My mind is constantly in a state of analysis:
Am I following that car too close?
Does my hair need cut?
Is my geriatic cat limping?
But probably the most reoccuring thought is this:
What do I want to do with my life?
And following at a close second:
How do I reach that goal?
When asked about what interests me most, I tend to fluctuate between art/graphic design and writing. Some say it's really the same: the act of being creative. But I don't know. If it's basically the same coin, then why do I feel the need to choose one over the other? And why is it that I can be completely passionate about art one day, and the next the mere sight of my sketchbook makes me want to hurl it out the window? Why is it that on the commute to and from work, I can think of a million things to write about, but as soon as I reach my destination, I have no desire to pick up my pen and start writing?
Perhaps it has to do with what it means to write or to create art. Some say that whatever you create holds a bit of you within it. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowlings has been analysed up and down by psychologists searching to uncover the bits of the author sprinkled within the characters and plots.
As part of National Novel Writing Month this past November, I crafted a story in which the main character ended up struggling with many of the same issues I have experienced over the years. They say to write what you know, right? The funny thing is, it was never intentional. I never sat down and thought about making my protagonist walk down a path similar to my own. And in all honesty, our paths aren't completely identical; rather the underlying themes are reflective of our own individual journey. Is it possible to write or create art without bits of you binding to it?
