January/February 2010

Branching Out

Nobody is just one thing. But sometimes, we tell ourselves “I am this and that is all.” It’s simpler to classify yourself as a doctor or a writer or a plastic spoon sorter—it makes for shorter introductions at parties. And brief titles fit more neatly on a name tag or job application. But nobody is just one thing. Most people spill in many different directions. I do.

In private, I have always been more than a writer. For 2010, I have promised myself that I will branch out in public. Here are some branchy projects in the works:

Birds’ nest rings. I have made these twisted copper wire rings for years, giving them to friends at birthdays. Now that most of my friends have one, and I still like making them, I decided to start selling them in the Twin Cities. Beginning in February, you can buy a ring at these Minneapolis stores: I Like You and Shoppe Local. They are cheep cheep! Go pick up one or two.

Improvisation. I have studied and performed comedy improvisation at the Brave New Workshop since 2004. This year, I am going to try my hand at teaching it. I’m still working out the details, but I may be co-teaching a class in St. Paul sometime this spring or summer. Stay tuned!

Writing instruction. This fall, I taught a middle-grade and YA novel-writing class at the Loft Literary Center with my good friend Jacque Fletcher. I had never taught writing before, and it was both scary and exciting to call myself a “writing teacher.” Our challenge to the students was to write a completed first draft of a novel. Most everyone did it by the end of 12 weeks! It was amazing, and inspiring, and so much fun. We plan to teach another class in 2010.

Painting. Art Materials in Minneapolis was having a sale this fall on canvases. I had never painted on a canvas before, but because they were cheap I bought a bunch. I also picked up some acrylic paint tubes. So far, I have painted a horse diving under a dark sea. My goal is to have lots of pretty pictures to hang around the house. And maybe a few ugly pictures, too.

Dancing. When I was in high school, I planned to become a professional dancer. I went to modern dance class every day at the Zenon Dance School in Minneapolis. When it was time to pick a college, I chose Sarah Lawrence in New York because they had a great dance program and a nice, big dance studio.

An injury eventually made it hard to dance full time, and I had to direct my energies toward other things, and I began concentrating on acting, writing and literature. Lately, my back has been feeling strong and I have missed dancing. So I started taking a modern class again at Zenon, my old haunt. My balance is shaky, but I am getting stronger, and having a lot of fun.

Being branchy is good for the soul. I am so happy to share these many stems of myself with you. Thank you for stopping by.