Daruma Days

[klwilliams]

I recently bought two darumas**, one for my black belt in aikido and one for becoming a professional writer. I've been studying aikido for ten years, and have been an ikkyu (higher rank of brown belt) for almost six of those years (five years ago I hurt my back rather badly, and it didn't heal for a very long time), but now I've decided to take a step and take my black belt test. I've become used to being a brown belt. I know what brown belts do and how they act, and I'm a very good brown belt. But. I'm a brown belt. I need to make that leap in self-confidence and ability. Which brings me to becoming a professional writer. I wanted to be a writer when I grew up, starting in the fourth grade. In the seventh grade I decided I wanted to be a television writer, and in high school I produced and directed (with some friends) a couple of movies. Unfortunately, due to illness in my twenties, I went into computer software instead, but that need to write keep nagging at me. Now that the software market has tanked, what the hell. I'm going to be a television writer. And producer. And the best way to become one, just as the best way to become a black belt, is to decide you are one.

** Japanese figurines with both eyes blank. They represent projects. When you start a new project, you fill in one eye of the daruma, and fill in the other eye when the project is finished.

Comments

[seainni.livejournal.com]

I'd never heard of a daruma before. I like the concept a lot.

Re: Daruma Days

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

One advantage to a daruma is that it will stare at you with one eye, looking sad, until you finish the project, thus encouraging speed. Or so I'm counting on.

Re: Daruma Days

[seainni.livejournal.com]

Heh. I could see the appeal of that, for the right project!

(For the wrong one, I'd just get irritated at the Daruma for rushing me along. :->)

[kathlaw.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful idea! I've been semi-searching for the "right" Ganesh figure myself -- he's the Opener of Ways that helps with starting new projects.

And in the modern vernacular: "you go, girl!" on both goals.

[larryhammer]

You go girl.