Monday
Apr192010
Our Last Night Together as Frogs
Monday, April 19, 2010 at 06:00AM
I just watched THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG, which I was totally charmed by--especially how, as a 25 year old weaned on the Disney Princess stories, it definitely progressed from them and moved forward, acknowledging the importance of hard work and the balance of work/love.
But it's not what I want to talk about, just why I titled the post that. Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about sustainability. I mean, yes, I care about the environment, recycle my bottles, turn off the water, blah blah blah, but I'm really concerned with sustainability in our everyday lives. I just started this new job where I'm working overnights, and my first thought when I took the job was: "This job sounds amazing. But how long can I work overnights without going crazy?"
And then it kind of resonated with me. It's something that I've been thinking about in my writing, too: how long can I keep up this pace? This drive? Would getting published change anything about that? This is more of a serious question than aimless conjecture, because other than a few excursions in writing something just to be writing, I really haven't started anything solid since I wrapped Scarlet four months ago. Four months without a serious project for me is like four months without a meal for me. And I like me some food.
I'm of two minds about it. For the first time in my life, I really trust my own creativity enough to know it will come when it wants to come, and when it does, there's not a hell of a lot I can do to stop it. But at the same time, it makes me wonder. How long will the off switch last? How often will this happen in the future? What would I ever do with myself if I were to stop writing?
And is this a sign that I should somehow be trying harder? Working harder? I don't know. I just can't risk--or face--the idea of my writing being nonsustaining.
And what about jobs? I guess the question with both things is when you face something that's faltering or not sustaining, do you let it run its natural course or do you fight like hell?
But it's not what I want to talk about, just why I titled the post that. Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about sustainability. I mean, yes, I care about the environment, recycle my bottles, turn off the water, blah blah blah, but I'm really concerned with sustainability in our everyday lives. I just started this new job where I'm working overnights, and my first thought when I took the job was: "This job sounds amazing. But how long can I work overnights without going crazy?"
And then it kind of resonated with me. It's something that I've been thinking about in my writing, too: how long can I keep up this pace? This drive? Would getting published change anything about that? This is more of a serious question than aimless conjecture, because other than a few excursions in writing something just to be writing, I really haven't started anything solid since I wrapped Scarlet four months ago. Four months without a serious project for me is like four months without a meal for me. And I like me some food.
I'm of two minds about it. For the first time in my life, I really trust my own creativity enough to know it will come when it wants to come, and when it does, there's not a hell of a lot I can do to stop it. But at the same time, it makes me wonder. How long will the off switch last? How often will this happen in the future? What would I ever do with myself if I were to stop writing?
And is this a sign that I should somehow be trying harder? Working harder? I don't know. I just can't risk--or face--the idea of my writing being nonsustaining.
And what about jobs? I guess the question with both things is when you face something that's faltering or not sustaining, do you let it run its natural course or do you fight like hell?
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