Everything Matters...in my writing, I mean.

First things first: Yesterday, I was suddenly in China Town, which, I suppose, shouldn't be all that surprising- I only live fifteen-to-twenty minutes out of the city, but I just thought I was going to walk with my grandparents around the local mall. Nope. They have to go to China Town. Then Brooklyn to drop off their friend. Of course I chauffeured! I can drive through and in the city, but I don't enjoy it. I- I greatly dislike driving through the city. I can't stand it, but I had to do it.

I bought my grandpa some bubble tea-creamy taro :D He was pretty pleased, to say the least.




Yesterday, when I got home from work I wrestled into my pajamas and plopped onto the couch with my mom who was watching television. PBS, actually, a show called 'Making Things-'; this episode was called 'Making Things Faster'. Yay. I was totally geeking-out the entire time, so much so, I wonder why I don't watch this channel more often. Well, anyway, I'm watching this and secretly hoping they'll talk about teleportation, but they never even touched upon it; now, though, I have a new-found respect for delivery persons: travelling salesman problem? Oh, my gosh. Who knew?! I will never again complain if I get a late package- I am more appreciative of your efforts.

Anyway, all that to say this: I've been working on a story pretty consistently for the past six months, and it's pretty exciting (not roller coaster exciting...well, sometimes it's roller coaster exciting) because this story is getting somewhere- it keeps evolving like a real story should.

And as real stories are written, advice is given. Some advice is good. Other advice is horrid. Of all the advice given to me, one is most given: write what you know.

Yay.

Great.

Good idea, good start.

But I only know so much. After a while I have to do research or, well, give up the writing project entirely.

But for this story I've found that everything I do or encounter becomes a part of my research for this story: my spontaneous trip to China Town, and watching PBS' NOVA.

At this point, I can't tell if this is so because either I'm so obsessed with my story that everything relates to it, or that research for writing really does fully inhabit the writer when he or she is, if you will allow, 'in the zone'.

Is that how great writing happens? Everything just becomes a part of the story? Cool.

I hope that if you are a writer, or even if you are not, everything you do and encounter will inspire you. Are not some of the greatest inventions inspired by accidents or by something that had seemed completely irrelevant?

Hollaback.

"...want to fly."

Yesterday my grandfather recruited me to teach him Internet basics; I willingly agreed. He'd been asking and asking for a couple weeks now but I hadn't been available in the mornings until, well, just yesterday morning!- I planned nothing except to download Spotify for him because he's also been asking me to find obscure music records  of Ray Conniff and Frank Sinatra, and since the library proved unhelpful (unfortunately) Spotify seemed the best option. Although, he doesn't know how to link his computer to his Bose stereo, which annoys him, but he'll settle for regular audio if he has to.

First world problems, bro. 

So, he sits down in front of his computer and asks all these questions; making all these comments:

"My computer is old, I know."

"You know, I type really slow on the computer."

"Aha, I don't remember my password. You have to write it down for me. See, there. Here's the tape. Tape it there."

"Can I listen to music with this?"

"Do I have to click twice?"

"YouTube?"

and my favorite conversation:

"'What's on your mind?' What's on my mind? I don't know what's on my mind."

   "Grandpa, that's called a status."

   "What's it for?"

   [pause] "Um...it's to, uh, share your thoughts with your Facebook friends. So, what're you thinking about now? You could put like 'I'm eating' or 'Watching television'."

   "I want to fly."

   "Oh, so, you want me to-."

   "W. ...Justine, where's the A? A. A. A. N..."

(Now just imagine all this said with a Filipino accent and you've got the gist of it.)

Sometimes I forget how different my grandfather's generation is from my generation. I forget that it wasn't as quick to communicate. Travel wasn't as quick. Shopping wasn't as quick. Music wasn't as quick. Television wasn't as quick. It's ironic that as people age, the rest of the world moves faster, and sometimes elderly people find the need to keep pace.

Not that grandfather is taking a typing course anytime soon. I think he's pretty content with idly listening to music on Spotify. 

After all, he did say that he'd call me if he needed help.

I am honored to be such an expert on Facebook usage!

Although, I have thought about buying my grandfather a book called 'Facebook for Seniors'.

Mostly for kicks and giggles. I wouldn't actually ask my grandfather to read it. 

...I might read it though.

No, no, no! I'm not ranting against technology. Hello, blogger here! I use my Facebook statuses to share newspaper articles, or (what I hope are) encouraging words, songs, organizations, publications; I am sharing and sharing and sharing, but yeah, 'What's on my mind?' Not always very important things. Not always very honorable things. (Zuko, anyone?) 

WongFu Productions has a perfect illustration of our love/hate relationship with technology. In fact, they have five very good, very funny illustrations of it.

Care to watch it?

For those of you who are wondering why my grandfather wants to fly it's because he's a retired pilot.