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| Had to endure this miserable view with dinner at the Hilton El Conquistador’s fantastic restaurant, Epazote. |
I’m a food writer, faux sure. I’m going to say it and shatter the facade I wear into restaurants. I did not choose food writing, but the editor of the local magazine I freelance for seems to think it becomes me. Or, more likely, they were desperate for someone to cover Tucson eateries. I happily obliged, but I must say, my first food assignment has been tough to top. Last year, I wrote about five candidates up for the magazine’s “Best Dining With A View” award. If you’ve never been to Tucson, maybe the perfection of this assignment is incomprehensible because you have not feasted your eyes upon the stark beauty of the faded purple desert mountains at dusk. Not only were these divine outlooks of the landscape, but the eateries were all at resorts. Tucson is covertly home to as many resorts as Bora Bora. I am not permitted to ask that the restaurants provide free food, but if offered, I may accept. All of these resorts offered. My schedule was packed so tightly with five star dinners that I had to do two resorts in one day. Possibly the most indulgent eating day of my life. What makes me feel so faux is when the chefs come out and explain each course, and I act as if I am cultured enough to have tried many apricot emulsions in my lifetime. If only the chefs could read my chicken scratch notes as I try to spell galaktoboureko (Greek custard pie, fyi). I felt a little like Eliza Doolittle, trying to play the sophisticated diner, but the chefs could probably all see through to my cockney, peasant side. Not many places have so hastily offered up free food since then. Maybe they have read my restaurant blurbs and realize I feed a steady stream of food praises to readers, so there’s no need to impress me. It’s really better that they not waste that which would only widen my waist. I bring up food writing because it’s a dream job! I only write a story per month for this mag, but I get a paycheck (a teeny weenie one) for writing! I’d love to have a story due every three days and be raking in the dough, but I’ll start at retiree pace and hopefully work my way up.
Recently I read an article by this guy, Mark Manson, called “7 Strange Questions that Help You Find Your Life Purpose.” Maybe you have seen his life philosophy articles shared on Facebook. He’s an entertaining writer (just a disclaimer, his language is not always saintly) and he’s young. Seemingly too young to have a head churning out SO much wisdom. But I also attempt to share wisdom, and I am 27, so I really cannot judge. In the above-sited article, I really liked (and laughed at) number three: What makes your forget to eat and poop? Manson said video games used to swallow up hours of his time. He explains:
It wasn’t until I gave up the games that I realized my passion wasn’t for the games themselves (although I do love them). My passion is for improvement, being good at something and then trying to get better. The games themselves — the graphics, the stories — they were cool, but I can easily live without them. It’s the competition — with others, but especially with myself — that I thrive on.
Yes, yes, Mark. You’re further justifying the killing and stunning and healing which occurs as my husband moves his avatar across his computer screen for hours on end. I swear Matt hired a team of journalists at the Wall Street Journal to highlight the many beauties of video games:
Video Games Are A Varsity Sport,
When Gaming is Good For You,
Be A Gamer Save the World, there are more…But it
does make sense that leveling up in anything is addicting.
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| I think this is what leveling up looks like in World of Warcraft. I need more incentive than this to play… |
Writing has always been my time thief. I used to journal before bed every night, but I had to stop because the wind down activity got me too jazzed. I would not forget to eat and poop, but to sleep. My mom’s college roommate, Sherry Owens, is an innovative sculptor with a highly irregular sleep schedule. Those starving artists are especially prone to getting lost in their work, skipping meals, and garnering energy as they progress in their work. Check out Sherry’s sculpture at Dallas Lovefield Airport or in this video, where you can see what a wonderful spirit Sherry has:
Back in a Moment sculpture
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| The mega-talented, mega-delightful Sherry Owens with her sculpture “Back in a Moment” |
I admire the unwavering ambition of the starving artist. When I chose to study journalism, it was not because I thought I could make a lot of money as a journalist. It was my nonsensical, naive self thinking “I like to write. I’ll write my way through college.” I don’t think I’m alone in that aimless boat I jumped in. I think a lot of college students think their education is a good way to row around in various directions and experience new things without taking aim. Then we finish up and think “Oh, I’m supposed to do something with this?” I did not want to confine myself to a certain profession. That sounded like a trap.
I was not quite sure how writers became acclaimed, but I assumed it came with years of research and perhaps a couple doctorates. Turns out writing is one of those professions that does not require years of schooling, but years of practice and life lessons. Harper Lee, H.G. Wells and George Bernard Shaw are among the
great writers who were also dropouts. Augusten Burroughs did not write his breakthrough memoir “Running with Scissors”
until he was 37… 24 years after his mother and her shrink helped him fake his suicide so he could drop out of school. Did you know Brad Pitt was majoring in journalism at the University of Missouri and he quit two weeks shy of nabbing his degree? I loved him before, but now I love him doubly for studying journalism. We have so much in common. Except I made the error of hanging in for the extra two weeks. Doomed 😉
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| Name that journalism student. circa 1986 |
