Got Words? | Journaling Workshop 4.18.16

Discussion in 'Journaling and Storytelling' started by scrapsandsass, Apr 18, 2016.

  1. scrapsandsass

    scrapsandsass Oh Ricky you're so fine ...

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    April is poetry month. But don’t run away screaming!

    This mini workshop isn’t just about poetry. The material here will give you techniques used by poets that you can use for journaling on your scrap or art journal pages.

    A lot of people feel that they don’t understand poetry or that it isn’t for them. Believe me, I have a degree in poetry, and there are still certain poets who confuse the heck out of me. Anyway, a lot of times poetry may be seen as confusing or standoffish, but it really doesn’t have to be that way.

    But the good thing is that poems can offer several different tricks we can use for journaling on our pages. For those who feel like their journaling is too private and/or something they don't want to share... you can use these tips and tricks to craft a different sort of journaling that may make it easier to post. The poem types I've selected are accessible… they are pretty straight-forward and easy to understand. These poetic forms are simple to read and write. They include: list poems, found poetry, free verse, and narrative poems.

    This week, we’ll go over a brief overview and then start to focus on how some of the keys to writing poetry will also translate to any sort of good journaling.

    Today I’ll provide a handout that has some tips, tricks, and a couple of short exercises that will get you ready for taking your journaling to the next level. I’ll also include some samples that show the tips in action. Over the next couple of days, play around with the exercises and see how you can strengthen your journaling, and hopefully by Friday, you'll be putting your new found tips into action and journaling on the page.

    I'll be back soon with the handout (as soon as my stinking computer cooperates)!
     
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  2. AnneofAlamo

    AnneofAlamo Slippers IN sunshine? Even better!

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    Poetry used to be such a pain
    I didn't grasp the initial vein,
    Then a teacher taught thru rock,
    and finally the meaning I got!

    She used Led Zeppelin, and the Stones,
    until I thought I would collapse and moan.
    As Stairway to Heaven was torn apart,
    the meaning was more than I ever thought.

    I brought her bad limericks and jokes,
    until her brain began to smoke!
    Now it is kimberlee I get to torment
    with bad rhymes and run on sentence!
     
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  3. FarrahJobling

    FarrahJobling FarrahJobling

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    fun! I can't wait to give it a try
     
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  4. Pachimac

    Pachimac Give me all the cliché Christmas movies

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  5. scrapsandsass

    scrapsandsass Oh Ricky you're so fine ...

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    FarrahJobling likes this.
  6. AnneofAlamo

    AnneofAlamo Slippers IN sunshine? Even better!

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    opened right up, and am reading it right now! looks fantastical!
     
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  7. Sharon Evans

    Sharon Evans Well-Known Member

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    Looks great! Thinking, thinking . . .
     
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  8. Mylinn

    Mylinn What's that old bat up to now??

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    This is just perfect for my scrapbook style. I make lots of pages but have few personal photos. This will allow me to more easily add journal bits to explain the page to those who view my efforts and to myself when I'm old & memory lost. Yes, once I get a book of pages up, I'm printing them out. It's my scrapbook and it can have what ever I want in it, lol.
     
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  9. Pachimac

    Pachimac Give me all the cliché Christmas movies

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    Is this what we're supposed to do? I set a timer for 3 minutes and wrote what I was sensing...

    I hear
    the clicking of the keyboard as I type
    the refrigerator
    the scrape of the pencil on the paper while Melissa draws
    the fish tank
    water sounds
    breathing
    my ears ringing
    the creak of the chair as I move
    the click of the mouse

    I feel
    back hurts
    fingers cramped
    cold touch of the leather chair
    tight jeans

    I smell
    popcorn

    I see
    my computer
    the phone counting down the minutes
    the silent tv
    a pile of shoes I wish would go away
    messy kitchen
    sticky something on the desk in front of me
    Melissa drawing
    my empty cup
    a stack of books
    dirty carpet
    a pile of blankets

    What do I do with it? LOL
     
  10. klee73010

    klee73010 I might have a thing for drummers

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    I grabbed it, too. No issues!
     
  11. scrapsandsass

    scrapsandsass Oh Ricky you're so fine ...

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    I love it. See... there is a poet inside of you! :)

    It is a good practice to write/journal even if you don't end up doing anything with it. A lot of times, people think that they aren't "writers" because they just don't practice it enough. I read a great quote about how if you want to be a great pianist or a great swimmer, you think/know that you have to spend hours and hours practicing, but people seem to think that writers just pop onto the scene and are writers from the get go. Like you are a writer or you aren't. But that's not the case. Writing, like anything, takes practice. If you don't write regularly, there will be times when you want to put something onto a scrap page, and it will be difficult or feel forced because you are out of the groove.

    But I think you should hold onto that piece of writing. Sit with it for a bit. I will be giving some other exercises in the coming days, and you can play with this and use it during other exercises (to tweak or revise) or maybe you'll end up adding to it or deleting something and adding the finished product to a scrap page. I think it is a great start to a page about daily life. In the future, your family really may enjoy looking back on this moment (3 minutes) in time and seeing/feeling what your life was like. I definitely got the feeling of being there and sensing the things you were sensing. That is a big plus. :)
     
  12. cfile

    cfile My bags are packed for Platform 9 3/4

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    I had no problem either.. will download after, but I read through and will do this all this afternoon.. this is fabulous!
     
  13. Lindzee

    Lindzee Aging gracefully

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    This is going to be awesome. Just what I need.
     
  14. Sharon Evans

    Sharon Evans Well-Known Member

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    I made my list and then tried to tie all the ideas together somehow - not sure . .

    As night falls
    In the kitchen silverware clinks on china
    And I know there won’t be any leftovers for tomorrow
    Frogs hiding in the soft soil outside the back door chirrup madly
    And I think the garden must be healthier than it looks
    Tiny birds perched on the side fence chatter busily
    And I wonder why I haven’t heard any magpies lately
    A soft wind that smells of rain whispers through the bottlebrush trees
    And I remember that I didn’t bring in the washing
    A car whines up the driveway over the road
    And I suppose they must be home for the evening
    Someone coughs and blows her nose noisily
    And I admit that she probably wasn’t faking it this morning
    A cricket adds its penetrating voice to the chorus
    And I puzzle over why it is so annoying when the frogs are not
    Kids piping voices suddenly drop away into silence
    And I guess it must be bath time
    In the distance a dog barks; a voice yells it quiet
    And I hope Next Door Georgie doesn’t hear cats tonight
    The kettle whistles
    And I anticipate hot tea
    Evensong
     
  15. cookingmylife

    cookingmylife Pizza would be my last meal, except ...

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    Got it and will look into it when I have a day alone in the house - Friday!
     
  16. scrapsandsass

    scrapsandsass Oh Ricky you're so fine ...

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    This was wonderful. There were so many great images. ^^ These were some of my favorites. Especially bottlebrush trees. Not only is it visually interesting, but the sounds in that line are great. :) So excited that you are playing along.
     
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  17. scrapsandsass

    scrapsandsass Oh Ricky you're so fine ...

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    You are hilarious!!! :) I loved it. :)
     
  18. mcurtt

    mcurtt give me all the paleo brownies

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    Tried this at work, during break, not very many wonderful sights and sounds:


    Sitting in my office,
    I see
    My double monitor placed in front of me
    Casting its blue glow
    The Blue Dog calendar on the wall
    Makes me smile
    And the bright glare of way too many fluorescent lights.

    Sitting in my office,
    I hear
    A steady hum of the air conditioning unit
    A low buzz from those awful lights
    The printer just started up – 50 feet from my office
    And there is a faint cough in the distance
    I wonder who is ill?
    The soft click of fingers depressing keys on the keyboard
    That printer again
    And an amazing silence of voices
    So quiet, concentrating on their work.
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2016
  19. Mylinn

    Mylinn What's that old bat up to now??

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    In hopes of an AJ page about my long wished for 'one big room,' I offer the following list poem.
    BTW, this is wonderful fun!

    My Basement

    I spy a white concrete block wall
    the basement window at the corner of my eye
    I hear water in the pipes
    my cat eating renal diet wet food
    whilst all dogs upstairs are stampeding
    I feel chilly air
    a rug under bare feet
    the fuzzy sock at my left hand leveling my keyboard
    I taste cold spring water from the new to me water cooler/heater
    I am loving where I am right now.
     
  20. scrapsandsass

    scrapsandsass Oh Ricky you're so fine ...

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    This definitely gives a full picture of what it is like where you are. I love the phrase "an amazing silence of voices" because it is just perfect. :)

    I'm so glad you are having fun! :) I love the dogs stampeding and how the sock levels the keyboard. Such great details. :)
     
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