2011 Summer Teen Fellowship, and May 21st YAWP

Applications are now open for
the 2011 Summer Teen Fellowship!

Also: the next YAWP is May 21st, featuring Fiction, Poetry, and "Impossible Fiction"

Hello YAWPers!
We're now accepting applications for the 2011 Summer Teen Fellowship! Applications are due Friday, June 3rd. The fellowship will take place here at Grub Street HQ July 18th to August 4th. For more information, and to apply, go here.

Next Saturday, May 21st, we'll have another excellent line-up of YAWP classes. Click here to register! (Don't worry, it's still free.)

This month we're offering Fiction, taught by Becky Tuch; Poetry, taught by Regie Gibson (note that Poetry will ONLY take place in the morning this month!! Sorry!!); and Impossible Fiction, taught by Drew Jameson. After class, there will be a volunteer open-mic reading from 3 to 3:30 PM.

As ever, the Saturday YAWP session will be located at 160 Boylston Street, Boston, and is FREE for all young writers ages 13-18. You'll get a YAWP notebook, writing exercises, feedback from brilliant teachers, and snacks. All you need to bring is your imagination.
Here's the schedule:
• 10 AM to 12 PM: AM Workshops in Fiction, Poetry, and Impossible Fiction
• 12 PM to 1 PM: Social hour and lunch (we encourage you to bring your own lunch)
• 1 PM to 3 PM: PM Workshops in Fiction and Impossible Fiction
• 3 PM to 3:30 PM: Open Mic Reading
Email me at chip@grubstreet.org if you have any questions -- and we'll see you on the 21st!

Chip Cheek
Administrative Coordinator
YAWP (Young Adult Writers Program) is now entering its fifth year and is hosted by Grub Street, Boston's only non-profit creative writing center. YAWP has been recognized by Boston Globe as the city's hub for young writers. For more information visit grubstreet.org or contact us at 617.695.0075 or email Chip Cheek at chip@grubstreet.org.

I too am not a bit tamed-I too am untranslatable;
I sound my barbaric yawp over the roofs of the world!
-Walt Whitman from Leaves of Grass

Out with the old

It's so funny how calming it is to just let something go. Especially when it's not good to you or for you. Whether it is, no matter the not so positive effect it has on your life, letting go feels GREAT! I think today, I reached a breaking point on somethings, and I'm letting them go. Am I scared? Out of my mind, you have no idea. But I know there is better and more out there, and I do deserve it.

So whatever it is that is holding you back, weighing you down, treating your wrong, or just plain old no good, let it go and see what other wonderful things come into your life.

Breaking Point

This past week, I was talking to a young man about his future. He has people in his life that make him feel like he is limited to what he can do in life because of his major. Ill-advised in so many areas of his like, he looked at me and said "Where were you six years ago?!?" At the school down the street :-) Due to choices made from the advise of people who were not as concerned about his future, his plan has taken a new path. I was so happy that he ran into me. If there is nothing else I know, that's how to help a young person figure out or feel more comfortable about their life choices.

At the ages of 16-18, we ask young people to make a decision for life. HELLO! They are teenagers, what do they know about life? As he continued to talk, his plan included "if that doesn't happen, then I'll..." I reminded him to stop and be more positive and confident. He can do so much with his life. In typical Adria-fashion, I ran down the list of things. Took his real dream and helped him see it was still attainable.


He asked what if I get there, and I don't like it. How will I know when you make a change? I told him about breaking points. We all have this line that we acknowledge subconsciously that determines when we have reached our peak of tolerance. He still couldn't get it, and I let him him, when you reach it, you will know. He has plenty of time to realize his breaking points.


The point I was getting to, was for him to follow his instinct, know what he wants and needs out of life. Be in control and ask "What are ALL of my options?"

Having reached many of my breaking points in several parts of my life, I know they hit you like a brick wall. It's what you do at these breaking points that define you, that make you stronger. Hopefully he has a lot more time between now and his breaking points.

MSN video: Celebrities Without Makeup

I start up my computer and come across this...... Check out this great MSN video: Celebrities Without Makeup Now, why is it so important for celebrities to wear make-up all the time? I think they are all still beautiful without the over doing it. Sometimes we forget, they are human just like you and I. Why does the media make such a big fuss over celebrities having an average day? I have actually only worn make up twice in my whole like and that was because my mother thought they were important for my high school and undergrad graduation pictures. I actually used the same make-up for both times. What I did learn from the women in my family is that beauty isn't in the make-up but the woman herself. Getting done up means lip stick, lip liner and lip gloss. That's it. LOL. To the celebrities MSN puts out in this video, your beauty is yours not in the make-up you wear.

My parents' house

Oh, how I forgot how entertaining it is to be at my parents' house alone. How quiet it is, and how I can nosey through things without a fuss.

Of course, I come across something that I must mention and I get fussed at for being nosey in their stuff and then, I remind them that what is theirs is my inheritance. :-) At which point they just shake their heads.

It seems like my parents never throw away anything. EVER! The reason I'm here is so that I can do my laundry for free. Yup you heard me. I will forever come with laundry until they tell me I can no more.

While in the basement waiting on what seems to be the longest wash cycle of my life, I start wandering and laughing. I found so much stuff, and thought "if they just give me 2 days, I'll clear this baby out." I'm serious, though my dad complains it's my mom, he is as much to blame. TRUST ME!

First, how many fans does my mom need so many fans in so many sizes?

Second, is the typewriter still needed? Apparently just in case they can't do something with the computer.

Third, 12... YES 12 Cake plates (at least 2 were mine that I thought were trashed). She still needs them all... FOR WHAT?

Fourth, the drum set that my bro hasn't touched in 20 years. Donation.







Fifth, the 20+ year old fire engine truck. Little ones don't even visit that much.











Sixth, one of the lamps from one of my college residence hall rooms. The Walmart one. We all had one.










Seventh, why do they still have my cane and two sets of crutches from 2002-2003? The cane ok. But the crutches and the walker?!?!?

Eighth, the two giant a/c units.

Is that my $13 Goodwill purchased table from 2003?

How many suitcases do two people who've lived in the same house since the 70's need?

I did have fun playing in the rain boots. I tried to swipe mom's but she wasn't having it. Dad's well.. yellow just isn't my color.

I love the Cher exercise VHS and the 10 others down there with the VCR that my mom still doesn't know how to use.










My favorite piece of all in the basement... the Sagittarius/Pisces love match picture from their dating days back in the early days. That's something a picture just cannot do justice for. I love it.

I guess this will just continue. Good thing the washer stopped who knows what else I would have found down there.  WHEW!

Where's everyone going?

Many leaders/managers wonder why so many of their employees leave so soon and so fast. Some believe, it is just the industry they are in, high turn over, burnout. Some just say it wasn't the right fit for these particular employees. I wonder if managers ever think, "I wonder what role I played in their desire to leeave?!" Probably few as many managers place the blame, instead of taking the blame. I believe, no matter the industry an effective manager can keep happy employees. My other inqiry would be whether or not the treatment of those left are considered, especally when you have the qintessential bad manger. Are they just always left wondering... Where is everyone going?

Pressure Parents

I was out the other night, I decided to go to dinner because well I was tired. When you are alone in a busy restaurant, you overhear more than you choose. There was a family of three sitting behind me, parents and a young teenage man. They were talking about his sporting event. From the moment they sat down, they were on his case as to what he needed to do to get better. He needed to improve and be more like another young man. Hearing these parents compare and mention all the negatives, broke my heart. I know they meant well, as any loving parent would. But I also know what these types of conversations can do to a child. Just hearing his voice, I guesstimated that he was probably in 9th grade. When I saw him, I was probably right.

There conversation then shifted to his college future. They had decided that he was going to have to attend a list consisting of only three school, all Ivy League or close to it. He vocal demeanor changed. Without malicious intent, they have managed to bring down the hopes of their young child. What was funny to me was that there was never a mention of his academics and how they needed to be cream of the crop to get into the school they mentioned. It will take more than a sport or two to get and keep a child in college and maintain success.

Hearing this conversation made me want to turn around and stop them. I wanted to encourage him not to limit himself. To enjoy his young days. I know that early awareness is important but when it comes with put-downs, it is counter-productive. I wanted to tell the parents to mention was he did well in his competition, what makes them proud. But, alas, I maintained my will-power not to throw myself into their conversation. My mother always tells me I need to learn not to always jump in to the rescue with my commentary. Everyone isn't looking for that. She is right, but I am a vocal person, especially when it is for the right reasons.

No I have no children of my own, but I do consider the young people to work with as partly my own. I learn so much from these young people. I do not know what the rules of good parenting are, but there are times that the person looking in from the outside, sees more than those in the situation