The Pyrenees---Southern France

The Pyrenees---Southern France

Thursday, October 6, 2011

It's Thursday TMA (The Morning After)

      Lately, a couple of times a month, I binge on Wednesday nights. I get wildly drunk. I revel. I carouse.

      Of course, since one glass of wine loosens my tongue to the point of embarrassment (mine) and amusement (everyone else), I'm not talkin' 'bout booze. Since my after-hours life is so pathetically sucky, the level of the revel is not too high.* And since I'm so menopausally and sleep apnea-sleep deprived, the carousing is not too late ("Yikes! It's quarter after 9!") nor does it ever result in a call to the police. (However, there's always that frozen leg of lamb or the wood chipper...that just might end up getting the cops' attention!)

     A couple of Wednesdays a month, I meet with a group of wild women with pens. The laughter, the kinship, the sharp barbs...that's the whipped cream, because why we're really there is to hone our writing ability and increase our submissions.

Here are a few things I've learned so far from my "chicka peeps":

  • When you're tempted to wait for a friend to get out of their car so you can knock on the door together, and the friend has a bunch of flowers in hand (and your hands are empty), race to the door, and make sure you make your own entrance. That way, your lack of thoughtfulness will not be so evident. 
  • Looks can be deceiving. Sometimes women can be thin, young, cute and talented in the area of writing. They can also be genuinely wonderful people.  It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, I've found I like them in spite of it.
  • When faced with self doubt...when you get a rejection letter...when you're worried your writing sucks...Think WWSD.
          What would Sioux do?  Sioux would say, "_____   _____." (It's one of her favorite phrases.) It just tears and wears you down if you obsess over the opinion of others. Work your craft. Let your talent shine. And let doubt fall to the wayside.

      What charges your battery? Who are your "chicka peeps" (or your "scratch and sniff pals," if you're of the male persuasion?) What snappy comeback do you give--at least in your mind--when you get rejected? Inquiring minds want to know... 

         (How did I do, Hope?)

* Although my husband got us tickets to see John Prine in December, and I'm shrieking with delight. Shay, eat your heart out.

11 comments:

  1. Okay, what's TMA? I know I'll end up hitting my forehead, saying, DUR. Just like when I asked what's LBD. I need a cheat sheet with all the SSS (just made that up Silly Short Sayings). Chicka Peeps... what's not to love?

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  2. Ooops! Sorry, I added it to the title. The Morning After...

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  3. Chicka Peeps. Ha! For me, that would be The Inklets, the small writers' group I belong to. (Cathy Hall, Deb Mayhew, Tanya Valentine and yours truly.) Don't know what I'd do without their honest critiques and brilliant wit. Really truly.

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  4. You are funny. Period. I am so lucky to have a fun, sassy, scrappy group of chicka peeps like you all ; )

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  5. Without you, Sioux, what would we do? You are one of four reasons why I love Wednesday Critique. The buffalo dip might be the 5th, oh and the pasta the 6th... You are all soul sisters.

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  6. My "chicka peeps" are a couple of old biddies at school who I pal around with. They don't bemoan my uneven usage of who/whom, or care that I use prepositions to end sentences with. They are great with moral support, but not so great with critiques.

    I thought I'd found a writing group back in June, but then nobody showed up except me and the leader.

    When rejected, I like to host myself an itty bitty pity party, and proclaim, "Snobs! They're just trying to keep the ol' redneck gal down." That makes me feel vindicated, and I merrily return to writing pieces that amuse only me.

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  7. I wouldn't stay out past 9 PM on a school night for anyone but you all (am on fall break right now, and look, here I am on your blogs). Lynn, nice use of the word "DUR." And what IS LBD, anyway??

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  8. What charges my battery? A really, really good book, a long walk, talking shop with friends, a mellow night with hubby . . .

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  9. Oh, Sioux, you do make me laugh.

    I never get rejection letters because I'd have to actually submit first!

    Pearl

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  10. Oh man, I almost missed this. John Prine! (and Marty too??? I love Marty Stuart.)

    But I'm still wondering about the wild women with pen--

    Ohhhh, PENS. Never mind!

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  11. As the creator of 'Chica Peeps," I was wondering where you heard the term and hoping you'd submit a story to "Who Are YOUR Chica Peeps?"

    Velya Jancz-Urban
    www.chicapeeps.com

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