I Am a Writer!

I just finished watching, "Julie and Julia" for the second time.  I LOVE this movie.  The first time I watched it, I swore I was going to go home THAT night, and start my OWN blog.

6 months later.......

Yes, like the character of Julie, I can relate to that feeling of not always being able to follow through with tasks.

She, like me, blames it on her ADD.  Although, I prefer to use the word "embrace", rather than "blame".
I recently told a group of friends,

                                  "I emBRACE my scatteredness!"   

She, like me, is convinced that is why she has difficulty keeping her house clean.   Of course, she also does not have three kids and a dog. 

She, like me, works best when she is on a deadline.   

Though I would like to think that there are plenty of differences between Julie and I  (hopefully I am not nearly as narcissistic and neurotic), I can definitely relate.

I can also relate to Julia's character.  I LOVE the part where she is standing in the kitchen, chopping a mountain of onions.  Her husband walks in, and is immediately bowled over by the burning sensation in his eyes.  This scene is SO funny.  She wants to be the BEST DAMNED ONION CHOPPER in her class.
If you remember reading any of my Haiku poems on an earlier blog post, I spent almost an entire week this summer writing Haiku poems.  It started with one contest, and then another, and before I knew it, I was eating, sleeping, drinking, speaking, dreaming.......................Haiku poems.  I guess you could say it was a bit.............................obsessive, but I couldn't help it!  Until the deadlines were up, it was all I could think about.  Those Haiku poems were MY chopped onions - each one faster..............and finer.          

Back to Julie's character, though..................

She, too, is yearning to find herself.

That scene with the cobb salads and the girlfriends (she calls it the "cobb salad lunch"), is classic.  I have had many "cobb salad lunches" in my life.  Fortunately, I am ten years older than she, and I no longer feel it necessary to force myself through those lunches.  Now, I only have a cobb salad if I WANT to, and with  people with whom I CHOOSE.    

She, too, dreams of some phone call from a publishing company, telling her they'd be interesting in publishing her blog, her children's stories, her screenplay, her book, her..........................anything. 

She, too, writes a blog every day, wondering how many people are out there reading her blog.................... .....................................................if anyone at all.

Anyone?   Anyone?  Bueller? 

At least I know I have 21 followers (and at least a  handful that read, who aren't "official" followers).  While I write my blog for myself, first and foremost ( it is a writer's canvas, if you will), secondary to that, is the hope that other people will enjoy my writing.  The hope that I could reach someone.............affect someone, whether through laughter, making someone think, triggering a personal memory, or mostly, the possibility that I could make someone feel as if they are understood because they can relate to something I have said.
 THAT  is a pretty amazing feeling. 

..........and she, too, has difficulty accepting the role of "writer", because many of us believe, until people pay us money to do so, we do not deserve to call ourselves as such, which is really sad, if you think about it.  I think that is the reason that many stay-at-home moms feel people do not take them seriously.  Even my husband ( now ex-husband) always referred to the money he earned as "his" money.  It was never "our" money.  But, let's not get off track, here.................

Though I do not think I ever had a teacher who REALLY believed in me (except, maybe, Mrs. Tracy, in the third grade), my mom has been telling me for a long time - "You are a writer".  I have someone incredible in my life, who believes in me and supports me, who tells me - "You are a writer", and as I have been taking more risks, putting myself out there (as a writer), and sharing my stories, more people are telling me - "You are a writer", and I recently spent a weekend with some terrific women who all told me,

"LESLIE, YOU ARE A WRITER!"

So, like the character of Julie,  I guess I am a writer, after all.  I write because I love to, and because, well................................ I simply HAVE to.

Did you hear that?  I AM A WRITER!

Anyone?                    Anyone?

"LESLIE, YOU ARE A WRITER!" ~ The Magnificent Five