A few months ago, my sister Mary showed me how to use Google reader. This is much easier than checking in on blogs periodically, because it shows me at a glance which have been updated. I set up my reader and put it on my toolbar, so I can click it easily. Then I started adding blog subscriptions like crazy. Here are some of my favorites:
Don't think (Mary's view of life, yoga, plastic, Buster and more)
Life, The Universe, And Everything (Mianne's blog on it all, including many Dutch masters)
Le Pen Quotidien (a different fabulous drawing with comments every day)
Pop Sensation (vintage paperback covers that have me rolling on the floor)
Fussy (Eden Kennedy's compelling commentary on life)
Indexed (hilarious diagrams of the everyday)
The Log of Whisper (Kristen and Hans' adventures sailing)
With Vanilla and Honey (not hungry? Erin's blog will change this!)
I Can Has Cheezburger (an embarrassingly addictive blog of cats with captions)
Language Log (fascinating ideas on language written by real linguists)
Rex Parker's New York Times Crossword Puzzle (great help and commentary on the NYT puzzle)
Of course, I read storytelling blogs, too:
A Quarter for a Tale (Sean Buvala's regular blog)
My 2008 or What a Storyteller Does All Day Long (Sean's new blog, short posts with a picture of what he does)
Granny Sue's News and Reviews (Granny Sue on storytelling, life, grandkids, recipes, stories and more)
Breaking the Eggs (Tim Ereneta's blog on performance storytelling in the 21st century)
Heavens! When do I have time to do my work?! Good thing I'm a fast reader!
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Friday, January 04, 2008
Tell the World: Storytelling Across Language Barriers
A few weeks ago the UPS man stopped by. Must be a Christmas present. Strange, it was from a publisher, Libraries Unlimited. Huh?
I had completely forgotten my contribution to Margaret Read MacDonald's book, Tell the World: Storytelling Across Language Barriers. This copy was my payment for contributing. I sat right down and started reading. If I've counted right, there are 39 contributors to the book, all of whom have experience performing across languages. It's a fascinating look at what works and what doesn't.
My article is about telling stories in French when I travel to Belgium. Usually I perform in English, but there's one school where I usually perform in French (didn't get there last time) and I tell stories in French to my friends.
In the article, I talk about how I prepare for performances by telling to the friends with whom I stay, how I've learned to ask the listeners for help, how I choose the most appropriate stories for the audience and my own language level. I also say a little about telling stories in other languages to kids here in the US.
Some of the articles in the book are about telling with translators, some are about telling to deaf audiences with a translator, some are about using stories in language instruction, some are about traveling as a storyteller. Reading the last section made me think of the funny connection I made with a little girl on the bus from Turkey to Bulgaria a couple of years ago.
I had a seagull puppet and she had a Barbie. Those were the languages we had in common. We got along swimmingly.
I had completely forgotten my contribution to Margaret Read MacDonald's book, Tell the World: Storytelling Across Language Barriers. This copy was my payment for contributing. I sat right down and started reading. If I've counted right, there are 39 contributors to the book, all of whom have experience performing across languages. It's a fascinating look at what works and what doesn't.
My article is about telling stories in French when I travel to Belgium. Usually I perform in English, but there's one school where I usually perform in French (didn't get there last time) and I tell stories in French to my friends.
In the article, I talk about how I prepare for performances by telling to the friends with whom I stay, how I've learned to ask the listeners for help, how I choose the most appropriate stories for the audience and my own language level. I also say a little about telling stories in other languages to kids here in the US.
Some of the articles in the book are about telling with translators, some are about telling to deaf audiences with a translator, some are about using stories in language instruction, some are about traveling as a storyteller. Reading the last section made me think of the funny connection I made with a little girl on the bus from Turkey to Bulgaria a couple of years ago.
I had a seagull puppet and she had a Barbie. Those were the languages we had in common. We got along swimmingly.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Storytelling tip #5
I heard this one from Donald Davis at a workshop many years ago. It has proved invaluable in my work.
Begin by talking about your story.
By talking about a story instead of actually telling it, you'll take the pressure off of having to get it right. As you talk about it, you start to refine your knowledge of the story and how it fits into your repertoire.
I often say to my sister, "Hey, I'm thinking about telling a new story I just found. Can I tell you about it?" As I tell her, it starts to take shape and I see the pictures more clearly in my mind. Often by the time I've finished telling about it, I've shifted into telling it. Also, since I'm just rambling, I don't mind if she has suggestions or questions.
This works for all kinds of stories, from personal stories to folktales to literary stories.
Begin by talking about your story.
By talking about a story instead of actually telling it, you'll take the pressure off of having to get it right. As you talk about it, you start to refine your knowledge of the story and how it fits into your repertoire.
I often say to my sister, "Hey, I'm thinking about telling a new story I just found. Can I tell you about it?" As I tell her, it starts to take shape and I see the pictures more clearly in my mind. Often by the time I've finished telling about it, I've shifted into telling it. Also, since I'm just rambling, I don't mind if she has suggestions or questions.
This works for all kinds of stories, from personal stories to folktales to literary stories.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Queen Berta at the Depot
The World Premiere of Queen Berta and King Pippin is set! That is, the first public performance will be Friday, February 15 at 8:00 p.m. at the Lawrence Visitor's Center (the former Union Pacific Depot), at the corner of Locust and N. 2nd St. in North Lawrence. You heard it here.
I've done five or six performances at the depot (I can't get myself to call it the Visitor's Center). It's a beautiful building on the outside, a classic old train station, with nice landscaping. Inside, it's okay. The floor is brown linoleum. Very brown. There are various light settings, so it's not stark fluorescent, and I usually bring a small oriental rug and a table to serve as a set and help soften the institutional feel to the place.
Though the trains don't stop at the station, they do go by. Lots of them, mostly full of coal or other heavy freight. I live nearby and every time they pass, the house shakes. I don't know how many per day because I no longer notice them when I'm at home, but the folks at the depot told me there were 50-75. I do notice when I'm performing there or in my backyard and sometimes when I'm on the phone inside the house. When I'm telling Medieval stories, the sound is more than a bit anachronistic. My hope is that this story will be compelling enough that nobody notices.
I've done five or six performances at the depot (I can't get myself to call it the Visitor's Center). It's a beautiful building on the outside, a classic old train station, with nice landscaping. Inside, it's okay. The floor is brown linoleum. Very brown. There are various light settings, so it's not stark fluorescent, and I usually bring a small oriental rug and a table to serve as a set and help soften the institutional feel to the place.
Though the trains don't stop at the station, they do go by. Lots of them, mostly full of coal or other heavy freight. I live nearby and every time they pass, the house shakes. I don't know how many per day because I no longer notice them when I'm at home, but the folks at the depot told me there were 50-75. I do notice when I'm performing there or in my backyard and sometimes when I'm on the phone inside the house. When I'm telling Medieval stories, the sound is more than a bit anachronistic. My hope is that this story will be compelling enough that nobody notices.
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