I’ve been sick with a head cold this week which is a pretty good way to be unproductive. Not only do I have less energy, an ever growing pile of soggy tissues, and a head that feels packed full of wool, but I also have a good excuse to be unproductive. Unfortunately that dark side of me, the one that always wants to do nothing even though doing nothing actually makes me grumpy and unhappy, knows it. Which is why I spent a lot of my free time this week watching old episodes of 30 Rock. Don’t get me wrong, that is a perfectly enjoyable way to spend a week, 30 Rock holds up big time over both years and multiple watches, and I also believe if you’re sick getting rest is pretty high on the list of things you need; unfortunately I also think that do-nothing side of me takes advantage in times like these. This do-nothing side is the same voice that tells me to wait and start the exercise regime on Monday even though it’s been telling me that for the past three weeks, or that suggests I’ve earned a break after writing two sentences, or that whispers in my ear when I’m trying to avoid unhealthy foods that maybe I’d like being fat. If Jiminy Cricket is your conscious telling you the things you know you should do then this voice belongs to a character I’m calling Augustus Slug and his job is to push you into doing all the things you shouldn’t do. Basically replace the angle and the demon on your shoulder to a cricket and a slug, which I believe makes way more sense just in size proportions alone. I may have got diverted here, the point is I’ve been sick and I haven’t got much done.
++++
One thing I did manage to do this week was finish a short story. It’s really more flash fiction than a short story, and is less of a story than an exploration of an idea. It’s also two pages long. Oddly this shorter length didn’t seem to make it easier to write and I struggled to get this one from my head onto the page. It did however help me with editing my own work which is something I find challenging. I cut some parts and move others about in a way that I think serviced the theme more, especially once I managed to locate exactly what the theme was. Once I get it back from all my readers I’ll share it on this blog, which will be nice as for all my writing about writing I haven’t actually shared much of my work yet. I also started a new short story this week. It’s one I’m quite excited by and that showed up in my head almost fully formed. Mostly though it should turn out to be the kind of story that I’d like to read, and that’s pretty much always the goal.
++++
The Lady Holly and I also watched Sing Street this week which is an excellent movie by John Carney, who also wrote and directed the film Once which was likewise excellent. Sing Street is about a highschool kid in Dublin who starts a band to impress a girl. While on the surface it may sound like a cheesy hollywood plotline it is anything but. The great thing about John Carney’s films is that they have real heart and an overall upbeat feel while also not shying away from some everyday tragedies like having to listen to your parent’s marriage fall apart or how terrifying high school bullies can really be. All this is paired with some great music that not only service the story but also show why music is such a great thing. It’s a winning combination and, if you haven’t picked up on this already, I would highly recommend watching it.
Talk soon.
Damian
Damian Robb 
Leave a Reply