Carrie Snyder | Writer

Tripping over Life’s Little Lessons

Wednesday, Feb 11, 2009 | Big Thoughts, Kids, Writing | 0 Comments

Random thoughts kicking around …

1. My friend Katie’s Facebook status recently read (to paraphrase): “Katie is grateful for all of the reasons she is tired.” I’d like to borrow and adopt that as my own default tagline. There’s nothing wrong with complaining and worrying sometimes, but I’m a big believer in attitude making a genuine difference in how our lives proceed. Not that daily gratitude will prevent disaster and sadness, but that disaster and sadness will be made easier to bear. I am thankful not to have to test this theory, except in small ways, at present.

2. Experience = wisdom. Right? Somehow I’ve always accepted as fact that layers of experience, age, will gradually result in wisdom gained. Except I’ve had the revelation that it’s possible to keep discovering the same things over and over again, in slightly mutated form, such that it would seem all that marvelous experience hasn’t been exceptionally integrated into a grand interior mural of cohesive wisdom, but is hanging about in separate clumsy segments waiting for me to trip over it again. Partly, this is to do with age itself, and the feeling that time continues to speed up, and the fact that my brain is actually about two seasons behind, right now. It’s so hard to maintain a focus, to remember the resolutions, to stick with the plan (while trying to remain flexible) and ultimately better oneself. The previous sentence would be a terrible mantra.

3. Speaking of mantras, my siblings, when confronted with the above rambling non-mantra, suggested I should keep a “Life’s Little Lessons” kind of diary. A list somewhere with those nuggets of wisdom recorded.

4. Just had another thought: maybe it’s not that important to remember these lessons. Maybe experience simply kicks in during a regular day as situations arise, everything from walking to the library in the rain pushings a stroller and pulling a three-year-old on her bicycle (and enjoying it, as experience tells me such moments are fleeting), to rewriting a story a million times over, because there is always something more to learn.

5. Little Life Lessons have a tendency to sound bland, trite, and obvious written down.

6. Still, it might be nice to return to thoughts like: I like baking bread! Or, I’m glad for everything that makes me tired! Or, three-year-olds need to feel like they’re independent sometimes! Or, you can always say your sorry, even if it was an accident! Et cetera. Yup, that could become addictive. (Why each life lesson cries out for an exclamation point, I cannot say. But it does!)

7. Writing. I want to blog about the writing, but nothing coheres into firm thought, just the usual angst-ridden blether. I’m finishing a poetry collection right now, mostly on young motherhood, and memory. And I’m continually writing and rewriting these stories in the Nicaragua book, and wondering how many more years will be wasted/usefully applied in pursuit of that book, and whether perhaps the subject is just too loaded and therefore doomed. Perhaps I will understand more clearly when this draft is done, but if experience has taught me anything … no, I won’t.

8. What was that about daily gratitude? Here’s a little life lesson: it is infinitely easier to be grateful for and to love my children than to be grateful for and to love my other creative outlet of writing. I have such a simple relationship with my children, despite the minute complexities. I just love them. I trust my instincts about them, and have never questioned this journey we’re on together. But the writing … I love it and crave it and need it; and hate it and resent it and agonize over it. I haven’t yet discovered the antidote.

Local Food Round-Up

Monday, Feb 9, 2009 | Kids, Local Food | 0 Comments

Is there a plan? Here’s an amusing detail about this past week’s local food plan: the best meal of the week was the one I threw together on the fly, zero advance plotting. Ugh. Or fab. Except that such results do not inspire continued Planning.

Nevertheless, despite, because, as if, et cetera …

I’m planning to cook a pot of black beans for one main meal this week. In the fridge, I still have a few red beans from the chili meal, so for a second meal this week, I’ll toss those together and make a two-bean soup, or another chili. Meal number three may involve yet more of those beans (I always make lots), and some red sauce I froze from Friday’s successful meal–spiced up with cumin and coriander and baked in layers with tortillas and cheese. I’m also glad to have a winter squash to pop in the oven for colour and variety, and some cabbage to chop into a salad.

So the theme appears to be, by default: beans. I’m off meat at present, so I’ll stick with some local hamburger as an add-in, if desired.

Have to add as a note that I originally typed: “I’m planning to cook a plot of black beans …” Sounds like a spicy short story set in the tropics. I was going to riff on that theme for a few glorious moments of fantasy here, but have been advanced upon by a weary husband holding a newly bathed and howling baby who looks darned adorable in his ducky towel and, though said babe is pre-verbal, he seems to be calling my name rather effectively.

Well, then …. Shabaddy-woo (as I like to say, heaven knows why, to my baby).

Children Who Blog

Saturday, Feb 7, 2009 | Kids | 0 Comments

This blog, and my frequent typing spells herein, have attracted the attention of the children, who wish to join in the fun. I indulged Apple-Apple yesterday, and the result, creative spelling and all, appears below; but when she and her brother began frothing at the keyboard this morning, I decided to create another parallel blog to send their missives into thin air, and the link appears at right. We launch with a brief reflective piece by Apple-Apple on Mom’s book club. Worth noting, though not mentioned, was her observation this morning that just when she thought she was falling asleep last night, she heard “another shriek of laughing.” This was spoken in world-weary tones. “What was so funny?” Albus wanted to know, geniunely perplexed. You know, moms–not the funniest people on the planet, according to that population of critics known as offspring.

The Big Walk

Friday, Feb 6, 2009 | Kids | 1 Comment

Written and Typed by Apple-Apple

cj is woking to me and giving me hugs and then he wates for me to cariy him back to wher he was.i like to tele the storea of the big wack when cj tok the long whay that was the longist wack he did and he stel hasint wacked any farser.

CJ

Friday, Feb 6, 2009 | Uncategorized | 3 Comments

At ten months … he’s walking, but can’t stand from a sitting position, so chooses to crawl more often; plus he’s super-crazy-fast on hands and knees. He’s scared of heights. He can climb stairs, but as soon as he gets about four or five up, he freezes. He has no teeth. He’s a natural drummer. He loves to hear singing, and tries to join in. He initiates chasing and peekaboo games which make him laugh hysterically (us too). Makes noises like an engine while pushing cars or trucks. Plays well on his own. Adores his sisters and brother, but likes his own space, and has a special grunting protest noise he makes when one of them is picking him up against his will. Has separate protest noises for: I’m stuck; put me down; I’m mad; someone’s stolen a toy from me. Loves to be outside, even in the snow.

Is crawling down the hallway away from me right now …

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About me

My name is Carrie Snyder. I work in an elementary school library. I’m a fiction writer, reader, editor, dreamer, arts organizer, workshop leader, forever curious. Currently pursuing a certificate in conflict management and mediation. I believe words are powerful, storytelling is healing, and art is for everyone.

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