Blogoversary

     I  can't believe it. I have been blogging for 6 years . I started writing this blog on January 1, 2008. A lot has happened since then. Its been an incredible journey. Here's to the future and more writing.  Happy 2014!

blogoversary

yesterday was my blogoversary.  i have been writing this blog for three years. im amazed and relieved that i still have things to write about!! its been quite a journey. its great to put my thoughts out there and to find  that others have the same experiences. blogging makes the world a little less lonely. thanks for reading everybody!!

the freedom writers

i just finished reading a most incredible book compiled by erin gruwell and her students called the freedom writers . erin gruwell is a white woman who taught kids from the hood to channel their anger into writing using the diary of anne frank as a catalyst. reading the diaries of these high school students is a rude awakening. there are fourteen year olds who are jaded by drunk or druggie parents and have been molested by parents or family "friends". so many of their friends and relatives are in jail or have been murdered. most adults ( bh) have not experienced as much adversity as these teenagers. because there is so much corruption around them many cannot rise above it. many do not have a support system that could help them rise above their lot. erin gruwell created a classroom that was supportive . she also had them read books and diaries of those who rose above hate and racism so they would not feel like their suffering is debilitating. she encouraged them to share their own stories through writing their own journals.

reading this book made me thankful that i did not grow up in the hood.

after teaching this group of students for four years erin gruwell taught college courses to create future educators how who will foster a nurturing teaching environment for students from backgrounds like the freedom writers so their students will be able to rise above their "destiny" .

happy blogoversary!!

ive made it through two years of blogging! it feels amazing. i thank everyone for reading. when i first started writing i felt shy to tell others that i was writing a blog. over time i had actually started getting comments and started telling friends about it. its hard to be completely anonymous anyway because sometimes people can figure out your identity anyway through reading your blog. i don't write anything that i wouldn't mind anyone knowing i have written. its also hard to keep blogging a complete secret because i enjoy it so much. when a post gets a good response i want to share the news with others.
it has been enjoyable to meet some of my readers this year. it makes life more interesting and the world seem a little smaller.
i thank those of you who follow this blog. i feel honored that the list has increased this year.
as usual its fun too see which posts get comments and which don't.
thank you all for reading and im looking forward to posting more this year!

20,000 hits!!!

i passed the 20,000 hit mark yesterday!! what's really cool is that it took me a year and four months to get to 10,000 hits. its taken nine more months to get to 20,000! thank you all for reading!!!

art

art is not a handicraft. it is a transmission of feeling the artist has experienced.-tolstoy. or at least according to some poster i saw yesterday , these words are tolstoys! no matter. i believe its true. art is definitely self expression to the max. the more one has experienced the richer ones art . this applies to writing , painting, crochet , photography, jewelery making , etc. its not just a matter of slapping some words together or following a pattern. its a matter of transmitting one's being via creativity.

tweetup / blogger meet up

i went to the jewish tweetup /blogger meet up at 92y tribeca last wednesday.
when i first saw the event advertised by frumsatire on facebook, i wasnt sure if i even wanted to go. it would be fun to meet other bloggers, but did i want to blow my anonymity? would it make any difference to those who would meet me if i were no longer anonymous? would they even know i am a blogger anyway?
WELL ... i decided to go anyway. i figured chances were there would be so many people there that it wouldnt matter anyway....
there were not so many in attendance, but it was definitely quality above quantity..... though not a huge turnout, it was so social i didnt get a chance to chat with everyone!
moshe and his wife who i met months ago were there , heshy fried of frumsatire, wolfishmusings and jacobdajew, elisheva and her husband therealshliach, jacobdajew, and susanne were there. i met elke reva sudin of hipstersandhassids and her husband saul . i met itamar and metroimma. i also met sshriki who frequently comments on my blog.
it was cool to see those responsible for typing some of the blogs that i have read. there really werent enough people to make it too overwhelming.
it was kind of like a book event at barnes and noble for bloggers. someone was even on her computer during the event to make all of us bloggers feel at home. after all , stepping out of the computer into real life can be a bit daunting.

writing

ive always enjoyed creative writing . ive also always had the penmanship of a brain surgeon . MESSY. typing on an old fashioned typewriter was a pill . it took me forever to type without looking.
im so glad computers are around now. they make writing so much easier. they make correcting typos so much easier. in this sense i am not nostalgic for the old days. i may be addicted to my computer, but my writing has increased and my typing has improved. yay technology!

the joys of blogging

i enjoy blogging because ive always enjoyed creative writing. blogging is creative writing with a twist. you get to write your thoughts and get published, and get instant feedback.
its interesting to write as well as read other people's blogs. its great to see the readership grow via my sitemeter, but its also nice to just be writing. whoever reads my blog reads my blog and hopefully enjoys it.
i also know that it takes awhile for people to find a blog. some bloggers start blogging and immediately have a huge readership and for others it takes longer to catch on. whatever. its not like there's a fee to keep this blog up. so whoever reads it reads it whoever doesnt its their loss. i enjoy sharing my views with whoever is willing to listen. i enjoy reading the comments.
have a great shabbos!

creative (writing ) blogging

as a kid i really enjoyed creative writing. i always thought that i would make a career of it. well i didnt end up pursuing one because my dad told me that 'no one makes money as a writer. ' so i didnt pursue a grand writing career. the job that i do have does not makes tons of bucks either. i do realize that it is quite tough to make it as a successful writer. so i do understand why my dad said what he said. now im enjoying blogging. its my way of being a published writer without leaving my apartment.