I'm beginning to learn that I must always carry an umbrella in Florida. In this photo snapped on my cell phone, I wait inside the movie theater for the rain to let up. But this couple seems to have the right idea: That umbrella is so big that it must have been pilfered from the outdoor dining area of one of the nearby restaurants.
I have been tasked with writing something, but in order to write it, I have to be able to write.
In other words, I can't write. I've contracted the block. And I just can't shake it.
Lack of any vacation time in the past seven months must have something to do with this feeling of stupidity and helplessness. My planned trips to Washington (the Newseum), Maine (home) and northern California (of which there will be little of when I visit because of the wildfires) can't come soon enough.
Another likely contributor to this writer's block is the Florida humidity.
Having thrown my arms up in defeat when trying to put my fingers to the keypad, I decided to take in a movie. I caught the $6.50 matinee of "Wall-E," Pixar's brilliantly dark-yet-charming film about too much garbage on Earth (which, really, is already a reality) and robot love.
It's funny that the underlying themes of the last two movies I've seen - "The Happening" and "Wall-E" - made political statements about the environment.
Because of its political correctness in its environmental sensitivity and because of its references to Apple computer products, "Wall-E" is both a PC and a Mac movie. How 'bout that?
But despite its appeal to Al Gore, "Wall-E" surprisingly surprised me, too. It was the best film I've seen since "Shrek." I like how the most clever films these days are made for children. It says something about the devolution of adult entertainment.
Whoa, way off track there. OK, what was I talking about? Oh yes, humidity. It's about 150 percent.
When the sound faded at the end of the movie, I heard raindrops pelting the roof of The Rave theater in Viera. The sound was soothing: As the gap in the sky widened, the rain sounded like waves crashing against the beach.
It was pouring so hard that I didn't want to leave and get soaked in the process. I was planning to plant myself in a cafe to complete my writing assignment, and I knew that wearing drenched clothes in an overly air-conditioned room wouldn't be conducive such a task.
So I waited. And waited. And ... waited.
Lighting struck nearby.
My strategy to wait out the storm was unsuccessful. I'm sitting in Panera and drinking coffee to stay warm. But it's not helping. To say that I have cold feet about this writing assignment is both literal and figurative.
I just can't flush those words out of my head.
It's time for medium coffee cup No. 4.
5 comments:
Notebooks and cursive help writer's block.
Silly Mainer. I carry an umbrella in my heavy backpack. Always had one in the car, as well as a towel. It's summertime in Fla-la-land, which means afternoon rainstorms.
WALL-E was so freakin' adorable. And the message was superb. I wonder if Sigourney Weaver used clips from "Galaxy Quest" to audition for her role.
Welcome to FL in the summer. Rain every afternoon.
Damn writer's block. The bane of our existence as scribes. I never thought to blame it on humidity, but now I see that water particulates are to blame.
Hey Andrew:
Boss Greg passed around a piece from the NYT about the fact that the Newseum does not have a section -- or anything -- on copy editing. You should take a look at when you get a chance if you haven't seen it already.
BDN Judy
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