Feyen Times Newsletter 006

 

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WHY I GOT A DOG.

by, Callie R. Feyen

1. Because Hadley was going to get a miniature hamster, and aren’t they already small?
2. Because once Harper heard about the miniature hamster, she wanted a pet, too. She decided on a rat.
3. Because Harper learned that you can’t have one rat. You have to get two.
4. Because one night this summer at the pool, there was a teenage girl diving off the board, and her dives were magnificent – precise and bold – the perfect mixture of skill and creativity. I envied not so much her diving, but that she showed no self-consciousness. She was completely lost in the art of what she was doing. I wondered if she gained confidence trying and practicing something she didn’t know how to do, and I wondered if it takes a special kind of confidence to do that in the wide open, in front of everyone. “I need to learned something new,” I mumbled to whoever was sitting next to me.
5. Because after awhile, fear gets boring and really heavy and the other day on a run I decided that for almost 45 years I preferred to be afraid. And now I am deciding I’d prefer to not be afraid.

Maybe Corby’s the result of a midlife crisis. I think it might be more of a midlife emergence.

I wonder what I’ll do next.

Writing in August:

Poetry Prompt: Dor

Poetry Prompt: Include a Metaphor

Poetry Prompt: To the Horizon

Poetry Prompt: Swimming in Sand

The Silver Skunk and the Mysterious Poet

And my personal favorite: The (F)art of Communication

Reading:

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden – the perfect middle grade spooky story, but it’s not gory, and it’s a story well-told. If you’re looking for a good read aloud for October, this is it. I dare say boys and girls will love it.

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer – I haven’t finished this one yet, but do I need to? I mean, I know what has happened on every single page. Even some of the chapters are the same as the ones in Twilight. For those of you who aren’t as obsessed with the Twilight series as I, this is Twilight except told from Edward’s point of view, and folks, Edward is kind of dull. Also, he’s a creeper.

The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr – A must-read for anyone interested in writing creative nonfiction.

Local:

While it’s not in what I can call the greater Detroit area, I am thrilled about the opening of a brand-new gym in this wonderful state of Michigan. My cousin, Tara, opened Evolve Fitness Studio, and the place looks amazing. I’m so excited for her and can’t wait to visit and also get my booty kicked in one of her classes.

Twirl girl and the Teacher:

I don’t want to force or scrape the twig’s new skin, but I want to see what is there from what I broke. I peel layers off and think about fear and adventure in this world Harper’s brought me to.

“I cried, I laughed out loud. Callie writes with such authenticity, her words reach out and touch you, sometimes shaking you awake, sometimes as a comforting grasp of a hand. ‘I know,’ it’s as if she is saying, ‘I know, and it’s really ok.’ Bearing witness to life’s ups and downs with vulnerability and a sense of joyous engagement, you won’t be able to put it down.” – Amazon Customer

“Or…we can look closely at and wonder about our fear, but understand we must move forward because we believe something greater and stronger than what we’r afraid of lies within us.” 

“Callie Feyen is a storyteller that surpasses all storytellers. She can seamlessly transport you from her personal home life with two young children to a classroom of awkward 8th graders. The transitions are natural and make the reader reconsider everyday moments in a truly literal way. As a teacher, she opens my eyes to out of the box teaching tools and manners that are refreshing, inventive and unique. This is a must read for any educator no mater what grade they teach.” – Amazon Customer

Thanks for reading. Happy last two days of September.