Children writing poetry

Last semester I joined a volunteer group headed by poeta Emmy Perez (who also happens to be my writing professor at UTPA). In this project, called Spoken Word, university students teach individuals in detention centers how to write poetry or short stories. Those who have a difficult time with writing, even after much encouragement, recur to drawing. Our purpose is to have these individuals channel their emotions through creative means. We want to show them that there is an alternative to their previous attempts at expression through drugs and violence.
Currently, we are teaching creative writing at a juvenile detention center and I have noticed these individuals are more difficult to get involved, as opposed to the young adults we used to work with at a boot camp/rehabilitation center in the fall semester. I can’t help but feel somewhat saddened when I am ignored as I try to get their attention to include them in a writing activity or to listen to one of their peers read their piece out loud. But I don’t sad for myself as much as I feel sad for them. I wish I could help these kids understand how important it is for them to at least take a minor interest in reading or writing or an academic education to better themselves. A couple of weeks ago, after a small group discussion of problems in their communities, I asked one boy to read his piece. He wrote about his gang experience in a way that sounded mundane. That is the way it is for many of these kids. Gangs, drugs, violence and all this type of substance is all they have ever know. Many don’t know how to function in a world outside of this. Most don’t even have the means or support to leave this world. The boy seemed proud and accepting of his gang life and gangster buddies. There he was in a white room surrounded by other detainees and a guard, every toilet available to him is within ten feet of the guard’s view, every door heavy and strongly bolted, and yet he was smiling after he read his piece. Since we discourage and strictly prohibit any writing that glorifies drugs, gangs, or violence, I suggested he add what he planned to do to change his situation. He flashed a smile full of teeth, a smile that reminded me if my young cousin, “Nothing,” he laughed a little, I don’t want to change it. I like it like this.” He laughed so comfortably I’d bet he almost believed he could walk out of that place like nothing. I suggested something he could do and told him to consider adding it to his piece.

Anytime time I see a toddler or an infant, on their merry way to grow up I wonder, what takes place in that time period between playing with Hot Wheels and hot wiring a car? What influences some young boys to steal and hurt others? Some blame it on TV, or parents, or peers, or even the school system. I think it varies though, I just wish we knew in what.

Time "moscas"...

Yesterday while I sat at the kitchen table my mother walks up to me and sadly says, "Lately, time has been going by too fast. Have you noticed?"
She sounded so sad when she said it. "Especially since you and your sister have been in college," she continued.
As people who just want to be happy (and I say this in reference to my family and myself, I'm not trying to be all universal and what not), we work so hard to get to that "happiness" that we strive for and in all that struggle to get there we get lost in our work and our "plans" that we let time take over us and dictate our moves. It's frightening really...at least to me it is. I wake up every morning thinking about what time I'm supposed to be at school or work, how much time I have to get ready, to get to my destination. Time manipulates me!! AHH!
So I wonder if what I am doing now, will make me smile six or ten years from now. Six or ten years from now, the last thing I would want is to think, "Oh dear--Why did I ****? If all along I would have been happier if ******."
The purpose of this blog is not to try to pull at any heart strings or sound wise and what not, just want to vent really.

Living/bedroom poetry reading

So I am spending my school spring break and work vacation in Houston with my old high school friends. We went to the Houston Rodeo last night and saw Rascal Flatts in concert, those guys are pretty sweet. Tomorrow we are going to the mall and the museum district so that should be fun.
We had a poetry reading tonight here at my friend's apartment. There were only three in attendance. One of my friend read two of her older works, I read two pieces that I developed last summer and my other read a poem by Rita Dove. Rita Dove is awesome!

I hate passwords

Passwords are so frustrating. I don't know if this is normal or not but I think I change my passowords at least twice a week for at least one account. I need memory exercises or something like that.

Anyways, remember that long list of to-do's from my last blog? Well, I completed about...well, a fair share of them. It's amazing how completeing one task is like a domino effect to more tasks.

Well, I will be in Houston for spring break. And I owe it to myself to write one good, long blog during spring break. No?

This is what I get for slacking off last week...

This week is going to be sort off crazy! This week's goals:

• Collect and edit all stories for the magazine (we've already missed a deadline!)
• Submit my poetry to at least 2 journals (and that includes at least one more revision)
• GRE, GRE, GRE!!
• Begin research paper for lit. theory
• work on (and complete) conference paper
• order (and get check for) EAC February Babies cake
• prepare for this weekend's fundraiser at store
• complete (along with my team members) project for specialized reporting course

Oh dear-- I hope I didn't forget anything, but I will not be surprised if I did. We'll see how it goes...

Good thing I **heart** reading

I had a chat with Emmy, my poetry professor, today. It was very informational. She gave me tips on new things to read and we talked about submitting my poetry. She told me about this great site to read up about literary magazines and journals. This weekend I plan to start cracking down on my GRE study plan even more. Yep yep...should be fun.

Pazdera, just give me 15/20 points and don't waste your time reading this

O.k. So my blogs suck, I know. Like I said in my first blog, "I am not a blogger" just doing this blog thing for a grade in my reporting class. Brace yourself because this one is about to be even worse.

This was a long week. The EAC bakesale was quite a success at work. Looking forward to this week because of Valentine's Day and all that...even though I am not really into the whole Valentine's day thing. I am still unsure of what I will get for Sergio. I know I can't go wrong with a book. I'm thinking a Hemingway collection.

I have the magazine deadline his week--oh dear!

Pazdera, I can't get the link to work...again...grrr...