I WAS A LIT MAJOR....

"I was a Lit major so I could be a Creative Writing major, but if I could have been a Creative Writing major and an Anthropologist, that may have been even better! I'm not sure all that deconstructionist theory in Literature programs really serves or supports the constructionist - the Creative Writer." - Christine Trzyna

The above has been on my profile since I began this blog a few years ago. I still feel the same way. I'm an armchair anthropologist and archaeologist but these days I enjoy creating stories from the evidence of research and interviews, as well as memories, inspirations, and creativity.

"Write what you know" is the Big Advice in Writing Programs. But a lifelong learner such as myself is always getting to know more. And being a researcher doesn't mean you can't also create, making something out of nothing.????

AN EDITED VERSION OF CHRISTINETRZYNA.BLOGSPOT.COM

After much consideration, and much editing, spawned by the technical changes Google Blogger has gone through, including the new HTTPS version,  below is the edited content of Christine Trzyna BlogSpot AKA Christine Trzyna - Writerly Life circa 2007 - 2014. 

I've taken down dozens of YouTube videos gone extinct but have posted new videos for some the ones in which I had originally made some commentary.

I've also worked hard to organize labels, since by clicking on the label you should be able to go to all posts with that label.

A few of the posts that were simply announcing the fact that there were changes with Google - technology updates - have been removed since that's the past.

Staying truer to the address of this blog, which as always been christinetrzyna.blogspot.com, I'm eliminating the label Christine Trzyna Writerly Life.

However this doesn't change copyright. My original writing belongs to me, and everything you read here has been copyrighted by me since at least the beginning of this blog, which was since 12/11/07. 
 
There are infrequent posts of other people's work, which has been credited to them and has been used under Fair Use as sampling, or excerpts. The news articles that have been linked to have always been copyrighted by the originators and are still owned by them.

One of the changes that effected this blog, and the BlogSpots of all other Bloggers using the Google Blogger, is that for years in order to get to a link a reader clicked on the title.  That was changed so that one could post a link within the text of the post.  I don't know at this point how many of those links still work or if clicking on those titles will still get you there.  Checking near 900 posts to find out is beyond me at this point.  Many of these title links are in 2008.

I wish I could reinvigorate the Meez Avatar that once had a cartoon image of myself typing away on a laptop (to which I always imagined my theme song, Elvis Costello's "I Write the Book," playing in the background) and which everyone said looked so much like me, but Meez no longer offers what it did initially, which is a shame. 

The customized design of this Blog which uses Flashvortex still seems to work, though, Thank Flashvortex!

On the sidebar a short list of direct links to authors whose work I read or reviewed has been taken down. I will continue to check links and take down defunct posts, time allowing.

I've added small images of the book covers where I reviewed or referenced a book.

Additionally, though this Christine Trzyna BlogSpot is once again for public viewing, all comments have been turned off.

THANKS goes out to Google, Meez, Flashvortex, and Dover Publishing (images), which provided free resources for Bloggers.

Going through this Blog, I'm struck by how often the issues of Los Angeles Public Library concerned or effected me.  I've taken down those posts.  I don't use LAPL much these days and I've lost empathy for this massive library "system" that keeps being awarded for excellence when there are so very many problems with it.  (LAPL public computers basically stink but the problems of the bureaucracy are far worse.)

I also noticed as I reread posts that some of the thematic of this blog was BRANDING as in BRANDING A PERSON TO BE A PRODUCT.  I also used some time to bitch about clerks who were jerks and bad customer service.  These days I do that on YELP.  (I still hate shopping and still  have never ordered anything on the Internet.)  However, I'm still concerned that human beings who are writers are encouraged to turn themselves into BRAND OBJECTS.

Early in the writing of this blog I was taking lots of Yoga classes, but my deep interest in Hinduism started before that.  These days I find myself more interested in Freedom of Religion, and rather than mantra, Sound Healing.

That's all for now.  ENJOY!

Christine Trzyna

JAKE REILLY's "AMISH PROJECT" 90 DAYS WITHOUT A CELL PHONE, E-MAIL, or SOCIAL MEDIA : I CAN DO IT

End of January 2012 I started reading reports about Jake Reilly, who decided to go 90 whole days without a cell phone, e-mail, or social media. He did it.

I've done it many times. In fact, I'm very annoyed that Google keeps bugging people to link their cell phone numbers with their e-mail, Bloggers, and other "products." I don't want anyone from Google to call me up in part because HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO CALL GOOGLE TO ASK A QUESTION WHEN YOU HAVE A TECH PROBLEM? It just wouldn't be fair. (Besides I have my passwords in more than one place and in code!) Since when does everyone have a cell phone, even if phone booths are disappearing off every corner?

You see, I believe that tools are meant to make our lives easier and more simple. I believe we are to use the tools. I do not believe that the tools should use us or make our lives more complicated to take more of our time. I obviously use Internet, Google Blogger, and other tools. When technology starts obligating you to use it, when you find your time that ought to be spent getting exercise or interacting with live people, when you find that you spend more time going through JUNK E-MAILS and SPAM instead of going out to the museum, when you become a brain wired up without a body to travel through earthly life with...

If you're going to hide, do it behind a door with a lock on it, where you can take a leisurely tub bath alone or with a friend. I'm troubled by all the people who want to substitute texting or e-mail with phone calling when with cell phone calling long distance is no longer a hurried "Can't afford the long distance" matter. If you know someone who is local and has never given you their cell phone number, e-mail address, or any other link to you, why are you deluded?

C 2012 Christine Trzyna All Rights Reserved Including International and Internet Rights

WHY READING "MORE" MAGAZINE IS NO VACATION

I remember learning in a college magazine journalism class that magazines are vacations. The reader gets to leave their humble existence and try on what it is to have - in the case of women's magazines - beauty, money, health, education,