Bragging Writes...

She's done it! Abby was just accepted to SNHU. And received an academic scholarship that brings the total cost nearly level with the cost of in-state tuition at UNH. So proud of her!

She'll start as a business major this fall, transferring the credits from her Associate's Degree that she'll earn this spring. To top it all off: she'll be graduating from community college at the time when most of her classmates will be accepting their high school diplomas.

A mom can brag, no? Especially as the author of my own blog.... :)

Fascinating Tales 

Behind the scenes & on location at the Concord Boys & Girls Club's Suncook facility where we captured a compelling story told to us by a boy who is growing up in this remarkable organization. Today we sat with an alumna of the club, a "lifer" as she dubbed herself and her friends, who shared another intriguing tale of growing up with--and largely thanks to--the Boys & Girls Club.

(From Left: Kent Rich, videographer; John Albert, production intern; Kevin Mason, production assistant; Dana Biscotti Myskowski, producer/director. Photo by Susan Tinkham, set decorator & stills photographer.)

Big stories in small packages

Study of a birdhouse; charcoal by Leo.

Next week I'm pulling some of the Smoky Quartz Productions crew* together to shoot the June 2011 Concord Boys & Girls Club video.

This year we're interviewing four club members from three locations: Suncook, Concord, and Hopkinton. Each of the kids and the one young adult who grew up in the club has a remarkable story to tell, though I'm not sure what those stories are yet as I prep my list of questions for them.

Thanks to all who are helping out on this project; look forward to working with you again!

Cheers,

Dana

* 2011 Crew:

Carol Morse, Executive Producer

Kent Rich, DP, Audio, and Editor

Susan Tinkham, Set Decorator/Art Designer

Kevin Mason & Patrick Witherell, Production Assistants

John Albert & Leo Myskowski, Production Interns

Dana Biscotti Myskowski, Producer/Director

Great Idea - Three Word Wednesday!

Thanks to the Author of Three Word Wednesday for posting this writing prompt. This week's words are occasion, kind, and blink. The challenge is to use them in your writing. I chose to pen a bit of Twitter Fiction:

On this occasion he was actually kind to the guards. But in a blink he was gone; the last death penalty case of his state.

Twitter as a Teaching Tool

I've been Tweeting for about a year, and I've found it to be an incredibly effective way to deliver a message quickly. Of course it can also add to the chaos and noise of Way Too Much Information, but when used as a tool to help spread the word about something--a beloved state film office on the chopping block, for example--Twitter can reach hundreds quickly.

I now depend on the NH Department of Transportation tweets to let me know of possible accidents on the interstates that I and my loved ones travel for school and work. And I enjoy reading daily Twitter Fiction at sites such as One Forty Fiction.

And when it's used during times of political unrest, as it is currently being utilized in Egypt, Twitter is a force of power for even the smallest voice.  You can follow the Egypt Twitter news in realtime from many sites, including here where you can read The Latest Updates on Day 14 of the Egypt Protests by Robert Mackey of the New York Times.

Do you utilize Twitter? If so, is it for business? Hobby? Pleasure? Personal? Or a combination thereof? Please let me and my class know what you think of Twitter.  Feel free to post your @ address so we can all follow your Tweets!

Thanks,
@biscottidana

Meet Sherman...

Our newest addition to the Myskowski menagerie. He loves snowshoeing. And eating. He'll fit right in.

Thanks to Sherman's family for sharing him with us. Allergies forced them to find a new home for their three-and-a-half-year-old Border Collie mixbreed.