Results tagged “writing”

It's incredible how powerful one sentence can be.  For instance:

"My three-year-old son brought me my anti-depressants, asked me to take them and come outside and play."

or

"Its four in the morning, I'm still sitting at Denny's smoking, and I just now realized that it's because going to sleep means having to wake up tomorrow."

These are just a couple of the sentences I found over at OneSentence.org, a blog where you are asked to tell your stories, no matter how insignificant or profound, in one brief sentence.  Oh, and if going to the site is too much work, you can actually follow the updates on twitter.

So, are you going to share your one sentence story?

Originally uploaded by Ry

Or as Tim Gunn would might say,  "Holla atcha boyz!"

 I love reading blogs.  If I could do it for a living, I would. A good blog post can genuinely turn my day around. 

Yes, I am working on an actual blogroll page, I just need to get my act together and finish it.  So for now, here are 5 bloggers for you to check out:

• I Could Cry But I Don't Have The Time:  Amyz has an incredible flair for finding the hilarious in every day occurences.  Every post manages to get me giggling.  Mission accomplished!
• Twenty Four At Heart: An incredible woman who let's us follow her adventures through Orange County.  No, she's  not a  "Houswife Of".  She's down to earth, fun and extremely friendly.  I particularly enjoy her posts on "Money Town", the uber rich neighborhood next door.
• Mommy From The Midwest: As a non-mommy myself,  I gotta tell you that this woman has a great knack for talking about her children and keeping me interested. She's one of those bloggers that reminds you it's all about the little moments in life.
• Formation of Me: This girl had me at lube. I love her writing style and sometimes get the feeling she could write an entire entry about a turtle crossing a road and I'd be hanging on every word.
• Jenny On The Spot: I admire anyone with such a passion for life and so willing to challenge themselves.  This girl not only wants to publish a book one day, but also complete the Ironman challenge.  I hope she does so I can read all about it from my lazy chair.

Of course there are so many more, but hey, the title says 5 and I'm stickin' to it.

How about you? I'm always looking for new blogs to add to my feed.  Find any good ones lately?  Or maybe you're new here and want to share yours with me. Please do!

Rather than beat myself up for spending all of yesterday reading Blogher updates and being totally unfocused today, I chose to go to the bookstore.  I often peruse the writing section, hoping to find something that isn't completely full of crap.  I picked up Stephen King's On Writing  and read one of the first lines:

"This is a short book because most books about writing are filled with bullshit."

Sold.

I'm halfway through and it's had me laughing out loud and even a little teary eyed.  For those who are weary of Stephen King, it's not what you think. 

What's so different?  It's not only a helpful book about writing, but a look back into where he came from.  The writing is conversational and forward.  It's a peek in to Mr. King's personality which I find surprisingly friendly and relatable.

If you're at all interested in the art of writing, Stephen King or just a good read, you have to get this.  I am an insanely picky reader and don't recommend lightly.  Nothing gets me more excited than a book I enjoy so much that I can read it in one sitting. For my multitasking mind, this is zen.

I also picked up a couple Richard Matheson books. I'm a gigantic fan of his.  If you've only seen the movie I Am Legend and haven't read the book yet, I highly suggest you do so. It's brilliant.  

How about you? Any great recommendations?  I'd love to hear them. Always looking for something new!

Originally uploaded by RGP

Sometimes I see a photograph and everything just falls into place. Thousands of other times this is not the case.

Sometimes there is so much going on in my head that I have to just sit back and listen to my thoughts. A lot of the time it's just the Girl from Ipanema.

Sometimes when I don't feel like writing, I just start to type. Then, all of the sudden, it's the only thing I want to do and I can't stop and then I have to go back and edit all the run on sentences, and commas.

Sometimes I use the eraser too much when I'm drawing and I have to pull back and refocus. Every now and then something great happens but usually I just end up covered in eraser bits.

Sometimes I go to the kitchen and I step in cat vomit.

I have something to confess. This is what I want to do. 

It's hard to admit that.  Especially in a world where just about anyone can write a blog and be noticed. So what makes me so special?

I'm not a mommy blogger, nor do I ever intend to be. I'm not a total tech geek, though sometimes I wish I was, and I'm not selling anything fancy, not yet at least. 

In fact, this has sort of been my problem all along.  I'm not one of those lucky people who was born with a particular passion in life. I mean sure, I want to write, but what about?  I'm more of a passionate dabbler. I find that I actually learn the most from other people's obsessions.

When I meet someone so into with what they do, I can't help but latch on to the energy.  Their love makes me want to know more.  And it's all about meeting them. I can't just read it in a book, see it online or hanging on a wall.  I need to feel the emotion up close, hear the excitement in their voice.

For example, recently I was invited to an art opening over in the village.  It was a small gallery and as I suspected,  mostly filled with art that made me think "Really?  Can't my cat do that?" In fact, I was with Gypsy at the time and I do believe his direct quote was, "Is that a cat toy?"

So we're joking around under our breath when suddenly we were introduced to one of the artists.  This was his first exhibit in New York and he was so excited.  I mean beaming!  His attitude completely turned me around and on to his work.  I even told him that if I had the (ridiculous) $5,000, I would buy his installment.

You know what? I totally meant it.  I would have bought it not because I thought it was this remarkable piece of work, but because of the impression he left on me.  His attitude stands out in a world where most ooze a sense of entitlement. In my mind, this is the mark of true passion.

So where does this leave me?  Well after some deep thought it has become clear that I am passionate about finding my passion.  I may not know exactly what it is yet but I do know that I want to find it.  So this is my goal.

I guess that's been the idea behind this whole life changing experience in the first place.  It just took me this long to really start piecing it together.

Here's to one more step forward.

So, what's your passion?

I took the photo above at Prospect Park in Brooklyn.  In this post it represents a moment of reflection because I am profound like that.

Some are old. Some are new. Some are barely touched. Some are full to the last page. Some are missing. Some are gone forever.  All of them are me.

Sometimes I have to look back in order to see what's ahead more clearly.  Today I looked back in the best way I know how. My journals.

I went in with the intention of finding some inspiration today. I guess you could say I got it in spades.  I found my entry for September 10, 2001.  I didn't even know I had written anything that day. 

It's nothing substantial really, except for the date.  I was sitting at an outdoor cafe before work, drinking coffee and watching early morning Manhattan pass me by.   I had just moved there days before and was on my first big NYC theater job.

When I read it, I wanted to reach out and tell that person they'll never be the same.  I wanted to tell her when she gets to work the next day, she'll be growing up fast. She'll gain a new outlook on life.  Everything will seem much shorter and most importantly, completely different.

Then I really start to think about it. Every journal feels like the beginning and end of a different side of me. The only constant is that I still write about it.  I always write about it.  I wouldn't really call it an escape like some do, it's more like a bunch of little 'come to jesus' meetings with my future self.  Reminding me who I was, what I do, who I wanted to be and who I've become. 

Today I am reminded that I am whoever I want to be, so long as I keep learning, keep writing and keep exploring.

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today." - James Dean

So, how about you? Ever take a look back at yourself and find something surprising?

Originally uploaded by RGP

I've been rather hard on myself lately, trying not to think things like "I suck" but as you know, being a human being, this is no small feat.  So I am reminding myself of the little moments that made me feel...kinda good about myself.

Back in college I was forced to take acting classes in order to finish out my major, Arts Management. A secret part of me loved this but the rest of me absolutely hated the idea.  In one particular class, we were told to get into groups, sit in a circle and tell the others what we thought about them. Lucky me, I got stuck in a group with a girl I absolutely hated. I mean hated. Top to bottom. Left to right. Big boobs and all, I couldn't stand her.  We had this ridiculous fight about a guy when she first arrived at the school as a freshman.  I didn't know her at all except that she was trying to steal my man of the week.

So here I am, sitting on the floor of the theater staring at a group of my peers... and this girl,  and we're told to tell everyone in the pow-wow what we thought of them when we met.

Of course my brain said: "Hmm, let me think, when I first saw you I wanted to rip out your little blond hairs one by one, kick you in the boobs and throw a football at your button nose just like in the Brady Bunch. Was that Jan or Marsha? Doesn't matter 'cause you look like Cindy."

But I didn't get to go first, she did.

And what did she say about me?

"You intimidate me."

I would have fallen over from the impact if I wasn't already sitting on the floor. 

At first I was pissed. How dare you call out my badassedness in front of all these...peers.  Then I chewed on it for a second and realized, I loved it. It was the best thing anyone could have ever said.  Beneath this hard exterior of mine, I'm just as much of a wuss as everyone else and of course would love a little validation. Well, I got it.  I mean, she went ahead and juiced up my ego with about a gallon of Red Bull.

I quietly rejoiced, checked my face to make sure I wasn't showing it on the outside and then made up a little dance that I would do later in the privacy of my dorm room.

Then, naturally, reality came rushing back.  Now I have to say something nice about her.

Sorry to disappoint, but honestly, I don't remember what I said that day. I do know this, we eventually became friends. I know, big surprise, I made up with the girl who (I was convinced) pretty much worshiped the ground I walked on cause, y'know, I'd intimidated her into submission.

Oh, and she eventually came out of the closet which was a double victory because that guy I was seeing earlier in this story? I got rid of him and now she would have nothing to do with him either. Oh the hilarity.

How about you? Ever become friends with someone you hated at first? Or more specifically, because they made you feel like a badass?

Lately I've been a little more Daft and a little less Art.  This is fine but I'd really like to try and even out the roller coaster. 

Part of what I want to do is display more of my 365 project.  That's what really got the whole ball rolling for Arts & Dafts. I used to display every single doodle. I probably won't do that any more but you can still see them in my flickr set.  Instead, I'll be showcasing the drawings I like best.

Another idea I'd like to incorporate is an Etsy day where I highlight a particular Etsy page that caught my eye.

Last, a little more discussion on the growth I'm going through and how this entire project has changed my life and state of mind.

Right now I'm in a writing phase. If you've been reading for a while, you know I go through what I call "creative phases". One week I'm all about drawing, the next it's photographs, then suddenly I get the urge to knit, etc. The difficulty with a writing phase is how high I set the bar. It's unlike any of the others. I feel the overwhelming desire to add wit to every day happenings, to tell the whole story but without overdoing it like I tend to do and most of all, catch the readers attention even when discussing the mundane. 

Writing, to me, has always been at the forefront of everything I do. It's the one and only thing that I can say I've been doing since I was a small child.  I still have a bunch of my old stories and I may share some here sometime.

So in this project of growth over the last 6 months, what have I learned about my writing?  That I am capable.  I can write something people want to read. I can do it without infusing my truckers mouth into every single sentence and by golly, I can be a little funny sometimes.

Confidence has been the number one lesson of this entire process. I have gained it, found new parts about myself that I appreciate and I have learned how very important it is.  It's slowly starting to bleed into how I think about everything from my appearance to how I deal with people who are trying to jerk me around.  Not long ago, I might sit back and say "Yes Sir" while thinking "fuck you sir" . Now, I'm no longer accepting of injustices in my daily life. 

Geez, that sounds so dramatic.

So, here's to yet another phase and hopefully a little more insight into the creative madness called my life.

All week I've been angry with myself for not posting and all week I've been trying to figure out why. I worry about crossing too many boundaries and becoming confusing to the "reader". That's you by the way.  Then I remember that's kinda the whole point of this space.  I AM confusing. I've never been easy to figure out, especially to myself.  One week my obsession is with photography, the next it's with drawing and then the next it's with just watching t.v.  That's how I roll and that's why it's called Arts and Dafts.

The funniest part about it?  One of my biggest pet peeves on earth is when I'm working and the objective is clear but somebody (usually a hard headed man, sorry fellas) has to "talk it out." Often I find myself wasting time, standing around and listening to someone go on and on and on about which rope we should use and how to tie the knot, etc when really, you just gotta get up there and do it.

Now I need to apply the rule to myself. Just sit down and do it.  I'm afraid my addiction to twitter has kept me from posting some stuff that could be posted so I'm going to fix that too. If I can twit it, I can blog it. Right?

Some days, a really good tweet on twitter can really lighten up my mood. However, almost every time I am wanting to know how, where and why the heck the twit was written. I am yearning for the story behind the tweet. So I thought, why don't I explain myself every now and then.

My latest tweet (in case you don't follow me, shame on you) says:

There is a fine line between lazy and resourceful. I walk this line daily and usually with ramen.

Since the boy left for the summer, I have fallen back on my bachelorette ways and eaten what should probably be considered an illegal amount of ramen. Good ol' ramen, it's always there for me. I guess you could say it's my version of chocolate and ice cream. I've never claimed to be your average woman. (I say woman now because I'm turning 30 in a few days and damnit, I've earned it!)

So last night I made myself said bowl o' ramen and was walking back to my bedroom when I realized I needed to take a trip to the bathroom too. Thought process: either take the ramen back to my room first and walk back to the bathroom or set the ramen on the sink while I go, thus saving myself a trip.

First argument: is walking from my bedroom to my bathroom really considered a "trip" seeing as how I live in an apartment in Brooklyn which, if you've lived on this planet for more than a minute, you know can't be all that big.

Second Argument: Am I being lazy or resourceful? This relies heavily on whether or not the walk from place to place is considered a "trip".

I decided it was in fact a trip and chose to set the ramen on the sink. However, then I had to figure out how to wash my hands without getting soap into the ramen.

So in the end, I might have just created more work for myself...or maybe just put a little too much thought into the entire thing.

And that, my friends, is a "trip" inside my ridiculous mind.

You're welcome.

I know I haven't been very active lately but it's been a very long week. Seriously, one of the longest weeks ever.

First of all, that job I was worrying about? I got it! So for once I can rest a little easier when it comes to my income for the summer.  The pay isn't amazing but it's more about the freedom of the job.  I can basically do it while I blog, draw, flickr...whatever!  I'll tell you more about that some other time.

Other big news this week, my fella (seen above) left for 4 months today. Loooong time. It sucks but at the same time, it's really just part of our lives.  We both work in theater and know that sometimes that means we have to go wherever the job takes us. In this case, it's down south to the Lost Colony where he's worked 22 seasons.  He grew up down there so he's been in the show off and on since he was 11 years old. 

Good news is, he finally got a cell phone. In past years where he's gone down there, I had to wait for him to call me from his office, which meant scheduled phone calls basically.  I hate the phone and the only thing I hate more than the phone is scheduling a conversation on one. Just ew.

AND in other news, the tech rehearsal portion of my next show has begun.  I am currently working on Saved the Musical.  It's based off the film Saved and so far, from what I've seen of it, it's going to be a blast.  I think it's a definite hit!  

Back to work! More later when my brain has rolled back into normal land.

Originally uploaded by RGP

So my head feels a little like this photo these days. In a rush to get somewhere but so many things are keeping me from getting there on time. But you know what? It's okay.

I'm insanely behind on my doodles a day for a year. I have become okay with this because my intention is good. I'm still taking photographs every day (which is quickly becoming my true love) and I am still doodling every day, I just haven't come around to sharing it.

Where is my time going? Well I'm really concentrated on this community we're trying to build. When I'm not taking photographs or doodling or watching the hour of tv that I seem to have got myself down to these days, I am inviting people to join our group.

So far we're up to 34 people and the amount of visits at www.coffeerooms.com is definitely picking up. These are all very good things! The hard part is getting people to talk. I haven't figured out this art yet. I know that even though it's the internets and we can "hide" ourselves, people are still a little shy. So what's the secret? Persistence? Do I keep writing in discussions and this blog even though no one is responding out loud? Will they one day? Or am I doomed to talk to myself...like I do when I'm doing the dishes?

I guess only time will tell!

Now that I wrote this blog entry, I can take one of those cars out of the traffic jam. Well, maybe half a car.

This is a shot taken from my subway platform.  There is a ton of graffiti lining the wall across the tracks but this one, for obvious reasons, sticks out.  It's all alone and rather big.  Apparently Pilot Spag is actually two graffiti artists and they're known for tagging over other people's work.  Clearly that wasn't the case here. My cousin Todd gave me this information.  I can't seem to find it on Google but my searches have been, admittedly, half assed.  Maybe you can find something more on "Pilot Spag". 

I found a fun photoshop technique last night which I used on this photo.  I'm not entirely sure I got the exact effect they described but I have to say, I love the look on this.  The original now looks like a washed out, crappy photo I took on the fly.  With this effect, I was able to give it a lot more depth and feeling.  I look forward to trying it out on a few more of my "so so" shots. 

In other news,

It's interesting because I really thought my world would collapse when I went back to work. I thought I would give up on my projects, give up on my dreams and give in to the work day taking over my life. 

Thankfully, I was totally wrong.  I bring my sketchbook, laptop, camera and any other implements of destruction with me that I can stuff in a bag and still manage to carry. 

What's my job?  Check it out...

I recently reopened a sketchpad that I used to write in. There are a ton of empty pages in it and I needed a more portable one now that I'm back at work for awhile. I looked back at some of the written pages. I had a deep thought back in March of 2004 that cracked me up:

"There should be one designated watcher over per subway to tell us if the train is coming or not so we don't all have to periodically stop what we're doing to lunge on the edge of the platform to see for ourselves. It's really silly. We all do it and it needs to be done in order to express our impatience and believe we are making the time pass. You know, the whole watched pot thing. On one of the polls there can be a bell, and if you stand near it, it's your job. You know, like when you sit next to the emergency exit on a plane. It's just your responsibility. When they see the train coming, ring-a-ding-ding."