XII: And Lady Mondegreen

I had this idea that, as a job, I could sit in the streets of the city with a placard with a funny slogan on it asking for change. Example: in the midst of a heatwave, I could take of my shirt and sit with a sign that reads - "Shirt Stolen; Need Money for Sunscreen!"

This comes from last year, while in New York I encountered a beggar with a sign that read (I paraphrase;) "Family kidnapped by ninjas, need money for karate lessons." Clearly that's bullshit, but the story was so original that everyone willingly gave him money, for being unique.

This is in case the whole writing thing doesn't work out. I am, however, quite optimistic, as I recently broke a month-long (at least!) creative fast during which I wrote nothing of any of my big projects. Today, I managed to squeeze out a fulfilling and therapeutic chunk of a new story in my collection. This story I had put off because it touches on a few emotions that I have never personally felt, and involves doing things that I can only technically say I have done. There's a lot of perspective involved in writing a story like this one, which is why it appeared so daunting and thus got put off for so long. As soon as I had my first paragraph I was off and away. So I'm finally working on something, and I'm happy.

What this all amounts to is this weird mounting non-stress in my life, this abundance of nothing and all the hardships it's caused me over the summer. Listed individually, it seems like nothing, but cumulatively it's ridiculous. Between the pressure of looking for work, caring for Grandma's dog (and in the recent weeks entertaining her, which is a full-time occupation in and of itself,) helping to cook and clean, and somehow attempt a creative output, it's simply too much to deal with. After all, there is only so much I an do in the way of applying for work (and I believe I have done it to the best of my ability, if not with unbridled effort and enthusiasm,) and my creative output has suffered. Stress.

But in any case, there are other things. I'm feeling a little weary after all this, maybe it's heatstroke. Maybe it's cabin fever. A job'd help that (as dad'd not hesitate to inform me,) but I'm trying.

In any case, I'm sitting here at the computer screen, more than a little irritated at certain things. Gonna run off now. Keep on rockin'
-Scotts