A Voice from the Grave

Jim McDougal may not be stopped, but I sure am. 

I recently gt invited to (and joined) a group aimed at getting aspiring writers into writing. The group posts work on a shared drive, and then folks make comments on each other's work.

I put up an older piece, just to get a sense of what the group thought of my skill and ability level. So far, I've found that the criticism of my work is fair, but there's a lot of it.

I'm ok with that for the most part. I don't have too much of an ego; and getting better at writing is something I am interested in doing- whether now or over time. But that's my problem. I can't get better because I can't seem to write.

I have been blocked or stalled for ideas for months. I simply have no idea what to write about. I'm not currently gaming and haven't been for over a year. I'm only casually "arting". However, that process is slow moving and the most baby stepped place I have been in for a long time and I don't think it's of interest to gaming people. (I might be wrong- it does happen.)

I asked a friend to challenge me to write a story hook, and he gave me a lyric to use as inspiration. So far, I haven't had a lot of luck coming up with anything more than a hair of an idea for "putting out fires with gasoline". I'm still sketching out the thought I do have because I think it could be cool.  Putting words to paper /typing on the computer has been a lot harder than I ever imagined it might be several years ago when I started this blog, and I haven't been able to figure out what I want to do; or even if I want to do anything at all with it.

I can't use yarn because I can't knit. Is this blog my mental yarn?

I reviewed some of my archives and I remember loving writing and having a lot to say. I have stuff in drafts from months (almost a year)  ago, but none of it inspires me or causes me to want to write. Very little is motivating to me at this point, which is causing me a lot of concern.

Even the alliterations I know and love are beyond me at this point. It seems I'm spinning my wheels and I have nothing to get me out of the mud.

But a dear friend sent me a nice email, and asked me what was going on here. It was kind of nice to know someone out there liked what I was doing when I was writing. I don't know that I have any real answers for my pal, but I'm writing something; anything- just to be writing again.

[Weekly Words on Women] Voices in the Knight

Strong inside but you don't know it

Good little girls they never show it

When you open up your mouth to speak

Could you be a little weak-

Madonna, What It Feels Like 

---------------------------------

All the people in the world are dreaming (get up stand up)

Some of us cry for the rights of survival (get up stand up)

Saying c’mon c’mon! Stand up for your rights

While others don’t give a damn

They’re all waiting for a perfect day

So you better get up and fight for your rights

Don’t be afraid of the move you make

You better listen to your tribal voice!

Yothu Yindi, Tribal Voice

I'm not generally known for making snap decisions. I have something of a reputation for being pretty accommodating, even when I don't directly agree with the person or idea.  Finding peace and compromise are things I excel in, or at least I used to have those talents. 

Being a peacemaker and a master of compromise doesn't mean I don't know myself or understand my own voice. I've always been able to speak for myself, and I'm one of the few people that can stand up to the incomparable and stubborn man in my life, TheDude. Despite being something of a "mouse" for most of my life, I finally found my voice and pretty much haven't shut up since. 

[Weekly Whimsy] Breaking News

I was dreamin when I wrote this, 
forgive me if it goes astray.... Prince


I stayed out late last night, gaming. Went to bed at 3am with a shot of Nyquil because I'm STILL coughing from when I was sick 3 weeks ago.

Folks, I work at a newspaper, in the delivery/customer service department.

The presses broke down. Sunday papers are still pretty big around here, and the presses were down for HOURS. Papers were late getting out to carriers, and so delivery was going to be late. I got a call at 6 am, asking me to come into work to help with the phone calls. I was one of 8 folks there, taking calls as fast as we could

I had the beginnings of something in my head last night when I went to bed.

Between Nyquil, lack of sleep, personally taking 100-200 phone calls over a 3 hour period, and dispatching messengers out to assist/relieve carriers, I don't remember what the idea was.

Well, I sort of do, but it doesn't make sense.  Dethtron's repeated attempts to get me drugged up or otherwise mentally incapacitated may have finally worked... but I'm not sure I want to share what's in my head.

I don't think I can come up with anything FUNNY about vampires, waves and bombs all together... Maybe if it was boobs, I could.

I told you it didn't make sense...


I hope I can come back later after some rest with something real.