Second, I did give up Facebook for good. Sorry Facebook, number two website in the world. I decided that I didn’t need to make that website a part of my life or what I am doing and after a rather tense conversation with Erin decided that Facebook was not going to be one of the determining factors in my life as to whether or not I am happy, my marriage is going well, and my family is happy. Truth told, when I find myself checking an app or a website every ten seconds for no reason other than it exists, I think it is time to put it away. Besides, this website exists for most of those reasons and anyone I want in my life will remain in my life regardless of Facebook.

Third, still working through ideas for Hollow City (http://www.hollowcity.com/) and am trying to figure out how I want to start a) building traffic and b) find ways to establish a basic remuneration for contributing authors/artists and others.

Beyond that, looking for a new job, getting ready to start talking to universities with Masters of Library Science programs and applying, and started working on the Craft Thesis for the Fairfield University Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.

-John

The residency has been good. Nothing like last time where I was dealing with feelings and the ramifications of death (all around). As a result, I am more into what is going on and less sensitive to the idiosyncrasies of the moment, the comments, and even some of the more abrasive people. I guess, abrasive is what you get (in equal parts to extremely outgoing and painfully shy) when you combine a group of writers and place them all on an island and then tell them to have fun.

I think, starting tomorrow, it is four more days and I leap (head long) into the next semester’s worth of writing, before the next residency. Next summer about this time, I expect I will be graduated and ready to leap into the next great adventure. Too bad it’s nothing like Scott Bakula’s journey in Quantum Leap.

Real Heroes Fly ]]> http://www.johnhattaway.com/2010/07/the-day-in-between/feed/ 0 http://www.johnhattaway.com/2010/07/free-time-not-free-time/ http://www.johnhattaway.com/2010/07/free-time-not-free-time/#comments Sat, 17 Jul 2010 13:23:48 +0000 smokingpen http://www.johnhattaway.com/?p=2125 I am back at school on Enders Island. The same at home things that existed when I came last time don’t exist this time, I had some writing samples I wanted feedback on and weren’t thrown in because they were the only things that existed, and I’ve read (almost) all of the other cohorts pieces before getting here and written up comments and printed off the first half with the second half waiting in the wings for my trip home to print off.

CAMPER finally became aware of my leaving this time. That was interesting as he likes to be with Erin or I all of the time anyway, but wanted to sit on my lap or play directly with me until it was naptime. In the periods between playing with CAMPER and packing I was able to get out just after noon and then ran a bunch of errands and had the oil changed on the car and was then able to get out of town complete with car, personal stuff, and one of Jim’s bikes so I can ride in my leisure time (not a lot of it until late at night or early morning).

Between re-connecting with people I get to see ten days every six months, food, errands, and sleep the first half day (leading into the first full day) all of it is combining into what looks to be a really positive experience.

Real Heroes Fly ]]> http://www.johnhattaway.com/2010/07/free-time-not-free-time/feed/ 0 http://www.johnhattaway.com/2010/06/its-been-a-while/ http://www.johnhattaway.com/2010/06/its-been-a-while/#comments Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:19:02 +0000 smokingpen http://www.johnhattaway.com/?p=2107 I noted that I wished Erin a happy birthday and I went to the Brandi Carlile concert. Both back in February. Today we are in June and since February I’ve done little with the blog. Sorry and not sorry all at the same time.

Once upon a time, I made the blog about pre-writing before I got into the whole writing fiction thing. I would work through an idea and then present it, as is, for the world (or my loyal group of non-readers) to peruse at their liesure. Since moving to New England with wife and son, I’ve done very little in the way of blogging and with that in mind I think I’ve changed.

Writing requires some prep work on my part, but the prep work isn’t working through a disconnected thought.

My life is filled with family and work and school and even though I’d like to write more about all three, I can’t or won’t. Work especially. Lately there has been a lot going on and quite honestly I can’t share a lot of what is happening there. I am still at the same place and I am still making crap-for-wages, but the more the indicators of a negative economy continue to play out the more grateful I am for a job. Period.

School is fine. For a while I thought I might quit and find some other program (non-writing related) to take its place. I decided stick with and finish the MFA, though the desire to look for a new program that batter matched who I am and what I love (outside of writing and family) became important. I did, find a new program that is, but I have to take the GRE and I have to apply. The combined outcome is a year from September for programs with Fellowships and Assistantships. Masters of Library Science for anyone interested who also happens to read this.

Beyond that, getting ready to go back to school. Wishing for more time to do things. Getting some of the more time with CPAP and running. And trying to find reasonable goals to follow.

Real Heroes Fly ]]> http://www.johnhattaway.com/2010/06/its-been-a-while/feed/ 0 http://www.johnhattaway.com/2010/02/happy-birthday-erin-2/ http://www.johnhattaway.com/2010/02/happy-birthday-erin-2/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:27:14 +0000 smokingpen http://www.johnhattaway.com/?p=2069 Today is Erin’s birthday. She reaches a nice, ripe-old age of [you have to ask her]. This is exciting for me. There was a time when I was unsure I would ever celebrate birthdays with a wife and now we have been together for a while. 2007, 2008, 2009, and now 2010. At one point, because Erin’s birthday is so close to Valentine’s Day, I would worry about the festivities surrounding her birthday and she would take on Valentines. I believe that is now gone.

What did I get her? Good question. At one point the only thing she wanted was socks. I didn’t buy her socks. Then she wanted a trip to a day spa. I suck at spas. After some talking and finagling, we ended up deciding I would buy her some books. I will let her tell you what books she got (on her website). But, in the end I think the gift fit the situation.

Happy birthday Erin.

Real Heroes Fly ]]> http://www.johnhattaway.com/2010/02/happy-birthday-erin-2/feed/ 0 http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/12/toward-the-end-of-2009/ http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/12/toward-the-end-of-2009/#comments Sun, 13 Dec 2009 02:55:46 +0000 smokingpen http://www.johnhattaway.com/?p=2065 Another year has come and gone. CAMPER is now going on 18 months, he surpassed the one year mark and is now trying to walk. Which is pretty cool to watch. He is also trying to speak and rambles on in baby-babble for long periods of time, especially when he is upset over something and needs to get it off his chest.

Erin and I have spent the past year in Massachusetts. During that time I took all of the tests for Massachusetts Teacher Licensure and passed. This was a bit of a surprise. Out of the three tests I knew I would pass two of them. When I got word that I passed the third I was surprised and excited and I know Erin was as well.

After a little less than six months as a graduate student (Masters of Fine Art in Creative Writing), I feel that things are finally clicking. I head back to school two days after Christmas. That goes through the New Year. I am actually getting excited for the next residency, meeting new people, seeing the ones I now know, and building that writing community that will (God willing) allow me to move forward as a writer.

I did start a couple of writing projects that I am a little excited about and that others are far more excited about. When I am in a position (meaning I have written a hell of a lot more) to share I will. One of the things I’ve learned over the past months is, first, to ask, “Why?” something exists within the context of what I am writing; and, second, that I am really bad about completing things that I start.

As a result of the past year, I think I’ve become frustrated with the state of politics, the state of the economy, the state of my life, and the state of the kinds of jobs I seem to be getting. Presently, I am working in Loss Prevention and even though the nature of the job is enjoyable and educational; the amount I am paid and the stress of the position don’t really work for my overall sanity. Regardless, it pays the bills.

In any case, the past year has been good and I think I need to be better at writing on my blog. I have an app on my iPhone that allows me to update and I should use it more. Going into the next year, I am hoping for a better job. To teach somewhere. And to finally do what I keep putting off – writing something that should be published and then be paid to have it published.

I realize there isn’t a lot of coherence to this. Consider, though, that it is an update and for anyone who still comes about, the coherence will come in time.

Real Heroes Fly ]]> http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/12/toward-the-end-of-2009/feed/ 0 http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/10/sticking-a-toe-in-the-water/ http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/10/sticking-a-toe-in-the-water/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:11:44 +0000 smokingpen http://www.johnhattaway.com/?p=2058 I am not sure I am back . . . to blogging that is.

However, I am preparing to attend my second residency, which also means my second semester in a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program.

Along with that, I took a series of tests (about eight hours) to certify as a teacher in Massachusetts and after some soul searching and considering changes in my life as well as Erin and CAMPER’s, and am now considering starting (with the current degree) a Masters of Education with an emphasis in Teaching Writing.

I started a new job with a retailer in Loss Prevention. Even though I enjoy the job, I am not certain this is something I want to stick with for any real length of time. On the one hand, they want me there until (at least) the end of the holiday season. On the other hand, I am not sure this is the right thing for me.

With all of that said, I think I’ve got a handful of things I’d like to begin sharing and as a result may start blogging again.

-John

Aside from all that, today started as every day does, my alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m. I swear at it, wish it didn’t have to go off at all, feel a tinge of regret knowing that Erin is getting up with CAMPER at about the same time and doesn’t have the lattitude to go back to bed, and then pull myself out of bed, shower, shave (every other day) and head to breakfast. This morning it was some kind of an egg thing, not quite an omelet and with tomatoes. I have to let the world know, right this second, that I HATE tomatoes.

Anyway, we got a new group of faculty members who arrived yesterday before I got back to the island. They were all ready to leap into reading and critiquing fiction and as a result, we sat down and started talking about one of the pieces as well as a published short story by Carol Shields, I think. Then we leapt into the short story of one of the classmates and talked about what could be done to improve it before hitting lunch and then seminars.

What was, somewhat, exciting for me today was that the Associate Administrator, a Jesuit Priest, was sat next to me at lunch and we got to talk about religion and life and family and I was able to ask what caused him to make the life choice of becoming a Jesuit and he, in turn, asked why I got married and then proceeded to build an argument around his reasons – though it wasn’t, per say, an argument-argument as he was sincerely answering a sincere question. Anyway, we talked, went to an adhoc seminar on a web 2.0 piece of software and then I left to record audio at another one of the seminars while he sat in another seminar.

Truth told, I am extremely tired. Driving home and back took a little out of me. I am legitimtely concerned about Erin and CAMPER sleeping at night, which doesn’t necessarily stop me from sleeping and at the same time I have to do reading and prepare notes and write a review and do a few other things all with the intent of getting the most out of this program. The outcome, I am very tired, would LOVE to go to bed, still have to read two short pieces before I go to bed, and wonder what to take from everything as I don’t know if my thoughts are actually very clear or if I am suffering from sleep deprivation and my mind is all sloggy and slow.

Regardless, I think I am pretty stoked about this second half. The weather report is rain for the next two days, possible good weather on Tuesday, and then rain on the day I head home. I am excited about getting my first MENTOR and working with them as I find time to write over the next few months, not to mention READ, and in the end I feel like I’ve been motivated just enough to get me to the next residency. With all of that said, there will be more later and I still need to write a post from notes from a couple of days ago, I need to create some posts with the different chapel pictures, and I should probably walk around the grounds and take pictures of the statuary and stonework to give people a better idea of what I get to experience daily.

More later.

Real Heroes Fly ]]> http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/07/the-second-half-of-the-residency/feed/ 0 http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/07/as-i-wake/ http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/07/as-i-wake/#comments Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:34:48 +0000 smokingpen http://www.johnhattaway.com/?p=2045 Well, back to the rapid fire blogging of an active residency (for me that is maybe more than once a day).

I did go home the other night, apparently minutes in front of a storm. The people who stayed, and were awake for it, said the storm that blew in was heavy and hard and that power went out for a period of hours. That would’ve been cool to see and be a part of, but the need to see Erin and CAMPER was far greater than the need to be a part of a storm that inherently would’ve been no different from any other coastal storm I’ve been through that I don’t regret the loss of experience or anything else for that matter.

Going home meant about five hours (total) of driving. Erin asked about that in a way, yesterday, that had me say, “I packed only what I needed for the first five days of the residency so that I would have to come home. We also planned for the doctors visit so I’d come home. I had to come home whether I could find an excuse to stay on the island or not.”

I guess what all of this is meant to evoke is that, for me, I needed to go home. As such, I was able to spend some good time with CAMPER who has not been sleeping so well because I’m not at home; and some good time with Erin, who missed me – and that is a very nice feeling. As a result, I will never regret nor feel like I missed out on something by fulfilling those needs in my life. When I got married I knowingly agreed to place Erin and CAMPER as a very high priority.

However, what Michael White is trying to accomplish as a part of the Fairfield University Master’s of Fine Art in Writing residency is a sense of place and urgency in writing and he feels that leaving this place – even to go home – removes one from that feeling and changes the experience. I’ve spoken to different people about that, all who were here last semester, and some who left, and the feeling of remaining on the island, of experiencing the writing commune for what it is has been evoked. All agreed with Michael even though some, like me, still needed to take the 24 hours of non-class and workshop work to go home.

As a result, I went home and am glad for it and missed yesterday’s activities; and at the exact same time for someone who is single or has the lattitude in relationship and time to not go home, I can see how the spirit of the island is sufficient to carry one all the way through ten days.

Real Heroes Fly ]]> http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/07/as-i-wake/feed/ 0 http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/07/the-cost-of-being-away-from-home/ http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/07/the-cost-of-being-away-from-home/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:01:55 +0000 smokingpen http://www.johnhattaway.com/?p=1929 Really quick . . .

I spent most of last night awake and (somewhat) wired, as far as someone who lives his life in a perpetual state of sleep deprivation, can be wired; however, after a conversation with Erin from Ender’s Island to where Google told me Wal-Mart was located (and I found a Super Chop-n-Shop or something along that line), I was pretty much awake and trying to will things to happen much quicker and more equitably than they have so far. As such, this is about money, it is about my not being at work, and it is about me being at my MFA residency. The outcome, from last night, I am still a bit wired and waiting to see that money is moving and (a very small part of me) moving in the right direction.

What does this mean? Well, I am a writer in residence in a writer’s training program being trained and the outcome is that I am not at home, I can’t comfort my wife, and I can’t make different businesses or whatnot’s move any faster than they are going to. By the end of the week (when I drive home for about a day) we will be fine, but at the moment, we are currently hurting under the thought that all of our bills will come due today and we will be in trouble for about 72 hours.

With that said, Ender’s Island is a beautiful, the rain that started sometime after midnight (because I went to bed around midnight and it wasn’t raining then) is soothing, and I get to use my umbrella – which is always a plus, and I am having a good itme. On top of which, I am also a bit *something or other* about my family’s situation.

Tomorrow it will be VERY different. Today, the worry and frustration is transfered to me.

Oh, and hold on for more pictures of where I am at later in the day (I hope).

Real Heroes Fly ]]> http://www.johnhattaway.com/2009/07/the-cost-of-being-away-from-home/feed/ 1