Archive for the ‘Mama Kat’s Writing Workshop’ Category
Ten years ago today
Thursday, February 9th, 2012
Ten years ago today, I was a newlywed; we’d gotten married on the beach in December, because when you’re a baseball writer with barely two months of offseason, you need to fit in the wedding when you can. Living in SoCal is also helpful in these circumstances.
I also was about to leave for Tempe, Arizona, and spring training, which meant six weeks of red clay in my shoes, endless hours of waiting to talk to players and the manager and the coaching staff and front office personel, and the unpleasant odor from the huge stainless steel bowl of tuna salad that sat on the spread table in the hallway (and yes, even today, when I think of spring training, I can still smell that tuna salad). We’d spend a lot of time in that hallway, when the clubhouse was closed or we were waiting to talk to the manager, whose office a few doors down.
No one knew that the six weeks (during which I maybe had two days off) would be followed by the longest regular-season in team history. The Angels would end up playing – and winning – Game 7 of the World Series. I would work weeks without a day off, including flying across the country and back, and to the midwest and back, and to San Francisco and back. It was thrilling and exhausting and stressful and amazing.
And I had no idea the next spring training would be my last, that the two pink lines I saw the day after I returned home would irrevocably change my life.
But 10 years ago today, all I knew was I was leaving my husband of almost two months to spend another two months with men who weren’t him.
And it sucked.
Tags: angels, Arizona, Major League Baseball, newlyweds, spring training
Posted in Mama Kat's Writing Workshop | 22 Comments »
No pose for the camera
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012
There is not one photo that captures the essence of me. At least, I couldn’t find one.
I did find plenty of shots where I’m clearly trying to pose just so: hand on my hip, body tilted sideways, chin up so I don’t have jowls. And that is me, self-conscious and certain I don’t photograph well.
But the picture I chose is one of my absolute favorites. I obviously did not know my husband was taking pictures of me as I sat with my baby and I love that there is nothing posed about me at all.
What I really love about this shot is that how I feel about this child is written all over my face. I hope he – and all my kids – know how very much they are loved.
This post is for Mama Kat’s Writing Workshop.
Tags: candid photos, love, mama kat's writing workshop, toddler
Posted in Just me, Mama Kat's Writing Workshop, Parenting | 26 Comments »
The year that was
Thursday, December 29th, 2011
A lot happens in a year. And when you’re old like me, you forget. Which is why I’m glad I have this blog.
I went through and picked a favorite post from each month. Not necessarily my most popular one, but one that meant something to me.
Here we go.
January. This post was about my son being bullied and my reaction to it.
Of Spiderman, a bully and lessons learned
February. Fiction, but it seemed to strike a chord in those who read it.
March. A memory of my second home birth.
A million tiny sparkles of light
April. Oh, the lies we tell our kids. And how we’re caught in them.
May. Why is it so tough to say we’re proud of ourselves?
June. How we deal with disappointment.
July. Are we truly in the moment?
August. Why we blog.
Validation: It’s the new blogging black
September. A chance meeting with the father of a hero
October. Just don’t ask.
Ten things not to ask your spouse
November. My take, as a former sportswriter and a mom, on the Penn State debacle.
December. It’s a tough time of year when you’re not raising your kids with religion.
This post was inspired by Mama Kat’s writing workshop.
Tags: mama kat's writing workshop, year in review
Posted in Mama Kat's Writing Workshop | 8 Comments »
They are roaming, thanks to NaNoWriMo
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
I am deep into NaNo, even though it’s only been two days.
Characters roam freely inside my head, dancing around and doing some crazy stuff.
(Even though Eddie Vedder says “Can’t let you roam inside my head.”)
I have my own head, thankyouverymuch.
I fall in love with my characters.
And then I have to do very bad things to them.
All in a month’s work.
This post is in response to Mama Kat’s prompt, “Do a post in eight lines.”
Tags: Eddie Vedder, Mama Kats writing workshop, NaNoWriMo, Pearl Jam, writing
Posted in Mama Kat's Writing Workshop, NaNoWriMo | 24 Comments »
22 things I HAVE done
Thursday, October 27th, 2011
The beautiful Tracy of Sellabitmum was mortified by the list for Mama Kat’s Writing Workshop I did last week of 22 things I’ve never done. This week, I’m writing 22 things I HAVE done, but I’m somehow I get the feeling I still won’t be cool enough. Story of my life.
1. Had Barry Bonds tell me I have nice legs.
2. Run two marathons.
3. Had two home births, one a surprise.
5. Inhaled.
6. Swam with sting rays in the wild.
7. Tied a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree.
8. Been in an elevator with Tom Cruise.
9. Sang my lungs out at a Springsteen concert – more than a few times.
10. Stole my father’s cigarettes.
11. Stood many times on the field at Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field.
12. Sat on a hard wood pew at the funeral of a parent.
13. Had a broken heart.
14. Been kissed in kindergarten by a boy named Shaun Cassidy, but he wasn’t THE Shaun Cassidy.
15. Had champagne and beer poured over my head in a Major League clubhouse (stings your eyes like crazy, FYI).
16. Saw a high school kid drown.
17. Lost 30 pounds the summer I graduated college.
18. Drank beer in London, Bruges and Barcelona.
19. Owned a red dachshund named Stogie.
20. Moved five times – by myself – in seven years while pursuing my career.
21. Kept my mouth shut.
22. Fallen in love.
Tags: Barry Bonds, home births, mama kat's writing workshop, marathons, things I've done
Posted in Just me, Mama Kat's Writing Workshop | 53 Comments »
