Articles by Bo Mackison

Writing Your Life Story Part 10: Harmony – A Memoir Writing Prompt

Hens and Chicks

Tramadol For Sale Online Zen Garden © 2012 Bo Mackison

There are times when writing is like singing a favorite song — the pen can barely keep up with the hand as words fly onto the paper.

https://anthonynewmancamps.com/cross-country-camp/ But at other times, writing is more akin to singing a dirge — thoughts come slowly, none of the words make sense, and the writing rhythm gets lost before the first sentences are recorded. When writing becomes work instead of fun, I often search for a word in the dictionary to get me started – a habit I learned from a high school English teacher.

Get Ambien Prescription Online As I was considering a list of ideas for the Memoir Project, each idea took off but then sputtered to the ground. I decided I needed a prompt to get me started. I looked in the dictionary and chose the word Order Tramadol Online harmony.

Here are a several prompts to prime your writing pump, and start your memories flowing.

  • Albert Einstein is famous for many things, including being the author of many wise words. One of his more famous quotes is:

follow link “There are three rules of work. Out of clutter find simplicity. From discord find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” ~Einstein

here Can you recall a time in your life when you were able to find harmony in discord?

  • One often associates the word harmony with music. Music is a wonderful prompter of memories. Think of a popular song from your youth or from the present times. Can you associate any memories with that song?
  • Have you ever sung in a choir? There’s a lot of harmony going on in a choir — and in more ways than just the melody. Experiences where people join together to do what they love often bring about close, lasting relationships. And shared moments, some happy, some poignant, some nerve-wracking, but usually group experiences are filled with life lessons. Do you have a choir story — and a life lesson — worth sharing?
  • When people gather together, even in informal groups, there is often a lot of singing going on. It might not be quite the harmonious singing from an organized musical group, but the lessons learned and the stories shared are no less important. Traditional songs and family favorites are passed on to young children. Older kids and families sing together spontaneously. Teenagers form bands in order to express themselves. On and on through life, we share experiences with other people with song.

Set your timer for ten minutes and compile a list — don’t give it much thought, use a speedy pen.

follow site Keep writing — of times when music played a role in your life, any kind of role. I’ll share the beginnings of my list as an example:

  • Singing in the backyard while I was swinging. I was maybe 8 or 10. Tried to keep the rhythm of my singing even with my swinging. Went to a Catholic grade school – we were practicing hymns for a special concert and for weeks I sang the hymn Ave Maria while swinging. Until I saw the neighbor lady watching me through her curtained window, shaking her head in disbelief at my irreverence. I felt guilty for weeks — until I went to confession and the priest told me “God loves all kinds of singing.”
  • My sister, born when I was nine years old. My grandmother sang lovely German lullabies to her, ones I also wanted to sing, but I couldn’t manage the German words. I pretended instead… and insisted to my friends that I could sing in German. Then the mother of one of my friends spoke to me in fluent German. Oops!
  • Vacation trips with my three kids in the car for weeks at a time. As preteens and young teens, they would get out of sorts when we were heading to a far destination. We made up a game involving singing musicals — any musical counted, from Broadway to Disney. We all took turns, parents played too, or it wasn’t as much fun. Almost any singing counted. A few words and some humming. La la la’a. As long as it was recognizable. We would go ’round and ’round for hours — yes, hours — each taking a turn singing. Lots of laughing, too. Played this game for years. Still play it once in a great while. One of kids’ favorite vacation memories.

Buy Soma Overnight Go ahead. Set your timer and give it a try.

https://www.completerehabsolutions.com/employee-education-training/ If the word harmony doesn’t provide you with the proper inspiration, then do as Sister Mary Gabriel did when I was in high school English class. Pull out a dictionary or other handy book. Open a page. Point to a word. Then start to write, using your dictionary word as a prompt. Ten minutes. No stopping.

You never know when mining for words will provide that perfect start-up for an addition to your Memoir Project.

Yucca Abstract – A Photograph in Canyon Colors

Palo Dura Canyon

follow link Yucca in Canyon © 2014 Bo Mackison

While curating my photographs from a visit to Palo Dura Canyon State Park in west Texas, I rediscovered a photo of this yucca growing in the red dirt of the canyon floor. I liked the lines and composition of the sword yucca, but the colors in the original photo were dull and the wisps of thready fibers faded into the narrow spikes.

By highlighting the colors and adding a gray neutral to make the wispy threads stand out, the yucca comes to life.

 

Writing Your Life Story Part 9: Memoir and Photography (Option #2)

This memoir project combines photography and writing, and focusing on the present.

The first option focused on taking photographs of your activities during one day. The second option encourages you to take a photo whenever you come across a “favorite” in your day — no schedule, just serendipity. Take photos over the course of a week, or a month, or on a continual basis.

Imagine having a collection of photos documenting what you love. What would a set of those photos tell you about yourself?

OPTION #2: FAVORITES

Desert Views, The Second Month

Summer Books © 2010 Bo Mackison

Take a photo of the your current collection of favorite books.

Take a photo of the books you own written by a favorite author. What makes this author special? Why are you attracted to his or her books? Is it the topic, the location, the genre, the authors way with words?

Take a photo of the clothes in your closet.

Take a photo of your favorite comfort outfit. And while you are rummaging in your closet, pull out your favorite dressy dress, your grungiest sweats, your reddest blouse, and the robe you still wear that you bought to wear your freshman year in college. Your favorite clothes are you. Take photos. Write a few notes, too. For example, why do you love your old robe so much? How do you feel when you wear your dressiest dress?

Take a photo of the most beloved piece of art you own.

Stop for a few minutes and write down why it is a favorite. How long have you owned it? Who is the artist? Was it an impulse buy from a local artist or a splurge for which you carefully budgeted?

Take a photo of a favorite meal.

What made it special? Was it the special ingredients? The cook who made it just perfect?

IMG_3364

Grandma’s Quilt © 2013 Bo Mackison

Take a photo of your bed made up with your favorite sheets, blankets, quilts.

What makes your bed special? Do you sleep under quilts hand sewn by your great-aunt? Are your pillow cases scented with lavender? Do you love the feel of silk sheets or down comforters?

Take a photograph of the TV screen (and you) while watching your favorite show.

(Substitute a movie, a sporting event, or a concert if you prefer.)

If possible, have someone take a photo of you watching your favorite show. Why do you like this particular television show?How do like to watch TV? With your feet propped up, totally relaxed? In your pajamas, at the end of the day? With a book in your hand or a computer on your lap?

What other favorites might you photograph?

A collection? A favorite flower in your garden? A favorite perfume? Favorite outdoor spaces?

This is the important part of the project – print those photos.

Don’t just store your photos on your camera or cell phone or leave them in a file on your computer. Print them. Get these photos printed. Then you can study these photos. Hold them in your hands. They will be available for they are inspiration or interpretation. They are memoir-photographs!

Take a few minutes to label them with place and time. Jot down a few words about what is happening in the photographs, or why you enjoy drink apple fizzy, or how you feel when you look at your favorite piece of art or listen to your favorite music.

Put the photographs and their annotations in your memoir container. They will be there, ready and waiting, when you are inspired to write. Writing prompts just for you. When you are ready, elements in the photos will tickle your memory and provide rich details for your writing.

Do you have a photograph in your stash that might inspire you to write that proverbial one thousand words, memories that might have been forgotten and not recorded without the inspiration from a “memoir-photo”.

Essence of Place – San Pedro Riparian Area

San Pedro Riparian Area

River Reflection © 2014 Bo Mackison

On a visit to San Pedro Riparian Conservation Area, I again captured the essence of the area in a few select photographs.

When I visit a natural area, I make a point of taking a variety of photographs including landscapes, intimate landscapes, portraits (wildlife or people), macro-photographs, abstracts, and details which capture the essence and personality of the place. I capture the essence of the place using one or two photographs in each of the categories.

Abstract.

The above photograph, the river with reflected trees, is abstract in feel. But it gives a feel for the area — river dependent, tall trees along the river banks, a quiet place.

Landscapes

The next two photographs, black and whites of the San Pedro River and its riparian corridor, are typical landscape photographs.

San Pedro Riparian Area

San Pedro River © 2014 Bo Mackison

The San Pedro Riparian Conservation Area encompasses a desert riparian ecosystem – a river flowing through a desert – rare now but once common throughout the US Southwest. Tall trees – mostly cottonwoods and willows – hug the river banks.

San Pedro River

San Pedro River © 2014 Bo Mackison

The San Pedro River is one of the few rivers with a perennial flow. Its headwaters are in Mexico and it flows north into the United States. The river is protected from the US/Mexico border to St. David, Arizona, a span of 40 miles.

Intimate Landscape

The next photographs are intimate landscapes — they show only a part of the landscape and focus on color, texture, patterns.

San Pedro Riparian Area

Log Dam on San Pedro © 2014 Bo Mackison

San Pedro Riparian Area

Aquatic Plant on San Pedro River Bend © 2014 Bo Mackison

 Macro-Photography in a Landscape

The close-up of the soaptree yucca dominates the photograph, but the background of desertscrub provides context.

San Pedro Riparian Area

Soaptree Yucca © 2014 Bo Mackison

The San Pedro River flows through the Chihuahuan and Sonora Deserts. Away from the water, the landscape is dominated by Chihuahuan desertscrub — soaptree yucca, creosote and agave are common. Mesquite and sacaton grasses grow in the bottomland.

Portrait in an Intimate Landscape

The portrait of waterfowl in this intimate landscape adds another dimension of place.

San Pedro Riparian Area

Waterfowl in Lake © 2014 Bo Mackison

The riparian corridor and its abutting lakes are home to 250 migrating birds, and over 100 breeding birds. Half the known breeding birds in North America have been spotted in this riparian region.

Macro-Photography and Detail Photographs

These photos capture the personality of the place, and often focus on wabi-sabi characteristics – textures and details.

San Pedro Riparian Area

Shindagger Agave © 2014 Bo Mackison

 

San Pedro Riparian Area

Branches in San Pedro River © 2014 Bo Mackison

 

San Pedro Riparian Area

San Pedro River Cottonwood © 2014 Bo Mackison

An added note: This area is also home to a significant archeological site – home of the Paleoindians or the Clovis Culture, the earliest known inhabitants of North America. They lived in this area and hunted mammoths in the last Ice Age, over 11,000 years ago.

 

Writing Your Life Story Part 8: Memoir and Photography (Option #1)

Seattle Latte

Coffee © 2009 Bo Mackison

Mention “writing your memoir” and most people think about recording memories, recalling events and names in the past, even researching distant history.

Yet, sometimes capturing the present is as important as recalling the past.

When you document the present, you can compare today’s stories with the past. This project combines photography and writing, and focuses on the present moment.

GETTING READY:

Any camera will work. A point and shoot camera or a cell phone camera is fine. You need only shoot a couple dozen shots so if you don’t own a camera, an inexpensive disposable camera from a dollar store works fine.

Keep in mind, for this project, much of the value is in printing some of your photographs. While the internet is a convenient place to store large numbers of photographs, it does not compare to getting prints of your photos to study and compare.

So grab a camera and give this project a try. You’ll enjoy both the process and the results.

OPTION #1: THROUGHOUT THE DAY

Pick a day when you have several items on your to-do list, but you are not over-extended. You want to be busy enough to document the variety in your day, but not so busy that pausing for photographs zings your stress meter.

If you like to follow a schedule, set your phone or watch alarm for every hour or two, and take a photograph of whatever you are doing or where ever you are when the alarm sounds. If you’d rather shoot when you feel inspired, give that a try.

Here are a few examples: at nine o’clock in the morning, you are working on a sewing project. You have material and patterns and sketches spread over your workspace. Take a photo.

At eleven o’clock, you are running errands. The munchies strike and you stop at Pop’s Vegan Drive-Thru for a garden burger and an apple fizzy. Take a shot of the Drive-Thru sign or the menu. Take another photo of your lunch.

Yellow Water Lilies

Yellow Water Lilies © 2010 Bo Mackison

In the afternoon, you pick up the kids up from baseball practice. Take a photo of the jumble of kids sprawled on the ground after that last inning. Or take a photo of your kid kicking his shoe in the dirt or doing somersaults in the grassy field while the ball game is in progress.

In the evening, take a photograph while on an after-dinner walk around the neighborhood or on a stroll through your favorite park. Capture details that you might not otherwise remember. An empty playground. Water lilies on the pond. A colorful ad in a storefront.

Add a snapshot of the headlines from the front page of the local newspaper or magazine you are reading to help pinpoint not only the date, but what is happening in the world or your community.

The next post offers another photography project. I’ll also give suggestions on how to organize these collections of daily photographs.