Creative

Write Action hosts an open reading every month on the third Friday. This month, Jan 16 is the third Friday.

Readers will have about 7 minutes to read their poems, short stories, excerpts or a favorite piece by another author.

WHERE AND WHEN The Blue Dot Studio in the Hooker Dunham Building.We start the readings at 7:30. 

When Jeremy Bentham, in the 18th century, devised his ingenious architectural structure to revolutionize detention, little did he know that his idea would infiltrate every aspect of society. The simple premise of a central eye which sees everything, yet itself remains unseen, may have had a precedent in religious order, but aside from the Illuminati symbol which later appears atop the American dollar bill, no such mechanism was actually in place in any edifice near or far.

The Panopticon was designed to change schools, hospitals, asylum, and all manner of buildings committed to reform. However, execution was impractical, and its realization hardly employed.

I was noticing how different various classic Christmas tales would be if the ending was chopped off. The carefully crafted endings to the favorite tales are crucial to us enjoying the story and coming back to it year after year.

The ending is typically where the lesson is learned, growth occurs, good overcomes evil, and so on. Not if you lob off the ending, though.

Here are some examples:

Close to 200 trick-or-treaters combed the Forest Square section of Brattleboro on Halloween. As is tradition, here’s your official 2014 list of costumes. Apologies to those we missed or got wrong, and thanks to all for all the original and entertaining ideas that kids had this year.

One notable trend: Star Wars is back. Other trends include parents getting more involved, nerds, and Robin Hoods.

Frozen princess Elsa
Ghoul
A red skin suit
Tiny Batman (Returns, one year later)

Friday Oct 17 is the third Friday of the month. Do you know what that means? Its time to get together and read poems and stories, out loud. Or, maybe even recite them aloud, with no text to save you. 

On the third Friday of every month, Write Action invites writers to gather and read aloud poetry and fiction. It’s a chance to share your work, or a piece by another writer whose work you admire. Every writer gets about 7 minutes. These readings are usually really eclectic in sty;e content and mood, and every event has some excellence. 

The Brattleboro Film Festival’s call for submissions to our first annual Young Filmmakers’ Showcase will close October 15. Filmmakers under the age of 25 should submit their original work to be celebrated alongside the front runners of our 2014 program which will run 10 days from October 31 to November 9, all at the Latchis Theatre. The Youth Showcase will be presented and awards announced at Headroom Stages at 17 Elliot Street from 7 to 9 pm November 7, 2014 (Gallery Walk)where refreshments will be served all for free!

Recently, The University of Brattleboro made two failed attempts at foisting hoaxes on the public.

The first was a spectacular failure. We attempted the largest UFAUX launch in the history of the University. Sadly, the result, while large in scale, fell far short of our hopes. The result was news stories such as the following. . .

In 1873, T. P. James persuaded many people that he was the “spirit pen” of Charles Dicken’s ghost. If you believed him, or if you were just curious, he would be glad to sell you a copy of his book.

As part of the Brattleboro Literary Festival, contestants will gather at the Brooks Memorial Library meeting room on Oct 4, at 10 AM. The room will be refitted as a seance parlor. The Seance could be described as “faux”, but we are looking for serious attempts to complete his novel,”The Life and Adventures of Bockley Wickleheap” one chapter at a time.

Weaving is the perfect balance between creativity, mathematics and fun! Beginning floor loom weaving classes will be on Wednesdays from 10:30-1 and can accommodate beginning and experienced students. Classes are taught by Dena Gartenstein Moses and the school is located in downtown Putney. Cost: $250 plus materials for a ten week series. A three day Beginning Retreat will happen from Oct 24-26 and Advanced Beginning Retreats are offered Oct 27-30 and Nov 9-14. All equipment is provided. 802-387-2656, dena@vermontweaver.com, www.vermontweavingschool.com

This Land is Mine  “This Land is Mine” is a video from Nina Paley, originally posted on Vimeo. In the end of this video appear the text “Copying is an Act of Love, please copy and share. copyheart.org”. So, here it is.

Life is hard. Hope is good. To honor both of these facts of life, Write Action is sponsoring a Flash Fiction writing contest.

The winning entry will be a work of fiction no longer than 820 words. Writers can choose which of three possible themes are most inspiring.

1) “Planting seeds the day before the end” OR

2) “Hope in the dark” OR

3) “Fixing what can be fixed”

Recently, I spent some time combining two things I enjoy – pets and typography.  I know people like learning how things are made, so I thought I’d walk you through the process of creating a Cat Alphabet. Maybe you can help me profit from it. : )

The project started without much thought. I like drawing and having been using my cats as models for some time now. They are willing and able, and the bone structure of humans and other animals match up quite nicely. We all have ankles, knees, elbows, etc. You just have to get the proportions right for the animal you are drawing.

I decided to see how cats would fit into the various letters of the alphabet. I’ve been a fan of the alphabet since an early age, and started my life in graphic arts with hand-lettered posters in college.

The world is finite, resources are scarce,
Things are bad and will be worse.
Coal is burned and gas exploded,
Forests cut and soils eroded.
Wells are dry and air’s polluted,
Dust is blowing, trees uprooted,

Any scrapbooking/paper crafts fans out there in ibrattleboro land? I’m going through my craft/art supplies and have quite a few nice 12″ x 12″ scrapbook/craft papers. Solids, lots of prints, vellum, ‘linen’- a good variety. I also have a sample book of lace panels – many beautiful patterns- heavy fabric. I’ve used some as bckground when framing old photos and botanicals.

My friend Ivan and I hiked up Wantastiquet today. What a lovely site it was, to see Brattleboro from up there. I took some photos, unaware of what I was about to capture with my camera.

I got a shut-off notice from the power company.

Then I noticed the date – April First.

So I laughed, tore it up, and threw it in the trash.

Suddenly, my lights went out.

They say it is Spring, this I know.
Yet when I awoke there was snow.
I can’t take much more,
But need things at the store,
So off to shovel I go.

For those who’ve acquired the taste and skill, there’s a uniquely rewarding pleasure in a book’s well executed ending. In great works, themes are introduced, developed or hidden, and in the end, a masterful author pulls it together in a way we didn’t see coming. But in retrospect the unfolding was altogether obvious and inevitable. This may come in the form of a plot twist, a revelation, a reversal of fortune…Whatever the mechanism…if the ending is compelling, and launches the reader into a new realm of contemplation or appreciation, it’s a thing of beauty.

A play in one scene

MODERATOR:

O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those in Brattle-town
That are at home to-day!

A BRATTLEBORO CITIZEN:

What’s he that wishes so?
My cousin Mod’rator? No, my fair cousin:
If we are registered, we are enow
To give our town our vote; and if elected,
The fewer we, the greater share of honour.
Seven score in all will do the trick.
How know I this? ‘Tis Charter tells me so.