From Homeless to Harvard

Posted by random olio

Feel like reading a good book and heartfelt memoir? A few months ago, I read: Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard, by Liz Murray. It is a book that even if you had a good upbringing will make you feel like anything is possible.

Liz grew up in the Bronx with drug addicted parents. While she was not living on the streets until she was 15, the apartments she did live in were not truly habitable. This book shares her story of coming out of horrible circumstances. She eventually graduates from high school in two years, and wins a New York Times scholarship to Harvard. It happens because of her perseverance to change her current circumstances. Some parts of the book are hard to read, but as you read, remember that she lived these experiences. There were times when she would hide in her friend’s closets on very cold days. Other times her friends would smuggle her into their rooms and feed her. My heart just yearned for the fact that her friend’s families did not take her into their homes completely. Maybe the parents were just getting by to feed their own children. I so badly wanted someone to notice her situation and take her in.

She watches both of her parents abuse drugs for many years. They steal any money Liz might make for food or clothes to pay for their drugs, and they use their welfare check at the beginning of the month for drugs. She has such love for her parents, regardless of what they put her through. Without giving it away, you will see how later in her life, the unconditional love she gives them.

After college, Liz Murray founded the Broome Street Academy, one of the first high schools for homeless youth. You can find more information about Liz Murray on her website, Manifest Living.

I encourage you to read Breaking Night. It will remind you that we are capable of more than we know.

Sanding the roughness

Posted by random olio

I am in the middle of reading: “A Writer’s Coach” by Jack Hart. I love that he is from Portland and at the time of the printing was a managing editor and writer coach for The Oregonian.

On page 39, there is a paragraph on writing that resonates with me: “A writer who attended one of my workshops passed along this beautiful metaphor:”

Years ago I used to futz with every sentence, but then an editor told me something that really made sense. He said that when a carpenter builds a piece of furniture he doesn’t first make one side, perfect that, and then construct another side and perfect that. He must build the entre frame and then go back and put the finishing touches on each section. Even when I am on deadline, I think of what I write first as an imperfect frame that will be improved later.

This inspired me and reminded me of when I took shop class in middle school. I think we had to do a cooking class, sewing, and shop class. I actually loved them all. I love to bake, I am not half bad behind a sewing machine (although I hated threading them in middle school, these days they practically thread themselves). However, shop class reminded me of my dad, and his warehouse/garage. My dad was a carpenter/contractor and he had lots of tools, and I often watched him build things. In shop class, we built wooden bowls, made out of scrap wood glued together. We started with a block of 5-10 kinds of wood and we used a lathe and dug out the shape and form of the inside and outside of the bowl. Once we were happy with the shape, then we started sanding.

Just as with wood, we have to sand out writing. Whether a book, business report, ad campaign, blog, etc, after the shape has formed we can go back and smooth out the edges and roughness. Not all imperfections should be removed. Imperfections can give character, depending on the flaw. I still have my bowl, and because we used scrap wood, not every piece was perfect. I still look at that bowl and love the little imperfections in the wood. I fell in love with wood that quarter, and I have fallen in love with writing.

bowl from middle school shop class

Goodnight iPad

Posted by random olio

I am a fan of children’s books. Maybe it was all of the years I took care of children, babysitting, working at a day care, and as a camp counselor. One of my favorite books is: Goodnight Moon. It is simple, children memorize it quickly, and it introduces bedtime. Ah the perfect pre-bed book, right?

So when I came across the iPad version of Goodnight Moon, a huge smile came over my face. No, I do not mean that it is the original version of Goodnight Moon for the iPad, it is a new version called: Goodnight iPad. I am not at all for product placement, or getting kids hooked on specific products, but the reality of it is that kids are getting hooked on technology devices earlier and earlier. Many know how to work apps on their parents iPhones and iPads before their parents understand how to truly use them. At 5 and 6 they can go onto the Redbox app and reserve a movie, while their parents drive to pick it up.

Since kids are so savvy these days, it does make sense that there would be a book that for the most part encapsulates what is in their surroundings. Instead of: “Goodnight brush” and “Goodnight mush” they most likely have a closer affinity to saying: “Goodnight iPhone” and “Goodnight iPad.” Their technology exposure is sad to an extent, yet we are not setting such great examples for them. See past blog post about never going to the bathroom without your iPhone.

Goodnight Moon - in Israel

So check out: “Goodnight iPad” I think even those of you who do not have little ones at home will enjoy it.

Dr. Seuss and Read Across America

Posted by random olio

Whew! What a full week of creativity, exploration, and friendship. I just woke up from a 3 hour nap, so this blog post is just now coming out of my finger tips. I have LMFAO’s Party Rock Anthem on in the background, because I need something to wake me up. Today is the Annual “Read Across America” Day, sponsored by the National Education Association. It is a day to motivate and encourage children across America to celebrate reading. They chose March 2, as the day to celebrate each year in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday. You can read more about this special day at the NEA website link above.

What I have noticed this week (thank you Facebook) is how so many of my friends that are teachers have been doing activities and reading events to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday. What a fun way to encourage reading and honor a man for the many books that he wrote that inspired us all. What individual has not read a Dr. Seuss book? Or who does not know what Green Eggs and Ham is? The Cat in the Hat is one of my favorites. Today The Lorax movie is also launching in theaters nationwide.

Oh the Places You'll Go

One of my more adult favorites (that a friend gave me before high school graduation) is “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.” I like:

“You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

You’re on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”

For more fun sites for those of you with kids, click here and here to enjoy. In honor of Read Across America and Dr. Seuss go read your favorite Dr. Seuss book today!

Need Inspiration: How do you find good books?

Posted by random olio

I am a little out of it today, and in need of some inspiration. I often find my inspiration from the books I read. Whether it is the story line, or just how amazing the author is at synthesizing words together in such clever ways. It made me start to think about how we find out about the books we read. For those of you who know me (or if you have read past blog posts), you know I am an avid reader. If I am engrossed in a book, it can be hard to pry me away. I am also always on the look out for what books to add to my list. How do you find the books that interest you? How do you find out about new books that have just been published?

I subscribe to quite a few newsletters announcing new books that have just been published. I also follow a few of my favorite authors on Twitter, to find out what they are up to, what they are writing about, and what is inspiring them. Here are a list of the book newsletters I receive: