a perfectly good life

It was Sunday afternoon, and the clock was ticking on towards my writing deadline. I promised myself publicly on this blog that I would make at least one entry per week, adding on to my story/novella/novel each time. There was a nagging pressure that felt like a mosquito relentlessly buzzing about my head in an otherwise quiet room at night, when sleep should prevail, but won’t. I knew I would keep the promise I made to myself, but until I got down to business, there was a distinct buzz following me throughout the day.

Concern that I had absolutely nothing more to say was quietly haunting me. As long I was alive and conscious, I had to trust that there must be something to say. Of course, the compulsion to be fabulous must not take center stage. Inhibition was my enemy.

Finally, I took my seat and began.

It is my firm belief that there is almost no better mood elevator than being engaged in an act of creativity. I have often looked at the creative process as a chance to give ourselves a “god-like” experience. When we knit a sweater, write a story, paint a painting, or play the piano, we are putting something into the universe that hadn’t previously been there. This process requires work, planning, organizational skills, and of course imagination and creativity. Mastery of these qualities can be satisfying, at least; and exhilarating, at best. Because I have a love-hate relationship with writing (a subject for another post!), I have decided to take a plunge and actually write a story, or maybe even something longer (dare I say novel?; I am not sure where it will wind up) in this blog. Enough talk, I want to expose myself by actually doing a public piece. I will be demonstrating my process, and exposing my imperfections. I have writen previously about how risk taking is a key ingredient in creativity, and accomplishment, and now I will put my “money where my mouth is.” I will commit to contributing to this story at least once per week.

I might also remark on the details of the process. For starters, my biggest fear is that I will lose steam, that perhaps I will get off to a great start, but will have difficulty sticking with it. Of course, I anticipate wanting the material to be impressive, but the discipline of sticking with the project is my greatest challenge. Wish me luck!!!!!

Here is the start of my story/novel/whatever:

When I was at Harvard studying Russian Lit. twenty-nine years ago, my friends were convinced that I would be either a famous writer myself, or, if not that, then I would without a doubt teach at an Ivy one day. No one would have expected to find me living on the streets of New York, homeless, and writing my novel in the various Apple stores on any computer that was free for a moment.