Another Free Write

Seems to be another one of those unbloggerly days. Er, weeks...month? I usually have so much to write about--what's up now?

Part of it's the holidays. I've been trying to avoid that discussion, but it's the one that keeps trying to pop up. Facebook actually looks tamer this year than it has in the past (or maybe it's just me). I haven't noticed as many anti-Christmas posts.

Then, I've also been busy. Was sick one weekend, visited home another weekend. Recovering from nanowrimo. Trying to get back into working on my story. Have I really been that busy though? I suppose part of it is simply that I've gotten out of the habit. After a month without blogging, you start to just forget about it.

So, where to from here? For the most part, for once, I actually feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. As I watch my first novel take shape, I feel like I am fulfilling part of what I was made for. There are a few other things too that I've finally been able to do, that before I would only dream about. It's strange--when I see what I must do but don't do it, I feel an urge to talk about it and it makes me feel better. But when I do it, the need to talk goes away. It's almost like talking about doing good becomes an empty replacement for actually doing good. I hope I make sense.

Speaking of which, one area where I still feel I lack is in Sabbath. Having a job that requires me to work on Sabbath doesn't help--but still, I feel I could do more to honor the Sabbath day as holy. To find delight in the Sabbath. It almost feels like those days when we were first starting to keep the Sabbath. Remember those days? When it was work not to work? We're so used to constantly going, it's hard to slow down. It's so hard to slow down.

How can we learn to slow down?

Free Writing Life

If you read my post "What to write about?" then you've encountered a bit of my free writing. What is free writing? It is sitting down and writing whatever comes to mind without any inhibitions, editing, etc. Just freely writing. Now, technically speaking, "What to write about?" wasn't true free writing as I did have the thought filter engaged and did some minimal editing. But, it was a form of free writing as I had no particular goal or direction--just wrote what was on my mind.

Free writing is a great way to find inspiration. You never know what you'll find buried in your head until you get it out on paper. Usually I don't publish my free writing. This last time was an exception because what came out actually looked publishable (this doesn't happen often). Usually free writing just helps you get your thoughts organized and find a focus for your writing (the next post "The Big Conversation" was a result of the previous free writing).

Now when you combine free writing with the big conversation, the question that arises is Can you free write life? At least that is the question that occurred to me.

Obviously, there are times for planning and acting in an organized manner (free writing a wedding would be a bad idea). But there has to be a balance. Organized writing has more of a tendency to clog the imaginative flow. Free writing is where we get our inspiration and growth. Taking chances, making mistakes--being embarrassingly honest. Usually we don't share this part of our life with anyone but those closest to us. But this is where the seeds that will eventually grow into more presentable, more organized final drafts come from.

Every page has two sides. On one side are the scribbles and sketches that come from a candid outflow of imagination. On the other side are the refined strokes of your story inscribed for the world to see.

What to write about? (or A glimpse of my free-writing)

I've been rather delinquent on blogging lately. It's not that my imagination hasn't been working--it's more of I have been focusing my writing efforts in other areas (such as my novel). Plus a pinch of laziness. But still, when I try to write something up for this blog my mind goes blank.

A lot of people just write about whatever is going on in their lives. Well, it's summer. And I'm blogging and brainstorming and weeding in the garden. If you want to read more about weeding in the garden, head over to www.emidrash.net and check out the latest newsletter. As for the brainstorming, that's classified information.

Others like to go all philosophical. I've done that a few times--probably scared a few people. Most of the stuff going through my mind at the moment though is either undeveloped or overdone. There's only so much you can write on the meaning of life.

Then there's poetry. Most of my poetry falls into the last category though, so that doesn't work.

So, I just don't know what to write about. Seems like I've got nothing to say. Which is kinda sad, cause in my view life is just one big conversation. That would make this one of those awkward silences. Unless, of course, you have something to say. I hear that we are supposed to listen twice as much as we talk (two ears, one mouth)...



...you know, maybe I could write about the big conversation. Maybe....