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February 13, 2005 at 9:34 AM

I'm in love with writing. As an art from, writing is capable of making the most sinister person appear wholesome, logical, and sincere. Wit can be edited and sculpted to great heights, and no one knows how much effort it took to create. If a word is written that needs taken back later, no problem. A simple eraser or mouse click can return the writer to a pristine state of perfection. Not so with performances, which is why I am scared so chicken to get up and put myself on the line in front of a crowd.

It comes out, the sound echoing and registering in the ears of the audience scarcely before I can hear it myself, and there it is, hanging in the air like a nose booger. And, once it's out, everyone knows just how bad you really are. Couldn't I just take a kneaded eraser and blot out that last line of music? It was just too harsh and inappropriate, obscene. No one should have to witness such a line of music. It doesn't fully and legitimately represent all those hours I spent mastering the skills to perfect it, going through it over and over, making sure it was just right every single time. And I cannot explain that it was a simple mistake, brought about by the intimidation of the silence that preceded it. The sourness of the phrase lingers like a cloud of gas, and the audience sniffs, squints, and looks away, embarrassed.

I would stick to writing, or art, and hide away my true self, so that no one will know the real me. I edit that out in the first draft.

i would like to suggest reading some thoreau or dh lawrence

...the best writers are good readers

I've read D.H. Lawrence, didn't like it. But I've found that an author cannot be fully understood in just one reading. Perhaps he has some other stuff I might like. I love to read, but I'm so noncommitted to it that I can only make it through short stories.

I suppose if I was serious about writing, I could be better at it. As it stands, I only blog, email, and send out newsletters.

What's your favorites, and why do you like Thorou?