by Keri Rozansky | Sep 25, 2024 | Blog
Happy holidays! September and October seem to be when the world starts looking forward to various fall and winter holidays. First up is Halloween. While it’s not really my favorite holiday, it marks the beginning of the many holidays to come. It also marks the beginning of planning for those other holidays.
When it comes to holiday fundraisers, that’s when the fun starts, too. Whether it’s candy, popcorn, wrapping paper, or Christmas décor, it seems that many non-profit organizations take to the streets to fund the upcoming year’s activities. My son’s Scout troop is no different. The thing that is different, is that my husband and I are the co-chairpersons for the troop’s biggest and formerly only fundraising effort: holiday wreaths. They come in a wide variety of sizes, from small wreaths that fit any front door to large wreaths you might see hanging over the front entrance of your local car dealership. The wreaths are made fresh by a local wholesaler and the sale culminates in picking the wreaths up and distributing them the week before Thanksgiving.
This big event kicked off just yesterday and will be going right up until you have Trick-or-Treaters knocking on your door. Excuse me while I process more orders and questions.
What’s your favorite holiday? How far in advance do you start decorating? Let’s talk on Facebook!
by Keri Rozansky | Sep 18, 2024 | Blog
I honestly don’t know what to write about. Turner’s the writer. He always edits my “What I Did Last Summer” essays. Turner has been my best friend since we were born. We have the same birthday and our parents are best friends, too. I don’t know what I’d do without him. I hope he feels the same way about me.
But anyway. I heard Turner told you all about the awesome summer we had planned. Our birthday is in the summer, so we always plan something fun around then, but this year we started our senior year of high school. We’d been told for months last school year how we should start preparing junior year (we did), and even do stuff over the summer. “Be ready: senior year is busy” everyone said. So we decided to make this summer our best one yet. We’ll be planning for college and getting ready to pack up and go away next year, so as our dads say: let the good times roll!
I won’t give it all away, but a lot of our fun happens right in the woods and near the creek by our houses. We have a tree house there our dads built. It’s like a headquarters. What else is there to know about me? I’m a true “the fourth” when it comes to my name. It just sort of became a thing. I haven’t thought so far about kids, but if the girl is cool with it, I wouldn’t mind a “the fifth” if the opportunity arises. I’m an Outdoor Boy, just like Turner. He got top rank a couple years ago, but I’m still working on it. He pushes me to the point of irritation sometimes – but that’s what friends do, right? Or is that just me and Turner?
Both Turner and I are only children, and are each others’ best friend. We don’t have a whole lot of other good friends, but we’re cool with most of the kids at school. It’s hard not to be, since Glass is so small. An everyone knows everyone sort of situation. Even our girlfriends are best friends with each other.
I want to go to college far from here. Turner wants to go to New York for school, but I’m thinking out West, where it’s warmer. I love Glass, but Midwest weather is the worst. Just about the only good thing I can think of is school gets canceled. There’s either too much snow and ice, it’s too cold, or our school building loses power. We actually had that happen the other day. It canceled an activity that night and school the next day. But the day after that we had to go back, just in time to have one of those distance learning days the next day. Kinda dumb if you ask me. I want to go out West where it’s warm. Maybe close to the beach. I guess I should probably figure out a major first. If the school doesn’t have the thing I want, what’s the point?
Turner’s already focused on what he wants and how he plans to get there. I don’t know how he does it. I need to stop comparing myself to him though. He’s my motivation and my encouragement that I can do what I put my mind and effort into. Like this blog post. Maybe I should apply that to thinking about what I want to do in college and for the rest of my life.
This wasn’t meant to be introspection – is that what it’s called? I just wanted to introduce myself so you can get to know me a little more. Thanks for listening to my ranting.
– Jay
by Keri Rozansky | Sep 11, 2024 | Blog
Different writers have different ways of setting their mood for writing. Various intensities and colors of lighting, soothing music – or a playlist that reflects the theme of their story or characters, with their favorite blanket wrapped around their legs. Others prefer the hustle and bustle of the local coffee shop or another public space. Still others prefer a quiet, unadorned space that allows creativity to take any form.
I count myself in the last group. When I lived in Arizona, my little writing nook was about the size of a closet. It was just big enough to fit my desk with a little room on either side. My tall bookcase of writing supplies, notebooks, writing books, and all the rest was in a different part of the room! The thing you may have found odd about this space, however, is that it was part of the living room of our apartment. My husband’s workspace was kitty corner to mine all the way across the room. But I was content with my little space, facing the stark white wall. I could glance up over my monitor, lost in thought with my imaginings taking place on the blank slate that it was.
Eventually, I added a mechanical keyboard to my setup, and it’s clicking soothed me into a rhythm that kept my pace flowing and the story building with every keystroke. Apparently I’m a fast and accurate typist, since my husband’s friends heard it through his headset microphone and commented on how smooth and quick my typing was.
Fast forward several years to where we live today. We still share an office space, but it’s a separate bedroom rather than the living room. I had started with my workstation facing a blank wall so I could stare and imagine once more. But the cold took over and we switched spots in the room. Still, my daydreaming lives on. I can look up and stare at the wall across the room from me and imagine the words that need to come out next. The downfall though, is that this is a window wall. When the shades are open, I can see what’s going on in the back green space of our apartment building. Kids playing, dogs running, people coming in and out of their patio doors. It can be a distraction. No writing gets done.
The shared space also means my husband takes phone calls and participates in Zoom meetings within the same space. I either switch gears to another task that doesn’t require so much focus, or I put on my headset and crank some classical music up as loud as I can stand. It has to be classical, without lyrics, otherwise I won’t be able to focus on my own words. I’ll get lost in the lyrics and singing along and lose my focus once again.
What’s a task you need complete quiet to focus on? What can you do even if you’re surrounded by noise and confusion? Let’s talk about it on Facebook!
by Keri Rozansky | Sep 4, 2024 | Blog
When I started college, everyone was encouraged to get a degree in the tech field – computer science, engineering, etc. But I was more interested in English and writing. So I made English my major and minored in computer science. Minoring in computer science was a huge mistake. I was truly out of my element, and either failed or close to failed a couple of necessary lower level classes. Rather than continue to beat a dead horse, I considered other options.
At that time, I really wanted to become a teacher. My minor had to be a “teachable minor” meaning something that would be found being taught in a typical K-12 classroom environment. That could have been computer science. I chose another love at the time: physical education. It was called “movement science” at my school. I loved it. I learned about the science of movement, human performance, and took physical classes like gymnastics, swimming, and lifeguarding. This was what I’d do with the rest of my life. Until it wasn’t.
Because there was such a push for STEM, the school of education was admitting students with lower overall GPAs but sticking to higher standards for arts students. Had I been able to master computer science, I would have gotten in, but due to the poor performance in those classes, it hurt my GPA to the point of no return. I would be spinning my wheels, taking classes that didn’t matter in order to increase a number that would never increase enough to make a difference. I cut the education portion of my degree and went for a straight Literature & Language degree. Perfect.
But I’ve a lot of criticism or negative curiosity when I tell people what my degree is in. They find it either easy or not of value in the same way some STEM degree might. If I went back to school for the teaching credentials, I’d have a job in no time. Teachers, and English teachers, can be in short supply because everyone is still focusing on STEM. Some in-school experiences have taught me that teaching isn’t for me and never will be.
Instead, I’ve put my degree to good use in a number of different fields. Those STEM fields? They need English or writing experts to write their handbooks/instruction manuals, edit, and write content for their company website. I’ve written and edited content for a radio newswire, I’ve edited and posted building requirements, I’ve written a blog about LED lighting, I’ve edited legal documents for an international law firm, I’ve written blogs and website content for a number of property management companies, and I recently started blogging for an architectural design firm. Through all these experiences, not only have I sharpened my writing and editing skills, but I’ve learned about these other industries as well. Had I stuck in the classroom, I’d be teaching the deeper meanings behind classic literature or guiding elementary school students through the basic mechanics of writing and spelling in the English language.
I’m not saying the call to teaching is a bad one, but it can be very limiting. Even if I’d emphasized in ‘creative writing’ that could pigeon-hole me into something as well. I’ve looked at requirements for creative writing degrees, many of which go over the mechanics you already know, but force you to explore genres you’re not even interested in. Not only that, you’ll be learning your teacher’s way of thinking and doing – any other way will be ‘wrong.’
Continue to hone your writing and editing skills. An English and language degree is a valuable thing, even if people tell you it’s not. Pair it with a skill in the STEM field, or law, or even culinary school, and you’ll be unstoppable.
by Keri Rozansky | Sep 2, 2024 | Blog
Happy Labor Day everyone! Kids are already or almost back to school, and summer is ending. Be safe and have fun with your last summer adventures!
