Is there any quiet, anywhere?

Hey everyone

A bit of a rant today. I was thinking about quiet and how in our industrialised society we have a lack of it. Radio, television, IPODs ( I have one) the gym even has television playing while you work out so we won't be bored for a minute (or to have time to think), we drive everywhere, go to shopping centres and hear advertisements incessantly, attend classes or jump our of planes or do anything rather than sitting and contemplating. There is something manic about how we live now.

I don't think there is anything wrong with doing all of these things. A balanced life exists with adventure and activity and relation with each other. But I find myself sitting impatiently waiting for my daughter's cross country to start and I wonder - why has waiting a few minutes become so disturbing? Patience and taking things a little slower, is a big challenge. We do have lots of demands on our time. And I do.

Two children, a PR business and doing the accounts for our business, trying to run everything that needs to be done for kids and having a husband as well. I am very busy.

However, I just know deep down, there is a need for more quiet. Catch some moments, don't be afraid of silence, or waiting. Writing has to be done in quiet, or at least sort of quiet. I can't really achieve the quiet thing for my writing, but at least I can think about it on my walks.

I do grab some moments and they have to be quick with all I have to do.

(As an aside: I am reading this book written by the man who started the novel in one month idea and he believes that busy people can get more creative work done. I don't know if this is always true. Look at Van Gogh who focused totally on his work for 10 years and how much he achieved, it was phenomenal. In the last 90 days of his life he completed a painting a day. However, I am hoping this is true (that people busy with life can achieve creative work) because like most of us we have to work for a living.)

Back to the quiet issue as Bob Dylan says (I can't remember right now which song), "they'll take your mind away from contemplation".

Even in places like church - there is little silence, in the place that was meant to retain the sacred and provide a place for people to contemplate and be quiet, there is a sad lack of this as well.

You see, wide ranging rant.

Also, I have gone back to my novel again and decided to try and just write intuitively. Does anyone know how to write back story? That is my problem currently. My goal is to keep on going to finish a draft. There is something in the writing that teaches us.

This morning I read a Hemmingway short story - The Nun, the Gambler and the Mexican (I think that's what its called) the narrator says that one of the characters didn't like to think much at all, except when he was writing. He relegated this sort of exercise to when he was writing, probably pretty true of Hemmingway himself, considering how he chose to live his life.

Do you think this post was rambling enough? Anyone's thoughts are always appreciated.

Next post I might talk about - some writing software I have had a look at. I can't recommend it totally, as I have not looked into the opposition to the product. But stay tuned.