Over at Even in a Little Thing, gillpolack writes, "The closest to philosophy I can get is Pollyannaish: even when things go wrong there's mostly a balance." You hit the nail on the proverbial head: mostly a balance. But then there are certain times when balance isn't a good idea. How much fun would a teeter-totter be if it weren't moving up and down?
My ballroom partner and I just learned a move that we refer to as "the drop." (Oh, wait, I found a picture of it! This isn't us, obviously, but this is the move, and it literally goes from me standing up to DROPPING like this and he catches my arms. Sound scary? It is.)
Ok, best way to describe this is that I put my life (and would-rather-not-be-cracked-open-skull) in his hands just before I flatten out and drop parallel to the floor as he holds me by my crossed arms. Confused yet? Anyway, yeah, I know I didn't just create the best mental picture, but the point is this: the first time I did it, I tried to balance it by trying to support my own weight...you know, a 50/50 split, not to mention a little lack of trust on my part (BAD, COLBY! BAD!) Well, I won't keep you in suspense. Total distaster, pulled huge muscle in my leg (I mean, I'm not talking ridiculously, elephantine huge or anything...it was more of a description of the degree of the pain, but oh, well, nevermind. Now that I've given you the impression that I have abnormally large muscles protruding from my thighs, I'll try to pull my foot out of my mouth). I will never, ever fail to trust my partner again, because truth be told, even though it was scary, it was far easier (and less painful) for me to just let go and trust. And when I did it that way, I didn't hurt myself.So does all this rambling have a point? Well, yes, I sure as heck I hope so (Side Note: I just figure I'll keep typing filler until I figure it out). Oh wait, I've got it. The point would be that in writing (or anything in life, really) that balance is relative (not to be confused with balancing on a relative, which could be quite tricky, depending on the relative in question, especially if it is a relative with osteoporosis). I think with my writing, I try to go with my gut and don't actually think that much about balancing things from my time spend writing to my character relationships. Sometimes I just have to let go and trust my story, my characters, my vision, and my passion and let them pull for me. Hey, and if it doesn't work out, there's always the rewrites.
Go check out the other posts in this fantastic blog chain:
Oh, and one last thought that has nothing to do with balance but that I wanted to post today, in case the Big Guy Upstairs reads my blog...
Dear God,
Why tornadoes?
Thanks,
Colby
Colby
9 comments:
OK, you started it. Now we have to have video of you doin' the drop.
Come on!! You know you want to show us how it' done. Besides, it would give you proof of how you've overcome your trust issues.
Your post prompted the strangest thought about writing and balance. On a new pencil, the lead side is 6 and a half inches long. The eraser end is only a quarter inch long. Somewhere in my head that says something about balance and writing the first draft.
I will promise as soon as I can to get some video of the drop...I guess I did start it and will have to finish it. Not to worry...stay tuned!
OK... something about you just makes me shake my head and laugh. You really do amuse me. :-)
I can't wait to see a video of you doing the drop. I think ballroom dancing is just amazing. I'd love to learn, but my husband has huge feet ... and they both seem to be left ones.
Why tornados, indeed! Josh and I, along with about twenty five other people, had to huddle in the kitchen of Fuddrucker's in Kennesaw for about fifteen minutes while the world ended around us! It was maybe the scariest moment of my life. I may have cried. At least I didn't pee.
Miss you!!!!
Reading this made me wistful of my own performing days, both as a figure-skater and a drama student (we did a lot of trust exercises in drama). Your stream-of-consciousness is cute; I make up things as I go along too. (And the part about balancing on a relative, very funny!)
I so want to be able to do that! And I would so break someone's back if I did that :). (I'm a nicely solid build.)
This is why I wouldn't be a dancer. I've never been able to trust people when I drop. Though in fairness, that's because I was left to fall a few times, so I feel there's some justification for the lack of trust.
So, you're saying I SHOULDN'T balance on a relative. Shoot. My cousin's real cute. :)
I have a hard time trusting people with the drop, too. If only because I think about applying that to my high school dance classes.
:shudder:
Still, dancing with another is pretty neat. Being able to do things like drops probably enhances the experience twenty-fold.
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