L-O-V-E
Today has been a rough day.
As someone with a chronic illness, every day is kind of a crap shoot. Some days, I wake up and basically want to pull the cover over my head. Low-grade fever, throwing up (hey, if I can't share . . . ), all that fun stuff. Kind of a typical day--or, for me, about one out of every seven or eight days, unless I'm real sick, then it's every day. And some days, you know, you deal with that better than others.
Today was a day my kids got pizza reheated for breakfast (bless you, Papa John's). The baby got raisins and Chex in a cup (God love you, Sunmaid!). I ain't winning any homemaker awards. (Though I did put on lipstick! Thank you, MAC!) And I have sat here trying to write feeling like I have the flu, more often than not putting my forehead on the desk.
And I believe in L-O-V-E.
Non-sequitur? No. Not really.
You see, I live in a no-whining zone, and so I will do anything to avoid feeling low. One technique I use is to set the timer on my oven for an hour. For an hour I will feel really sorry for myself. I mean, REALLY. I will just bemoan what kind of friggin' universe hands out diseases? When the timer goes off? Pity party over. Done. That's it. Get over it, pick yourself up and shut the hell up. Get to work.
My other technique is to listen to music--nothing dark (hence, sorry, not today for the Alexandre Desplat soundtrack to BIRTH). Today I am listening to the soundtrack to I AM SAM. Bad movie. Really bad. But the soundtrack is pretty cool, and Aimee Mann and Michael Penn remake TWO OF US. (The whole soundtrack is Beatles hits redone by people like Aimee Mann, Rufus Wainwright, and the beyond dreamy Eddie Vedder). And while TWO OF US was playing, the baby and his big brother played basketball in the house (it's always a little chaotic around here--their net is in the two-story foyer--bouncing basketballs on the hardwood floor). There is a decade between them, but my big guy loves that 18-month-old baby something fierce. And they were so cute. And it fit the song. (See basketball court in this post!)
Next I read the news online--about the 83-year-old bride and her 90-year-old husband--getting MARRIED this weekend with a reception for 170! Yup! Talk about believing in the power of love to transform no matter what your age.
And yeah. Love is all around us. If you're alive and reading this, you know, it's a good f***ing day.
And THAT (bringing it back to writing) is at the heart of most of my books. Don't we all want to believe in the power of love to trump all? To trump diseases and death and ruin and heartbreak and war and tragedy and the darkness of man? Don't we?
Best book to lift your mood? Best song? Best movie?
Come on . . . share a little L-O-V-E!
As someone with a chronic illness, every day is kind of a crap shoot. Some days, I wake up and basically want to pull the cover over my head. Low-grade fever, throwing up (hey, if I can't share . . . ), all that fun stuff. Kind of a typical day--or, for me, about one out of every seven or eight days, unless I'm real sick, then it's every day. And some days, you know, you deal with that better than others.
Today was a day my kids got pizza reheated for breakfast (bless you, Papa John's). The baby got raisins and Chex in a cup (God love you, Sunmaid!). I ain't winning any homemaker awards. (Though I did put on lipstick! Thank you, MAC!) And I have sat here trying to write feeling like I have the flu, more often than not putting my forehead on the desk.
And I believe in L-O-V-E.
Non-sequitur? No. Not really.
You see, I live in a no-whining zone, and so I will do anything to avoid feeling low. One technique I use is to set the timer on my oven for an hour. For an hour I will feel really sorry for myself. I mean, REALLY. I will just bemoan what kind of friggin' universe hands out diseases? When the timer goes off? Pity party over. Done. That's it. Get over it, pick yourself up and shut the hell up. Get to work.
My other technique is to listen to music--nothing dark (hence, sorry, not today for the Alexandre Desplat soundtrack to BIRTH). Today I am listening to the soundtrack to I AM SAM. Bad movie. Really bad. But the soundtrack is pretty cool, and Aimee Mann and Michael Penn remake TWO OF US. (The whole soundtrack is Beatles hits redone by people like Aimee Mann, Rufus Wainwright, and the beyond dreamy Eddie Vedder). And while TWO OF US was playing, the baby and his big brother played basketball in the house (it's always a little chaotic around here--their net is in the two-story foyer--bouncing basketballs on the hardwood floor). There is a decade between them, but my big guy loves that 18-month-old baby something fierce. And they were so cute. And it fit the song. (See basketball court in this post!)
Next I read the news online--about the 83-year-old bride and her 90-year-old husband--getting MARRIED this weekend with a reception for 170! Yup! Talk about believing in the power of love to transform no matter what your age.
And yeah. Love is all around us. If you're alive and reading this, you know, it's a good f***ing day.
And THAT (bringing it back to writing) is at the heart of most of my books. Don't we all want to believe in the power of love to trump all? To trump diseases and death and ruin and heartbreak and war and tragedy and the darkness of man? Don't we?
Best book to lift your mood? Best song? Best movie?
Come on . . . share a little L-O-V-E!
posted by Erica Orloff at 3:25 PM
17 Comments:
I wrote this song a long time ago, dedicated now to someone I might marry in Paris some day when she's seventy three and I'm a geezer but still serving aces:
This morning, you gave me such a feeling,
lying there holding me that way.
You touched my heart and, oh,
I have a feeling
I'll be with you forever and a day.
I come home to you,
and it's like Heaven.
You kiss me soft and whisper in my ear,
'I love you.' Oh my darling, and
I want to sing so all the world can hear.
When my heart stops loving you I know,
The mighty Mississippi will not flow.
The crows won't scare and the crickets won't sing,
The roses won't bloom in the Spring.
When my heart stops loving you there'll be,
just one blade of bluegrass in Kentucky.
The sun will never shine,
it'll be the end of time
when my heart stops loving you.
Rock on Erica! I am totally feeling the love...thank you so much
And Jude -- gorgeous song. My husband always says he'll love me "forever and a day" -- and your lyrics expand on what I think he means
Michele
(logging off the computer with a big smile on her face)
Jude:
How utterly lovely. Beautiful. Brought a tear to this feeling-the-flu broad.:-)
And you know . . . one thing about love. I mean THAT kind of love. The two people in it always feel as if they are the ONLY two people in the world and no one has ever loved the way they do--and your song captures that perfectly.
E
Michele:
How lovely. My mom and dad are still together 43 years later. everyone said it wouldn't last a week. And they love that "I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow" song. Kind of the same sentiment.
E
The song I got married to #2. Everything I do I do it for you- By Brian Adams
Forever and Always by Shania Twain also describes us.
la:
My fave song in that regard is FLY ME TO THE MOON because it was used in a quirky movie called ONCE AROUND with Holly Hunter. :-)
I have songs for each of my kids, in my mind, too. They are each so utterly different . . . and I'll hear something and be touched that it reminds me of them.
And then of course, sometimes I write to certain kinds of music to evoke mood in my mind.
E
Erica! Now I have Ashlee Simpson shrieking L O V E in my head! Thanks a lot for the earworm. Hmph.
Great post!
I just posted about Don't Stop Me Now by Queen, but my other favorite musical pep-talk is (Little Girl In) The Middle by Jimmy Eat World.
I just can't be in a sad/bad/whiny mood after listening to either of these.
Great post. I *so* hear you about days like that. Hope today is better.
:) d
Love is everywhere! My anniversary is right around the corner (nine years!) -- I married the guy I crushed on all through high school (and he didn't know it -- the crush part; the marriage part he's figured out). we just painted one of the bedrooms a gorgeous sea blue -- yum! Paint fumes! Haven't written a stitch today other than blog posts. But I've been visualizing a hell of a lot, and now I really feel like Something Big is about to happen with my writing for my two WIPs. Ain't nothing wrong with that.
Mmmm. Paint fumes!
milady:
Sorry about that--the LAST thing I would do is send you an ear worm of her! :-)
E
dana:
Thanks. I usually start my days with candles and a prayer, but some days, you know? But then I just need a boost to remind me how much I adore life . . . and love . . . and music . . . and books . . . and art.
Stuck in the Middle with You--LOVE that song. Even though Quentin Tarantino sort of ruined it for most people by using it for the torture scene in Reservoir Dogs . . . when I hear it, I smile.
And Dana . . . THE GIANTS WON! Tell Mr. P!!
E
jackie:
Can't say I've tried fumes for inspiration--but should I get really in trouble for an idea . . . I have some cans of paint upstairs! :-)
E
Maybe the paint fumes won't do more than give you a headache (this is me, four extra strength Tylenol and eight hours of sleep later). But dang, your room will look lovely! And that is definitely inspiring! :-)
Erica, I know you didn't write this looking for sympathy, but I can't help offering it nonetheless. My mother suffered chronic illness so I know how very difficult it is to focus on the good and not the challenge. You're an inspiration.
Hi Natalie:
Thanks . . . it's been a long, strange journey, but it's definitely made me some of what I am today.
E
Best movie - Love Actually
Best song - What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life
WTG on the no-whining zone. It must be sooo hard sometimes. My mother has a number of chronic conditions (which I've inherited to a lesser degree), so I feel for you.
Sara:
I adore, adore, adore LOVE ACTUALLY, and it always makes me believe in love--though I always feel saddened by the one guy in love with his best friend's girl . . . and the character whose brother is in the institution. But I adore when Colin Firth proposes!!!!!
E
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