You've got to be kidding me?

We've all said the phrase at least once in our life, and never really thought of it, the inflection behind it or the expression we use. You've got to be kidding me, right.
The other day, I was driving my five year old to soccer practice in the pouring rain. Now a little back story, he didn't want to go to practice because, of course he was so tired and by the time we were half way there he noticed the rain.
Out of the blue he says over the rain, over the radio... "You've got to be kidding me, they're going to make us play in this." He throw he hands over his shaking head, his lips were pressed together in frustration and he watched me for some hope that it wasn't true.

Other than the smile that spread on my face as he waited for my response it took me a few minutes to come up with the right thing to say. Perhaps it was the first time the phrase really hit me, but it made me think of all the times I've said it. To the computer when I was frustrated on a piece of work, to the refrigerator when I forgot something or to the dog when she is... well being a dog in the wrong moment.

All this comes down to being expressive starts young, imitating life around them, and when we grow older we still do it without noticing. His reaction got me thinking of the little things in my writing that I have left out, especially in my characters. It seems I have forgotten that they too mimic life, and need to be expressive. I think it's the little things that make a story great. It's those little things that have me throwing my hands in the air saying, "You're got to be kidding me, why didn't I see it before."

Writing as always gone hand to hand with art for me. Years ago as I was drawing, my medium when I was young was charcoal, years and years of working with black fingers. But when I wanted a break I would write a story. I still remember the basis of that first story when I was in middle school, it was a Phoenix rising story surrounding these three friends. Good vs Evil and all. In High School it was all about how to embarrass my teachers. Now I find myself writing romance and my medium is photography. At times I blend the two, I find inspiration from the photos I take. It still astonishes me how trends in our life start from a young age and define who who and what we become.

Sometimes

Photography has always been a joy for me, but lately I have fallen into the just taking pictures of the kids and occasions. Funny, how this has been how writing has been for me as well. I had fallen into just looking over my own work without much inspiration. The feeling is similar to the lost and not yet found emotion. But I think I am on the track now, for the past week I have given into a thought that has excited me. I'm not ready to tell the world about it, but I am encouraged by the new world opening in my head. And the scenes of places in which I dream of capturing on film. Perhaps this is due to the feelings of spring or just enough sleep or the prospect of needing an outlet with the kids are home from school all summer long. What ever the case may be, I am trilled.