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Looking ahead at the upcoming transits for February and March 2022, I have been thinking about the Venus-Mars conjunction in Capricorn that will occur Feb. 1st through early March (3/5), 2022. I’m a February-girl, myself, so I like to look at February transits. (I’m a Pisces Sun with Aquarius Rising, and February is the month that shares Aquarius and Pisces dates.) In my experience, I have enjoyed some wonderful friendships and relationships with people who have strong Capricorn energy in their charts. In particular, I have benefited or learned from Capricorn women mentors, bosses, family members, friends, professors/teachers, and colleagues. One thing that I really admire about Capricorn women is their ability to land on their feet–almost cat-like, no matter the situation; they are resourceful, courageous, enduring, and careful, and seem to have good judgment. They are also trustworthy, dependable, and give great advice, especially about plants.
Mars in Capricorn: Cool, Controlled, Commanding, Conservative Climber
What does a Venus & Mars conjunction in Capricorn look like for February 2022? Well, Mars is exalted in Capricorn, which means Mars is powerful there. Here, Mars is dominant, in control of emotions, physically in control, and self-assured. Mars in Capricorn, as cardinal earth energy, is masculine, likes to build, protect, and provide; Mars-in-Capricorn takes the initiative, seeks security (but prefers to build this, rather than have security provided), and climbs the ladder of success in at least one field, industry, or arena of life: ultimately, Mars in Capricorn is driven by a deep motivation to become the expert, the father figure, boss, the CEO, the authority figure, or the master, even if this is as a “life coach” who guides others towards self-mastery. In fact, Mars in Capricorn would excel as a life coach, financial planner, career coach, or as a teacher, mentor/coach in any dynamic in which there are students, less experienced newbies, or others who respect the Mars-in-Capricorn for Capricorn’s expertise, a robust résumé of experience, authority, and achievements. There’s a strong connection with fathers and fatherhood at the root of Mars-in-Capricorn, and this can include practical, down-to-earth ways of demonstrating an ability to provide for one’s family, or working too many hours at the job/construction site/office, likely in the position of leadership, overseeing the project, running the company, or managing a job site. Mars-in-Capricorn energy takes a calculated set of risks, like an experienced mountain climber, utilizing physical strength, as well as high-quality gear, ropes, and climbing pulley systems, which the Mars-in-Capricorn person probably engineered, or at least put in the hours, months, years of endurance training to tackle the more advanced rock climbing (or ice climbing, or cave-spelunking, or other earth-based adventure sport), both as a metaphor, and as a real-life example of how this archetype can express physicality, core strength, and that ultimate drive to move upward. Sometimes Mars-in-Capricorn can appear to others as though making a slow, careful climb in business, relationships, or fitness, but the overall momentum is goal-oriented, disciplined, and powerful. But Mars-in-Capricorn has a dark, albeit “dark and handsome, yet intimidating” side: I always think of the character, “Bill Compton,” in the southern vampire novel series by Charlaine Harris, and the HBO series, “True Blood.” The actor, Stephen Moyer, plays the character, and lead male role, “Bill Compton,” aka “Vampire Bill,” in the series; the actor has Mars in Capricorn, and his cold, steely, reserved, conservative, gentlemanly-yet-terrifying demeanor seems to perfectly depict that Mars-in-Capricorn “life force” energy, if you’ll pardon my vampire-genre pun. Vampire Bill is once, and always, a husband and father figure, also a military veteran, completely faithful to traditions and his southern heritage, while also closely adhering to the structure, rules, and governance of the vampire “ruling class,” a totally Capricornian premise! Remember, Capricorn is ruled by the planet, Saturn, which is known for structures, restrictions, discipline, and cold hard life lessons. Saturn is the teacher, and the disciplinarian.
The “Bill Compton” character is opposite the heroine, “Sookie Stackhouse,” a part-fairy clairvoyant/telepath waitress, portrayed by Anna Paquin, who has natal Venus-in-Cancer (in opposition to his Mars-in-Capricorn), and Black Moon Lilith in Capricorn (secret desires), and Virgo Moon (at 24° Virgo) in exact synastry with his Pluto (at 24° Virgo)–what a combination! They not only played a couple on the “True Blood” series but are married in real life. While I don’t expect actors to play/portray their astrological placements, it’s intriguing when it does seem to play out, especially in the case of a storyline about vampires, and really really old traditions, rules, established customs and a hierarchal structure within the vampire plot.
Capricorn is sometimes known as a cold, calculating, and commanding sign, and is associated with dry, cool earth; so are vampires known as cold, calculating, and commanding creatures who rise up out of dry, cool earthy graves. It’s just one metaphor for this archetype, certainly not the only one! I loved the “True Blood” series, to the point of hosting a “True Blood” themed cocktail party one fall after I first bought my house; my party guests brought southern, Cajun, and Louisiana-based cuisine, and we drank red wine. One of my best Capricorn friends not only attended, she helped me decorate, and kept a cool head even when I started to freak out about last-minute party prep in my typical Piscean way.
If afflicted, or harshly-aspected, or conjunct Pluto, the above traits can show up on the surface, but like a conservative suit, or clean uniform, conceal a darker side: Mars-in-Capricorn can, at its worst, be controlling, bullying, punishing, and/or abusive. Mars-in-Capricorn energy can also show up in behaviors that include “doing whatever it takes to get ahead” tactics, or figurative shin-kicking, or cold, calculated moves. One could suggest that some of Mars-in-Capricorn’s motivations might be partly driven by a fear of poverty, fear of instability, or fear of powerlessness in a past dynamic (including with a father figure or authority figure), that triggers a desire to dominate (or be dominated), to “get down on one’s knees,” or suffer melancholy, depression, joint pain (probably from a knee injury, or knee surgeries), or a festering resentment, if Mars-in-Capricorn feels somehow defeated (especially in a job loss or financial loss scenario). In these situations, where Mars-in-Capricorn is vulnerable, a tendency for gambling, making/taking financial risks–especially when facing poverty, or job loss, visiting a casino, investing poorly in a “get rich quick” scheme, dating a fellow gambler, or applying to pitch a business venture on “Shark Tank” without the necessary research, or careful thinking, might be a few of the Mars-in-Capricorn fall-back behaviors when backed into a corner. Mars-in-Capricorn might step into care for a parent (after the loss of a father figure), and resent that duty, despite loving the parent. Alternatively, Mars-in-Capricorn might seek out a BDSM or dominance/submission dynamic with another person in order to regain a sense of power, control, and authority. Mars-in-Capricorn likes to discipline others. The bottom line, Mars-in-Capricorn works hard to BUILD, PROVIDE for others, and to gain the authority and experience necessary to be respected as an EXPERT.
Venus in Capricorn: Elegance, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Endurance, and Effort
Where Mars in exalted in Capricorn, Venus is comfortable, secure, elegant, effective, and well-admired for her savvy business acumen, killer wardrobe with classic staples. She’s not adverse to putting in the extra time at work (to move toward her goals); she puts effort into cultivating relationships with lasting potential. Everything, and everyone, is evaluated as a possible investment–including, emotional investments. Venus-in-Capricorn owns a suit (or uniform, or at least one little black dress/black pant suit), or black pencil skirt/a well-designed black jacket, probably owns either black high heels as well as sensible shoes, a smart hair cut, or sports a classy “pulled-together” look, –but none of the dressing is nearly as important to Venus-in-Capricorn as a portfolio that impresses with experience, finesse, and the right references, no matter the gender here. Dark violet, shades of wine red or burgundy, deep reds, dark chocolate browns, earth tones, shades of stone gray, and silver also appeal to Venus-in-Capricorn. ALL valuable gemstones, not just the birth stones, as Capricorn appreciates all high-quality, valuable gemstones, appeal to this archetype, as long as it’s worn in good taste, nothing flashy. (Capricorn rules the hair, skin, nails, teeth, bones, joints, and knees.) Venus-in-Capricorn has an impressive LinkedIn profile, an online portfolio, or website, and is well-respected among colleagues, and could probably lead a self-improvement seminar on leadership training.
One celebrity example, Lucy Liu, has Venus in Capricorn (at 21° Capricorn). In one of her movie roles, in the “Charlie’s Angels” movie series, she plays, “Alex,” who at different points of the movie series, identifies herself as “not a bikini waxer,” “an efficiency expert,” dressed in a black-leather dress carrying a riding crop and pretending to be a dominatrix, and an excellent chess player, a champion at equestrian competitions, as well as a highly-intelligent, highly-focused, and a little intimidating, yet a loyal friend and teammate. I realize that actresses don’t necessarily play their astrological placements, but in this case, it seems to have worked out to depict various expressions of Venus-in-Capricorn for the character, “Alex.”
Venus-in-Capricorn is attracted to grounded, earthy energy (of the other two earth signs, Taurus and Virgo) as well as to the water signs, especially Scorpio and Pisces. Venus-in-Capricorn, with an eye for structural aesthetics, is a natural interior designer, architect, or botanical garden designer–and if working in any of those fields, has years of experience, a license and/or the degree or credentials. Venus-in-Capricorn, no matter the vocation, is down-to-earth, practical, magical, (yes, think “Practical Magic”) and likely has a natural “green thumb,” or affinity for growing plants, gardening, working outside with earth elements. Capricorn, as symbolized by the sea goat, is drawn to shorelines, beaches, and might seek a beach-side resort, or lakeside house, or summer camp, as a place to wind down and relax after working very efficiently and effectively, in whatever field/job/authority role that the Venus-in-Capricorn person has carved out as a career, or lifestyle. And it is about lifestyle–with Venus-in-Capricorn, who seeks a certain kind of lifestyle, whatever and wherever that might be, but locations where the mountains meet the sea are especially appealing for this archetype! It is ideally with an eye toward security, longevity, long-term commitment, and an extremely well-planned retirement that Venus-in-Capricorn invests effort, time, energy. Venus-in-Capricorn invests wisely, not only in tangible, material things, but also in people, partners, including for business and romantic partnerships (or traditional marriage). If Venus-in-Capricorn is artistic, the person pairs creative talent with a business plan, a way to market it, capitalize on it, build on it, and ideally, build a clientele, ideally an exclusive clientele, and a tight, reliable circle of trustworthy friends. This is the placement for people who are experts in brand management. Venus-in-Capricorn on the worst days, in times of stress, fears poverty, instability, and rejection–but this is rooted in a deep desire to build a stable future with another person, a partner, for the long haul, or the long climb. There’s a strong desire to be a provider, a responsible “parent” like figure, or a responsible partner in any dynamic, and often, seeks an older partner, whether consciously or subconsciously. Sometimes, there are “daddy issues,” as Capricorn is associated with fathers and father-figures, and if Venus-in-Capricorn is conjunct Pluto, or harshly afflicted, could indicate a tendency / inclination toward dominance-submission dynamics in a relationship, whether at work, or in a personal / romantic relationship, or in an “alternative lifestyle” sense of it. Venus-in-Capricorn might be drawn to a controlling or dominant partner, or by contrast, be the dominant/domineering/bossy/controlling partner to a more submissive/passive partner. This can also signal, boss-employee love affairs that turn into long-term relationships, or “marrying the boss” scenarios. Venus-in-Capricorn has sensitive skin, or might, in vulnerable times of life, experience joint pain, especially in the knees, skin problems, or tooth/jaw pain such as TMJ from teeth-grinding at night likely caused by work stress, worrying about financial loss, or poverty-stricken scenarios. Ultimately, Venus-in-Capricorn perseveres, as a strong-willed type, might be a “Type A” over-achiever, and a bit resistant to change, but taps into that core strength & endurance, in the face of adversity. This type invests in the best skin creams on the market, but will also be frugal in spending, generally, knows how to save for a rainy day, and balance the checkbook.
Venus & Mars Conjunct in Capricorn:
The power couple climbs.
Investing in oneself, or in a partnership.
Endurance. Motivation. Core strength.
Passion builds on a slow, cautious-yet-commitment-oriented dynamic.
What does the Venus-Mars Conjunction in Capricorn (Feb. 1 through March 5th, 2022) possibly mean for us as individuals? It depends on where the conjunction occurs in the natal chart (as a transit), where it might occur in a relevant Solar Return, if one has a birthday in February or early March, and/or a progressed chart, or Lunar Return–each with different layers or “flavors” for interpretation. A Solar Return is useful for looking at the themes and conditions for one year, from one birthday to the next. I’m interested in this dynamic since I have a birthday, and thus, a Solar Return, while Venus and Mars are conjunct in Capricorn. I was thinking about the metaphor of the mountain climber. If Venus and Mars represented two archetypes, we could extend the metaphor to suggest that these are two types of people, who are closely in tune with one another while conjunct in Capricorn. Together, they are the mountain climbers who have put in the hours, months, years of skill and endurance training; together, they have invested in the best climbing equipment, and worked together as a team, building trust, and developing a strategy that works under various conditions, such as when they encounter an obstacle, or high winds, or less-than-ideal circumstances, such as if one has a knee injury. (Capricorn rules the knees.) Together, Venus and Mars in Capricorn are a power couple. Mars is exalted, which means, powerfully positioned, and thus, more than capable of making Venus feel supported and secure. They are the King and Queen of Pentacles from Tarot; they invest in one another, in the partnership itself, as though the relationship were also a business investment. Together, they build, plan for the future, strategize and capitalize on their combined strengths, and when one is hitting an obstacle, the other one takes the lead, offering a foothold, or some kind of tangible, material support (e.g. a rope, or a hand, a piece of gear/equipment, or through financial support) along with instructions that reassure the partner during times of stress. I say, “instructions” because Venus and Mars together in Capricorn respect one another’s advice, wisdom, experience, and sets of instructions, because these are time-tested, methodical, carefully planned, and reliable step-by-step guides; Capricorn values the art of the step-by-step guide to achieving, or ascending, to one’s desired goal. The goal or goals can be anything! One Venus-Mars in Capricorn duo might invest in a condo near their favorite ski resort; another Venus-Mars combo builds a smart retirement plan, that includes land, property, and security; a third Venus-Mars in Capricorn partnership might build a business together with long-range thinking. Together, they are motivated by those inner shared fears of poverty or lack of stability, or a fear of powerlessness; but instead of focusing on the fear itself, this combined energy of Venus and Mars in Capricorn, the sign of the sea goat, the goal-oriented mountain goat, physically, and sometimes forcefully, move in the direction of their shared goals.
If all of this dynamic is happening within one person, rather than a partnership, it can signal a powerful, enduring motivation, realistic goal-setting, financial planning, investing in oneself, in one’s talents or skills, or advancing one’s career, including a strategic move toward mastery, gaining expertise, and garnering respect from one’s peers. If this is happening in one’s 1st House of the Self, I would suggest that this latter description is more likely, rather than an emphasis on a relationship/partnership scenario. Investing in one’s self doesn’t have to mean the same thing to everyone: it could mean seeking a license or certification, or degree, or some other credential that certifies that a person possesses a set of skills, has gained a particular expertise in a niche, or field, and/or has taken the necessary steps involved to professionalize those skills, talents, experiences, and figured out a way to get the credentials to improve one’s sense of self-mastery, and to acquire the courage to climb, face obstacles, and persevere.
For the past six weeks or so, I’ve been taking a course to further my journey toward becoming a certified English teacher. “Methods of Teaching Secondary English” is a required course for teachers in Maine. For the class final project, we were assigned to design a lesson plan that is “original, inspired (or inspiring) and presented using some type of technology, which might be out of the comfort zone of the author.” I am not accustomed to making videos or movies of myself using iMovie or Youtube, other than the occasional cat video that I make in my living room. (Note: I never subject others to these little movies about whatever funny thing my cat did. I think the Internet has plenty of these gems without my contribution.)
First, I had to learn how to use iMovie. I started by calling my best friend, who seems to know all things related to whatever issue I’m having on my Mac. Then, I watched tutorials on Youtube, started practice filming for a different assignment earlier on in the course. I made the dorkiest iMovie, trust me, including action shot of me, weeding my garden as a metaphor for how English teachers have to cultivate the “constant gardener,” or “constant writer,” in their classrooms. Then I set up a Vimeo account, which was fairly easy. I may be the last person to do this (have you done this yet?) Next, I had to edit my iMovie, patching together many, many pieces of footage, or “clips,” and record voice-overs for certain parts, attempting to sound professional without sounding like the authoritative Catholic school nun from the 1980 “Blues Brothers,” scolding my audience, well, without the ruler.
I made a video for my final project. I designed an original lesson plan called, “The Writers Cafe.” Also, I had to do a rain-dance in my dining room, wait patiently for 22 hours while the video uploaded to Vimeo and “converted,” whatever that meant. It was such a long wait that I thought I had done something wrong. And I had selected the “high” quality resolution but not the best quality/professional resolution. I made it with the recent-most version of iMovie on my MacBook Pro. So far I have received some great feedback from my instructor and classmates on my lesson plan. The video is no longer available for viewing.
Literary analysis and figurative language are among my favorite subjects to teach my students in English Composition. While other teachers might find these akin to “pulling teeth,” I thrive on the challenge. I like to create original hand-outs for my students for each assignment, or in some cases, multiple worksheets. My teaching persona might be considered “the Hand-out Queen,” if there are such things. (What’s your teaching style? Aren’t there quizzes in magazines for this?)
Literary analysis, also known as literary criticism, is a tool that writers use to examine elements in fiction, creative nonfiction or poetry. When a writer uses this tool, the objectives of the essay might include answering some of these questions about the literature:
- What is the story or book (or collection) about? (this does not mean that you write full plot summary or a book report)
- What is the problem or conflict in the story, book or poem?
- What points is the author or poet trying to make about society, love, religion, war, culture, or some other important topic?
- What’s the main idea of the poem or story?
- What symbolism is used? Analogies, central themes?
- What lies beneath the surface? Is there an underlying tension?
- What kinds of emotional response does this piece of lit. bring about for the reader? Does it bother you? Did it affect you in any way? Any elements of surprise, suspense?
The above list is just the beginning. Of course, I start with the basics, including an understanding of metaphor, point of view, character development and how to write a thesis statement. But my students still appreciate seeing some additional examples that dig a little deeper. I offered this lesson to be helpful. Maybe others will find this useful, too.
Revising & Strengthening Literary Analysis Essays
My dining table has become the “grading station”
- Make sure to have a clear thesis statement in your first paragraph (or the opening sentence of second paragraph). This thesis statement will direct the essay.
- Make sure to have quotes from the literature you’re analyzing (quotes from the text) —These quotes will range the gamut from short phrases to longer “block quotes,” which you must indent & center (and format single-spaced).
- Make sure to correctly identify whether it is a novel (fiction)—and identify which genre, e.g. detective/crime story, suspense/thriller, Victorian gothic, science fiction fantasy, novelette, which is a short novel, such as Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle); or a creative nonfiction book such as a memoir, travel narrative such as Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, science and nature memoir, such as Annie Dillard’s Pilgrim at Tinker Creek; or short story, such as “The Open Window;” or an essay.
- Make sure that you have correctly identified the type of narrator (e.g. omniscient (all-knowing), a named character in a novel (whether a protagonist or minor character), the author (if memoir), and kept that distinct throughout your essay. Be careful not to confuse these.
If you have selected to analyze an entire book, for example, a memoir—
let’s say, John Berendt’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated creative nonfiction book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1995), there is a LOT to analyze in a full book. However, in a short literary analysis essay, you’d be wise to focus your thesis statement on one concept or two themes, and dig into that idea, or parallel ideas, from a multitude of angles. For example, you might notice a lot of scenes, conversations between people in the book and references to “house-proud Savannah” and the pride of the residents in the Georgia city. You might also notice how Berendt uses contrast to depict envy among the same people. As a reader, you could step back and look at “pride” as a positive and “envy” as a negative; go further, and we look at “good and evil” as “pride and envy.” Or, as another example, you might be more interested in the theme of what it means to be “a true Savannahian.” Whatever grabs your interest is likely to work well in an essay that you craft.
Then we can skim through the book, and hopefully you have thought to annotate the text with sticky notes to color-code your favorite quotes. If not, you’ll have to go through the text again and find passages in the book that mention “jealousy,” “envy,” “pride” or “proud” (or “house-proud,”) or any characterizations that speak to these concepts. Select 4-10 quotes. You want a combination of short phrases, any special terms coined by the author or a character, location-specific phrases that are relevant to your analysis/thesis statement, a longer quote that you will indent to create a block quote. See below for a few examples of a phrase, a sentence quoted in the body of your paragraph an indented block quote. If you have a long quote and you want to use only parts of it but to keep it mainly in tact, use a […] << like that within the quote and within the body of your paragraph. This keeps it sleek. Nothing in quotes should appear in your essay unless it is a direct quote from the text. In other words, don’t put something in quotes if it is from your brain; it will confuse the reader.
An exception to the quote rule: if you’re quoting a literary critic, who has made a comment on the text that you’re analyzing, in which case you’re quoting that critic AND you must then cite that source and attribute that concept to the literary critic. Hot tip: if you quote a literary critic, keep that reference to a minimum and put it in one paragraph. You don’t want to confuse your reader and have quotes from literary critic(s) mixed in with quotes from the narrator and quotes from the characters or real people in the text.
Here is my example. This is a snippet of a literary analysis essay I wrote about John Berendt’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil:
In “house-proud Savannah,” the reader quickly sees the lush lawns and elaborate porches of the prominent homes “north of Gaston” (Berendt, 48). But what most visitors may not realize is that there are rules in Savannah. These rules dictate socially acceptable behavior for a “true Savannahian.” We know that the narrator and author, John Berendt, is a writer from New York, not a native to Georgia. He meets Joe, who explains the rules of Savannah living. Joe says, “Rule number one: Always stick around for one more drink. […] That’s when you find out everything you want to know.” Throughout the story, John attends a number of cocktail and dinner parties, and he engages in lively conversations with colorful characters—all real people living in Savannah. One thing he learns: locals are more forthcoming with him after he has earned their trust and they have had a few drinks together. It is during one of these parties that he sees the shadow-side of a prominent figure in the community and learns the truth about a crime, a murder.
Joe’s discussion of “the Rules” continues— “Rule number two: Never go south of Gaston Street. A true Savannahian is a NOG. ‘NOG’ means ‘North of Gaston.’ We stay in the old part of town.” The reader is permitted entrance into this tightly-knit, exclusive community—Savannah—and through Berendt’s writing, gains the privilege of learning these local secrets, or rules, for society, or at least, for Savannah. We learn what it means to be a “true Savannahian,” one who sticks around for one more drink, stays “north of Gaston,” and finally, “observes the high holidays,” such as St. Patrick’s Day and the annual football game (Berendt, pg. 48). We later learn that there are consequences for breaking the rules of Savannah living, or repercussions for failing to be “a true Savannahian.” ~LCS
Another example. Fiction. Looking at “coming of age” and peace/purity versus darkness/devil (or fear v. wonder) themes in Peter Benchley’s short novel, The Girl of the Sea of Cortez (1982). Notice the use of an indented block quote in an excerpt of my essay:
Peter Benchley’s novelette is a magical story with elements of suspense, not unlike his famous novels, Jaws and The Deep. However, unlike those other full-length novels, The Girl of the Sea of Cortez is a coming-of-age story. Paloma is a girl of sixteen, whose name means “dove,” a symbol of peace, purity and of “the Holy Spirit.” She lives in a village beside the Sea of Cortez and thrives on her saltwater swims and boating expeditions into her own world of magic and sea life. By 16, Paloma has encountered many sea creatures, including sharks and barracuda, and she has indigenous knowledge—partly taught by her late father and partly by her brother, Jobim, also known as Jo. Her brother’s knowledge of geology and marine life had come from his elders; Paloma prefers to learn by observation and first-hand experience. She embraces fear and curiosity equally—but above all, maintains a sense of wonder about the sea world.
“Paloma looked up. One behind another, a procession of hammerhead sharks passed overhead in a parade. Their silver-gray bodies were as sleek as bullets and the sunlight touched the ripples of moving muscle and made them sparkle. Paloma loved the hammerheads, for they seemed somehow to focus her thoughts about God and nature.” (Benchley, 26)
Paloma considers that if there were any animal that were “particularly blessed,” it would be the hammerhead shark. Sharks had been “critical to the island’s survival” and yet, the hammerhead species had survived there for millions of years. (Benchley, 26) Most 16-year-olds would be terrified to swim with hammerhead sharks, which are known to attack divers in other parts of the world. But Paloma understands the sharks. She admires them. She understands them. She uses her fear as a tool, as she might a fishing knife or piece of rope within her diving bag. By contrast, when she encounters a giant manta ray for the first time, she faces a new type of fear and must conquer that fear. The manta ray, known locally as a “Manta Diablo,” or “black devil fish,” symbolizes the very antithesis, or opposite, of the young pure-of-heart Paloma.
As the story develops, Paloma explores the Sea of Cortez, puts herself in close proximity with the “Manta Diablo” and compels herself to conquer her fear. She finds a deep resolve within herself and gains a profound understanding for the nature of things, and more importantly, her identity as she becomes a woman. Benchley illustrates her sea adventures as if each one were a rite of passage, which Paloma herself has invented. No one is telling her to seek out the “black devil-fish,” let alone ride on top of the ray, in fact, her brother and the others warn her to stay away from the mysterious creature, a thing of myth and mystery. Despite those warnings, Paloma swims with the manta ray and rides on its back. She conquers her fear, comes to know herself more confidently and enriches the local knowledge and understanding of the manta ray’s behavior and biology through her observations. ~ LCS
In 2007, I joined the adjunct faculty at Southern Maine Community College in the English Department. Prior to that, I led creative
At Willard Beach, SMCC
writing workshops and taught Adult Education classes. Over the years, I have developed some course materials and ways of teaching the building blocks of essays, and have geared these lessons for college freshmen. My students tell me that they haven’t learned this material in their high school English classes. While I am sure that their capable high school teachers introduced rhetorical modes such as “cause and effect,” “defining a term,” “process analysis,” “description with figurative language,” and “literary analysis,” I package these a little differently. I enjoy teaching young writers the craft of creative nonfiction–and that is how I put it to them: they are writing personal narrative essays, rather than “homework” or “college papers.” It seems to fly.
Grading papers by the pond
Since I’m an adjunct professor, and I don’t have an office on campus, I meet with my students in local delis, public libraries and the Adult Education office at the high school. I give my students the option of meeting with me outside of class to go over their drafts, discuss revisions and research papers. I grade papers outside on the patio, on a picnic table by the pond, and at my dining room table–an ongoing project all semester. Sometimes my dog serves as my T.A. On several occasions this fall, it has been so warm and lovely out, Sophie-Bea and I walked at Chaffin Pond in Windham, Maine, and took my students’ papers to grade at one of the picnic tables in the preserve.
Sophie-Bea watches the ducks while I grade papers
I started the semester by assigning my students a “sense of place” essay that uses descriptive writing. At first, my students struggled with the very concept of “description.” I asked them to describe camping in the Maine woods. One student suggested, “bears.” I asked for more details. The same student said, “I’ve got nothin’.” The rest of the class remained silent, perhaps horror-stricken. For all of the Facebook and Twitter and Instagram posts with emoticons, which do the work of describing their emotions and experiences for them, my students had either lost or forgotten how to describe something with adjectives. And forget about figurative language! I had my work cut out for me.
I arrived at the Department of Mysteries’ Center for Occupational Prophecies, where I attended a required workshop–after one hour of sleep last night. Because I’m not used to city parking situations, I got a little lost between the garage and Department of Mysteries building (but my wand, er, smartphone, led me in the right direction.) I’m not too proud to say that I also got lost on my way back to the garage but by then, I was under the influence.
The man leading the workshop smiled like he was full of smelly cheese a la Professor Slughorn as he loaded his PowerPoint. Posters with backward lettering, apparently motivational spells, clung to the wall with Scotch tape. A smoky haze of cigarettes, marijuana and fire-breathing dragon breath immediately enveloped me in Conference Room B. (The Death Eaters were in Conference Room A, thank goodness.) Most of the attendees gruffed and puffed over the necessary paperwork. Most of us had filled out our Star Trek logs prior to the workshop. I held my breath in between moments when I could not contain myself and blurted out: “Is this the workshop where we learn how to write an ‘effective resume’ or is that next week?” and “Wait, is that an example of ‘what to do,’ or ‘what not to do?’ Both are grammatically incorrect.” *Shudder* Apparently grammar is a matter of opinion. Not surprisingly, it was followed by a bulleted list of tips: 1) Use correct grammar, 2) Maximum 1 page (etc. It really only got worse from there.) Here’s an example of a resume that the Workshop Wizard liked:
John Smith
15 Plain Road
Anyplace, ME 04099
Tools I Know:
Drive tractor. And 4-Wheelers. Compressers
Cutting tools Electric discharge machine
(Etc.) Misc. tools
At the 10:30am break
Clearly, the Workshop Wizard prefers the functional format, which hiring managers have practically outlawed. When I overheard some guys in the back row grumble, “Here she goes again,” and moan any time I asked a question or made a comment, trying to help the innocent, I clammed up. I wished I’d brought my invisibility cloak. Or, at least magic ink so that my SS# and contact information wouldn’t be visible on the sign-in sheet as it was passed from person to person at an alarmingly sluggish rate, especially in the back row.
After the workshop, I fled on my broomstick into a nor’easter. It’s the kind of snow that splinters your eye balls with miniature ice picks. Wind blew long curls into my mouth and I walked awkwardly along the slushy side-walk, swearing and muttering. People avoided me. I probably looked like one of those “Lost Souls” from the Lakes Region. (We don’t get off the Mountain of Doom very often.) By the time I had circumvented the block twice and changed direction (my eye glasses fogged into a cataract-glaze), I was dazed and confused like Liv Tyler. I felt hot under the collar. My pretty blue wool coat smelled like college days and frat parties. Finally, I found the parking garage and climbed the stairs to the 4th floor–but my sea green Subaru was not there! Did I get towed? Oh, no! I scrambled up the stairs to the 5th, then the 6th floors, horrified to see giant mounds of snow I hadn’t seen before. Merlin’s beard! I’ve been towed! I knew this public parking garage–albeit inconveniently located but only at a $2/hr rate was too-good-to-be-true! Argh! In slight panic mode, or more realistically, an allergic reaction to Conference Room B in the Department of Mysteries (Miseries?) I took the elevator down to the ground level and found a nice parking attendant who was willing to look for my car (on the 6th, 5th, 4th and finally, 3rd floor), while I had an neurotic breakdown, probably breaking out into hives by this point. (I tipped the helpful fellow and thanked him profusely.)
Then, as I warmed up the car, relieved it had not been towed, I listened to a new voicemail: “Leah, you have been selected to attend a required workshop next Thursday….” (in addition to the one I’ve been selected to attend on Tuesday.) When am I supposed to practice casting the Patronus charm? When I am supposed to study for the OWLs? When am I supposed to fight evil and save the world?
Tomorrow night’s the full moon in dramatic Royal-Leader-of-Meltdowns-and-Billowing-Manes-Leo. This blast of energy lasts 10 days.
At the lake I love
After years of telling myself I would “never teach,” I began teaching college students in 2008. A community college hired me to teach English Composition to college freshman. At the same time, a local Adult Education Program, in concert with the college, asked me to create a new curriculum for a college transitions class called “Success in College.” Through teaching both classes for a few years, I mentored fire science technicians and education majors, marine biology students and nurses, as well as nontraditional students, who wanted to change careers. They gained confidence in their writing and their ability to communicate–two skills in high demand for any job, no matter the field. A trend I’ve noticed among recent college graduates is a lack of patience in approaching the job market. In our fast-paced social networking-driven society, it’s easy to get impatient. Searching for a job is more like casting a line over the water. You try different bait. You move around to different spots. You get your feet wet. You relax. You have to be patient.
My cousin, Owen, a Pisces like me, loves to fish at Little Sebago Lake, where we all grew up swimming. About six months ago, I encouraged my cousin, a civil engineering student at University of Maine, to create a LinkedIn profile for himself. At first, he wasn’t sure if that sounded like something he needed to do, but he mentioned a friend of his who had gotten a job, or learned of a job, through LinkedIn. My cousin created a profile on LinkedIn, added his work experience (a local hardware store) and his skills, including transportation, geotechnical engineering, groundwater modeling, surface water hydrology and hydrology, flood control and civil engineering. I’m super proud of my cousin, Owen, for receiving an offer for a job at a widely known engineering firm, and for all of his accomplishments. While in college, he joined the American Society of Civil Engineering. I’m sure that helped broaden his network, too. He attains his Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering this spring.
When I graduated from College of the Atlantic with my Bachelor’s in Human Ecology in 2001, I researched organizations where I wanted to work, then approached them. I didn’t take a wait-and-see approach. I took a pro-active approach. My first post-college job was a year-long position as a Lands Protection and Administrative Assistant at Maine Coast Heritage Trust, a state-wide land trust. Part internship, part professional position, the job allowed me to get my feet wet in conservation. Several of the conservation and lands protection directors at MCHT mentored me; one served on my graduate thesis committee, while I researched land trust collaboration as part of my master’s degree work in conservation and sustainable business at College of the Atlantic. My job at MCHT had not been advertised–it wasn’t a position they were looking to fill. I expressed interest during an informational interview and they created a position for me. The position blossomed into a full-time professional responsibility (May 2001-July/August 2002).
Squaretop Mtn., Green River Valley, WY
In July 2002, I traveled west to Wyoming, to meet my cousins. I also interviewed ranchers and land trust professionals about western approaches to land conservation. It opened my eyes. Wide. That trip–including an experience riding two rodeo horses at a ropin’ event in Big Piney, WY, broadened my horizons. It also helped me conquer fears of failing. Or, at least, it quelled my fears of falling off a horse that dives and darts, charging toward the corriente steer at the end of an arena.
Energy, enthusiasm and a willingness to step into a role with a high learning curve are all “must-have” qualities in a green–or “entry level”–college graduate today. The next two jobs I held while a graduate student, in similarly unconventional ways, were not positions that my employers had advertised. One opportunity led to a two-year contract as a park ranger and multi-faceted position at Acadia National Park, where the position was unique to me. No one had held the position prior to me; no one replaced me, since it was a special project. I loved working at Acadia NP and gained valuable experience in conservation, communications & marketing, management and graphic design. And I earned an award for it, a nice little feather in my cap. The program I started in 2003 is ongoing. That’s my idea of success.
Today’s college graduates seem unsure of the job market. I belong to several listservs, such as Ecolog-L, and I’ve noticed the countless emails that college graduates have submitted to listservs in the hope that someone will bite. They want a job. They want advice. They have an opportunity to approach the job market in new and different ways than that of previous generations. For one thing, LinkedIn did not exist when I graduated from college. I had to use old fashioned networking–knocking on doors, asking for informational interviews or meetings. There is nothing wrong with asking for an informational interview at a company/firm/organization, where a college graduate would like to work. Ask someone who works in your dream profession–“what projects are you working on now?” Find out if those projects are collaborative in nature–do they involve partner organizations? Do any of those partners have volunteer or internship opportunities? Is there a way you can volunteer on a short-term project to get experience?
Northeast Creek Watershed. French Hill Pond photo
Look locally. Serving on a local planning board or conservation commission may help to gain a foothold in a network that leads to an environmental job in a field that excites you. Even local government boards, such as conservation commissions, sometimes tap into regional, state-wide or national networks. When I was in graduate school, I volunteered on a groundwater study conducted by USGS hydrologists. My GIS class offered me a way to contribute mapping work to the larger study, commissioned by the Town of Bar Harbor. Sure, it wasn’t paid. And it took me a year to create the maps analyzing wetlands and development patterns in the Northeast Creek watershed. And I embarrassed myself by storing two maps in the trunk of my ’86 Volvo, which filled up with freezing rain during a nor’easter–effectively turning my trunk into an ice block with the maps inside. When the ice melted, the maps disintegrated. And I had to redo them. A lesson learned!
Many years later, I wrote articles about wetland mapping as part of a project for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. I wasn’t new to wetland mapping since I’d had the experience of digitizing maps, plotting out wetlands and surveying land conservation areas in a watershed for various internships and volunteer projects after college. For those recent college graduates looking for work, I encourage them to CREATE positions for themselves, when they haven’t found a more traditional position immediately. It takes time. In the meantime, have fun exploring projects at the local, state-wide and national level. You don’t have to be a human ecologist to be multi-disciplinary. (My cousin, a civil engineering student, is multi-disciplinary in his approach. As a water-loving Pisces, it’s no surprise he was drawn to hydrology.)
Be open to unusual and unforeseen opportunities. Step into a role that you (and a future employer) create just for you and your multi-disciplinary skills, talents and abilities. Offer a fresh perspective on a project that no one else wants to do and find that you can make a name for yourself, even while entering the job market. Create a sense of serendipity.
The Adventures of Fen Fatale ~ Ecoheroine 