For me, inspiration is linked with enjoyment. I am inspired by the things that I enjoy. How very human, I guess. Often, these are texts that I find funny or romantic, or wistful or timeless, especially in the summertime. If I had to pick one action that defined summer, it might be laying on the beach drinking a beer and reading a book. Here is one of my summer reading faves.
This trilogy by Jenny Han, which starts out with the book The Summer I Turned Pretty, is forever what I want to read on the beach. These books are exactly as juicy and indulgent as the titles make them appear, filled with skinny dipping, bonfires, tanning oil and sun tea. Jenny Han's series is also very touching, filled with first love and the explosive (or implosive) aftermath of losing a loved one. These are cemented in YA fiction, but I can't seem to outgrow them. Maybe that's why they inspire me; they make me want to write something that someone won't be able to bring themselves to outgrow.
Since Harris (and Dr. H!) tell us that texts can be many things, another text I would like to examine is this album.
I love the beach. And I love The Beach Boys. And by this time you have probably decided from my blog posts that you either think I'm really cheesy or that I'm classic, like a nice white wine. So, good luck convincing me that The Beach Boys isn't the only thing you should be blasting out of your boombox under that umbrella this summer. You can probably picture it now: sandwiches in the cooler, the men filling up trash bag after trash bag with empties, mom telling anyone who will listen that tomorrow is a red flag day.
If this song doesn't at least make you smile, I don't know what to do with you.
For me, listening to "California Girls" or "Wouldn't It Be Nice" or "Little Deuce Coupe" is like drinking lemonade through a really wide straw and getting as much sweetness as you want. The Beach Boys inspire me to have a good day, and only good things (including good writing) happen on good days, like the ones when you get 100,000 new freckles and you swear your tan lines will be there till next year. Can you tell I need a vacation?
Lastly, and because I was reminded how much I love it by writing about it in a comment, I give you the ultimate summer movie to end all summer movies.
Dirty Dancing is just the best, period. The plot includes the ultimate summer vacation, hot dance moves, a talent show, great fashion, hot music, a crime, more than one scandal, tons of abs, and some lessons about integrity, as well as a nice commentary on socioeconomic status as a barrier between potential lovers, abortion politics, changing family dynamics, and the ultimate f-u to The Fountainhead (sorry Ayn Rand, we never liked you anyway).
This is how Dirty Dancing makes me feel.
Maybe you did find this post silly, or trivial, or not academic. And that's okay. But what I'm trying to get at here is that just as we often find the creative process mysterious, the reasons why certain texts just make our souls happy are often mysterious as well. We spend an awful lot of time trying to be more serious or more professional or more writerly. I think we should spend more time trying to be honest. What honestly inspires you? What makes your soul happy?
Truly evocative indeed. The three book’s cover by Jenny Han in your second picture speak to summer. If you’re at the beach listening to the Beach Boys is like listening to Christmas songs around the tree. I enjoyed your description of listening to the Beach Boys. “Dirty Dancing” is representative of everything I despise in film. And yet it wasn’t a bad movie. While the dialogue is simple and rarely graces paragraphs(what’s known as Moonlight writing in reference to the movies) it tackles complex issues that face young lovers in unfair times, in places where leisure fantasies are supposed to surface in bursts of infatuation and first time experiences. Dirty Dancing is not a bad movie and it ages quite well. But I prefer movies with more complicated and drawn out plot lines to “have the time of my life.” Having said all that DD captures summer quite well.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to take a break from serious, academic writing and indulge in topics that make us happy. I too enjoy going to the beach, laying out in the sun, and drinking a cold one. Dirty Dancing is such a classic! Movies that make me think of summer are, Grease, Dazed and Confused, and Jaws. A very broad range of movies but they all remind of summer time! What makes me happy? Swimming, watching sunsets, and hanging out with friends are few things that bring me happiness. I also enjoy making others happy. Whether that’s taking them to get ice cream, sending them a thoughtful text, or telling them a funny story.
ReplyDeleteJust reading this blog makes me wish I was at the beach! I agree with Olivia, it is refreshing to push pause on work and focus on the little things that make us happy. I really how you put so much of your personality in your blog post:) Drinking tea on the patio in the morning and sitting by a bonfire at night are some of my favorite things to do in the summer.
ReplyDeleteThis was a really fun post. It's a refreshing break from more serious topics. Like you, I get inspired by what I like. Usually it's about images that have a nice aesthetic! When I think of summer, I always think about one night when I was a child and my mom had taken me, my sister and my aunt out to Gettysburg to hunt for ghosts. We were really into spooky stuff like that back then! I remember leaning against the car window as the sky was growing dark, and looking into a field to see so many fireflies rising up from the ground that it looked like the field was sparkling. It was so mesmerizing, I couldn't stop staring. Summer nights and fireflies have a special place in my heart since then.
ReplyDeleteLove this post! _Dirty Dancing_ is a formative movie in my life; I remember watching it at a sleepover when I was in 4th (?) grade and feeling very grown up. And I love The Beach Boys so much and will fight anyone who tries to dismiss them.
ReplyDeleteHi Fiona! I agree with you that summer is the season of guilty pleasures! This is probably because everything is warmer. Warm weather just makes one feel nice and relaxed. It’s kind of debatable whether something even should be considered a “guilty” pleasure. If it’s harmless and it makes you feel good, then why not enjoy it? Dirty Dancing is certainly a fun movie and the soundtrack is really good!
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