English expression

One of my ESL students created this video. When I met him at the beginning of this year, he couldn't really understand nor speak English very well. Now he's really improved because he spends a lot of time studying English on his own. He does several things every day to learn English. This is what passion and motivation look like, and I could definitely learn from his example (though I'm juggling a handful of languages simultaneously, so it's a kind of diluted pursuit 😅).

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Maybe too much

I was really excited to start studying three languages simultaneously, but it's been sort of overwhelming. I study languages every day, but it's casual and happens randomly because I've been translating posts on X/Twitter, which is super-fun and challenging. Taking a class requires finishing homework and studying the concepts that we've learned, because it's not enough to just go to class once a week, and it would be a super-human task to immediately understand everything they tell us. My schedule overall is varied because I work four gigs and take three classes and create content, but I've been feeling sort of scattered.

This evening is the last German class, and then I'll be doing just two language classes: Italian and French. Italian is online and French is in-person. 

I've been studying French at the excellent Alliance Française Chicago for a couple of years. I only started taking classes there because I live nearby and someone recommended it. I'd passed by it for several years but didn't think it would be so great. And I've been studying French on my own and took a couple of online classes because I'd like to go to France one day. Basically, I signed up because I can walk there, and since I had acquired extra time, I wanted to study languages more. Now that I've taken different classes at different places, it is very clear that Alliance Française has the best teachers and a pleasant environment. I feel like I'm stepping into another culture, and all the instructors are totally professional, educated, and nice.

I should write another post about work-life balance because ever since I slowed down a couple of years ago and returned to doing more of what I want, life has been way better.

Creativity can be control

After creating a lot of content for other people and places, and just working to make others shine, I broke away from such a hustle and have had more time to do my own thing. And I've realized that always following others' wishes can lead to a feeling of a lack of control. 

But life doesn't have to totally be all that. Creating something that comes from within is very satisfying, and no one can take that away or dictate what to do. We often have to follow what others say or conform to the group, but creating is just about what we want to express, and doing that gives us control.

We can post something online and may never get feedback, but at least it's what we've created. The problem is when it enters the marketplace and has to be assessed. Then the power isn't only ours anymore. The public has control, and a negative or apathetic response can mean failure, and a sense of hopelessness. But if we're just doing something that is totally unique to us, from us, we are the control; we don't need externals. 

Of course, if we get success, that's fantastic because it is validation of our efforts. But many times we don't get approval or attention, so just spending time in that independent slot within our lives is enough to break us free from dulling external effects.

I find it hard to always be motivated, but when I think about the power of creating, that can be the motivation, because "real artists ship."

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

I will soon be studying three languages simultaneously

The language-learning lifestyle is continuing, and this month I will be taking three different language classes. I've been studying French for a couple years at the excellent Alliance Française, started studying Italian at the beginning of this year, and will be taking a German grammar class.

I'm going to have a lot of homework, though of course it won't be as rigorous as credit homework. Homework in an adult class at a language school can take a couple of hours. And that's in addition to ingesting the language in other ways; it's not enough to just do the homework, because it's just a tiny sliver of what's out there. Now I'll be doing it with three languages at the same time.

The in-person German classes are not near my place, and I don't want to commute late at night. I thought I'd give up trying to find something that fits, then I saw an A2 grammar refresh course at a convenient time. Since I reached A2 at GLS in Berlin, I've wanted to advance but haven't been able to find classes that fit my schedule. But there's a more urgent need because I'm going to Germany in October, and I need to get back to the level I achieved when I was there. I at least have to know how to put a decent sentence together again.

I'm continuing French because the teachers at Alliance Chicago are highly trained, organized, and caring. I've also considered French a friend for several years as I've treated it like a fun pursuit. Now I want to be able to know enough to travel there; I don't want to stick to just the tourist areas. 

If I were rich, I'd amp up the hours and take credit courses to be able to speak and write well. But I'm not rich, so I'm doing what I can, which is important because we all should leave space for enjoyable endeavors. 

Dead links

I was going through my old drafts and found this one from 2010:

Someone from Book drum noticed that I listed The Great Gatsby as one of my favorite books in my profile (read the entire book online here), and they suggested that I look at its multimedia profile over there. It seems like a very interesting site that makes books multi-dimensional, so if you're into books and want to express your love for them in various ways, feel free to join or just check out what's already there.

I ended up doing a post about it, so I don't know why it was in my drafts as well. What's cool is that editor Hector Macdonald left a comment on that post, and I finally thanked him 16 years later 😅

Back then, orgs and authors would ask me to check out what they were doing. I guess they did research and considered my blog popular enough to warrant such communication with moi. Now social media takes care of mentions and promotions, and I'm never hit up. Well, that's not totally true because I get respect for my Radiogirl podcast, and people still contact me or recommend people to me. But in terms of my blog, attention has shifted. But it doesn't mean I'll stop blogging; after all, I've managed to toil in obscurity here for over 20 years 😅

Also back in the day, we used to share our discoveries on our blogs because there was no social media to share on ["on which to share" for the dangling preposition opponents]. Now it's way easier to share on socials; no need to fire up the blog for a brief mention.

I looked for Book Drum, but it stopped operations in 2018. Sorry it didn't last. Good luck Hector!

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

I miss Fluffy Bunny

In the early 21st century, a coworker was often reading Fluffy Bunny. which was a personal variety-type of site, with a diary and lists and essays and whatever else interested the guy. It was so different than what we see nowadays; people seem to be performative, competitive, boastful, and guarded online. The content has to achieve something publicly, has to have a goal for greater reach and elevation.

When I see all the stuff online and get nostalgic for the early days of the Internet, I think about Fluffy Bunny. I read it, though not as often as my coworker. It was one of many personal sites that were easy to discover. At first, there wasn't a label for people's confessionals and expressive writing. Then "weblog [web+log]," became "blog," and we had a label for what Fluffy Bunny and other early adopters were doing. I don't know if Substack and Medium would be considered blogs, but they don't have the same vibe as what existed before the algorithms took over. 

Before social media proliferated, I read various blogs for fun and communication. At one point when I was feeling isolated in a toxic job, I started reading more LiveJournal entries, which were really personal. That's the type of writing I'm trying to replicate in my own fake blog because you pretty much never see such sharing anymore. I remember working in a quiet office and reading a blog by a bored receptionist to see how our experiences compared (I don't remember the exact title, but I can't find it). There were so many corners to discover online and fresh content to follow. It was more organic back then; Google describes it as "a shift from a creator-led web to an extraction-led web, where the value generated by individual human labor is being harvested by massive systems and the people who optimize them."

Eventually Fluffy Bunny decided to call it a wrap. At the end of 2004, he said he'd had the site for more than seven years, i.e., he started in the late 20th century and finished in the early 21st. "I started this before the deluge of blogs, livejournals and the like. Now it's time to step back and let the next wave of folks crank out their material while I move on to other projects and other places."

p.s. the e-book version of my debut novel is still at Amazon, and the price for the print version has been reduced: buy at the Eckhartz Press site.

Jill Hargrave interview: documentary writer and producer

I recorded this interview with producer and writer, Jill Hargrave, whose latest documentary is "Road to Liberty: Through Their Eyes" about the American Revolution. 

What has your career basically been?

I had a very different life in England. I was a pop singer in the 1960s on the Parlophone label (the same as the Beatles). I was only 16 when it happened. I stayed in show business for about three and a half years, then became a blackjack dealer. Through that work I got the chance to work on the QE2, where I met Americans who told me I’d fit in well in the United States. They sponsored me, and I arrived in 1972.
I went back to college in America and majored in journalism, graduating around age 30. An internship at WCBS led me into documentaries. I’ve been producing, writing, and directing them ever since, eventually forming my own company, Eagle Vision Productions, in 1997. I work because I love it; I don’t consider myself retired.
How did you manage to stay consistently employed in such a tough industry?
I could do everything: raise the money, write the scripts, shoot, and edit. I learned linear editing, then taught myself Avid. I became a one-woman band while still collaborating with strong team members. Being reliable and willing to learn new skills helped me keep getting work.
How do you raise funds for a documentary?
I use the Foundation Directory (free for nonprofits) to match my project with foundations and corporations whose interests align. For "Road to Liberty: Through Their Eyes," I combined small grants, a successful Kickstarter campaign, and support from longtime contacts and family foundations. You have to be persistent, unafraid of rejection, and good at selling your passion.
Tell us about your current documentary, Road to Liberty: Through Their Eyes
It focuses on the formative years of the American Revolution, especially the often-overlooked 1776 New York–New Jersey campaign. It includes the African American experience from 1775 onward and uses many contemporary quotes from Washington and others. The film is now complete and will be distributed via public television stations and other channels.
You’re British. Has anyone given you a hard time for making a film about the American Revolution?
Not really. After 52 years here, I tell people that if I had been in America in 1776, I would have been a rebel. I tried to show both sides fairly; it was in many ways a civil war.
How do you write a documentary script?
I start with a detailed blueprint/outline. Then I interview historians, transcribe the interviews, pull the best soundbites, and build the script in short segments: narration, quotes, and visuals. I lay down the full audio track first (narration + interviews + quotes), time it, cut it to length (max 58 minutes for PBS), and only then add the images and B-roll.
You were a pop singer as a teenager. How did that start?
My brother wrote songs and my sister originally sang them. One night I sang along in the car and a producer liked our voices together, turning us into the sister act “Jackie and Jill.” We signed with Northern Songs (the Beatles’ publisher) and recorded for Parlophone/EMI. We worked clubs in northern England and entertained American troops in Europe. It was an amazing experience at 16 and 17.
What were some of the challenges of being a teenage girl in the music business in the 1960s?
The main challenges were the expectations from men in the business and suddenly having a lot of freedom. My sister and I were very different personalities, which eventually led us to part ways professionally.
You also write screenplays. What advice do you have for writers?
Keep writing and find or form a supportive writers’ group. I joined Stage 32 during COVID and built a wonderful ongoing writers’ room that still meets regularly. Writing doesn’t have to be lonely. Enter good festivals strategically (Austin Film Festival is excellent for screenwriters) and just keep practicing.
Any final advice for people who want to produce documentaries?
Have real passion for creating. Be willing to learn every aspect of the process and be ready to troubleshoot constantly. Build relationships, network, and never be afraid to ask for support. Most of all, enjoy what you do — the money comes second.