Lil Moore

[rowyn]

I am hardly writing.

When I write that, I remember writing last year about how it seemed like I was "hardly writing" A Rational Arrangement. And yet I did finish the draft. In less than a year. A little bit at a time. It doesn't have to be a lot. I just have to keep moving.

*

I titled this entry after one of my demons. Lil Moore, for "just a little more". The one who tells me to keep going just a little longer: a little more drawing, a little more writing, a little more exercise. A little more, and then you can rest.

I like her better than her counterpart. Ennie, for "Never Enough". But they are only different expressions of the same concept.

*

I have been coloring in one of haikujaguar's coloring books --
Not In Need of Quests -- the last few days. It is a meditative process. I remember doing this as a kid for fun. And now I am doing it again, for fun, but with a little more skill than five year-old me. Micah tweeted about how real media sometimes doesn't seem worth it, when digital is easier and people like it better. I like my markers because I can't fix all my mistakes. Because eventually there's color on everything and there's nothing else I can do, and I have to say: it's done.

Sometimes it's good to surrender.

*

I am working the day after Thanksgiving, just as I have worked every Friday after Thanksgiving since 1997. But in my department we can work late the rest of the week in order to leave early every third Friday, and this week is my turn. So I worked late all this week, and I'll only work a half day today. That's almost the same as four-day weekend, right?

*

I have been working at the same bank (for a given value of 'same' that includes two purchases by other banks) for 17 years now. Who does that any more?

I do.

*

In a week and a half, I am going to Europe with a friend of mine, telnar. He travels so much that this is pretty routine for him. I have never been to Europe before. We're spending a day in London, and several in Venice, then I'm going home by way of Toronto. I'll spend a few days there visiting koogrr. I leave on the 5th and get back on the 17th.

I am vaguely terrified, not so much by the travel as by the idea of being away from my routine for 12 days. All my normal things! I won't be able to do them! How will I know I'm still me?

*

I condensed those last two paragraphs into two tweets earlier this week. I am not good at tweeting, but I try now and again anyway. The character limit perplexes me. All of the sections in this post are short, and yet somehow they don't make good tweets.

*

One of my local friends called yesterday to wish me a happy Thanksgiving. When I called him back, he asked what I'd been up to. "Writing," I said, and hesitated. There is nothing interesting to share about the process of writing; it is not an adventure or a funny story, generally speaking. Then I elaborated anyway, spending twenty minutes telling him about the process and my doubts and difficulties and decisions, while he listened patiently.

There is nothing interesting to share about it, but I am desperate to share it anyway.

Most of my life is internal.

But I am going to Europe for a week in December. That'll make a good story, right?

Comments

[alltoseek.livejournal.com]

"Hardly writing" is more than me, which is "not writing" :-)

A friend wrote how she'd written only 5 lines that day, and I gave her three cheers for 5 lines! Woot! \o/

Any writing is good *nods*

Lil Moore and Ennie - these do not sound like the underachieving demons we grew up with - what happened to Genie (Good Enough) and Sewie (So what)?

Coloring is fun! :D Quilting is sort of like coloring, and you get a blanket at the end :-)

I will maintain that hand art and hand craft are infinitely better than digital any day - for doing and for having and for looking at; and digitizing is for when Real World is not available (large distribution, long distance, materials not available, etc.)

At my workplace anything under 15 years makes you a newbie. Tho I have to admit that this organization an exception to the rule; and also that the old guard is turning over, so maybe it's now more like 5-10 years. I've been there 14.

Europe sounds AWESOME!!! SO EXCITING!!! I loved Europe :D

I thought I'd give twitter a try too, but... ugh. Don't really need it.

Most of us live pretty internal boring lives. That's OK. And really good friends want to hear about your internal life - hearing about the writing process can be fascinating. I've read some "DVD commentaries" on fics that were a whole lot of fun to read :-)

[rowyn]

With Nanowrimo going on, I have to keep reminding myself that 20,000 words is actually a good month for me, writing-wise, and not a disappointment just because it isn't 50k. 9_9

I am pretty sure Ennie has always been with me; she's one of the demotivating factors in my underachieving. (If everything you do is Never Enough, what's the point in doing anything?) Lil Moore is new, though. I think I traded in Sewie for her.

I admit, having a quilt at the end sounds a lot better than a picture. I like real media best when it makes something you can't get digitally. And I still can't get over how amazing your Aubreyad quilt is. <3

For purely 2D art, I like both digital and physical media works. I have a slight preference for using physical media myself, mostly because I do too much fiddling when given the option to use digital. It takes me ten times as long and I'm still dissatisfied with the results. But other artists do great work in both, so I don't feel a strong preference for one over the other when I'm looking at it.

I read Twitter pretty regularly; I like reading other people's conversations and a lot of people link to interesting articles via Twitter. I even reply to and retweet other people. It's just ... starting a conversation there that doesn't really work for me. :/

[ankewehner.livejournal.com]

I tend to like art made with traditional media, or at least mimicking traditional media, better than digital art. Digital art more easily lacks texture, making it look plastic-like where it shouldn't. Dead. Traditional media usually come with their own texture.

You aren't stopping by Cologne, are you? ;)

[rowyn]

Alas, no. Even the airplane stops on the way home from Venice don't get anywhere near Cologne. :/ (Munich! I'll be in the same country with you for 90 minutes!)

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

You sound so gloomy! Working on the day after thanksgiving is the culprit, yes. Not an upcoming vacation to Europe. Although that is the sort of vacation that you'll need a vacation from. n.n But it should be interesting at least!

I've been mostly not writing. And struggling to keep up with my reading. I was supposed to finish re-reading RA by the end of the month and it's already the 28th! Gah!

...I blame dragon age.

[rowyn]

Actually, I started this entry on Tuesday, so it's not the fault of working after Thanksgiving. Maybe of being at work at all. n_n

[narile.livejournal.com]

It does seem hard to believe just how long has past.
And any writing is more than I seem to be doing these days.
Enjoy Europe, and have fun, just don't be too blatantly American (I get security briefings that can be scary at times)

[rowyn]

This is more writing than I've done all year! Although I was editing my last book until October, so not exactly idle.

I should've gotten a Canada maple leaf patch to sew on suitcase. :)

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Have a great time in Europe! ^_^

[rowyn]

I will try to!

[alinsa.livejournal.com]

I am hardly writing. When I write that, I remember writing last year about how it seemed like I was "hardly writing" A Rational Arrangement. And yet I did finish the draft. In less than a year.

Yeah, if you "hardly write" on Birthright the way you did on A Rational Arrangement, I will be totally thrilled! Keep going! Keep going!


There is nothing interesting to share about [writing], but I am desperate to share it anyway.

I have absolutely *loved* the times I've managed to get a conversation going with you about your writing process and related things. I find it fascinating, informative, and educational. So maybe there's more interesting there than you think. ;) Or maybe I'm just easy to entertain. Little bit of both? ;)

[rowyn]

No guarantees that it'll be good or fast, but I will keep writing it. :)

And aww, I'm glad you enjoyed my endless rambling about writing. It's one of the easiest topics to get me started on. c_c

[grammar-kommie.livejournal.com]

I just want to say I love the little nicknames you've given your demons. Almost makes me want to write a Pratchett-like story about them :)

[rowyn]

I did an illustration of them once, an age ago, and even scanned and posted it. Unfortunately, to a now-defunct webpage. I should take another photo of it. :/

[grammar-kommie.livejournal.com]

Oh, I would surely like to check it out!

I wish I had a humorous relationship with my own demons. I tried to name and visualize some of them, even thought of a comic strip where I could depict their antics (didn't get around to draw it so far), but they keep slipping away from the friendlier images I made for them as if unwilling to cooperate, and there remain others who I don't even dare to approach myself.