Meet Morgan Sprinkle

My name is Morgan Sprinkle. Yup. Sprinkle. 

I'm a wife and a new mom. I'm a teacher, hiker, camper, fresh-air lover, infrequent and embarrassingly slow runner, DIYer, reader, baby-sign-language aficionado and number one fan of the Atlanta Braves.

My husband Daniel and I are also former Peace Corps volunteers, which means that we spent two years in Thailand, riding our bikes to the market, learning the complicated Thai language, teaching English in our rural community's tiny elementary school and finding our place in the complicated Thai hierarchy. It also means that we spent a week in the hospital when my husband had dengue fever, we killed cobras in our kitchen, I flipped over the handlebars of my bike, we took bucket baths with spiders as big as our fists, I was stung by a scorpion in bed and our house never cooled down below 84 degrees.

It was tough, but I'm convinced that it's made me a better person in ways more complicated than I ever imagined.

While we were in Thailand I started an online photographic journal of sorts, called the 365 project. If you have both the time and interest, I'd love for you to check it out -- I wrote about the joy of teaching in Thai schools, the rollercoaster emotions I experienced, meeting the princess of Thailand (!!!), the Thai food that ranged from amazing to appalling, the incredible children who were, without question, the best part of living in Thailand, and also the amazing travel experiences I had while in South-East Asia. My husband and I swam with whale sharks in the Philippines, rode our bikes through Ankor Wat in Cambodia, met the kindest people in Laos, and hiked for ten days through the Himalayas. 

And now, the reason for this introduction: a blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy whose name is Ben. Well, really, it's because of Ben and Maureen that I find myself writing this introduction.

I've decided to take the next year off from teaching to spend at home with my ten-month-old son Ben. Maureen, in her infinite kindness and wisdom, realized that I might be a good match as her assistant. So I've excitedly answered "yes!" and will be helping her with answering emails, scheduling classes, compiling contact information, keeping her streamlined and linear (they don't call me the "morganizer" for nothing, people) and hopefully making her life easier. She in turn will be helping to make it financially possible for me to spend the next year at home with my son.

Could you ask for anything better?

So now that you've come to the end of my long-winded introduction (I admire you for your fortitude, by the way) I have your reward.  Remember that sweet baby boy I mentioned? The one who made me lose my mind, quit a steady job, put our family in financial jeopardy and who I love more than life itself? Here's a video of him, my favorite of all time, in his bouncer while my husband plays guitar.  It's America's-Funniest-Video worthy, and I hope you'll watch it. And love it. Because I do.

I truly look forward to working with you all. I can't wait to get to know you through emails, your writing samples, and the sweet ways in which Maureen has already talked about you. You know she loves you all, right? 

I can't wait to find out why! 

Cheers and love!

Morgan  

Taunting

I saw this bird perched on our wire this morning as I waited for a ride to school. He was a cheeky little fella, because what you can't see is that directly below him is a bird in a cage. See his hook?

This guy sat and sang happily for a few minutes. I imagine he sang about his freedom...the ability to fly wherever he wants...the fact that he can sing for his own enjoyment, rather than that of someone else.

Sometimes I feel a little bit like a caged bird over here in Thailand. I can't exactly go where I want. Sometimes I feel like I'm singing more for other people than myself. And there are days when I really want to fly away.

But I know that this experience is making me stronger. And when I finally am released, it's gonna make my song that much sweeter.

                                                                         ~ Morgan Sprinkle

WordPlay Now! Writing Prompt

This is WordPlay -- so why not revel in the power and potential of one good word after another? This week, it's "hook." 

It's a lot of fun for me to find a perfect word of the week within a featured WordPlayer's work. "Hook" jumped out at me immediately. Think about all the different uses and meanings of this simple four-letter word! If you want help with that, check out the online Oxford dictionary. These multiple meanings brought to mind one of my favorite writing strategies -- a right brain/left brain exercise I call "The Sprawl."

The Sprawl

• Put the word, subject, or idea you want to write about in the middle of a blank sheet of paper. (In this case, of course, use the word "hook.") 
• Moving out from that center, free associate words and phrases for ten minutes, letting one thought lead to -- and piggyback onto -- another. When one strand of your Sprawl runs out, come on back to the center and go out in a different direction. You may want to circle your center word, or all your words. You may want to connect your words and phrases with lines. Experiment, and let the ideas flow. (Consider the multiple meanings, expressions, and emotions "hook" brings to mind -- from the feeling of being trapped or caged, as Morgan describes above, to having one's attention caught by something fascinating, to the simple device that holds a picture on a wall, and so many more.)
• Look over your Sprawl. Pick the most evocative idea, and keep your pen -- or fingers -- in motion until you have explored it as fully as you can.
• Then craft this draft into a scene, story, poem, essay, etc. 

Bonus prompt: Choose a story or other piece of writing you have in progress (yes, the idea stage counts) and consider whether or not you have a strong "hook." If you want some suggestions, visit 
www.facebook.com/wordplaynow this week. And here's one to get you started.

Sound too complicated? Feel a bit intimidated? It's fun to begin your prompts in community with fellow writers, and to be able to share the results when you're done. You can find out about WordPlay classes, workshops, and retreats here.