Page 29 - the NOISE November 2012

Ihadn’t written anything really meaningful since the 3rd grade, when my essay won the school-wide competition. I was forced
- without warning - to read my writing over the loud, very loud speakers. My trembling voice boomed out over the whole school and the surrounding neighborhood. I swore I’d never write and share my words again.
Even the thought of writing and sharing my words remained terrifying, still one sum- mer evening, I found myself sitting on a worn comfy sofa in a living room full of strangers. I had been compelled there by a series of strange events, chance meetings, meaning- ful newspaper articles read and inner long- ings I hadn’t even realized.
We had gathered in the cozy living room of an artist, of that I was sure. Christina Nor- lin’s yard was full of vibrant flowers, a veg- etable garden, sculptures, prayer flags and a burbling fountain. The interior was just as lively with green and gold walls, blue doors, Christina’s exquisite stained glass and count- less personal treasures. I immediately felt at home. As I looked around at the faces of the other writers in the circle, my gaze was met by friendly, expectant and earnest faces.
Our teacher, Mary Sojourner started us off with a round of introductions. We were to say our name and tell the circle: “What does writing mean to you.” The question stirred a deep place in me. I’d never been asked that, yet I knew immediately that I wanted to write and to have my efforts accepted by this group of people I assumed were “writ- ers”. I wanted to find my own voice. In that moment, I knew almost mysteriously that I was sitting in a group of “storytellers” and that I was one of them. It really didn’t matter if anyone had written seriously before. The writing in this circle was art, a creative pro- cess, waiting to bring forth something com- pelling inside of me, inside of each of us. I felt beloved memories, experiences, thoughts, a tapestry of words waiting to spill out on to the page.
Mary began the first round of writing - my first actual writing class, with “a prompt”, a line cast forth. From that line we were to spin our own tales on grandmother spider’s web. Mary smiled and said, “Here’s your prompt: You are a jewel at the center of the universe. You have 20 minutes to write. The only rule is that the pen cannot stop. If you are stuck, keep going even if it is only to write ‘I am stuck. Blah blah. Mary’s not the boss of me.” It was almost doubly funny that she said that because since that first circle, my pen has
never been stuck. To my surprised delight, out have poured heartfelt dreams, intense experiences, wild imaginings and all manner of tales - not just from me, but from every- one in the circles.
It has been two years since that first warm summer night, - and one published mem- oir/cookbook for me and countless stories from the other voices in the circle. The faces sometimes change, but Christina’s stout and gentle Rotweiller “Lola” always faithfully keeps us company; the ravens watch intently from the telephone wire in the yard; the wa- ter splashes playfully from the ceramic fish head fountain and the quality of the light changes through the seasons as it dances on the bright walls. We have explored those im- ages and our “prompts” each in our own way, our pens dancing with their vibrations, our eyes sparkling with emotions and purpose. Then our teacher says, “You’ve got two more minutes”. How fast the pens then always fly over the pages. “Stop” Mary softly calls. We all catch our breath.
Then comes my favorite part — it is time to share what we’ve written, but only if we want to. Each week I am equally amazed by what appears on my pages and what the others’ inspirations bring forth. I’ve found too that each circle of strangers (The writing circles run for six weeks, then the circles be- gin anew.) is always drawn together by a love of words, the turn of a phrase, the reading of great works, explorations of the style and art form of writing through the process of our own deeply felt experiences. Each week I look forward expectantly to a sojourn into deep places in my soul.
I have asked Mary Sojourner to talk about how and why she teaches and what writing means to her. Our conversation became a tapestry in itself.
What is your deepest credo for teaching writing?
Stories lie as deep in all of us – writers or not – as blood, bone and heart. I learned the form of how I teach from a simple instruc- tion in Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way. I have shaped that form to fit the needs of my students. Perhaps my deepest credo is this: each writer knows best how to tell her/ his story.
What does writing mean to you?
At this time, writing is my elusive lover, my ruthless tyrant, my best friend, my medicine and my lifeline.
How does that affect how you teach?
The shape-shifting quality of my relation- ship with my writing – or more accurately, it’s relationship with me - constantly reminds me of how complex my students are, and how essential their stories. It is no accident that there are only two rules in our writing circles: Keep the pen moving. What you hear in our circles when writers read, stays in our circles.
How is it for you when you write?
My childhood shaped me to become the writer I am today. I had to pay attention to what was going on in my chaotic home and I read constantly to escape the terror. For too many years I replicated the chaos and terror in my adult life. Reading and writing brought me back to myself. Now, I move through my life paying close attention to the world that contains me. Eventually, I feel jit- tery and off-center. I know it’s time to pick up a pen or put my hands on the keyboard. With those acts, the words emerge.
What can you tell a person who has always wanted to write, but somehow not begun?
Clear space in your life – that’s often the most difficult part of beginning. Set a timer for fifteen minutes. Then, pick up your pen. Start with this prompt: No one knows my story but me... And think about joining us in a circle!
What is the impact of early learning on adult writers?
Our relationship with our creativity mir- rors our relationship with our lives. Nearly every writer I’ve worked with has learned in childhood how not to write: how to get everything perfect, or that their words and feelings don’t matter; or that they must not tell certain stories – the list is endless. The teaching form I use gently breaks those pat- terns apart.
And, please say something about compul- sive busyness and its affects on creativity.
In 2003 a tall elegant woman stood up in my Writing From Place workshop at an ASU writing conference and taught me more than I could have imagined about what had happened to the glowing promise of wom- en’s ‘choices’. Eighty-five students and I had just finished an hour of free-writing. I asked if there were questions.
“’I have to write,’ the woman said and be- gan to cry. The room was perfectly still. ‘Can you tell me,’ she choked, ‘how I can find fif- teen minutes in my day to devote to my writ- ing? I work, I have kids, I volunteer. Can you tell me?’ She stayed on her feet, her eyes searching mine.
“’No,’ I said. She nodded. “’I was afraid you’d say that,’ she said. ‘But am I alone in this?’ ‘Is she?’ I asked. Nearly every writer in the room raised a hand.
Our writing circles defy the messages of perfectionism and self-sacrifice that so many of us – women and men alike – have absorbed. We are then free to write our lives and our stories.
| The next WrITE Writing Circle begins November 21 and meets
until December 26; for more in- formation, email Mary Sojourner at kali114402001@yahoo.com
| Jodi Johnson is the au- thor of Back Roads, Dead Cats and What’s for Dinner? jodi@therapies4health.com
thenoise.us • the NOISE arts & news
• NOVEMBER 2012 • 29
The Future of Local Radio part 2 by John Abrahamsen
The tireless volunteers of Radio Free Flagstaff have wrapped up their fundraising efforts for 2012, and now they’re ready to put your donations to work. Your donations pay for the 24-7 internet stream on our website, radiofreeflag. org, and thanks to our most recent fundraiser at Mia’s Lounge, RFF can now afford to get a strong low-power FM broadcast frequency serving the Flagstaff area. Much gratitude goes out to Dave at Mia’s Lounge for donating a portion of the bar to Radio Free Flagstaff, to everyone who bought a drink and to Summit Dub Squad and Bloodthirsty Heartthrobs for volunteering their extraordinary talent to draw a huge crowd on our behalf.
Radio Free Flagstaff is a non- profit community-access radio station, which means we must be available absolutely free over the airwaves-- making this happen requires us to play a bureaucratic waiting game. The Federal Communications Commission has yet to respond to the legal requirements set by the Community Radio Act of 2011, which requires the FCC to ensure that there’s room on the dial for community- access low-power FMs. So it’s not yet known what frequencies are available in Flagstaff. We are now on their timetable.
The FCC is expected to announce their official rulemaking on airwave space before the year is over, perhaps as early as Thanksgiving. When they do, we have enough funds to hire a radio engineer to conduct a low-power frequency search in Flagstaff and fill out the FCC application for the best possible frequency.
Then we have to wait for the FCC to accept applications—a two-week “window” is expected to open in 2013, perhaps as early as February. When that FCC window opens, we need our application to be sitting in the in-box on
that commissioner’s desk.
The final step in getting our frequency is
getting the FCC to approve our application, and that could take a while, too—it could take more than one try. But RFF is in good position for approval because it’s a 501c3 project that has been in existence for over two years in a large community with no community-access radio. And, our community support is growing—we’re optimistic that Flagstaff is finally getting a volunteer, citizen-run radio station with a focus on local music.
Now that the holiday season is here, our volunteers are taking a much-needed break and resting up for a new year of fundraising. If any of you RFF supporters have a good idea for a fundraiser, please let us know — we will need your help in 2013.
Indeed, we welcome your suggestions on every aspect of Radio Free Flagstaff. Let us know what you want from us, and what you think we should be doing. We welcome community involvement in ever aspect of our development. And of course, tune in to the 24-7 stream on the website and make your requests at radiofreeflagstaff@gmail.com.