Music today once again comes from Passenger. It’s his cover of Bill Wither’s Ain’t No Sunshine, which you should listen to for the piano and guitar solo’s alone.
++++
Current chain of writing days: 11
++++
We’re all living in a bubble. My bubble, I think, mostly consists of work, writing, worry about that writing (not good enough, not writing enough, etc), social responsibilities, trying not to eat junk food then injudiciously eating junk food, financial concerns, the Lady Holly, and all rounded off by my weekly routine (with a smidge of thought of if I should change my weekly routine). Basically, the space my brain spends most of it’s day in, cycling through these issues time and time again.
But here’s the thing, it only takes a modicum of empathy to pop that bubble. Read one article about someone else’s life, see one news feed about the struggle of a refugee, hear one story from a friend about an issue they or someone they know is facing, and suddenly I’m not in my bubble anymore. It’s a good thing for me to get a break from my bubble once in awhile. While my bubble provides the boundaries for what I exert my daily energies towards, it also narrows my field of vision. It makes my problems seem like the only problems, which, without a wider perspective, also makes them seem larger than they are. And they’re not that large, not really.
With my bubble popped I’m more aware of what’s going on around me, more appreciative of what I have, more patient with others, and more willing to experience new things. It will grow back, it needs to, it provides the necessary structure for me to continue moving forward with my life, but it’s also good for me to remember that it’s there, and that if I’m ever feeling overwhelmed, or victimised, or that I don’t have enough, that I can purposely pop that bubble and see the greater picture, and realise just how lucky I am.
++++
The article that popped my bubble today was this comic about a journalist who visited Doctors Without Borders camps in Yemen.
++++
In writing related news I watched this awesome video essay yesterday about how Christopher Nolan uses story structure so well. It focuses on Batman Begins, and shows how by with four central characters, all with opposing views around a central theme, it can provide the outline for the conflict in each act. Really interesting, and just made me appreciate how well Nolan’s movie are made.
++++
While I’m sharing things, I read this great blog piece from one of my favourite writers, Peter Clines, a while ago with some simple advice about how to make some really easy edits on your writing.
++++
Final share, this video below. It’s been around for a little while now but whenever it pops up I always watch it because I think it’s beautiful and inspiring in it’s unnecessary but undoubtedly stunning design.
++++
Remember, we’re all just making it up as we go along.
Talk soon
Damian
Damian Robb 