Urban Thought | 6 Observations While exploring the Blogosphere, I’ve come across Greg’s Writing Blog. I find the site interesting as I attempt to improve my writing (I’m not a writer at all. I take better pictures than write). Here is my attempt at what Greg calls ‘Free Writing.’
The rule is simple (see details): Get a timer and set it for 10 minutes. Focus on the keyword and write until the timer goes off. Stop. Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation, or spelling, just write. Anything. Post your results in the comments or on your own blog if you are up to it. The keyword, courtesy of Literanista (http://literanista.blogspot.com) is: Rain.
Here’s my results:
Rain:
Rain, wet, beautiful. I never understood why people run from the rain. As if they have never been in the shower before. They cover their heads with one hand and then think that their hair will keep dry. This is an unrealistic way of thinking yet most of us do it. Use our bags, newspapers (which never makes sense considering that the ink may run), or any other object, outside of an umbrella, as a cover. Rain is a friend as far as I’m concerned. You can count on the rain to clean the dust off your car. You can count on it to wash your sorrows away. You can count on rain to drench you in thought and make you want to say “I love the rain.” I love to dance in the rain. I love to play in the rain. The rain is something that I cannot live without. We find ourselves hoping for rain when it is time for a drought but when that rain does come, we run from it. Kinda backwards, if you ask me. But that is another story about rain that we will have to tackle another day.
I like the songs that talk about rain, like Missy’s sample of some woman’s song, I can’t stand the rain, it’s my window. That may not be what she is saying but it sounds like that to me. Then you have that old classic, “Singing in the rain.” Because dude was so damn happy, they call it gay that he chose to sing in the rain. I’m sure the next day he ended up getting the flu. Through all that singing and sweating the rain was falling on him. He even ended up standing and stomping in a few puddles. All because he felt the need to sing in the rain. And then we have those three dudes that start with “T” - Toni, Tony, Tone Yes, those three, singing something that goes like It never rains in Southern California.
That is what someone told him but I’ve been to Southern California, it rains there. When I went, it rained a storm. Go figure. Dude didn’t know what he was talking about. But it’s a song. And, that is what it’s about. But my girl, Mary did it with It’s just those waterfalls, which is also a take on a TLC song. Waterfalls happen because rain falls, which leads back to the water. It is all a cycle and the cycle works because life is beautiful. The rain is beautiful and without it we would be dry. And not like dry to the point where we have no flavor as people but dry to the point that we can blow in the wind like dust. But what I failed to mention was the creatures that I enjoy seeing when the rains comes. Those worms that push their face above ground. They like the rain just like me except they can end up drowning in the rain that has fallen, since they live in the ground.
| 2.5 |
Pretty cool result and it allows me to see the way your mind works - the ole stream of consciousness!
You also picked one of my favorite words: Rain. A word that brings so much to mind and when I read your 10 minutes - I followed you all the way - thanks for a wonderful trip!
Glad you enjoyed the trip.
“Rain is a friend” stands out for me. The thing about art is that it applies to any medium, whether you write or take pictures or cook, whatever. Free writing is something that’s been around a long, long time. The goal is to break down the obstacles between your brain and your medium. When you take a photo, how do you show the “rain is a friend?”
Looking at your photos I can see that what makes them stand out is that you remove a lot of the pre-established structure that ordinary people have built up in their heads. The good ones show a fresh perspective, and maybe even no perspective.
Look at how much structure is in your free write. You have a lot of great ideas in there. Imagine how many more you will have when you get rid of the structure. Free writing isn’t a finished product it is a raw material that you use to shape into something. It’s the film that has unlimited potential to be shaped into something.
If photography is your main thing, you might consider doing free writes as raw material for subject like “rain is a friend.” I can imagine a series of photos based on what is in your free write that go together and show this.
Or you can keep digging in the free write. Take the best idea in one and do another free write on it. Keep shaping it. Doing the free write is pretty scary, and posting it is like exposing yourself. Thanks for doing it, I enjoyed reading it.
Greg: Thank you for the feedback. It is greatly appreciated.
Hi, I come to you via The Junky’s Wife. This is a nicely written and well “structured” blog. I know I will enjoy exploring more.
I’ve heard of free writing before but more like the free writing described in Greg’s comment—which is a great comment BTW. I was impressed that your thoughts about rain were so neatly connected. It would be interesting to see it reshaped; sort of the evolution of an urban thought. (That would be a time issue for most I am sure) I’ll give it a shot myself now that my mind has been brought back to the task.
I am sure to comment again. I haven’t yet begun to browse the photography.
WS
WS: Thank you. I’ve read Greg’s comment and an in the process of ingesting it. I always welcome feedback.
I’ll be checking your site shortly. Your name alone has me intrigued.