Thursday, June 25, 2009

Kinetic Knack 6/25/09

Kinetic Knack



Being a writer is like having homework

every night for the rest of your life.


Lawrence Kasdan

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Good day friends


I write every day. I spent my working life as a performing artist. Due to physical problems I can't work at that trade anymore, so now I write. I am amused to see that Google in its profile section under "industry" has no category marked "theatre," "film" "entertainment" or "show business." So I had to go with "arts." I guess that's okay. Artists have always been considered sub-citizens by the big corporate world, especially actors (except rich and promiscuous movie stars, some of whom are not "actors" in the strictest sense of the word). I'll settle for "arts."


Somerset Maugham said that if you want to be a writer you have to write everyday. In my case I write everyday whether I want to be a writer or not. I write because somehow I feel obligated to. I don't have a publisher or an agent tapping his impatient foot, nor a teacher gleefully giving me impossible assignments. I just think that if I didn't write something and put it in my journal every night I would be letting myself down and also possibly a few readers. So I write whether I feel like it or not.

I often sit at this keyboard and know I have nothing to say. So I check the mail, go for a walk, do a little reading, ponder, take a nap (old folks do that), wake up and have another cup of coffee, while I try to put a sentence or two together. Soon I give up, hopelessly admit a blank mind and an uncreative day. It's pure drudgery. I heave a sigh over my lumpish nature and decide that I'll just leave a quote and forget about it.


BUT


Silently and suddenly, like a squirrel showing up on the porch outside the window, a thought comes to me. And then another, and soon there are a few that line themselves up in a good order, Some words pop up, a phrase or two, an example, some language that appeals to me, colors and sounds, pictures, a new way of saying something and a feeling. The squirrel becomes a deer. And then everything begins to circle around a main idea like planets around the sun, each sending out its own energy and beauty and light. The marvelous English language starts caressing my mind. I can't type fast enough. I'm in love again.

DB Vagabond Journeys

2 comments:

  1. I find it amazing how we go in spurts, sometimes ideas come fast and furious, and sometimes they only trickle in. Glad that you find inspiration each and every day :o)

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  2. From a squirrel to a deer and now you can create a Park. Except that your park is your Blog filled with squir(rel)ming words expressed in deeree articulation. Of course, I'm just making this up!

    I wish I am like you. I cannot keep a journal on regular basis. Once I hold one, my ideas will fly away quickly.

    I prefer blurbing on my blog. Here, it will be permanent. In time my pc becomes dysfunctional, I can use other pc to open my web and look out for my spiderlets.

    As to categorization of blogs, I don't give it much attention. I prefer the NONE. It is so because I thematize my blog. See, I can even create my own words outside the norm.

    I'll visit this blog again and read some more. You write very interesting topics. :)

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