On July 1, 2013 I had coffee with a girl who had been one of my employees. She wanted to thank me for the recommendation I’d given her that had gotten her into grad school. It hadn’t been a hard recommendation to write – she was a very hard worker with a great imagination, just what a toy designer needed. We had coffee after she’d graduated from toy designer school. (Yes, that is a thing. No, they don’t call it that. I’m being vague on purpose.) Anyway, she brought her toys to show me and they were awesome. She’d designed a therapy book of sorts that didn’t require countless hours in a doctor’s office. She’d written a story and designed these toys to accompany the book; toys the kids could take with them for reassurance, if needed. It was brilliant.
But brilliant isn’t helpful if it’s just sitting in her bag and only shown to dorks like me. Brilliant is actually quite stupid if you aren’t sharing it with those who need it. I challenged her to get it into production. Really what I did is dare her to take the steps to get it into the world and out of her office. She was motivated and excited. I was energized and smug. She was going to change the world in a small way and I’d had something to do with it. And then she turned to me and said “What about you? What are you doing with your writing?” Crap. It’s not so easy to be superior and self-righteous when the light is shining on you. Tables turned, she dared me to get my stuff out into the world. I don't back down from a dare. We gave each other the deadline of July 1, 2014. One year from that day. One year to take what we worked on in secret and share it with the world – totally understanding that it might go nowhere but we had a year to try. Why is it that when there is something you want, time moves like a snail? But, if there is a deadline that scares you, time moves quicker than a cheetah chasing dinner? I swear it was just last month that we made this pact and here it is March 12, 2014. The four(ish) remaining months are taunting me and I’m still totally terrified to be sharing the weird stuff that is going on inside me. (Cue Rocky music) I have not sat idle. I’ve sent stuff out to a few publishers. I’ve been futzing with pieces I’ve started and polishing pieces I’ve finished. And six months ago today, I started this blog. Writing daily has been a challenge and a chore and it’s very obvious I need an editor, but it’s been good for me. And yet, I still have lots to do to make that deadline. But I will make it. (Music swells) I have no choice. I don’t back down from a dare. Now – take a breath and let the music die down and let me change the tone. Let me lighten your morning now that I’ve filed it with intense self-angst. A friend sent me this link of this letter to Waldorf and Statler highlighting what they do best. She thought it was appropriate after reading yesterdays post. It makes me happy for so many reasons, most of all because my friend sent it to me. A new friend I made in Nashville who reads the blog and understands what’s inside my head. People like that are hard to find. So, new friend, thank you for the giggle at the end of this very “Me! Me!” post. And, to my friend R who ALWAYS sees people as Muppets, “Meh meh, Happy Day of Birth!”
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AuthorMy name is ej. I'm a girl. I say that because with the short hair and the short initials, folks aren't always sure. More brilliant insights to who I am in About me Archives
April 2019
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