Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Santa Comes Early

Tonight I finally had the moment I've been waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting for with the Tery Fox/Hero's Journey piece...the moment when it all comes into view in my mind and I can see the entire piece. 


I've had this moment with everything I've ever created, and I clearly remember the morning when 'Aim for the Roses' finally crystallized in my mind. While I've been working steadily on the piece, I still hadn't had that happen.


I've been very preoccupied with it for the past month or so. It seemed to constantly take up a large percentage of my brain-power, and I kept feeling like I wasn't seeing it yet. The broad strokes were in place, but it felt like some vital architecture was eluding me. 


Today I got up around 7am and worked on the piece for a few hours before heading out to play 2 shows of 'The Sound of Music'. It was a frustrating morning, I could almost, almost but not quite.....something was bothering me about it but I couldn't figure it out.


And really, while I enjoy playing the show and the pit is full of good people, The Lonely Goatherd isn't exactly the inspiration I've been searching for (no offense, Mr.'s Rodgers and Hammerstein). However, the book of previously unpublished short stories by Kurt Vonnegut that I finished when Captain Von Trapp was given his orders by the German Admiral this evening did remind me to follow my own voice and style. 


I got into bed around 12:30 and as soon as I put my head on the pillow, it all started to come into focus. The tone of the narration (exactly the opposite of what I've been putting together), the overall structure, a new idea for one aspect, the removal of a few ideas and a rethinking of another. 


A mathematical 'canvas' to paint the story on ('cuz I loves me the math!), a new concept on the pacing, and on and on.


Within 30 minutes, I could see it. At last I could see it. I was reasonably sure this day would come, but with an inflexible deadline heading my way (May 11 at the Cultch, btw) I was starting to lose faith (as evidenced in my previous post).


There's nothing better than having to get out of bed because inspiration has truly struck.