How I Adore Words...

So, all the time driving this past weekend gave me an absurd amount of time to think, completely alone. Now, I'm one who likes her alone time any way, I always think better when I'm alone, and writing in silence is usually when I get into my best groove, so one can imagine that giving me 18+ hours alone in a car would result in some creative ideas.

I had a few ideas for some short fiction stories -- something I haven't written in a while. These came late night Friday while crossing the Bay Bridge Tunnel, using the dark, choppy, eerily moonlit waters for inspiration. I had other ideas about turning parts of my life into short stories - fictionalizing them a bit. Then more ideas about art projects I could start. While I can't for the life of me draw or paint, I like to think that I am graphically and creatively minded. Captain added to my enthusiasm with some great ideas about "the crew". I feel that with everything going on in my life, my creative outlets are becoming more important. I find myself singing more than just my usual girlie rock -- pulling out some opera and belting along. I need to get some new strings for the guitar -- I haven't played in such a long time.

One of the ideas I had I'm pretty excited about, and will probably be the one I work on first. It involves books, words, coffee and a little bit of my insanity. I'm not really sure how long it will take me, because I'm not sure exactly how I want to do it, but it should be a short afternoon "craft" type project.

I've also noticed that when I sit down to do my "real" writing, it is coming much easier. I'm not laboring over every word and nuance as much. While I am going back and editing/changing I feel that I'm doing far less of that, and far more of who I am. It's a really good feeling.

Internet Friends (2)

It is now time for another addition of people who I stalk... I mean, follow via the interwebs. Today's contender comes to you from the NPR radio progam "This American Life" a show which I have come to adore, mostly due to the captivating and adorably dorky host Ira Glass.
Most of my friends would be able to tell you that I am normally not an advocate of talk radio. That is really an understatement. Generally speaking I can't stand listening to anyone read or tell stories to me -- I don't know what it is. Even as a child I was always scolded by my teachers for not following along with the rest of the class while we were doing readings. I almost always got frustrated with the reader and moved ahead at my own pace (to this day, I read uncommonly fast). It is, I suppose, because of this that I have never really found my niche with talk radio... until Ira. This American life is show about... well, everything. I have not found a taboo topic, and the stories are always insightful, portrayed in truth, while sometimes being tender or hilarious. Ira lends to these traits with his quirky comments and obvious desire for great journalism. While he does not narrate all the stories, he seems to position the listener just so, ensuring that no morsel of the segment will remain un-devoured by the audience.
All of the shows are on the website, available for free as podcasts, or are may be downloaded for $0.99 a show.
Support my dorky, intellectual and fabulous friend! (Well, you know... internet friend)

Some of my favorites can be found here:
I like the first part of this one -- after that it does get a bit creepy.
Featuring Mike Birbiglia

This one was particularly interesting to me.
A story about testosterone, the how much and some of the why.

An incredibly moving story about a Muslim family, post-9/11
I really cried. So, beware.

Those are just a few, folks, and I really encourage you to check some out. You won't be disappointed!

Truer Words...

One of the frustrating things about writing is that I will have the best ideas when I am not in a position to write something down, and then I'll forget about it later. Sometimes I feel like these nuggets that get away from me are the very reason why I get stuck. If I could just hang on to these tidbits my writing would be increasingly more productive, although this could just be lie I'm telling myself to make up for the fact that I have been sucking at writing anything decent lately. Just this morning I had a thought and managed to get it on my notepad in my cell phone -- prompting me to consider the need for a tape recorder, however lame that may be. It's much faster and more convenient to speak the words, even if it is only a thought or a fragment, then it is to carry around the essentials for writing.

As anyone who is a writer knows, you can't force yourself to write well, and once you try it's all over. Inspiration comes at 2am when the rest of the world is sleeping, or in moments that others view as difficult or ugly, but we as writers view as inspiring and true. That is what kind of writer I feel that I am (or that I want to be) -- a truth writer. And not to say that everything I write is real, but I want there to be an element that people can read and think "I know exactly how that feels". I want to capture the moments that seem mundane and make them memorable. I want to help people realize the intricacy of everyday life, the beauty that emerges from the pain and the depths to which they themselves are capable of discovering.