Current Project:Spirit of the Lake
Status: 51,000 words
Okay,not really an Olympian.(Can you tell what's playing on the TV?)How about what makes a winner or a hero? This weekend I became a hero. My hubby went to Portland to an auction. He called and said he wouldn't make it home to feed the cows, I'd need to get someone to help me. My nephew was at work, our neighbor and my father-in-law were gone.
So Tink and I headed out earlier than we usually feed, catching the cows chewing their cuds. We jumped in the tractor, fired it up, and hurried to the gate. I jumped out, opened the gate, and drove the tractor and hay trailer through, hurrying to the edge of the field. I stopped the tractor, hopped onto the trailer, cut the twine on two bales and tossed them around. The cows and calves started fighting for the hay and I jumped down, hopped into the tractor, drove a short distance and put the tractor in low. I hopped off the moving tractor and jumped onto the trailer, cutting baling twine and flaking four bales. The tractor headed toward a fence. I jumped off, hopped on the tractor step, opened the door and turned the steering wheel, heading the tractor to the middle of the field again and hopped back on the trailer to flake off four more bales. I hopped back in the tractor, drove it out of the field parked and closed the gate. I looked out at the happy cows and the feeling I'd just saved the world overwhelm me. A feeling I can relate to when I have a hero or heroine accomplish something hard.
An Olympian or hero can be a person who believes in something so strong they find an inner strength. I watched West Side Story for the first time this weekend. I've been wanting to watch it and finally found the dvd for $5 and waited for the dh to be gone because he doesn't like musicals.(If there were ever two opposites when it comes to music- it's us) Anyway, while there were some kind of cheesy spots, there were also some very emotional/powerful scenes. The emotion for me came from Tony and Maria and the racial tension. I didn't like the ending from the HEA perspective, but I liked the emotion that was portrayed. Maria was an Olympian in my opinion.
But I have a question- What was the purpose of the tomboy character? I didn't get it other than a way to tie up the loose strings. Anyone else have an idea? I actually found her off-putting.
Have you had a moment in your life when you felt like an Olympian? If so have you used that feeling in one of your stories?
8 comments:
Wow, Paty! I AM SOOO IMPRESSED!
#1- You can drive a tractor.
#2- You fed the cows all by yourself and figured out how to do it while NO ONE was driving the tractor!
#3- You didn't get pissed that you had to do it all by yourself.
I have to tell you that I have NONE of those skills. I'm such a wimp!
I am in NO way an olympian, yet. I even cry when I do my Jillian Michaels DVD's. I've pushed myself to do a lot of things in life, but never have I felt like a champion or Olympian. I see that I need to push myself harder. To tell you the truth, I've never watched the Olympics. I've seen bits, but never watched more than 15 minutes in my life.
I've never seen West Side Story. I don't even have a clue what it's about. LOL
Glad you were safe when you were doing dare-devil tricks on the tractor and trailer! You get the Gold for what you do on that ranch of yours, chicky!
I agree with Piper, you win the gold. I say your dh chose well. I would have stopped and started and cried and whined like the wimp I am and even the thought of jumping on and off a tractor makes my poor knee throb!
Now West Side Story -- here you are talking about one of the defining moments in my movie watching life as I saw it with my best friend and the two of us were absolutely devastated by it. I think every love scene I wrote for years was a reflection of that moment at the dance when Maria sees Tony and the rest of the people blur into a dazzling backdrop so that only the two of them are in focus. It's a lovely scene. And the end is enough to tear out your heart.
Know all the words to every song and wore my hair like Maria's for a year after the movie. Sigh.
As for the tomboy -- I guess she symbolized the only other way a girl was allowed close to these guys. She was either an object of lust or a pathetic wanna be boy which made what Maria was to Tony so different and special.
Fun blog.
Becky, You're an Olympian for having five kids and staying sane!
Alice, Yes the scene where Tony and Maria meet was one of the top scenes for me. I'd heard some of the songs over the years, and knew the words, so it was fun to see it in the actual movie.
I like your take on the tomboy. I just found her over the top.
Oh, man. That is SO INTENSE Paty! I'm 18, and I don't think I could do that! Wow. Who's a real cowgirl, eh? :D
As for feeling like an Olympian... It happened in my sophomore year during art class. Me, my two best friends, and this other girl shared a table. Sometimes that girl's boyfriend would try and sneak into class to talk to her. We had a substitute that day, so he got away with it and no one kicked him out.
Eventually his two buddies wandered in, and they struck up some nasty conversation. F-bombs were flung left and right, and I didn't feel comfortable with their language. I told them to knock it off and that I didn't appreciate what they were saying. They acted like jerks and blew me off.
My friends and I sat there exchanging upset glances. None of us said anything. I could feel the anger and frustration boil within me, like I was a hot air balloon being filled with burning flame. After I couldn't take anymore, I erupted.
Standing, I flung open the classroom door. Everyone looked at me, but I leveled a glare at the most crude boy and commanded in a scary serious voice, "Get out."
I can tell he's surprised and a little bit... afraid. He asks, "Why?"
My body is shaking with emotion, but my words are strong and harsh in my throat. "Because I said so."
This time he doesn't ask questions, because my order is absolute. With a look of disbelief towards his buddies, he gets up and walks out, stunned.
As he passes, I finish him off. "Don't let the door hit your butt on the way out!" And I slam the door behind him. And I sit down on my stool. And I put my head on the table and bawl.
It's amazing how drained you can be after a 10 second confrontation. I was shaking with adrenaline and crying so hard. No one said anything, not even the substitute! And even though it was scary, I felt so amazing to have stood up for what was right. Even if I put a little bit of my sarcastic style in there... LOL!
So that's my story. The end.
Katie, congratulations for remaining true to you and showing others you won't put up with bad behavior! You are an Olympian in my book! And you do show many of your mother's good traits! ;)
Hi, Paty! Definitely the Olympic gold to you! You did awesome!
Interesting question about feeling like an Olympian. Just as there have been times when I was not impressed with my actions or inactions, there have also been times when my actions could have been described as heroic. Just never thought of it from that perspective. So I'm sure I've drawn on that emotion for stories without actually putting a label on it. Again, thanks for a new perspective!
Katie, good for you for giving voice to your values! And you're right it can be a draining experience to come down from that adrenaline rush.
Piper, I've heard Jillian Michaels described as the "world's toughest trainer," so I wouldn't even bring one of her DVDs in my house. Can I get abs like hers just by putting a picture of her on my vision board?
Alice, I don't generally like musicals, but I may have to broaden my perspective after your description of West Side Story. Sounds like a very moving story, though I'd probably have to turn it off before the end if it's not a happily-ever-after.
Thanks again, Paty, for putting a new perspective on events that happen in our lives.
You're welcome, Genene. ;)
This was a great post, Paty, and I'm sorry I didn't comment sooner! I felt like an Olympian after I gave birth :) And while not all of my heroines can have or need that experience, I have tried to channel that superwoman feeling into their actions.
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