Memorial Day. I finished work, and was going to pick up some fried chicken for dinner. There’s one couple in front of me, and they’re acting like selecting their pieces is a life and death matter. The woman at the deli counter is obviously stressed, because they’re out of a few things. I watch a rather annoying scene play out and wait... Finally, the annoying couple make up their minds and get out of the way. And I basically tell the woman at the deli counter that I’m fine with whatever she has, because OMG it’s just fried chicken, like, it is actually all good. She was all flustered from the previous people, which makes sense. And I just wanted to tell those fools to seriously chill. I mean, maybe for Memorial Day you should appreciate what you've got? Soldiers are far from home putting their lives in danger, and you're stressing out over not getting the pieces of chicken you want? Like, how unnecessarily difficult do you make everything in your life?
My life is so delightfully ordinary. I go to work, come home to my boyfriend and pets, I go to acapella every week, and I work on my books and blog when I can. And it’s awesome. Sometimes I’ll be watching or reading something where a character is in a fairly extreme situation, and I just pause and wonder, what if that was my life? Because for some people, it is. Fighting in wars. Living on the streets. Or on the flipside, living a super glamorous life. Like, the royal wedding. Lots of people watched that thinking it’s everyone’s dream, but how straight up weird would that be if that was your actual life? Or, other people who dedicate their entire lives to one particular skill—athletes, for example. You have to start super young, and commit all your free time for years to even have a chance.
It's funny how something like me, who lives in (and for) fantasy, can really appreciate and enjoy ordinary life. Often times, I have weekends that I find very intense. What did I actually do on those weekends? I wrote my books. I read other books. I lived out all kinds of crazy things in my brain that would be really boring for others to hear about, but for me, it was everything--yet I tell others it was nothing.
The appreciation of ordinary life is also why love stories can be so difficult to write. You need conflict to make a good story, but there’s a fine line between giving a romance enough conflict (us against the world), and too much conflict and drama (you against me), which can quickly turn it into an unhealthy relationship. No one wants to root for that.
The trouble is, in real life, an awesome, loving relationship is kind of boring to read about. The best parts are the little things: coming home from work and talking about your day. Cooking together. Watching your favorite movies/TV shows together. Going out on dates. Silly conversations in the language only the two of you understand. Sure, it can be cute, but too much cuteness isn't really a story.
Sometimes our lives feel like books, sometimes they’re the exact opposite. Do you ever have a moment where you think “if this was a movie, we’d be fading to black in this scene right now.” But you don’t, you have to sit through it. For example: you’re having a really difficult and awkward (but important) conversation with someone you love. You both finish saying your pieces, and it’s sort of over, but how does it really close? You’re both just sitting there processing your emotions. In a movie: end scene. In a book: end chapter. In your life? Sit through it. Bleh.
In a blog? Thanks for reading this ramble, and see you next week!
My life is so delightfully ordinary. I go to work, come home to my boyfriend and pets, I go to acapella every week, and I work on my books and blog when I can. And it’s awesome. Sometimes I’ll be watching or reading something where a character is in a fairly extreme situation, and I just pause and wonder, what if that was my life? Because for some people, it is. Fighting in wars. Living on the streets. Or on the flipside, living a super glamorous life. Like, the royal wedding. Lots of people watched that thinking it’s everyone’s dream, but how straight up weird would that be if that was your actual life? Or, other people who dedicate their entire lives to one particular skill—athletes, for example. You have to start super young, and commit all your free time for years to even have a chance.
It's funny how something like me, who lives in (and for) fantasy, can really appreciate and enjoy ordinary life. Often times, I have weekends that I find very intense. What did I actually do on those weekends? I wrote my books. I read other books. I lived out all kinds of crazy things in my brain that would be really boring for others to hear about, but for me, it was everything--yet I tell others it was nothing.
The appreciation of ordinary life is also why love stories can be so difficult to write. You need conflict to make a good story, but there’s a fine line between giving a romance enough conflict (us against the world), and too much conflict and drama (you against me), which can quickly turn it into an unhealthy relationship. No one wants to root for that.
The trouble is, in real life, an awesome, loving relationship is kind of boring to read about. The best parts are the little things: coming home from work and talking about your day. Cooking together. Watching your favorite movies/TV shows together. Going out on dates. Silly conversations in the language only the two of you understand. Sure, it can be cute, but too much cuteness isn't really a story.
Sometimes our lives feel like books, sometimes they’re the exact opposite. Do you ever have a moment where you think “if this was a movie, we’d be fading to black in this scene right now.” But you don’t, you have to sit through it. For example: you’re having a really difficult and awkward (but important) conversation with someone you love. You both finish saying your pieces, and it’s sort of over, but how does it really close? You’re both just sitting there processing your emotions. In a movie: end scene. In a book: end chapter. In your life? Sit through it. Bleh.
In a blog? Thanks for reading this ramble, and see you next week!