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I will probably not finish this tonight, but I have to start or else I'll just keep putting it off. Don't worry: I'm not about to make any terrible announcements or anything. But my reluctance to start writing is exactly what I want to write about.
See, I remembered something yesterday that I never should have forgotten. You see I was thinking about the enneagram personality and my 9ishness again because, you know, I've been reading about it and all, and trying to figure out why my written personality is so much more ALIVE than my real life personality-- for all of you who don't know me in real life, it's true. When I write I have opinions and inflections and passions, but if you met me in real life-- well! Like the description of the 9 says. It's like I CAN'T MAKE MYSELF EXIST. Well anyway, I was thinking about that, that gap between the outer me and the inner me, and wondering how the writing me fits IN to this overall shape of me-ness, when it suddenly popped into my head:
I've got a real, vibrant personality inside that I just can't seem to let out. But it WANTS to be let out. My whole life the best way I've ever found to let it out is through writing. I write to express what I can't express in any other way.
I've always known this. But I've forgotten-- maybe I've been getting sicker, I don't know. That Evil Voice in my head, the Lone Power in Young Wizards terminology, the Devil in Judeo-Christian terminology, the Misdeveloped Superego in the Enneagram books, my Personal Gremlin in the book my therapist gave me, whatever it is, keeps telling me that I have nothing to say, that nobody cares what I have to say or needs to hear what I have to say, that I ought to do something better with my time (although I never do, anyway), that I am nobody and I shouldn't try. It's gotten harder and harder to tune that voice out. I'm -- the outside, not-particularly-healthy-9ish me-- so good at Not Doing Things. I could spend my whole life Not Doing Things, except that I'd just become increasingly depressed, which makes it harder to do things, and on and on. That Evil Voice has almost succeeded in silencing me, in taking away that last outlet of creative spirit. In snuffing out the Light. Almost. I've still got that Light under a bushel that I can't seem to figure out how to take off, but at least I know-- or at least, I'm PRETTY sure-- it's there.
First thing in the morning, I usually write in my journal, and usually this is a recap of the highlights of whatever I remember dreaming. Many, many times I have dreams that are Exceedingly Storylike, either in their sense of plot or maybe just in the fabulously creative concepts my subconscious comes up with when it's not being squelched by the Forces of Evil. I write them down, and part of me smiles and thinks, "See? You have ideas. Maybe you can turn that into a story." Forces of Evil glare at that optimistic part of me. Optimistic-but-wussy part of me adds, "...someday. Maybe you'll write it Someday."
But a couple days ago the story dream I had felt SO fully formed, like it was writing itself, and barely thinking about it I started to write. Two pages of a story beginning about-- well, it's hard to explain what it's about. But I wrote it, without being afraid, without hesitating, without overanalyzing, without having any REASON to other than that I felt it ought to be written down. I don't know if I'll ever do anything more with that. It happened to me once before in adulthood, a couple years ago-- that one got to three pages long-- of a fully realized story beginning, with characters I knew and concepts that fit together and FUNNY BITS. Never added any more, though.
And I wonder, what was different? Why could I so easily decide to write that, when any other time it's a Huge Dramatic Dilemma? What was different, in my head, and HOW DO I TURN IT ON AT WILL?
How do I find the confidence to let my voice out?
Do you know-- you should, I'm telling you now-- Jerry Nelson died last night? He was one of the original Muppeteers. I bring it up, a) because not enough people seem to understand the gravity of this news (honestly, I felt rather gutted this morning when I found out, even though he was quite old and worn. But he's been still doing his famous Announcer voice until very very recently, if not To The End!), but also b) because whenever I think about shedding this restrictive outer self I shut myself into all the time, to become Somebody Who Makes a Difference in the World, I think about the Muppets. Mostly I think about Jim Henson telling everyone in the Fraggle Rock planning meeting that he wanted his show to end war forever. That he wanted to leave the world a better place for his having been here. That's what I want to do. I sense, within me, that I have that kind of peace and love to offer.
And yet I can't convince this outer shell of me to let it out. I can't even get it to write blog entries most of the time! I'm so, so far in the hole and I'm not SURE where to start getting out.
But every so often it happens. So maybe I'm getting better? I just need to convince myself that I do have a unique voice that is needed. That I'm not nobody.
It's just REALLY, REALLY HARD.
See, I remembered something yesterday that I never should have forgotten. You see I was thinking about the enneagram personality and my 9ishness again because, you know, I've been reading about it and all, and trying to figure out why my written personality is so much more ALIVE than my real life personality-- for all of you who don't know me in real life, it's true. When I write I have opinions and inflections and passions, but if you met me in real life-- well! Like the description of the 9 says. It's like I CAN'T MAKE MYSELF EXIST. Well anyway, I was thinking about that, that gap between the outer me and the inner me, and wondering how the writing me fits IN to this overall shape of me-ness, when it suddenly popped into my head:
I've got a real, vibrant personality inside that I just can't seem to let out. But it WANTS to be let out. My whole life the best way I've ever found to let it out is through writing. I write to express what I can't express in any other way.
I've always known this. But I've forgotten-- maybe I've been getting sicker, I don't know. That Evil Voice in my head, the Lone Power in Young Wizards terminology, the Devil in Judeo-Christian terminology, the Misdeveloped Superego in the Enneagram books, my Personal Gremlin in the book my therapist gave me, whatever it is, keeps telling me that I have nothing to say, that nobody cares what I have to say or needs to hear what I have to say, that I ought to do something better with my time (although I never do, anyway), that I am nobody and I shouldn't try. It's gotten harder and harder to tune that voice out. I'm -- the outside, not-particularly-healthy-9ish me-- so good at Not Doing Things. I could spend my whole life Not Doing Things, except that I'd just become increasingly depressed, which makes it harder to do things, and on and on. That Evil Voice has almost succeeded in silencing me, in taking away that last outlet of creative spirit. In snuffing out the Light. Almost. I've still got that Light under a bushel that I can't seem to figure out how to take off, but at least I know-- or at least, I'm PRETTY sure-- it's there.
First thing in the morning, I usually write in my journal, and usually this is a recap of the highlights of whatever I remember dreaming. Many, many times I have dreams that are Exceedingly Storylike, either in their sense of plot or maybe just in the fabulously creative concepts my subconscious comes up with when it's not being squelched by the Forces of Evil. I write them down, and part of me smiles and thinks, "See? You have ideas. Maybe you can turn that into a story." Forces of Evil glare at that optimistic part of me. Optimistic-but-wussy part of me adds, "...someday. Maybe you'll write it Someday."
But a couple days ago the story dream I had felt SO fully formed, like it was writing itself, and barely thinking about it I started to write. Two pages of a story beginning about-- well, it's hard to explain what it's about. But I wrote it, without being afraid, without hesitating, without overanalyzing, without having any REASON to other than that I felt it ought to be written down. I don't know if I'll ever do anything more with that. It happened to me once before in adulthood, a couple years ago-- that one got to three pages long-- of a fully realized story beginning, with characters I knew and concepts that fit together and FUNNY BITS. Never added any more, though.
And I wonder, what was different? Why could I so easily decide to write that, when any other time it's a Huge Dramatic Dilemma? What was different, in my head, and HOW DO I TURN IT ON AT WILL?
How do I find the confidence to let my voice out?
Do you know-- you should, I'm telling you now-- Jerry Nelson died last night? He was one of the original Muppeteers. I bring it up, a) because not enough people seem to understand the gravity of this news (honestly, I felt rather gutted this morning when I found out, even though he was quite old and worn. But he's been still doing his famous Announcer voice until very very recently, if not To The End!), but also b) because whenever I think about shedding this restrictive outer self I shut myself into all the time, to become Somebody Who Makes a Difference in the World, I think about the Muppets. Mostly I think about Jim Henson telling everyone in the Fraggle Rock planning meeting that he wanted his show to end war forever. That he wanted to leave the world a better place for his having been here. That's what I want to do. I sense, within me, that I have that kind of peace and love to offer.
And yet I can't convince this outer shell of me to let it out. I can't even get it to write blog entries most of the time! I'm so, so far in the hole and I'm not SURE where to start getting out.
But every so often it happens. So maybe I'm getting better? I just need to convince myself that I do have a unique voice that is needed. That I'm not nobody.
It's just REALLY, REALLY HARD.
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no subject
Date: 2012-08-25 03:37 am (UTC)From: (Anonymous)You could write stories for your kids. Or even just make up stories with them at night at bedtime. Or in the daytime, but I can't imagine your kids sitting still for long unless they are sleepy! :)
Also, completely un-related...are you going to be able to come to Jack's birthday party on Sept. 8?
Whoops!
Date: 2012-08-25 03:38 am (UTC)From: (Anonymous)Re: Whoops!
Date: 2012-08-25 03:22 pm (UTC)From:Speaking of which-- dreaming-- I DIDN'T write even my dreams in my journal this morning because I SLEPT IN, and then the kids demanded my presence. That's usually my trouble with my morning writing-- even when I DON'T sleep in, sometimes I GET INTERRUPTED. But I'd probably be able to write much more if I could actually WAKE UP on time...
And I DO have a binder exactly like that! It's lovely. Sometimes I use it. :) Actually, lately I've been using it mostly for Lycoris letters, but basically all my non-journaling is in there. It taunts me.
I'm reminded of this
Date: 2012-08-25 12:16 pm (UTC)From:You e-mail really touched me, by the way. Sometimes I forget I'm not the ONLY person in the world who struggles a lot with self esteem."
Re: I'm reminded of this
Date: 2012-08-25 03:25 pm (UTC)From:Re: I'm reminded of this
Date: 2012-08-26 12:11 pm (UTC)From:Also, started watching Community yesterday. Pretty darn cool.
Re: I'm reminded of this
Date: 2012-08-26 06:40 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2012-08-25 12:19 pm (UTC)From:I think sometimes we can overwhelm our actions by attaching to them Lofty Goals or Great Desires (though this was clearly not the case with Henson; I had never heard that about Fraggle Rock and it makes my heart feel kind of bursting). So, instead of making myself feel so small by thinking about things I want to Accomplish and my Mark On The World, I try, instead, to emphasize the very small, the very personal: that, when I go into the studio and make marks on a page or canvas, I am making myself more whole, happier, healthier. I figure I can't get to any of the Big Picture stuff until I am that more whole, happier, healthier person.
Also, all the talk of the nasty gremlin voices in your head leads me to ask, has anyone ever pointed you to Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way or The Work of Byron Katie?
no subject
Date: 2012-08-25 03:31 pm (UTC)From:I remember a thing Jane Austen said about her books-- that sure, she wrote about what (for her) were common everyday things instead of wars and political movements and otherwise grand things, but she saw it as "painting on a bit of ivory," small but perfect at being what it was. And those small but perfect bits ended up being pretty influential after all!
The book Jim Henson: The Works by Christopher Finch is SUCH an amazing, inspirational read-- I recommend it highly! The story about Fraggle Rock is in there, as well as just so much other wonderfulness.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-25 12:33 pm (UTC)From:When I think about adding Beauty to Life, I panic, because that requires something Grand and Noble. But beauty to life ... smiling at the cashier at the grocery store, chatting with the librarian at the desk about my eclectic book choices, sending an encouraging word to a friend even through FB or Twitter ... that I can do. And usually, after a while, those little steps help make me feel more confident to tackle the capitalized Beauty again.
no subject
Date: 2012-08-25 03:33 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2012-08-25 01:48 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2012-08-25 03:34 pm (UTC)From:HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Date: 2012-08-26 11:39 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2012-08-29 02:06 am (UTC)From:I hope this mood passes for you! Maybe you could come to kidlitcon? there is nothing like making a person feel more alive than being surronded by bloggers all talking furiously about books and blogging!
no subject
Date: 2012-08-29 05:30 pm (UTC)From:I know I was SUPPOSED to have read Annie Dillard in library school (it wasn't Pilgrim, it was --An American Childhood? Anyway it was a memoir of growing up in Pittsburgh because it was a Pittsburgh history and culture class), but I can't actually remember it now, so I don't remember if I actually read it, browsed it, or skipped it entirely (there was a very long reading list for that class).