3/15/2019

why hello




Well this post was going to be something entirely different, which seems to be the case with a lot of my writing nowadays. It starts as one thing, I leave it to sit for too long and then go back and hit backspace. 

I seem to not know what I think of this blog anymore-it's like a digital existential crisis. I'm proud of it but I also want to shed it. I don't want to abandon the digital sphere entirely, but I am trying to work through what exactly I want to do and where I fit into it. Apparently that takes over a year and I hope I am not jinxing anything, I think I am getting close to working it out. It involves starting anew and that takes time. And I am indecisive. And impulsive. Contradictory qualities and ones that do not mix well together. So to those of you till here, hi, please bear with as I make up my mind. Without rushing. Yup.

Recently I've been struggling to write, full-stop. All I seem to manage are short scribbles of ideas and then bullet pointed diary entries. I've also decided I want to give poetry writing a good go and seem to find that is best done on the train. In the notes of my phone. So basically my commutes are now good for sudden creative bursts and reading. A lot. Oh I've been reading so much lately it's wonderful.

I've read about my current literary love, Eve Babitz. I've read a book from the Man Booker shortlist (last year's). It was dark and mythological and illustrative and evocative. It was this book, in case you are curious. I'm also re-reading Dolly Alderton's book which I decided was going to be a yearly ritual. So glad I did by the way. It is a gift of a book. I am totally going to be making her hangover Mac 'N Cheese. Not because I am regularly hungover but because pasta and cheese are a combination that epitomise indulgence when meshed together. 

And I've watched that MJ documentary and I don't know what to believe. Documentaries can be so meticulously edited. Our own memories are edited. I'm not saying what's discussed wasn't real. I just feel like when celebrities are involved it really blurs things. In many ways. Maybe when I listen to the Oprah Winfrey interview I might feel differently. 

Then we had the crazy story about people's parents paying off high profile colleges in the US so their children could go to better schools. Whether that be cheating their way through SATs or faking photographs and sports credentials. What a mess. There's some high profile names caught up in this too so it will be interesting to see what happens. More on that here

The Auckland Writers Festival programme for 2019 was announced on Wednesday. I never seem to get to as much of the festival as I'd like. This year I am going to make a real effort. Some of my favourite NZ poets+writers, Tayi Tibble and Ashleigh Young will be appearing. I also really want to go to the Ockham Book Awards this year. Literally Lorne is top of my list and I really, really want to go to Alexander Chee's session on writing an autobiographical novel. Have a gander at the full lineup here

And I am gonna call it a night because I've procrastinated grocery shopping enough as it is. Ciao everyone. I will (hopefully) be back soon. Have great Fridays and weekends x

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