Thursday 6/16/22
* Tired.
* I'm writing more than ever. More more. What do I mean by that? I'm writing more kinds of things pretty much at once than ever before. I think. I don't see how there could be more more than there is right now.
* Today I wrote an 1800 word story on toxic masculinity--but it's so much more, in keeping with the more more theme--called "Cease the Day." It came to me at once. I knew I was going to be writing something else after, which I had to write today, so what did I do? I wrote the story first? Get it? Because I had to write the second piece. That means I make myself write more. That's a technique I use.
* So then the second piece: I wrote something on the Beatles' "I'm Down." I pitched it yesterday. But I didn't even check to see if there was a reply before I wrote it. Because if there wasn't, I might not have. So, again, I forced myself and this was a technique I used. I thought, okay, brother man, this piece would be perfect to add to Just Like Them: A Piece by Piece Guide to Becoming the Ultimate Thinking Person's Beatles Fan, which is all done, but there's room for something awesome to join what is already there. This would be fresh and work well in the book. Saturday is Paul McCartney's eightieth birthday. That means I made two versions--one for the book without the birthday day tag, and one with it, to see if I could sell it on its own. Either way I'm getting the use, but it's whether or not I get it twice over. There was no response to the pitch. I sent it to that person anyway, explaining myself, saying it'd be great if they could take a look, because I did it for my book anyway, and no biggie if not. I sent it to a few other people, too, four of whom hate me whom I've never done a single damn thing to. The usual: because of what I am, what they know me to be, and what they are not. Of course, it smokes every other Beatles piece out there.
* I got off my ass for the first time since Sunday, and ran 3000 stairs and did thirty push-ups. Not a super strong showing. So much work, though. Features, stories, books, proposals, prefaces, op-eds, radio, essays, novel development, just in the last two weeks. I also worked on some big things for the site.
* "Cease the Day" is excellent. The voice is just pure power. I don't mean because it's the voice of a male asshole who is trying to convey power, or significance, or attitude. A guy we learn things about to explain how he is what he is, and maybe something else, too. I mean distinction of the voice. The stand-out quality of the voice. That's the thing about voice--it stands out, and it's natural. That's the dichotomy to realize.
* Read some of Greil Marcus's Invisible Republic at Starbucks. He used to write a lot better than he's written now for a bunch of years.
* Called my mom.
* Learned that Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is coming to Boston in July and Spirtualized in September. I will go to these shows.
* TFMANMWWG. This is what is going to do it, Zulu warrior. Keep it going.