finds. + thoughts on being visible.
I still don’t know what to say, except, Thank you for the plug, Jen!
I’m thrilled…and a bit embarrassed to admit I’ve been silenced. I haven’t written a darn thing since then.
It’s not like there aren’t fascinating writing and art workshops:
- September 25 in Marin County, CA: Author Lisa Sonora Beam is teaching a workshop on her birthday: The Non-Conformist, Convergent Birthday Party Workshop:Creative Dreaming, Scheming, and Goal Setting. It’s $145 until September 15th. Registration includes all supplies, breakfast, and a copy of @ChrisGuillebeau’s new book: The Art of Non-Conformity.
- October 15-19 in Oakland, CA: @WildHeartQueen, Chris Zydel, is teaching a 5-day intensive intuitive painting class in her studio called Intuitive Painting Power.
- October 15-22 in Vermont: Susan Piver‘s Authentic Inspiration: A Retreat for Writers ($675 includes meals, but not accommodations)
- November 6 in Portland, OR: Authors Jen Louden, Susan Piver and Patti Digh are teaching a one-day writing workshop Walking into the Fire: Sidestepping Fear, Writing Your Heart Out and Letting your Story Tell Itself at the quirky and fabulous Kennedy School in Portland, Oregon. Sounds fabulous!
- November 12-14 in Big Sur, CA: Poet and excellent writing teacher Ellen Bass is teaching a Writing About Our Lives class at Esalen.
- @AmnaAhmad is teaching an online writing course. Check out her website, The Pragmatic Hybrid. She’s asking folks to help her name it–you could win free tuition!
In these times of silence, I am pulled back to writing. When I peel away the layers of busyness, the thoughts that keep my head spinning on worries and anticipations, I return to the sound of pen scratching on unlined paper.
Over the weekend, I made my inaugural pilgrimage to Powell’s Books, overwhelmed and appreciative of the power of ideas and words amassed in a single location and the community that supports it. In this world that sometimes seems superficial and glossy, I found comfort and calm between cartography and linguistics.
As much as Powell’s holds massive quantities of books, this is just a teeny tiny subset of the world’s creative power.
There is value in what we each think and say. We bring special flavors to an idea, give it a hint of tartness, sweetness, spice or fire from life’s experiences.
Unlike others who crave the spotlight, I’ve struggled with the very idea of being visible. I’m joy incognito on retreats and in my day job, I work behind the scenes. That’s where I’m comfortable.
But we all need witnessing in one form or another, especially in our creative endeavors. It need not be a public display, but rather, authentic and meaningful.
I’m touched that my thoughts and wobbly posts have made meaning for someone else. And thank you, Jen Louden and my commenters for bearing witness to the emergence of my blog.