Strikes, Balls, and Bunts – Trial and Errors December 10, 2009

 

The first half of this blog greatly affected how I approached the second part of the assignment. For instance, my Family stories and my Entertainment had so much in common: the water, birthdays, mermaids, an underlying struggle between good and evil. I was so sure that finding my Image of Wide Scope would be so easy…Error #1.

 

When I was done with my Community post, I realized that David Yulee and the Civil War didn’t mesh as easily with my Family stories and Entertainment as my Family and Entertainment meshed with each other.Sure, the Homosassa River was present in my Community Post. The plantation needed the river because sugar cane grows along the riverbank, so it was the river that brought the family here in the first place. Also, when the four scouts went back to the Yulee’s home after the Union showed up, they had to escape from enemy soldiers by paddling down a narrow creek. However, despite the presence of water, I didn’t feel as if water was that powerful in the Community post.

 

Trial: Were do I go from here? Since all my original ideas were contingent on water being the “thing,” I had to go back and see what sticks out as an image and as a symbol. The Yulee Sugar Mill, for example, definitely stands out as an image. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really have any significance inside the story or symbolic meaning.  Then I thought about Yulee’s involvement with the development of the Florida railroad system. Could I connect the meaning of trains to a Family story and Entertainment?  

As I thought about what trains mean–travel, mobility, power, speed, strength–it seemed to me that trains fit my stories about water, mermaids, and birthdays much better than any water symbolism could fit the story of David Yulee.  Suddenly, I went from merely drifting down a river to charging at this assignment with all the power and force of a stream engine locomotive.

Image of Widescope….Home Run! December 10, 2009

I cannot begin to describe how pleasantly surprised I am with the Image of Wide Scope revealed though my logo. If I could be known for only two qualities I would want those qualities to be and my integrity and my ability to persevere. These are the very attributes that impressed me most with each of the central people in my Mystories (David Yulee, Little Mermaid, and my Mom), and I never saw it coming.

I didn’t expect my Image of Wide Scope to capture an accurate impression of me if I didn’t use water as my “thing”. I grew-up in Florida; I have always been around water.  Fishing, swimming, and boating are some of my favorite activities. My blog address is seawilcox for goodness sakes (I picked the blog address before I even new what the blog was suppose to be about).  However, I knew that if I were to choose water, it would be forced and unauthentic. While trains might not—on the surface—seem all that relevant to my life, the attributes and atmosphere surrounding trains are very fitting.

So once again, I am shocked and amazed at how it all came together. I am sure if there were a part three to this assignment, I would be equally blown away at what a clear and candid image it reflects

Revisiting Memories October 14, 2009

Once I knew that my Entertainment would be “The Little Mermaid” it was time to refine what memories I wanted to write about. The most obvious mermaid memories was my fourth birthday at Weeki Wachee Springs. I had countless memories from living in Florida, so close to the beach and rivers. One of my favorite stories to tell was going fishing for the first time and catching a shark with my Snoopy pole. One of my most vivid memories is from my fifth birthday, the day of the No-Name Storm. Just like that (*snap*) I had material for my micro-narratives.

Then it became the process of connection the memories to the entertainment, in order to craft a My Story. The mermaid connection was obvious. However, it wasn’t until I reread “The Little Mermaid” that I realized that birthdays were such a big part of the story. In “The Little Mermaid” birthdays were a right of passage. At fifteen, the mermaids were able to go above the sea, which was a huge deal. In my family, my mom always made our birthdays special. It was MY DAY.

Once I got on this mindset of connecting my three stories to “The Little Mermaid,” it changed everything. The assignment seemed so easy after that…which worried me a little bit.

Selecting Entertainment… October 14, 2009

I thought I knew what I wanted my Entertainment to be based on. There was a story I loved as a little kid called “Ever Green.” It was a story about a little blue bird that broken its wing and needed a tree to stay in for the winter. All the trees were cruel to this little bird, except for three trees. These three trees were rewarded by Jack Frost for their kindness. While all the other trees in the forest would lose their leaves and stand naked all winter long, the kind three trees would bloom and bloom and bloom and stay green forever.

Great story right? The problem was that this story didn’t fit well with any of my memories. So I thought a little more, and that is when I thought of my love for mermaids. When did that obsession begin? Having grown-up near the water, I would always “play” mermaid…in the springs, in the river, in a pool, the tub. I preferred the Hans Christian Andersen version of The Little Mermaid to the Disney version, which is interesting.

Once I got a clear idea of what I wanted my entertainment to be, the memories came easy.

Felt – Mermaids October 14, 2009

There is the obvious connection between My fourth birthday party watching the mermaid show and the story “The Little Mermaid”, but the connection goes deeper then that. When I saw the mermaids, I wanted to be a mermaid too and partake in all their fun. When the little mermaid saw all the people on the ship, she wanted to be apart of their world. The mermaid was a sea creature that always felt a strong connection to the land, where I am a land creature who has always been pulled towards the sea.

Felt – Water October 14, 2009

Water was the common thread throughout all my family stories and entertainment. While the little mermaid wanted to get away from the sea even though that is the only life she had ever known and it is where her families lives, I cannot spend enough time on the water because it is familiar to me. I grew-up near the water. When I think of my family, I think of fishing trip, clam bakes, trips to the beach, and being together near or on the water. While the little mermaid wanted to escape from the waters which represented comfort and familiarity, I love the water because it is comfortable and familiar.

Even when that water seemed to be a terrible force in my life, such as the flood, it led to my family being all together. So it still have positive associations.

Snoopy and Shark – Part 1 October 7, 2009

I am a Florida Girl though and though. Prior to college, I never lived more than 500 ft from a river. I love boating, swimming, fishing, and pretty much any activity that involves being near or in a large body of water. One of my earliest memories is my first fishing trip with my family…

Before my dad could teach me the fine sport of fishing, I had to get a fishing pole. We went to Skidmore’s Sports Supply. I looked at all the fishing poles that were “kid size” and, being the girly girl that I was, I picked out the cutest one…a Snoopy Fishing Pole.

My dad hated my choice. You see, my father is a sensible man, and he didn’t like the idea of paying so much money for a cheap little toy. He kept say, “Caitlin, I can get you a really nice pole for the same price.”

But I was stubborn, “No Daddy, I want this one.”  Needless to say, we walked out of Skidmore’s with a brand new Snoopy Pole and a bunch of live bait. I was all ready to set sail on a new adventure.