So we've reached the third round of edits for the book. Everything is so much clearer now, it's rather amazing how one little idea formed into such a massive project. The way that a wink can be ever so subtle and can result in a fifty year marriage with a slew of children and grandchildren. Spring is certainly in the air, here in Seoul. Everything is blossoming with the mind set on fruition.
I should actually be writing the story right now. But I feel I've neglected the blog ever so slightly and you are all in a need of an update.
When last we spoke...or really, I wrote, I was discussing words and their power. Poetic? Absolutely. But true nonetheless. Said blog entry was created on March 10...It's now May 5. (Happy Cinco de Mayo to my Mexican amigos...to my French amis...Well, you can still drink right?)
In Korea, it's also Children's Day...which means I can't go to a park or go by The Han...unless I want to be around a slew of families. I don't have anything against families. I love families. I love my own...most of the time. ^^ I'd rather not venture out today. Which is why I am holed up in a Starbucks, doing some research and some writing. Yes...that's the story I'm sticking with. ^^
Today I do want to talk about something though...I want to talk about stories. And the reasons why they were made up. To entertain? Surely. But let's take mythology for instance.
Mythology was used for explaining things that had no real explanation. Like how a spider was created. Or why wars were waged. This was the case of the Greeks. Hundreds of stories came from the gods they created. When you hear about these stories, especially the ones about Zeus and his conquests, you think "Eww. What a perv." Being that I am of Greek decent, I'm not at all surprised. Years later they did give the world Oedipus, mind you. Democracy too, yes. But Oedipus. And Yanni. Need I say more?
The Romans were no better--they copied their gods from the Greek ones. At least this is what the Greeks are told. "Everybody stole from us." ^^
As children we are told mythologies from Greek and Roman tradition but from other cultures it is a little hard to come by unless you are of a different culture/actually wish to study it. I read Celtic myths on my own and I have done minimal research on the Indian and Norse Gods. Egyptian? I never really heard stories from them. Just how they influenced Egyptian life. So I did some research. And yeah, there were actually some stories. It wasn't just all hieroglyphics and ways to explain their daily lives. I know that sounds really ignorant of me, but I was never taught this back in school. I learned that Egyptians made beer, made paper, and there were tons of crocodiles in the Nile, solidifying that I would NEVER want to take a dip in it (have I ever mentioned I'm deathly afraid of alligators and crocodiles??).
When Neil Gaiman came out with his amazing book American Gods, he sparked my interest again with mythology. But it's taken a long time for this spark to catch fire.
Lately I have been doing a lot of research on Egyptian mythology...all for the book I'm writing. Hint Hint. ^^ Will my mom think it's strange that I'm not using Greek mythology? Probably. Will I be the recipient of the dreaded Greek Guilt Trip? More than likely. But doing this kind of research has really made me miss school. I loved doing research and finding hidden gems that were in sync with what I was writing. I think that is one of my favorite part of the writing process...doing the research. Coming up with ideas. Seeing how the story unfolds... saying, "What if..."
I wonder if that is how myths truly began.
Like a conversation.
"Father, why does ____________ happen?"
"Well, a long time ago...."
And a story was created. Or perpetuated. The dots all connecting between an actual occurrence and an explanation. That moment that all the dots are connecting, yeah. I'm there.
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