Regularity: Sticking to it all the way

Over the years, I've realized that if you have the talent to write, if you know how to compose a piece of work, whether prose or poetry, short story or novel, the next important thing is carrying power.

How long can you persevere at it? Writing is not for those with a faint heart. It demands total dedication and long hours of work. Merely writing words on paper (or the computer) isn't called writing. It has to be readable and comprehensible. Someone should be able to read and understand it.

Even basic types of writing like diary keeping has one condition attached to it. That's called regularity. One has to be regularly writing to accomplish one's goal. Keeping a diary is not as complicated as writing a book, which needs more dedication, because one has to figure out the content, as well as shape that content into a coherent whole spanning several hundred pages.

When I talk about a few hundred pages, immediately it feels as if I am talking of a daunting task. To fill pages and pages with interesting and readable material is not for the flimsy or flaky minded. One has to apply one's various faculties to and stand one's ground, for long hours, weeks and months, even years.

There are also some who are adept at making great starting. There is a lot of enthusiasm in the beginning, until they get stuck in a rut, for various reasons, which has one name in the writer's dictionary. Block. I don't believe in the kind of writer's block that I hear people talking about. There cannot be a block when one write's regularly and approaches writing as serious work, like any other day job.

The general belief is to think of writing as a hobby or a lighter activity. Our society doesn't give that importance or legitimacy to someone's work unless it is an award winner or a blockbuster, earning loads of money. But writing is not any whimsical activity that one can pick up and drop off any time. One a writer, always a writer. As they say, You are a writer before as well after publishing.

Many people would find it difficult to believe that it requires months, and sometimes years of work, to get that book in hand ready in print. And now, with the surfeit of information because of the internet in our lives, that little, or big volume, requires a writer to be more dedicated to her work. She has to keep all distractions at bay and write every day, even if it is less than what she set as her daily goal.

Being able to sit at one's desk and producing those words that would eventually become your book, and doing it regularly, is the secret to a writer's success. By success, I mean getting a good quality book in print and ready for the reader.

Black Friday

Even before I got up from bed, since last night, and much much before that, more than the talk of Thanksgiving was the talk of Black Friday. Not only amongst people, but in the media. The newspapers, television, and the Internet has been painted red and green and black with news about deals that are the lowest.

The talk of competition among retailers in slashing prices made the rounds for a few days. The Internet pulled all stops to talk about Cyber Monday too. One after the other, it is all about buying, shopping, acquiring things, materials, goods, filling up the house.

Last year, the whole day, both my Equal Half and I were out of the house, shop hopping. Thhe number of things we bought last year were so many, that this time I was still exhausted, even after one whole year, to go out and repeat the cycle once more.

I might be exhausted, but not him. Much of his Thanksgiving passed browsing the newspapers for the best deals. Especially the Best Buy pages, electronics - which is his weakest spot. Whether it is cell phones, computer/netbook/notebook, or plasma screen television, I think all men have this weakness. They don't generally go after cosmetics or handbags, like the women do. In clothing, men do not have as many visible choices to make, unlike women. And the market has been doing its best to lure the men into buying the things they covet most.

My Equal Half started cribbing in bed early on for not being out browing Black Friday deals. 'Not to buy, just to browse,' he kept repeating. 'Let's go out for Black Fridaying.'

If I've not been this firm about sticking to our budget, or not accumulating things that we don't need, we'd have been out the entire day, just the way we were last year. We'd have exhausted out wallets, credit cards, and bank balances, just to crowd our house some more and become a lot poorer for all of it.

Old Hindi Songs

After wrongly listening to it for a long time, I've rediscovered this amazing website called http://www.dishant.com/, which has compilations of Hindi songs, movie songs classified based on movie, alphabet, actor, actress, etc. What a fool I was earlier, just confining myself to the Live radio section, and never exploring any of the other tabs.

Before that, my husband discovered he could play the Pandora Radio on his Palm Pre phone through the sound system in the house, which improved its music quality by adding stereo. Gradually, we were able to plug in the computer, and the old cassette playing tape recorder to the sound system, which dramatically altered the type of music we listened to. My joy was endless when I could use my music cassette collection transported all the way from India on ship.

The computer, now attached to the sound system, has become many times more valuable as an entertainment outlet. Everything comes on stereo. Mainly http://www.dishant.com/ has caught my attention. It has a large collection. To be able to listen to my favourite songs in the US is such a privilege. I wonder, what an age we are living in. The computer and the internet has revolutionized everything.

A few decades ago, when someone came over from India to the US, there was no Indian television. And the Internet was not even born. Telephone calls were extremely expensive and beyond one's pocket. The postal system was slow and did not reach every corner of the globe. And now? I don't have to explain, I guess.

Libraries

The Central Library in Santa Barbara was the first place I went to the day after I arrived here. And I've never regretted that. In fact, one of the main reasons why I've become attached to this place is this library.

Over the months, I've seen new books come on the shelves, old ones being sold off at discount prices. I've seen innumerable events being organized in the three art galleries, and children's reading sessions, non-profit meetings, art competitions being held. I've been a participant and onlooker in many. And the experiences have been wide ranging.

The notice boards at the library are spots where one could gather information about the goings-on in the city, and the public magazine racks are the places where one could pick up something or the other that interests one.

The VCD and DVD/CD section is quite large, but the magazine and periodicals section is even better. I can get my favourite Artists Magazine from here, as I can get Saturday Evening Post, or anything I prefer.

And the reading rooms are welcoming. There are enough chairs to sit on, and tables if one required a flat surface to make notes.

The computer section is most of the time booked beforehand, and one has to wait to get one's slot. But that is ok. The service is commendable. And all this comes for free.

With so many books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, audio books, etc around, I think how different it is from countries that are less prosperous, that cannot provide such an extensive system and facilities to its citizens. I wish things were more equal in the world.