Open Mike Success!

Newsflash..... I did the open mike at IWWG and it was a liberating experience - my heart was pounding, my throat was dry and I got up in front of 500 women and shared a piece I had written the day before in my memoir class. I got many positive comments and even had one of the "old time" teachers request a copy for her to use with her students! More writing to come.....

Journey Interrupted

Best laid plans.... Got a call today about a biopsy done on a mole a few weeks that turned out to be mildly abnormal so I will be rerouting back to NH for the beginning of next week for a quick surgical removal. Nothing serious, just inconvenient, and another wakeup call to pay attention (I have a history of two prior melanomas)and practice radical self care. I had noticed an irregularly shaped mole on my right forearm and mentioned it to my dermatologist during my recent checkup a few weeks back and brought it to her attention. The return in an easterly direction will give me another chance to visit with family members and friends.

IWWG continues to be amazing, each class requires writing and evening assignments - I really am back in college! Tomorrow evening is one of the open mike nights and I may feel brave enough to sign up and read some of my work. So exciting and stimulating to be in the presence of great playwrights, poets, novelists, screenwriters, authors of children's books, creative nonfiction, memoirs, etc. etc. This is definitely perfect timing for the push I need to start writing my book as I collect information and record interviews!

What's in a name: Jan's 3M Tour

Well, I realized that I didn't explain the name of my blog before I started writing so here goes: 3M Tour stands for - Magical, Mystical and Mysterious - how I conceptualize this experience is going to be and what I am attracting for this journey. Magical because I intend to attract many such events, relationships and occurrences; mystical because I plan to spend alot of time meditating and listening to and following my intuition and mysterious because although I know everything happens for a reason - I imagine that at times it will feel like the reason is completely mysterious - at least to me!

International Women's Writer's Conference

The good news is that everything I had left in my house fit into my car; the not so good news is that it was packed to the gills and any sudden stop sent objects flying into my lap. Also I had strapped my massage table on the roof rack - and not having taken a test drive with it on - soon discovered the effects and sounds of the signficant wind tunnel created by it. However, I made it to the opening ceremonies of IWWG at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY only 15 minutes late on Friday evening. Today featured wonderful and varied workshops by writers specialized in compiling oral narratives, native american stories, poetry, videos and creative nonfiction. What fun to be back in school! I have the good fortune of staying at a dear friend's home, 15 minutes away from Skidmore, for the week while they are traveling in Scotland.

Almost ready!

Tuesday, 6/10/08

2 days before leaving day on Friday am, June 13th - a good omen, I think, to start a 3M Tour (magikal, mysterious, and mystical). Movers arrived on Saturday and I said goodby to all of my furniture (- except my trusty LLBean folding camp chair - for at least a year )- to be living in Long Island, NY at the home of a friend who is soon moving into a new house. My furniture, pictures, cookware, decorations, curtains, etc. will be happy there I know as I go off on destinations known and unknown.... The house has an echoey sound, space that is bare but not empty, waiting for the new tenant already chosen to live in this peaceful cabin by the pond in Eaton, New Hampshire.