“When you’re writing it’s rather like going on a very long walk, across valleys and mountains and things, and you get the first view of what you see and you write it down.  Then you walk a bit further, maybe up on to the top of a hill, and you see something else, then you write that and you go on like that, day after day, getting different views of the same landscape really.  The highest mountain on the walk is obviously the end of the book because it’s got to be the best view of all, when everything comes together and you can look back and see everything you’ve done all ties up.  But it’s a very, very long slow process.”  - Roald Dahl, 1988

Stunning, wasn’t he?  If you have time, go to www.roalddahl.com and listen to his interview.  He has such a touching voice.  When I hear him speak and read his books, my soul fills up with inspiration and excitement.  I want to start writing stories right away.

The overwhelming desire to experience so many things in life suffocates me, at times. Do I have to do it all to be able to breathe?  When can I do it all?  Those pesky bills keep getting in the way.  But, not really.  That’s just an excuse.  Living alone in San Francisco, in a tiny apartment with no kitchen except a tiny frig, taught me to live simpler - to downsize.  I’ll downsize my material clutter to make room for my physical & emotional experiences.  My family is full of pack-rats, both sides.  What makes someone a pack-rat?  Maybe that’s not exactly the right word.  How about… “Random Object Keepers,” “Possession Possessors,” “Stuffers?”  I think people hold on to things because each object carries a dream and a plan for something great.  Yet those dreams are forgotten and covered with dust and excuses.  Rarely do the deserters find what they were meaning to do with it all those years.  

My old closet at my Mom’s house is full of things I bought at garage sales or thrift stores, which never have been used by me.  Funny how we make so many plans for ourselves and our things, but not too often it turns out the way we expected.  

I still think I’ll use those old garage sale books for an art project someday.   

b.e.d.