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was having a conversation with Andrew McAlpine before he left for Tennessee, and I found another thing that I have in common with him. We were talking about lyrics, and we agreed that, often, an abstract lyric, one that could be considered nonsensical, suits a song better than a reasonable or down to earth lyric. We both love english, and we love writing, and I think he'd agree with me when I say that sometimes good writing transcends a words meaning.
I think a pretty good example of this can be found in some Wilco songs. I'll try to come up with actual albums and tracks. But this post isn't about songs, or lyrics, it's about writing.
Despite what Strunk and White will tell you, writing isn't about following rules. It's not about having correct grammar or sentence structure. These things help literature to be readable, but I think we lose as a creative culture when we make "writing" all about following the rules. Language is a vehicle to engage the understanding of another person. If you're really good, you can go beyond that and engage the imagination. You can transport them. But you don't do that by thinking first about your rules. The less you can think about them, the better. The quality of your work will show in how your readers (or listeners, to you lyricists) relate to it. How it connects with them. That is the only indicator of your effectiveness, that is the only metric that matters.
Don't be afraid of saying something that doesn't make any sense. If it fits, if it is the right ingredient for whatever you are creating lyrically, and if you are genuine, it will work. Or it won't. But at that point, it's up to your audience to invest the words that you've created with their own soul. To be transported, you have to be open to it.
I say all of that, because tonight I wanted to write. I wanted to take you on a trip. My aunt, in one of her last poems, described it as her "souls journey".
In Peralandra, C.S. Lewis writes a chapter about a man on a road, who does not want to proceed, but must. Or, does want to proceed, but must not. In the grip of fear, the line between need and justification blurs. In any event, the writing is forceful. By the end of it, I was clenchig the book in agitation. I was transported. But it takes guts to write that sort of thing, to take yourself seriously enough to do it, and then to do it. I am wanting. Maybe the biggest hurdle of any writing endeavor is letting other people see the part of it that you feel silly about.
How do the two link? For the first part, know that there are metaphors. In the world, in life, all around. And not just metaphors, there are also things that are so abstract that their meaning doesn't make sense in the context that we find them in...but their feel, their fit, their cadence does. If we sacrifice these things to the "rules" we will be universally stymied. To write, forcefully, you need to have an equal measure of purpose and conviction, then you need to have the guts to forget the rules and write. Write and don't be embarassed by it. Write, not to create something great with language, but to communicate a great idea. Language is a tool that can be used to connect with people. What you are able to do when that connection is made, that seperates the wheat from the chaff. Write not just with words but with stops, with cadence, write lyrically. Writing should strive to be beautiful even without context.
If you've made it this far, you may have noticed that I managed to avoid writing what I meant to. I don't have the courage to make the metaphor for my soul. Maybe I don't have the understanding, but I definitely don't have the courage. One day soon, I may take you down the rain-slicked cobble roads, twisting as they go, to whatever intersection I happen to be at, right then. And maybe, if I'm lucky, you'll feel for a moment, just a little less sure-footed. A bit cooler than you had. Almost, maybe, perhaps, somewhat, transported.
But not tonight. |
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How have you been?
How's life? Is it everything you hoped for?
Me? I don't know. I've got the right stuff. I think I'm pretty happy most of the time. That's the goal, eh?
The Goal. Hmm. |
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Jun. 12th, 2006 @ 03:21 pm
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Do I still have a livejournal? Wow. |
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The trick, my interesting masonic friends, is figuring out how the subject _RELATES_ to the message.
But all that aside, it is 10:35 PM, I'm waiting for Web9 to come back up so I can go home (yes, back at work.) and rejoin the ebullient, table thumping LAN party that was about to start when I made my exit (shadow like, as it were, slipping out the door without so much as a word, a sigh, a breath.)
I think, in response to an accusation made earlier, that I don't flaunt my vocabulary to impress. I know my audience too well. I flaunt my SENTENCE STRUCTURE to impress. Anyone can have a good vocabulary, it takes a certain practised erudition to construct a flawless sentence. Not to say, in the words of Paul, that I have already attained, or am made perfect; but I press on.
Ok, work at 11pm sucks, this is irrefutible. In order for it not to suck more TOMORROW, I'm going. Guten Nacht. |
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Jan. 20th, 2005 @ 11:04 am
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after dating someone long enough, you start to imagine she sees everything the way you do.
coworker: "An ipod to a geek is like blow to a crackwhore."
so many layers of depth to that statement. So many layers of truth. |
| » that one band... |
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With the girls that sang all in Latin? and I don't mean spanish/mexican, I mean LATIN. Actual Latin.
What were they called?
Jan. 18th, 2005 @ 01:00 pm
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| » haha |
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This is AMAZING. ta_rando's take notice:
http://boyoboy.ignitedminds.com/
Dec. 16th, 2004 @ 04:46 pm
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| » the rock cried out, I can't hide you |
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I said Rock!
What's the matter with you rock?
don't you see I need you rock?!
I got a new keyboard. Saitek, it glows. Now when it's late at night, my keyboard pulsates with an ominous blue light. I'd link it, but I'm lazy. APPARENTLY it's good for gaming, but all I've been playing lately is EQ2 anyway, so that's not really a big concern. I remember the agony of the last few days of that games pre-release, waiting for it to come out, then the ultimate joy from playing it. That joy has yet to subside. YET TO SUBSIDE! Maybe I should marry EQ2...
Nov. 28th, 2004 @ 01:38 pm
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| » well... |
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lets get down to buisiness,
I ain't got no time to play around;
what is this?
It's amazing that other men benefit from my innovations, but I guess I can't begrudge it, because I benefit from eminem. Heh. Well, like, 2 songs on the last CD (not the new one, which sucks).
did I mention that the new one sucks? And that I've blown out my iPod earbuds? Mrrrr.
Nov. 19th, 2004 @ 09:14 pm
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| » cold, cold water |
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surrounds me now,
and all I've got,
is your hand
Have you noticed that the only thing liberals universaly agree on is that bush is a horrible child eating monster? I'd love for them to have unified oppinions about something, ANYTHING, but they're so across the board on EVERYTHING but Republican Hating, that it's impossible to get a concise idea of what their party really stands for. The Democratic Party was originally founded by Andrew Jackson because he got a bunch of people to be pissed off about John Quincy Adams kicking his ass in the presedential election of 1824 (where he had the majority but still lost (yeah, bushes first win was UNPRECEDENTED. hah)). This is the party that was responsible for such wonderful things as the continued expansion of slavery, and FDR's "New Deal" which, baring the deity-like intervention of hitlers evil ass, would have done about as much good to the economy as it's been doing to Japan for the last 30 years. Woops, we built super-highways everywhere and our economy still sucks? Wtf? It worked for FDR! -- no it didn't, the war saved his ass from major embarassment. GOSH. I'm so annoyed. You know something like 2 Democratic candidates have gotten the majority vote? 2? And one was old Andy Jackson. bitchfest. I swear.
Addendum:
I must correct my writings of earlier. I misspoke in several ways when I said that the Democratic party was founded in 1824 by Andrew Jackson, to wit the core party, the "Democratic-Republican" party was founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1792. Of course my reference, though shamefully unclear, was to what turned into the modern Democratic party, in much the same way one says "The south was against the abolition of slavery" and means simply the south as a sentiment, not that every person in the south was a slaver. For the sake of clarification, allow this excerpt from the democrats.org website;
"The Jacksonian Democrats created the national convention process, the party platform, and reunified the Democratic Party with Jackson's victories in 1828 and 1832. The Party held its first National Convention in 1832 and nominated President Jackson for his second term. In 1844, the National Convention simplified the Party's name to the Democratic Party."
Amusing also is the fact that this site completely glosses over the Jacksonian Democratic support of Slavery during the 1850's, while highlighting their stand against womens sufferage. So the democratic checklist:
Love the womens rights
Hate you some blacks
And yes, I'm always accepting hatemail.
xoxo.
Nov. 4th, 2004 @ 07:25 am
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| » what was and what could never be |
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Nobody broke your heart; you broke your own, cos you can't finish what you start. Or, that's what they SAY.
Life is good. The wedding is set for June, her parents are coming around. Well, her dad. So that's nice. And I'm going to get some Carls Jr. I'll be back. So hungry. She emailed him today to basically say "Soo, how much money can we have?" Hehe, it's probably not going to be much. Gosh, I really miss Elizabeth Tolmach right now. I keep thinking about them recently..all of them. That whole life. I'd have liked to have had it. Oh well, this one is passing good, so I guess I'll survive. Maui for the honeymoon, did you know? Hoping to get a condo on the beach. North shore probably.
fooood.
-d
Jul. 9th, 2004 @ 07:45 am
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| » pictures |
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as promised, pictures!
Jun. 8th, 2004 @ 06:42 am
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| » estoy bien |
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| tuberat's LJ stalker is justjay! | | justjay is stalking you because they have nothing better to do with their time. They are also getting with your significant other! |
Jun. 3rd, 2004 @ 03:20 pm
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| » w0t. |
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Well, as of about 4:35 pm PST today, I'm engaged to be married. Wow, I feel all tingly.
Maybe that's just because I had dinner at Ruth's Chris steakhouse and it was freaking FANTASTIC. Oh my gosh. Almost as good as the look on her face when I said "will you marry me?"
"she said yes,
I said wow.
She said when,
I said how about right now"
That will be ALL FOR J00. Pictures to follow when I get them from my person.
d, out.
May. 30th, 2004 @ 12:32 am
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| » a fiery one |
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Well she took me by the hand
I could see she was a fiery one
Her legs ran all the way
Up to heaven and past Avalon
Tell me somethin girl, what it is you have in store
She said come with me now
On the Devils Dance Floor
Well swing a little more, little more oer the merry-o
Swing a little more, a little more next to me
Swing a little more, little more oer the merry-o
Swing a little more, on the Devils Dance Floor
That will be all. thank you. Thank Flogging Molly, and Thank you.
May. 28th, 2004 @ 09:33 am
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| » estoy bien |
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Well, FarCry is ridiculously pretty, and someone needs to do my laundry. I'd rather it not be me, but I dont' know if I'll be able to get away with that one. In any event, Jonathan told me what I was missing in FarCry. I guess you have to shoot a boats chain then steal it? So yeah. Plan 2. I can't wait to move in GreyHaven 2.0 this saturday. I need to buy...
1. New sheets
2. Toilet Paper
3. shower cleaning spray
4. a pillow or two
5. ...there's a ton more, but I'll figure it out someday.
May. 19th, 2004 @ 02:27 pm
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| » I don't want your forgiveness |
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waiting for FarCry to install. We'll be moving into Greyhaven v. 2.0 over the weekend, and the haven it shall be. I guess that'll be fun. I dunno. I went to geiger and looked at a wax mold today. Gonna drop the cash next time I go prob, or the time after. which will be the last time (the time after). At least, on this project. So yeah, that should be fun. Farcry is installed, I'm gonna go shoot monkeys.
May. 18th, 2004 @ 06:08 pm
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| » All I really want |
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I don't really know what I really want. Confusion is created by the whim of man for the purposes of the devil. Well I guess we'll see how tonight goes, and if it goes really well, then I'll definitely have problems.
Ridentem dicere verum quid vetat? Vir sapit qui pauca loquitur.
Ah well, pax vobiscum and all that rot.
May. 15th, 2004 @ 09:15 pm
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| » I'll invade your demeanor |
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Lets see if I can do this when I'm really tired.
Laughter sparkled off of the dewdrops like the dawn, fracturing into a rainbow of sound and shining out into the darkness.
The sound carried in the flat night, breaking the trees silent reverie, a single soft laugh.
Laughter echoed carelessly through the cold night air, breaking the crisp chill with its warmth.
She laughed, the warmth of it washing over my soul and brushing away the chill of the night air pressed against my skin.
Something like that.
May. 13th, 2004 @ 11:42 pm
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tuberat's journal
