Eavesdropping Assignment

Overheard at Forever 21 on April 7

Girl, with a pile of clothes in her hand:
"Oh my God, this is the cutest ring ever! Don't you think it's cute?"

Boyfriend:
"Yeah, its amazing! I should get one for myself"

Girl:
"Shut up you are so annoying. It IS cute."

Boyfriend:
"How much longer do you think you are going to be?"

Girl:
"I don't know. I still haven't tried on"

Boyfriend:
"Okay well I am going to wait outside. I hate this store."

Class Activity April 4

Dramatic Dialogue

Male Student- JP (Jean Pierre)
insecure
popular
studies business
French & Puerto Rican
Clumsy
Gay

Female Student- Jane
quiet
loves to read
cute
studies modern languages
comes from an old money family

Girls These Days (A dramatic dialouge)

BACKGROUND: Holly, Michelle, Maggie and Rachel are roommates in college. They are junior buisness, marketing, political science and film majors. Although they are all really smart, their conversations do not necessarily reflect their intellect. It is a Wednesday night after class. They just finished eating dinner and are all watching TV together in the living room.

HOLLY

I want a boy to text me.

MICHELLE

Is that a joke? You're seriously so annoying. You have been texting Chris, Wyatt and Jacob this entire week.

HOLLY

No, I havent....

MAGGIE

Holly, yes you have. You made me read some of them and I helped you respond to like 50 of the message.

MICHELLE

Seriously, and stop complaining. The only people who text me these days is y'all and randomly Ben the cheeto-head and I refuse to respond.

HOLLY

Well I just meant I want a boy to like me.

MAGGIE

All three of those boys are obsessed with you.

RACHEL

Yeah shut up Holly. Jacob told you he loved you this weekend.

HOLLY

Oh my God, whatever he was so drunk. He probably says that to every girl to get them to sleep with him.

MICHELLE

Yeah and you did sleep with him. Maybe I should start telling guys that I love them so I can at least get one of them to kiss me.

HOLLY

What if I'm pregnant? I've been really hungry all day today...

RACHEL

To Michelle

Umm I don't think guys like that. I'm pretty sure they would get freaked out and run away. Remember when Allie dated David and she said "I love you" before he did. They broke up like two weeks later.

MAGGIE

They  broke up because he cheated on her not because she said "I love you" first.

RACHEL

Yeah and I bet he cheated on her because she said "I love you" first and it freaked him out so it drove him to cheat.

HOLLY

Seriously y'all, am I pregnant?

MICHELLE

Stop. You aren't pregnant and even if you were your body wouldn't be able to respond that quickly. He shacked here like three days ago. I'm pretty sure you don't develop symptoms of pregnancy that fast.

HOLLY

Even if I was pregnant, I would be on Teen Mom and would be the viewers' favorite.

MAGGIE

It's called Teen Mom. You are 21. And out of all the ridiculous things that come out of your mouth, that one is right up there with the time you thought Rose and  Jack were real passengers on the Titanic.

RACHEL

Can I tweet that?

HOLLY

NO. And how was I supposed to know they weren't real. Titanic was a true story so it could have easily been true.

MICHELLE

Allie thought that too.

HOLLY

SEE Maggie, I'm not the only one who is retarded and besides the only reason you knew they weren't real is because you are a film major and you probably googled it when I said that just to make sure.

MAGGIE

Trust me, I didn't. I'm pretty sure its common knowledge that Jack and Rose WERENT REAL PEOPLE.

RACHEL

Well to her credit, Molly Brown was real and she was in the movie. But yeah Holly, you and Allie are pretty dumb for thinking they were real. I mean seriously...

HOLLY

Whatever. Y'all are just jealous because that's probably what Jacob and I will turn out to be. Just like Jack and Rose except he won't die.

MICHELLE

What about the part about Rose being engaged to someone else?

HOLLY

Well I could see that happening because the guy she was engaged to was rich. So, I can be engaged to a rich guy and marry him but still hook up with Jacob on the side.

MAGGIE

I think some of the things you say take years off my life.

RACHEL

To Holly

You kill me.

Missing

Mrs. Burlingame violently opened Caroline's bedroom door.
"Caroline, Caroline," she said as she violently shook her 21 year old daughter, home for summer break.
It took a second before Caroline's eyes opened, glazed and red as they focused in on her mother.
"Hmmwhat," Caroline mumbled, alcohol reaming from her breath. 
"Who brought you home last night?" Mrs. Burlingame demanded. 
"Um Catherine and Sarah," said Caroline with her eyes closed, determined to go back to sleep. 
"Really? Because Mrs. Acomb has called twice asking if Catherine slept here because she didn't come home last night."
Caroline's eyes flew open as she tried hard to remember the previous night's events: pregame at the Acomb's backhouse, a stop at the Boot...Fat Harry's.... she couldn't remember the rest. The last thing she remembered was trying weed for the first time and the drive from that parked spot next to Tulane and the ride to Fat Harry's with the windows rolled down and a mix of the music and wind blowing through her hair as she felt a new kind of drunk that she wouldn't like later. Her hangover took over her body and she fell back asleep. 

The first three times Sarah heard the "Sex and the City" theme song, her half-asleep self figured it was her TV that she had left on. The forth time, she jolted awake. When her feet it the floor, her body automatically fell sideways but caught herself on the wall. She finally found the source of the ringing underneath a pile of clothes she considered wearing the night before. Shit, she thought to herself. Why do I have Catherine's phone. Suddenly she remembered talking to Catherine at the bar and saw her walk away. Seeing her cell phone left alone on the bar grill order station counter, she had grabbed it, convinced she would see her later at some point in the night. She called the most recent number back, Elizabeth, Catherine's sister, to tell her she had Catherine's phone.
"Hey, it's Sarah. Catherine left her phone at Fat's. Whats up?"
"My parents are freaking out. Catherine didn't come home. Do you know where she is?"
"Last time I saw her she was at the bar. Todd and I took Caroline home because she was throwing up on the patio. I'll call around though and let you know what I find out."
"Ah okay, thanks. I seriously think my parents are about to call the police."
"I'll try to call you back soon. I'm sure she is fine though."
"Yeah, just let me know what you hear."
"Bye."
"Bye."

Gretchen woke up early like every morning no matter how much alcohol she has consumed the night before. She already talked to her mother about how she left the bar without seeing Catherine and had no idea where she might be. She didn't have a boyfriend or a crush so it was unlikely she had gone home with a random boy. Catherine wasn't like that. Catherine was considered "the mom" of the group: looked out for everyone, carried band-aids in her purse and modeled her wardrobe after Jackie O. Her phone rang and Sarah's name was on the caller ID. 
"Hey, whats up?"
"Umm you don't happen to know where Catherine is do you? Elizabeth just called me and her parents are freaking out. They're apparently about to call the cops."
"No, I got a ride home with Parker. Y'all were all still out when I left. What happened?"
"Well Todd drove Caroline and I home when she started vomiting all over the patio but I have Catherine's phone so I am driving around just to make sure she's not passed out at the bar or on a park bench or something."
Gretchen looked at the clock. It read 7:15.

Hours passed without a word about where Catherine was. Everyone was at home for the beginning of summer break. Sarah, Gretchen, Caroline and Catherine were all scheduled to attend a high school luncheon to talk to the current seniors about what college was like and what to expect. It was scheduled for 1 o'clock. Catherine still didn't show. The guilt sank into Sarah. She had Catherine's phone. What if Catherine was in danger or something and needed to call for help? This was very unlike Catherine. Catherine was a merit-scholar, a virgin, the smartest out of their friends and the most innocent. Catherine wouldn't go somewhere without calling her parents or at least one of us. All four of us had each other's numbers memorized by heart.
All three of the girls felt at the bottom of their stomachs: something is wrong.

The police where finally called around the time the luncheon let out. Each of her best friends were questioned. Caroline, the valedictiorian and the most paranoid about everything, lied about the fact she had tried marijuana. Sarah and Gretchen, both high and drunk tried to recall to the police the best they could to remember each small fact they could about the night. Once the four girls got to the bar, they all spread out to talk to different people, met back up again to gossip and spread out again. Each story was different. Each story was hazy. Each story didn't give the police enough evidence to track her down. She didn't leave a trace.

She was eventually found, untouched. Perfectly fine. But she doesnt remember anything about how she got anywhere. The police dropped the case but the night still leaves all of us crazy about the events. Even now when the four of us get together, we find ourselves excluding ourselves to the corner of the room to put together pieces that still dont make sense.

Short Story Ideas

1. Based on a true story, this romantic and tragic tale follows the newly engaged couple Charles and Blaire and their new life together up until Charles's unexpected death. The story is told through Blaire's younger sister Aster as she narrates her sister's wedding and then the struggle her family faces after Charles's death. Blaire, Aster and her family, not only grieve for their loss, but discover a secret that teaches them about the meaning of life, death and family.

2. Based on true events, this story follows four best friends as they go out get drunk one average night. They wake up at their individual houses, hungover, to learn their fourth friend, Catherine never made it home. Now, they must re-piece a night they dont remember to prevent Catherine's life from being at stake. This story is about friendship, the secrets that friends tell and the dangers that go along with keeping them.

3. Set in 1960, Sam learns that his co-worker is stealing money. After confronting his boss, he learns his boss is not only in on the scam, but threatens Sam's family if he goes to police. He decides to go with his gut feeling and tells the police anyway. Sam's family is convinced he is crazy and use unethical treatments to fix him. This story shows the struggle Sam must face to do what is just.  

4. Lindsey comes home from college for Christmas vacation to learn that her once happily married parents have been living in separate houses for months. Her father has a new girlfriend while her mother is abusing narcotics. This story shows the struggle Lindsey must face as her parents get divorced and learns how to stay in the middle of a two sided ugly battle.

poem submission #3 (Vows to My Future Love)-- not my hardcopy vday poem for class

Vows to My Future Love

As the sun touches the sky

As the moon embraces the night

I take your heart in my heart,

my darling,

I take your heart in my heart.

Like the water that creates the ocean

Like a whisper caught in the wind

I kindle your heart with mine,

my love,

I kindle your heart with mine.

How the snow is pure and white

How the wind whistles in the rain

Your heart lights up my heart,

my beloved,

Your heart lights up my heart.

When the sun dies down

When the petals fall from the rose

My heart will always be with yours,

my dear,

My heart will always be with yours.

For as long as I live

For the rest of my life-and beyond

I will love you,

my sweet,

I will love you.

Response to "Poor Apostrophe"

Dr. Williams,

I really liked your poem "Poor Apostrophe." I really like how you picked this to use as a subject of poetry. I love the imagery that you use like "imagining life eternal, a feverish restless dream." I also like how you make the apostrophe like a person saying that he had "a good life, a full life." I like how the apostrophe had mourners and suffered from an illness. Texting, as we said in class, was the illness to the apostrophe. I like all the word choses that you used. I also like that you added that the mourners that gathered were "an aged lot" meaning that they were older people who dont really text. Younger crowds probably dont even realize they arent using the apostrophe. Maybe you could create another poem about how some phones will automatically put in the apostrophe when texting! I think it was very beautifully written...obviously you have had experience!

SMW

poem submission #2

August 2005

Technically, I slept through it all
but a wall of water
destroyed my life
into one thousand tiny pieces
while I was dreaming of something else.
Those
                        pieces
   are
                    still
                                                                         not
in
                                          place.
I couldnt talk on the phone
without creating violent sobs
in between each word.
It was rumored she didnt make it,
It was rumored he committed suicide,  
It was rumored they were still there...
trapped and alive.
It was rumored it was all gone.
No one knew for sure.
No one knew for what felt like forever.
There are so many days from early September
to mid October
that my memory wont let me remember.
Its funny what your mind will do to protect you.

Lives were runied
Lives had ended
Lives werent sure how to keep on living.

I came back to moldy bread.

Class Notes 1.30

Dear skool:
Pleese excuse John
for beeng absint on
Jan 28 he was sick bak then
and Jan 29 when he was sick again
on Jan 30 he cam down with the flu
and on the morning of the 31 cud only find one shoo
on the 32nd the doorbons all fell off
And on the 33rd he died of a reel bad coff.
-John  John's Mom

Metaphors
Adjectives: new, red, shaggy, warn, dirty, torn, turqouise, hatched, sassy, fuzzy, impulsive, repulsive, plaid, dogid
Concrete nouns: laptop, shoe, alley, art, parking lot, tree, poem, ding-dong, wig, leaf, horned frog, poodle, Dr. Williams
abstract nouns: glee, fear, desperation, anger, joy, content, disappointment, love, angst, disguist, bliss, determination, power, wisdom

The warn shoe of wisdom
The hatched heart of disappointment
The turqouise ding-dong of glee
The shaggy poodle of content
The sassy Horned Frog of determination
The dirty parking lot of anger
The impulsive leaf of angst


Traveling Through The Dark

Traveling through the dark I found a deer
dead on the edge of the Wilson River road.
It is usually best to roll them into the canyon:
that road is narrow; to swerve might make more dead.

By glow of the tail-light I stumbled back of the car
and stood by the heap, a doe, a recent killing;
she had stiffened already, almost cold.
I dragged her off; she was large in the belly.

My fingers touching her side brought me the reason--
her side was warm; her fawn lay there waiting,
alive, still, never to be born.
Beside that mountain road I hesitated.

The car aimed ahead its lowered parking lights;
under the hood purred the steady engine.
I stood in the glare of the warm exhaust turning red;
around our group I could hear the wilderness listen.

I thought hard for us all--my only swerving--,
then pushed her over the edge into the river.

William Stafford

For Class Workshop1.31

Getting Ready to Go Out on Thursday Nights

My wet hair sticks to my shoulders like seaweed
as I face my wardrobe
now the enemy,
a monster,
I created.
Indecisiveness takes her hands and
clenches them around my neck.
I ease her grip with a sip from a glass
of what my mother considers water.
Our house shakes with the simultaneous sounds
of blow dryers that roar like lions
while Akon diffuses into each room,
almost convincing us he's actually here.
After numerous approvals and reassurances,
we gather around the kitchen island,
our sixth friend,
a marble block of secrets.
A thundering clad of heels against our ceiling
is an indication that its time to go.
We cross the threshold greeting new air,
into a night we probably won't remember.

Class Notes 1.24

Poetry
abstract
makes no sense
doesn't get to the point
rhyme scheme?
mingling of sound and sense
sculpture with words
20th century poetry is incomprehensible
saying a lot when saying a little
Bob Dylan is poetic

How to write a poem
idea/conceit
jot down ideas
emotion through visual images using description 
think small --particular rather than universal
lines 
simile, metaphor, illusion