How Soon We Forget

Thanks to Sheri for keeping it real. She motivated this email I wrote to MSNBC, my network of choice. By no means does it condemn just that network, but the media in general. I'm sure my comments will do nothing, but at least I got my say:

Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2006 07:21:54 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Marie Rossiter" Subject: How soon we forget
To: viewerservices@msnbc.com

I am an avid reader of MSBNC.com and tune into MSNBC as often as I can. I usually find your work relevant, current and objective.

Therefore, I am puzzled with the fact that your network, like most others in our country's media, feels that stories related to Tom Cruise, Queen Elizabeth's birthday and the ouster of the latest Survivor contestant warrants more attention than recognizing the Oklahoma City Bombing and Columbine tragedies.

I don't like wallowing in sadness, but come on! Every time I click on a news site or flip the channel (yes, your network included) I see so much time devoted to the lives of people that really hold no special meaning or significance in our daily lives--as a people and as a nation.

Time, it seems, does heal all wounds.

But, the scars are still there--especially for those directly affected by these tragedies. I don't happen to be one of them, but I remember the horrors of Oklahoma City and Columbine. I watched the riveting images on MSNBC as events unfolded.

I don't believe that bad or morose news should plaster our broadcasts, papers and magazine. We have enough bad news to go around. However, shame on the media for glossing over such important dates in our history in favor of discussing the "irony" of Baby Cruise and Baby Sheilds being born on the same day at the same hospital.

What will we forget next? The trooops in Iraq? How about September 11? It has been 5 years after all...

I hope the media, and its viewers, gets their collective priorities straight sometime soon. Let's focus on the people of this world who give all they can, including their lives, instead of those who have so much because of our country's obsession was fame.

Thank you.

Sincerely, Marie Rossiter viewer, Auburn, ME

"I'd like to thank the academy???"

Holy Crap! I can't believe it's been two weeks since my last post. Not sure what my excuse is, which really means I don't have one. Guess I just haven't had much to say.

I have been working on my writing, although not as much as I'd like. I am heading toward the end of an online writing class, and I am disappointed with it, so far. I have accomplished the goal of focusing more on my writing, though, so that is a good thing that has come out of it. The experience just isn't what I expected it to be: i.e., getting detailed feedback about my submitted work, having online discussions about our work, etc. Then again, I didn't pay a lot for this course, so it may be a getting my money's worth.

There are a few classes I've been looking at for quite some time, but they are EXPENSIVE! I'm talking to the tune of hundreds of dollars. However, most of these classes are either through an established college or other reputable writing instruction program. Still, it may be better to take one or two of these classes and really get something out of my work, compared to dropping smaller amounts more often and walking away disappointed.

I have been more active in my online writing group and a comment that a fellow member gave me has stirred up some conflicted feelings. He read the first chapter of a fiction book I'm working on and said he really enjoyed it; however (there's always a but, right?) he thought my work lended itself more to screenplays than novels. This is something that I've been struggling with for a while. The majority of my writing does center around dialogue, whether its to give the reader a clear picture of the characters or moving the story along. A number of people have made given me this feedback and so I'm really wondering if this is something I should pursue more. I have a few screenplay books and have been on the verge of sitting down and cranking something out. It's all just so foreign to me, and it's kinda scary. I have an idea for a project to "get my feet" wet, but won't say much more about it until I make a committed decision. Just when I think I know what I'm doing, I discover that I really am clueless! LOL But, it sure does make my writing life a bit more interesting!

change of blog format?

Sorry for the delay in posting, but lots of things have been clogging the brain waves.

Thanks to those of you supporting my "leap of faith" regarding my writing. I have actually been working on some of my own stuff--some of which has been in mothballs for ages.

As a result, I've been contemplating a few things about my blog. I'd like to have a site where I can post my writings--sort of in a serialized form. Perhaps one day it will be a chapter from my fiction novel, another from my memoir project and even column-like articles. Is my blog an appropriate forum for this or do I need to start another site.

I already have my "professional site", where I have my resume and a few writing samples. Then, of course, is this blog, which I'm amazed I've kept up for so long (albeit not religiously). If I start another blog, it will be more more thing to add to my "to-do" list.

So, here are my questions to all of you who are much wiser:
1. Should I keep my blog as is and start a new site for my writing Works In Progress (WIPS)

2. Should I change my blog format to incorporate both things? Sort of like WIPS along with my personal blog?

3. Any other suggestion you might have...I'm at a loss at this point, I'm so confused.

A writer needs his or her work out there to be read and commented on--heck, that's why we're all here in the blogosphere (on some level). I'm not looking for pats on the back, just constructive criticism as well as some accountability. What should I do, folks?