It's been a quiet week on the blog, but in a surprising plot twist I've actually been writing more than usual. A week ago I sat down and struggled through three-quarters of a page in my notebook before getting too tired. Two days after that, I filled four solid pages and suddenly my writing practice clicked back on course. A return to my requisite pen and paper exercise usually causes a dip in my blogging, probably because I'm so excited to be funneling my writing energy into that space again. Anyhow, this week has been full of sights and sounds, new pens and notebooks, and new and different faces -- all potential distractions I decided to turn into motivation.
I've heard that exposing very young children to new and different environments can speed their development, creating new connections in their brains and pushing them toward early childhood milestones. As an adult, this effect works its magic on my writing. I primarily think in words, so catch me staring off into space and my thoughts probably sound a great deal like the scribbles in my journal. Getting out of my rut and exposing myself to a variety of people and places pulls out phrases that wouldn't have surfaced at my desk -- the world becomes electric, my senses heightened, and small details really pop.
We spent this weekend entertaining my mom and sister, and having out-of-town visitors makes me view the city in a different light. Not only do I travel outside my usual radius to find the water blowing up in a fine mist off the harbor, a roomful of orchids at the conservatory frozen like dancers in the air -- I see my everyday surroundings through an outsider's eyes. My perspective on my neighbors setting up a picnic with their two-year-old in the backyard, that belligerent homeless guy in Fells Point Square, a stately brownstone, a boarded-up house, changes completely. I wonder what it all looks like to my 11-year-old sister who has experienced little outside our town in rural Pennsylvania. Or my mother, who has lived in the suburbs, the city, and the country, but most recently (and most steadfastly) the country.
Even seeing familiar friends but relocating to a balcony with stars overhead, the Baltimore skyline in the distance, and streetlights in the corners of our eyes left me enamored with the tiny details of life. I felt uniquely present in a significant moment, even though for all the world it looked like any other day.
Last night I was trying to capture this wide-eyed delight in the perceiving in my notebook before going to bed and realized all my favorite pens were on empty. Lately I've started running out my pens on a somewhat regular basis, which makes me feel good about the amount of writing I've been getting done. While replenishing my stock today I found the most adorable notebook and bought it despite two dangers: one, in the past I've had trouble writing in nice notebooks because I feel obligated to fill them with equally nice writing. Two, I often get antsy and move on from my current notebook long before it's full.
Today I decided that I'm feeling good enough about my writing practice not to set silly standards for it, and having a fun notebook to move into should motivate me to write a lot in order to fill my current one as quickly as possible. We'll see how it goes. I'd love to find myself in a race to the finish, filling page after page with unexpected thoughts. For now, I will show off some photos and make a note that my new notebook is made from 80% post-consumer recycled paper and 20% banana fiber. That's right, I'll be writing on banana leaves. Also, that makes it a "tree-less" notebook, which I think is pretty cool given the many eco-positive arguments for writing on electronic paper.
All in all, what a great week for writing. Next up: making headway toward a great writing space in my home, or maybe just enjoying a return to my old, good habits.
No comments:
Post a Comment