On Summer Holidays

July 30, 2007 by maureen.ulrich.

July is nearly over, and I haven’t accomplished nearly what I had hoped in terms of writing.

Still, I haven’t been totally inactive.

While in Athabasca for a week, I wrote the first draft of a play for this fall. I was really unhappy with it at one point, but — after doing some soul-searching and making a few changes — it’s starting to sound more and more like something I would actually like to see on stage.

It’s called The Crossroads Café, and it highlights a few busy, hot summer months when the road construction crew is completing the final stages of twinning the highway that passes through the town of Mammoth. The highway will now detour around it, a final nail in the coffin for the town and its residents, who have already lost their high school, bank, and post office. Will Mammoth be able to survive certain extinction? You’ll have to wait until November 9 –11, 2007 (or possibly much longer if I don’t get my revisions completed!) to find out.

I have written three documentary scripts on the Early Peoples of the southern prairies. The intelligence and industriousness of these people, who moved into this area over ten thousand years ago, is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

I had hoped to complete a preliminary draft of the Wave 2008, but I don’t think that’s in the cards. I want to write a fun script about the search for Cleopatra’s tomb, with an underlying message about the price of fame and fortune. Something to which Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan should be able to relate.

Don’t ask me about Bad Girls Go to Sturgis. In this respect, I am the bad girl. Haven’t touched it in several months.

And the summer is slowly slipping away.

Randy and I will take a short bike trip starting next weekend. Our plans for a tour of the Mississippi have been dashed. Maybe next summer. Instead, we will head up to Crystal Lake, Saskatoon, and maybe North Battleford.

Blaire and I are off to France on August 17th with my mom and dad for an 8-day cruise up the Rhone and 4 days in Paris, one of which will be spent at Versailles. Anticipation for this fabulous holiday is definitely building.

I am hoping to be able to upload my first chapter of Power Plays very soon. I have seen the galley proof of the manuscript, which is very cool indeed. The unity between subject matter, audience, and choice of type-set is very interesting. Almost makes me wish I was still doing yearbook.

Almost.

Next fall I will be back to my parttime position in the fall at Pleasantdale School. One change. I will be teaching a 5/7 arts ed class. I am actually really looking forward to this because I have definitely missed being at the helm of a class. I guess I am slightly egocentric!

I do hope to update my blog at least once more this summer. So much for my great intentions of a WEEKLY update.

Until next time, stay cool!

Posted in On Writing | 1 Comment »