Erin Shaw Street

Memorial Day: Cliff, Uncle Jack, Tim

Remembering all of those who served our country and those who serve today.

For me, that means my father in law, Cliff Street, who served in the Navy for 27 years,. That's him to the left with Mark and Shane (check out the Andy Gibb-esque haircut on my brother in law!).

Also, thinking of my Uncle Jack, who, like Cliff, served bravely in Vietnam.

Last year Uncle Jack, along with his troop, received the Presidential Unit Citation for heroism during the war (click here for the post I wrote about that much deserved and delayed honor).

Also thinking about our neighbors, whose son in law Tim recently returned to Afghanistan, and for whom flags wave at each of our mailboxes. I thanked his mother in law for leaving the flags with each of us, and several of the neighbors are working to make care packages for Tim. It's just a small gesture, considering how much he and all of the men and women who serve us sacrifice.

So, today, before we go to the pool and eat hamburgers, thank you to Cliff, Uncle Jack, Tim, and all of our military.

Related Links:

DOGingham: NEADS provides service dogs to disabled veterans

Wade on Birmignham: Happy Memorial Day

Super Star Onion

Snapshot from Pepper Place Farmer's Market, where I chilled at the DISCO Birmingham writing booth. The vegetable of the week was onions, and despite the rain, we had great turnout of kids.

Chip, Shaun, and I had fun working with the kids, using vegetables as an inspiration for their creative writing. We agreed that one of the best parts about working with them is that it reminds us of the joy of the writing process.

It's a joy that, frankly, gets obscured in our daily challenges. I don't need to wax poetic here: a writing life is never easy, and that goes for those of us making a living of it during these tumultuous economic times and changing creative landscapes.

So much to process -- the potential of technology, faltering old media, struggling new media, sprinkled in with groceries to buy, and bills to pay. It's nice to dream, but mama needs new shoes.

Here we are in the middle of it all, this bridge generation of writers and creatives who were raised on print but just as agile with an iPad. It's a little mind boggling.

Events of the past couple of weeks (see my previous post about Poynter) have made me realize that part of my purpose now is to foster discussions with other writers and creatives in my community.

By talking, we're going to help each other through this. Just like we're encouraging kids to write, so should we encourage one another. One poem, one website, one published (or unpublished) story at a time.

More on this later -- it's all taking shape in my head. But for now, this is the start of an essay I'm writing about the Farmer's Market, where I shop for produce and words:

"The morning rains had scattered the crowds, and rows of produce remained untouched. Squash, cucumbers, herbs, tomatoes -- so much possibility.

I walked through the aisles admiring the colors and smells, the big men holding little dogs and farmers perched on flat bed trucks. Free range eggs, organic goat cheese, bunches of zinnias covered in rain drops. 

I didn't have a clue what to do with any of it, of course. Under the awning I confessed to Shaun that I'm a foodie without food skills. 'Not even a few dishes?' she asked. 'Nope, just Bagel Bites,' I replied.

So here were all these rows of greens, and Chilton County peaches still with leaves, blackberries by the bucket full. What to do with them? I wasn't even sure where to start.

My hair got frizzy, toes wet. Then the sun came out, and farmers packed up their stands.

Overwhelmed by the possibilities. What to do next? Pick up a pen and start cooking."

Writing farmers, how can we work together to support and encourage each other? Share your ideas.

Related Links:

CBS42 "Wake Up Alabama" -- Desert Island Supply Company (Video)

826 Valencia: The Writing Center

Coming home, living on the edge of ... journalism.

"You can still be with the wizard/

What you've worked and waited for/

You can have all you wanted..."

"I know. But I don't want it anymore.

Something has changed within me/something is not the same/I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game." -- "Wicked"

When I was a skinny-legged 15 year old Catholic school girl/punk rocker, I was admitted to the high church of journalism. Purely by luck, I was born about 30 miles from the place where journalists from around the world came to talk about their craft -- The Poynter Institute For Media Studies.

Poynter is a school for journalists, and it owns The St. Petersburg Times. I spent two summers there at a high school writing program. (That's me on the right. Next to me is one of my best friends to this day, Alisa Blackwood, and to the far left, Ed Quico. Sorry pals in the middle.)

In those two summers I learned as much about writing as I have in 12 years of writing for a living.

But back to last week. I was invited to attend "The Edge of Change" colloquium, where I was surrounded with dozens of women -- journalism pioneers, practitioners, Pulitzer winners. I came to that room not as a kid, but an editor.

A tired one, with some scars, wondering what lots of us in this industry wonder each day:

What is next?

What did I learn?

Sitting in front of me was Anne Hull, a Pulitzer-prize winner. When I interned at The St. Pete Times, I saw here in the parking lot and was too scared to talk. A few rows over sat Dorothy Gilliam, the first African-American reporter at The Washington Post. And next to me was a college student, bright, enthusiastic, and familiar.

I recognized how excited she was about journalism. Reminded me of someone.

We covered a lot in the two-day session, which was based on the book by the same name.

Talked about where women had been -- like the women who shared how scared they were in the 60s to reveal their pregnancies in the newsrooms (grounds for immediate dismissal in some cases).

Others shared how, despite knowing their talents, were at times afraid to make their voices heard. And then all of us talked about the future, trying to figure out how to make our voices heard during these tumultuous times in media's history.

They asked us, as homework, to talk about a moment that represented where we'd been. This is what I submitted:

"I started my journalism career as an intern at The St. Pete Times in 1994. I remember a senior staff member pulling me aside and saying, "Erin, people will tell you that as a woman you can have it all, but that's a myth. It is very difficult to have a successful journalism career and a family. At some point you may have to choose."

It was the first time anyone had ever said anything like that to me, and it came as a shock. I'd been raised in the "you can do anything" generation. The work of female journalists before me has opened many doors, so much so that I've have had the same opportunities afforded to my male counterparts.

However, the words of that colleague come to mind now as I try to balance being a mother and a journalist. This combination has never been easy (nothing about motherhood is), and I feel particular pressure to perform as one of the last remaining practicing journalists among my friends. I think my former colleague was partially right about the difficulty of the dual role of journalist and mother -- the balance for me changes each day."

So ...

With chaos comes opportunity, as we discussed again and again. A time for writers -- in or outside newsrooms (and non-newsrooms) -- to reinvent how we tell stories. It's time for radical risk taking.

And for women -- and men -- to acknowledge that we're more than our jobs. We have families and interests and lives that reach far beyond our word counts and story counts. Who we are matters.

Who am I? Still the scared 15 year old punk rock school girl walking into the lobby of Poynter, just wanting to tell a story.  A 33-year old who has survived newspapers, magazines, public relations, motherhood (well, still working through that last one). Has scars, will travel. Been through it all and is still excited.

But feels the pressure of time.

I won an iPad at the conference. I took it home and fell in love with the possibilities: the exchange of information, the photographs, the stories. I sit on my couch after a long day, writing on it, imagining, ready to tell these stories.

Writers, You with me?

It's still scary. some days my head hurts (OK lots of days). Sometimes I feel like I've been doing this longer than I really have.  But I haven't really.

I was born in between -- in between the "firsts" and the "nexts," the pioneers of the newsroom and the pioneers of the iPad. Both sides have a whole lot to say.

So, what's next? How are we going to do it?

That's our story to write. 

The Perfect Day of West Central Florida Food: Orange Juice, Cubans, Bern's

We got back from Florida yesterday, and I have lots to share. The Poynter conference was life changing, and I'm looking forward to sharing that and more.

But I'm beat, and unpacking (OK, who are we kidding, I'm snuggling up to my new iPad). So for now, here's a video diary of the perfect day of West Central Florida Food:

For Breakfast, a stop at St. Petersburg's Saturday Farmer's Market for fresh squeezed orange juice from "Bob and Daughter's" Produce (in Clearwater, Florida):

Lunch at "Tampa's Famous Cubans" in Largo -- a Cuban sandwich and rice and beans:

And a steak dinner at the legendary Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa, followed by chocolate and champagne in their dessert room:

There were many other good eats on this trip -- new finds in my old haunts. That's for another time. For now ... time to walk it off.

Katharine Weymouth at The Edge of Change: It's Still Storytelling

"The goal of women in journalism is indisputable equality and irrevocable opportunity." -- Jill Geisler, The Poynter Institute

Writing from St. Pete, where I've had the privilege to participate in The Poynter Institute For Media Studies "Edge of Change" Colloquium. Based on the book "Edge of Change: Women In The 21st Century Press," it is an amazing gathering of journalism pioneers.

At the cocktail reception I met a Fulbright Scholar who has taught journalism for 25+ years, a recent college graduate debating the merits of a graduate program in digital journalism (go for it), and caught up with a dear writing coach who has encouraged me for nearly 20 years. More on that later.

He introduced me to Katharine Weymouth, the CEO and publisher of The Washington Post, granddaughter to the legendary Katharine Graham. She gave the keynote address on her thoughts of the future of our industry, including frank talk about newsroom cuts, digital integration, and tough decisions she's had to make at The Post.

Government support of newspapers? She doesn't support it. Competition from new online sources? She says she embraces it, that it makes newspapers better. Where will journalism be in 10 years? Alive she says, but it's tough to tell in what form. (Talk 2-3 years, then re-evaluate, she remarked.)

Many people asked what she says to young journalists entering the field at such a down time. I liked her take on the opportunity that's there for them. She said:

"I'm privileged to meet a lot of young journalists, and the great thing about them is that they've grown up in this world, so things that we're all learning -- how to use Twitter, how to use a Flip camera -- is all second nature to them. They know how to edit video, how to take a photo, how to write. It's exciting that they can bring those talents.

Really, it's still journalism, right? It's still storytelling. What's changed is how you tell the story. Are you going to tell it in print? Are you going to tell it on the web? Are you going to blog it?" 

Her talk was recorded for C-SPAN to be aired at an undetermined date. In the meantime, here's a clip I shot with one of those Flip Videos :) I was in a back row so it's not a great view, but her words are interesting. 

This is just one story. Lots more to come from this meeting. Sandwiched in between two generations, I have a whole lot to learn. And a few things to contribute. Stay tuned, and follow the conversations on Twitter @womenjourn. Plus live blogging of the conference on the Poynter website.

Related Links:

Postcards From Florida

Edge of Change Colloquium: Women In The New Media

I'm honored to be part of  the "Edge of Change Colloquium" at the Poynter Institute of Media Studies this week.

Here's a synopsis:

"The editors of the new book 'The Edge of Change: Women in the 21st Century Press,' along with women whose stories are told in the book, will gather at Poynter. In addition to celebrating the book’s publication, they will engage in a thoughtful, wide-ranging conversation about the past, present and future status of women in journalism.

Katharine Weymouth, publisher and CEO of The Washington Post, will kick off the event with a talk on Thursday evening. Friday will feature moderated conversations about challenges and opportunities for women in media."

The roster of participants is impressive, just starting with Weymouth, publisher of The Washington Post, who will speak on "news leadership in a digital age and the legacy of her grandmother."

Then editors (print and online), reporters, academics, and others who have been in the trenches will discuss our challenges -- and concrete ways we can work together to improve them.

To say I am humbled to learn from these women is an understatement (seriously, I am a kiddo among them). Poynter has provided me with access to tremendous learning opportunities since, at the age of 15, I participated in one of two summers of high school writing camp there.

Nearly two decades later, the world of journalism is completely different, but here we are, trying to figure things out.

Last year around this time I talked with the high school journalists at Poynter, fielding tough questions about the Future of Journalism. "What will it look like when we're standing up in front of this classroom," they asked? Good question.

As I said to them, and all students, we're in this new world together. Let's share.

So I ask: what questions do you want to ask of some of our country's best and brightest female journalists? They can be related to anything -- print/online/combination of the two? Are there more opportunities for women as journalists? Why should women choose this path?

No question is off limits, and I'll bring your responses to the discussion. Fire away.

Also, if you are interested in following the conversation on Twitter, the Colloquium's hashtag is  #womenjourn

Plus CSPAN will be taping Katharine Weymouth's keynote for a later broadcast.

Related Links:

Poynter.org: 200 Moments That Transformed Journalism

Occam's RazR: Open Letter To New Journalists

   

Lettuce Write Poetry! DISCO Birmingham Writing Booth At Pepper Place

Had lots of fun yesterday at DISCO Birmingham's writing Booth at Pepper Place. We're going to be there each week at the farmer's market, encouraging kids to get their writing on.

Each week Jones Valley Urban Farm will give us a different food item, and we'll be working with kids to help them write poems about the produce. How great is that? Plus it's free. Stop by and see us! And if you're interested in volunteering with this great, growing organization, let me know.

Here's a video of what it's all about:

Next Generation of Writers: DISCO Style (aka, "I was a Teenage Beatnik")

When I was 16 years old,  my parents forbid me from driving the 25 minutes across the bridge to Tampa. So of course I did.

My target: downtown Tampa's Ybor City, the Cuban cultural district turned (at the time, early-90s) arts district (this item from 2003's St. Pete Times describes those long-gone glory days well).

In retrospect, especially as a parent now, I can see why they didn't want a somewhat naive Catholic school student with a rebellious streak to walk around alone through the dark streets filled with clubs and bars and second-hand shops, drunk characters, and boho life.

There were also bookstores and cafes, which I actually wanted to go to (I went to the clubs a few years later, but that's another story). One night I drove across the Bridge to Three Birds Bookstore, a wonderful, independent, smokey (and sadly long-defunct) gathering spot, where I screwed up my courage and signed up to read poetry at their monthly "Thirsty Ear" poetry slam, which were quite popular at the time.

I was the last, and youngest person to read, tongue -in-cheek poems about high school and siblings and pop culture (pretty much the variations that I still write about creatively today in some way). I wore Doc Martens and a beret, channeling a "pre-'Reality Bites'/ born about 40 years too late to wear a beret look."

And I won.

Driving back across that bridge I tried to figure out how to explain to my parents what had happened. (The option not to didn't exist because a reporter from The Tampa Tribune interviewed me, and of course there were photos, for a big feature about slams. Nothing like the novelty of a 16-year old poet.)

Even if I hadn't won, I couldn't contain my excitement. The adrenaline from reading -- and from being received -- from a crowd, was like nothing I'd experienced in English class. I'd always known that I would be a writer, but this vote of confidence was key in encouraging me that I could do it. I went on to perform regularly with a group of poets in Tampa venues.

That writing community embraced me, even though I was just a kid. It was a pivotal time in my life, and though my confidence as a writer waxed and waned for years, I kept those moments with me.

***************

This is one of the many reasons why I am supporting a new, grassroots organization in Birmingham, whose mission is to bring this love of writing to Birmingham's kids (ages 6-18) -- specifically those in the Woodlawn area. Called The Desert Island Supply Company (DISCO), the group is picking up steam.

Tonight they'll host a party at Crestwood Coffee from 6 to 9 p.m. to help the Desert Island Supply Co. "mature from a loosely organized collection of passionate volunteers to a loosely organized collection of passionate volunteers with a budget." Students who've already participated in poetry and other workshops will be reading.

We hope that the room will be filled with people who want to support these students in finding the joy in writing. With such a strong community of creatives -- including those of us who have been fortunate to make a living from our craft -- I think the program is going to take off.

This is just the beginning of the opportunities to get involved. Starting this Saturday, May 15, DISCO will have a booth at Pepper Place Farmer's Market, where volunteers will work with kids to encourage them to write about the beautiful season fruits and vegetables provided by Jones Valley Urban Farm. From Chip Brantley, DISCO's founder:

"Each week, Jones Valley Urban Farm will choose a seasonal fruit or vegetable, which will then become the inspiration for the writing prompts and ideas we give out to kids who come by. The inaugural week's vegetable is lettuce -- specifically the Red Sails, Ermosa, Jericho and Black Seeded Simpson varieties."

    Volunteers will be provided with writing prompts to get kids started with their odes to berries and veggies. It's free and, we hope, will plant the seeds of writing, for the next generation.

    The ultimate goal of DISCO is to have a permanent home -- a building where students can go for writing help. And the name? The plan is that "Desert Island Supply Company" will be the theme. More on that to come.

    But till now, please consider joining us -- tonight, at Saturday's Pepper Place Farmer's Markets all summer long. If you love writing, think about volunteering -- it just takes a few hours and you'll get all the instructions you need. Stop by with your kids -- or encourage your friends to swing by.

    More events will be announced in the coming weeks and months. Let's plant the seeds. 

    For more information about getting involved, email:

    [email protected]

    Follow DISCO on Twitter @DISCOBirmingham

    and on Facebook  http://tinyurl.com/25nppam

Related Links:

826 Valencia

Pepper Place Farmer's Market

Make Yourself A Stiff Drink Home Improvement Part I

Last night I experienced an intervention. Regarding the state of my home's organization. More specifically, my closet.

It came from my sister Megan and her husband Ricky. Megan went into my closet yesterday to borrow some dresses before a trip.

Megan and Ricky are smart; she works in higher education, he's a minister with a degree from a prestigious school. Their closet is color coded and they know where all the lids to their Tupperware belong.

And while I think I'm pretty organized ... they do not.

Here they are educating me in the gospel of organization. It's pretty funny. I hope it will be first in a series of "Make Yourself A Stiff Drink Cause You're Going To Need It" series to home projects. Let me know what you'd like to see next!

Oh, what's that, convince your husband to paint a guest bathroom? Coming right up ...

Related Links: Megan's Blog: Megan's Magnolia's Musings

Yoda Nidra at SoHo PiYo

It's that time of the month again: Yoga Nidra at SoHo PiYo -- this Friday, May, 14, from 6-7:30 p.m. For $20, it's the best relaxation in town. All you need to bring is a pillow and comfy clothes.

I've been roping new friends into it each month, and there's always room for one more.

Here's what I wrote about it in March:

"My wonderful yoga teacher, Suzanne Graham, leads these at SoHo PiYo Studio in Homewood. It works like this: the class starts out with about 20-30 minutes of gentle yoga poses, appropriate for people at all levels (you actually don't have to have ever taken yoga before because she guides you through the basics).

Then you lay on the floor in what's called 'Savasana,' while Suzanne leads a scripted guided meditation of sorts, helping you relax every muscle in your body, and your mind. By the end you wake up feeling refreshed and centered. 

You never actually fall asleep during the process (tempting, but Suzanne gives gentle reminders to stay focused.) Some people say that they notice improvements in their nightly sleep pattern for weeks after.

From a Yoga Journal storyabout the yoga nidra:

Also known as yogic sleep or sleep with awareness, Yoga Nidra is an ancient practice that is rapidly gaining popularity in the West. It is intended to induce full-body relaxation and a deep meditative state of consciousness. "We live in a chronically exhausted, overstimulated world," says Los Angeles yoga teacher Rod Stryker. "Yoga Nidra is a systematic method of complete relaxation, holistically addressing our physiological, neurological, and subconscious needs."

During a typical class, teachers use a variety of techniques—including guided imagery and body scanning—to aid relaxation. And unlike a quick Savasana at the end of asana practice, Yoga Nidra allows enough time for practitioners to physiologically and psychologically sink into it—at least 20 to 45 minutes, says San Francisco Bay Area yoga teacher Jennifer Morrice.

Although I was unsure what to expect, I found the experience to be one of the most calming of my life. How often do we get to unplug from the world and reconnect with our bodies, emotion, and souls? Not enough.

Suzanne says, "yoga provides the connection between the physical body, the true self, and the divine energy of the universe."

I'll be there. You come too. Namaste.