RAW

I've moved!

2010-11-10T12:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers:

Someone recommended and suggested that Word Press was a better fit for my blog because it allows for more "stuff" and can be created to look like a website, rather than just a blog. So...I bought my domain name and moved RAW to www.stephaniemeissner.com, via WordPress.

I am not 100% happy with this move yet, but I also know that I cannot continue to keep posting to both blogs. I just have to learn how to operate WordPress! So, if you are a follower of RAW, please go check out my new site and sign up for the RSS feed or email subscription.

You'll especially want to take a look at my new One a Day project!

I am still hosting my photography blog/website and personal blog at Blogger. In truth, Blogger has made some great additions and changes to to their publishing service and are offering some of the same things as WordPress. I am not convinced moving the blog was necessary, but it has been done, and I'm sticking with it!

Also, hurray for a domain name!

Please visit the new site!

Stephanie

from T. S.

2010-11-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Since golden October declined into sombre November

And the apples were gathered and stored, and the land became brown sharp points of death in a waste of water and mud."

~ T. S. Eliot ~

word of the day :: turgid

2010-11-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

turgid:

[tur-jid]

–adjective

1. swollen; distended; tumid.

2. inflated, overblown, or pompous; bombastic: turgid language.

Origin:

1660-70; < L turgidus, equiv. to turg ( ēre ) to swell + -idus -id⁴

"'It is true that the rivers went nosing like swine,

tugging at banks, until they seemed

Bland belly-sounds in somnolent troughs,

That the air was heavy with the breath of these swine,

The breath of turgid summer, and

Heavy with thunder's rattapallax."

:: Wallace Stevens ::

* Definition from www.dictionary.com

from Ernest

2010-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

"You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintery light. But you knew there would always be spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen.

~ Ernest Hemingway ~

A Moveable Feast

Eminem :: the writer

2010-10-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago I watched 60 Minutes with my little brother, solely to see Eminem's interview with Anderson Cooper.

The white rapper can definitely write. If you're any kind of fan of Eminem, you know he uses some creative (sometimes explicit) lyrics. It was fascinating to listen to him talk about words and the process of writing lyrics and how he jots down all these ideas...even if they never come to fruition.

Here's one particular take from the interview to give you just a glimpse:

The man reads the dictionary for inspiration! What could be more writerly? Watching 60 Minutes definitely upped my level of respect for the music artist.

You can watch the whole interview here.

word of the day :: cozen

2010-10-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

cozen:

[kuhz-uh n]

–verb (used with object), verb (used without object)

to cheat, deceive, or trick.

Origin:

1565-75; perh. < ONF coçonner to resell, v. deriv. of coçon retailer (< L coctiōnem, acc. of coctiō, cōciō dealer), influencedby MF cousin dupe, lit., cousin

"'Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves.'

And well said too; for who shall go about

To cozen fortune, and be honorable

Without the stamp of merit."

:: William Shakespeare ::

Prince of Morocco in The Merchant of Venice

* Definition from www.dictionary.com

from Dr. Seuss

2010-10-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today you are You,

that is truer than true.

There is no one alive who is

Youer than You.

~ Dr. Seuss ~

word of the day :: skylark

2010-10-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

skylark:

[skahy-lahrk]

–noun

1. a brown-speckled European lark, Alauda arvensis, famed for its melodious song.

-verb (used without object)

2. to frolic; sport: The children were skylarking on the beach.

Origin:

1680-90; sky + lark¹

"Tom took his whipping and went back to his seat not at all broken-hearted, for he thought it was possible that he had unknowingly upset the ink on the spelling-book himself, in some skylarking bout--he had denied it for form's sake and because it was custom, he had stuck to the denial from principle."

:: Mark Twain ::

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

* Definition from www.dictionary.com

from Robert

2010-10-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

"Perpetual devotion to what a man calls his business, is only to be sustained by perpetual neglect of many other things."

~ Robert Louis Stevenson ~

review :: Summer Crossing

2010-10-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

Summer Crossing

Summer Crossing is a book I have had on my bookshelf for years after I my aunt gave me her duplicate copy. In between book club books, I needed a short read. So I picked up Summer Crossing, not having read any of Capote's other works. I didn't realize until after I had finished that the book was the first novel he wrote--although the last to be published.

Truman Capote is a great writer. Even this first book, which the author himself abandoned at one point in time, showcases his talent. I did not love the story, but it was intriguing. It's coming-of-age, meets class-conflict, meets love story meets tragic ending. And all in just six chapters.

The main character, Grady McNeil, reminds me, in some ways, of Undine Spragg in Wharton's The Custom of the Country. You can just see the irrevocable spiraling out of control in her decisions and choices during a whirlwind summer.

The ending is abrupt and leaves one wondering. I can't help but think what Capote may have changed and added had he had the change to truly revise and refine the story before his death.

All in all I enjoyed the writing style and voice and liked it well enough to read some of his more well-known works in the future.

word of the day :: atomy

2010-10-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

atomy:

[at-uh-mee]

–noun, Plural -mies.

1. an atom; mote.

2. a small creature; pygmy.

Origin:

1585-95; sing. use of L atomī, pl. of atomus atom

"Eyes that are the frail'st and softest things,

Who shut their coward gates on atomies."

:: William Shakespeare ::

Phebe in As You Like It

* Definition from www.dictionary.com

from Ray

2010-10-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

"You must write every single day of your life...you must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads...may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world."

~ Ray Bradbury ~

word of the day :: alack

2010-10-04T11:08:00.000-07:00

alack:

[uh lack]

–interjection Archaic.

(used as an exclamation of sorrow, regret, or dismay.)

Origin:

presumably ah + lack. Cf. aha, ahem, alas

"Alack, when once our grace we have forgot,
Nothing goes right; we would, and we would not."

:: William Shakespeare ::
Angelo in Measure for Measure

* Definition from www.dictionary.com

from George

2010-10-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking successive autumns.

~ George Eliot ~

National Book Month

2010-10-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

October is National Book Month!

Celebrate by reading books of all kinds this month. Autumn makes me feel like reading Harry Potter, so I've swiped my brother's copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

What books will YOU be reading this month?

word of the day :: felicitous

2010-09-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

felicitous:

[fi-lis-i-tuh s]

–adjective

1. well-suited for the occasion, as an action, manner, or expression; apt; appropriate: The chairman's felicitous anecdotes set everyone at ease.

2. having a special ability for suitable manner or expression, as a person.

Origin:

1725-35; felicit(y) + -ous

"A true poem is distinguished not so much by a felicitous expression, or any thought it suggests, as by the atmosphere which surrounds it. Most have beauty of outline merely, and are striking as the form and bearing of a stranger; but true verses come toward us indistinctly, as the very breath of all friendliness, and envelop us in their spirit and fragrance."

:: Henry David Thoreau ::

* Definition from www.dictionary.com

Banned Books Week

2010-09-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

September 25 through October 4 is Banned Books Week! This celebration is 28 years old and is the only one that celebrates the freedom to read. Since 1982, more than 1000 books have been challenged for various reasons (sexual explicitness, violence, profanity, racism, etc.).

Here are the top ten most frequently challenged books in 2009:

National Punctuation Day

2010-09-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

Today is National Punctuation Day (NPD). The NPD website is full of interesting and fun tidbits and resources about punctuation. There's even a listing of punctuation products--including t-shirts, mugs, greeting cards, and posters. They have a free newsletter called The Exclamation Point!

Not sure how to celebrate NPD? I sure wasn't. The NPD web site offers the following suggestions:

Sleep late. (I've already messed that up...)
Take a long shower or bath. (...and this one too...)
Go out for coffee and a bagel. Or two. (Does making my own coffee at home count?)
Read a newspaper and circle all the punctuation errors you can find (or think you find) with a red pen. (A whole newspaper?!)
Take a leisurely stroll, paying close attention to store signs with incorrectly punctuated words. (Such as the place near my old apartment complex with menu on the door offering both egg rolls and egg rools...)
Stop in these stores to correct the owners. (Ha!)
If the owners are not there, leave notes. (Ha ha!)
Visit a book store and purchase a copy of Strunk & White's The Elements of Style. (Please, of course I already have this book. You should too!)

Look up all the words you circled. (The dictionary is a great friend.)
Congratulate yourself on becoming a better written communicator. (Good job, self.)
Go home. (If only...)
Sit down. (Maybe on the bed?)
Write an error-free letter to a friend. (Because snail mail is better than e-mail.)
Take a nap. It has been a long day. (I wish.)

Hmm. Apparently, in or order to properly celebrate NPD, it is essential to take a holiday from work. Mental note to self for next year!

from Ralph

2010-09-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

word of the day :: austere

2010-09-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

austere:

[aw-steer]

–adjective

1. severe in manner or appearance; uncompromising; strict; forbidding: an austere teacher.

2. rigorously self-disciplined and severely moral; ascetic; abstinent: the austere quality of life in the convent.

3. grave; somber; solemn; serious: an austere manner.

4. without excess, luxury, or ease; simple; limited; severe: an austere life.

5. severely simple; without ornament: austere writing.

6. lacking softness; hard: an austere bed of straw.

7. rough to the taste; sour or harsh in flavor.

Origin:

1300-50; ME (< AF) < L austērus < Gk austērós harsh, rough, bitter

"Come now, let us go and be dumb. Let us sit with our hands on our mouths, a long, austere, Pythagorean lustrum. Let us live in corners, and do chores, and suffer, and weep, and drudge, with eyes and hearts that love the Lord. Silence, seclusion, austerity, may pierce deep into the grandeur and secret of our being, and so diving, bring up out of secular darkness, the sublimities of the moral constitution."

:: Ralph Waldo Emerson ::

* Definition from www.dictionary.com

from Robertson

2010-09-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

"A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity, and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon, and by moonlight."

~ Robertson Davies ~

word of the day :: spurious

2010-09-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

spurious:

[spyoor-ee-uhs]

–adjective

1. not genuine, authentic, or true; not from the claimed, pretended, or proper source; counterfeit.

2. Biology . (of two or more parts, plants, etc.) having asimilar appearance but a different structure.

3. of illegitimate birth; bastard.

Origin:

1590-1600; < L spurius bastard, perh. < Etruscan; see -ous.

"Happy is the novelist who manages to preserve an actual love letter that he received when he was young within a work of fiction, embedded in it like a clean bullet in flabby flesh and quite secure there, among spurious lives."

:: Vladimir Nabokov ::

* Definition from www.dictionary.com

from Bertrand

2010-09-10T09:03:00.000-07:00

"Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness."

~ Bertrand Russell ~

Happy International Literacy Day!

2010-09-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

September 8 is International Literacy Day. If you visit the International Reading Association's web site, you'll see that more than 780 million adults worldwide do not know how to read and write. Two-thirds of that number are women. And somewhere between 94 and 115 million children lack access to education.

I learned to read at a young age, and I had three younger brothers (and sometimes the neighborhood dog) to read myriads of books to. In my family, reading has always been an important and valued pastime. Today, I'm grateful to have been raised and educated in a literate family and country. I just can't imagine life without books and the written word.

In honor of International Literacy Day, here are some of my favorite books throughout childhood, books that made me the reader and writer I am today!

A Bear Called Paddington

Stone Soup

The Hungry Thing

The Giving Tree

Are You My Mother?

The Berenstein Bears and Too Much Junk Food

Green Eggs and Ham

Amelia Bedelia

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Sarah, Plain and Tall

Little House on the Prairie

A Little Princess

The Betsy-Tacey Treasury

Island of the Blue Dolphins

And, more recently....

The Harry Potter series--even though I read them as an adult!

What were some of YOUR favorite books growing up?

word of the day :: smithereens

2010-09-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

smithereens:

[smith-uh-reenz]

–plural noun

small pieces; bits: broken into smithereens.

Origin:

1820-30; dial. smithers (< ?) + Hiberno-E -een dim. suffix (< Ir-ín )

"With him love of country means blowing it all to smithereens and having it all made over new."

:: Robert Frost ::

* Definition from www.dictionary.com

from E. B.

2010-09-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

"If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day."

~ E. B. White ~

review :: The Kite Runner

2010-08-31T21:19:00.000-07:00

The Kite Runner

Khalid Hosseini

The Kite Runner had been on my to-read list for a while, so when I joined my facecbook book club I was more than happy with the book of choice for the month of August.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a compelling view of a world I know nothing of--Afghanistan, class issues, and immigration. I did, however, find that the story itself carried this book heavily, as the writing was not spectacular. At times, it was almost soap opera-esque with some of the dramatic surprises and progression of ill-fated events. I also found Amir's adult character in the second half of the book somewhat unsatisfying; it was difficult to connect the adult Amir with the child Amir. His character seemed to change.

Relationship of varying kinds is explored--father/son, friend/friend, mentor/mentee, enemy/enemy, man/woman--and the various nuances and challenges of loving, longing, and scorning. Hosseini employs contrast to create interest and add layers to this story, most noticeably in the portrayal of Amir and Baba's journey and adjustment to life in America.

Both eye-opening and heartbreaking, Hosseini has crafted a thought-provoking and enlightening contemporary novel.