As time slips away, leaving me increasingly unable to recall certain events, I become more fascinated by it.
What was happening during a particular year? What was I doing, or not doing? Whom or what were the major influences in my life? Whom or what was I obsessed with?
Certain events remain painfully, exquisitely dear. The summer of 1989; where I discovered Anne Rice, Caravaggio, Sheridan Le Fanu, and many other things in a group of like-minded young people interested in many a fascinating topic. This was the same year I visited Tokyo, Singapore, and Bangkok.
2005, the year immediately after I wrote a disastrous novel slammed by most of its beta readers remains a blur. I became a Naruto fan, rebounding from the CLAMP manga I’d been obsessed with, but it was a time of severe writing blockage. I do recall it was Naruto, who gave me the key to perseverence in writing. No matter how badly beaten you are, never give up. This was a lesson, which slowly sank into me years later, not in 2005.
I recall 2002, the year I became obsessed with CLAMP manga, visited Disney world, and did an exciting amount of collaborative writing online and in person with a marvelous group of writers. This was the same year my grandmother was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
2008 was the year of my wedding, a time I was delighted to shared with many same sex couples, being allowed to marry at last.
I’ll never forget 2020; the terror, pain, and isolation of lockdown.
Writing about events helps me to recall them. My own impressions are unique; painting a picture with words of a time very different than anyone else.
How about you, dear reader? Do you recall certain times more clearly or fondly? Have you felt compelled to write about them, or do you feel blocked by certain events?