Living in the World of Make-Believe
I’m working on my website, found some links that don’t work so I’m fixing that today. (Yes, this has to do with the changes that’s happening that I mentioned in the previous blog post, trying to get super-duper organized for upcoming said changes.)
This post first appeared on Mimi Barbour’s blog in February ’12 (and it’s still on her Goodreads page), but like so many of us, her blog URL has changed and my post disappeared. I’m reposting it here so I’ll have a link. Thanks and if you missed it the first time, hope you enjoy!
LIVING IN THE WORLD OF MAKE-BELIEVE
My name is Diana Layne. And I hear voices in my head.
There. I said it. I realize a person in the mental health field might be a little worried reading that. But honestly, it took me a long time to figure out that not everyone hears voices in their head. No, I mean really. A long time. As in recently. And I’m almost—
Yeah, well, let’s forget how old I am.
I was brought to this startling realization of what I’ll call silent-head syndrome when I had a conversation with a writer friend who confessed her daughter didn’t have people living in her head. That statement pulled me right out of any writerly mental playground. What?? Not everyone has imaginary playmates? I struggled to grasp such a foreign concept.
The friends in my head have been with me since I was a tot.
Perhaps it’s because I was an only child and an only grandchild and created imaginary friends to combat loneliness. No people living in computers back in my day. Although as a side note, I love my computer, I call it ‘my precious’, but I have to be careful so the friends in my head don’t get jealous. (They go away and sulk when they get jealous—bad scary times then. Yes, I know who’s in charge.)
But no, there were no computers back in the…er, yeah, forgot, we’re not mentioning how many years ago that was. Just know it was BC. Before Computers.
The jealousy thing is only one drawback of having friends in your head and living in a make-believe world.
Yep, believe it or not, as wonderful as it is to never get lonely, to have friends to escape to when reality gets stressful, there are other drawbacks and dangers. And no, I’m not talking about the danger of being carted off in a straight jacket although I suppose that is always a possibility.
Voices in your head can be rather distracting when you have to do some real life stuff. I know. Real life. How annoying.
Things like cooking. I hate cooking.
Which is why I bring my friends out to play when I have to cook.
Ok, so the food ends up a little burned. But you know, by now, my family has lived with burned food so long, they think if it isn’t burned, it’s not done. I know, I know, hard to believe. But trust me on this.
Another hazard in cooking is using a knife–
Nah, forget it, that story’s too gory, I won’t go into that. But I did once misplace a bag of frozen broccoli—and not in the freezer. House smelled for days; I tore it up looking for the source, bought enough scented candles it should’ve made the place smell like a bawdy house, until at last I tracked down from whence the stench flourished. Where, you ask? In a cabinet up over the stove. That’s where the company-comes-calling dishes are stored. I have no idea or memory of storing it there. It must have been a brilliant brainchild of one of my ‘friends.’
Should I move on to driving?
First, if you live in the world of make-believe and have teen drivers… Beware! You could be off playing and your driving-age kid, who is now old enough to recognize only your body is there, knows it’s the perfect time to ask to borrow the car.
Later, you might join the real world only to wonder where your kid…and your car…are, and the kid is wisely not answering the cell phone. (No, I don’t speak from experience, why would you ask?)
As for me personally driving…well, I’ve run stoplights and found myself speeding, of course, and thank goodness I realized it before the cops did. But then there are times it gets a little scary when I look around and realize I have no idea where I am. I have no sense of direction and getting lost can be a jolting experience. Oh, but we have GPS now, right! Let me tell you, I’ve managed to get my GPS lost. No, not lose my GPS, but get that poor lady in the box so lost and confused she sounds like an out-of-control talking doll. “Continue one block. In two feet turn left, in one foot, turn right.” Left. Right. Straight. Poof, blown fuse! Useless GPS. Sigh.
Maybe I should have a sign on the side of my mini-van. Warning: Writer Driving!
To prove it’s not just me, I asked a couple of writer friends what can happen when they are busy in their make-believe world.
Jerrie Alexander ( http://www.jerriealexander.com/ ) has learned, “It’s a mistake to get so wrapped up [with imaginary friends] I don’t pay attention when the dog growls.”
Jealous dog, I think, worse than needy kids. “Does he need to go out or is he fighting with the cat?” I ask.
“Growls when he wants to go out. Kicks it to ear-deafening barks if you don’t listen. For 7 pounds, he’s got a set of lungs.”
Note to self: Get a doggie door if I acquire a small dog…or better…don’t acquire small dog. (Update as of 1/2019…we did get a small dog. Piddle pads are quite useful!)
Another land of make-believe resident, Danielle Kazemi (http://www.facebook.com/daniwrites ), confesses to burned dinners as well. (I contend charcoal is good for your kids!)
But the most memorable thing she has done while being distracted with her playmates: “The best has to be I flooded the bathroom once. The scene just could not wait.” She chuckles.
“Flooding the bathroom! “ I gasp. That pretty much beats stinky broccoli. “How did that happen?”
Giving another small laugh she admits, “I turned on the water to take a bath then I remembered I needed something before I got in. So I left to go get it. The computer was on and somehow I ended up sitting down and writing a scene. By the time I remembered, the tub had overflowed. Spent a while cleaning that.”
Proof indeed, the siren call of imaginary friends.
So there you have it, living in the world of make-believe. Wouldn’t trade it for the real world for anything. Even if, like Danielle, it means I need a king-size mop…
How about you? Do you hear voices in your head, or is it quiet in there, all the better to be filled up with your favorite authors’ characters?