A Fascinating & Fearless Actor: Hoffman

"I was moody, mercurial... it was all or nothing"--Phillip Seymour Hoffman....

 

We lost a god today. An acting god, one that towered over many, took on challenging roles and became the other person so convincingly, that he left audiences mesmerized.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman, one of today’s finest actors was found dead in his New York City apartment. According to several news sources, he was found in the bathroom with a needle still dangling from his arm.

A truly heartbreaking image for a great man, father, son, an amazing and talented actor to finish his greatest role in life; living. There is no doubt that today is a sad day. I became a follower of Hoffman’s work when I first watched him in The Talented Mr. Ripley. He played snobbery with such precision and high-classed grace that even as a viewer I felt small.

Soon, many of his films  made my favorites list; Magnolia, Boogie Nights, The Savages, The 25^th Hour and the hilarious, ”Along Came Polly”. Hoffman had such great range that he could act alongside the likes of Ben Stiller and have you laughing your ass off. Then just a few years later, play Truman Capote one of the world’s best writers and human beings, as if he was Capote himself, as if every move and word that he released from his mouth were not his but Capote.

One of my most beloved articles on the art of acting was one Phillip Seymour Hoffman did with New York Times in 2008 titled, “A Higher  Calling”. I recommend you google this article and read it. One will get a glimpse of the acting genius of Hoffman. Below is a quote from that article where Hoffman explains the moment his love of acting was born.

“When I saw ‘All My Sons,’ I was changed — permanently changed — by that experience. It was like a miracle to me. But that deep kind of love comes at a price: for me-..and it’s torturous because you know it’s a beautiful thing. That’s beautiful and I want that. Wanting it is easy, but trying to be great — well, that’s absolutely torturous.”

-- Phillip Seymour Hoffman (quote originally from New York Times,2008)

Phillip Seymour Hoffman was only 46. It is a sad day in the world of film. There is not another actor that can fill the shoes he has left behind. With Hoffman departed, future great roles of characters he could have played will forever be a little empty now.

#RIPHOFFMAN



by Francine Ramos McMillon

Light Up Downtown 5K Run!

 

 

Tomorrow evening in downtown Fresno, Red Ribbon Project will hold its first 5K Run/Walk to bring awareness to HIV/AIDS. Hundreds of local Fresnans will join in bringing awareness by taking to the streets and Lighting Up Downtown Fresno in unity.

T-shirts and glow bands will be provided and  are ready for pick-up to all those that registered. If you haven’t already registered there is still time, contact www.cornerstonecommunitycare.com for more info. Living Social, which is one of the many sponsors of this year’s event, is currently offering a terrific deal.

Penned  Write is a sponsor of this year’s event and is offering 20% off a resume package deal, which includes a resume & cover letter to all participants of the Lighting Up Downtown 5K event.

I encourage you all to register and make a difference in the community. This event is family friendly. So bring the entire family down, children included and take part of a great community event in the heart of Downtown Fresno.

Francine McMillon

Forever, Our Mexican Girl

Jack Kerouac’s book “On the Road” has long been a youth anthem for generations. After tomorrow, Tim Z. Hernandez’s “Manana Means Heaven” will surely be added as an anthem for Mexicans and lovers of literary greatness everywhere.

The book, “Manana Means Heaven” tells the tale of  Terry a real life character readers first met in Kerouac’s
“On the Road “ and  in the excerpt titled The Mexican Girl” which was featured in the Paris Review in the year 1956. It is crazy really that this woman “Terry” (actual name Bea Franco) met Kerouac while awaiting a bus in Bakersfield headed to Los Angeles. Together, she and Kerouac spent their nearly two week relationship traveling throughout the Central Valley  and along with migrant workers toiling in the fields of rural Fresno.

 

Photo Credit: (AP Photo/ Bea Kozera Estate)

It is crazy that Bea Franco was immortalized in the literary world and for years, she had no clue of this fame. I recall reading this book and being drawn to her character that I reread her story repeatedly. A Mexican girl, married, with two children, fleeing her abusive husband  in one of the greatest coming of age books in the world and this brief tale is centered around all that is familiar to me; Fresno, Central Valley, Selma, field workers, a Mexican girl, my Mexican people. What girl wouldn’t be drawn to those factors?  

Bea was immortalized by Kerouac’s book but what Tim Z. Hernandez has done was create life to her character, both through the greatness of his imaginative mind and also the time he spent interviewing her. Hernandez found Mrs. Franco living in Fresno and with vivid memories of her time spent with Kerouac. What Hernandez created will no doubt become a masterpiece in the literary world.

Tomorrow at Fresno Art Museum is the Official Book Release Party from 6pm  sharp – 8pm. If you or someone you know would like to attend and support our local writers that are doing it big in the literary world. I encourage you to attend.  Spread the word, attend, support, buy a book & read. In Fresno we are all about reading.

Where: Fresno Art Museum

2233 North First Street

Fresno, CA 93703

Time: 6-8pm

for additional information on Tim Z. Hernandez and his book Manana Means Heaven visit:  http://timzhernandez.com/tag/manana-means-heaven/

 

Francine Ramos McMillon
Penned Write
for all your writing needs
Contact me @ pennedperfectly@gmail.com
or by phone @ 777-0746

 

Small towns and Raisins

Lately,  I have been doing minor research on my next writing project.  I traveled to Biola, CA, which was not much of a travel at all, a mere 20 mins or less from my home. Nevertheless, I went there on August 8, drove through the tiny city, took pictures, and attempted to get a feel of what life is like there.

The main street was wide and long. It was warm outside and locals sat outside of storefront buildings with their backs leaning against the walls, and their bottoms on the warm sidewalk. The town seemed desolate and silenced by the lack of opportunity. I clearly did not get what I was looking for. What I am writing has nothing to do with the history or town of Biola itself, rather, individuals and an animal having lived their entire life in a small town.

I do however, want to know as much about the area for sake of scenery, and also, I am nosey, when I write about a topic, I want to envision it all, from the smallest details to the largest. Knowledge is power. Therefore, I did some minor research on BIola and here is what I came out with. I think it is pretty freakin cool, and I am much more interested now than I ever was in how my characters will be shaped by this “Biola History”. 

As the great songwriter Eddie Vedder once said, “A small town predicts my fate, perhaps that’s what no one want to see.”

Small-town minded people can be either a gem in rubble or the salt that covers a blister and who is to say what makes the difference in the two.

Biola stands for Bible Institute of Los Angeles. William and Mary Kerchoff founded Biola in 1912. There seems to be from what I gathered through articles a strong Molokan presence there. I have been unable to locate anywhere in writing that William and Mary Kerchoff were Molokans themselves. Although, I have a feeling that it is possible. When Molokans immigrated over here from Russia their names where difficult to translate, so many of them stand out by their last names having been translated incorrectly. Many have names ending in Volov ot Valoff or ending in off.

Molokans mean “milk drinkers” in Russian. Molokans are a Christian sect that refused to obey the Russian Orthodox Church. Molokans seem to be more like Quakers in daily lifestyle and they wear head coverings while in church, like many Apostolic and Penacostal churches I grew up in.

Biola is located just west of Fresno and north of Kerman. According to the 2000 Census report, its population is just over 1600. Last year the small agriculture town turned 100 years old. It celebrated this event with its annual Raisin Festival. This year it will hold its 57^th Annual Raisin Festival and Parade on October 11-13th, complete with car show and royal crowning of the Raisin Queen & King.

I am curious what the parade will be like. I may have to attend the event and find out. From what I gathered over the past few weeks has intrigued me. 

This is a picture from the main street. As one can see the wide, nearly desolate street is empty considering the time of day was just before 6pm.

 

 

 

 

 

Francine McMillon

Penned Write

"for all your writing needs"

pennedperfectly@gmail.com

www.pennedewritebyfrancie.blogspot.com

(559) 777-0746

 

 

Writer of the week, Ian McEwan

photo credit: Annalena McAfee

"I used to think I would have to spend a lifetime shaking it off. Now I know that's impossible, and unnecessary, and that you have to work with what you've got."   Ian McEwan, 2011  (article Mother Tongue, from The Guardian)


Ian McEwen is one of the best, if not THE best writers today and I have been reading his articles, essays and listening to his YouTube video talks, as often as time permits me this past week. I decided to loosely write down some of his great advice for writers.

Also, I have become mildly obsessed with YouTube videos on writers giving interviews on writing, the process, the rewrites, the constant edits and the life of a writer. David Foster Wallace is a real thought provoking writer and everything that comes out of his mouth is like every work he's ever written. It is complex and lengthy.

I also watched some videos from The University of Iowa Writers Workshop.  I turn a little green watching Iowa Workshop Writers discussing how they found out they had been accepted in the program. I feel punched in the gut after the credits roll, if only, I confess to myself, if only. I love writers. I love this school. Every book I have read, that was written by a former student of the program is in my eyes, brilliant.

Back to Ian the great. Here are a few paraphrased advise tips. I ingest these like a starving animal, no fat, all meat, perfect to feed a writers mind..

A writer must be/have

• -a hoarder of words
• -set aside time to write
• -expectations placed on you to produce work
• -writers need to read
• -take reading serious
• -become a devoted reader

"I've always believed it is very important to show up at the desk. whether you have ideas or not. You've got to have the work ethic that makes you show up." Ian McEwan

All the above are simple. Yet, so important.

Ian McEwan wrote two of my favorite books, Saturday & Atonement. Sadly, I own neither. I have read both and even watched the movie adaptation   of "Atonement" and it is one of my favorite movies, much like the book. It translated so fine into film. He also talks about where he gets his ideas for stories from. He walks. Taking long walks, watching the world, people and being open, allows ideas to sprout up within him.

If you have never read McEwan, read his work. If you have not seen Atonement, watch it.

My Friday conclusion for the week. Now the weekend begins and I welcome it. No more YouTube videos this week. Ian McEwen's writing tips has me pushing myself to write and continue with completing a piece of fiction I started months ago. I go back to the story, write a little, then stop, this week I will work on finishing it, placing upon myself the expectation to finish by next Friday. Then the grueling task of finding the perfect place to submit it.

May you all have a great weekend and hopefully read a little, maybe a lot. Happy Readings!


Francie McMillon
Contact me for all your writing needs
@ pennedperfectly@gmail.com
(559) 777-0746

Happy Birthday Franz Kafka!

````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````Kafka

 

If you Google; as I Google, then you must have noticed todays new Google Doodle. It is Gregor Samsa from Metamorphosis, one of Franz Kafka’s most beloved and heartbreaking novellas. Today would have been Kafka’s 130^th birthday.

He was born July 3, 1883 and died June 3, 1924, as an unknown writer. Throughout his lifetime and even at his death; he received none of the fame that he is so associated with today. On his deathbed, he asked his best friend Max to destroy all his work and never show it or submit it to the world. Had his friend obeyed Kafka, the literary world would have never known great works as, “The Trial” and “The Castle”.   

Yet, nothing quite compares to “Metamorphosis”. It is such a somber read and by far my favorite. Kafka writes with such a deep sorrow and an immense amount of guilt in Metamorphosis.

Kafka’s main character, Gregor Samsa wakes to find he has metamorphosed into a vermin (I imagine him a cockroach, the big fat ugly, water-loving cockroaches, with long shitty-brown antennas). Eventually ,his family also becomes aware of his new body. He lives with his father, mother and sister and they never come to accept the transformation of Gregor.

 Instead, they are disgusted by it. Moreover, Gregor at times just wants to help financially, as he once did, and love them. He is often read, gazing in awe of his sister or peeking out his room, while his mother sews and his father reads the evening paper, watching and lovingly embracing their life. Yet, even his best intentions are abhorred. In one scene, his sister is playing the violin while two male guests are visiting.

Gregor the cockroach is in his room, wounded by an apple that remains stuck inside his buggy body. An apple that his father threw at him in anger.  Gregor wakes from a nap to hear his sister playing and is in awe of the sound. He thinks to himself that he must not be so much of a vermin since he can appreciate good music.

As he crawls out of the room, hair and dust and all the trash the dirty floor holds, clings to his body. He intends to go out, praise his sister and climb on her neck, whisper how much he loves her and how proud he is of her, after all he did pay for her violin lessons and was one of her biggest supporters, prior to becoming a beetle.

Instead, he is seen as a horror and shortly after, left to die with the lone apple still embedded in his side. His family cannot fathom Gregor’s image any longer. So they leave him, in detest they abandon the son, brother that they once loved, and that cared and worked hard to provide a better life for them. Yet, now that Gregor is useless and physically putrid, crawling on the floor as a bug, eating as such, no long is he useful to them and their disgust of Gregor Samsa has reached the breaking point. Happily, they depart.

I encourage you to read this novella. I just told you the parts I loved; there are more images, words, emotions, scenes that are worth purchasing this gem of a book, reading, and adding it to one’s collection of literature.

So a big Happy Birthday to Franz Kafka. In remembrance I am making peanut butter cookies, because peanut butter is brown just like Gregor was in the end.

I skimmed and speed-read my book, once again, searching for one of my many highlighted favorite quotes and there were just so damn many. I think I lit the entire book in yellow. A true testament to how much I loved this book when I originally read it almost a decade ago, and cherished Kafka’s dark and beautifully woven words. Here is one of the many
quotes that I love. It shows the wonderful heart of a man turned cockroach. O Gregor!

“He thought back on his family with deep emotion and love. His conviction that he would have to disappear was, if possible, even firmer than his sister's. He remained in this state of empty and peaceful reflection until the tower clock struck three in the morning. He still saw that outside the window everything was beginning to grow light. Then, without his consent, his head sank down to the floor, and from his nostrils streamed his last weak breath.”
― Franz Kafka, The Metamorphosis


Francine McMillon
Penned Perfectly
For all your writing needs
Contact me @ 777-0746
pennedperfectly@gmail.com

μέντορας

The above word means mentor in Greek. I studied Greek a semester at Fresno State. It was one of the hardest but most beloved classes I had the pleasure of having.

Today at work, a co-worker and I exchanged phone numbers. She just got into the Master’s program at State and was informing me that today would be her last day working with me. I said good, now we can be friends. She replied, “even better, I need someone like you to mentor me. You can teach me all you know about English and literature and make me a better writer.”

Another co-worker quickly jumped in that he had a mentor while in college and it changed his life and opened doors in business and made available many opportunities for growth.

In life, we are given many people that really change our paths. Some may be family, or friends or college professors. The first mention of a mentor can be found in Homer’s The Odyssey. The word mentor actually derived from such a story.

In Greek mythology, Mentor was a great trusted friend of Odysseus and tutor to his son Telemachus. Odysseus’s wife Athena would often assume the form of Mentor and give advice to their son while Odysseus was off fighting the Trojan war, thus beginning the role of a mentor in one’s life. The name mentor means wise and trusted counselor.

I may no longer be in college, but I don’t think one is ever to old to have a mentor. I know now, as a mother and wife, and writer, I too, would love a mentor. I am going to have to find one or bring an old one back. Like a former boss of mine, who does non-profit work. She made such a huge impact on me and although we are still in contact, finding time to meet with her proves harder and harder. But I may just have to find the time. The conversation today really opened me up to the fact that we all need someone to look up to, to confide in and grow from and with and not just a friend but a mentor.

Here are some great famous people that I came across that had influential mentors. So who is your mentor?

 
William Jefferson Clinton : Nelson Mandela was Clintons mentor. Clinton has this to say about Mandela-"He came out of twenty-seven years in prison a stronger, greater man than he was when he went in," Clinton wrote. "He said his transformation began when he realized his tormentors could take everything from him 'except my mind and my heart. Those things I would have to give them. I decided not to give them away. And neither should you.' "

Stanley Tucci ( I just love this guy. He is so amazing): says his father, head of a high school art department in New York, was also his greatest mentor. "As a teacher he had humor and patience, adapting himself easily to each student's needs, personality, and ability," Tucci wrote. "Most important, he taught without judgment, believing that grades should not even be given in art.... it was for these reasons that I grew up not being afraid of my creative impulses, but following them."

And of course the amazing Supreme Court Justice. My hero, Sonia Sotomayor.“When a young person, even a gifted one, grows up without proximate living examples of what she may aspire to become--whether lawyer, scientist, artist, or leader in any realm--her goal remains abstract. Such models as appear in books or on the news, however inspiring or revered, are ultimately too remote to be real, let alone influential. But a role model in the flesh provides more than inspiration; his or her very existence is confirmation of possibilities one may have every reason to doubt, saying, 'Yes, someone like me can do this.”
― Sonia Sotomayor

& a few more celebs.

Christian Dior, fashion designer, mentored Yves St. Laurent, fashion designer

Maya Angelou, poet, mentored Oprah Winfrey, actress and talk show host.

Oprah Winfrey mentored Dr. Phil McGraw, psychologist and talk show host