Some days, I don't feel like being funny. My kids have been going through one of those post-vacation phases wherein they don't listen, don't sleep, and scream things like, "I hate you; you're mean!" It's hard to be funny after that.
I think this is one of the major distinctions between the hobbyist (accidentally typed "hoobist" the first time...I have no idea what that is but it sounds pervy to me) and the professional. Because I know a lot of you do what I do: you put your butt in the chair and write. You write when you don't feel funny (or romantic, or adventurous, or like a yeti midget goatherder, depending on your book). You write when you'd rather be sleeping, hanging with friends, or watching some reality tv show you'd never admit in public. You write when it's a chore as well as when it's a pleasure. Because you're a professional.
You write funny even when funny seems like a really cruel joke. And somehow, the funny rubs off on you, and things don't seem quite so bad. My daughter is screaming at the top of her lungs right now. I think I'll go be funny. Because once I've dragged my butt to the chair, I'm inevitably glad I did.
Back to the regularly scheduled funny tomorrow. I just wanted to say that.
18 comments:
I read hoobist as Boobist! And that definitely sounds funny.
Even a monkey falls out of the tree sometimes! (It's a Japanese proverb-lol.) You can't always be happy.
Hope you feel funnier soon.
This is why I write a lot of dark fiction. I can make bad things happen and feel good about it. :)
Once in awhile, I'll get the "Mama, you're mean" comment and I tell them it means I'm doing my job as a parent - it's usually said after I refuse to let them do something like eat M & M's for breakfast.
The butt in the chair thing is so true - for me, it's cathartic and you're right about it changing your mood. Fake it til you make it! Hope this day gets better for you! :)
Every mom gets "You're the meanest mom ever" comment every once in a while. And it's usually over something trivial!
Go forth, ignore the whines, and be funny.
I totally get those days!! An no worries...real is more important than funny!
It's okay. Maybe I don't feel like laughing today. So the pressure's off!
You just confirmed it, I am a professional.
Once my four year old, now nine, told me I was mean and he wanted a new mommy. I fixed him a snack and juice and shoved him out the door.
After about five minutes of pounding and crying on the door I let him back in. He promised he loved me and didn't EVER want a new mommy.
Solved that one.
One possible response to "I HATE YOU!" is, in a calm loving voice: "That fine dear, just be glad I don't hate you." :)
Yay, you're human! And yet in this post you still came off as funny with the hoobist line. :)
As a father of two with twins on the way, I totally feel your pain. And your right about it rubbing off. It is so hard to get started when you aren't "feeling creative," but so rewarding when you're done.
I agree Carrie!!! There are days I didn't want to write, but I did and got to the point I wished I was in the first place. And yes, sometimes I had to go back and write the funny in after I had written the chapter. So much work! But worth it.
Every mom has had "those" moments, and they do totally suck! I think we cal live a day without funny Carrie. See ya tomorrow. :-)
The curse of all writing mothers: kids. It's hard to be funny sometimes. I think you do a good job of faking it till you make it. I would never know.
So true! I hope you have an ultimately funny day.
You don't have to be funny all the time! Too much pressure. ;) Life is a mix of all of it and readers know that too. But it can be frustrating, I know. I often yell at what I'm writing: "I'm not laughing!!" like yelling is going help. Alas, life does not always cooperate to give us endless light and inspiring days...
Nice post by the way; you write well, funny or not. ;)
I echo everyone else's comments saying I've been there too. No Mommy-of-the-Year award for me this year. Oh well, I can settle for Mommy Dearest then. ;)
Big hugs, Carrie. Try to remember that the funny would be kind of meaningless without the crappy days to compare it to. It will be better soon.
The first time one of my kids screamed, "I hate you! You're so mean!" I thought I would crumple into a thousand pieces and die. So not funny. But keeping it real is important too and I love that you do that as well as you do funny.
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