I'm Running Away and I'm Taking My Narrative With Me
Today I want to talk about escapism. I don't know about you, but I started writing because...well, frankly, I hated my life. (Sorry, Mom!) I started escaping through words when I started reading-- the Chronicles of Narnia, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, The Princess and the Goblin... where other people remember their childhood friends, I remember fictional characters. I started writing when I couldn't read-- all day long in school, when I was supposed to be learning fractions, reading Betsy Byars would have been frowned upon, so I would just stare out the window and imagine places I'd rather be, and then I'd go home and write about that. (Hint: it usually involved at least one of the following: fairies, unicorns, enchanted fountains, and flowing hair/dresses.)
I think that's pretty typical for a kid. And an adult. At least, I hope it is. Because that's what I'm still doing with my writing. As soon as life starts getting really crappy, that's when the ideas start coming in. Because I'd rather throw myself into an entirely different world, even one that doesn't technically "exist" and in which I don't even "exist," than handle the real one. I've always considered this a positive trait. After all, no matter where I am-- dentist's office getting my teeth drilled, in a Statistics midterm, wracked with a flu bug or in the middle of a fight--I can just take myself out of it and go somewhere else. It's like Wesley in The Princess Bride: when he's getting tortured, he just goes off in his mind to be with Buttercup. Although technically, I suppose Buttercup really is a real person (in that world) so Wesley's still slightly more grounded than I am.
Some people might say I should stop escaping into stuff I make up and try to handle my actual life. To these people I say: Piffle. I reject your reality and substitute my own.
But I guess the teensy weensy little down-side of this awesome escapist skill I have is that sometimes, the stuff I write is a wee bit on the sunshine-and-roses side. I mean, why would I choose to escape to a reality that's actually worse than my life? So, yeah, I end up a bit predictable. The endings are always happy. The girl gets the guy. Everything really horrible turns out to either be a giant misunderstanding, or it works out for the best. I don't generally go in for tragedy or cruel irony, because I figure if I wanted suckishness, I'd stand up from the key board and... you know. Face life.
Anyway, these were some disjointed ramblings... you're welcome. For the umpteenth time I'm vowing to get back on a regular schedule... I'm thinking Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays (Mondays suck). I will be returning to the whole advice-giving thing, so no more of this pointlessness hopefully. (Although I do so love to talk about myself!) Oh! And some general announcements:
1. I am working on getting a Paypal gadget added to the blog so that you can donate to help support the blog. Yes! I know! Just what you've all been hoping for! Still, it's free to add and I figure, hey. Maybe some drunk Norwegian guy will stumble on here and donate because he thinks he's buying porn (sexy sexy WORD porn!) But first I have to clear up some issue Paypal has... they want me to do some nonsense like fax them my social security card and birth certificate and some blood cells and a urine sample and psychological clearance. I *may* be exaggerating.
2. Hopefully sometime next week, we will be saying GOODBYE to the cutesy pink layout! Yes! It's very exciting. I'm working on... sucking at the internet less. No, really, I've got a much cooler template in the works.
3. I'm working on putting together a little mini- eBook of some stories I had to do for school (where they wanted me to prove that I'm, like... I don't know, competent or something) and that will be available to download for anybody who wants it, as soon as I get that crap together. It's gonna have, like, pictures and crap. It's gonna be so crapping awesome you'll all want to donate a kajillion dollars to this blog and I won't have to pay for school next year.
4. Oh, yeah, on a personal announcement level... I'm graduating this year (yay!) but coming back next year (boo) to get a teaching credential. Yeah, yeah, I know I have like three posts up about how WILD TENTACLED SNOT BEASTS WILL DRAG ME TO A FLAMING GRAVE before I'll be a teacher. What can I say? That was, like, a month ago. I was young and foolish.
A hundred and four loveules of thanks for reading!
(Oh yeah, important announcement #5: loveules are units of love. 1 loveule is the amount of love you feel when looking at this picture:)
See you on Friday!
I think that's pretty typical for a kid. And an adult. At least, I hope it is. Because that's what I'm still doing with my writing. As soon as life starts getting really crappy, that's when the ideas start coming in. Because I'd rather throw myself into an entirely different world, even one that doesn't technically "exist" and in which I don't even "exist," than handle the real one. I've always considered this a positive trait. After all, no matter where I am-- dentist's office getting my teeth drilled, in a Statistics midterm, wracked with a flu bug or in the middle of a fight--I can just take myself out of it and go somewhere else. It's like Wesley in The Princess Bride: when he's getting tortured, he just goes off in his mind to be with Buttercup. Although technically, I suppose Buttercup really is a real person (in that world) so Wesley's still slightly more grounded than I am.
Some people might say I should stop escaping into stuff I make up and try to handle my actual life. To these people I say: Piffle. I reject your reality and substitute my own.
But I guess the teensy weensy little down-side of this awesome escapist skill I have is that sometimes, the stuff I write is a wee bit on the sunshine-and-roses side. I mean, why would I choose to escape to a reality that's actually worse than my life? So, yeah, I end up a bit predictable. The endings are always happy. The girl gets the guy. Everything really horrible turns out to either be a giant misunderstanding, or it works out for the best. I don't generally go in for tragedy or cruel irony, because I figure if I wanted suckishness, I'd stand up from the key board and... you know. Face life.
Anyway, these were some disjointed ramblings... you're welcome. For the umpteenth time I'm vowing to get back on a regular schedule... I'm thinking Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays (Mondays suck). I will be returning to the whole advice-giving thing, so no more of this pointlessness hopefully. (Although I do so love to talk about myself!) Oh! And some general announcements:
1. I am working on getting a Paypal gadget added to the blog so that you can donate to help support the blog. Yes! I know! Just what you've all been hoping for! Still, it's free to add and I figure, hey. Maybe some drunk Norwegian guy will stumble on here and donate because he thinks he's buying porn (sexy sexy WORD porn!) But first I have to clear up some issue Paypal has... they want me to do some nonsense like fax them my social security card and birth certificate and some blood cells and a urine sample and psychological clearance. I *may* be exaggerating.
2. Hopefully sometime next week, we will be saying GOODBYE to the cutesy pink layout! Yes! It's very exciting. I'm working on... sucking at the internet less. No, really, I've got a much cooler template in the works.
3. I'm working on putting together a little mini- eBook of some stories I had to do for school (where they wanted me to prove that I'm, like... I don't know, competent or something) and that will be available to download for anybody who wants it, as soon as I get that crap together. It's gonna have, like, pictures and crap. It's gonna be so crapping awesome you'll all want to donate a kajillion dollars to this blog and I won't have to pay for school next year.
4. Oh, yeah, on a personal announcement level... I'm graduating this year (yay!) but coming back next year (boo) to get a teaching credential. Yeah, yeah, I know I have like three posts up about how WILD TENTACLED SNOT BEASTS WILL DRAG ME TO A FLAMING GRAVE before I'll be a teacher. What can I say? That was, like, a month ago. I was young and foolish.
A hundred and four loveules of thanks for reading!
(Oh yeah, important announcement #5: loveules are units of love. 1 loveule is the amount of love you feel when looking at this picture:)
See you on Friday!
1. I'd love to donate, but I leave finances in the hands of your mom, and don't have my own pay pal (which is probably a good thing)
ReplyDelete4. Lol. (and you know I only acronymize that phrase when I actually and literally, laugh out loud)
5. loveules backatcha and ... from earlier... since you write so charmingly about life's vicissitudes feeding your muse, lemme know if you can use some more :-)