The Pyrenees---Southern France

The Pyrenees---Southern France

Monday, March 7, 2016

A Monday Magpie Mish-Mash



                 Today's post is a mixture of several things.

            First, a confession. Or perhaps more accurately, an admission. I did not finish my WIP on the 29th of February. March is a new month, but I'm not making any proclamations about finishing at the end of this month, because I failed in February. I'm still plugging away at it, but the last few weeks have been crazy ones, work-wise.

           Secondly, a lesson I learned this week: Be careful what you wish for. I hoped--after years of reading Grisham and the work of other courtroom novelists--to someday be a member of a jury. 

            This week I got what I wanted. And immediately was hit with the seriousness of it. The twelve of us were going to make a life-changing decision. The trial lasted all week, we argued deliberated for five hours and eventually came up with a decision that no one was happy with... least of all the murder victim's family.

            Also, I saw the photo (see the picture above) on Magpie's site, and it inspired me to write a lame short poem:


sealed with a kiss--
his last--
she sends it off,
hoping it will pierce
his cold heart
and dig into his useless organ 
a jagged hole
that'll never

ever

heal

revenge
is a cold, cold dish...


(Note:  I assumed that red thing is a mailbox--perhaps in England?--so if it's a trash can, my poem veered off in a weird direction, for sure.)


        
       Fourth (if I'm counting correctly), some writing friends and I will be at the Deer Run Library (in O'Fallon, Missouri) on Tuesday night. It's a panel discussion about Chicken Soup stories--what are the editors looking for? What are good sources of stories? How are stories crafted?

       The address is 1300 N. Main in O'Fallon. The event is from 7:00-8:30. Donna Volkenannt, Pat Wahler, Linda O'Connell and Cathi LaMarche are some of the panelists.

      So, if you want to beat me with a rubber hose because I'm still not finished with my novel, I'll gladly extend my hands. (Because I have so much padding on my rump, no pain for me if you choose that spot.) If you've never been on a trial jury, when you get the jury notice, think hard about the questions they ask--and your answers--during voir dire. If you're inspired by the above photo, go to Magpie Tales and join in the fun. And, if you're free and in the area on Tuesday, come to the Deer Run Library. We'd love to see you.




  



25 comments:

  1. It's definitely a mailbox (or postbox as we say) in England - there is one just like it at the end of my road.

    I've often wondered about jury duty too, such a weight to carry particularly in cases like that, I think it would haunt me what ever the decision was.

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    1. Sarah--Thanks for the confirmation. I should have sent it to a friend who's from England, but I'm often laughing at her expressions ("break" paper instead of "cut" for example), so she might not have been eager to help me out.

      There IS a weight that I imagine will take a long time to lighten...

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  2. You are a busy woman! No need to apologize about the WIP...you are way ahead of many already. And still you have energy to dash off poetry?...what is your secret for energy! Just keep going....

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    1. Claudia--The operative word is "dash." I didn't spend too much time on the poem--the coldness came to me right away--and changed it from "her last" to "his last" at the last moment.

      You! You gad about all over, taking trips to different parts of the country. How do you have the energy to do that?

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  3. Wow, love the poem! And it being about letters... well, right up my alley. I have another commitment or I'd be there Tuesday. Hope all goes well. Tell everyone hi for me. And I sat on a grand jury, but luckily we all had to just decide if it met the criteria to go on to a jury... that didn't seem as heavy as actually deciding someone's fate. It indeed is a very serious thing. One more - your WIP, at least you are working on it. Cut yourself some slack about the personal deadline.

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    1. Lynn--Thanks. And I AM cutting myself some slack... But not too much, or it'll never get finished.

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  4. Oh, Lord, jury duty. I've never been picked but I sit there thinking about what an awesome responsibility it is...

    And here's a bit of synchronicity--was just fixin' to send you an email about something CS related--stay tuned!

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    1. Cathy--I initially thought I was so lucky getting picked. I've watched so much Law and Order and LA Law and Perry Mason and Matlock, I could play a lawyer in real life. However, I soon discovered the lucky ones were the ones who were NOT chosen...

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  5. Oh dear. I fear I tried to warm up far too many cold hearts in my younger and less self-respecting years. It's an awful, hopeless feeling.

    I enjoyed the poem, and don't beat yourself up about the deadline. The important thing is that the work ends up being as you like it!

    http://poetryofthenetherworld.blogspot.com/2016/03/extremely-me.html

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    1. Cara--Are you sure that if I take my time, it will end up being something worthy? Do you promise? ;)

      I did the same thing with some caddish guys when I was younger. No more.

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  6. They have red letter boxes in England. I've always been curious about jury duty, too. I've been called twice but dismissed--with everybody else--both times.

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    1. Shay--You know what they say: curiosity killed the cat.

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  7. Jury duty! You've hit the big time. I hope you earn $29.04 for being on call for four months, like I did.

    I wouldn't look at your WIP effort as if you "failed." More like you didn't succeed, but you are progressing.

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    1. Val--On call? No way. Now I'm gun-shy, in more ways than one.

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  8. Cat-tails--I thought YOUR piece was interesting as well... It was a great photo to work with.

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  9. Great poem.

    I'd love to hang out with you and the gang at the library. Wish I could, but whoever does is destined to have a rollicking good time.

    No jury for me. I've received a notice multiple times, but have either been excused or had the defendant plead out before the trial began.

    On not meeting your deadline: Fuggedaboudit. A self-imposed deadline is only a suggestion. :) Seriously, don't beat yourself up over it. You know in your heart you'll reach the finish line. Better to take longer and have a solid rough draft than to rush it and be facing extra revision time because you were too focused on speed. You didn't fail to meet your deadline. You simply imposed a more logical new one. Also---just throwing this out there---I think my stories end up being BETTER sometimes when I push a deadline. The plot and character pieces have longer to simmer and it usually turns out to be an improvement over what I thought I was going to write. That's a silver lining, right?

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    1. Nice poem! You should write more...

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    2. Lisa--Thanks. Sometimes a poem comes to me fast and easily. Not too sure of your assessment, but I do appreciate it.

      And yes, simmering IS a good thing when it comes to spaghetti sauce and novels. My WIP has taken several unexpected turns because of time... and that is indeed a silver lining.

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    3. Jennifer--Thanks. Poetry was my first love, when I was an angst-filled teen... ;)

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  10. I like the poem.
    I dont' like being on juries.

    =)

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  11. Yes I am with Susan juries are not fun... I have done it twice...but they are necessary. A beautiful love poem Sioux!

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    1. Carrie--Thanks. And you're right. They ARE necessary.

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  12. Tuesday was fun. So great to see everyone! I once served on a jury (civil case) and we had to hash out the most ridiculous things to reach an agreement. It's a wonder jurors don't come to blows on really big cases, especially when they last for more than a few days.

    Pat
    Critter Alley

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  13. Tuesday was fun. So great to see everyone! I once served on a jury (civil case) and we had to hash out the most ridiculous things to reach an agreement. It's a wonder jurors don't come to blows on really big cases, especially when they last for more than a few days.

    Pat
    Critter Alley

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Thanks for your comments. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by...