to be a writer

So, last night while waiting for our pasta to arrive and enjoying the front-of-house dash that is the "lost ticket debacle," I noticed a lady sitting in a booth to our left. We'd just seen her about an hour prior at the Barnes and Noble-- she was a writer. Had a book reading. Lots of moms with toddlers crawling all over them in attendance, but despite this early warning, I'm pretty sure she wrote what could be termed "a novel" (or at least a book with more words than pictures.)

She seemed so real! Friendly, pudgy, with the inferiority complex of your favorite highschool friend-- she was very accessible. Could this be me (without the crazy hair and I-am-Woman skirt)? In my endless faith in the web, I've done some digging and discovered that, alas, all questions of existence can actually be solved via a cosmo quiz:

Check off those that apply. The more you check off, the better your chances
at publication. But be honest.

___ Ability to work with others
___ Appearance
___ Integrity
___ Love of writing
___ Professionalism
___ Quality of writing
___ Self-awareness
___ Self-motivation
___ Talent
___ Writing style
___ Vocabulary, grammar

ARE YOU A WRITER? Take this quiz and find out.

1. Writers are:
a. imaginative
b. creative
c. manic-depressive

2. My idea of glamour is:
a. lots of money
b. lots of travel opportunities
c. throwing up on The Today Show

3. I'm most comfortable driving:
a. a Mercedes
b. an Oldsmobile
c. a 1990 Honda Civic

4. John Irving has a great:
a. book
b. bank account
c. body

5. The most important part of a book is:
a. the plot
b. the jacket design
c. the size and type the author's name is printed in

6. On a film, the writer's name appears:
a. first
b. last
c. not at all

7. Good critiques are:
a. honest
b. compassionate
c. infrequent

8. When looking for a publisher, the best is:
a. get lucky
b. go to jail and write Norman Mailer
c. have a relative in the business

9. To keep in touch with news of the writing business:
a. subscribe to periodicals
b. attend seminars
c. check new tax laws

10. I enjoy working:
a. with someone else
b. alone
c. in a group

Courtesy of http://www.bobbrooke.com/WritersCorner/writingquiz.htm

This is the most depressing thing I've seen all day, and I've been up since 7:15am.

ps:

Harry just gave me quite a look. "What, for... why are you here at 10:58am, woman?"

"Everyone, meet Harry. Harry likes to take long pees on inappropriate objects and covet his toys obsessively. I'd say his personality is that of a follower, but not one for lack of imagination-- he simply wants to be where all the action is, even if it's in your armpit.

Harry, meet the Internet. The Internet was started as the whole "information super-highway" thing, but it's mainly used for electronic garage sales and porn."

Great. Now, I'll get to that water bowl, sir...

A little history

In a week where I've learned I might lose my job, I might keep my job, maybe I shouldn't take my job if I can keep it, and for that matter, maybe I shouldn't have "worked from home" so much this week ... I'm left with a few thoughts on this Friday morn: what am I doing anyway? If a life of leisurely poverty looks to be in the cards, why am I still spending eight to ten hours a day doing something I'm entirely ambivalent about?

so, this whole thing-- a blog, a chicken, the self-absorpition/exploration and all-- is my varsity best in trying to see if random musings can jolt some inspiration into the mix and help me figure out what the hecks it is that I want to do! blah!