Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Second Try I seem to have lost the last blog
Spend an hour trying to get to this page, wrote a blog and it flew away....putting together a book proposal at the moment - very tedious and I'd much rather be writing more to the book. Have to detail so much information, the floor is covered with books, some open and half opened and various versions...maybe I should take a photo to remember these days, that is if they ever end....Thanks to dear Hannah Brown who keep encouraging me onwards and my son who sends me interesting stuff. lets hope this one goes through...
Saturday, June 25, 2011
how I got into writing
Why do I feel it necessary to document things? Here I must give credit to my dear departed Uncle Reg. During the war years my uncle and his wife, Aunt Netta, took me on holidays (vacations to Americans) to the English coast. My father had died when I was about 6 years old and my uncle and his wife took over many duties to amuse and educate me. They put off having children themselves because of the uncertainty in war years, so I was their substitute child. (they later had three sons--my cousins and their extended family is my family--they must read this blog!)
My uncle explained that we must document each day's activities so we would have a record to look back on later. I still remember the little notebooks with his elegant handwriting, sad I didn't retain any. So this began my documenting holidays and trips. These documents became much more interesting as I traveled around the world. I found one recently on the trip my children and I took over Europe when they were 13 and 15 years old. Seeing the written word brought back so many memories. Unfortunately our brains become full of current stuff and we can't remember everything, just highlights like son pouring water into the street from a balcony in Florence and daughter walking off in huff on her own in Switzerland and I didn't care, it was Switzerland, she was safe. But to read words that were written years ago brings everything back. So this is why I encourage others who witnessed Judy's performance to put their memories down on page.
Currently I have discovered some more detailed information about the life of Virginia, Judy's sister and that is being added..back to the book..
My uncle explained that we must document each day's activities so we would have a record to look back on later. I still remember the little notebooks with his elegant handwriting, sad I didn't retain any. So this began my documenting holidays and trips. These documents became much more interesting as I traveled around the world. I found one recently on the trip my children and I took over Europe when they were 13 and 15 years old. Seeing the written word brought back so many memories. Unfortunately our brains become full of current stuff and we can't remember everything, just highlights like son pouring water into the street from a balcony in Florence and daughter walking off in huff on her own in Switzerland and I didn't care, it was Switzerland, she was safe. But to read words that were written years ago brings everything back. So this is why I encourage others who witnessed Judy's performance to put their memories down on page.
Currently I have discovered some more detailed information about the life of Virginia, Judy's sister and that is being added..back to the book..
why the book?
This is all very new to me but I guess this is how you write a new blog, rather than just commenting on the last one? Guess someone will tell me if I am wrong? The first suggestion was for me to say what the book is about, a big item.
After I went to the Judy Festival in Grand Rapids in 1997 and discovered all the young teenagers and I realized that my first hand experiences seeing and meeting Judy were of some value. I talked about experiencing one of Judy's concerts in GR and made contact again with Lorna Smith and the British club that year. In the early years of being in the club in Britain in the mid 50-60s I had written up for the club Judy's performances, meeting her, attending press reception and recording sessions, also CBS Television shows. These writings I still have, including a carbon one (yes we used carbon paper then to make copies). Some how I felt these should go into a book for future young people who would discover Judy in 100 years hence. But like all writing and research the more I wrote the more I discovered and the book has become much more complex. I am an anthropologist and social scientist by instinct and education (have degree in anthropology and a master in SS on a life history of a Chinese lady who escaped from China) - so women's lives are my interest, how and why are questions I ask.
Next blog will explain how I got into writing and what I'm working on now.
After I went to the Judy Festival in Grand Rapids in 1997 and discovered all the young teenagers and I realized that my first hand experiences seeing and meeting Judy were of some value. I talked about experiencing one of Judy's concerts in GR and made contact again with Lorna Smith and the British club that year. In the early years of being in the club in Britain in the mid 50-60s I had written up for the club Judy's performances, meeting her, attending press reception and recording sessions, also CBS Television shows. These writings I still have, including a carbon one (yes we used carbon paper then to make copies). Some how I felt these should go into a book for future young people who would discover Judy in 100 years hence. But like all writing and research the more I wrote the more I discovered and the book has become much more complex. I am an anthropologist and social scientist by instinct and education (have degree in anthropology and a master in SS on a life history of a Chinese lady who escaped from China) - so women's lives are my interest, how and why are questions I ask.
Next blog will explain how I got into writing and what I'm working on now.
Friday, June 24, 2011
My Judy Garland Book
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