THIS is a wallaby. Wallaby, wallaby, wallaby.
*Sigh*.
As a former zoo keeper, I am insane about most exotic animals. Going to visit a zoo is like pet shopping for me sometimes. That's particularly true about wallabies. And especially particularly true about this one. I just want to take it home and love it and cherish it and (maybe) name it George.
But alas, wallabies require, er, special facilities, and special care. I just don't have the capacity to have a wallaby right now, even though I really REALLY want one. Even more so every time I look at this picture WB and I took at the zoo a few months ago.
So what's a wallaby-wanting girl to do? Wait. Someday, I may have a wallaby. Or not. I can't really say for certain either way (mostly because the reality of keeping an animal like a wallaby far outweighs the fantasy) and so I choose to keep on doing what I'm doing, and hoping that someday I'll get the opportunity to find out if a wallaby is for me or not.
Again, what does this have to do with writing? Well, see, what we all want, what we all strive for-- it's a dream till it happens. This is not me being discouraging. I think each and every single one of us has the capacity to follow that dream, mostly because we all care enough to be here, learning and growing as writers (and artists). But while we work towards that dream, we have to have the patience to keep going with the things we do have in our lives, the tangible things we can grab onto and hold and snuggle till--
Ahem. Excuse me. There are two kittens asleep on my legs right now, their cuteness must be influencing me.
Anyway, my point today is: keep the dream. Keep it real, keep it with you, and when you look at its equivalent of a picture-- your manuscript, or similar-- let the warm fuzzies course through you, taking you away to that special place. But then come back to here, now, and have the patience to build towards the dream.
What tangibles will you hold onto until (and after) the dream comes true?
Very cute critter. My uncle and mother once had a monkey (I'm not sure if it was given to them by a friend who'd rescued it... it was a long time ago and my mother tries not to remember too clearly) who would run across the water pipes that ran along the basement ceiling. However, when someone turned on the hot water, the pipes would scald the little monkey's tootsies and he'd go... um... ape-**** and start flinging feces. Good times. Yeah, certain animals just aren't meant as pets.
ReplyDeleteBane-- Yeah, that's the important thing to remember-- they aren't pets. They're animals, wild animals. Which means they aren't snuggly :( and need special care. I have the experience and the knowledge to do it, just not the money or the facilities. Also, I feel bad for that monkey, haha... poor thing... and er, interesting story.
ReplyDeleteoojee, boojeee, booo.... he's just screaming for snuggle time!!
ReplyDeleteI'll hold onto my love of imagination and creativity long after I get published (whenever that is). And there'll always be the hundreds of books my wife and I own between us. I think the number's closing on 1,000. Not quite sure honestly.
ReplyDeleteI've been having similar thoughts yet...mostly about holding onto reality. I have a family to feed, so for now, I cling to my day job. Loving my family as I do, I also pay particular attention to balancing and/or juggling time. I don't want my children suffering because mom spends too much time at work and at work writing.
ReplyDeleteI doubt either of those will change much when I'm published. Unless, of course, I'm fortunate enough to be able to then afford to leave the job I love (v=ath).
My family, my dogs, my gardens, my freedom to write... all of these things make me content with life, and come what may, I hope none of that ever changes.
ReplyDeleteI love wallabies! (They remind me of oversized squirrels.) I saw my first wallaby at Rome's zoo this summer- they had a whole slew of animals I'd never seen before. The Alaska Zoo sticks with cold-climate animals- we just shipped our elephant out a while ago.
ReplyDeleteI love this analogy. Because my husband wants a motorcycle, and we always say, "Someday." And he's not sad he can't have it right this second. He knows he'll have it someday. I think writing is the same way. Work hard, and keep trying, and you'll have it someday.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding us to keep the dream alive. The radioactivity of the critique was making mine fade. =)
ReplyDeleteElana, if I even suggest getting a motorcycle to my wife, she starts quoting statistics and recounts MRIs/CTs she's seen from injuries. Yeah, she sucks the fun right out of that dream.
ReplyDeleteI have a few thoughts today...
ReplyDeleteFirst, I love wallabies. Can I wallaby-sit when you get yours?
Second, Bane's story is totally disturbing. And yet, I still dream of having a monkey someday. Feces and all.
Third, how Elana's hubby feels about a motorcycle, that's how MY hubby feels about having his own aircraft carrier and submarine someday. And when I say "someday," I mean in an alternate universe.
Fourth, while I do hold fast to my dream of being a published novelist, I value other entities more... like my hubby, my kitty, my friends and family, my passion and imagination, my ability to travel, and my oodles of interests... all of which (whom?) will still be around even after I get published.
Thanks for this, L.T. It brightened my weird day.
Bane and Elana-- yeah. WB has THREE motorcycles. Three. Granted, only two run, but still. I live in constant terror I'll be getting a call I don't want... but I can't convince him to stop. He loves it too much.
ReplyDeleteLaura-- of course you can wallaby-sit! I hope your day isn't TOO weird.
Anita-- sorry to hear it's spreading. Maybe in a couple days it'll settle down into something manageable. At least, I hope so. :)
Valerie-- that pretty much sums up how this picture makes me feel.
Matt-- Yeah, my book collection is ever growing. And I'm never going to be too important to learn from others.
Renee-- would be nice, wouldn't it?
Deb-- I am so jealous of your gardens, because I know when it's not snowing/ winter, they're likely very green. I miss green. A lot. Our backyard is a lovely shade of dirt.
Stephanie-- guess I never really thought of that! They must have a lot of polar bears and foxes :)
Great reminder! I did a post about dreams yesterday - go figure. Check it out at Book Dreaming! ;-)
ReplyDeleteShannon-- great post! And, great minds blog alike? Haha...
ReplyDeleteOh, thanks, the day has gotten a bit better - and naturally, the wallaby-sitting offer still stands.
ReplyDeleteLaura-- you are an honorary wallaby sitter whenever the opportunity arises. You know, after I actually have one :)
ReplyDeleteLaura, I like the way Dan thinks. I, too, now want an aircraft carrier -- loaded w/ missiles, of course.
ReplyDeleteAll I have to say is that I've obviously been missing a lot around here. I cut back to blogging three days a week, and I seem to have missed all of your posts. I'll be keeping better track in the future. Hope all is well. And, great post, by the way.
ReplyDeleteCool, L.T. Well, get on that wallaby-adopting thing, would ya?
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Bane... with the 2012 apocalypse on the horizon, Dan believes that any good aircraft carrier will have to have missiles and other cool defense systems... if only to keep the pirates away.
But, as I tried to explain to him, an aircraft carrier wouldn't work. It's too small to withstand the rogue waves. I mean, did he learn nothing from the movie?
That's, of course, when he reminds me that the submarine would be necessary, too. Sigh.
You and Dan, Bane, are two peas in a pod.
He can have the sub -- I was in NROTC my frosh year of college and went to a summer training regimen where we spent a week doing each section of Navy stuff (surface warfare, aviation, marines, subs) -- I was already considering dropping out, and did so immediately before sub week (smalls spaces and me don't get along)....
ReplyDeleteThough, yeah, subs would come in handy if we go all Waterworld.