ASHER......................................................

This is a poem I wrote, inspired by a character from my in-progress fantasy novel and another character from my in-progress steampunk novel: the pensive and mysterious Asher.

Floating upon the seas of night

his pale face shone in the blue moonlight

He buttoned up his collar, loosened his tie

as the swaying trees whispered and the roosting doves cried.

A gleam of mystery in his sapphire eyes

he beckoned me to the edge of the cliffside

Told me to watch as the waves crashed below

and clouds rolled over the faint moon glow.

Lifted his hands to the sky, and jumped down

down he fell, surely to die

then, like a phoenix, outspread feathered wings

and flew up to the sky.

"Alright, that's enough stupidity for today."

In regards to the title of this blog, no, there is no humorous backstory or anecdote to its origin. It's just something I thought up in a wisp of inspiration (i.e.--while I was trying to think up a name for the blog). Plus, I like the sound of it. It's ambiguous, vague... open to interpretation. Like art. But isn't that what writing should be? I think so. It's more than a way to communicate. While it is a useful vessel for communication, it very much has the characteristics of a piece of tangible artwork. One can solicit an emotional response with the things (s)he writes, create pictures in the mind, imagery, provoke memories, hopes, and dreams, engage the senses, make the reader feel, be it nostalgia, sadness, anger, joy. I consider writing an outlet for imagination, an escape, but overall, a delightful God-given gift that makes living that much more bearable--albeit at times extremely UNbearable.

So, a little about me: I love murder mysteries, nostalgia, laughter, over-using dashes and ellipses in sentences, history, whimsy, world travel, languages, music, Tom Keifer, vintage fashion, photography, fashion design, antiques, shopping, Ulta, 80s hair bands, paranormal studies, tofu, steampunk, Talking Heads, anti-conformity, poetry, cake, The Chronicles of Narnia, dreams, John Taylor, writing, reading, escapism, etymology, eccentricity, obscurity--the list goes on, but I'll stop there. So on this blog, I will post anything related to the above or anything else I find remotely inspiring or interesting. I want to use it as a place to share my ideas and babblings, quote other people's ideas and babblings, and organize my thoughts--really just simmer my ideas and inspirations in one place. Maybe I can even inspire others with something I have to say.

Furthermore, I need to practice verbalizing my thoughts and, well... just practice talking/writing in general, to better my social skills and my writing. I probably don't speak enough--I never really have, being the youngest of four kids in my family. And I'm sure my innate antisocial introversion plays a role in my reticence as well. So--here's to building confidence via sitting alone at a computer posting to a blog! Cheers!