the oxymoron are "jumbo shrimp", "Great Depression", "military intelligence",  and "poor little rich girl".
    Maybe we enjoy thinking about the oxymoron because we are reminded that as human beings we are full of contradictions* and momentary lapses in judgement.  After all, these phrases were coined by humans, probably by accident or in all seriousness at the time that they were first uttered or written.  For the most part, the chuckle didn't come until later when someone realized the incongruity of the words in question.
    Any time that we are reminded to not take ourselves too seriously is "awfully good" in my book!

*see my blog post "Explore Contradictions!" dated 9/27/12
 

 

 
 

Salut a L'objet ... Greet the Prop!

photo by Jan Siebold

     In his book Creativity:  the Perfect Crime tightrope walker Philippe Petit describes his Salut a L'Objet ... a ritual that he performs when beginning each work session.  Petit calls it his "personal salute" to his tools and his work space.

     I believe that this salute is more than just a way to focus and to mentally prepare for work.  It is much more spiritual in nature.    

     My writing place is sacred to me.  I have chosen carefully the objects that surround me.  I love the idea of saluting this space and the tools that I use to accomplish my work.  They deserve my respect and thanks.

    

       

A Lesson from Steve Martin ... Cause and Effect

photo by Jan Siebold

1.  Went to hear Steve Martin speak at University of Buffalo.  His message ... originality!
2.  Heard about his new CD with Edie Brickell ... Love Has Come for You.
3.  Ordered CD from Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System.
4.  Received CD.  Liked it a lot.  Decided to buy a copy.
5.  Read CD liner notes.  In the notes for the song "King of Boys", saw a reference to book called A History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor.
6.  Looked up MacGregor book in Buffalo and Erie County Public Library catalog.  Found entry.
7.  Saw an entry directly above for a book subtitled 100 Objects Inserted and Ingested in Places They Shouldn't Be by Rich Draben.
8.  Learned ways to avoid major physical discomfort, injury and possible death from Draben book.  Thank you Steve Martin!

Make Way for Boston...

Make Way for Ducklings statues in Boston Public Garden (photo by Jan Siebold)

"'I like this place,' said Mrs. Mallard as they climbed out on the bank and waddled along."
                                                 -from Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

I love you Boston, and I know that you'll keep marching forward....

What's in a Name? Bad Working Titles...

The crooked door at The Crooked Door in Albion, NY (photo by Jan Siebold)

  I admire people who come up with catchy names and titles.  We recently had a delicious lunch with friends at a restaurant called "The Crooked Door" in Albion, NY.  A favorite local restaurant was called Billy Ogden's because it was located on the corner of William and Ogden Streets in Buffalo.  On vacation we saw a laundromat called "The Missing Sock".  Clever. 
  My first two children's novels had really bad working titles.  I called my first book The Assignment. The problems with that title are too obvious to even write about here.  Luckily it did very well as Rope Burn.  The original title of my second book was O.L.D. Friend.  The letters stood for "On-Line Discussion", which referred to the premise of the book.  My editor pointed out that there would be confusion over what to call the book when saying its title out loud.  After a telephone brainstorming session we decided to call the book Doing Time Online. 
  After doing a little research about working titles I don't feel quite so bad.  It seems that Eric Carle's beloved book The Very Hungry Caterpillar started out as A Week with Willi the Worm.  John Steinbeck's classic Of Mice and Men went by the title Something that Happened.  Couldn't that be the title of any book?  Would the movie E.T have done as well if its title had not been changed from A Boy's Life?  Even The Beatles came up with a clunker of a title now and then.  Their hit song Yesterday was originally called Scrambled Egg.
  Thank you to the editors who see past those bad titles and are willing to read further.  Hopefully the name of my blog earns me a few kudos.  Jan's Pencil Point.  A pencil has a point and my blog has a point.  Get it?  
 

A Writer's Wish

      I hope that my words provide ....
                                                         clarity,
                                                         comfort,
                                                         support,
                                                         peace,
                                                         moments of joy,
                                                         understanding,
                                                         surprises,
                                                         discovery,
                                                         hope.

     

 

Just Enter through the Gun Barrel

Bathing suits worn by Daniel Craig and Sean Connery in James Bond films. (photo by Jan Siebold)

     I recently attended the opening of "Designing 007", an exhibit of James Bond movie props, costumes and sets in the Toronto International Film Festival's Bell Lightbox space.  "Just enter through the gun barrel'" the museum attendant directed us, pointing to a large cylindrical opening in the wall.  Among the exhibit  highlights were the montage of opening James Bond movie clips/theme songs, a room dedicated to Bond villains, a tour of Q's department (where 007's supply of life-saving gadgets were created and tested) and a gallery dedicated to the inevitable casino scenes featured in the films.
    In one room we saw props such as James Bond's passport and a complete medical report describing his broken collarbone.  I was amazed at the amount of care and detail that went into the creation of these props.  Surely a movie viewer wouldn't even be able to read the print on these items when seen in the final product.
     It occurred to me that such painstaking care could be attributed to the film makers' desire to create a completely authentic experience for all involved in the process.  Such attention to detail serves us well in any type of work that is important to us.  The difference that details can make is like night and day, or even like a martini shaken, not stirred. 

Thank You, John Lennon

The John Lennon Wall in Prague is an ever changing reminder of our basic right to freedom of expression.
(photo by Jim Siebold)

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." (Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948)

     October 9 is the birthday of John Lennon (1940-1980).  Let us remember his voice, his words, his music and his passion, as well as the message of hope and peace that he brought to the world. 

 

Explore Contradictions!

photo by Jim Siebold

  I was walking down a Chicago street and saw a man painting a beautiful mural on the side of a gray house.  Or so I thought.  Upon closer examination it became clear that he was in fact covering the mural with gray paint.  It took a few moments for that fact to register because it was inherently opposite of my initial reaction to the scene. 
  Exploring the contradictions in characters can give them depth.  Imagine a hardened criminal who still takes to heart a scolding from his beloved mother.  Or think of a shy, timid student who musters enough courage to face a bully head on.  The complexity of human nature is at the heart of most stories.  It never fails to fascinate us.

"Then We Will Remember Things We Said Today" -Lennon/McCartney

photo by Jan Siebold

"I hate quotations," Emerson wrote.  "Tell me what you know."  With all due respect, Mr. Emerson, I like finding quotations that really speak to me.  In fact I keep a journal of quotes that I like.  To me, statements that are worthy of being quotable are the epitome of good editing.  They usually convey a big message in very few words.  They can be inspiring, humorous, clever, thought-provoking or all of the above.  "A time comes when silence is betrayal." -Martin Luther King Jr.  "In all this world there is nothing more upsetting than the clobbering of a cherished belief." -Charles M. Schulz.  "Those who wish to sing always find a song." -Plato.  "I know just the thing!" -Lucy Ricardo.  If I'm stuck in my writing I often pull out my journal of quotations to find inspiration or to help me contemplate the point to my story.  So while I agree with Mr. Emerson's quest for originality, I will continue to find wisdom in other people's words.  In the meantime, please "Be excellent to each other." -Bill, from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure
  

Make a Note to Make a Note

photo by Jan Siebold

My purse calendar contains all kinds of information that is vital to my existence ... appointments, work schedule, social events, telephone numbers, current sizes of grandchildren, gift ideas and more.  Yes, I realize that my cell phone could store much of that information but I prefer my own paper and pencil method of organization.  I was recently switching over information to next year's calendar and came across a mysterious note to myself.  On the last page of the calendar I had written AR 8,15,16 NF 21,22,15.  I have no idea what it means or when I wrote it.  Do the numbers signify dimensions?  Are the letters someone's initials?  Do they refer to a place?  Or a product?  I keep hoping that that answer will come to me in a flash.  In the meantime I keep mulling over the possibilities ... Arizona? Al Roker? Niagara Falls? Nelly Furtado?  It is for this very reason that I make every attempt to write down ideas that I might use in my writing as well as my life.  I keep little notebooks (10 for $1 at the dollar store!) and writing instruments in my car, my purse and on my bedside table for thoughts and phrases that come to me at odd times.  I even have several small notebooks with tiny pencils that hang from a chain and can be worn around my neck.  They are great for walks. You never know when an idea will be useful and it's amazingly easy to forget what seems at the time like a lightening bolt of an idea.  Just make sure you jot down enough details to remember what your note means.  Let's see ... AR 8, 15, 16 NF 21,22,15...any ideas???

Turn and Face the Strange

photo by Jan Siebold

I recently returned from a trip to New York City and New England.  I am always amazed at travel's power to transform my life and my writing.  I begin each journey still tethered to the routines and rituals of everyday life at home.  As I travel farther away those ties are quickly broken, and I revel in the new and the unfamiliar.  As much as I am excited about natural wonders, I am even more drawn to places where the human spirit is evident .... the World Trade Center Memorial site, art installations along the Hudson River Parkway, a cellist at the Chelsea Market, the High Line path on NYC's West Side.  I am reminded that possibilities are endless and that there is beauty and strength in the triumph over obstacles and adversity.  I return home from each trip with a pocketsize notebook full of revelations and ideas.  My travels do not always take me to far away and exotic places.  There are places to discover just around the corner.  The trick is to take the first steps.  In the words of David Bowie ... "turn and face the strange."  The rewards will be immeasurable.

The House behind the House ... a New Perspective

photo by Jan Siebold

A few years ago a building lot came up for sale on the street where I live.  Through some strange past division of property, the lot was behind an existing home.  That meant that the front windows of a new home would look into the back windows of the existing house.  Understandably, the owners of the existing house were upset.  They had lived there for years, and had assumed that their wooded back yard would remain that way forever.  They never imagined that the view from their back kitchen windows would be another house.  Protests were made to no avail.  The lot was sold and a new house was constructed on the property.  In actuality, the owners of the new home did a remarkable job of curving the driveway and landscaping in such a way that the house is barely visible from the street (and from the owners of the front house as well).  I often see the children from both houses playing together in the side yard as I walk past.  A while back I decided that this tale of two houses serves as the basis for a great lesson in perspective when writing.  Instead of picturing my characters from the perspective of a stranger ringing the front door of their house, I try to imagine the view through the back windows.  From that point of view I see the characters as they go about the daily business of living ... in their kitchen, in their family room, in the back yard.  It helps me to get to know them better, and as I result I have better luck fleshing them out in my writing.

Make a List! Listing as a Writing Tool

There are many kinds of organizational and brainstorming tools that writers use to keep track of thoughts and ideas.  For me, the simple format of a list works best.  One summer I attended a writing seminar at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.  Our class was given a private tour of the Museum of Modern Art.  We were instructed to choose a work of art that "spoke" to us.  We were asked to list 20 things/images/ideas that we saw in the piece of art.  The instructor then asked us to list 20 more things.  And then 20 more.  It became increasingly difficult to find something to add to our list.  However, the later additions to the list were understandably the more creative out-of-the-box ideas.  When we finally wrote about the piece of art, those later additions became the ideas that made our writing less mundane and predictable.  Since that exercise, I have used the listing technique to begin any piece of writing.  I also keep a running list as I am working on my piece.  As ideas pop into my head I add them to that list.  I check off ideas that I have used.  Not every idea will be used, but they might end up on another list for future writings.  Or they might not.  This seemingly simple technique has helped me to dig deeper in my writing.