The Sprinkles Sunday Morning Routine hardly ever deviates if I can help it. Multiple alarms have been set at 8:00am and 8:30am just in case sleep is stronger than the morning sun. I make it a priority to watch Joel Osteen, my positive TV preacher, who nudges the truths I know that are good for me to live a more abundant, love filled life in a world caught up in the crossfire of negative soul warping messages. (God knows I need an extra boost these days!) Right after my life and love affirming messages, my mind gets brain candy from the CBS Sunday Morning Show where news and cultural/artistic stories nourish cells with its many tastes and flavors. Yum!
One of the first stories was on Neil Gaiman who apparently has written many books I've heard of and written screenplays for movies like Stardust and Coraline which I've seen. He is touted as the 'master of macabre'. I may have even read or had his first book about Duran Duran. Yes, I was a squealing teenager once who had 15 giant posters of the British Pop Group thumb tacked all over her room. That's a story for another time and dimension...
During Gaiman's interview they showed his basement full of books which made me think of maybe if had I kept all the books I've read I would have one just like it. Well, not just like it. Now I don't know for sure and don't lambaste me if you know, but I doubt Gaiman has read hundreds of romance series and novels from age 12 to 21 or flighty fashion handbooks or fact filled cultural anthropological titles. His selections would most likely include erudite authors and award winning fiction not to mention his own award winning titles.
Sigh.
It is during these moments I feel uneducated about Dickens, Twain, Shaw, Austen and...Gaiman himself. A voice quickly reminds me that sometimes ignorance is bliss. Not coloring your own inner music is best for it is unblemished with other people's mediocrity or brilliance. I get to make things my own. Whatever the hell that is supposed to be!
To be fair, Gaiman and I may have read similar veined magic and metaphysical titles based on reading his online bio. We do have ONE BIG THING IN COMMON. Sprinkles and Gaiman have (or had) dogs named Cabal. Look at the caption on his Wikipedia pic of he and his pooch. Kinda creepy in a cool way.
Ticker tape still spitting out...
My lack of desire to read more esteemed literature I think stems from having issues with reading comprehension as a kid. It was my cousin Angie who got me interested in reading at all with romance series starting at age 12. Whatever it takes, right? The genres of storytelling I am most attracted to have been listening to radio soap operas in the Philippines which has translated to loving books on audio and watching movies for the larger than life screen projecting words and special effects. There is no one favorite, no top 10 list of anything. I like stories that immediately capture my attention and sense of adventure or take me out of my seat in the movies where the only thing that matters is the movie. You've seen Avatar in 3D? Like that.
The memories come to me now of being an only child (until the age of 11) making her own paper dolls, kitchen pans and tools out of aluminum foil and movie tickets from paper perforated by a safety pin. I was forced to be more internal or approach things originating from within, to create my own world with no obvious influences. Perhaps this entry is a reminder that I need not feel less than because I am more than the sum of my incomplete parts.
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2 comments:
Gaiman is a terrific and very talented writer. Also very approachable as a writer - one that works on lots of levels. I've always found I can take what I want from his books and still enjoy them, whether it goes over my head or not. Check out American Gods, it's excellent.
Thanks for the recommendation. I will get it the next time I go to the bookstore. There are a couple of other books waiting for me to read in the pipeline at the moment from recent trip. ;p
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