So the last two books I've read have been self-help books. Yup. I am now one of those people. The books, Think and Grow Rich! by Napoleon Hill and How Proust Can Change Your Life by Alain De Botton, were actually in many ways good. For me anyway.
Think and Grow Rich!
My (ex?)-yoga instructor recommended this one. For the most part it was all about the power of positive thinking, with many examples of how positive thinking has helped people to overcome tremendous odds. One of the suggestions (which I'd actually heard before) that I'm working on is that if you don't believe in yourself or you don't have that burning desire or drive for whatever it is that your goal is, just keep telling yourself that you do and eventually you will.
Speaking of belief in myself, the book also made me realize something. In the book were many anecdotes about people who were told that they couldn't do something, but they inevitably proved their doubters wrong. These stories made me realize that no one has ever told me that I won't be able to achieve my major life goals. No. One. If everyone else believes in me, why don't I? Just crazy I guess. Anyway, no longer. If the people I love and respect believe in me, then fuck it, I'll give in to the peer pressure, I believe in me too. (Maybe that sounded sarcastic, but I'm actually serious.)
How Proust Can Change Your Life
Sometimes funny. Sometimes deep. Kind of dark for a self-help book (Chapter 4 is titled "How to Suffer Successfully"), but it opened up my mind and sent me back to seriously considering writing, art, philosophy, friendship, love, and life. I had thought I had been considering these things, and maybe I had, but this book cranked my thinker all the way up to eleven.
Two things in particular struck me in this book. First, Proust wrote some beautiful and insightful stuff. I've never read his book, but now I think that maybe I should. Second, I have a lot in common with Proust, and I quote:
"In 1899, things were going badly for Proust. He was twenty-eight, he had done nothing with his life, he was still living at home, he had never earned any money, he was always ill, and, worst of all, he had been trying to write a novel for the last four years and it was showing few signs of working out."
Scary. And that is just a snippet of the similarities. I guess I can take comfort in being so similar to someone considered by many to be a literary genius. But I don't want the life described in the book. I don't want to produce only one novel (even if it is dauntingly lengthy and brilliant). I don't want to be cooped in a room most of my life, writing and rewriting who knows what in the comfort of bed. I don't want to be a good friend to a lot of people but never get married.
So I'm working on it. I'm trying some online avenues to meet people (no I won't tell you where). I'm putting serious effort into finding a job (I know, you've heard that before). And I'm working, wah-er-king, hard on my book. I think it's finally starting to take shape. I look to have the first draft done in the next few months. The end of the year at the latest.
Anyway. Thanks for reading.
I'm grateful for the 759 pages of Potterific bliss that are in my future (20).
I've never posted before because who wants to hear from their mother? All I want to say is, Potterific bliss is in no one's future and we'll probably talk numerous times about how Rowling screwed her readership with too many camp scenes and not enough substance. Talk about copping out! Just needed to vent. Can you tell I'm still pissed about it? Next big family get-together, we'll sit around the kitchen table (in the unlikely event it is actually empty enough to sit at) and burn her in effigy. Liked this post - good vibes to it.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, in the post prior to this one, loved your string of adjectives about the moon. I use gibbous often. Do you suppose there is such a thing as heredity adjective transferral?
ReplyDeleteHeh. I've considered a post ripping up that book. But decided against putting too many bad vibes out there.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think learning the word 'gibbous' is probably the best thing I got out of all of those astronomy classes.
Thanks for everything.