Different Hours

I've been writing alot more lately. I don't know if it has to do with all the music review writing I've been doing, but the simply task of putting words to paper has been really pleasurable as of late. I checked a book out on writing or freeing the creative spirit. Not the kind of stuff I usually go in for. I think I have an automated reaction of distaste to anything vaguely new age. There's something artificial or escapist about it. But I was proven very wrong with this book. It's by a woman who's been teaching workshops forever all around the country. She writes with a very "new agey, get in touch with your inner self" type of voice, but once I got past that I found her describing my problems with writing to a "T": procrastination, self defeat, convincing yourself that no one wants to read what you have to say before writing anything down, and, worst of all, constant self-editing. I could identify with everything that she. She convinced me that more often than not you've got to simply write. Not since down saying I'm going to write a poem or a story with "X" theme and characters. But simply write about anything for as long as you can everyday. Just let it spill out on the paper, don't edit and don't try to be clever. Just let go. I've been It's really freeing and produces at least one gem in the sea of mush that emerges.

Here are some bands that are worth listening to with recent albums out:

The Fire Theft
The Shins
The New Pornographers
A.C. Newman
The Faint (I think the album "Wet from Birth" which comes out tomorrow, may make these guys huge)


I recently finished a very literary book by Annie Proulx which was great, but now I'm into some really trashy sci-fi fantasy stuff. I think it goes back to being 12 years old and reading the Lord of the Rings, but I absolutely love a richly, well imagined universe.

Ok gotta go pick up Sam from school.