C is for CHESTNUTS AND CHOCOLATES on a Paris Walk #AtoZ

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

My daily #AtoZ posts combine two concepts in under-300-words per day:

an appealing food choice along with thoughts that spring to mind.

*** *** ***  

The fragrance of roasting chestnuts doesn’t bring flashes of holidays-past for me. Instead, I envision a sidewalk vendor on an abandoned street corner in the heart of Paris. It is a cool spring day. I am twenty-something, hoping to someday become a writer. And fancying myself sipping coffee with expatriates during those glory days following the war.

I too feel lost.
 

I ease along a side street, glancing into a sun-glazed chocolatier shop. But my rationed money stretches only to a half-order of roasted chestnuts from an oversized caldron, deftly scooped into a paper container by a faceless man bundled against the nip of late afternoon.

 

Walking toward Tuileries Garden, I chew on the rubbery flesh of a heated chestnut, thinking of the thumbnail-sized balcony attached to my hotel room where I’ve stashed a bottle of red wine, still over half-full. Like the money, I will also ration the vino, willing it to last another two weeks.

 

This trip should have ended differently.

 

As I fold the top of the paper container and stuff the remaining chestnuts into my skirt pocket for later, thoughts surface of plans unfulfilled. The future holds no wedding; no picket fence surrounding a small cottage where endless words flow onto pages of tattered notebooks; no novels rushed to an eager publisher.

 

Instead, solitary days will consist of plodding sentences, blossoming ideas, sudden inspiration. And endless possibilities of "someday."

 

Is it true that accomplishments are dreams transformed into reality?

 

THE SUPERNATURAL and BEYOND WORDS Poems #42-43

42

The Supernatural 

Speaking in tongues

Searching for inspiration

Hands grasping,

Minds laid bare 

Enlightenment nearing fingertips

Yet always just beyond reach

The brass ring,

Unattainable 

The elusive transformation

From human to divine,

Is unfathomable, far

Beyond ability

 

When it becomes accepted belief that it is possible to alter God’s creation to reflect something of man’s own invention, thereby making man (woman) appear all powerful, then not only the molecules of thought are rearranged, but also the raw materials of the soul. This is not about cloning, Hitler’s regime, or IVF, but about the dangers inherent in my own inflated ego.

 

*****     *****

43

Beyond Words

 

 

There are words

I want to build on

And to use as titles

Of poems. Phrases with meaning: 

 

Rendering a Thought Visible

Or

Attempt at the Impossible

 

But my page is blank

Not barren, only empty.

As the leaves of autumn

Shrivel and blow away,

So has my inspiration.

 

Leaving behind only

Possibilities.

 

Inspired by the works of Belgian artist René Magritte and an essay by Marcel Paquet: The Enigma of Poetry.

 

 

MOSAICS A Collection of Independent Women

MOSAICS 2 (A Collection of Independent Women)
Available May 1, 2016 at Amazon.com
http://amzn.to/24thcyc
 

 

This is Volume 2 in the Mosaics collection and contains stories by twenty-two independent women.

 

 

http://amzn.to/24thcyc

 

Following is an excerpt from the book synopsis posted on Amazon:

Mosaics: A Collection of Independent Women will inspire and shock you with its multi-faceted look at the history and culture surrounding femininity. If gender is a construct, this anthology is the house it built. Look through its many rooms, some bright and airy, some terrifying-- with monsters lurking in the shadows.

*****     *****

Author Kimberly Fukioka asked me to read the book and offer a review in exchange for a copy. In return, I asked Kim to participate in a short interview to get a feel for how these Mosaics anthologies came about. She graciously agreed.

Question #1: How did the idea for the Mosaics anthology develop?

Author Kimberly Fukioka: Thank you for offering to do the blog post. The anthology was edited and produced by Kim Wells. A quote from her website below kind of answers your question about the impetus for the anthology.

"Crafting the intersectional feminist anthology that I'm working on, my writing partners & I are committed to finding writers from communities not always well represented in indie publishing, or anthologies, or just about any literary scene. So we wrote a call for submissions that stated exactly what we were hoping for, being specific about welcoming womanist and racially intersectional feminism in addition to GLBT and disabled stories." Kim Wells, editor and publisher.

Question #2: How does the title of your story dovetail with the mission of the anthology?

Author Kimberly Fukioka: My story, "Don't Shut Up!" is the empowering story of one young woman to face her abuser even when it means separating from her mother. Her mother admonishes her to shut up and accept the status quo-- sexual abuse and physical violence--but she refuses and escapes barefoot and bleeding in the snow. In this piece the reader can see the long term effects of sexual abuse and how a woman learns to tell the truth about her life. This act of courage is a way she reclaims her voice and power to escape violence and take her place at the table of other independent women.

When I submitted my story to the anthology I thought many women could identify with it because it is such a heart wrenching decision that so many sexual victims of the patriarchal culture worldwide must grapple with: do I stay or do I leave? When I posed that question to myself as the young woman in the story, my mind was doing flip flops, I was emotionally in turmoil, because my identity had been built on the single brick of "being a victim". If I spoke up and left, I was no longer a victim. But who was I ? In a leap of faith, I acted. We all must act in a single leap of faith. There are so many of us out there: victims of trafficking, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, transgender abuse etc. The courage of one woman can give so many others hope. It can even change a community or a society.

*****     *****

 

Upon receiving Mosaics, I naturally turned first to Kim's story before reading the entries submitted by the other twenty-one independent women. Unprepared for the revelations Kim's story contained, I reacted less from a standpoint of fellow author than empathetic friend.

 

As Kim states above, the purpose of laying bare past wrongs

is to empower others who have or are experiencing

similar tragic events.

 

After reading several more of the entries in Mosaics, I began to question if an anthology was an effective venue for supporting others who suffered abuse or violence. I am an advocate of revelation over silence. But I had given little thought to the latter over the years as my tendency is to "move on" if a relationship edges toward the unacceptable.

 

What I hadn't given sufficient consideration was that my option is not always available to others. At least, not available without the mind "flip flops" and emotional turmoil that result when moving on is beyond imagination.

 

I approached this review unconventionally because the novellas and short stories within Mosaics are not meant to be read at a fast clip. Each story, written in a single leap of faith, deserves individual attention. What we, as readers, learn from these leaps of faith is up to us.

 

What we must admit is that changing a community or a society requires that someone choose to speak up. These twenty-two independent women have made that choice. I respect that.

 



A TINY FLOWER: Inspiration for a Poem

My inspiration to write a book of poetry came from meeting four special local poets. I felt the excitement in their voices as they spoke of the steps involved in producing individual works for their published book of poetry. I enjoyed hearing them read a selection of the poems live, and listening to their complete recital of the full collection of poetry on compact disc. My full acknowledgement to these poets appears in my own publication:

 

  

ANOTHER NEW BEGINNING 70 Poems for 70 Days available at Amazon

 

I wrote these 70 poems as a birthday gift to myself. Over the next 70 Sundays, I will submit each of the poems in the order of composition, along with a short comment about the poem’s style or theme, often including a complementary photograph. (Please see last Sunday’s post which reveals the true inspiration for this book of poetry and a few interesting details about renshi poetry.) 

As my plans for this little book materialized, I decided to open with an occurrence so freshly experienced that it was still "cooling on the rack." (This pie-metaphor foreshadows other pie references in the poems to come. Childhood comfort food sticks with you!) 

Lei draping on King Kamehameha Day

 

The ink for my first poem spilled onto the page after a nice young man of college age walked up to me at a Honolulu bus stop on June 11, 2015, King Kamehameha Day. The young man offered me a tiny yellow blossom. He smiled and said, “A beautiful flower for a beautiful lady.” I’m sure I must have reminded him of his (exceptionally young-looking) great-grandmother. Perhaps he was feeling nostalgic for home. I accepted the flower and smiled back. As he walked away with a light step, I felt he had made the world a brighter place for having shared his joy of life.

 

A Tiny Flower

 

Gold, each tiny petal

unites to form the helmet

of a flower’s bloom.

 

Together, their beauty

like solid sunshine

takes my breath away

 

A kind word, shared

without expectation, forms

a binding link to the universe.

 

Gazes remain fixed

as I board TheBus in silence

and still smiling, take my seat

 

Air brakes lift

We roll forward, and

the universe smiles back.

 **********

 

 **********

 

 

 

PAYING IT FORWARD: DR. PAULETTE WILLIAMS

 

 

 

Today I want to “Pay It Forward” for an accomplishment I have strived to reach, a goal that has eluded me . . . for too long! It’s a simple thing, but not an easy accomplishment. Those who know me only-too-well will say, hey, you never had trouble talking. Well, standing in front of an audience to give a speech is a different story! I needed more than a strong belief in myself.

 

Mahalo, Dr. Paulette Williams
http://www.hawaiispeakers.org/williams-paulette/ 

As a way to bolster my self-confidence, I approached Toastmasters Ala Moana’s Vice-President of Education, Dr. Paulette Williams, and asked to be assigned a mentor. Paulette, who is an award-winning Speaker and University Professor of Nursing, generously volunteered her time and knowledge, coaching me in the writing of my next speech. 

When I presented the speech to the Toastmasters group last Thursday, Paulette also encouraged me with her presence and undivided attention. Both are extremely important to a speaker. Her support and approval were invaluable to my advancement as a speaker. Mahalo nui loa to you, Dr. Paulette. 

I received the blue ribbon at Toastmasters for “Best Speaker” of the week, for my speech:  

Writing the First Draft

(Editing comes later!)

 

 

My reward, along with the ribbon and pride of accomplishment? Having my picture taken with the other two “winners of the day” Brian Boltwood, President of Toastmasters Ala Moana, and Rocky Davis, excellent keynote speakers and mentors.

Rocky Davis, Gail Baugniet, Brian Boltwood

 

My speech structure followed the parameters of

Toastmasters International Speech #8 in the Competent Communication booklet:

Get Comfortable with Visual Aids.

 

The major goals of this speech are to:

1. Use appropriate visual aids for the speech and message

2. Help the audience understand and remember the speaker’s point

3. Use body language to reinforce the message, and

4. Present a well-researched speech.

One mission of the Toastmasters Club is to give each member “the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.”

 

You may well ask, “You’re a writer, so what are you doing giving speeches?”

 

Good question, one I’ve asked myself often. I do have a purpose, aside from relishing (in a sadistic sort of way) the challenges of researching, writing, and standing up in front of a group to present a speech. I believe writers need to speak with confidence about their work. But not only as a sales tool. 

Communication skills are also important to more fully appreciate the well-rounded experience of interacting with all the wonderful people one meets during the course of a career as a writer. 

That’s motive enough! 

Please check out this website for further information about Toastmasters:

http://www.toastmasters.org/Find-a-Club/00003701-ala-moana-toastmasters

 

Also, please take a moment to visit the excellent and informative websites of Brian Boltwood: http://brianboltwood.com/photograph/about-me/

and

Rocky Davis. Rocky is a nationally and internationally recognized inspirational and motivational speaker. Learn what motivates Rocky! https://rockslifeonfire.com/about/

 

 

Where Do Ideas Come From?



Interesting cemetery off a back road on Maui
that could conjure up an anthology of ideas.

The question most asked of writers is: “Where do you get your ideas?” 

Some authors say it is the most difficult interview question because they don’t have a satisfactory answer. During the course of the day, an idea pops up and a kernel of a story sprouts. Whatever triggered that idea is the source, or the WHERE. But the thought may be too fleeting for the conscious mind to grasp, and it is only the residual grain of sand left behind that begins to develop into a pearl. 

Triggers can be a song, a painting, an ocean breeze, the shape of a face, a 140-character tweet, a friend’s facebook post, or even the scent of a grilled cheese sandwich, chicken soup, or a root beer float. 

Once the idea begins to form, it is the fertile mind of a dedicated writer that designs, shapes, and accessorizes the story from opening line to climax and denouement. 

Ideas are a dime-a-dozen. Good ideas are worth a bit more. Maybe a better way to answer the question would be for the writer to tell what they do with the inspiration generated by an idea and how the author molds a seed of an idea into an intriguing story. 

Here is a blog post by author Kaye George giving her take on where ideas come from.

http://cindysamplebooks.com/2012/09/where-do-ideas-come-from/ Kaye George @KGeorgeMystery