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Sometimes I think we forget that storytelling first came around a campfire. That human drama, and the development of character came first through oral tradition, and then into written documentation. This, I think, is what makes the role of a playwright so challenging. This is what makes Shakespeare so fascinating – both his works, and the man. He never forgot that a story must first be heard in order to be understood.

About a month ago I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting a great blogger, and we got into some fantastic discussion about what drives our creativity. A question he asked me about a certain children's book project I am working on spurred a whole passionate deluge of my love of languages - the musicality, the concepts they try to embody but somehow just miss, the vehicles they are for connection and human emotion, etc. Having grown up in a household where Spanish and Italian were spoken, having married a Brazilian, having taken French, I am completely in love with the musicality and emotional intensity of the Latin-based languages. And, as I was explaining this to him, it was the focus of my mission to bring that musicality and vibrancy to life in my little picture book, but using the English language. I specifically did not use poetry, but wanted a poetic feeling - just like the every day conversation in Latin-based countries provide a poetry to their communications, just because it is and not because it is sought.

     I've come to a conclusion: It is impossible to feel ugly in Rio. Between the warm sun, the refreshing ocean air, and the confident yet playful attitudes embodied in the Cariocas, a woman can relish the joys of beach life without the self-consciousness that might plague her in the States.

Happy New Years!!! Or rather, Feliz Ano Novo, as they say down here.

I grew up in a Futbol Family. With parents from Argentina/Italy it's kinda hard not to love it. But, having lived most all my life in the States, the closest thing to having experienced the rowdiness and team pride that most Futbol fans around the world experience on a regular basis would be my adoration and chanting for the NY Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

Feliz Natal e Boas Festas!!!!

I should be packing right now. Goodness knows that I have plenty to do before the family Christmas festivities. Still, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was silently calling to me from atop the large stack of "Must Read" books on my nightstand. End of semesters are notoriously hard on everyone - instructors possibly even moreso than the students, if you're willing to believe it. But with all the papers read, and the grades nicely saved into the system, I just don't want to do more work. Plus, the Northeast is supposed to be hit with a humungo snow storm, and snowy winter nights are synonymous to cozzying up with a good book.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it's only fitting that I should spend a little thought on our country's forebearers, the birth of our nation, why we gorge ourselves on turkey and pumpkin pie, etc., etc. . . And so you can imagine my complete delight when, while at the library to pick up a DVD for my students, I stumbled upon Tony Horwitz's newest book  and New York Times Bestseller, A Voyage Long and Strange: On the Trail of Vikings, Conquistadors, Lost Colonists, and Other Adventures in Early America.

Today's blog has been inspired by the sinus-infected-strained-neck-food-poisoned week I have just survived. Oh yeah, it was a whopper. (Thank goodness for a gracious husband, parents who live within driving distance, and PRx pills). All of this was bad enough to endure, but the stress of deadlines looming made the recovery process a little harder than it ought to have been.

Hope everybody has been having a nice weekend.