Guess what? I am not dead, nor has any great calamity descended upon me. I've just been writing my brains out! I better watch out for zombies!
I'm still happily providing at least an article a week to Babygooroo, and have been helping expand the site to include new writers of the dad persuasion. It's been such a pleasure to find new writers, and I'm really proud of the information we provide over there (and how we provide it). You can see a list of my most recent articles for the Web site here!
I've also been pitching in on editing over at Athens Magazine while the editor is enjoying maternity leave, and I've kept up a steady stream of articles for them, too - in fact, I've got the cover story for the current issue.
One of my favorite articles I've worked on for the Athens Banner-Herald is the one I wrote on alternative building methods. I had the wonderful experience of spending time with Clare Adams, whose hand-built cob houses are gorgeous. Hanging out on her beautiful land and getting to know her lovely family reminded me how lucky I am with my work.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Eco weddings, Edward Cullen & art, always art
Hi, folks! How's your summer going? Me? Oh, I've just been crashing weddings, looking at gorgeous art, researching the highly scientific subject of vampire fandom and writing about it all - you know, the usual. Here's the sample:
"A week before their July 12 wedding, Beth Turnell and Rick Selleck didn't quite know what food would be on the table. They had a general idea, but so much depended on what would be growing and ready at local farms, especially New Ground Farm in Athens.
"On a recent visit to the farm, the bride and groom to-be surveyed the crops with their friends at Lee Epting Catering, who had agreed to create a wedding menu based almost entirely on what was available locally. Menu planner Emmanuel Stone sampled some tomatoes fresh from the vine, and owner Lee Epting plucked a handful of ripe blackberries.
"Stone ran his hand over some tall stalks of Johnson grass.
" 'Beth,' he said, 'what do you think about some of that in the glass bottles?'
" 'Yeah!' she said appreciatively."
The wedding, as you might expect, was absolutely gorgeous ("That night, children played in the grass on the front lawn as guests comfortably spread out with their bamboo plates of food, having served themselves from earthenware bowls on tables blanketed with moss, white hydrangeas and candles") and you can read more here.
Tip: Scanning dried photos on your scanner will not make your art as beautiful as Robert Creamer's. I know, I tried, because I was so inspired after interviewing him and looking at his work. (Not to worry, Mr. Creamer, you have absolutely no competition from me.)
Here's a sample of that article:
" 'Poppy with Morning Dew' is as fresh as it sounds, with beaded moisture clinging to the warm, coral-red flower. 'Lotus Position No. 1' is all ripe lushness with one open bloom beneath a burgeoning bud, plump and pink-tipped, at the top of a spring green stem.
"Those pictures are beautiful, but so is 'Peony After Degas,' in which fuchsia petals are crumbling and brown at the edges, curling into themselves. 'WindBurst' features a ruined lily, the color of a purple-back bruise, dusted with rich gold pollen that has seemingly just exploded near the old, curling stamen." Read more here.
Finally, I had the SUPREME pleasure of interviewing some of the most articulate, bright and lovely middle school girls about their favorite subject: The "Twilight" series. Here's just a bit:
"What do Katie and Gemma think of the hot and heavy kissing scenes?
" 'I don't mind it,' says Katie. 'I'm not like, 'Eww.''
'I don't either,' says Gemma.
'I always think it's weird how they trace each other's features,' giggles Katie, referring to Edward's habit of stroking Bella's cheek or hair. 'I'm like, what?'
'She apparently likes it,' shrugs Gemma.
'So weird!' says Katie. 'I also think it's kind of funny because he's like, 107, an old man!' "
Preach it, girls! For the record, they also think Edward is "moody and overprotective." Hee! You can read the whole story here, and the sidebar, in which fans posited their predictions for "Breaking Dawn," here.
'Til next time!
"A week before their July 12 wedding, Beth Turnell and Rick Selleck didn't quite know what food would be on the table. They had a general idea, but so much depended on what would be growing and ready at local farms, especially New Ground Farm in Athens.
"On a recent visit to the farm, the bride and groom to-be surveyed the crops with their friends at Lee Epting Catering, who had agreed to create a wedding menu based almost entirely on what was available locally. Menu planner Emmanuel Stone sampled some tomatoes fresh from the vine, and owner Lee Epting plucked a handful of ripe blackberries.
"Stone ran his hand over some tall stalks of Johnson grass.
" 'Beth,' he said, 'what do you think about some of that in the glass bottles?'
" 'Yeah!' she said appreciatively."
The wedding, as you might expect, was absolutely gorgeous ("That night, children played in the grass on the front lawn as guests comfortably spread out with their bamboo plates of food, having served themselves from earthenware bowls on tables blanketed with moss, white hydrangeas and candles") and you can read more here.
Tip: Scanning dried photos on your scanner will not make your art as beautiful as Robert Creamer's. I know, I tried, because I was so inspired after interviewing him and looking at his work. (Not to worry, Mr. Creamer, you have absolutely no competition from me.)
Here's a sample of that article:
" 'Poppy with Morning Dew' is as fresh as it sounds, with beaded moisture clinging to the warm, coral-red flower. 'Lotus Position No. 1' is all ripe lushness with one open bloom beneath a burgeoning bud, plump and pink-tipped, at the top of a spring green stem.
"Those pictures are beautiful, but so is 'Peony After Degas,' in which fuchsia petals are crumbling and brown at the edges, curling into themselves. 'WindBurst' features a ruined lily, the color of a purple-back bruise, dusted with rich gold pollen that has seemingly just exploded near the old, curling stamen." Read more here.
Finally, I had the SUPREME pleasure of interviewing some of the most articulate, bright and lovely middle school girls about their favorite subject: The "Twilight" series. Here's just a bit:
"What do Katie and Gemma think of the hot and heavy kissing scenes?
" 'I don't mind it,' says Katie. 'I'm not like, 'Eww.''
'I don't either,' says Gemma.
'I always think it's weird how they trace each other's features,' giggles Katie, referring to Edward's habit of stroking Bella's cheek or hair. 'I'm like, what?'
'She apparently likes it,' shrugs Gemma.
'So weird!' says Katie. 'I also think it's kind of funny because he's like, 107, an old man!' "
Preach it, girls! For the record, they also think Edward is "moody and overprotective." Hee! You can read the whole story here, and the sidebar, in which fans posited their predictions for "Breaking Dawn," here.
'Til next time!
Friday, July 18, 2008
It's been too long, friends
Why, it's positively shameful how long it's taken for me to update this thing!
As I expected, teaching feature writing to high schoolers was an utter joy - especially since all of the proper stars aligned and I ended up with 12 of the brightest, funniest, sweetest, wonderful-est students I could have hoped for. I'm really proud of the work they did on their newspaper. Not a bad way to spend a week!
If you're in Athens, pick up the latest copy of Athens Magazine - I've got the cover story on kitchen renovations, as well as a smaller feature on road trip season. (Neither are online...so get thee to a bookstore!)
Some exciting ongoing projects include writing a script for an online marketing video (for the first time - I'm having fun!), and there's always my weekly parenting column at Babygooroo; click here to see a handy list of my recent stories there.
At the moment, I'm knee-deep in vampires and werewolves and Bella Swan. Oh, yes. I'm writing about "Twilight" for the local paper, in anticipation of "Breaking Dawn" coming out on Aug. 2 (which I am so reading).
Until next time (which will be sooner, promise):
"Some are ethereal and light, with candy-sweet pinks and blues. One bottle is so wispy it could be a little glass ghost, softly resting against sandy-colored ground and a cloud-filled sky." Read more here (and yes, there is TOTALLY a Dalek reference!)
"Swarms of jellyfish gently undulate near the ceiling to the tune of whale songs and bubbly underwater sounds. A 40-foot whale swims on one wall against flat waves of blue, green and lavender. Tiny crabs and starfish are underfoot, and seaweed and coral reefs push up from sand-colored hardwood floor. When it's finished, an enormous octopus with five-foot long legs will sprawl in the middle of the room." The Lyndon House Arts Center was transformed into an aquarium, thanks to the efforts of a bunch of summer campers; read more here.
"Mildred Rutherford - former Athens resident, T.R.R. Cobb's niece and the historian for the UDC from 1910 to 1915 - made 75 scrapbooks chronicling the organization's history, gave frequent educational lectures in period dress, and lobbied for various causes.
'Mildred Rutherford vehemently opposed women's suffrage, but she went to the legislature to make that case,' says Cox. 'It's such a contradiction - she was being political about not wanting to vote!'"
I loved interviewing Karen Cox about the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Read more here.
Take care, all!
As I expected, teaching feature writing to high schoolers was an utter joy - especially since all of the proper stars aligned and I ended up with 12 of the brightest, funniest, sweetest, wonderful-est students I could have hoped for. I'm really proud of the work they did on their newspaper. Not a bad way to spend a week!
If you're in Athens, pick up the latest copy of Athens Magazine - I've got the cover story on kitchen renovations, as well as a smaller feature on road trip season. (Neither are online...so get thee to a bookstore!)
Some exciting ongoing projects include writing a script for an online marketing video (for the first time - I'm having fun!), and there's always my weekly parenting column at Babygooroo; click here to see a handy list of my recent stories there.
At the moment, I'm knee-deep in vampires and werewolves and Bella Swan. Oh, yes. I'm writing about "Twilight" for the local paper, in anticipation of "Breaking Dawn" coming out on Aug. 2 (which I am so reading).
Until next time (which will be sooner, promise):
"Some are ethereal and light, with candy-sweet pinks and blues. One bottle is so wispy it could be a little glass ghost, softly resting against sandy-colored ground and a cloud-filled sky." Read more here (and yes, there is TOTALLY a Dalek reference!)
"Swarms of jellyfish gently undulate near the ceiling to the tune of whale songs and bubbly underwater sounds. A 40-foot whale swims on one wall against flat waves of blue, green and lavender. Tiny crabs and starfish are underfoot, and seaweed and coral reefs push up from sand-colored hardwood floor. When it's finished, an enormous octopus with five-foot long legs will sprawl in the middle of the room." The Lyndon House Arts Center was transformed into an aquarium, thanks to the efforts of a bunch of summer campers; read more here.
"Mildred Rutherford - former Athens resident, T.R.R. Cobb's niece and the historian for the UDC from 1910 to 1915 - made 75 scrapbooks chronicling the organization's history, gave frequent educational lectures in period dress, and lobbied for various causes.
'Mildred Rutherford vehemently opposed women's suffrage, but she went to the legislature to make that case,' says Cox. 'It's such a contradiction - she was being political about not wanting to vote!'"
I loved interviewing Karen Cox about the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Read more here.
Take care, all!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
I no longer feel the heat of summer, for lo, I have an ice cream maker and a lot of recipes for vegan ice cream. Rock.
And of course, I've been writing!
"Vitale's two large paintings are riots of color; at first glance, they don't even seem to be made with watercolor, the colors are so deep, heavy. Her smaller paintings are quieter moments with lighter colors, and suggest abstract images of nature. Meanwhile, her two acrylic pieces in the show belong to other worlds entirely: one of a constant wintry night, as seen in her painting of bare tree limbs, or perhaps an alien planet with a purple sky and unpredictable landforms, as seen in an enormous abstract painting." That's from an article I wrote about a thoroughly enjoyable art show I reviewed; read the rest here!
I also had the extreme pleasure of reviewing a gorgeous show by Margaret Morrison. Do yourself a favor and look at this painting for a minute. Or, I don't know, maybe this one while you're at it. There are more images at the article. Here's an excerpt from that, by the way: "There's a shared sense of place in many of Margaret Morrison's oil paintings, and one gets the feeling something very bad has happened there."
In other news, I have several parenting articles up at Babygooroo, and you can read them all (covering topics from traveling with your kid to advice on working from home) here. I've also been finishing up several articles for the next issue of Athens Magazine, available in fine local bookstores.
Finally, I am super excited about teaching feature writing again this summer to a bunch of bright and wonderful high school students at the prestigious Georgia Journalism Academy. Just two weeks away! What an honor!
And of course, I've been writing!
"Vitale's two large paintings are riots of color; at first glance, they don't even seem to be made with watercolor, the colors are so deep, heavy. Her smaller paintings are quieter moments with lighter colors, and suggest abstract images of nature. Meanwhile, her two acrylic pieces in the show belong to other worlds entirely: one of a constant wintry night, as seen in her painting of bare tree limbs, or perhaps an alien planet with a purple sky and unpredictable landforms, as seen in an enormous abstract painting." That's from an article I wrote about a thoroughly enjoyable art show I reviewed; read the rest here!
I also had the extreme pleasure of reviewing a gorgeous show by Margaret Morrison. Do yourself a favor and look at this painting for a minute. Or, I don't know, maybe this one while you're at it. There are more images at the article. Here's an excerpt from that, by the way: "There's a shared sense of place in many of Margaret Morrison's oil paintings, and one gets the feeling something very bad has happened there."
In other news, I have several parenting articles up at Babygooroo, and you can read them all (covering topics from traveling with your kid to advice on working from home) here. I've also been finishing up several articles for the next issue of Athens Magazine, available in fine local bookstores.
Finally, I am super excited about teaching feature writing again this summer to a bunch of bright and wonderful high school students at the prestigious Georgia Journalism Academy. Just two weeks away! What an honor!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
So. Much. Stuff.
I'm very proud of two recent articles I wrote: one that is a collection of extra-unique local birth stories (one woman had her baby in parking lot!) which can be read here, and one that is a preview for a showing of "The Business of Being Born," and the issues surrounding maternity care and birth in the U.S., which can be read here.
Whew!
I also had a great deal of fun getting to know some local crafters for this story. And it was an honor to get to interview Andrew Manze, conductor of the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, for this article. (I believe I reached him at a hotel in Sweden - the person who answered the phone spoke in Swedish, and I very brightly replied, "Er, hello!" Of course she immediately began speaking in English. Wouldn't it be nice if most Americans had the same skill?)
I recently covered a city-wide arts event which featured visual and performance art in unexpected places; read it here. I've also been busy covering some local theater, like a UGA production of "Uncle Vanya" (read it here!) and a community theater production of "Beyond Therapy" (read it here!). Good ole Chekhov and Durang!
I also covered a new local film festival, which presented the sobering documentary "Burning the Future," about coal mining in Virginia; read it here. (Here's a lengthy preview of the film on youtube; it's pretty astonishing, really.)
Finally (for now), the State Botanical Garden of Georgia turned 40, and I wrote about it here. I do love that place, and getting to go there, wander around and take notes on what was in bloom was a very pleasant part of research for the article!
Um, did I mention I have a kid? No wonder I haven't updated lately. I think I need a nap! As always, I'm very happy to be able to write this much, and I'll be back soon!
Whew!
I also had a great deal of fun getting to know some local crafters for this story. And it was an honor to get to interview Andrew Manze, conductor of the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, for this article. (I believe I reached him at a hotel in Sweden - the person who answered the phone spoke in Swedish, and I very brightly replied, "Er, hello!" Of course she immediately began speaking in English. Wouldn't it be nice if most Americans had the same skill?)
I recently covered a city-wide arts event which featured visual and performance art in unexpected places; read it here. I've also been busy covering some local theater, like a UGA production of "Uncle Vanya" (read it here!) and a community theater production of "Beyond Therapy" (read it here!). Good ole Chekhov and Durang!
I also covered a new local film festival, which presented the sobering documentary "Burning the Future," about coal mining in Virginia; read it here. (Here's a lengthy preview of the film on youtube; it's pretty astonishing, really.)
Finally (for now), the State Botanical Garden of Georgia turned 40, and I wrote about it here. I do love that place, and getting to go there, wander around and take notes on what was in bloom was a very pleasant part of research for the article!
Um, did I mention I have a kid? No wonder I haven't updated lately. I think I need a nap! As always, I'm very happy to be able to write this much, and I'll be back soon!
Friday, April 11, 2008
FLUKE!
Monday, April 7, 2008
New writing project!
This web site is in dire need of updating - turns out there are a LOT more articles I've written lately than I thought! I also need to update my resume. I'll get around to that...after I finish judging some literary magazines for the Georgia Scholastic Press Association and write a few more articles!
For now, I just wanted to share some really exciting news. I'm now a weekly contributor to BabyGooRoo (cute name, eh?).
I am absolutely flattered that Amy Spangler asked me to contribute. You might have heard of her name - she's an incredibly well-respected nurse and lactation expert, and she's written several books on breastfeeding. She's also just all-around awesome. (Thanks to Cameron for facilitating introductions!)
I'll be writing a mix of research-type articles on all sorts of parenting issues, as well as stories based on personal experiences (y'know...kind of like a blog). You can read my first post here!
And you can see the kind of amazing company I'm keeping at the bio page for all contributors (I can hardly believe I'm up there with all of those folks!).
I'm always open to story ideas, so let me know if you have any burning issues you'd be interested in seeing addressed there.
Hooray!
For now, I just wanted to share some really exciting news. I'm now a weekly contributor to BabyGooRoo (cute name, eh?).
I am absolutely flattered that Amy Spangler asked me to contribute. You might have heard of her name - she's an incredibly well-respected nurse and lactation expert, and she's written several books on breastfeeding. She's also just all-around awesome. (Thanks to Cameron for facilitating introductions!)
I'll be writing a mix of research-type articles on all sorts of parenting issues, as well as stories based on personal experiences (y'know...kind of like a blog). You can read my first post here!
And you can see the kind of amazing company I'm keeping at the bio page for all contributors (I can hardly believe I'm up there with all of those folks!).
I'm always open to story ideas, so let me know if you have any burning issues you'd be interested in seeing addressed there.
Hooray!
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