storyfires

February brain-fog is lifting, even though the weather still kind of stinks. I had a good writing day. It's also NATIONAL GRAMMAR DAY, March forth, er, fourth. I know you're excited. Some Grammar Day comics for you: Take this quiz, courtesy of the Grammar Girl website. See how you do. Correct the Celebrity 1. Which album title has the spelling error?       a. “Dutchess,” by Fergie       b. “Growing Pains” by Mary J. Blige       c. “Graduation” by Kanye West       d. None of the above 2. What’s wrong with this lyric by Justin Timberlake? “When you cheated girl, My heart bleeded girl.”       a. It’s perfect as it is. Leave Justin alone!       b. “Bleeded” is not a word. “Bled” is.       c. There should be commas before and after “girl”       d. Both b and c are correct. ...

The last week of February ends tomorrow and I admit, in spite of the rest of it, the month has redeemed itself: First, because the sun came out and there was light . And because snow fell all day one day and stuck to the trees and they stood around like bright-white elegant sculptures in the fog while I took the dog for a walk on the mountain twice. It looked like this: Magical.  Also, because then the sun came out again and shone so hard and warmed up the air so much I went on a bike ride . I don't have a picture of that. But, all that brightness turned on something in my brain, and I rewrote the beginning of Hepzibah again - and decided I have my final beginning . I've said that before, but I believe this time it's true. And then, because of " Bright Star ," which I watched tonight, about the poet John Keats. It was stunning. I love his poetry, loved the movie. I cried. And then I remembered that I got to hear Manachem Pressler play Ch...