My Novel Freshman Experience—Part 2 Orientation

Orientation

If you missed it, I'm starting back to school and my first official school even was orientation. About a dozen adult students and grad students gathered and listened to the Adult Ed people talk about schedules, dates, parking...  Travis headed the team.  He asked who was nervous...no one raised their hands, but I glanced around the room and a few people seemed to fall into that category.  He talked about making sure you got the best grades you could in every class.  Scholarships and Grad programs rely on it.  I've got to confess, I wasn't nervous.  I'm in this weird position.  Most of the adult/grad students are working toward a specific degree with a specific goal in mind.

I have no goal.  I'm going back to school for fun and for personal growth.  And while I'd like to get good grades, I will confess, I'm sort of ambivalent about the idea of someone else judging what I learned and accomplished in a class. I've spent my entire adult life taking classes and learning new things.  From my work advising lactating moms, to learning sign language, to beer classes, herb classes, composting class, water conservation class, basketweaving classes...and oh yeah, writing stuff.  You've seen some of my eclectic learning reflected in my books.  I covered composting in Her Second-Chance Family, sign language in Do You Hear What I Hear?...

But here's the thing, none of those learning experiences came with grades. My kids have assured me that years of working at home in a fictional world has ruined me for the real world.  I'm my own boss. I create my work environment every day.  I create my coworkers...otherwise known as my characters.  I choose my projects, set my schedules and basically learn what I need (want) to learn for fun.  And I'll confess, even though I will be graded on this first ceramics class, I'm going in with that same sense of learning for the joy of it...for the glee of it if you will.

I plan to blog the experience, so watch for my first day of class at the end of August!

Holly

My Novel Freshman Experience—Pt. 1

#Ham4All

If you followed my spring NYC trip, you'll know I saw Hamilton AND Dear Evan Hansen this spring.  Oh yeah, I was living large.  Well, imagine my glee when I saw that there's a new #Ham4All Challenge on Twitter and Evan Hansen's cast did Guns and Ships...if you missed it, well, you're welcome!

Oh, I know.  Amazeballs.  After watching it I fell down the rabbit hole and looked up the hashtag on Twitter and there were so many amazing videos. Actors, singers sure, but fans as well.

It reminded me of Erie. Yes, I know, readers are used to the fact that Erie, PA creeps into my books and so many of my social media posts.  But there it is.  I love my town!  So do immigrants.  We have a vibrant community here supported Erie International Institute.  And The Erie Art Museum has an amazing program I've talked about before...Old Songs, New Opportunities!  I bought the CD a while ago and have enjoyed it...so have the kids in my life.  If you're from Erie or somewhere else, you need to check out this unique project and buy a CD.  

And when you're done, you need to check out The #Ham4All Challenge!  Watch the videos and make a donation today.  Let's face it, unless you're a Native American, you come from immigrant stock! I've been thick into my genealogy and I'm Irish, English, German and a bit of Scandinavian.  I think about my family who left everything they knew behind and came here to build a new life...one that led to me.  They had such bravery and optimism.  I hope I carry those qualities on.  And I think about all of Erie's new residents who come here with that same bravery and optimism.  I made a donation for them...and for every other person who comes to this melting pot full of hope and a vision of the future! 

Holly

PS As long as I'm mentioning The Erie Art Museum, congrats on John Vanco who retired from it and had John Vanco Way named after him.  John, you've made a wonderful, powerful impact on Erie...thank you!