2729. Writer’s Block

So I have this writing project that I need to get done soon and its been a lot of planning and thinking and sinking into the world, which will be followed by an intense flurry of writing near or on the due date. The process (for that is what it hath become) is amenable to two things–high stress and last minute desperate creativity. I often suspect that sort of creativity is the best type. My Modus Operandi as a writer for some time now has been to make that desperation call to the ether and pull from it some wonderfulness that goes on to be fairly decent writing in our world.

The process is unsustainable. First off, the level of stress it brings to my mind, body, and soul winds up pushing me away from the keyboard at least until the next project rears it’s seductive head. At that point the process begins anew. Painfully. I do this with the blog too, though not as often. I wait until the end of the night and pour something raw and unfinished down the digital rabbit hole–a ten minute view into the peep show powered by the well worn coins of my psyche. Often the scene behind the glass isn’t at all what I hoped for or worth seeing. In time my other writing could become that way, unless I treat the ether with the respect I give the love of my life.

And the dedication.

So, now we are to the heart of it–the lesson, if you will. I have these jeans. For whatever reason the crotch of the jeans is always the first part to wear out for me. The more I wear them, the more likely the jeans are to give out. Oddly, the closer they are to giving out, the more I wear them, not thinking but perhaps thinking that I ought to get as many uses out of them now as I can. That only wears them out faster, because they don’t get a break or any time for the fibers to stiffen after repeated use. I’m not sure I’m even right about how to fix the jeans. I am certain that what I am doing is not working.

Perhaps the same can be said about my writing.

2728. Football Day

Not a lot to say tonight. I’m worn out. When you leave the house at 9:30 and get home at 5:30 and haven’t actually gotten paid but worked your ass off for a lot of that time, you feel more tired. Happy tired, because it was football and two out of three boys put W on the board, but tired. The elite team ends the regular season 7-0 while the rookie rising stars go 5-2, with one loss coming to the 7-0 elite and the 2nd a fluke loss that came down to a single play. In honesty, we had two games come down to one play and went .500 in the clutch. Now we have a bye week and likely get to face the team we beat by 1 point in OT in the playoffs. Winner likely faces the elite in the championship.

What a moment as a dad that would be to have a son on each team in the championships. What a moment as a coach to have been an integral part of coaching each of the teams in the championship and get to lead one into battle? But first, we have a playoff game against a team that looked like it could beat us easy today. The Elite whipped them, sure, but we aren’t the elite and they look better than they did the last game. Historically, we play teams better the second go round, but allow more points.

That cannot happen here. So, we work this week and next. 6 practices before the moment of truth.

 

Some Thoughts:

  1. I’m applying for a writing job–one that really intrigues me. Do I have the time to make it happen? I better. The learning opportunity here is pretty epic.