Seeking Writing Group Assistant/Intern

When I set out to create a writer’s nirvana five years ago, I envisioned a community of writers workshopping and helping each other achieve their writing, publishing, and production goals. We have exceeded my expectations thanks the current group members.

When I first started in my living room, it was fraught with upheaval and the occasional triumph as individual fiction writers discovered their voice, style, and if in fact they were writers.

After incorporating and branding Morningside, I relocated to the Sony Building Atrium because I was tired of cleaning up after group members, and that it was a centralized location.

Four groups and several years later, I now need part-time assistance with the administrative, workshop, and website duties for Morningside.

For anyone out there reading, the following is the ad I placed. Wish me luck!

* * *

Morningside Writers Group seeks a part-time unpaid assistant/intern to help with administrative/clerical, workshop, and website tasks.

The ideal applicant has a minimum of five hours weekly to help the founder/moderator in person, electronically, and over the phone. Tasks may include group scheduling/distributing, bookkeeping, Xeroxing, writing and responding to e-mail inquiries, soliciting/interacting with monthly columnists, and administrative needs as they arise.

We could offer writing mentoring or editing if the potential candidate is an aspiring writer (fiction, graphic novel, memoir, or screenwriting) but the administrative tasks are essential above all else.

Please send a cover letter, résumé, and why you'd be interested in working as an assistant/intern.

Thanks in advance!

GBIS - Day 4

It's been a hard road getting back in shape since I first posted my goals back in July, two months ago. Yikes!

I posted an ad in the Activity Partners and Strictly Platonic sections on an online classifieds, and received a few responses, all but turned out to be a dud. The remaining jogging buddy prefers to not to run, but is a trooper all the same.

No one put those spicy Doritos, Entenmann's chocolate-covered donuts, or chili cheese dogs in my hands but me.

Some days, I don't want to leave the apartment, let alone get up at 6:30 a.m. to do laps around the Jackie O Reservoir in Central Park. Not surprisingly, I feel better after jogging, so I've got to get more of those endorphins flowing through my body.

It's easier to rollerblade or bike to get back into shape, but it's quicker to lace up the sneakers and jog day or night. Scary are those raccoons looting the trash cans in the evening, masked eyes staring back.

I never thought I'd have to deal with an expanding waistline. I was teased, taunted, and envied for having a 28" waist. A 31" waist isn't the end of the world, just costly because I'd have to buy new clothes if I opted to remain sedentary, writing and editing, more days than not.

I want guns like Rafael Nadal, Serena and Venus Williams. Decision made. I'll continue to show up to my start line and jog at least three times a week, just as I show up to the page and computer screen to write and edit daily.

Save the Internet!

Mark Your Calendars : Cate Blanchette as Elizbeth I

Elizabeth:The Golden Age

2007 US Open : Final Thoughts

Gamesmanship: How many tennis matches have we seen where an opponent calls for the trainer as a defense tactic, only to come roaring back to win the set and/or the match?

When the trainer attended to Venus, she refused to take a timeout, but rather continued the match. As Mary Carillo pointed out that neither sister abuses this privilege in the sport.

Prior to The Williams Sisters climbing the ranks in a previously predominantly Anglo sport, I never would’ve have paid attention to tennis — men’s or women’s.

I was caught by surprise by their physical prowess and dominance from the baseline and at the net. Much like I was drawn into the living room from the kitchen years ago when I first heard Jessye Norman's voice rise and fall on a PBS special years ago.

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to go where we’re most welcomed and comfortable. Althea Gibson, Arthur Ashe, and Zina Garrison were relegated to Black History Month in my southwestern school system.

Can’t we embrace The Williams Sisters, James Blake, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, and Donald Young for taking up the torch started by Althea and Arthur? Can we not open ourselves to embracing African American, Mexican-American, and Asian-American tennis players? Or is there no room in our collective consciousness for people who don’t fit our comfortable notion of what a tennis player (athlete) should be?

I can only imagine what it’s like to walk into the largest tennis stadium in the world as an ethnic tennis player. Tennis is not a group sport like basketball or football. Doubles players still have telephoto and TV camera lenses trained on their hairlines. I commend Venus, Serena, Vania King, Sania Mirza, James Blake, and Donald Young for keeping their dignity in a sport that had been unavailable to many of their ancestors.

I can’t forget Dick Engberg’s repeated comments during 2007 US Open about Ana Ivanovic’s “Rita Hayworth” looks. Is tennis about all-white tennis outfits and matinee idol looks? Or is it about dynamic athletes doing their best on any given day?

Venus's Semi-Final Match 09/07/07

This is reposted from my comments on today's New York Times U S Open Blog:

I watched the matched from start to finish. It was a good, not great match. I've scanned some of the comments, and don't want or need to get into throwing sand in anyone else's face.

The world in which we live prefers tall, svelte, blonds, over short/solid/lithe and caramel.

I was impressed this tournament by Asha Rolle, an unknown on the WTA until she beat Tatiana Golovin, and almost upset Dinara Safina.

The WTA needs to open its arms and training facilities to a wider variety of people that would truly reflect the international world in which we live.

Yes, Justine CHEATS more times than not, casting sideward glances over at her surrogate father in the stands.

What Serena and Venus have done to REVOLUTIONIZE women's tennis, they can take to the bank. Every sport has its divas, divos, and wanna-be superstars.

I personally do not like Henin. I enjoy watching Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic play as well. There are so many emerging talents that don't get the time of day or live match coverage as do the 'stars' in both men's and women's tennis, which is unfortunate.

You want to talk about prejudice, not only racism, have at it. It's about TV ratings and Q-points on Madison Avenue.

I'd like to see TV and print commercials awarded as a prize AFTER winning a Grand Slam (Sharapova and Roddick are featured in commercials during every Grand Slam, but haven't come up with the goods).

You want to talk about Venus and Serena needing new coaches, racket techniques, cheerful disposition -- add Sharapova and Roddick to that list among many other active players.