How Long Until Easter?
Man, this Lent stuff is driving me nuts.
Bad enough I've given up talk radio. You know what you get when you give up talk radio? NP freakin' R. Between their newscasts (I still listen to All Things Considered- drivel does not count as "talk") and their looping of classical music warhorses with avant-garde crap nobody would listen to except as a penance, I'm ready to toss the boom box out the window.
But that leaves me with my other Lenten problem. I have also given up talking to myself. So the house would be silent except for the dishwasher.
This probably sounds appealing to some people. But I am writing a book, remember? And I realize this will probably mean something weird, but I have to talk to myself when I'm writing. Otherwise who would encourage me? "Keep going, Sue, you're doing great." "Whoa! Nice word play!" "Proust, feh! I snap my fingers at Proust."
And you know why I have to encourage myself? I mean, besides the obvious. Because if I didn't tell myself to keep writing that would leave me with things like "Writer's Digest" and "Creative Screenwriting" and all those other aspiring writers' rags as my cheerleaders.
What's wrong with that, you ask?
Let me put it this way. A few things you will never read in any writers' magazine:
"Everyone is going to want to publish your book."
"Everyone is going to want to buy your book."
"Many who buy it will actually read it."
"As the pressures of success mount you may want to consider taking a long vacation. Maybe in the South of France. The Amalfi Coast is also an option."
So magazines are out as far as I'm concerned.
No talk radio. No talking to myself. Sadly, I realize the latter resolution should probably be one of those "lifestyle change" deals.
I don't know if I'm up to that.
Bad enough I've given up talk radio. You know what you get when you give up talk radio? NP freakin' R. Between their newscasts (I still listen to All Things Considered- drivel does not count as "talk") and their looping of classical music warhorses with avant-garde crap nobody would listen to except as a penance, I'm ready to toss the boom box out the window.
But that leaves me with my other Lenten problem. I have also given up talking to myself. So the house would be silent except for the dishwasher.
This probably sounds appealing to some people. But I am writing a book, remember? And I realize this will probably mean something weird, but I have to talk to myself when I'm writing. Otherwise who would encourage me? "Keep going, Sue, you're doing great." "Whoa! Nice word play!" "Proust, feh! I snap my fingers at Proust."
And you know why I have to encourage myself? I mean, besides the obvious. Because if I didn't tell myself to keep writing that would leave me with things like "Writer's Digest" and "Creative Screenwriting" and all those other aspiring writers' rags as my cheerleaders.
What's wrong with that, you ask?
Let me put it this way. A few things you will never read in any writers' magazine:
"Everyone is going to want to publish your book."
"Everyone is going to want to buy your book."
"Many who buy it will actually read it."
"As the pressures of success mount you may want to consider taking a long vacation. Maybe in the South of France. The Amalfi Coast is also an option."
So magazines are out as far as I'm concerned.
No talk radio. No talking to myself. Sadly, I realize the latter resolution should probably be one of those "lifestyle change" deals.
I don't know if I'm up to that.
Have you thought of emailing yourself?
ReplyDelete-J.
DIH, if you are an auditory person and attempting to undertake an intellectual exercise, such as writing, then you should also give up writng for Lent. If you don't you will drive yourself mad. When Jesus did his 40 days in the desert, he kept himself sane enough to resist the Devil. Be careful!
ReplyDeleteFrom your writing here, folks WILL read and enjoy your writing.
ReplyDeleteWhy would talking to yourself be a life-style change, though?
"avant-garde crap nobody would listen to except as a penance,"
ReplyDeleteAmen. But I'd throw in Pachelbel's Canon, too.
For Lent I gave up not truly listening to people. When someone starts speaking to me I stop what I am doing, look in their eyes and wait until they are finished, then compose what I am going to say. My husband has been quite creeped out by this, and I can't blame him, it creeps me out too. I hope Easter gets here soon too!
ReplyDelete