Sunday, May 13, 2012

Writing 101… or 303…


“There are three basic rules to write a novel… it is just that no one knows what they are”  Somerset Maugham.

I guess this could be applicable to any kind of writing. There are no rules as to what it is that makes an interesting or well written piece; it is just what comes out when one sits in front of the empty digital page and, hopefully, there is someone out there who will enjoy the end result.

There are no rules to be followed, as far as I know. Well, yeah... in truth there are many and these are put there by pundits who try to keep the language pure and well in order; then there are those of us who simply write for the joy of it and don’t really pay too much mind to what these old stooges say.

Imagine, how could I bring to life someone like my dear, dear friend Cheito, if “I cudnt ben’ the ruls’ to ryt laik he toks’” He’s a good man, but certainly no Shakespeare. He embodies the truth of a great number of people who came to this country and simply try to make a decent living. Just that they have had no chance to really practice their English…

So, what do we write?  What makes a writer?  I wish I knew and maybe I might become one.  When I grow up…  There have been many comments from you, who actually take the time to read and share your thoughts with me.

Today we had an opportunity to traipse through the heart of the actual city of Charlotte. Usually, we don’t get up there (the “downtown” here is called “uptown”… don’t ask me why…) very often; actually, we can probably count the times with the fingers of one hand and have leftovers. It is actually a pretty place; well laid out and with the run of the gamut restaurants, stores, and so on.  We found a Southern Barbeque restaurant which covered the three Spanish “B’s”: Bueno, Bonito y Barato... (good, pretty and cheap!) Then we went for a walk around (somehow we had to re-fit into our belts…) and were able, even for those of us who live here, to discover and appreciate the surroundings.

How often do we live in or near a place of general interest and actually not even visit that which attracts people from afar? The last three times we have gone someplace of interest nearby, have been because we have had visitors. Sad, no? When I tell people we used to live in Miami for some 9 years, the usual question revolves around the beaches. My response, which surprises most of them, is: “I really went to the beaches not more than 4 or 5 times in all those years”

Those who come from out of town in order to play tourist, fail to take into account that we, who live there, are not tourists. We actually get up every day, fight the traffic and the stress, go to work, come back late and are tired… then on the week ends, we had to do all that was not done during the week for the above mentioned reasons. If we had a vacation, we usually chose to go away so we could visit the beach elsewhere, away from Miami… I remember years ago, when working in Manhattan on a daily basis, it took a visit from my sister –then living in Puerto Rico- to actually go visit the Empire State Building, a place I used to walk by every day, but never had visited.

So, today, we embark on a short tour of a nearby town (about 2-3 hrs away) with our visiting family, so they can enjoy the views of the mountains and the small town nestled at their feet.

Being Mother’s Day, it is a special moment to wish a beautiful, loving and peaceful day to mothers everywhere; including those who have recently left us. Their memory will always remain alive, for they gave life… and that is no small feat… Happy Mother’s Day!

Be Well … Be Back!!!

Final Notes:
  • Pray for those who are fighting an illness which may take them away from their loved ones… Every request is heard, and counts!!
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  • “La Otra Caja de Pandora”… The Spanish language Blog… “otracaja.blogspot.com”Bienvenidos!!!
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