A few simple examples of my unusual writing style …

In the mid-90s, I began to create rather spontaneously what I thought of as ‘visual’ pieces of writing outside of my regular journal.  I would draw a line on a piece of typing paper and then write on it … turning it to follow the contour … allowing whatever came to mind to spill onto the page.  Not being the neatest housekeeper, these tended to collect on horizontal surfaces throughout my home.  Friends who visited would pick them up and tell me they were wonderful, but to me they were simply random musings of my muddled mind. In time I learned to believe others really liked them, so I framed many to give as gifts to family and friends.  Eventually I trusted this technique enough to create Christmas greetings to send out each year.

I’d love to share better examples, but recently my wireless printer stopped talking to my laptop so I can’t scan any to share today.  However about 10 years ago a friend gave me a device called a ‘Multi-Mate’ to work with a now defunct Palm V that allowed me to create & transfer this type of writing directly into my computer. Although I could not find the original files as I searched my computer today, I did recall sharing a few in 2007 on my first blog.  I’ve located those images in that blog’s Picasa account and copied them to my laptop so I could upload them to this post. Here are three of them. I wish they were easier to read, but at least you’ll get an idea what I’m talking about.



You might notice in the last one that I wrote part of it backwards … and that reminds me of other oddities in my journal writing, but I’ll save those for another time.

Many of the original visual pieces are no longer in my possession, but I’m hoping to borrow at least some of them back to scan then reproduce to share in my book. If they can be enlarged, I’m thinking they might make nifty posters to hang on walls as well. Recently several friends have encouraged me to create greeting cards to sell and I’m considering the possibility.

These days I no longer draw a line to follow on the page. In truth, I have trouble writing in straight lines for very long … so my journal entries become convoluted frequently as illustrated below in a photo taken at my request (specifically to capture ‘shadows’ on the page) by Ruth McCully, a woman I met at the Writers Retreat in Taos this summer … but it also shows some of my writing.

Below is another photo taken by Christy Payne, a woman I met at the Your Purpose Summit recently who just gave me permission to use it. It’s easier to read than the ones above.

So … methinks that will do for now. I’ve added a link at the top of my sidebar to A Million Minutes for Peace taking place tomorrow at noon & invite you to check it out. In addition, created a giraffe ‘You Make My Day’ award for my sidebar. I want to encourage all who pass this way and leave me comments to ‘snag’ a copy to enjoy and share with others. I plan to respond to each comment as I’ve done on my first post, you might want to subscribe to both the RSS feed and the RSS comments feed (near the bottom of the sidebar) so you’ll know when I add posts and comments here at Giraffe Journal.

As I wrote in my first post, please feel free to stick your neck out and leave comments below. Share your reactions to this post & new site … your own ‘aha’ moments and/or pivotal life stories. I’m eager to meet you and want make Giraffe Journal safe space for interaction. In future posts, I’ll continue with my own stories and add more of my ‘convoluted writings’ … scanned from the pages of my journal … once I get the printer & laptop communicating again.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you’ll return soon … and often.
Hugs and blessings,
Virginia

Thought for Today
“After all is said and done, more is said than done.” Aesop

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16 Responses to A few simple examples of my unusual writing style …

  1. Therri Wadel says:

    Virginia you are an amazing and inspiring woman!!! I loved watching you write while we were in New Mexico and I am still amazed by this technique!!! Thank you so much for sharing your writing world with the rest of us!! Love it Love it Love it!!!! 🙂

    • Virginia says:

      Therri,
      I’m delighted you dropped by to take a peek at my new spot in the Blogosphere! Thank you for your heart-felt support and words of encouragement. It helps more than you know to receive such loving feedback! Hope you’ve have a simply marvelous birthday today 😉
      Hugs and blessings,

  2. Vivian says:

    The blue notebook is so pretty.
    That is all I have to say at the moment.
    Also, you are awesomeness.

    🙂

  3. Virginia says:

    Vivian,
    I loved the way the shadows fell across the page as I wrote in Henningsen Gardens and felt fortunate that Ruth happened by to snap that photo of my journal page. I’m glad you like it too. Thanks so much for your visit and words of encouragement.
    Hugs and blessings,

  4. Isabel says:

    Ooo, Virginia, these are gorgeous! I love the fluidity, and I especially love all the spaces and openings in them.

    (They’re delightfully giraffe-y, to me, as well. Grace, elegance, economy of movement.)

    • Virginia says:

      Isabel,
      Thanks so much for dropping by and sharing such delightfully fun feedback! ‘Tis so kewl to know you’ve enjoyed my ‘doodles’ 😉
      Hugs and blessings,

  5. jzr says:

    Hi Virginia … what a great thing you are doing here and am looking forward to reading more. Our Taos experience was wonderful and it sounds like it has launched you forth into the world! Keep up the great work!!

  6. Virginia says:

    Joan … is that you?
    How FUN to find your comment here. I think of you often, wonder how you’re doing, and am looking forward to reading more of your poetry when you get around to sharing. The poems you read to us in Taos were simply delightful! Thanks so much for your visit, feedback and encouragement. ‘Tis not easy, but I’m doing my best to ‘force nothing and hold nothing back’ … just as Jen taught us to do.
    Hugs and blessings,

  7. Nicci says:

    Love, love, love this new space and learning about and seeing your journal process. I am so excited about this new adventure with your book. Good for you! My youngest son’s favorite animal is the giraffe (he is 3 now).

    • Virginia says:

      How lovely that you’ve found my new spot to play! I’m glad you left a link back to your space so I can visit as time permits. I lost track of so many ‘virtual friends’ as I spent less and less time at the computer. I’m delighted to reconnect with you and learn what you’re up to. It’s taken me a long time to work up the courage to let myself be known for real, but ’tis good to be authentically me at last. How ‘kewl’ that your littlest one loves giraffes too 😉
      (how did he get to be 3 so quickly?)
      Hugs and blessings,

  8. Sharon says:

    Oh my, how I love the way you are sticking your neck out there. My dear friend, your time has richly arrived. I have cherished your squiggly doodles as they so creatively say such power punched thoughts.
    Thanks for coming out into the sunlight.

    • Virginia says:

      Sharon …
      It’s certainly taken me long enough to do this thing hasn’t it? But ’tis good to be standing tall at last! I appreciate your warm words of welcome into the sunlight and your friendship more than you know. Rest assured that I’m patiently waiting for YOU to step into the sunlight with me as WGASA WOMAN because I know you have amazing gifts to share with the world in your own wonderful ways.

      I’m glad you felt well enough to visit my new wilderness playground, and I’m excited that you’ll be joining Jon Stewart in Washington D.C. As I mentioned at Facebook, I’ll certainly be there with you in spirit … but there’s just no way I can get myself there in person at this time. Sending you healing light and love always …
      Hugs and blessings,

  9. Lisa Evans says:

    Virginia…Congrats on bringing your voice and art to the blogosphere! I remember when I first saw your creative way of journal writing at Taos and thought how beautiful they were. Bring on your greeting cards! I wanna be your first customer. 🙂
    Cheers!

    • Virginia says:

      Lisa
      How fantastic that you’ve found my brand new place to play! Thanks so much for the ‘congratulations’ and for encouraging me to ACT on the idea of creating greeting cards. Having people approach me in Arizona with credit card in hand wanting to buy my book helped me make this leap, and I’m talking with both a publisher and a web designer currently. Who knew this could all fall together so quickly once I took the risk to open my journals for others to see?

      I’ve followed your Facebook posts about your time in Maui with absolute delight and look forward to watching the transformations in your life & business unfold. I think of you often, especially as I dance on my beach (something I actually do more often that I would have ever thought possible). Like you, I’m listening to and trusting my intuition, taking purposeful action in the service of others while having FUN myself! Life IS good 😉
      Hugs and blessings,

  10. Cynde says:

    I have enjoyed your creative writing skills for it seems like many years for I have a wonderful collection of your creative cards 🙂 I love the giraffe idea “sticking ones neck out”, it really hit a cord with me especially since in my job that is pretty much all is do. Push the envelope, trying to define quality and performance with out being so rigid. Hugs, it is so fun to catch up with you again and your responses to the variety of post that inspire me for the moment.

  11. Virginia says:

    Cynde,
    How fun to know you’ve kept my unusual cards all these years! Thanks so much for dropping by to check out my new site here. I’ve enjoyed catching up with you, your mom, and your daughter at Facebook. Seems like a long time since I’ve seen any of you so it’s great to reconnect in this ‘virtual’ way online.
    Hugs and blessings,

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