What we write about when we write about blah blah blah
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| Omoi Zakka |
I may or may not be single-handedly supporting the US Postal Service. On average, I send out around three cards a week and have to buy new stamps every month. <Obviously with Saturday service potentially being cancelled, I’m not buying enough stamps. Must buy more Pixar stamps.> If you’ve ever received letters from me, you also know that even as an adult, I like to put stickers on the seal.
During the summers as a kid, I used to write book reports for my dad to read when he would get home from work. This evolved into my dad and me reading the same books - my book reports would peak his interest (or he would wonder what the hell I was talking about, I’m sure). Our first book together way way back when? The Hobbit, of course. We haven’t stopped reading together. Our latest was Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson.
Poems are written in colour. Every time a poem bubbles to the surface, it’s as if it has a filmy sheen of whatever colour that poem means for me at the moment. A more mild version of synesthesia? Maybe. My own poems also tend to bubble up more when emotions are bubbling up as well. When they’re tired of being suppressed and just want to be free. Because words need to be freed.
Half filled notebooks comprise a good portion of my bookshelf. And the script inside them is not a quarter as pretty as I’d like it to be. Two-thirds of the way through writing, by hand, it looks as though someone else has taken over. Is writing by hand like running a marathon? Do you have to train to stay consistent? Or does it mean I have to be more brief?
Obviously, writing is my coping mechanism - for melancholy, joy and the in-between times. It’s how I make sense of it all. For the majority of my life, writing has been kept to myself. So here you are, dear reader, inside my head. Is it as Willy Wonka-ish as you thought it would be?
Not at all willy-wonka-ish. I find writing is a great way to find solace, make sense, and let go of things - not to mention a great way to capture memories. And as for the written letter - oh what a rare joy!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little my mum used to encourage me to write letters to the people who had upset me, and then to throw them in the river if I didn't have the courage to send it. Since then I've found writing has become a very normal part of the way I deal with emotions, but I can't write creatively because I don't have the courage - so blogging really helps me to clear my head. I've always been in awe of people who could write poetry though, I see it as a special talent.
ReplyDeletejust willy-wonka-ish enough. I think we should all embrace whatever is going on in our heads instead of desperately trying to be like everyone else. there is too much editing going on everywhere else already.
ReplyDeleteps: can I have a postcard too?
:)
Nope, not willy wonka-ish at all. I love that you wrote book reports for your dad and for fun. How come I never thought of that? Also, I thought that changing handwriting the longer you write only happened to me. I still remember marveling at how neat my handwriting was in the beginning of that essay test in school and how mr. hyde-ish it was near the end. Ha.
ReplyDeleteps. I love that you still hand write and send cards and letters and such. I really miss doing that too.
my hand gets tired after writing, like, a sentence. its crazy. i wish i was sending out more cards, its always on my new years resolutions, haha!
ReplyDeleteI love that you wrote those reports for your dad! That's something I may have to steal and use on my kids, too. It seems like a great way to instill a love & appreciation for literature and a love of sharing that with others.
ReplyDeleteI think you sound perfectly normal..! :-)
ReplyDeletehttp://tinajoathome.com/
I'm not surprised you still hand-write letters and cards, considering your love of literature. How cute that you used to write book reports for your dad! The only thing I hand write these days are grocery lists, and reminders on post its. Though I'm working on baby books, so I should be getting those pens out soon.
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely! Love the story of the book reports...
ReplyDeleteAnd also love that it sounds like you do much writing by hand. I rarely do that anymore, but I think there is something more free about it somehow...
You introduced your dad to The Hobbit!!! That is wonderful and a great memory. Writing writing the reports for him was fun, right??? I talked with my dad more than my siblings, but I don't think that would have been a fun experience for us. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not doing my part for the USPS. But FedEx and UPS are a different story. I remember mailing a letter in the 6th grade, but only holiday and birthday cards since then.
Inside your head is a nice place. It's a great perk getting to know the real rooth through her freed words. It would be great to be set loose in your library, especially the sections in color.
"The pen illuminates the words..."
PS - you don't need to be more brief!!!
ReplyDeleteI think it's awesome that you and your dad still read together!!
ReplyDeleteI have a {free} iTunes book we can have a "book club" with! I didn't get one for your dad though. I like that you still write, I really want to but I'm terrible about even Christmas cards.
ReplyDeletei love this little stream of conscious post. and i love that you send so many letters every week! i
ReplyDeleteread books with fisher a lot. it started with him making me read books he liked such as 'harry potter' and 'percy jackson' and then as he got older it's evolved. i still read more of his recommendations than he of mine, but he has pretty good taste and now he's willing to read a book or two that i suggest. it totally keeps us bonded and we always have something to talk about. i think it also keeps us looking at each other as free-thinkers rather than just mom-son. as you may notice, i love it and i think it's one of the best things i have done as a parent. hopefully we will keep it up into his adulthood like you and your dad!
Writing is my favorite thing to do in the world. It's cute that you and your father read the same book. :)
ReplyDelete