On the Playlist: Twenty-Four - Switchfoot
I’ve been M.I.A from the blogosphere for the past couple of weeks, thanks to a job that fills up eleven hours of my day (nine of work, two of commute). Between sleeping, eating, reading, dancing, spending time with family/friends, vegging (yeah, sometimes I just need to watch Boy Meets World for hours while downing Diet Coke) and of course, writing, there hasn’t been much time to blog.
So, sometimes I wonder what it would be like if I wasn’t a writer. I’d have so much more free time. Forget about the time I spend writing, what about the time I spend thinking? Outlining? Reading books? Reading blogs? Critiquing? It adds up.
I work at a daycare, generally with children who are around three years old. I’ve worked with children before, but rarely that young, and never thirteen of them for eight hours. On my first day, I was just so overwhelmed and exhausted, and by noon I was ready to cry. I just needed a break—not only from work, but from myself and my shortcomings.
So, I went on my lunch and put myself in my WIP’s world for an hour.
I don’t know, this may sound unhealthy to some, but I think it’s a great that as writers we can live in multiple words. I mean, we spend so much time in our real world that we’re bound to get sick of it. I’m glad to be a writer for that.
When I came back from my lunch, the kids were napping for another hour, meaning that I had nothing to do work-wise, but still had to supervise them. I have this free hour every day, and use it to write (which is slightly tricky in the dark, but whatever, I can’t read my handwriting as is.) I’m glad to be a writer because it means that I never really get bored. Even if I don’t have my notebook with me, I’ll still create scenes in my head.
Of course, there are other reasons I love being a writer, like how I love it when I can really touch someone. The aforementioned reasons are more why I’d write even if no one ever read my work.
For the record, I love my job now, and it’s so awesome to be surrounded by children who still use their imaginations. They’re all writers.
Why are you glad to be a writer?
Friday, July 9, 2010
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5 comments:
Wow, I'm imagining you working at a place like Sunnyside in Toy Story 3, with all the crazy kids. You poor thing! At least you'll never be short of inspiration :)
I'm glad to be a writer because...hmm...I guess I like to have an escape of my very own - nobody else's. I mean, reading is an escape, but my novels are personal, and it feels a little more intimate to be able to vent my feelings through writing.
X
Ahh first of all, that utter exhaustion and horrible first day-ness? I CAN TOTALLY RELATE. I taught a bunch of 4-7 year olds English in China last summer, and it was so nerve-wracking the first week to try and keep their attention and respect and agh. I feel for you ♥ But you're right- soon you realize that their crazy imaginativeness is part of what makes them so awesome. :D
I'm glad to be a writer because I think it has me pay closer attention to the world around me, and savor it more. It also gives me an excuse to go to random places and bother strangers (RESEARCH, dude!), haha.
Aww, this is such a great post!
I'm glad to be a writer because I love to write! Lol. And give words to my feelings. And get into someone else's shoes. And daydream in the name of thinking/plotting/doing writerly things!
Being a writer rocks.
I was a docent at a small animal sanctuary, and a lot of the other docents didn't want to take on the preschool groups. Too hard to keep their attention, and on some days you said little more than, "Look at the monkey!"
I didn't mind it at all, because that moment when they were tuned it was magic.
I had to laugh though when I overheard one docent that had obviously given up--he was standing in front of the ravens with a group of first-graders and talking about the "symbiotic relationship between ravens and wolves." I think he just had a script in his head and was sticking to it!
Caitlin - LOL I saw Toy Story after my first week of work with my friend who has the exact same job, just at a different location. We could definitely relate. And it's been great because whenever the kids throw the toys around I just tell them to think of Toy Story :P They know they have to be nice to their toys now!
Yeah, I absolutely agree that it's different than novels written by others. Our novels just feel so...ours (yeah, I did just say that.)
Karen - Wow, that must've been such a cool (and hard!) experience.
LMAO I love your "bother strangers" reason. I do lots in the name of research :P
Bee - Thanks! Yess, it's great to hav an excuse to daydream, isn't it? :P :)
Angelica - LMAO at the docent who had given up, that's hilarious. Yeah, it's a lot of work to look after kids, but every day each of them amazes me in some way. I love them :)
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