Writing Challenge: Textuality #5

The radio station I listen to in the mornings (now that my FAVORITE station is off the air, sigh, sadness) has a feature on Wednesdays in which they discuss "things that must go." I love this segment. Even though I believe firmly in the power of kindness, and of trying to be flexible and going with the flow and not being easily annoyed...I get annoyed at stupid things, and it is cheery to hear other peoples' annoyances. (One of the "things that must go" this morning: people using the word "troop" to refer to just one soldier. "Troop" is a collective, not a singular, noun. Yay for people getting snarky over word choice!)

Honestly, this morning? I am annoyed. In my personal journal I wrote a Dennis-Leary-esque entry berating the person who started all this annoyance that is so rude I probably shouldn't save it for posterity to read in the future; I'm thinking about deleting it later today. But it did make me feel a little bit less annoyed. Which brings me to today's writing challenge.

It's good to have a whole bunch of techniques in your writing toolbox. Try writing something in second person, for example, using the "you" as a sort of generic everywoman you're writing about. Start in the middle of the story, or the very end, and then write towards it. You don't always have to go with a traditional structure either. Today, rather than writing in paragraphs, write your response to the topic in a list format.

Here's the thing about writing lists. Sometimes they turn out as, well, lists. Sometimes, though, you get sidetracked on one item, and end up writing a list that morphs into something more focused. That is great, too!

Today's Writing Prompt:
Write a list of things that annoy you. Use the writing time as an excuse to vent—to get all those annoyances out of your brain and away from your creative self. For the ten minutes you're writing, you're excused from all responsibilities such as politeness, or worrying about hurting other people's feelings, or the ramifications of your annoyances. Just get them out!

Here's mine:

• People who mispronounce the word "library" and say "libery." There are two Rs in there, people!
• The fact that the word "library," when you say it quickly, sometimes slips out as "libery." How embarrassing that I also, every once in awhile and only very occasionally, just perhaps once a month or so, slip out a "libery." I take solace in the fact that it is an accident and I really do know how to say it correctly.
• Library patrons who think they are the exception to the rule. "Yes, i know there are 227 people waiting for this book, but *I* am not finished with it yet."
• The sense of entitlement that seems pervasive in society today.
• No, "being angry" isn't really on the list of things you are entitled to. Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, ok. That's all on the list. Your all-encompassing anger isn't.
• Nathan's spelling homework, which all year has had the word "you're" on it, in a spot where "your" should be used instead.
• The fact that every week I've circled that "you're" but his teacher hasn't fixed it. I know, I know, I sound petty don't I? But I think teachers should get it right. I can say that because I was a teacher, and I had literal nightmares about finding typos on my handouts.
• McDonald's advertising. They have it down to a science, so every day I must argue with my 4-year-old about not having a cheeseburger for lunch. Every day.
• Kids not closing the bread bag, so the first slice is dried out.
• The oil spill in the Gulf. OK, that's really more than a personal annoyance. (Honestly, I get so worked up about it that if I think about it too much I get a stomach ache.) But it gets me fired up to think of all that waste, and the filth, and whatever bureaucratic mistake made it happen in the first place.
• The weather. It's May 5 and 42 degrees, and yesterday it snowed. WTH?
• My favorite radio station is gone. Replaced with "generation X" style music, which is apparently lots of crap with an occasional only half-way decent song thrown in for good works.
• My insatiable chocolate urge. Those forty days of Lent aside, it is back with a vengeance. I KNOW I can conquer it. I just don't want to. I'm eating a peppermint patty right now as I write this. After drinking hot chocolate with my breakfast. Which was, at least, toast. Without chocolate on it. (I made toast because someone left the bread bag open and the first slice was dry anyway.)

And I'm really hoping I will still be loved & adored (LOL!) after posting this...Even though I must say: totally liberating!

Comments

[Elizabeth]

Your list absolutely cracks me up, Amy--I know we would be fast friends : )

[Elizabeth]

Oh, and it's 43º here. Ugh!

[Candace]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love the writing prompts. I always get stuck with what to write about and how to write it. I also love that you are giving us your example (note that I know the proper way to use your and you're) I am glad that these things don't just bother me. I really hate it when I am reading a BOOK with a bunch of typos! I think geez, I could have read this and picked them out for them and I am not an english major or anything even close.

[Helena]

The homework typo would drive me absolutely nuts.

[Melissa]

Loved making this list! Posted mine on my blog.

[Laurie]

I am so glad to hear I'm not the only one who sends back school documents with misspellings and grammar mistakes corrected! To make it worse, though I'm not an employee of my daughter's school, I'm assigned there 50% of my time as part of my job. I'm sure they are sick of me correcting grammar and spelling!

[Laurie]

Oh, and I am such a chocolate fan too. Just finished eating a dark chocolate granola bar (Nature Valley-very delicious) as I worked on emails. I told myself that it was healthy. Dark chocolate is good for you, right? And when paired with fiber, it must be close to the perfect breakfast. Right? Right. . . ?

[Vickie Turcotte]

Great list - your/you're, there/their, to/two/too - they all drive me crazy. How about irregardless? It's just regardless people! And since I'm a "liberian", I know exactly how entitled some think they are! Yes, your taxes pay my salary, but no, that doesn't make me your personal slave. (That's why I'm a cataloger - they keep me in the basement, away from the public.)