Why I Learned to Love Criticism

I'm discussing real, actual criticism, not trolls. I don't know how they get wifi underneath their bridges. I'm not talking about the nose-in-the-air ‘critics’ putting you down so that people will pay attention to them instead. Those people are assholes. They are not true critics who are studying the story or art that you created.

Real criticism is always done with the critic’s mind on how the work could be improved. I think why it stings so much after a work has been presented is because it’s too late to go back and make those awesome changes. But that doesn't mean it isn't valuable. It’s certainly a learning lesson for the next project.

This is also why I don’t hold back when proofreading or reviewing someone else’s work before it goes public. The more I like it, the more vicious I am. That’s my warning: I like your story, so I didn't hold back.

Everyone wants to be liked, so it’s hard not to take criticism personally. If a person is truly critiquing the work, they’re focused on the piece, not you. People will put you down personally if they can’t find a solid foothold to critique the work. But for writers and artists, the line between professional and personal doesn’t really exist. One does not call the child he raised his most professional accomplishment, but all stories and art are our babies in a way. The idea has to gestate, has to be nurtured, has to take those first baby steps, and yes, has to stumble and fall to learn how to do things properly.

So the next time you get back a piece of paper with more notes and red ink on it than black, remember, it’s all done with the goal of helping you out.

Kansas & Colorado 2013

We appropriately started our mini-vacation by pillaging a castle.

Okay, an unoccupied castle with no front gate, but it counts! This is Coronado Heights.

If you had to guess where in the world this picture was taken, I bet Kansas wouldn’t even be on the list.

Then we went here.

Mushroom Rock State Park.

And then here.

With all the recent floods, the road had been washed out and I banged up my exhaust while trying to get the hell out of there.

But it was okay to drive, and now with the added bonus of sounding like a racecar. Five hours in and we weren’t even past Salina. Admittedly, we backtracked to find a mechanic, who checked it out, but didn’t have the time to repair it.

Onward!

And straight into the jaws of the storm in Colorado Springs on Friday evening.

This picture does NOT do this storm justice.

Storm Readers' Light. This is what I’m talking about, and holy crap, this picture barely encapsulates it. That grayness that spreads out over the land before a storm… And yes, Pikes Peak would totally be in that picture, you know, if it were visible.

M was watching the clouds and promptly said, “If we were still in Kansas, I’d say it’s about time to seek shelter” to which I promptly replied, “If we were still in Kansas, it’d be time to break out the lawn chairs and cameras, because that’s how we roll, but I’m driving so I can’t watch all the pretty lightning.”

Right before everyone lost power.

Here is a view through my windshield while we hung out in a Taco Bell parking lot seconds before everyone lost power. I am no stranger to driving in storms, but I will admit that I pulled over because 1) It was raining too hard to see the road literally right in front of me (just the tail-lights of the car ahead), and 2) I hit a raging, swirling puddle/river that I couldn’t see and I’m surprised my car didn’t stall out. The water was almost over the wheels and I did not see it because everything was gray.

We waited. Then, when the worst of the rain had passed, we made our way to the hotel which was a mini-quest all by itself. It was at this point that my husband gave me a very dry, almost annoyed, look and said, “Why does everything have to be an adventure with you?”

This became an adventure because I don’t know my way around this city, and Siri seemed just as confused. We debated whether or not she was updating flooded road closures in real time, or would have put us on this ridiculous route anyway. My previous experience indicates the latter. We’d turn down the street she told us and then five seconds later would pop up with “Recalculating” and send us down another loop.

So, yeah, our hotel was right across the street from the creek that flooded Manitou Springs. But it was on high ground. Below are police closing off the road. The view is from our room.

View from our hotel as police closed off the road.

Sadly, at least one person did perish in these floods, and what will probably be millions of dollars in property damage.

(Unawkward segue here.)

Saturday: Garden of the Gods!

Next: Cave of the Winds

And yes, we totally went through the caves with bucket lanterns. It was more fun than flashlights! Sadly, I dared the ghost of George Snider to put out my lantern, but he did not.

Obstacle Course at Cave of the Winds

I nearly lost my shoe into the canyon. The heel got trapped between the crossing ropes and I had clenched them tight when I put my weight on it. I was stuck for a moment. I didn’t want to lift my other foot because that tension was the only thing holding my shoe on my foot, and I tried to push my loose shoe foot forward but that nearly sent it flying off in front of me. I emerged victorious - with both shoes.

Seven Falls

Alas, our time here was cut short because of the rain. They close off the stairs because some stupid tourist might slip and blame it on the attraction. We did all 409 stairs - and fast too because we knew the rain was coming.

Returning Home

This is what a bank of ground level fog looks like from a distance. The cell phone camera really doesn’t capture its majesty, or its weirdness.

All photos are copyright Deborah Dalton 2013. All Rights Reserved.

Today was a Day for Archery, Apparently.

I grew up using a compound bow, so I'm pretty spoiled.

Today I was gifted with two bows.

First, a longbow made in 1910 by the grandfather of my dad's childhood best friend (whom they are still friends today). The shaft is cracked, so it can't be used. This thing is taller than I am! The ends are made with polished deer antlers.

The other bow is a recurve owned by Fred Bear, given to my dad's friend in the 70s after a deer hunt in Nebraska. I've never shot a recurve before and this one needs a new string before it can be used.

It also has a serial number to prove it.

Super Simple Cherry Mead

For this mead, I went back to the basics. This is using the no-boil method for mead making. Mead usually needs some form of yeast nutrient because honey doesn't often have the necessary food for it, but since this is a melomel, the fruit will provide the extra food.

This is definitely for the beginning or more casual brewer, and it doesn't take much time.

4 gallon batch

Tools
easy brewing cleaner/bleach such as this
5 gallon bucket (with hole drilled for airlock)
airlock
paint stirrer - that has never been used for actual paint
drill

Ingredients
3 lbs, 1 oz sweet cherry puree (Vinter's Harvest)
12.5 gallons clover honey
1 tsp citrus acid blend
up to 3 gallons purified spring water
1 Red Star Yeast (choice of which is up to you - sweet, dry, easy to choose from many brewing sites)

Steps
Sanitize all the tools. First I used the dishwasher and then with the bleach.

Step One - murder a bunch of cherries and drain their blood. Or you could just pour in the can of sweet cherry puree which only looks like blood.

I wasn't joking.

Step Two - pour the honey

Step Three - Add water up to the 4 gallon mark and acid blend. Stir until all the honey and puree is dissolved into the water. (I try not to knock the sides and bottom with the drill.) This step takes awhile.

Step Four - Pitch the yeast. You can create a yeast starter if you want, but that one is totally up to you. I've done it with and without and been fine either way.

Tighten down the lid, store some place with a relative steady temperature. Place on the airlock.

7/21/13 Update
Fermenting nicely!

8/4/13 Update
Added 4 pounds of sugar.