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Leaving an impression
I am so impressionable, if you touched me I would probably retain your fingerprint on my skin.
Just kidding, but barely. What I read, watch, listen to, & see really colors how I see the world. (This is probably true of everyone but I might have it to such a degree that the Victorians would have a term for it: weak minded.) I guess my kids have this, too, since there are times when I think their friends' voices, words, inflections are spookily emerging from their mouths. I try not to call them on it too often because, really, I understand the pull.
I am an ad executive's dream come true: if there are happy people, the sun slanting across the room just so, music creating a mood I like...I'll think about buying your lovely product. But where this tendency shows up the most is when I read.
~ When I read Girl with a Pearl Earring, I had the overwhelming need to pay attention to small details of my daily life. To chop things into uniform pieces and sort them by color, as she does in the book. To make laundry doing a meditation, a daily sacrament. I didn't really reach these heights of existentialism but I did pay more attention to the beauty of every day details. Sadly, it didn't last long but it was interesting while it lasted.
~ Another book I read for a book group years ago took place in Egypt and the main character, a woman, meticulously went through a face moisturizing routine every night. If I delay wrinkles at all, it will be thanks to that book. I've been very well moisturized ever since. Interesting that I can't remember anything else about the book...hopefully Oil of Olay doesn't start doing product placements in novels when they hear about this!
~ I LOVE a good mystery or spy novel but I have to intersperse them with other things. Otherwise I start looking at the world as a scary, suspicious place. I start wondering "why is that red car behind me turning every where I turn? should I go down this side street to test them? should I take down their license plate (which is reversed in the rear view mirror)? Oh..it's just my neighbor & we're both headed home to the same street." Can be embarrassing & I really prefer thinking of the world as a mostly friendly open place.
~ I just finished the Twilight series. Now I can have long talks with Lauren about whether Edward or Jacob is right for Bella (apparently I'm raising a Jacob lover. I know how this appalls some of you). But the mood of the book has stayed with me. I'm kind of expecting Edward the vampire to show up in New England sometime soon. Which would be fine with me...
~ I loved all of Madeleine L'Engle's books as I was growing up, especially the Austin series. When I think about the family in the book--the warm raucous kitchen, loving relationships, interesting dinner conversation--I can still conjure up the exact feeling I hope I create here at home.
~ Of course when I was younger, I became a spy with Harriet, started planning running away to a museum to find the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, wanted braided hair like Laura Ingalls, the list goes on.
As someone trying to be a writer, this can be boggling. What IS my voice? On this site, sometimes I sound kind of funny one day (well, I try! I said kind of), sincere the next, folksy another day, formal the Friday after that. (This is probably because I read so many great blogs it's inevitable I pick up the mood and tone of others. Given my weak mindedness. But I never take the words; that is shameful!). The effect is expressive schizophrenia, I'm afraid. If I were a song, I would be My Ever Changing Moods, I guess. Hopefully you don't get whiplash.
So...what has left its impression on you?
How do you find your voice?
01.25.2008 | 8 Comments 
Reader Comments (8)
YOU have left your impression on me. And I say thanks. So many times after reading your blog I want to do something new or do something better. I was just thinking almost these exact thoughts about myself the other day, that I am easily impressionable, thinking that when I am with my family (the one I grew up in) I act a certain way and with Chris perhaps a bit different and I was wondering which is the truer me, the one I was the first 20 years or the one I have evolved into, or something in between. Who knows. And I laughed about all your book examples--had many of the same experiences growing up :)
I totally start talking in Southern accents when I read Southern novels. Glad to hear someone else does this sort of thing too!
There are so few people who can appreciate the real beauty of "My ever changing moods"- this reference is unequivocally literary genius on the part of our blog author.
I. LOVED. THIS. It's like you crawled into my brain, because I feel the same way. Especially with books, I feel like I am the character. It takes me a bit to snap back to "Me", then I'm off in another direction. Nice to know I'm in good company.
I do this all the time. Magazines, movies, books - you name it. I can't turn it off, but am glad to know I'm not the only one.
If Edward comes to New England, let me know and I'll be on the next flight out. And L - how could you love Jacob???!!!
Yes, I feel the same way. After reading The Grapes of Wrath I wanted to starve myself. Not because I wanted to be anorexic, but I just wanted to feel their pain too.
What I am wrangling with is how to define the overarching "me" while allowing for, or even speaking to, my different interests, sides and moods. What is my credo? What is my statement of belief about my self and how I interact with the world? What should my mantra be? I should be so lucky "to do no harm" but there is definitely more to my life than that. The question is, how do I say it? - D
I find myself talking like whoever I am with. Is this a good "Dr. Phil" type technique or just that I am a weak wannabe? I don't know.
I just posted your interview and a picture I snagged off this site! I hope that's ok...kinda paranoid about appearing like a plagarist this week. Thanks again!!