Showing posts with label Quirky Stuff I Do.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quirky Stuff I Do.. Show all posts

5/20/11

Live Like There's No Tomorrow

 
There's been a lot of talk lately about the end of world. Now it's supposed to start on Saturday at 12:01. The good will be sucked up into the Heavens, which means I'll be pounding my fists onto my desk. "Hell no, we won't go!"

My writing career has only just begun.

I have lived trough several of these so-called man-made phenomenons...all of them prophesizing the end. People looking for a quick fix to all of their problems will believe anything. For everyone who tells me the end is coming tomorrow, I scoff.

"Don't be silly," I say. "Tomorrow will be the first day of our alien invasion. Please do come to my party. I'll be the one on the roof holding up the sign for the aliens that reads (FREE BEER HERE)."

And the sale of science fiction novels will sky-rocket. Better get busy writing.

I try not to take things too seriously, unless they're important. I find that everything can be resolved with uninhibited laughter and do sport some lovely laugh lines to prove it. Drop all the fake stuff, just get along. Let's sit and discuss matters over a cup of coffee.

When our building was being remodelled, we were asked to name the conference rooms. I'm not one to pass up an opportunity to flex creative wings, so I submitted several ideas. One of them was seven artists, which was chosen for one of the floors. The others weren't quite so popular but served to tickle me anyway.

Seven types of laughter, such as the laugh, chuckle or chortle, guffaw or snicker, the snort and the giggle. It would have been wonderful if they had chosen this one.

I can picture the suits walking into the giggle room. The very sound of the word makes my lips twitch. Life should be simple. We over-complicate it with ridiculous extremes.

Maybe today should be about what makes us happy. For me those things are simple.

(A quiet evening spent with the hubby, 15 minutes of romping with dogs, an hour of uninterrupted writing, laughing so hard I wet my pants, dipping into a favorite brand of ice-cream, sticking my head through the sunroof so the wind can mess up my hair and hit me in the face, riding a roller coaster while someone snaps a picture of my tonsils, telling someone I love them.)

Yes, these are simple things. Some are even things a child would do. We forget how to have fun after we grow up. Maybe it would be in the worlds best interest to take a step back, forget about the nonsense, make a mudpie just because you can.  Go out and do something you haven't done in ages.

And most of all, and I can't stress this enough, just enjoy being alive.

All that will be in fine print at the bottom of the sign I'm holding up for the aliens.

Have a great weekend everyone!

4/29/11

Elevator Stalking

One of the advantages of working for a huge company is that I can perfect my skill in elevator stalking.  Years ago I noticed that the minute people enter an elevator they look at the walls, at the numbers, at the ground, anywhere but at each other.  It they do happen to entertain a glance it's to offer a quick smile and return their attention to the ground.


I decided I would always be the one to break the ice.  When I walk into an elevator I say hello to everyone, comment on something I might spot, and establish a conversation that will usually draw in everyone.  My co-workers get a big chuckle out of it.  They feel shy in elevators.


The fact is that we all go through life ignoring each other, pretending we're by ourselves.  Where's the fun in that?  There are incredible people out there, so many of them it can literaly take your breath away.


I've discovered an old man who shares a love affair with life, a young girl who fosters a meth baby, two people that have recently fallen in love.  It's amazing.


From a writer's point of view I will say that an elevator is also the best place to pick up dialogue for any book.  Listen to those who share this world with you.  They provide tidbits that might become the stories of legends.


Have a great weekend!


STAY TUNED FOR MORE OF THE HORROR STORY ON MONDAY.