The muse speaks out
Meet Isadora. Actually, she calls herself Izzy now because she decided Isadora was a bit too formal for her new look. Get this… she’s now riding an old Harley that a friend fixed up for her.
Sometimes, she’ll hang out with a group of older guys who brag about being members of the Hell’s Angels. I don’t think they actually were, but Izzy thinks they’re cool.
Izzy recently told me that she’s on strike. She’s been unhappy about my comment box and the fact that I get all the attention. I tried to explain that she’s a part of me and therefore, we BOTH get the attention, but that’s not good enough for her.
When people leave comments
Izzy says the people who leave comments should also leave comments for her. She believes this is a fair deal because she does a lot of my work. I mean, I type the words and put things together, but Izzy is the “idea” person.
We tried to work this out ourselves, but Izzy wasn’t willing to negotiate. Believe it or not, she took me to “Muse Court”. The judge, like Izzy, is part wizard and told me to write this post so that my readers would know who gave me ideas for my writing.
Personally, I was offended by this. After all, I can’t write without Izzy, but she can’t make her ideas become a post on my blog without me. Now I’m stuck because she is on strike until I tell you about her.
Introducing my muse
Isadora Jane Mahathney is about 600 years old, which would explain the face, but not the hair. She’s been with me for most of my life. She will not tell me who she was with before me, but I do know that it was a really BIG author.
She’s always felt a bit disappointed that she ended up with me, but she does the best she can with the material she has. I might be annoyed at Izzy, but she is pretty good at her job of creating ideas.
We started sharing our love of writing when I was about eight, after I got my first diary. Of course, at that age I really didn’t recognize Isadora, I just found that suddenly I could write; not Pulitzer Prize material, but words that helped me get through my childhood.
We started with the diaries and then moved slowly into poetry. Again, I must insert a caveat: It was never GREAT poetry. Here’s one of my first poems, cleverly called, The Riddle :~)
The Riddle
What warms my heart
And lingers long, never to part?
What is never forgotten
And yet so few are gotten?
What lightens the sad
And cheers the bad?
What makes a face
A happy and gleeful place?
Yet, what comes few and far
Shining like the distant star?
When all is lost, what lasts a while?
It is the simplest gift of all, a smile.
The heart and soul of written words
After I wrote this, Izzy told me that in desperation, she had asked to be assigned to another writer. The Muse Court refused!
Since then, she made up her mind to help me explore my writing. As she’s a very persistent muse, I must admit she’s worked wonders with me. I used to hide what I wrote, but Izzy has taught me to love my writing and to be willing to share it. Some people even like what Izzy and I write (See Izzy, I included your name!).
She’s very eclectic in her tastes and has passed this on to me. This has allowed me to explore many different types of writing, from poetry and prose, to humor and “Fix-It” articles. But the greatest gift she’s given me is my love for the written word.
Because of Izzy, I love reading what others write. I can appreciate the well-turned phrase, the perfect analogy or metaphor, and the artistry of something written so well that I feel the words sing to me.
I really do appreciate Izzy. While I may be the heart of my writing, she is definitely the soul. And today she did me a favor. By writing this post about her, I can show Izzy just how much I appreciate her being with me. She’s given me my passion for writing. What better gift could I have received?
I love and appreciate you, Izzy! I will feature you more prominently in future posts and I encourage my readers to talk to you.
Izzy is smiling at me. I think her strike is over :~)
* * * * *
Izzy would love to meet other muses. She asked me to invite my readers to share about their own muse in the comment box. Here are her questions:
What does your muse do to get you writing?
Does your muse have a name?
How would you describe your muse?
Who does your muse like hang out with? (I think Izzy hoping for more Hell’s Angel friends. She always wants company!)
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I don’t really have a muse. However, Izzy makes me smile. haha!
Gerri´s last blog ..Love
Izzy is a remarkable-looking and very clever 600 year old! And I think she’s a wee bit cranky at times, but is secretly delighted to be assigned to you, Sara.
My muse is a light. Sounds boring, I know, but I guess we don’t have choice when it comes to muses, does it?
Talon´s last blog ..Odds and Sods…
Sara, I am so proud of you writing this post! I’ve never thought of having a muse. I just think of it as intuition, with the biggest challenge being getting myself out of the way! This post is pure joy – great work!
Carol´s last blog ..The Dark Side of Cardio
@ Gerri — I’m glad that Izzy makes you smile. She does that for me, too:~)
@ Talon — I LOVE READING COMMENTS!!! Yes, Izzy is a bit cranky at times and I am delighted that she’s part of me!
We don’t get a choice about our muses. If your muse is a light, so be it. Given that I love what you write and your pictures, your muse definitely brightens my day:~)
@ Carol — Thank you for your comment and I pleased you enjoyed the post. I suppose a muse must be full of our intuition, our creativity and our ability to trust both:~)
The secret of a joyful existence is to think positive thoughts and share loving energy in whatever forms make sense to you. Reincarnation is not limited to human beings. If you explore past life regression or regress Izzy, you can learn more about each other. Your muse, would of course, have to give you permission.
Liara Covert´s last blog ..Attend night school in another dimension
My muse companion is my dog Addie. We go for walks and the thoughts start relaxing then flowing. I always have to take a pen and paper with me so not to lose a drop.
I like how you made your muse so real. Sometimes if we can feel and touch our muse it makes it easier to get the words down.
Karl Staib – Work Happy Now´s last blog ..Wine Company is Buzzing about Work Happy Now
Deer Izzy, heloo, you donts no me but i am my jannies moose and she gets all da kommints on she blog too, but effreebutty noes it is us mooses whoo do all the werks and gets litle gloree. but pleese be hapy and dont worry, I love you.
–Blue Bunny
Jannie Funster´s last blog ..Yes, Kids Do Say The Darndest Things
@ Liara — I’ll have a conversation with Izzy about this. She tends to get a bit secretive about her past lives. I’ll try to catch her in a good mood so I can get her permission. Both Izzy and I thank you for your comment:~)
@ Karl — So, maybe Addie was once a writer and is now channeling into you. It’s good that pay attention, wherever you are, to that the perfect moment when you and your muse are in alignment.
I think sometimes it’s important to take things we see or feel inside us and make them something real. That’s kind of what painters and even writers do. Letting Izzy come out of my head makes me feel happy. I look at her and smile every time.
Thanks for comment, Karl:~)
@ Blue Bunny — If anyone can understand Izzy, it has to be you! She’s telling me to mention that she HAS noticed you when I go to Jannie’s site. She would definitely like to be your friend because it nice to know other “mooses.”
Rats, now Izzy wants me to tell you that she think muses should start a union. She wants to know if you have interest, Blue Bunny:~) Looks like I’m going to have a conversation with Jannie…I don’t know if it’s a good idea for the two of you to get together and start something!
No muse but I do have a talisman. It’s an old bull ring that I painted solid black. It surfaced during the excavation for my first entrepreneurial adventure. It feels so grounded and powerful that I often pick it up for an injection of authentic courage. Tell Izzy she’s much cuter than Bull.
Tom Volkar / Delightful Work´s last blog ..Ring The Authentic Bell And Win The Big Prize
I just LOVE this post. It is fun, free and magical. And the message throughout it is a powerful one. It encourages us all to let go and claim our own muse. You are a delightfully free soul. The moment I saw the photo before reading the post I erupted into laughter. I’m serious; I really did. I love it.
This post made me ask, “Who is my Muse?” I guess I’d have to say it is my uncontainable love affair with Life itself. I just open my heart wide and in pours the entire Universe and it speaks to me and loves me and guides me. Although I have to confess I have a little 1″ troll in in a 4″ cupboard (with doors) on my bathroom wall. AND I love to see who dares to open the two doors to see what’s inside. I know that when I hear a guest’s laughter coming from the bathroom that they have opened the doors and discovered my troll.
) Thank you for your gift of great joy and wisdom. It made my day.
I LOVED reading this post, Sara! So fun and witty! I sure wish I had your way with words….maybe I need to get me a writing muse? Your Izzy is one cool muse!
I have spoken of my muse in the past but never really gave it more thought than that. I love the idea of assigning a physical object as the focus for my muse. Actually, if I remember rightly, I think The Artist’s Way course assigns this very thing in one of the tasks. I will think on it some more. Thanks for the inspiration!
Serena´s last blog ..finished plaque and a haircut
Oh my gosh what a clever post! I think my muse is constantly changing its form to me. Sometimes it is my husband or my friends, sometimes it is in my music, sometimes it is something in nature, sometimes it is something within myself, and sometimes I don’t know where it comes from at all! I suppose I am quite lucky.
Caity´s last blog ..Baylee is here and a concert tonight!
@ Tom — Izzy says that everybody’s muse is unique. The muse wizard assigns to writers whatever the writer needs to give them inspiration or courage. Obviously, Bull must do that for you. Izzy says that she once knew a writer whose muse was an old safety pin and another who had a rolling pin he’d carry with him…of course the last one was a writer of cooki books. Izzy also says that Bull sounds really HOT. She’s kind of into guys that are bit on the dark side :~)
@ Robin — Thanks. I love it too. Every time I look at Izzy, I think how right she is for me. She fits me to a tee. I have this crazy silly side of me that doesn’t get out enough and I always appreciate how Izzy will do something wild and force it to show itself.
I think having a love affair with life is such a beautiful thought! Wait a minute, Izzy wants to tell you that not everyone sees their muse. She says it’s very typical for a muse to be felt or heard, rather than seen. The fact your muse pours into you means your heart is open enough to receive her. Izzy says that’s a good thing:~)
I love the story about the troll in the cupboard. I bet the people who open the door really enjoy their trip to the bathroom, but I also bet their faces are bit red. I probably would have been one of them!! Isn’t it strange how we’re always so curious about what’s in a bathroom cupboard?
@ Serena — Both Izzy and I take the fact that you found this post fun and witty as high compliment indeed. You do have a writing muse. Like Izzy told Robin, not everybody sees theirs. Just notice how you feel the next time something is begging for you write it. Also, Izzy says to thank you for saying she’s cool. She kind of hopes that Bull, Tom’s talisman/muse, will read your comment and give her a call!
If you do assign a physical object to represent your muse, the best advice Izzy and I can give is to go with your intuition and it will be there for you:~)
@ Caity — So, you have a shape-shifter muse. Izzy says that’s a powerful one, but a good one. She says this kind of muse means the writer can find lots of ways to express his or her creativity. Therefore, you are INDEED very lucky:~)