Jillian Approved: Humor, News and Nonsense

So… yeah.  A whole month has gone by and I didn’t update at all. That’s typical of me actually. But you know what I do appreciate? I appreciate the people that stop by and check on me from time to time. I love that. When all hope is lost, I visit my site and look at the Blog Catalog widget to see who recently graced me with their presence. It’s all quite nice. So what I’m really trying to say is: Thanks for not completely giving up on me.

And trust me, this blog means a lot to me. It may not seem like that’s the case, but it’s true. The problem is that I fall into different slumps and it’s really really hard to get out of them.

You know how you write something and you think it’s crap, but then someone else reads it and they love it? That’s how I feel about this blog and pretty much everything I write in general. I write and write and write and edit and edit and edit… until I feel it’s less like pure shite and more like a bad smell in the room. The latter obviously being a step up. Now I love compliments and aside from the fact I have no idea how to take them – other than responding with a light twist of self-deprecation – I’m not saying all this in the hopes you issue forth kind words. I’m saying this because it’s the truth… plain and simple.

Which leads me to reveal…

I’ve decided to seriously try my hand at writing. Which is the main reason I’ve been MIA in the blogosphere. For now I’m sticking with short stories, but there are a few book ideas floating around. I know what you’re thinking: who DOESN’T want to be a writer? But for me, this is more of a personal thing rather than a “I really think I have a chance in hell of getting published” kinda thing. The main goal is to finish something. Anything. Often times while I’m driving, I’ll have an idea so awesome it’s amazing my head didn’t explode from thinking it. Usually I come home, sit in front of the computer and let my fingers do the talking. But something always happens. The momentum eventually slows, and I’m left with a great start, a ‘meh’ middle, and no ending in sight. Frustrating to say the least. So what exactly am I supposed to do? What do you do when suddenly the connection you had to the material packs its bag and leaves you for someone else? And what does it mean? Am I lazy? (unlike the other questions, this one is rhetorical) or…. is it just the mind of an amateur at work? Does it get easier the more I do it? Am I rushing things?

Anywho, let’s move on.

It has come to my attention how much I hate ‘random dance numbers’ in films. It’s not that what they are doing isn’t entertaining… it’s that logically it makes no sense that the people involved would know the right steps to whatever ‘number’ they are performing. If a guy walks into a train station and starts gettin down, what are the chances people around him would join in? And even better… why would they join in? How would they know the right moves? No one thinks it’s weird that a group of people who’ve never met one another would miraculously perform a flawless dance sequence? Seriously, this is worth thinking about. The only way this would be possible (and this is a stretch) is if there was some secret dance society that recruited people and taught them a certain number of routines. This way, whenever they found themselves in a public place where dance could break out any second, they wouldn’t hesitate to “shake what their momma gave them”.

Seriously, all I’m asking for is a little context.

But as awesome as a secret dance society sounds, I can’t help but wonder why no one thought to invite me to join. I like… to dance. Aside from the fact I have absolutely no rhythm, I think effort should count for something. So I miss a few beats here and there – and step on some toes… so what? Is this really cause enough to leave me out? Apparently so since I have yet to receive any envelopes with mysterious writing. Okay, that’s not true entirely. I HAVE received at least one envelope with mysterious writing, but I’m sure it’s from the peeping Tom in the apartment building across from ours. He likes to stare at us a lot, and I figure he’s just extending the branch of friendship by giving us a Christmas card.

I hope you guys enjoy the coming holidays. I have big plans for this site come 2009… plans involving actually updating. I had better end here before I give away anything else.