Processes of writing

Two days ago, my friend Donna and I, as well as Other Patti, whom you might know from these pages and who is visiting me here and doing some work on our home (she’s an interior decorator, did I mention that? I think I might have, but am not sure) had lunch together at the Dushanbe Tea House here in Boulder. We got to talking about many things, one of which was the difference between writing in an electronic versus a paper-and-ink journal.

Donna mentioned that that the process of writing by hand makes that which is written deeper. I think that I agreed with her fairly much at the time. Yesterday, I thought that I would give the hypothesis a try. After five pages finished at around eleven last night, I agree with her totally.

I wish I had some explanation for this phenomenon. I have an idea that this deepening of the writing process when done by hand has to do with the body’s need to express the thoughts and feelings going on in the mind. Tapping my fingers repeatedly over a series of keys is not, to some part of me, enough.

Well, there it is until I can think of a better explanation.

And there’s some music to listen to while thinking about the above. Charles Mingus. I particularly like that picture of his face, even though it’s not full on.