Cherry Blossom Candy Leaf

Over the weekend, Ben and I headed out to my mom's to celebrate Babs' birthday. She's 31 now. My mom reminded me that she was only 32 when they made the long voyage to America, which is crazy to think about. We had my favorite, fried cauliflower and boiled potatoes with salt and butter. Delicious!

On Monday night, Lia and I went to an Italian restaurant in the Valley. It was really great to see her and hear about her adventures as a film buyer and new bride. She goes to film festivals like Sundance and Cannes to shop for films and gets to stay at the nicest hotels and mingle with celebrities and such who kiss her ass so she'll buy their movies. Her husband Mat is currently working in Montreal as a writer for T.V. It's all so very exciting.

At Fabrocini, the bus boy, or man I should say, kept looking at me and Lia was convinced that he was in love with me. He finally decided to talk to me. He told me that I look just like his cousin who lives in Mexico. That despite her Latina status, she is blond and blue-eyed. "And beautiful, obviously," I added. We laughed. He went on to ask me if I was Lia's mom. Uh, Lia is actually older than me by a month and a half. We were both stunned and insulted. Lia does look younger than me, but come on, her mother??? I tried to explain that he probably thought I was a teenage mother and that I was with my 15 year old daughter, which didn't really help Lia's cause and didn't convince me that I look my actual age. But it was good for a few laughs.

This week I have also been taking a "Teacher As Writer" class that is paid for by my school district. I've been doing a lot of creative writing, using techniques that would suit an upper grade, middle school, or even high school classroom. It has been a real treat. Because it was paid for by the district, I didn't know what to expect. I tried to prepare myself for the worst: response to literature essays, summary writing, persuasive, and other forms of writing that kill the idea of writing for pleasure in a classroom. But the class was far from that. Aside from having to share our work in this nine person class, I enjoyed myself very much and didn't mind driving out to Ventura every morning. I really noticed how my process is so much different than other people's. I write, and then add descriptive language in my first revision. Some people have a gift for doing that as they write, playing with the language as they go. It's easier for me to get to the point first and then adjust later. This varying process is really something to think about in class of 30+ students.

One of the assignments today was to read an excerpt from Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, where setting is established. You could either use the first line of the excerpt, a variation of it, or begin anyway that set you into the motion of writing. Here is Lee's:

Maycomb was an old town. but it was a tired old town when I first knew it. In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop; grass grew on the sidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square. Somehow it was hotter then: a black dog suffered on a summer's day, bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'-clock naps, and by sweet nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum.

Here's my version...

Grandma's Westlake townhouse was a tired old house, but it is older and more tired than when I first knew it. In hot weather, the fans buzz as the "girls" sit around a square table playing Pan and Mah Jong, talking about their sons and missed colonoscopy appointments. The rooms are cluttered with an array of mismatched furniture, framed needlepoint made by a relative who is no longer with us, and fuzzy squirrel figurines and glass owls from trips to God knows where and God knows when. Grandma's carefree days are long gone. Her vision is fading fast, mistaking a pile of newspapers to be recycled for her purse. Grandma is older and much more tired now that she's "90 and slowing down".

You should try it, too. Think about a place you have been, a town you have loved or hated, or a house with many memories. The images are in your mind, but hardly ever spoken or written.




Today I had to leave my class early because the Teacher of the Year luncheon that I told you about earlier. Ben met me at the Country Club where we had lunch and I was a bit confused by the variety of forks that made me wish I had gone to cotillion as a kid. Then it was time to announce the awards. My boss, Dave Becker, and my classroom volunteer, Mark Jaffe, who also happens to be the Rotary Club's new president, said a lot of nice things about me as I stood there with them. Of course I was embarrassed. They presented me with a certificate and a check for $250. I'm still trying to figure out if I need to use the money in my classroom, or if I can buy the out-of-stock Missoni Acqua perfume that I've been thinking about. (Kari, maybe you can clarify, since you are the reigning Teacher of the Year). I had to say a few words as I accepted my award. Then I sat back down, thinking I could relax a little bit. BUT NOOOOOOO! They went on to present me with the Paul Harris Fellow Award which is the highest honor received by non-Rotarians! This award is given to people who are "advocate[s] of ... world peace and international understanding." The audience oooohed and ahhhhed when they called my name and I remember Ben saying, "Good job, Doll!" My boss whispered, "This is a big one, Romy." I was absolutely shocked. I received a certificate, a medal, and a pin. In addition, the Rotary Club donated $1,000 in my name (along with $23,000 donated by the club itself) to the building of a community center in Zambia (that's Africa). This community center will focus on AIDS education and prevention. Isn't that awesome? When the luncheon ended, members of the group congratulated me and said to Ben, "You must be so proud." It was great.


And finally to add to an already delightful day, I received word today that my awesome cousin Tomas and his lovely fiancee, Amy, have set a date for their wedding. June 28, 2008 in Negril, Jamaica. They have a cute website with pictures and an explanation of how they met and where they are from. Check it out.