January 18, 2005
Mandy's Sass
Sorry for the lack of updates recently, I am going to try to start posting more often. I am generally trying to write more often.
I still subscribe to the theory that my overall well-being suffers greatly when I do not have some kind of creative writing outlet. As much as I promise myself that I will journal and do other creative writing on my own time, I know that the chances of all of this happening increases significantly when I have a class that mandates I write on a regular basis.
(And while it is not a creative outlet, I am greatly looking forward to Sophia�s Sass starting up�www.sophias-sass.com so I can start bitching about news events on a regular basis)
So to fulfill this creative outlet, I am trying to get into an autobiography writing workshop, which is no easy task as a first year. It doesn�t help that I didn�t write like I should have this past semester so my confidence in my voice is next to nil. But I am extremely excited to report that after two rewrites, both accomplished last night, I feel like I submitted a piece that at least demonstrates a lot of potential.
I ended up writing about what I consider to be the turning point in my commitment phobia�essentially, when it began in fifth grade. It comes out as my own little feminist manifesto, though hopefully not too blatantly as I reject taking care of my friend�s Tamagotchi to return to the basketball court with the boys and feel betrayed when my friends try to push me into �settling� into a relationship I don�t want. I like how I pretend that my life is far more sensational and exciting than it really is. The piece still needs a lot of work, but hopefully it demonstrates that I know how to use details and humor to produce a somewhat challenging if not overly compelling narrative overall.
As fun as it has been to be more relaxed at Smith, I think I need to renew some of my intensity and obsession when it comes to my writing, and to my academic work as long as I don�t like myself become a compete wreck over it. I still want to work hard, play hard, but I think I can work a little harder.