As I wake up in the morning I’m thinking about the day ahead. I have never liked getting up early in the morning. I have learned to get up over the years, but in truth I have always been a night owl.
I was thinking about inspiration this morning as I woke up. There is a school of thought that artist are just supposed to be relaxed and never force working but let the inspiration come to you and only when that happens, and you may need all day and drinks and watching TV and not be bothered with rent or other bills. All of this is supposed to make you a better artist, a purist.
That’s a great utopia to dream of, but a working artist will tell you the opposite. You have to find inspiration and hunt it down. You have to be able to get work done in order to be paid; you will have to treat it as a small business.
For me, Thursdays seem to be good for my writing. That does not mean that if I have a free minute I can take up a pen and paper or work on my laptop and I will have something to write about. So I keep going back to work, since am not going to get inspired doing nothing. You still have to prove to editors and others that you can crank out the work. There is no two ways about it. While day dreaming is part of it, it can’t be all of it.
I have many projects that I want to finish and to do that I have to work at it. I don’t want to be the person that just talks about my writing, but does my writing. The other day I stopped and thought about how long I have been working on things. My manuscript was finished, the first draft in 2003. Now I am sending it out to editors and magazines. You have to think that other writers find things to send in, or staff workers they can’t just sit and look at the walls.
Anything that is worth doing takes effort. That’s why it’s called work, and after it’s done and you get to see the good results from it, it is worth the effort. That is the true wake up call. You have to work it’s not always fun, but necessary. I know I am not a quitter and I feel like I am really awake.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Kook
Yes, it’s true I am not an expert and I may as well admit I fall under this category. I don’t let it get me down. I keep trying and working hard and I am getting a bit better. During the summer months it can be said that all the kook’s seem to come out of the woodwork.
As it is I try to go out all year ‘round. In fact after having the beach almost to myself during the winter it is sometimes hard to share the ‘pool’ with a few more heads. I had not anticipated those types of feelings but they do come up every now and then. Of course it helps to go out early and beat the crowd.
Then again all the really good surfers are out and I don’t want to get in their way. I will sometimes just swim if that is the case and when they are done and the waves a bit smaller I go out. Why did I get there so early? Parking, good parking, that’s it.
One thing I do understand is good manners in the water. Others how ever do not. I have been with kooks that get in everyone’s way and never seem to notice that the other surfer has to bail so they don’t hit them. Others seem to forget to close their legs while on the board and everyone has to see right up....well you know. It’s not pretty by the way.
Why do I bring this up? Its summer that’s why and they are all out there. People you will never see come September or October. Please remember to look out for others around you; it’s not just the jetty you have to keep your eye on.
If someone calls you a Kook, it won’t be me. If they do, please get out of the way, and try to do better next summer. :-)
As it is I try to go out all year ‘round. In fact after having the beach almost to myself during the winter it is sometimes hard to share the ‘pool’ with a few more heads. I had not anticipated those types of feelings but they do come up every now and then. Of course it helps to go out early and beat the crowd.
Then again all the really good surfers are out and I don’t want to get in their way. I will sometimes just swim if that is the case and when they are done and the waves a bit smaller I go out. Why did I get there so early? Parking, good parking, that’s it.
One thing I do understand is good manners in the water. Others how ever do not. I have been with kooks that get in everyone’s way and never seem to notice that the other surfer has to bail so they don’t hit them. Others seem to forget to close their legs while on the board and everyone has to see right up....well you know. It’s not pretty by the way.
Why do I bring this up? Its summer that’s why and they are all out there. People you will never see come September or October. Please remember to look out for others around you; it’s not just the jetty you have to keep your eye on.
If someone calls you a Kook, it won’t be me. If they do, please get out of the way, and try to do better next summer. :-)
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Talk
From time to time, I go to different spots to surf. By and large I go to the same spot. I have been for quite a while. In all this time I have barley been acknowledged by the guys that frequent the same area. Some of them live in the neighborhood, and I can understand their disdain for the kooks that invade their back yard every summer.
It does get to be a pain, what will the tourist and what not. The last time I went to the beach on July 4th, it took over an hour to get parking and the beach was packed and it wasn’t much fun. After that, I have stayed away from the beach on that day. I get to do all the other times of the year, one day does not hurt. For those that live there it must be horrid. Parking there normally is difficult, add to that the crowds and it’s no wonder they seem distant.
Having said all that, I have to add that I have not been talked to the whole time I have been going down to a certain beach. Imagine my surprise when this weekend the surfers started talking to me. They said hi, and asking if I was going back out in the water. Another even pushed the crosswalk button for me when I was taking my board back to the car. That was so nice.
I was so excited that they finally noticed. I didn’t think they ever would. This whole time I have been feeling a bit invisible. A few months back I had figured they just would never talk to me and I had come to terms with it. Sunday’s are my time alone as it is and I have been fine with it.
There is no need for them to talk to me, so it is really nice that they have taken the time to say hello, at least.
It does get to be a pain, what will the tourist and what not. The last time I went to the beach on July 4th, it took over an hour to get parking and the beach was packed and it wasn’t much fun. After that, I have stayed away from the beach on that day. I get to do all the other times of the year, one day does not hurt. For those that live there it must be horrid. Parking there normally is difficult, add to that the crowds and it’s no wonder they seem distant.
Having said all that, I have to add that I have not been talked to the whole time I have been going down to a certain beach. Imagine my surprise when this weekend the surfers started talking to me. They said hi, and asking if I was going back out in the water. Another even pushed the crosswalk button for me when I was taking my board back to the car. That was so nice.
I was so excited that they finally noticed. I didn’t think they ever would. This whole time I have been feeling a bit invisible. A few months back I had figured they just would never talk to me and I had come to terms with it. Sunday’s are my time alone as it is and I have been fine with it.
There is no need for them to talk to me, so it is really nice that they have taken the time to say hello, at least.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Summertime
Yup, it is officially summertime. Why do I say that? It’s not just the date telling me that, or the heat or the need to take a shower twice a day.
It’s the fact that on Sunday I took my board out and every 15 minutes there was a half way decent wave and seven surfers trying to get on it. Not that I am complaining, it was just funny to see.
The good things: getting out of the house, getting up early to beat the families that will flood the beach after 11 am. There were no screaming kids at 7 am. I was able to see more dolphins and the water wasn’t that cold. It was great to get a good parking space, with time still left on it!
I talked with the older surfer guys on my way in. I had looked up the conditions on Surf line before heading out. It was small, great for me, so I knew what to expect. The older guys were disappointed in the waves. It must be said that they had short boards and I a long board. It was better for me than for them. Of course they still in great shape for men their age, so there is always that.
I left them and went into the water. This is never a bad time. I was still smiling to myself, on my street as I was loading up my board the young guy across the street and his friends where still coming in from the night before, classic.
After being in the water for a while I dried off and listen to music and read a book. Sure it was just a few hours all the more to savor it. Since it’s only three months, I hope you go out and enjoy it a bit, summertime, nothing like it.
It’s the fact that on Sunday I took my board out and every 15 minutes there was a half way decent wave and seven surfers trying to get on it. Not that I am complaining, it was just funny to see.
The good things: getting out of the house, getting up early to beat the families that will flood the beach after 11 am. There were no screaming kids at 7 am. I was able to see more dolphins and the water wasn’t that cold. It was great to get a good parking space, with time still left on it!
I talked with the older surfer guys on my way in. I had looked up the conditions on Surf line before heading out. It was small, great for me, so I knew what to expect. The older guys were disappointed in the waves. It must be said that they had short boards and I a long board. It was better for me than for them. Of course they still in great shape for men their age, so there is always that.
I left them and went into the water. This is never a bad time. I was still smiling to myself, on my street as I was loading up my board the young guy across the street and his friends where still coming in from the night before, classic.
After being in the water for a while I dried off and listen to music and read a book. Sure it was just a few hours all the more to savor it. Since it’s only three months, I hope you go out and enjoy it a bit, summertime, nothing like it.
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