Tuesdays With Mary: Sibling Assignment #89

"Think about a television show you watched growing up while you lived at home. Write about what you enjoyed about that television show, and how that show may have influenced you in your adult life."

Silver Valley Girl gave the sibling assignment this week. Raymond Pert's recap of television history in our childhood house and a reflection on soaps is here and Silver Valley Girl's post and videos of another show I almost chose, "The Carol Burnett Show"is here.

From 1969 until I left home in August 1973 to attend college I spent every Tuesday night at 10:00 in the living room with my mom watching "Marcus Welby, M. D. " I grew up with a love for medical shows beginning with the likes of Dr. Kildare and Ben Casey, then branching out to Dr. Gannon, Dr. Welby, Dr. Kiley and those doctors on the soaps, but "Marcus Welby, M.D." was an institution in our house. First of all it is amazing that a show ever stayed on the same time for it's whole run ( until 1976).

Everyone wanted a compassionate doctor like Dr. Welby that had time in his busy day to listen to you describe your symptoms, share your personal problems, and show photos of your children. He was familiar to us from "Father Knows Best" so we trusted him plus he had that handsome sidekick named Dr. Kiley ( James Brolin) that drove a motorcycle. Or course then there was warm, caring Consuelo that provided that female touch to the otherwise male practice. Mom would be on the couch correcting the last of her papers for the evening. I would be in the chair after finishing homework , learning lines for a play, or curling my hair as we would wait eagerly for the opening credits every week. Dad had bowling that night so we didn't have to compete with him over another show on our one television set. Silver Valley Girl must have already been in bed and Raymond Pert was probably more interested in listening to the stereo upstairs than watching Marcus Welby.

Mom has always loved anything medical. She still enjoys poring over medical books when she hears the symptoms someone may have and loves to engage in any conversation that revolves around hospitals, illness, and/or medication. This show was right up her alley. I think Mom would have also been a good nurse.

Marcus Welby dealt with serious illnesses and every week we were exposed to the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of illnesses that included autism, MS, brain cancer, blindness, diabetes, and leukemia. We made our own guesses of the disease during the first commercial and perhaps what might happen by the end of the show. Happy endings didn't always happen with Marcus Welby. There was a natural tension between old and young with Welby and Kiley and Dr. Kiley always seemed to be falling in love with a patient with sometimes sad consequences. I remember when an old girlfriend played by Stephanie Power has an illness and Dr. Kiley wanted to keep it a secret. I remember Dr. Welby dealing with illness with his own daughter and a love interest also. Whatever the illness or episode, it was always memorable.

The show was dramatic, warm, educational, and entertaining. I am surprised I didn't go into the medical field myself after working with Mom and these two doctors all those years on Tuesday nights. It influenced me as I watched my teacher mom diligently do her schoolwork earlier in the evening so she could take a break to watch the show. I must of felt later in life it was okay to quit working on school work in the evening and give myself a treat by watching "LA Law", "Cheers", "Dallas", " Cagney and Lacey", or " The Mary Tyler Moore Show".

We watched a lot of television in our house, but this show engaged us in more conversations. We cared about the stars of the show and the patients they encountered. As you will see from this clip, there were many other shows that were popular during this time., but this one sticks out for me. When I saw James Brolin sitting behind his wife Barbra Streisand at the Kennedy Center Awards I didn't think of him as anything else by Dr. Kiley. I would love to see him as the older doctor today with that striking white hair riding in on a Harley.

I had a few stays in the hospital in my adult life. I think I was comforted by the busyness of Mom asking questions, getting the scoop on other patients, and replaying the drama that was happening outside of my own room. She played this role with other family members when they were hospitalized also, plus when she had surgery and hip replacement surgery I could cheer her up by telling her the daily news from the ward of the hospital.

Now Mom and I don't have a Tuesday night ritual, but when I am there staying I know the soaps are the afternoon ritual, Jeopardy is at 7:00, and Meet the Press is Sunday mornings. When you watch this clip it will remind you of even more great shows during that time. No wonder I watched television so much back then.

Here Comes the Sun: Part 2

the sky west of Sherman Creek Orchard

"Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
and I say it's all right
It's all right "

I did a post on December 28th entitled Here Comes the Sun. That may have been the last time I captured such needed images of sun and blue sky until today. Sunshine can bring out laughter, smiles, cars to the car wash, neighbors waving hello, and dogs running with pleasure. As I loaded up for a trip to town this morning I packed my camera thinking I may get a few good shots. Here is my Saturday Sunshine collection:looking back at our sunroom as the rays pierce through a pine treea horse fence poised in front of a brilliant sky with a single jet stream heading down to Haag Cove campground the icy field stood empty and still looking north the mountains are still covered with snow Through the trees Lake Roosevelt shimmered from the reflection of the sun at the campground.

When I used to hear "Here Comes the Sun" I always thought of the Beatles, Abbey Road, the Humdinger, and the summer of 1970. Today I think of James Taylor and Yo Yo Ma and their duet released in October on Yo Yo Ma's CD "Songs of Joy and Peace". This CD has such an amazing collection of duets, but of course my favorite is Yo Yo and James Taylor. If you haven't checked out the CD, I recommend it. Enjoy some time here with Yo Yo and JT.

Writer's Meme

painting by Georgia O'Keefe

I found this meme on Rondi's blog May's Day. I thought it would be fun to try.

What’s your favorite genre of writing?

I really like to write memoir

How often do you get writer’s block?

Not very often because I have many books with inspiring prompts to use.

How do you fix it?

return to those books, walk in the garden, or go on a photo hunt

Do you type or write by hand?

I used to always write by hand. I still do in my journal, but other writing is word processed.

Do you save everything you write?

Yes, I do. I try to set a good example for my students because I have them collect writing. I still have pieces I wrote in classes twenty years ago!

Do you ever go back to an old idea long after you abandoned it?
All the time. I found a poem I had written about a box in the closet many years ago. I tried it again and used it in class.

Do you have a constructive critic?
Many... a friend Bev, my brother who was our visiting writer at the retreat last summer, a poet that willingly reads my stuff when I ask, and my students.

Did you ever write a novel?

No, I have never been interested in big projects like a novel.

What genre would you love to write but haven’t?

I would love to write travel pieces about the Pacific Northwest and places I have visited and informational essays on gardening.

What’s one genre you have never written, and probably never will?
Horror /scary stuff

How many writing projects are you working on right now?

I am always writing for my blogs, working on a cookbook project, poetry, and some professional writing.

Do you write for a living? Do you want to?
No and I don't want to because I am afraid I wouldn't enjoy it as much if my livelihood depended on it.

Have you ever written something for a magazine or newspaper?

I have written articles for both magazines and newspapers.

Have you ever won an award for your writing? No

What are your five favorite words?

glistening, hope, wondrous, serene, memories

Do you ever write based on your dreams?no

Do you favour happy endings, sad endings, or cliff-hangers?Happy endings

Have you ever written based on an artwork you’ve seen? Yes, I did a series of exercises with poetry based on famous works of art like the one above.

Now ... this is enough writing for today. Try the meme. It will help you examine your own writing life.

Cold!

How many ways can you say it?
How many ways can you explain it?
How many ways can you illustrate it?

It has been really, really cold. Last Friday the heat stopped working in my classroom. When I arrived it was 46 degrees and it finally reached 56 by the end of the day. That is pretty darn cold to think and work.
The ice has never melted on top of our snow and the parking lot at school has a path of ice I get to navigate each morning heading inside.
When I watch my car thermometer as I drive to school, it drops all the way south down the lake until I reach school and it has read 2 degrees, 5 degrees, and 11 degrees this week.
Wearing my scarf and gloves all day has helped, but they don't always match my outfit!
Wearing wool socks and lined boots keeps my feet warm, but make it tough to stand on my feet.

I need to be like these cats and find a warm place inside at home...or sit in the sunroom and feel the warmth on my back....or be Kit and go anywhere that is warm!! I heard a rumor the weather is going to warm up above freezing next week!

Reading Like a Writer

" An absolutely necessary addition to the personal library of anyone who is a writer or dreams of writing, but it's also a terrific choice for anyone that loves to read." -National Public Radio

I have started, stopped, revisited and now continued with this book since last summer. As I read this book I think of so many of you that would love it. She opens the book by posing the questions "Can creative writing be taught?","Can the love of language be taught?", "Can a gift for storytelling be taught?" She would say no.

As a teacher herself she doesn't feel creativity can be transported from teacher to student. She then begins to reveal to all of us her ongoing process of becoming a writer and invites readers to notice great writers that have continued to provide models of inspiration in her own process. Often as readers we are engrossed in the story line and the action with the characters and don't think to take apart the paragraphs, sentences, and words and look at it for the writing. Studying some of her examples has made a difference as I have tried reading like a writer. It may be a second reading of a part of a book. It may be revisiting paragraphs that stayed in your mind long after you put a book down.

She then introduces things that can be learned and that is where I am at. I look forward to reading the rest of the book. She has a list at the end called "Books to Be Read Immediately". Since I haven't read many of the books on the list I have obviously not been reading as a writer! Some of the titles included are Middlemarch by George Elliot, The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, and The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen.

" On a very basic level, I can't figure out why people would want to write unless they like to read. I mean, what would be the point? For the incredibly glamorous fast track lifestyle? I don't think so." - Francine Prose

Creating A Community: Leave No Writer Behind

Every day I read good writing. I read it as my students imprint their thoughts to paper. I read it on blogs that fill me with appreciation, laughter, amazement, and curiosity every day. I read it in literature, magazines, and online.

Recently I asked my students to reflect on their writing. On an exam I asked the question," What made your writing better first semester?" For my newest students in sixth grade I smiled at their answers like " I write more, and more, and more", "I don't complain so much about doing writing," and "I use bigger, stronger words." Part of creating writers ( or better writers) is to help them view themselves as writers. Even more important is to create a writing community.

Blog sites like Sunday Scribblings create that community each week as bloggers from all over the world respond to the same prompt. Building a blogroll from my own personal blog has helped me build a writing community among other very talented writers. When I have worked with adult writers at our annual writing retreat building that community is as important. I strive to create that same environment in my classroom. It isn't always easy. Young adult writers can be hurt easily. They can also be shy to share their words. After working with my sixth graders ninety days in class I am beginning to see them shed some of their insecurities. It has taken lots of baby steps.

I nuture these writers by providing time, practice, feedback, and celebration. In the busyness of preparing students for state testing, making sure we make Adequate Yearly Progress and Leave No Child Behind teachers have to carve out time for the process of writing. In my experience with students I have learned to move out of the way and give them time and practice. I am there to provide feedback along with their fellow students and families. The icing on the cake is to celebrate their wondrous words by having an author chair, read-arounds, or provide places for them to publish. I look forward to continuing with this community of writers as we move into second semester.

In closing I think one student really figured out how to be successful in my class.
" I think the best thing I can do is write about things my teacher enjoys like dogs, flowers, and things that make her laugh. It is called buttering up the teacher!"
I call it embracing individuality and leaving no writer behind!