Off, too. Mercury in retrograde? If anyone is into that...
My time does not feel like my own. I sit down to write and the moment lasts only 10 minutes before something else comes up. Or until something else takes over my mind and I'm off and running somewhere, letting the words get stuck in my head and thinking later is always better but then it isn't because it's late or I;m hungry or I have to work or I'd rather play music or I think later later later.
What is working for me is coffee shops and early mornings and turning off the internet. On Tuesday I went to Arbor and wrote for three hours (was only interrupted by one shmoozy SF state grad student who wanted to know what I was writing then wanted my phone number). I need to do that more -- just get away from everything and drop into my work. The times I get to do this is rare.
Even though I wasn't assigned this task, I want to take the idea of three things that inspire me to write.
1. Rain - I love the sound, the light, the warmth of being inside. It provides space for introspection and a freedom from the guilt of wasting a beautiful day inside.
2. Beck - I've been listening to a lot of Beck lately. His constant innovation is always inspiring. This morning I just re-watched "Hello, Again," the 360 concert/experience/cover of Bowie's "Sound and Vision." It is a masterpiece in innovation and experimentation on many levels. Here is the link to the interactive website where you can control your viewing process:
http://www.hello-again.com/beck360/main/beck360.html
And to the easier-to-load and already-edited YouTube version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnOmrDzRrGQ
3. Movies - Sometimes when I read, I get this anxious feeling in my chest that makes me feel like I need to be understanding more then I am. Like I need to constantly be learning something instead of simply enjoying the story and process of reading. With movies, I can relax, even though I feel like I gain inspiration for characterization, reveling of information, and general scene-setting. Also, I just love movies. Tonight I want to watch Almost Famous. One of my all-time favorites.
i also find going to coffee shop (without computer just notebook & pencil & coffeeeee & headphones) to be kind of the sweet spot right now. to isolate off from the comfort of my home and cats and internet etc seems to be for the best.
ReplyDeletemercury off retrograde by the way. yeah im into that. but we are still in the shadow until the 20th.
i also enjoy the rain the ability to justify my laziness with its presence. i felt like such a stooge today being mad about the sunshine, not being able to synch up quite yet with the warm weather.
and movies. i watched the movie nashville recently and it has kind of stuck with me in this weird lingering way. it is a long movie with many characters and no main protagonist and no real closure. something about that is very comforting and unsettling. watching the movie and the way i felt afterwards was a lot like reading a short story. i recommend it.
At least you're trying to work through the haze, Tessa. We are all feeling jammed up and it's a sorry thing that we suffer our writing, and get less soulful work done. I always feel like mercury is in retrograde
ReplyDeletee