Sixty-Six; History Is Of An Age, In The Time Of The Coronavirus

 "History " T.S. Eliot observed is but a contrived corridor- If you are writing a historical screenplay, you do not have to be accurate about the people involved, only to the historical event and result of that event. Add a sequence of events that will personalize the story while leading it to an accurate Historical Result.

     It isn't so much the event in History as it is the artist's or writer's reaction to the event. Your effort to get at the greater truth is the goal. One cannot shy from the responsibility to get to and to expose the underlying motivations of those involved in the Historical Event. You may be the proverbial Canary in the Coal Mine. Not everyone understands the ramifications of actions and that there are equal an opposite reactions for every action. If you believe in the Law of Karma which we have previously discussed, you will understand this. To live in denial of it is to live in the world of Delusion or Maya. (Hinduism: Buddhism: the power by which the universe becomes manifest; the illusion or appearance of the phenomenal world.) (Hinduism: the supernatural power wielded by gods and demons to produce illusions.) Not everyone sees or understands things in the same context. What is alarming to you may not even register to another. Hence the times we are living in today should be frighteningly disturbing to you. This just means it is up to you as the writer to write about it, or to write to relieve society of the burden of coping with it or to entertain the masses.

     It may be your responsibility to record the event for posterity. In youth you may know the courage and find the strength to "Tempt a God Of Fate," it then is your duty to record what it is that you witnessed. The Golden Rules of the World are absolute. Go seek your Fortune and your Fame but be prepared to accept the responsibility that is yours for your actions.

Hurdy Gurdy Man, Donovan

The Art of Retirement

      Ok the big day has come and gone. It seems that the last few months became unbearable. Once you give yourself permission to stop being in the work world you are not. Several years before deciding to retire my wife, Kathy, set up this blog for me for when I retire. She has always supported my writing mindset. My editor, confidant, critic, and fan Kathy has always encouraged my writing. I would not have a book on Amazon nor would I be writing under the name of Write My Fire. I am fortunate to have gotten the girl!
     The question now about retirement is where do you go from here. Is writing just for pleasure? Should I try to make money or publish a product? The need being is to supplement my income so that we can travel to do the things that we enjoy and also gather the experiences to draw future writing from. The natural thing for me is to do what I know. I have been told before to write about what you know. However I have never wanted to write a Plumbing and Heating blog nor have I ever wanted to write about pipes. The answer to the question may be to reinvent yourself. Is this what Grandma Moses did? Don't know what she did before picking up a paintbrush!
     What it really appears to be to me is an opportunity. There are many things in my life that I have left unfinished. Writing projects started but no completed. If you were to go back and look at all of my blogs from the beginning you would see that there are stories and thoughts that were begun but not pursued. A Historical novel that I have an outline, first chapter and notes for as well as a first act of a screen play. I even enrolled in a screenwriting workshop in Aspen when I was living there. Then there is a novel about writers estranged wishing to write with one another that is almost complete. It lacks a better beginning and a couple middle chapters in order to be complete. I wrote the book by writing separate short stories with the same characters designed to be linked together into a novel. Completion is not that far away.
     The answer is in the list. Like writing an outline, a list of half started works and ideas could be fleshed out and completed and turned into finished works. Not to mention many ideas and short stories that have been begun like blogs started and sitting in my blog sphere with the big red label of Draft on them. Yes there is also all of my poetry that was not included in Of Mountains and Men. Finish what you start!