By: Kristen Ball

In the event you might not trust my opinion, I give you the statistics from The USA Freedom Corps – The President’s Call To Action. "During his State of the Union address, President George W. Bush called upon every American to get involved in strengthening America's communities and sharing America's compassion around the world." Since its inception, the outpouring of our Nation’s dedication toward making a difference in their own backyard has been astonishing. It's up"90 percent over pre-State of the Union levels."

Post September 11^th, Americans felt the need to validate their existence. We the People fought for closure. We needed resolution. Our fast-paced, self-centered pride demanded we place blame. Why? So we could get on with our daily lives. Guess what? The bandage won’t stick. The wound won’t heal. The ONLY thing that eases the pain is connection – reaching out to one another with our words, our thoughts and our deeds. Finding a sense of belonging has become the center of our individualist desires. No longer our jobs, or the cars we drive, or the houses we live in seem as important as they did only one year ago.

I long for simpler times. To revisit and reconnect to my roots. I’m in search of the reminiscent assembly of three men, parked on a bench, in front of the local barbershop - a cup of coffee and the daily paper at their side. To stop and chat, to hear the latest gossip, rumors and jokes. Rocking in a swing on a sprawling front porch. Watching children play tag or a game of kickball in the street. Watching over and protecting their innocence. Seeing a mother pushing her stroller. Smiling as a dog succumbs to his itch and rolls frantically in the grass. I will holler at the paperboy for missing the stoop – again! I yearn to stroll down the sidewalk at dusk and know the stranger who brushes my arm. I’m not alone am I?

I despise the eight- foot block walls and concrete slabs off our back door. I want serenity not seclusion, lightening bugs, chirping crickets and a monsoon sunset. But the metropolis is my home. I live in a community but I haven’t settled in. I hang my head in shame, after twelve years I have yet to raise my head towards a neighbor – let alone share a cup of coffee or lend a cup of sugar. But I want to.

The nostalgic days of yesteryear are not forgotten. It’s time I do something about it. One of the greatest thrills I had as a child was preparing a May- Day basket for our family’s friends and neighbors. I put my heart and soul into every cylindrical cone I prepared. I handpicked the wildflowers. My mother stood beside me as we popped the corn on the stove. I spent hours slaving over its presentation. Once satisfied, I'd gather up the baskets in my arms and scamper down the street. Hanging baskets on neighbor's doors. Ringing the bell then running to hide. I’d squat down behind a bush and wait, anxious to see their faces light up! Oh Yeah -the element of surprise - what a high!

Ya' know, there is no rule that says it has to be a May-Day basket. Heck, half the world doesn’t even remember what they were, let alone what they symbolized. There is one truth that remains, it takes only a single pebble to create the ripple effect. It’s time to peek my head out the screen door. Take my children by the hand and lead them back in time.

There may not be a lot of wildflowers around these parts, but I do have a flower garden in the corner of my yard. So the dog has trampled them, the sun has withered them and my boys have picked the beauties. That won’t stop me. I’m extending my hand to a neighbor, crying out, "I feel your pain." Compassion is my gift.

What a thrill it will be the fill the house with the aroma of roses and fresh popped corn! I’m gonna do it! I’m going to show my children what a neighborhood has the potential of offering. It is time to return to the nostalgia of my youth. We will begin a new tradition – The September 11^th basket – in honor of all that is good -if only in my own home, for my own family and my own community.

I am fearful and I am leery! But, I will persevere. I have to. Our President demands it. But still, I have that deep seated fear of rejection. To reassure myself and validate my intentions, I think I’ll enclose this article so they don’t think I am completely nuts!

Regardless of the outcome, I will be buying myself a rocker for the front porch! Stop by. Say hi. Sit for a spell. I’ll bring out the lemonade! This is Kris in Glendale, Arizona and I’ll leave the light on for you.

Copyright © 2002, Kristen Ball. All Rights reserved.

Kristen is freelance writer, who- in her free time – is the mother of three, a wife, a baker, and a candlestick maker. For more from her visit www.KristensComedyCorner.com. For story ideas or comments, Email Kristen at kball@cox.net.

Journaling - Exercise for the Mind, By Heather V. Long

A journal is a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use. At least that is one of the definitions for it. My journal is the gym for my mind. Like the thirty minutes I spend on the bike each day or the fifteen-minute brisk walk around the mall, my mind needs a flexion and cardio workout as well. The journal provides the exercise my mind needs to keep in shape.

Journaling began in earnest when I was seventeen years old. A million and one stories have begun and ended in the pages of my journals. Snippets of experiences, personal memoirs and simple, ranting rages fill the pages. When my daughter was born, I took to journaling letter entries to her. The idea was to custom write a book I would give her on her sixteenth birthday as a present, which said, "Hi, I'm a person, too." That journal possesses only three letters so far, but in each one there is thought and feeling.

The exercise of journaling is a good way to decompress from a stressful period in life. Five years ago, my Tennessee Walking Horse mare developed an eye ulcer. It was a dangerous situation, which could easily result in her losing the eye. A lavage system, a tube inserted through her sinus passage to her eye, was set up and she required medications to be flushed through the tube every two hours. I spent two weeks living in the barn, arising every two hours rhythmically to give her a shot. The journal saved my life as I poured in the fears, the worries and sometimes the not so lucid hallucinations that come from lack of sleep. The eye was saved and eventually I was able to sleep regular hours again, but there is some honesty in those journals that continues to move me today.

From time to time, I re-read the journal entries and reflect on the times when I wrote them. It is amusing to read an entry from when I was nineteen and my world revolved around the success or failure of a relationship I was involved in. I find myself struggling to remember what the gentleman in question even looked like; at least until I read the three pages where I describe each and every feature. The journal is a tool. It's a memory, some story ideas that were borne within the pages never see fruition while others return in different forms in later journals.

To get into good physical shape, I work out on my bike. To get into good writing shape, I work out with my journal. The journal is a personal friend and companion. It remembers things I've long since forgotten and it's always there, waiting for me to pick up the pen and revisit the colorful tales of my recent days or to recount some misadventure I'd like to explore.

Working on a journal is just like working an exercise program, you can't say you are too tired and you can't put it off. When I'm tired and can't think of anything particular dazzling to write, I pull out a book of quotes and write one down. Then I write about what the quote makes me think about.

Another good exercise is to randomly pick a channel, watch whatever pops up for five minutes and detail what your thoughts are about it. A third trick that works is to look around the workspace you sit in and chose three items that are laid out there and write about why they are there and what purpose they serve.

Granted, each and every one of these exercises seem mundane, but then so is riding that stationary bike through that same set of pre-programmed routes each day. The purpose is not necessarily to write something brilliant, but simply to write. Once begun, the pen begins to move of its own accord and the words flow.

Practicing journaling lets your mind flex and with each flexion, your skill improves. Soon, you find you are writing ten and twelve pages in the same amount of time it used to take you to write two.

Author's Bio
Heather V. Long is a freelance writer who resides in Virginia. When she is not working hard on writing assignments, she is working on quilts and spending time with her husband Scott and daughter Cassidy. Heather also raises horses, manages four dogs, three cats and a tank full of fish.

FUN FAMILY HISTORY: Ten Ways to Keep Your Family Clamoring For More, By Christine Whittaker Sofge

Learning about our family’s history can be fascinating, intriguing, addictive. We accumulate family anecdotes, photographs, vital records and pedigree charts. Armed with our treasures, we attempt to share our new-found knowledge with the rest of the family. And what do we get? Eyes glazing over, stifled yawns and muttered excuses as they scurry away. It is perplexing, we think. This is our family history. Our roots. Our heritage. Why aren’t they as entranced as we are?

Looking at it from our family’s point of view, it can be overwhelming trying to keep all those names and relationships straight. Remember memorizing all those dates in high school history? As family historian and writer, it is our job to take the bare bones of genealogical facts and create a compelling family story, one our family will enjoy reading. But it doesn’t have to be just one story. We can break it into parts. So, how do we start?

Focus. Whether we have collected sixteen generations of baptismal and marriage records or only a few family stories, when we share with our family, it is best to share often and in small doses. Keeping this in mind can make writing up our family history a joy for all concerned.

Start small. Yes, you may have every detail of great-great-Uncle Theodore’s life from birth to death, but one really fascinating bit is his time in the regimental band of the South Carolina Cavalry during the Civil War. Start with that.

Select a theme. Perhaps you have been listening to your grandfather’s stories since you were knee-high. Pick out the funniest, strangest or most amazing and write up just those.

Put it in a fun package. Tell your family’s Civil War stories in a children’s book. Put a few of Gramp’s stories in a family cookbook. Write brief family anecdotes (perhaps with a seasonal theme) on the pages of a family events calendar.

Instead of trying to tell your whole family history in one enormous volume, give your family the best of your research compressed into perfect gems which show just how your family can sparkle.

Here are ten ideas for projects to help focus your family history writing. These can be family projects or single endeavors. You are only limited by your imagination!

Family history/family cookbooks: Ours was a huge hit at my husband’s family reunion. People seeking reunion souvenirs, family cooks and those who contributed recipes all wanted copies. Our book contained family recipes and one-page vignettes about my husband’s ancestors scattered throughout the pages, but the specific format is, of course, up to you. It is a good idea to minimize the use of pedigree charts and include as many photographs and illustrations as possible.

Family traditions: How does your family celebrate weddings and holidays? Are there traditions associated with the birth of a child? naming traditions? sports traditions? Any and all of these could become chapters (or the entire focus) of a family book or booklet. If your family belongs to a particular ethnic group, a discussion of group traditions followed by specific examples from your family history make interesting reading and contain useful information for those who want to continue those traditions.

Family music collections: If you have composers in the family, a book of music with brief biographical sketches of the composers can become a true family heirloom. Alternatively, you may have old copies of music found in your grandmother’s piano bench. A description of your grandparents’ lives illustrated with their favorite music can make your family history sing. Even if you don’t have direct evidence of which music your family enjoyed, there are music history web sites that can help you identify the songs and hymns popular during specific historical periods.

Family geography: Where did you come from? A book of historical maps tracing the family migration from the “old country” to present day, interspersed with family stories, can be a marvelous way to get across a sense of family heritage. If your family came from Europe, there are historical maps showing how country borders changed over time. This may have affected your family’s sense of identity. (For example, the borders of Poland changed dramatically in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.) If your family stayed rooted in one spot for hundreds of years, how has the area changed over time?

Children’s stories or coloring books: Writing the story of your ancestor’s Atlantic crossing as a children’s story can help you distill the story to its essential elements and highlight the most intriguing events. It may even become popular with the adults! Or if you have an artistic flair (or are good at finding representative line drawings on the internet), you may decide to create a family history coloring book. This can be a great starting point for family history discussions with young children.

Mini-biographies or family sketches: Which of your ancestor’s led particularly fascinating lives? Are there inventors in the family? Writers? Their lives can become the focus of a mini-biography or family sketch. These can be incorporated into other projects or stand alone as small booklets.

Family events calendars: Remind the family of your birthday (and everyone else’s too!) Family events calendars can note both current and historical dates of interest. (Did you know you were born on the day great-aunt Sadie arrived at Ellis Island?) With each month, you might include an old photo or illustration and a brief discussion of a related family history event. These may have a seasonal theme.  For December, a discussion of family holiday traditions might be appropriate. November’s page might recount stories of ancestors who served in military actions (for Veteran’s Day), etc.

Family newsletters: Family newsletters are quite popular these days, especially when families are online. Your newsletter, of course, will include news of today – that is what most readers will be looking for. But there is a place for family history here, as well. One successful formula I have seen for structuring a newsletter is: one quarter focused on the activities and events of the oldest generation, one quarter on the younger adults, one quarter on the children and one quarter on the historical family. Something for everyone!

Tracing traits or characteristics: Do you have mathematical genes (and geniuses) in your family? Follow a family trait (musical ability, work as a baker or blacksmith) across generations. What is your earliest evidence of the trait? Do you see this trait in the current generation? Put your findings into a booklet to share.

Family trivia games: Trivia games are popular family pastimes. Make it personal! Create a family history quiz game based on your research. If you use pre-scored business card stock, cards can be printed from your computer. This can be an entertaining way to teach the younger generation and test the knowledge (and memory!) of the older generation.

With the availability of digital printing and the prevalence of home computers, these projects can be easily and inexpensively produced. Think small. Focus on the intriguing parts of your family history. You will be amazed at how much you will be able to share. Have fun and let your imagination reign!

Christine Whittaker Sofge is a freelance writer and amateur genealogist. She writes on a variety of topics, including family history research methods. She has begun planting the seeds of interest in family history and writing in her young children (ages three and five). Christine may be contacted by email at: sofge@yahoo.com.
 

BEAT THE BLOCK WITH A JOURNAL, By Mridu Khullar

It's nearing the end of summer, and I have no credentials to my benefit these holidays. As the end of the holidays approach, I keep wondering what I have to show for the summer other than the noticeable tan, and the load of incomplete articles adorning my computer.

Having nothing to write about can be exasperating. But having plentiful to do, and not doing it out of sheer laziness or lack of interest is a whole other story. I have articles months old that haven't seen the light of day. Ah, if only I could complete them. But procrastination and laziness stand in the way. I've been telling myself that it's the heat, but with the temperatures going down again, I'm not even left with that excuse.

I have seemingly divorced myself from the half-written articles that sit there waiting on some remote folder in my computer. Somehow, I never get to completing something if I leave it midway. And this time is no different. I ended up opening the files, reading their contents, closing them with a mental note that they needed to be finished and went back to my Need for Speed racing adventure.

After an endless round of mindless car racing, I decided it was time to get back to work. Having nothing to write about, I thought I'd try my hand at a journal. Writers are always saying that keeping journals spark up your creativity, but somehow I never thought I'd be writing in one. I'd always wondered why a writer would waste her precious time writing in a journal, when she could be earning money, writing those words in an article or story.

So, I began Mission Journal by simply opening up my word processor and writing the first thing that came into my mind. Incidentally, I started rambling about how much I had wanted to achieve but with a drastic case of writer's block having swept over me the last few days, my ambitions had been reduced to dust. Before I knew it, I had written two thousand words, simply on why I couldn't write and how it was playing havoc with my spirit.

I hate to admit it, but the truth is - I was wrong. A journal is not a waste of a writer's time. It's a learning process. When a computer professional sits down to learn a new programming language, he's not wasting his time. He's preparing himself for situations in which his programming skills could come in handy. Similarly, a journal can be the resource a writer digs into when she's at a loss of ideas and can't find anything to write about. It gives the writer practice she needs every single day, and enables her to create a much desired momentum in her writing.

The day I started writing in my journal, was the day my month-long block finally came to an end. And as I wrote, I found my mind racing faster than my fingers could type. Soon, I was writing not only about my day, but also my holidays, my last semester and the last time the family went on a holiday
together. Incidents kept springing to my mind and I was caught in the adrenalin rush. I was writing!

I had needed a spark for my creativity, and the journal had done just that. It had made given me the push that I needed to start, and once I was writing, the ideas and the words came to me like they had never left my side.

Journals give the writer the three things she needs most: Practice, Motivation and Ideas.

Now, everyday before I begin writing my articles or stories, I simply pen down a page in my journal. If I don't feel like writing on paper, I've maintained a journal on my computer too. Not only do I get a jumpstart on my day, I also feel more energized and ready to write pages and pages of prose.

Journals can also be a great storehouse of ideas. When you think that you've suddenly become unresponsive to the ideas around you or can't find a character to fit into your stories, peek into your journal, and you'll find something priceless there. The trip to the lake last summer or the fight with your neighbor might just become incidents in your next best seller.

Journals are not necessarily diaries in which you record your personal thoughts and feelings. They can be lists of goals, pet care tips, or simply free writing that you do everyday before you get to work. They needn't even be focused on one topic - you can introduce random thoughts whenever and wherever you like. In writing a journal, there are no rules; you simply write what you want.

As of writing this, I maintain four journals to suit my different moods. I don't write in all of them everyday, but do try to write in at least one each day. On days that I don't have too much work to do, I spark my creativity by writing in all four. Who knew, that a journal would become my best friend.
 

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