NOVA The Gaston College Writing Center Newsletter June, 2011
VIRTUE ISSUE # 5
In this fifth issue of the Gaston College Writing Center newsletter, you will find the center’s mission, an update on summer activities, quotes, a tribute to writing and writers, and a creative piece. Be on the lookout for “Weavings and Unravelings: A Literary Review”. Suggestions and feedbacks are welcomed and appreciated.
Camp Discover By Laura Hines -Writing Coach
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Poetry Viva Voce Date: June 23
On Monday, July 25, the Writing Center will host 10-20 Gaston County middle school students for Camp Discover. This program, designed to give teen students a taste of college academics in one hour long segments over several days, explores mathematics, sciences and humanities. The camp’s goal is to provide experiences that are both entertaining and educational, emphasizing an interactive learning environment geared to grades 6-8. Our theme will be “Exploring the Writing Process,” a program developed by Stephanie Osborne, Stephen Bishop, and Laura Hines. In the hour time slot Stephen and Laura will work with students in cooperative learning activities, such as “Writing CSI” and an interactive game that compares the stages of writing to solving a puzzle. Throughout these activities, students will need to use brainstorming, teamwork, and each of the five senses to solve writing dilemmas. The session will end with a “Graffiti Page” where students can reflect on their experiences. This program will be the Writing Center’s first opportunity to reach out to the community at large, and we are especially excited that this opportunity involves Gaston County students. It is our hope that Camp Discover will become a yearly summer event that will have a positive impact on local middle school students, encouraging them to consider pursing college enrollment and, of course, demonstrating that writing can be fun.
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Time: 5:00 pm Location: GC Robinson Room# 236 Email: writingcenter@gaston.edu Featured Poet: Open mic follows featured reader
OUR MISSION The Gaston College Writing Center exists to help students of the College pursue their educational goals and develop into intellectually mature persons, competent writers, and lifelong learners.
CREATIVE CORNER June, 2011
VIRTUE ISSUE # 5
Almost Virtuous By Dana Verdino ~ Writing Coach Rosalie listened to the current of the air conditioning come on and turn off and come on again as Nick slept next to her, and she thought it might have all just been a misunderstanding. The crawling and the spilled ficus tree, the bumping into walls, the basin of tears. She felt a sting on her lips. She licked them and tasted a salty bulge. Nick was still asleep, the sheets entangled around his naked body of golden red. On his back, he looked almost virtuous, his mouth ajar, a hand atop his hairy chest. His body was damp and muscular, his chest powerful even as he slept, unaware of her presence. The evening before they had gone to a Greek place with friends who were mostly Nick's. It was a cheap place and they went Dutch since that is the modern or leftist or bohemian thing to do. As always, Nick dabbed the sides of his mouth with a paper napkin between each swallow. The girls laughed at his wryness and campy style, and they touched his hand and he touched theirs, and they shared dinners. Back at their apartment house, later on, Rosalie and Nick shared a fifth of tequila. Rosalie smoked cigarettes continuously and they drank off the bottle and Rosalie came out and said, “Why do you have to share your dinner with them, and why do you flirt the way you do?” “You don't like to share, you're such a child, and I don't flirt. I'm brotherly and that's not going to change, I've told you this already,” Nick replied. “I'm not a child, I just know who I am, and I know that how you are and they are isn't always so charming like you think it is and I don't like you being affectionate, I need you to know that. And I don't like to share my food. I ordered this and you ordered that. I don't like that. I like this. The same way you should be able to decide what you like and stick to it,” Rosalie said. Nick said, “It’s a courteous social role one takes on among friends and family. And some of us like variety in our refection. You're common and predictable. You will only eat spaghetti. You eat from the child's menu for God's sake.” It went on like that for a while until the conversation turned to the cat and his obnoxious breath and those damn rats with wings. Rosalie called them pigeons because she said they had names like any other nice bird. Then Nick was too warm for clothes and too drunk for blame and next thing is Rosalie's eyes are puddles and she is naked in the kitchen with the cat. She laughed without sound, while a line of fluid crept down her inner thigh.
Sometime in the night, after Rosalie laid her body beside Nick, it rained a good amount, but this she didn't know until her morning surveillance out the window. The sunshine on the puddles was redeemable and at the least.
It was Sunday and she would make braciola, an Italian dish Nick had come to love. And on the side, spaghetti with tomato sauce. Rosalie tied her hair back and put on Nick's baby blue button-down, a pair of jeans, and leather sneakers. If Nick had awoken, he would have told her that the state of her was displeasing, that women can't get away with being dirty like men can, and that she needs a shower. But she liked the feel of muck on her skin, the rot from her pores, the grease from her hair, and the makeup she had so carefully put on the night previous, smudged and gloomy under her eyes. Rosalie turned the small radio to popular music, poured a glass of wine because it was nearly 11 o'clock, and started on her cooking. She spread the flank steak on the counter, took a block of provolone cheese and cut even slices, then layered the cheese and salami on the steak, rolled it up all together, and fastened it with toothpicks. She then heard her mother saying, “Cook it slow. Brown it, don't burn it.” Her mother told her many things about cooking and men. About Nick she said, “You need him like you need a hole in the head.” Rosalie had said, “I don't want to give up on this one. I need to change sooner or later. It's good to change.” “You tell Nick to shove it up his ass,” her mother had replied. But Rosalie wasn't done yet. She didn't want it all to fall apart so she made sure to stand over the log of meat until it was a light brown, no darker than a fig. If it got too dark or tough, that meant it would fall apart when she went to cut it in pieces later on, after it was all done cooking. She didn't understand the chemistry but that's how her mother explained it. Then she added water and spices and put the lid on so it could cook for three to four hours, and she began the tomato sauce. Once everything was cooking quietly, Rosalie smoked cigarettes and drank wine until she heard the slamming doors of Nick's armoire, then the television. Now that he was awake, she ran the vacuum around the ficus tree in the hallway. Further cleaning revealed a shiny earring, a bobby pin and a button that previously adorned a cuff on her shirt. She must have flicked them about with some part of her, or else the cat did. She scooped up the bottle of tequila, the thick shards of glass and dusty ones, just with her bare hand. One of the pieces wedged itself into the palm of that hand and she gasped. She spread her fingers far and wide, then let the remains fall to the floor.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT June, 2011
VIRTUE ISSUE # 5
GCWC’s Summer The Book Exchange Strong readers make strong writers! The Writing Center is pleased to offer a paperback book exchange for faculty, staff, and students. Stop by RCB 236 and visit The Book Exchange: Reuse, Recycle, Reread! Take a book, and leave a book. Any title is welcome. No sign-in/sign-out required- just loved and worn paperbacks that can bring life to new readers. If you're cleaning out clutter this summer, bring us your dog-eared texts from last year (or the last ten years) and take a fresh one home, or on vacation, with no worries. One man's trash is another man's treasure!
The first rule of Book Club: talk about Fight Club
Read, analyze, discuss, and apply concepts from the novel Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk while earning for the Learn 4 Life Award! Starting today at 1pm in RCB 236, the Summer 2011 Reading Program will present Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. The novel is well-known for its unique portrayal of violence and its exploration of postmodern capitalism. Through the readings, discussions, and program activities, we will interpret and analyze the impact of consumerism and mental illness on the formation of social identity. Students will keep a weekly blog that includes reader responses, a book review, and personal narrative on activities related to the project Sign up in the Writing Center, RCB 236.
Dana Verdino 090 Cohorts/The Color of Water I have been enjoying my time with all of the Reading 090 students this summer, as we reflect on, and get ready to write about, James McBride’s The Color of Water. During our first session, students filled out a quick survey about their needs as writers, followed by a brief autobiographical essay on their history as readers. I have come to learn that, while most students do not have backgrounds as avid readers, nearly all of them have a strong desire to improve upon their reading comprehension skills, as well their frequency of reading. We started to delve into The Color of Water during our second session in the Writing Center. We discussed the themes from the book (family, race, religion, etc.), and then put together collaborative groups according to theme. Each group then began searching the chapters they’ve already read for evidence of that theme. We talked about evidence and significance and found a great deal of information in our books, which will later serve as material for our essays. Next week we will be talking about the writing process of a literary analysis essay, and we will work on creating theses.
Hommage à L'écriture (Tribute to Writing) Webster likens writing to composing. Writing in the mind of a writer is like an invisible play waiting to be put to display. Writing is a very powerful way to express one’s thoughts. For me writing can bring healing in many areas. Writing is also a way to capture serene moments. Our history has been preserved through the years in written forms. Writing has played a big role all through our history. From the first constitution, to love letters written by love inspired hearts, and to the student writing a poem to his # 1 teacher. Writing also has an incredible ability to take one anywhere he or she desires to go. This has been proven by beloved authors through the years from Aesop to Socrates to William Shakespeare to Benjamin Franklin to Abraham Lincoln to Mark Twain. As seekers of the truth, these writers have changed the world with their words. Our way of thinking has been challenged by their words. We receive inspiration from these writer and more. This is why I applaud the coaches at the Writing Center. As the world changes, writers are again called upon to inspire hearts and challenged thoughts. ~Priscilla Yeboah
June, 2011
VIRTUE ISSUE # 5
PVV 05/26/11
~QUOTABLE QUOTES~ virtue Unless I accept my faults I will most certainly doubt my virtues. ~Hugh Prather
Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. ~ Aristotle
Virtue is its own reward. There's a pleasure in doing good which sufficiently pays itself.
~Sir John Vanbrugh
On the whole, human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not quite all the time. ~George Orwell
Weavings and Unravelings:
A Literary Review Do you have a piece of writing, photography, or art you are proud of? Then don’t keep it to yourself! Send it to us. It’s a great opportunity to get published. We consider all works for submission. For more information call the Writing Center or email Stephanie Osborne at Osborne.Stephanie@gaston.edu
Editor: Priscilla Yeboah
Hours of operation Monday – Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Fridays 7:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m WC Email: writingcenter@gaston.edu Phone: 704-922-2369 (Center) 2368 (Office)