Daily Post prompt, Greenwich Meridian memoir, immigration, inspiration, memoir, non-fiction, prompts, relationships, Uncategorized, writing

Taurus clarifies content & goals

May 21, 2018 emmapalova Leave a comment

Parents get involved in memoir to move it along

By Emma Palova

EW Emma’s Writings

I am supposed to consolidate my position and clarify my goals, according to today’s horoscope for the determined Taurus.

I especially like the quote from Bruce Lee: “Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.”

That’s a pretty heavy quote that has inspired this entire post. To answer the last part of it; I am refining the content of the Greenwich Meridian memoir about our family immigration saga.

Inspired by Stephen and Owen King’s cooperation on the latest “Sleeping Beauties: A Novel”, I asked my mom Ella to write two chapters for the memoir. I would not be able to write them, because during mom’s second time around in the USA, I wasn’t with her. I was still back in Czechoslovakia.

I wrongfully called Chapter 13, “First years in America.” And surely mom struggled with that, because it was her second time around from 1980 to present. After more than an hour on the phone, we clarified that.

During mom’s writing process, dad discovered a precious document; his bio when he was applying for jobs. It was stored away in old luggage in the basement, where I would have never found it.

This document, probably from the 1970s, and my parents’ involvement will help move the memoir along. For months, I struggled with it. I got stuck halfway through the manuscript.

Actually, my mom’s Narcissism and my own, sidetracked me, that I completely forgot about dad.

“He started the whole immigration,” she said. “I didn’t even know what the word meant before 1968.”

For me, this is a huge lesson that I have learned.; clarify, consolidate and cooperate on your writing projects.

http://www.tarot.com/daily-horoscope/taurus

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Czech events, Czech heritage, Greenwich Meridian memoir, Uncategorized

Born on May 9th with excerpts

May 9, 2018 emmapalova 1 Comment

Birthday and freeing of Prague

Excerpts from memoir Greenwich Meridian: Where East meets West

The Tide of immigration from former Czechoslovakia started in 1968 with the Soviet army occupation. A massive exodus followed in protest of the action by the Soviet Union government. My father professor Vaclav Konecny was part of the movement.

As I continue to write the memoir in May, I will start with its festivities .The month of May was very poetic and romantic. With the entire country in blossom, the major holidays included Mayday and Freedom Day on May 9th when the Russians freed Prague from the Nazi occupation. in 1945. The new regime moved the national holiday to May 8th, when the American army reached the famous beer town of Pilsner in Western Bohemia.

May also serves as athe stage for the biggest music event of the year, the Prague Spring International Music Festival, started by president Edward Benes in 1946. The festival is a tribute to the famouse Czech composer Bedrich Smetana. He is best known for his symphony Vltava inspired by the major Czech river that runs through Prague.

To my biggest regret, I’ve never been to Prague Spring. The 1968 political movement was also called Prague Spring.

The month of May is dedicated to Saint Mary in the catholic church. We used to sing Marianne hymns by the little chapels and in churches decorated with white hydrangeas and dahlias every evening at 6 p.m. It was a month for first communions, pretty white lace dresses and ribbons.

But, May had its dark side according to the lore; it wasn’t a good time to get married. Legend has it if a couple gets married in May, one of the partners will die early.

Were there weddings in May? Probably.

However, a big part of the population was superstitious partly due to Czech literature and its great authors. Some of the biggest ones who wrote about May were Karel Hynek Macha and Jaromir Erben.

May is known for opening of the beer gardens under the beautiful lilac blossoms.

I remember our neighbor Mr. J had a big old lilac tree that had both purple and white blossoms. I was always puzzled by that, since you really only saw one color or the other. Many years later someone told me that Mr. J had it grafted.

To be continued

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events, history, inspiration, Uncategorized

Fashions through the Ages

May 4, 2018 emmapalova 1 Comment

Fashions throughout the ages — Fashions @Fallasburg inside the John W. Fallas House

May the 4th be with you for the entire month

Immerse yourself into an era when ladies wore hats and gloves for a night out on the town.

The theme of fashion again dominates this year’s “Spring into the Past” museum tour.

Hop on the tour this weekend of 30 participating museums of the Tri-River Museum Network.

You will discover treasures in artifacts and they may inspire you.

Craft your own tour using the map from http://www.commoncorners.com

You can pick up a print booklet at any of the locations.

The museums will be open on Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm, on Sunday from noon to 5 pm.

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Czech events, Czech heritage, Daily Post prompt, events, Greenwich Meridian memoir, May, traditions, Uncategorized

May Day

May 1, 2018 emmapalova Leave a comment

This is one of my most popular posts.; back by demand

Happy May Day

May 1^st traditions in Czech Republic & around the world

By Emma Palova

EW Emma’s Writings

Lowell, MI – Every year, I observe May 1^st as May Day in the renaissance Czech tradition with warm memories of the socialist past. If I close my eyes, I can still see the parades, the tribunes and the socialist propaganda with the slogans and the banners on the backdrop of the blossoming lilacs. The socialist patriotic hymns were blasting from the loudspeakers.

We all had to Partake in the May Day parade. Those who didn’t got later into trouble at work or in school.

May Day pole tied with ribbons signifies love and spring.

May Day pole with ribbons in Bannister, Michigan

Today, Czech Republic still celebrates May 1, as an official holiday with a day off to commemorate the union manifestations in Chicago in 1884. Only this time around, without the parades or the slogans.

But most of all, May Day, was a great day off known for its official opening of the beer gardens, and the infamous “march of the thieves.”

May Day in Czech Republic.

The photo was taken at Larkin’s Restaurant in Lowell, MI.

The organized labor from the factories marched in the parades, while some individuals used the opportunity to steal from the gated factories because of less supervision. Therein the name “march of the thieves.”

First and foremost, May is the month of love, not just labor.

And I write about all this in the memoir “Greenwich Meridian” with a light heart and a smile on my face with a touch of nostalgia.

I admire the old Czech country for being able to keep both the old socialist holidays, take on new ones, and tamper with the most important holiday of all that is the liberation of the country from the Nazi occupation in 1945.

New politicians with new agendas changed the date of the liberation of former Czechoslovakia from May 9^th to May 8^th based on the controversy who really liberated the country, whether it was the Soviets or the Americans. The question at hand; who was the first and where?

Having lived in many countries around the world, our family always honored the holidays of that particular country, otherwise we would have time off all the time.

Looking at my calendar last week for a summary, I found amusing that Canada also has Easter Monday off as an official holiday, just like the Czech Republic.

However, any holiday can take root in any country as I have witnessed in my hometown of Vizovice.

I remember our neighbor bus driver Mr. Hlavenka in Vizovice, used to celebrate Fourth of July by taking the day off in the old socialist era.

I’ve always wondered, how did he know about Independence Day with all the propaganda against American capitalism.

But, May 1^st has deep agricultural connotations as well. People gather wildflowers and crown a May king and queen, weave floral garlands, and set up a maypole.

They also have bonfires to encourage the fertility of the land and animals in the coming year.

It is fascinating how different traditions and believes take roots in different countries, and how they continue to evolve.

Watch for more upcoming May posts.

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Uncategorized

Spring into the Past tour

May 1, 2018 emmapalova Leave a comment

Hop on the museum tour this weekend. You might find inspiration in the old buildings and their artifacts.

I love history. It is my second passion after writing and screenwriting.

History has always inspired me in so many different ways. One of them is, how it keeps repeating itself after certain time. So, basically it’s always alive in concentric circles.

And I’ve learned that at a recent writer’s conference. Two authors of historical fiction, Natashia Deon and Suzanne M. Wolfe, convinced me that all the historical personalities are alive with us.

“Shakespeare is alive,” said Wolfe.

“I rescue people from history,” said Deon.

Today is Mayday. That was a big day off in my old homeland of Czechoslovakia. watch for post.

via Spring into the Past museum tour