As I lay myself to sleep

As I lay myself to sleep
Thoughts rise up from the deep.
They keep me awake.

It's too hot; it's too cold;
I can't forget what I've been told
that day.

Dreams I've dreamt, loves I've left
Rise up from the place I've left
inhabit me.

Words and thought and metaphors
The turns I shall use in my prose
visit me.

Thoughts on a sleeplessness night, and remembering how when I put my head on the pillow I knew how I'd write this article.

Lessons from James Cameron

In this youtube on Tedtalks, director James Cameron talks about his work as a director, and the less-known work as an under-sea explorer and adviser on NASA.

Here are some of the lessons he found important to share:

1) Curiosity is the most powerful thing you own.

2) Imagination is the force that can manifest a reality.

3) Respect of teammates is something greater than all the laurels in the world.

And unlike what NASA says, failure is an option, but fear is not. Take the risk. Take the leap. This reminds me to get over my fear of not being able to complete my metro tour project, and just going out there and doing it.

Absolutely WRITE

Tonight I can write so many lines... (that's a play on some Pablo Neruda poetry)

I have been greatly inspired by this artist that I met up with yesterday. I met her at a party where she told me about her peripatetic project in Cairo. I asked her if I could walk along with her, and write about it as an article.

So just from meeting her at a party, I had an idea for an article. And walking with her has taken me down so many avenues of thought already, although it was only yesterday that we walked together.

I also realized that much as she breaks out of her ken by walking with different people, I break out of mine through my job as a journalist. I write about people and experiences I have never known before, and my job forces the structure of my approach. I go, I question, I find out, and I write. And like her, I have had accompaniment on all my journeys; in my case, a more or less constant one: my editor, Joe. And Joe has often pushed me to go at a faster speed, or to go beyond my imposed self-restrictions, basically beyond my set route or map to discover newer terrain, just as Amira discovers new places and experiences the city anew with people she goes with.

I was also thinking about how I get ideas for writing my articles. I remembered that while attending another concert yesterday as well, I sat next to this bunch, and I ended up eavesdropping on their conversations. Their comments will no doubt make their way into my writing as they did in my observation of the event. And the were also talking about Cairo Ultimate - a frisbee sport group which I then looked up on facebook, and then pitched to another editor as a story for an article.

It is funny how comments, conversations, and the stuff of everyday life makes its way into your work, and your writing. As is right. Absolutely!