Revison, Revison, Revison

"The difference between the right and the nearly right word is the same as that between lightning and the lightning bug."  Mark Twain 

This quote by Mark Twain reflects my views of revision. The perfect words in the right arrangement can have the effect of lightning on a person, really helping them to connect strongly to the piece of writing. When I revise, I look at my teacher's and peers' comments to see which words and images are only having the effect of a lightning bug, and I try to figure out how to strengthen these words and images so they really deliver an emotional punch. Language is inexact in conveying the same meaning to everyone, but through revision I can do my best to insure my work is doing the most powerful job it can.

Stories, Stories, Oh! and more Stories

In an attempt to realize how many stories I tell in a short period of time, thereby boosting my confidence in my story telling ability, I made a list of stories I've told various people in my life the past week:

1. There is a secret society of bassoon players and when a guy accidentally gets a book about bassoon playing, the secret agents in the society are sent to make sure he is still unaware of the secret society

2. I slept over my cousins’ house for s few days in the summer when I was eight, and when my mom and dad picked me up at the end of my visit, I did not recognize my dad because he shaved off his mustache and beard. I think that was the first time I had ever seen him without them.

3. While I was eating a muffin for breakfast, my green-eyed tabby cat dive bombed my muffin and took a chunk out of it!

4. My boss was in a really good mood on Friday because it was her birthday, and she even brought me back a bagel on her back to the office.

5. Atlantic City’s economy is suffering because fewer numbers of people have been going there. The mayor of the city suggests that the casinos add family friendly attractions to entice families there.

6. I was supposed to be in the play Guys and Dolls in the 7^th grade- and the movie version of this play features the hunk Marlon Brando. Due to a lack of drama club members, the play was changed to Bugsy Malone. In this play the character Bugsy says, “I coulda been something. I coulda been a contender Charlie.” This is a line from the film On the Waterfront, which Marlon Brando is also in.

7. On Thursday, when it was a warm fifty degrees or so, a girl was walking around outside in a strapless shirt with no sweater or jacket.

8. One of my professors looked different on, and we realized after questioning her that she did not have her glasses on. She said she was wearing her contacts, but she normally does not wear them because it takes too long to put them on. It freaks her out to touch her eyes.

9. My parents went to Florida for their honeymoon, and they stayed in the condo of a friend of my grandfather because after they paid for their small wedding they did not have any money left. There were a lot of alligators by the pool of the condo, and at one point my dad had to carry my mom inside.

10. There’s a woman who works at Quiznos who always criticizes the orders. One time I wanted cheese and lettuce only, and not toasted, and the woman rolled her eyes and indelicately put the sandwich together.

I've also made a list of 5 story ideas I have. Are there any that sound interesting to you?

1. A man of small monetary worth wins a settlement over an accident at work. He is waiting for the checks to start coming, but they never do. When he talks to his lawyer, the lawyer has proof that the checks were cashed by the man, though the man insists he has never seen the checks or the cash. The man slowly notices that his wife has new jewelry.

2. A young woman grapples with the death of her grandmother after she discovers a series of documents in her grandmother’s attic, which indicate that the grandmother might not have been the person she thought she was.

3. When a bright college student loses her job, she must find creative ways to raise money before her next school payment is due.

4. A young woman works for a boss that drives her crazy – she belittles the woman and changes her mind on a minutely basis about how she wants different tasks done. The woman has to find ways to deal with this boss before she goes absolutely mad.

5. As a group of close-knit cousins grow up, they try to stay close as they all move in different directions in their lives.  

Lawrence Ferlinghetti

One more contemporary poet I like is Lawrence Ferlinghetti. I was first exposed to his works when I took a course on the Beat Generation last year. One of his poems. "Dog," which I have included below, is a favorite of mine because it is able to explore the nature of reality while simultaneously being humorous. I am interested in Philosophy , which the poem touches on. Plus, who doesn't like a poem that makes you laugh every once an a while?! Poems that can be both insightful and funny are wonderful. If you like this poem, you might also want to check out "Constantly Risking Absurdity," which is another great poem of his. I've also included a link to his website, which includes more recent poetry.
http://www.citylights.com/Ferlinghetti/?fa=ferlinghetti_poems

"Dog," by Lawrence Ferlinghetti  

The dog trots freely in the street
and sees reality
and the things he sees
are bigger than himself
and the things he sees
are his reality
Drunks in doorways
Moons on trees
The dog trots freely thru the street
and the things he sees
are smaller than himself
Fish on newsprint
Ants in holes
Chickens in Chinatown windows
their heads a block away
The dog trots freely in the street
and the things he smells
smell something like himself
The dog trots freely in the street
past puddles and babies
cats and cigars
poolrooms and policemen
He doesn't hate cops
He merely has no use for them
and he goes past them
and past the dead cows hung up whole
in front of the San Francisco Meat Market
He would rather eat a tender cow
than a tough policeman
though either might do
And he goes past the Romeo Ravioli Factory
and past Coit's Tower
and past Congressman Doyle of the Unamerican Committee
He's afraid of Coit's Tower
but he's not afraid of Congressman Doyle
although what he hears is very discouraging
very depressing
very absurd
to a sad young dog like himself
to a serious dog like himself
But he has his own free world to live in
His own fleas to eat
He will not be muzzled
Congressman Doyle is just another
fire hydrant
to him
The dog trots freely in the street
and has his own dog's life to live
and to think about
and to reflect upon
touching and tasting and testing everything
investigating everything
without benefit of perjury
a real realist
with a real tale to tell
and a real tail to tell it with
a real live
    barking
    democratic dog
engaged in real
  free enterprise
with something to say
           about ontology
something to say
  about reality
           and how to see it
           and how to hear it
with his head cocked sideways
           at streetcorners
as if he is just about to have
     his picture taken
                  for Victor Records
           listening for
    His Master's Voice
 and looking
         like a living questionmark
           into the
                  great gramophone
              of puzzling existence
           with its wondrous hollow horn
       which always seems
               just about to spout forth
            some Victorious answer
         to everything