READING is not the only thing I need to do in order to complete my doctorate. Alas, I need to WRITE a dissertation. So, this week I'm reading "Writing the Australian Crawl" by William Stafford, whose very last poem (written on the day he died) I happened to read today.
The book was recommended to me by Evangenitals drummer David Hurlin, who writes the incredibly awesome and zen-spirational "Drum Theory and Revelation" blog -- which, if you aren't following it, expounds upon topics and tangents that are useful and accessible to every kind of artist/human/being. Meaning: it's not just for drummers... or rather, it's for the drummer in us all, as all of our heart's beat beat beat. :-)
One of the key suggestions, as I understand it, that Stafford has for writers is to LOWER YOUR STANDARDS so that you can just friggin' WRITE. Give yourself permission to write BADLY. Terrible. Pathetic. Lame. Whiney. Ridiculous. Lies. Poppycock and balderdash and flim flam and humbuggery. Just WRITE.
I have often wondered where this sense comes from that I, somehow, am supposed to be perfect. That there is such a THING, though I have never seen nor experienced it, as PERFECTION. That I could ACHEIVE perfection, if only I had the right atmosphere, writing paper, routine, desk, funds in the bank, diet, focus, amount of sleep, pen, typewriter, musical accompaniment, education, will power, discipline, IDEA!
For the some philosophers, this SENSE that we have for the possibility of perfection was the grounds for belief in another reality, where things actually EXIST in their "ideal state"... whereas this world we're living in is but an illusion. The flickering shadows on the wall of Plato's cave. For other philosophers, the paradox of perfection is that it is the greatest perfection is imperfection. Go figure. (Seriously, GO!)
I'm also re-reading the Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth
this week because my shoulder hurts so bad I want to cut it off and I neeeeeeeeeeeeeeed to get wise and get regular with this incredible practice which was utterly rewarding on every friggin' level when I was doing it before I fell off the wagon. And, I want to refresh my memory to make sure I'm doing all the 5 Rites correctly. Accurately. Effectively. Perfectly. :-)"Imperfection is beauty. Madness is genius. It's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." (Marilyn Monroe)
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2 comments:
Pat Pattison, one of the writing teachers at Song School says, "Crap is the best fertilizer." As in, don't be afraid to write crap first, something good will come of it. :)
Yes, AMEN... can the church say AMEN! That IDEA! That IDEA of perfection, can be the end all or the begining of something beautiful, if we just re-define what perfection is. Suggested quick and easy read..."The Four Agreements". Oh yeah, and have you thought about books on tape...
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