Kelly Link is the best living short story writer. I've so far only read two stories in her most recent work, Get in Trouble, and they already rank among the best things I've read in the last few years. I want to walk down the street quoting lines from her stories. So magical, and such an inspiration.
Re-reading House of Psychotic Women and I remain stunned at what a great work it is. Kier-La Janisse depicts a relationship with cinema I completely understand. My experience is, clearly, quite different than hers, but the love is the same. I don't think most people in my life understand my need for cinema that pushes beyond the boundaries and knocks you out so you can't function for hours afterwards. It is not an experience for everyone. But it is the core of cinematic experience for me (with a bit of nostalgic room for Indiana Jones, of course.) While it would take pages to explain, I just have to state how vital her voice is--reclaiming both experience and intellectual inquiry from the academic safety. I relate strongly, though I'm sadly nowhere near as articulate as she is.
I need recovery time when I've been very social, particularly within a family setting, and I'm in the midst of an extended stretch of social activity right now. I've taken this Sunday afternoon to read and listen to music and just not talk. Or solve problems. Next weekend I hope to have some true recovery time. Introverts need it.
My writing is not where I want it to be right now, but I keep working. Lots of false starts. Something will come through. The important part is to keep pushing. There are ideas I very much want to explore that I do not have the talent to pull off. It's frustrating, but it is still no excuse to stop working. Creative work is sacred.
You know what I would love? The ability to talk about the cinema and books I love with friends who share similar interests around a table with a couple of beers. I often feel like I'm the only one that really enjoys the weird stuff I dig. Square peg in a round hole.
Whenever I'm stuck, I remind myself that as long as I am truthful and honest to my own weird soul, everything will be what it will be and I can sleep at night. Compromise is part of being an adult, but you need not bury your core being under a heap of falseness. We each sing our own song, no? I've never been skilled at cover versions.
This Dio record needs to be flipped. Thus, this post now ends.
Nice post, and thanks for the nudge to pick up the new Link. I'm trying to work my way through the backlog, so it might not be for a while yet.
ReplyDelete"Whenever I'm stuck, I remind myself that as long as I am truthful and honest to my own weird soul, everything will be what it will be and I can sleep at night."
Truth, truth. I have been working on doing that, too. I was reminded of this when talking with a student the other day. I cut off a lot my connection to pop culture in the late '90s because of grad school, but I also cut off a lot of my connection to what mattered (and matters) to me. It took a long time to get back to right.
Here's to recovery time.