A Novel Idea
For years I have heard from various writing teachers that "It doesn't matter what you write, as long as you're writing something every day." And, like anything repeatedly beaten into your head, I have worn down enough to believe it to be correct (think McDonalds' "bah-dah-bah-bah bahhh... I'm lovin' it" really makes anyone think of food? It does after wave upon wave of intense marketing crashing on our brains). But, recently, I've been barraged with the thought that I should write a novel. Basically I've let Stephen King's "On Writing" permeate my mind and seep it's poison (good and bad) into my subconscious. It's gotten to the point where I had to wake up to write something down last night (that's when I know things are bad... when my writing wakes me up). I suppose the problem I have is that I've never been motivated to undertake such a monumental task before. I talk about writing screenplays and full-length plays... but so far it's just been that: talk. I can't motivate myself to actually start anything that huge. When I think about it, I get overwhelmed and I feel like I'm being crushed under the weight of in my own ambition--drowning in a sea of my inertia. I also haven't written because I don't want to waste my time on something not relevant. Fortunately (or unfortunately), something--relevant or not--is set to burst the dyke in my mind, and she's not going to like it (Zing!).
I finally broke down and sent my building's management company, Planned Property, an email this morning. They're supposed to know from me whether or not I plan on staying in my current apartment. I told them that I'm not planning on staying here... so as of September 30th I'll be moving out, whether I have a place to go or not. I'd like to say that I'm not scared. I'd like to.
Speaking of scary things, there was a Helicopter Crash on 294 this morning. An IDOT (Illinois Department of Transportation) helicopter crashed on 294 near 83rd street this morning, smashing itself into the 'sound wall' which is in between the interstate and people's houses. They say that it looked like the helicopter was trying to land on the other side of the wall (the people's houses side), where it could have crashed on someone's house or in someone's backyard. How is that not scary? That's quite scary. No one died though... the injuries are not life-threatening. Perhaps one of the scariest thing about this whole thing, however, is that the pilot decided to crash in a neighborhood rather than on the interstate. I don't know what this says about human nature. Were they trying to save lives by not crashing on the interstate, but more than likely landing on or killing families and/or children (they showed pictures of the crash site... and kids were playing outside on the other side of that wall)? I don't know. I suppose the best possible scenario happened... with the chopper hitting the wall, avoiding the traffic and the houses. AND no one died. Incredible. They'll have the best meals of their lives tonight... being quite happy to be alive. Maybe that's the way I should eat my lunch... but I don't think that'll actually happen.