Skip to main content

Creative Writing


I have disparate interests. I guess that makes me more complicated than some folks. In revising my CV, these contradictions present themselves in various ways. That's why when I sent out my CV in response to a request for possible employment mentoring beginning teachers, I was wondering how my writing experience would play. There, next to memberships in professional organizations like the American Psychological Association's high school affiliate, the National Council of Teachers of English, and the National Council for the Social Studies, sits my NTWA membership. National Turf Writers Association. My colleagues in the Bay Area Writing Project have always found it fascinating that I managed to balance two worlds. Thoroughly supportive, for them, it was always about the writing.
People still judge the racetrack through a clouded lens. I guess they can't get past the gambling. Good reason for some. That addiction has taken its toll in similar fashion as other addictions. But it's always been about the horse and the horse people for me. Sure, I'll bet a race or two or three. I don't owe explanations to anybody, yet the thought of being judged lingers. People harbor so many myths about the racetrack. I think that's what kept me so interested for so long. Doing stories on trainers who had advanced degrees from prestigious schools, or grooms with more compassion than many doctors can be quite satisfying. Watching, with the breeder, the first race of a "baby" can be breathtaking. I love the tradition, the color, the mind numbing puzzle of figuring out a race. I love the characters (they're all there) like Adrian the OCD horse player, Hoover or Tony or Henry, all grooms who could be in any film. I respect the knowledge of trainers I've interviewed; the way they know individual personalities, the psychology of their animals, the body language and their ability to communicate without speaking. I been fortunate to see and discuss horses with the rich and famous, and the poor and infamous. Sometimes it was just the rich and poor; depends on how you define those terms. But the friends I have with low level claimers bring just as much awe and insight as those with graded stakes winners.
Living vicariously through the experiences of my favorite jockeys has been with me since I was 10. A bicycle can be a stretch runner too.
So now that it's time in this new year to renew my memberships in professional organizations, I'm taking stock and reconsidering a few. I'm pleased that my voice will still be heard in The Blood-Horse magazine from time to time. Turf writer is only one part of the whole. But all writing is creative writing. Isn't it?

Comments

Cameron McPherson Smith said…
hey bruce, looking forward to reading you in The Blood Horse. i'll keep my eyes open...is it at Powell's? cheers cameron
February 6, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mr. Greene v. Mr. Brown

I want to tell you about something. Something I've carried inside myself for a number of years now. Perhaps if I were a different kind of person I wouldn't need to talk about it. I'm not. My need to tell it is stronger than your need to hear it. Because, however, there are a number of teachers and former students of mine who may read these meanderings from time to time, I need to tell this story all the more. About 7 or 8 years ago I was asked if I would allow a university PhD. candidate to observe an English class. At first I decided against it because I was scheduled to have a student teacher placed with me the second half of the semester in question. After some urging, however, at the request of a respected colleague, I agreed. Soon I was committing to extra meetings, signing documents and explaining to the class in question who the young woman who thoughtfully pounded away on a laptop in the rear of the classroom three times a week was. I knew that the topic of ...
3 comments
Read more

The Quality of Optimism

 I've returned to The Book of Qualities, by J Ruth Gentler once again to meet the needs of one of the senior students in my little Writing From Memory class I'm currently teaching in my local community center.  This little volume personifies various concepts and personality traits.  The particular student "in need" seems to be fixated on writing about her past relationships.  Apparently, there were many.   I'm OK with that.  I only hope that she picks a few qualities that are as revealing about herself as those that might describe her Ex's.  There is much to be learned by writing about a quality.  The aforementioned book seems to have survived well over the years.  I first encountered it and its author way back in the late 1970s.  I took a journal writing workshop from her.  Then, a few years later, her book came out and I introduced these writing exercises to my students.  11th grade Juniors seemed to do the best with it. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Non-Reader

"The man hasn't read a book in years." I keep hearing that about the current occupant of the White House.  Maybe that's as it should be because recent studies say that claim goes for over half the population of this country.  Scary but true.  It's obvious that the President doesn't know the history of this country.  Examples abound. Even for those who can forgive him for inventing the African country of Nambia (he referred to that the other day) the fact that he knows very little about American History doesn't seem sway his followers.  Either they know nothing too or they simply don't care.  Probably both.  Yet, the notion of ignoring history and repeating mistakes looms large all the while. A former colleague of mine, who taught Language Arts for a lifetime used to have a large banner in her classroom. When kids came into this learning environment they saw a sign which read, "Unless We Read, We Live But One Tiny Life." I'd love to hea...
1 comment
Read more