Thanks Postman!

Now that I am a lady of leisure, er, not at Uni that is, I've been doing a lot of reading and thinking around the works that I have come across. I've been much more mindful and analytical of the words in music of late as well. As I've been diving into such literature, I can't help but ask why I can't write like they do, where is my original thought, why aren't those my beautifully crafted words? Although I love words, I love literature, I think that writing or creating original work is not something I can skilfully do. In lit class I was always very good at analytic work, breaking down, understanding, exploring and critiquing works of others. I had moderate capabilities when it came to writing when it wasn't entirely original; in instances when I was already giving something to use or work with, such as style parodies or when the topic or structure or whatever was given to me. But creating something from nothing was always a struggle. So perhaps I'll accept that I won't be an artist with words and that this blog is the closest I'll get to it - which ain't too bad. I certainly enjoy cruising on other people's works, I'll be happy enough with that.

I have been reading the recent piece created by Lenka Clayton and Michael Crowe lately and have fallen in love. I think this writing in particular is what has sparked the envy in me and the want to be able to create something incredible myself. Although I have been feeling this with most works that I have encountered lately, Lenka and Michael's in particular makes the desire to create beautiful words strong because I can so closely relate to this piece. I relate to the philosophy behind the work, relate to the spark that gave reason to it's creation, relate to what they hope to achieve from it, relate to the design of the work, relate to the approach they took, relate to the words and final outcome itself, I can just relate to it all. I think it would have been an amazing thing to do, just amazing.

This work makes me think of a letter I wrote in high school, it's funny how similar my letter was to Lenka and Michael's in fact. I planted this letter in the pages of a carefully and purposefully selected book in the library. There the letter sat waiting for the next person to choose this book and stumble upon the letter, and for the next person after that and so on for, hopefully, many years. I remember checking on my letter months after planting it to find someone had wrote back 'you need a life' and left the letter in the book. I thought this was fantastic, it had began! Oh, to see this letter now and if it had amounted to what I had hoped for, a chain of writing by strangers; those who picked up this particular book, for whatever reason, to find this letter inside, to read my writing and the writing that followed and then to contribute and to leave behind a part of themselves for the next person to read.

I am about half way through Michael and Lenka's letters. The more I read, the more brush strokes are added to the stunning and high spirited picture that is being created here. A picture that entails dinosaurs, hermits and giraffes, just to name a few. With each letter I read I feel uplifted, excited and simply happy. I am inspired to make every moment of my life meaningful, and to strive to do incredible things with my life - to travel the world, to meet beautiful people, to appreciate the experience of simple things, like climbing a mountain or hitch hiking instead of taking the bus! What an awesome affect these two artists are having on me and not just me but hundreds of people that have taken something from their work. Gorgeous.

Love Kristy xo