Story "A Writing Tip" Chapter Nine FROM MY BOOK Over a City Bridge/Sobre un puente de la cuidad


Read the Whole Book

9. A Writing Tip

To get to a cruise ship docked on the Pacific near Los Angeles, I booked a ride in a Lincoln Town Car. I was told by the taxi company that people liked Lincoln Town Cars and that's why they used them exclusively.
My driver was a tall guy with movie or rock star looks and he told me that he had dreams of a literary nature. To wit, he wanted to be a writer. I made the old suggestion that I had heard before and heeded which advises that you choose a run-down New York basement for writing rather than a distracting shack by the sea where you'll soon be out strolling the beach and sipping rum and coke. I explained that my own technique was to engage in monomania— monomania in such sterile surroundings.

"I don't know what that means," he said.

I elucidated by telling him that only by devoting all one's efforts to the task of writing can the creative juices flow—that only then can the subconscious have a chance to make associations so the writing can take on a life of its own and eventually lead to its own logical conclusion.
I don't know if he bought it and, of course, I was a little full of myself to dare to give such sage advice anyway.

My voyage by cruise ship was like traveling aboard a giant, floating mall. All of us passengers stopped briefly at various ports, ate all the free food we could eat, and availed ourselves of the many Filipino cover bands on board.

Para alcanzar un crucero en un muelle del Pacífico cerca de Los Angeles, yo reservé un Lincoln Town Car. Los gerentes de la compañía de taxi me dijeron que a la gente le gustaban estos coches y por eso ellos los usaban exclusivamente.
El chofer era un hombre alto con la apariencia de una estrella de cine o un roquero y me dijo que soñaba con sueños de naturaleza literaria. Es decir, quería ser escritor.
Yo le ofrecí la vieja sugerencia que yo había oído antes y que había seguido—que aconseja que escoja un sótano dilapidado en Nueva York para escribir en vez de una casucha en el mar donde al poco tiempo estará paseándose en la playa y bebiendo cuba libres. Yo expliqué que mi técnica personal era practicar monomanía—monomanía en tales lugares estériles.

—No sé que quiere decir eso —dijo.

Yo aclaré diciéndole que solamente por dedicar todos sus esfuerzos al hecho de escribir y no a otra cosa, pueden empezar los jugos de creatividad a fluir y que solamente entonces podía la redacción misma cobrar vida y al final seguir a su propia conclusión lógica.


 No sé si creía lo que le dije y por supuesto podría llamarme un poquito atrevido por atreverme a dar un consejo tan sabio.

Mis vacaciones abordo del crucero eran como viajar en un gigantesco centro comercial flotando en el mar. Los pasajeros parábamos brevemente en varios puertos, comíamos toda la comida gratis que queríamos, y aprovechábamos las muchas bandas Filipinas de covers abordo. .

1. Western Gull    2/7/2016    Los Angeles California    I drew a picture.
2. Common Raven    2/7/2016    Los Angeles California


3. Black-necked Stilt    2/4/2016    Puerto Vallarta
4. Magnificent Frigatebird    2/4/2016    Puerto Vallarta    Lots
5. Great Kiskadee    2/4/2016    Puerto Vallarta    Haven't seen this bad boy for a while!
6. Western Gull    2/4/2016    Puerto Vallarta    Yes
7. Great-tailed Grackle    2/4/2016    Puerto Vallarta


8. Turkey Vulture    2/3/2016    Mazatlán México     lots of them
9. Magnificent Frigatebird    2/3/2016    Mazatlán México    All over the place. They seem a little smaller than I remember. I guess that's because they're up close.
10. Great-tailed Grackle    2/3/2016    Mazatlán México    Ah the great-tailed grackle capital of the world.
11. Brown Pelican    2/3/2016    Mazatlán México    young and old
12. Cliff Swallow    2/3/2016    Mazatlán México    I think that's what they are.
13. White-winged Dove    2/3/2016    Mazatlán México    Yes they're here all right.
14. American Oystercatcher    2/3/2016    Mazatlán México    One alone. Very sad.
15. Rock Dove    2/3/2016    Mazatlán México    Oh of course
16. Whimbrel    2/3/2016    Mazatlán México    Well I think it was a whimbrel anyway.
17. House Sparrow    2/2/2016    Mazatlán México


Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 051.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 052.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 053.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 054.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 055.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 056.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 057.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 058.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 059.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 060.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 061.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 062.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 063.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 064.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 065.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 066.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 067.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 068.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 069.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 070.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 071.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 072.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 073.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 074.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 075.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 076.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 077.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 078.JPG
MEXICAN FLAG


Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 024.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 025.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 026.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 027.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 028.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 029.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 030.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 031.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 032.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 033.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 034.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 035.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 036.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 037.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 038.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 039.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 040.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 041.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 042.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 043.JPG
CABO SAN LUCAS, OF COURSE.

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 044.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 045.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 046.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 047.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 048.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 049.JPG

Norwegian Mexico Tour Day Three 050.JPG