Waking Up Is Hard To Do

So it starts today. The residency is over, the house is clean, and I've slept my brain to mush. The real work of this MFA begins this very afternoon. No one is standing over me with looming deadlines, pop quizzes, or midterm exams. It's just me and my laptop and a big blank screen. Sure, it's a little intimidating. I have so many voices bouncing around in my head - professors, characters, my own self doubt. Now I just have to shut everything out and try to write something.

At least I'm not alone on this journey. Ever since the residency, I've talked daily to a friend in the same boat. He's been sending me pieces of his hilarious story and making me feel like a complete slacker. I've got to get working so I have something to read next time he calls.

In the vein of trying to get motivated and focused, I made Steve watch Wonder Boys with me last night and shock of all shocks, he liked it. Well, he didn't wax poetic about it or anything, but I did hear him laugh out loud several times, and he admitted it was "okay." In Steve-ese that's practically effusive. So he may never give more than an "it's good" as a critique to one of my stories, but at least he sat through of one my favorite writer movies. Small victories, right?

Well, the day is speeding by, and I have writing to do. So it's time to go. I have lots of rejection letters to earn.