Monday, November 9, 2009

BIG Project!

Some of you may know that I used to write poetry - a lot. I always like to say that for what I lacked in quality, I made up for in quantity (and I still do - this blog is evidence). haha.
I contributed many many many poems to our high school literary magazine, and worked as co-editor my senior year. I also did 2 years of a creative writing independent study (since it wasn't offered as a course at my school) - and this required me to write a lot, a lot, a lot.

So, I've had this box full of ALL my originals. Some I've thought were quite good. Others were downright silliness. Many were full of boy crazy heartache, teen angst, misery and other hormonal madness which comes with the territory of moody teenage girls. My oh my oh my.

But I got it into my head many years ago that this would make a somewhat interesting, although admittedly skewed, view of my life history if I were to make a compilation of ALL OF IT chronologically (because, after all, I didn't write poems about everything - almost, but not exactly). A sort of "story of my life through the poems I wrote."

I started with this monstrous project a few years ago. Maybe 5 years? I typed up 50 of my poems and put them in a huge 3-inch 3 ring binder and gave it to Zac for Christmas with the intention that I would eventually get all my stuff typed up and put in sheet protectors in the binder.

Well. That was before I joined the wonderful world of blogging. And before I discovered such marvelous tools such as mypublisher.com and blurb.com where you can, indeed, publish your own book. What more could a closet poet want!!!

So, I've been thinking about all the new found options this brings me over the last couple years - but my box has continued to overwhelm me with it's prospects. Really, there are probably hundreds of lame and pathetic poetic attempts in my box that I would want to include from my pre-adolescent years to present day (being nothing if not thorough).

And then, last week I got a notice from a friend here (and former neighbor) who as done just that. Shelley has taken all her poems from her youth to present and put them on a blog. And I must say she inspired me to revisit this little (little!?! ha!) project of mine.

I've started the blog. It's quite exciting to me. And if and when I decide to share, I will be sure to let you know. Some are really quite embarrassing and I haven't decided yet if I am really willing to let curious eyes glimpse into my bare naked soul (yikes).

But anyway - just wanted to share the excitement over starting (and restarting) a big project that has been on my list of goals for years and years. I had some pictures I took of "the box" and some of the old notebooks I have from middle school (!) - but I haven't been able to get them uploaded right now. Maybe I'll share those later.

What about you? Do you have any big projects you've been meaning to get around to?

11 comments:

Ashley said...

I have been trying to put together the whole story of how jason and I met, our dates, any problems we ran into, etc. Jason and I have both worked on this (I write what I remember, then he edits it if I remember it wrong and adds his perspective, then I re-edit it, etc.) and we aren't even close to being done, and the longer I wait, the more story there is to tell. I don't keep a journal and neither does Jason, so this is our idea of a "journal" to pass down to posterity. It's been quite the journey
-ashley

bonitinha said...

I so want to read that blog! I was an angsty-teen poet myself, and I'd love to read your work too! I specialized in sonnets because I thought that was the coolest... see, how lame am I??? Ah, young poetry... it's the best!

Kristen said...

If I decide to share, I will be sure to let you know, Bonitinha. :)

And sonnets, eh? You are a smarty. hehehe

hb said...

Projects to get around to:
An Italy/Europe scrapbook. 4+ years late and haven't lifted a finger to start one. This may end up just being a series of photo books and I have a loose goal to have one complete (I think there will be 3 or more total) by Christmas this year.
Apply to graduate school. Ha! Does that count?

Alyssa said...

HA! projects...just trying to get through tomorrow :) I guess I'm hoping to find time for what I want to do...until then I just stick to my biggest project of all everyday LIFE Can't seem to squeeze in one more thing..at all!?! (maybe when I get done chewing all this that I bit off huh?)

Jennifer Pelo Rawlings said...

That's definitely a project, good luck with that. My whole life is a project.

Kristen said...

yes, I agree, getting through everyday is the biggest project of them all. And maybe if I actually even started to view it that way (a big fun project to accomplish) rather than just "getting through it" - perhaps I'd be happier overall. Who knows.

:)

girlysmack said...

I remember the poems you wrote for the lit mag. You are an amazing poet. :)

Anonymous said...

yes! and i wrote a song with one of your poems! =)

geez, i have so many projects and intentions i will not even begin to think about thinking about them.
not right now anyway ;)

~mags

Colleen said...

I used to write poetry too, actually. :)

I wasn't ever as prolific as you were, but I have a few that aren't too shabby. I'd love to read your poetry blog if you ever feel like sharing!

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