Writing Renewal

This past week (and for the next three weeks to come) I have been a part of the National Writing Project. Our group is the Crossroads Writing Project (CWP). I'd initially signed up to be a part for the basest of reasons: to have another line on my cv. When I was hired by FSU, one of the duties they potentially expected of me was that I would help with CWP. Fortunately, another person they hired at the same time had already been a part of CWP and wished to continue. However, because I worried that I might be asked to step in and help, I felt that it would be good to have some experience.

Another ignoble reason that I signed up was because it paid $800 and we were being told that there might not be any summer teaching for us newbies because of the budget. I was already paying for the apartment this summer anyway, so what the heck, I thought. I have a place to stay, so I might as well participate.

We'd had a pre-seminar meeting in late April, and that nearly convinced me to drop out. Only a couple of others were college-level teachers; most were K-12. I didn't feel that I had much in common with them, and with typical higher-ed disdain for the lower levels, I didn't think I could learn anything from them.

I'm happy to say that this week has been an incredible writing experience. We wound up (after some dropouts) being a group of women only. We've shared, compared, and commiserated. We've laughed, cried, and shouted for joy. We've critiqued each other's work and inspired each other's work. I have learned a lot from these women, and most of all I have reinforced some practices I've always known were good ones.

On the negative side, this week was Monday-Thursday, from 8 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. with an hour off for lunch. My apartment has no air conditioning, so I haven't slept well (it's been a hot week). My husband is out of town (in Louisiana) so I've felt abandoned, in a sense. (It shouldn't make any difference if we talk on our cell phones when he is at home and I am in Big Rapids, as opposed to his being in Louisiana and I'm in Big Rapids, or at home, but somehow it does.) I can't get the laptop to pick up the WiFi in the apartment, so to check email, etc., I have to go to my office or use the computer lab in the building we're in for CWP. I'm behind on my work for my two online classes, as a result.

But--I feel good about the writing I've been doing. I feel renewed. And that's a good thing.