Sunday, August 30, 2009

Julie, Julia and me

After seeing the movie, Julie and Julia, I'm wondering what task I could commit a year of my life to without any external reward. First let me say that this movie was anticipated for many reasons, not the least of which being that my grandmother's name was Julia, I have a neice named Julie (thank you Raymond!) and I SHOULD have had a daughter named Julia Marguerite except that when she was born, she was a Rebecca Jean instead. Those stories will be detailed in a later blog.

Having said that, the other reasons included being a foodie and being a writer. I would have said wannabe writer, but the truth is I'm a writer. I'm a wannabe author and published writer, but I AM a writer.

This movie gets four stars in my book, despite Meryl Streep's almost flawless imitation of Julia Child's voice. Having never been a Julia Child fan, it was hard to watch Meryl Streep's depiction, precisely because it was so on target. I enjoyed Amy Adams portrayal of Julie Powell better, of course, having never seen Julie Powell, I had nothing compare it to. Not a bad thing.

The movie inspired me to think about what goal I could commit to. Early August I had decided to write as much as I could about perception. I managed to write several handwritten pages before I abandoned the project. I am a starter, not a finisher. My current boss asked me how it was that I came to have 3 jobs in as many years and I wasn't entirely truthful with her. I didn't lie, telling her that circumstances were such that I needed to leave each job and had been offered better paying jobs each time I moved on; that was true, it just wasn't the whole truth. The whole truth is that I like beginnings better than I like the satisfaction of completing something.

So I write this entry in a blog that is very spotty due to my inability to stick to something. I must correct that last statement; perhaps it is not so much inability as it is unwillingness. Ability is innate; willingness can change.

I'm wondering what project I might be willing to stick with for a year...or to its completion? I'm only committing to wondering about it right now. And to blogging about it again, but no deadlines yet. It's too early in the gestation to contemplate a completed task. For now, thinking is good enough for me.