Tuesday, December 12, 2006

What do alligators write about?


These guys look over my left shoulder as I'm writing. Sometimes they offer suggestions, which are not very helpful because they speak alligator and bird, respectively. You'd think, given the language barrier, that they would refrain from making comments on my stories, but that's how it is. I tell them they should write their own damn books and I'm not sure but I think they reply that if I would buy them tiny computers they would be happy to oblige. I wonder what they would write about. Rain and acorns, apparently. Love, loneliness, alienation. The taste of river water, and how bossy snapping turtles are, and what it's like to fly for the first time. And life in the bird orphanage, maybe. Eggshells, the crack of a hunting rifle, lightning striking a mangrove tree, death, the underworld, the dentist, trying to master the freaking yo-yo, braiding a lover's hair, cutting a child's fingernails for the first time. Loss. Sharing an umbrella. Forgetting the words to a song your mother sang you when you were a wee reptile baby in a river the color of moss. Migration. Being overtaken by terrifying huge pelicans in the sky. Acorns. Sandwiches. Snow. The same things we write about. Or would they? Maybe they would just write about the polka dots on the ceiling and then take a nap.

Today I had a wonderfully long phone conversation with a kindred spirit about writing. I also found out from the vet that Shiloh's bloodwork was normal, which is a relief. I glazed tiny cupcakes with orange-scented icing, then sprinkled the tiniest amount of cardamom on them and finished with a sliver of candied orange peel. Had vegetarian corndogs for dinner, read a murder mystery, listened to a Joss Whedon interview on the computer (love love love), and dipped different tiny cupcakes in white chocolate then topped with toasted coconut. Dithered around wondering what to do next. Made edamame. Didn't write. Why didn't I write? I want to be one of those writers who says in interviews that they write every single day of their lives, even Christmas. Maybe I should start giving myself little pieces of number jewelry celebrating how many days in a row I've written, like the day and month tokens in an AA meeting. And then when I ruin it and skip a day I have to start over from scratch. Ah, wouldn't work. I'd just lose count. I think I'll just keep on as usual.

11 comments:

HoBess said...

On top of everything else you have the potential to open a bakery! All of these treats look and sound so yummy ... enjoy the baking season. I know once it all calms down the words will come pouring back out of you in the wee hours of the morning.

Good news about Shiloh!

Jordan E. Rosenfeld said...

What a coincidence. I, too, had a deep and meaningful conversation with a kindred spirit :) And I fell prey to the lurid drama of Grey's Anatomy and then I made cupcakes. Devil's food with frosting so dark it looks like mud, not chocolate, and those special Hershey's cinnamon chips they make only once a year. My husband literally fell into a swoon when he ate one, and I thought: "Ye gods! I've created a romance elixr. I must patent this."

:)

Deirdre said...

Everything about this post is delicious. Talking writing with a kindred spirit is the kind of conversation that feeds my soul too. And how I'd love to say I'm a writer who writes everyday, but here's something to think about - I think we write all the time, when we're washing dishes and making cupcakes and taking the dog to the vet. The stories and words dance in our heads and hearts all the time, sentences present themselves and little stuffed animals tell stories. So, yes, you do write everyday, all day. Get yourself a really good piece of jewelry to celebrate that.

Deirdre said...

Oops, I forgot to ask - where did you find the Joss Whedon interview?

Judy Wise said...

Another delightful entry! I think you write all the time; what about that? (and very well too, thank you) Your words tickle and caress. Bueno bueno bueno!

Jim Di Bartolo said...

Hey Deirdre! Laini's husband here. I'm the podcast-nerd of the house so I'll give you the link:

http://www.fanboyradio.com/episodes.php?submit=true

If that link doesn't work, go to iTunes, go to the "podcast" link, type in Fanboy Radio and download the recent Joss interview (it's free!!). You'll also find a bunch of other nerd-friendly interviews if you're up to it (great stuff!). And for more Joss, you can always go to his message board:

http://whedonesque.com/

Hope that helps! :)

Jim

[a} said...

CUPCAKESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS....

such a cute post! mwah!

Amber said...

The first time you cut a child's finger nails...I clipped off a tiny bit of Georgia's finger flesh!! I STILL feel bad!! :( It's HARDer than you might think!

Those cupcake sound good. You make me want to back. GREAT!

:)

Amber said...

Oh! And YAY for Shiloh!

:)

Somnambulist Seeker said...

Hiya Laini:
Just returning from a 7 month blogging hiatus, and figured I'd drop in on folks who had commented on my blog before. Feel free to drop by anytime, and I'll pop back here as well. I'm baaaack.

-Somnambulist Seeker

Anonymous said...

Cupcakes; murder mysteries; literary birds and alligators - what a jumpin' jambalaya of a post. I'm envious of the gators and bird - they have such poetic imaginations!
I think writing on the blog should count towards your "writing everyday" goal. I am awed by all that you accomplish in a day. I'm also hungry now - your blog's been doing that to me a lot lately.