If you haven't read about the roots of anxiety, you may want to read the Hold On To Your Story: Writing Anxiety post first. It is commonly thought that when ancient cartographers would get to the part of the map that had not been explored, and would write, "Here be Monsters." Why? Because a monster is basically an unknown thing - a place or being that is submerged, hidden, partially visible, uncategorizable, or alien. Map and globe makers would draw creatures that live in the ocean with parts of animals they recognized- a sea cow etc. because humans use what we have had experience with … [Read more...]
Writing Prompt: Wearing Masks
The first masks were probably painted directly onto the face, and over time became reusable pieces of art to entertain with different personas and characters. Now that we all must wear masks in public it is interesting to think about the multiple layers we have on. Perhaps before it was lipstick or a clean shave and now wearing personal protective masks give us more anonymity, or less? Some masks reveal, some conceal. “Masks portray the human “life drama” in all its manifold aspects, especially the compelling, ambiguous, sometimes revelatory, and often treacherous search for the … [Read more...]