I realized a few things while putting together some writing samples for the local weekly paper that’s looking for freelancers:

-- Regardless of genre, my writing is often humorous and/or sarcastic and/or liberal.

--My writing most often is about writing, reading, sex or relationships.

-- Despite my English Literature background, I will probably never be a true literary writer.

-- Despite my journalistic pursuits in high school and my early college days, I have very few journalistic writing credits.

-- I’d make a damn good columnist.  Or at least an entertaining one.

Posted by Kristina in Writing at 03:16 PM Permalink

Every few months, I get the urge to just take off and go.  Run away from home, leave everything behind and live in a fantasy world of my own making where someone else cleans my room and every meal is either from a restaurant or delivered by room service.  Where every person I meet is a stranger, everything I see is fresh and new and no one expects anything at all from me except that I pay my tab when I move on.  Ahhh... that’s freedom.  Or maybe it’s just the best vacation ever. 

Of course, my compulsion to run away often corresponds to stress and angst in my very real life.  Sometimes, all I need is a couple days away to feel like everything is right with my world.  And sometimes, I just want the vacation to last forever.  There are most definitely two sides of me-- the side who likes the feeling of “home” and being settled and the side who once aspired to be a photo-journalist traveling the globe.  I no longer have the desire to go to all the world’s hot spots, but I still get the urge to take off.  Jae attributes it to my independent nature and dysfunctional childhood.  He may be right on both counts.

It is an interesting dichotomy, the desire for permanence and a sense of belonging, and the irresistible urge to run away and reinvent myself.  History, memories, roots… or a clean slate with infinite possibilities.  They both have their appeal.

Posted by Kristina in Life at 12:54 AM Permalink

I’m whining a lot today, I know.  The good news is I’m off from the library for the next six days.  I won’t be back again until next Thursday.  That’s almost a full week of fun and frivolity and writing and coffee. 

I think I can safely predict, however, that I will be whining again next Thursday.

Posted by Kristina in Musings at 07:23 PM Permalink

So, the story I mentioned yesterday?  The one that’s been held since last year for possible inclusion in a forthcoming anthology?  The editor said the publisher didn’t think it fit the anthology.  Sigh. 

My day just keeps getting better.  I need a drink.

Posted by Kristina in Writing at 06:55 PM Permalink

Have you ever heard a child scream so loud it made your teeth hurt?  I’m being serious.  I suppose it’s all right if it’s your child or you work in a daycare or are taking part in a family reunion or happen to be hanging out at the play area at McDonald’s on a Saturday afternoon, but I work in a library.  A library.  Children should not be allowed to make that much noise in a library.  And parents should not gently stroke the rigid back of said screaming child (who was neither injured nor ill, but simply in full-on tantrum-throwing mode) and say, “It’s okay, sweetheart.”

I need someone to stroke my back and say, “It’s okay, sweetheart.” Except that might make me scream.  Or kick something.

Posted by Kristina in Musings at 05:58 PM Permalink