| Go To The Mattresses |
| Wednesday, 08 April 2009 |
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Usually when I start a blog entry it’s because I’m inspired to share an experience, criticism, or dream. Okay, not so many dreams. This time I felt compelled to show up and write without direction – without a point. At this juncture you may wonder if I’m perched on a dawning epiphany and resulting truism. Yeah, I got nothin’. What do I do when I have nothing to say? (I assure you I have no intention of sitting quietly.) When all else fails – go to the mattresses! War begins in my writing journal. My red leather book is soft-sided with snap-in refills. These pages are less about journaling and more about coloring, clipping, and configuring. Organized only in so far as nothing sticks out (maybe a little) when the cover is snapped closed. The front line of my epic battle is drawn on the first random page I select. Here’s what I got today: scandal, 2 daughters, deceit, country tacos, beans rice – get cheese – salsa? pick up prescription (pause – skip three lines) conspiracy & cover up 2 daughters or just 1? name of new Chinese restaurant w/ directions 2 new twitter leads Okay so, not helpful in any kind of obvious way... There’s more: tucked, stuffed & glued around these notations are all sorts of visual cues. Every month I scurry (and I do not enjoy scurrying) to a nearby bookstore. My target: new art magazines. It’s not what I see in the pictures, it’s what I hear – the stories within the pictures. I bring these illuminations home to tear, highlight & paste whatever speaks to me into my red journal. I cut up ads, postcards, and photos for my journal. I use crayons and markers to help me find my way. Mostly it’s a lot of something about nothing much. Even though I’ve got nothin’ right now, I trust the process. I know that scrawled or pasted somewhere in that book is my next play. “Our girl” (as my friend, Bryn, likes to say) is waiting for her turn to tell the story. I wait. I listen. I take notes. I put my butt in the chair, spin in circles, and play really loud music. I have no epiphany, but one thing will always be true: sometimes the most productive thing I can do is to go to the mattresses…and take a nap. |
