My Short History of Ironing

As I stood at my ironing board touching up the buttonhole edge of several shirts, I got to thinking about ironing in the Good Old Days. I remembered gathering clothes from the line out in the yard, sprinkling the shirts and other things that needed ironing, then stashing them in a plastic bag. This was a great delaying mechanism, gladly welcomed by those of us in the League of Professional Procrastinators, because the bag had to sit for a few hours for the dampness to become uniform. The challenge was to get back to the task before the clothing mildewed in the bag.

My first ironing experience was with a small toy iron and a tot-sized ironing board, just like Mommy's. As I remember, the iron had a little light in it to simulate heat. I think that required a battery, but if it did, it was the only battery-operated item I had until my transistor radio in junior high school. I remember watching my grandmother iron with flat irons heated on her stove, and with a kerosene iron when they lived in the mountains and had no electricity.

I learned to iron with a full-size real iron before I began school, starting off on handkerchiefs and pillow cases — yes, we actually ironed such things back then, but not sheets. I soon went on to master shirts, dresses and the complicated items of clothing. I remember standing at a hot ironing board for hours, taking care not to press in creases, and taking care not to allow the iron to linger long enough to scorch fabric. Remembering even further back, I remember rayon that would shrivel and melt if the iron was too hot.

That was primarily during my childhood in the 1950s. By the time I had children, permanent press and clothes dryers were part of my life, but the ironing board never quite went away. There have always been things that required a certain amount of touch-up, and for several years I gave up trying to get away without ironing permanent press shirts properly. Not too many years ago I used to save the ironing until the closet was empty, then watch movies on television while I ironed.

Things seem simpler now. I believe technological advances have done something to cotton processing, because even 100% cotton shirts need very little pressing. Is it the fabric or the dryer? Perhaps both.

Today as I pressed, I realized I can do a dozen shirts in the time I used to spend doing a single one. There is no reason to move the ironing board near the television, because my work would last little longer than a commercial break. Do you hear me complaining? Definitely not! I'm just waiting for a dryer that will place the shirts on hangers in the closet and sort socks...

What changes have you noticed in laundry technology and other housekeeping tasks over the span of your life? How has your life been made simpler? How has your attitude about housekeeping changed?

Write on,

Sharon Lippincott, aka Ritergal

The Soul of Money

In The Soul of Money, Lynne Twist explores two contrasting attitudes toward money and things in general. The prevailing attitude is one of scarcity and competition. The alternative is sufficiency, an attitude that leads to collaboration and a healthy flow of resources.

My purpose here is not to explain these concepts or to advocate for them, though I think you'll find the differences fascinating and inspiring if you take time to read the book. As she explores ways of changing attitudes, she explains a concept lifestory writers may find useful. She points out that the words we use in our thoughts about (money) shape our attitudes about (money) as well as expressing them. She has found that becoming aware of the wording of thoughts is the first step toward changing attitudes. Awareness creates the opportunity to rewrite internal scripts and thus change attitudes, for example from scarcity to sufficiency.

Many people have found a parallel situation in writing about past experiences. When we look back at some of the darker times in our lives, it's easy and natural to feel victimized, angry, guilty or sorry for ourselves. There is an alternative: we can look for the hidden blessings in those experiences. We can look at them as opportunities to discover things that have made us stronger and enabled us to do or learn important things. This insight seldom develops until we are aware of the underlying thoughts and attitudes, and writing stories is a powerful tool for bringing those thoughts to light. Once you are aware of the thoughts, you may revise your understanding of the situation, and edit those thoughts if you wish.

Your attitude about the past colors the way you describe it in your stories. Some may wonder if it's honest and true to change your perspective — whether that interjects a false note into “what really happened.” There is no absolute answer to that question, but John Kotre's explanation in White Gloves, that memory is the way we make sense of the past, may serve as a guidepost.

Looking at the situation from that angle, “what really happened” is only data, and that data is meaningless until it's interpreted. The interpretation may change from time to time as we learn new things, and a change of attitude amounts to learning something new. The interpretation is how you make sense of the past and your life, and what else would you want to convey to those you write a legacy for?

Whether or not you read The Soul of Money, you may find it intriguing to write about your relationship with money and your attitudes about it. Even if nothing changes as a result, these attitudes tend to be passed from one generation to the next, and documenting them is fascinating.

Write on,

Sharon Lippincott, aka Ritergal

Writing in 3D

The other day I saw a watercolor of a house. It was drawn from a corner, extending the house into three dimensions. Shading, shadows, and perspective added extra depth. Trees, bushes, grass and blue sky breathed life and color into the scene, and a tricycle and toy wagon in front added a warm, human touch.

As I gazed at the sketch, I thought about writing, and the various ways we can use words to add depth, color and life to stories. I immediately determined to write about this, but when I sat down and began writing, my words slid all over the page. I felt like a toddler trying to create a Van Gogh with fingerpaint and quickly fell into mental gridlock.

Throwing up my hands in frustration, I retreated to other tasks. Gradually I remembered my own best advice: Write on Purpose. What's my purpose here? I asked myself.

My initial thought as I viewed the vision was that skill as a writer develops over time, just as the skill of the sketching artist does. The artist learns to use a variety of stroke techniques to achieve various effects. Writers discover ways to go beyond the basic stream of words to enhance the meaning and impact of stories. Artists learn to choose details that enhance the scene and omit the ones that clutter and distract. Writers learn to select just the right words for the most effective details.

My purpose was to remind you that whether you write or create visual art, developing this palette of skills takes time and practice. It requires experimentation. Just as student painters learn new brush, color and composition skills by studying and copying the work of masters, writers can learn new ways to use words by reading and imitating favorite authors.

Rather than striving to create a literary masterpiece, perhaps my purpose here is best served by retreating to my core meaning and simply telling you what I was seeing and thinking.

As you begin a new story, ask yourself, What is my purpose? What am I trying to tell people here?

Write on,

Sharon Lippincott, aka Ritergal

Recipe for Story Writing

For several years before Yahoo! abruptly pulled its plug, I contributed to the Yahoo! Lifestory group almost daily. Every time I'd post something about a personal memory, I pasted the email body into a continuing WordPerfect document, together with the date. As a result, I have over one hundred pages of prime memory scraps recorded in a sort of album of random stories, all written in short periods of time.

In reading through this collection, I noticed one that I wrote in response to a member who mentioned that she was striving for balance. My reply was a form of freewriting, a technique often recommended for overcoming writer's block. If you have ever experienced this affliction, perhaps you'll appreciate these recycled thoughts:

What is this balance you are looking for? Time for writing about life and time for living it? The pain preventing balance of body in chair? The delicate balance between gushy detail and rich description? Balancing an egg on a pole on the tip of your little finger? Or walking a tight wire across Grand Canyon?

Balance. I imagine that if I ever find perfect balance, I shall levitate into the next dimension, freed at last of gravity and fumbles.

Gravity. Now there's another nice concept. Perhaps gravity of spirit is more cumbersome and oppressive than gravity binding feet to terra firma. So, there is yet another balance to strive for, between grumpy gus and airhead. But wait. Who needs balance? The next dimension sounds more appealing all the time!

Now look what happened: A blank email screen is a direct challenge. My fingers take over where my mind may falter. Mindless sounding or profound, I'm often as surprised as anyone at what pours forth. Here's my recipe:

Connect fingers with keys, engage heart, and let the words flow. Test with mind to see if the words are worth sharing, and/or need tweaking. Press save, send, or delete accordingly.

I've polluted your mind for writing about balance. Why don't you write a few lines about chaos, passion, iciness or a whip? Be bold and share your experiment as a comment to this post.

Write on,

Sharon Lippincott, aka Ritergal

Record of a Summer Romance

What fun I'm having! I've put off cleaning out some old files for weeks, and finally dug into them. In the process I found the old notebook I used as a diary in high school. It isn't easy to read today, because I taught myself Old German script for writing it, to ensure privacy. Fortunately I did keep a master key, so I can still decode if I were so inclined.

But that wasn't the fun I'm referring to. I may go back to that another day, but I found something more interesting. Stuck in those pages were several sheets from a notepad giving a day-by-day account of all the dates my future husband and I had on our whirlwind summer romance. No details are recorded, but none are needed. With the simple prompts of date and place, it all comes flooding back.

Oh, the stories! Being an incurable binge and impulse writer, the urge to stay up all night and write is strong, but I'll let it go at typing up the list so it won't get lost again. I can use that list as the basis for a fairly long story about that summer.

Lists like this are a great way to begin a story that consists of a series of smaller ones that you plan to arrange in a chronological order. You might want to refer back to the post Like Beads on a Necklace for a refresher on compiling stories such as these.

Do you have any old lists that could jump start a new story? Maybe you'll be inspired by my example and dig into some piles you've been avoiding. You never know, your muse may be hiding in there.

Write on,

Sharon Lippincott, aka Ritergal

The Power of Words

Have you ever stopped to think about the power of words? Depending on how they are used, words can

• weave endless webs of confusion.
• form walls to hide behind.
• come between us like coils of razor wire.
• create fear and mistrust.

Or they can

• encourage others to dare new things.
• comfort a broken heart.
• build bonds of friendship.
• teach eternal truths.
• break shackles of fear.

These things are true of all words, whether spoken or written. Your stories will show what's in your heart, so before you decide about sharing a story, look into your heart. If you find anger, fear, hurt, and other darkness, showing it to others may not have a good outcome. When your heart is brimming with respect, gratitude, understanding and love, your stories will touch hearts with soft wings.

Keep in mind that like spoken words can never be unsaid, written words can never be unread. Use the power of your words with discretion and write a legacy of love.

Write on,

Sharon Lippincott, aka Ritergal

A Instruction Manual for Life

Earlier this week a friend sent me a link to a New York Times article about First Sgt. Charles Monroe King, who wrote a 200-page journal for his infant son, in case he didn't make it back from Iraq. He began the journal before he left, which was before the baby was born. He continued to write while he was over there, and finished it while he was home on leave last summer, getting acquainted with five-month-old Jordan.

That finished story must serve as a father-in-absentia for Jordan. Sgt. Monroe died in the service of his country Oct. 14 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his armored vehicle in Baghdad.

Reading the journal excerpts in the article brought tears to my eyes. This father wrote an “Instruction Manual for Life” to guide his son. It amounted to a form of insurance — insurance that his beliefs and values would be transmitted to the son he loved so much and died to protect. His son will draw the dividends from that investment for the rest of his life.

I've been searching for words to pay proper homage to the legacy Sgt. Monroe left for his son, which could serve as a model for all of us, but the best I can do is to urge you to read the article for yourself. Hopefully you'll be inspired to honor the idea by writing something for your own children or grandchildren expounding your beliefs and values. It doesn't have to be 200 pages long. Even a couple will do.

Write on,

Sharon Lippincott, aka Ritergal

The Power of Positive Writing

Lots of people begin the new year with a resolution to have a more positive attitude. I'm all in favor of that, and I'm in favor of positive writing too, and perhaps paying attention to how you write will shed light on your attitude and the way you think.

The positive writing I have in mind today is phrasing choices. I promised a friend I'd to print a copy of my mother's Christmas candy recipes, and this morning I opened that ancient document. Before printing, I realized a few awkward spots in the comments I added after each recipe. This document was several years old, and I've begun noticing things now that I wasn't aware of back then.

One particular phrase stood out: “Mother didn't do everything the hard way ...” As I thought about that statement from a stranger' point of view, I realized that on a subliminal level, this statement implied that she was some sort of martyr, that she valued doing things the hard way, or that she stubbornly clung to tradition. This was definitely not the case. She was always searching for new and improved ways of doing things. I changed the sentence to read “Mother didn’t think her recipes or methods were sacred ...”

That triggered my radar. Half an hour later I was writing an e-mail and noticed that I'd just written: “... we don't have the pines and firs of the NM mountains ...” This time, since I caught it as I wrote it, I rephrased that to read “We have majestic oaks, maples and other hardwood trees in place of the pines and firs ...”

Do you detect a subtle difference? This isn't about grammar or correctness. The original sentences were fine. The first revision is more accurate, but only I would know that. Perhaps you find both revisions slightly more uplifting to read. Positive statements are always more powerful and energizing to read or hear than negative ones.

Along with the focus on writing I sense a subtle shift in my own internal focus from difficulty and deprivation to power and privilege. It goes with the Attitude of Gratitude mindset.

I'm grateful for these tiny insights I derive from my own writing, and hope you will find similar benefits from yours.

Write on,

Sharon Lippincott, aka Ritergal