Captivated by Movies
As summer heats up, the long days of June call for us to slow down, grab a book (or some headphones) and an icy drink, and find a shady spot to recharge. At PWN, we believe that there are many ways to feed our writing and inspire creativity. Allowing ourselves to be still and enjoy an experience—reading, listening, watching, eating, or whatever!—makes us better listeners, observers, and storytellers.
This month, we asked our instructors to tell us what they are obsessing over. What are they reading, listening to, watching, eating? What is stimulating their creativity, opening their minds, and deepening their understanding of the world around them?
June 2020:
What we’re reading …
Ray Brunt says, “I’m currently reading James Baldwin’s 1953 classic, Go Tell it on the Mountain, in preparation for the Monmouth University Book Club discussion on Tuesday, June 23. Anyone can join. It’s free and on Zoom. No affiliation with the University is needed. I’m also reading the current New Yorker fiction issue. Lots of cool stories including one never before published by this guy named Hemingway.”
Listening to …
“I am listening to the new Indigo Girls album, Look Long,” says Laura Cyphers. “I only learned about the new Indigo Girls album when Glennon Doyle and Abby Wambach interviewed them on Facebook. I’m enjoying this album, as I’ve enjoyed all their albums, because they are talented singers who are also socially conscious people. Their song “Look Long” is really a positive message about taking the long view of life and trying to work toward the possible.”
Watching …
Gay Edelman has “just discovered Shtisel on Netflix. It’s an Israeli drama series about a very Orthodox Jewish family set in Jerusalem. Very cool, and nothing, so far anyway, explodes. Except, sometimes, lives and relationships.” She adds that her favorite character is, “Bubbe, freshly in assisted living, discovering TV for the first time and deviously pulling rank on family.”
Eating …
Jennifer Gaites has “been a fan of the Smitten Kitchen blog for years and a recipe popped into my feed the other day that did not disappoint: hummus heaped with tomatoes and cucumbers. I’ve served it as an appetizer a number of times in the last two weeks but with the grilled pita (I used naan) and maybe a few extra vegetables, I’m trying to work it into summer dinner rotation. Here’s the recipe link.”
Miscellaneous …
“For the first time in my life, I have a vegetable garden,” says Jennifer Chauhan. “It’s a 2-foot by 8-foot raised bed, which keeps the underground critters out. I’ve started small with just cherry tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and lettuce. It’s been wondrous to watch how much the plants have grown these past weeks. Every morning, I step outside, walk barefoot across the grass, and peek among the leaves to see what’s blossoming. This week, there were the tiniest buds of green tomatoes, which filled me with hope.”
Feel free to share any comments or writing inspired by our Captivated column with us at info@projectwritenow.org.
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