My struggle with writer's block is not yet over unfortunately for me. But I think I'm inching forward which is much better than blankly staring at a brick wall. And I have the kids I volunteer with to thank. Again.
Last week they made me feel so important, wanting my autograph. This week they helped me take a big step into the twenty first century. I walked into the classroom and the girls were gathered around the board playing a computer game. Taking their seats, the teacher blanked out the screen from her computer.
"Write on the smart board if you want to, Linda," the teacher said.
Now I'm not a total idiot when it comes to technology but I'd never seen this kind of set up before. I picked up the black electronic pen and started to write. I ended up with a bunch of squiggles.
"Don't rest your hand on the board when you write," one of the girls shouted out. "Erase it and start over."
I picked up the electronic eraser with my other hand and tried to erase my scribbles. No such luck.
"You can only use one instrument at a time. Put down the pen."
"Don't you guys use a blackboard any more?" I asked. "Where's the chalk?"
The teacher shook her head no.
The girls giggled. "We have that," a student said pointing to the corner of the room. There was a white board or what I would call a dry erase board. An antique in their world. I never saw a whiteboard until my working days in business. I was starting to feel nostalgic for a piece of chalk and black erasers that had to be taken outside and clapped.
I moved on. We did some writing exercises and had a few more laughs.
"What time is it?" someone asked.
I looked at my watch and said, "It's twenty to one."
Every face in the room scrunched up and looked at me like I had ten heads. "It's twelve forty."
"Oh. You tell digital time. None of you own a watch do you?" I pointed at the one on my wrist.
"No!"
I felt so old yet I felt young again. Being around young people has a tendency to do that. Without even knowing it, the girls helped me get my head out of my old, tired, habits. Writing needs to be fresh, current, relevant. If I'm still writing about characters that use a slide rule I might never be hip. I left class feeling as if I'd climbed at least half way over that stubborn brick wall. I went to the library and did some writing. Only a little. But it was writing.
Last week they made me feel so important, wanting my autograph. This week they helped me take a big step into the twenty first century. I walked into the classroom and the girls were gathered around the board playing a computer game. Taking their seats, the teacher blanked out the screen from her computer.
"Write on the smart board if you want to, Linda," the teacher said.
Now I'm not a total idiot when it comes to technology but I'd never seen this kind of set up before. I picked up the black electronic pen and started to write. I ended up with a bunch of squiggles.
"Don't rest your hand on the board when you write," one of the girls shouted out. "Erase it and start over."
I picked up the electronic eraser with my other hand and tried to erase my scribbles. No such luck.
"You can only use one instrument at a time. Put down the pen."
"Don't you guys use a blackboard any more?" I asked. "Where's the chalk?"
The teacher shook her head no.
The girls giggled. "We have that," a student said pointing to the corner of the room. There was a white board or what I would call a dry erase board. An antique in their world. I never saw a whiteboard until my working days in business. I was starting to feel nostalgic for a piece of chalk and black erasers that had to be taken outside and clapped.
I moved on. We did some writing exercises and had a few more laughs.
"What time is it?" someone asked.
I looked at my watch and said, "It's twenty to one."
Every face in the room scrunched up and looked at me like I had ten heads. "It's twelve forty."
"Oh. You tell digital time. None of you own a watch do you?" I pointed at the one on my wrist.
"No!"
I felt so old yet I felt young again. Being around young people has a tendency to do that. Without even knowing it, the girls helped me get my head out of my old, tired, habits. Writing needs to be fresh, current, relevant. If I'm still writing about characters that use a slide rule I might never be hip. I left class feeling as if I'd climbed at least half way over that stubborn brick wall. I went to the library and did some writing. Only a little. But it was writing.
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