1950s Classrooms

December 22, 2007

I got a good few days of writing (on the novel) done this week, in between a bit of shopping and cooking (made Mexican Wedding Cookies yesterday–the little balls rolled in powdered sugar).

I was fairly productive in the writing– really hit my stride later in the evening (after being at the coffee shop for about 4 hours!). One thing though:

Describing a 10th grade classroom can be easy, right?

Describing a 10th grade classroom in Southern Utah in the mid-1950s–NOT SO EASY. I know I probably shouldn’t sweat the small stuff, but I do. I’m like that. Particular. I found it very frustrating to fully flesh out a scene that takes place in a classroom when I didn’t know what was on the walls–what pictures? Posters?

Sure, there are some things I can make up–How many windows are in the room. What do the desks look like. How big is the teacher’s desk at the front of the room.

But this town i’m writing about was 80% Mormon at the time, and so i’m trying to find/figure out what would be on the walls of this classroom? Pictures of famous Mormon leaders? The town’s founder? The President of the U.S.? The alphabet (probably not–they are a little too old for that). What books would be on shelves–or would there be any books on shelves? Would there be homework tacked up on the walls? Or is that too young, too?

So many questions. I know I should just write and fill in those gaps, details later but it really stops me up sometimes. I even googled “1950s Classrooms” and “1950s High School classes”– but got mostly senior pictures of women in cat glasses and men with pompadours.

Ah well, i’ll get through it. But if anyone has any suggestions let me know.

So, we’ve had a busy week and we have an even busier weekend. We went to a couple of parties this week (one where I made said cookies). I did a little shopping where I found THIS Postcard:

It actually goes perfectly with the nonfiction essay I had published a year ago in Pindeldyboz, called “Son of Kong.”

Yesterday Ted and I watched “Dark Passage”–a little known Bogart/Bacall crime noir gem, (I blogged about this movie previously–love that bitchy Agnes Moorehead!). With all of our TV shows on the shelf due to the writer’s strike, it’s kind of cool to catch up on movies again (our Netfix just delivered “GrindHouse”). I’ve also programmed our Tivo to watch out for Crime Noir, Horror and Musicals (sorry Ted). So far i’ve taped “Dark Passage,” “Slither,” “Skeleton Key,”

“There’s No Business Like Show Business” (Ethel Merman, Dan Dailey, Donald O’Connor, Marilyn Monroe, Mitzi Gaynor, and crooner Johnnie Ray–click here to see Ms. Merman shout the title tune), “I Could Go on Singing” (Judy Garland’s last movie, which is pretty much a concert film but with better lighting and glorious Technicolor), and “Chinatown.” How’s that for variety???

*interesting note: recently many people have been coming to my blog searching for: “Sisters, Sisters, There Were Never Such Devoted Sisters…” (song from “White Christmas” and the title of one of my recent blog entries. Click here to see Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen sing it– Vera is being dubbed, though. Some say by Rosemary Clooney herself). I wonder why people are so interested in that song?

Our friend, Aaron, from NYC is coming to stay tonight. He’s in L.A. visiting family for the holidays. Aaron, you may remember, is the prop person for Martha Stewart’s TV show and is frequently on her show making crafts (last week he made window dressings with her). Aaron’s such a blast. He did the decorations for our wedding in Brooklyn. He also designed our Rubix Cube costumes for the Halloween Party we went to in Brooklyn three years ago. Good times. Good times.

Then we have another guest coming for Christmas Eve, and a fabulous cocktail party to go to that night thrown by the guys who design these jeans (friends of Eduardo’s, natch).

Ok. off to clean the house now, but i’ll be back on for updates this weekend.