Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Fingers to keyboard...

It is a struggle to simply sit, carve out time, and type. Write. Pushing words out of my brain into a textbox with the hope of creating a connection between said words and the assumed reader.  In life I believe that anything worth doing that you allot time to should be probed for intent. Intent...well, I write because I love words and I desire to become a more disciplined writer. Yet, there is a, as any blogger or writer will attest to, deliberate choice needed to be consistent in writing that ultimately lends itself to finding that aforementioned connection. Ah yes, the connection. To create art. To create something of value, worth, and that has motion. It is scary that these words, that this sentence will not be good enough. However, I have not backspaced during this entire post. Wow. That's a first. Risk. That is what writing is about. Pushing through the risk of these words not saying enough. Not carrying the weight of my thoughts properly.

While reading Jeff Goins blog this week I noted a quote by Paul Angone, a brilliant author, summing up the challenge set before each writer involving the risk of writing:

"You have to skin your knees. Even when everyone is standing tall. You have to get on your tippy-toes, while everyone's taking cover. You have to go there, not even knowing where there is."

This is the great challenge of writing for me personally. Not being able to articulate where there is. Looking at a blank page and fearing where it might go, as well as, where it may not go. The fear that it will not be of import. For me Mr. Angone pin pointed my desire to write with this simple statement.

"Because they've felt the same fire. They've had the same thirst."

I believe successful writers use this baseline as a motivator to push through the risk, through the fear of writing.

To create connection. To collaborate. To commit to a craft.

Today I have been "risky." I wrote. No outline created. Just fingers to keyboard.

Check out Jeff's wonderfully insightful blog here : http://goinswriter.com/

Have you had moments in your craft where you had to define your purpose for producing your art and come to terms with the desire to always want to be "happy with it"?  How do you balance this desire?



Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Nothing like the taste of sweet romance...

As most of you know Jerome and I have embarked on a long distance relationship due to my current post in India. This is a bit of a challenge but the distance is what we make it. This morning my inbox greeted be with a response to an email from Jerome. It made my heart soar and I couldn't resist sharing our honest "prose" with you.





This is the format which we use to correspond back and forth. My original is in coral, and his responses are in black. 

Original sent October 22, 2011 3:33am

Drifting
Chasing
Dreaming of Saturday morning...cold. Back porch with animals.
Fall evenings with beers and friends. Football.
Seeing Monday mornings... with hopes and dreams. Puppies shaking of their sleep and kissing us good morning. Your face being the first thing I see to start my day. Blessed. 
Scarves and coats. New places and etsy shopping.
Coffee brewing and Real Simple pages creased and dog eared with music playing in the background. 
Smell of butternut squash roasting....
Bacon and pancakes because we feel like being silly and laughter fills our mouths as we laugh about so many things...
Trees giving color.
The sun giving energy and desire.
Drifting in and out. 
Focusing in and forward to what's next...
Waking to the reality of India. A magnificent animal that unfortunately is being used and abused. Perhaps it will fight back...
Walking through the reality of a broken world. A beautiful creation and people who have been distracted into absenteeism. We will fight for it... 
Sounds of mom and dad laughing next to a bonfire while I lay wrapped in dad's pineneedle scented coat. Memories push to future.
Thoughts of my Dad lighting up a smoke and talking about what the day would bring and putting hand to plow.... Memories push to future. 
Your Daydreaming wife who feels so disconnected from home,
Your daydreaming husband who strives to feel so connected to God, and as such connected to home.... connected to you. 

Deb
Jerome