Today I began my #reverb11 writing using the prompt from Paula at Don't Be a Picklebump.Write a letter to yourself and tell yourself about what this past year has been like and what this new year will be like.
I start a synopsis ~ or short story of 2011 followed by “the rest of the story” with a month-by-month recap and more photos.
Dear Julie on January 1, 2011;
You started the New Year at Zingo’s. Quirky, like you. By the end of the year, you will feel smaller and less engaged with your eccentricity because you discovered in October sometimes that eccentricity may be toxic when you are not aware of how it may impact others.
You will spend the rest of 2011 in various stages of grief at the need to take your Julie-ness and shove her undercover, but in December, you come up with different ways to express your You-Ness to discover the best truly is yet to be.
It will be a year of reunions, new friends and lots of personal discovery. This year will not turn out as you intended or as you hoped, but it will hold many breakthroughs, creative growth and lots (and lots!) of letting go.
And once again, you will end the year at Zingo’s and start 2012 there as well.
Now, that’s what I call true Bakersfield living!
Now, the expansive version ~
You will have lots of highlights, though, which we musn’t forget because of the misstep (and recovery and dear friends who helped you out) of October. You will be amazed by this “problem” because of how your loved ones respond. That was a positive highlight and before that, here are some others.
Right around the corner in January you will surprise even yourself with the Visible Poetics Art Show. I wouldn’t be authentic to say it went without a hitch. Having to spackle and paint the gallery was a drag and pushed back the hang, but the gallery looked beautiful and the Poetry Show you created was so memorable! A much bigger crowd than usually attends poetry events and the Creation of Poetry Improv’s Poetry Fire… which you will continue to craft throughout the year. Its orangey yellow red presence in your home will be a welcome reminder of your cool-quirky side.
February will bring a trip to Gold Country to seek out Samuel Clemens’ early writing days. Angel Camp was his breakthrough place, where his first short story blossomed from tales told at a bar (which you visited) and then written in a tiny cabin on a street called Jack Ass Hill Road. Samuel laughed about that, you almost got stuck in the mud after checking out a dog carcass which you thought might lead to his home. You created awesome memories and photos with your children. You and Samuel will present to two different classes on the subject. One at Harris – I know this will surprise you – as he is leaving the school – and the other at Longfellow School, which will become a very welcome home for him. You will advocate for him in many ways (as you will with Emma) and by the end of the year, both will be astoundingly happy educationally, in big part because of your loving advocacy.
March? Primarily nature. And some VDay. And again, a loss in the theater world. You were going to create a cool collaborative show honoring Women’s history and I don’t like sharing this: due to not receiving any rehearsal time, you won’t do it afterall. Weird, third month of the year and two losses. (The Virtual Poetics Closing was supposed to be on your birthday, but miscommunication again nixed that date AND your tenacity still pulled an enviable poetry show.)
You will go hiking on Mill Creek trail several times, once with a large group of friends. Some great photos were taken and you came face to face with a sort of out of control brown bat who was probably sick, he was definitely confused. You sketched him in your nature journal and felt exceptionally content that day.
Hmmm. This year turns out to be quite a year of feeling devalued by those you once treasured. They only make you angry now… and the withdrawal from theater continues, even before your sabbatical will begin in May.
April featured Spring Break ~ expansive travels with the children and mingling with new friends and long time online friends. Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire were visited. Shero’s homes toured and a 250 year old farmhouse slept in. You will feel more positive impact in your couchsurfing adventures. It’s good. Very good. You also will be involved in National Poetry Month activities and when one of your poetry frenemies will attempt to steal the Poetry Fire concept which you halt by staying in town an extra day. “Why do artists disrespect each other’s work?” you wonder.
May means Katherine is home again. A reprise of Dear Harvey and taking a small character “Mattie” in Stage Door to unexpected heights. The audience will love you. It is a positive final hurrah in theater. You will agree to be in Marat/Sade later in the year (doesn’t go up in 2012) and even as you finish 2011 you will wonder if you made the right choice.
June brought First Friday appearances (plus networking), lots of creativity with words and a trip to the Bay Area. Berkeley’s poetry walk astounds, the Starry Plow Pub’s (is that the name?) Weds Poetry Slam feels like home! So home! See Jodi again and revel in the experience.
July? Silent All These Years art show was the first time you will create a true “body of work” taking one character – a Raggedy Ann throwaway turned into “every girl” in a prom dress. You enter her world. You will even get featured in the Californian for your art in the show: a first.
Another first: You are the Story Slam Bakersfield Champion and will be crowned twice with this honor. Pretty cool considering you are a complete newbie to this particular art.
August is Back to School in Bakersfield and attempts to fit everything you possibly can before the kids all go back to school. You visit Flagstaff and listen to more stories and tell more stories. You visit Dana Point and fall deeper in love with this place. Emma and Samuel both start school with a fresh perspective and you will be so pleased how both succeed marvelously. You attend Brittany’s wedding, which takes you to another beach. Emma has a breakdown about how school is socially so difficult. Older sister Katherine talks her down beautifully and you will be amazed at how much Emma changes by the time Katherine comes home in December.
September: Katherine leaves again. You will lead more Art for Healing Time to Write programs. (Both September and November. You will perform poetry at the Kern County Fair. You do not suspect at all the crisis on the horizon when October begins.
October: a big ass breach = your worst nightmare come true. You learn who loves you the most. You accept hugs, encouragement and more. You go back into therapy as does Emma, who has been attending group therapy since June is now in individual and goes to a psychiatrist, too. An oddly affirming Mother/Daughter event. You will cry a lot in October but don’t worry, everything truly will be ok. You make gourmet lunches for Emma to take to school and when you learn other kids were sharing in her food (and it was making her even more well liked) you make lunch making into an art form. Emma excels on the Kernal, the school newspaper, which makes you very proud. You begin creating another creative body of work, “Women’s Sphere?” which astounds you with its power. Parent Weekend at Smith will bring you respite as you visit so many important women’s history places. You continue to work on the Women’s History Month committee.
November will mean Art Every Day Month and you get more into ROW80, a writing challenge. You continue to do your therapy and are amazed to find a therapist who at the outset seems entirely unfitting for you yet as you work, you realize he is perfect for you. You visit a home where Charlotte Perkins Gilman lived at the end of her life. Your art flourishes. You participate in more poetry events. You put one foot in front of the other.
December will mean painting party (your living room and Samuel’s room will look awesome before the New Year!) You will hang out with Chelle and Jesika in Dana Point. You will actually look forward to the holidays for a change. With the children you will have an Ornament Making Night. It finally appears that yes, Everything will be just fine. You are stronger than you think. This year will not turn out as you intended or as you hoped, but it will hold many breakthroughs, creative growth and lots (and lots!) of letting go.
Congratulations, Beloved One.
I am Julie Jordan Scott ~ and this is one of my Reverb11 posts. This year, the Reverb Community is taking an individualized approach to this life changing initiative. I am answering several prompts a day in short snippets during either a 30 minute or 60 minute wordsprint. I look forward to reading other Reverb11ers writing & if you are unfamiliar, just use the prompt and use the #reverb11 hashtag on twitter. You'll have a blast!
Follow me on Twitter: @JulieJordanScot
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© 2011
Julie Jordan Scott
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