Blurred Line

On Friday I mentioned that I'd been feeling very grownup and urban since the move. To put it mildly, this new living environment feels vastly different from anything I've ever experienced before. Up until now, my life has been pretty much been lived exclusively in suburbia (or some neighbourhood trying its best to simulate a similar feel). Lots of trees and parks and kids riding bikes.

Now, one thing thats always fascinated me about suburbia is how the name of the game there is safety. I mean this in a literal sense, as in how there's very little crime and how things are generally family-oriented. However, I also mean it in terms of insulation. What from? Well, subversion, of course. One thing I always hear is how some people who are a little bit lazy as far as property upkeep goes are pressured by neigbours into mowing their lawns more often. Why? No one wants an eyesore like that. Not on their street. Because, you know, that might make people from other streets think that that particular street is a little suspect. A little sketchy. A little "wrong side of the tracks".

I'm exaggerating here purposefully to make my point, but I think most people who've lived in a suburban environment can point out some occasion where deviation from the norm was frowned upon.

So, when I walked down the street for breakfast this morning, I passed the following (a three block walk, no less): A family (polo shirts, khaki shorts) with two small children, a couple of student types (dress shirts, jeans), a forty-something guy with a pink buzz cut (80s tapered jeans, muscle shirt cut off at the ribs - displaying the paunchy stomach), two hobos (hobo-wear), a business type (shirt and tie, nice shoes) and thirty-something woman who may have been doing the walk of shame (low cut clubbing top, short skirt). Thing was, no one really batted an eye. This is everyday kind of stuff. And, in a way, I'm finding it rather refreshing.

What kind of effect will this have on my writing? Well, I'm not so sure yet. I do generally write things that take place in an urban setting, but my depiction of that world has been the product of trips to the downtown core (both here and other cities) and stuff from other novels. I've never lived the environment I write about 24/7 before, though, and I think that doing so can only result in good things.

I am curious about other people who might have moved and had it affect their writing. Anyone have a good story on that subject? I'm all ears.


Profile Editor. Writer. 9-5er. Lord of the Dance. Blurredline.com Apodis Publishing Fusion Fragment cterrill(at)blurredline.com Buy Goodbye, Darwin Amazon.com Amazon.ca Chapters.ca Barnes&Noble.com Read it free in PDF Format Buy Blurred Line Amazon.com Amazon.ca Chapters.ca Barnes&Noble.com Read it free in PDF Format The Short Stuff "Learning Magic From Mint" - published May 2007 in Atomjack "Between Eternities" - published October 2005 at Speculative.ca "Smoke and Mirrors" - published June 2005 in Byzarium Submissions Log Total Subs: 25 Acceptances: 3 Rejections: 17 Withdrawals: 3 Subs Out: 2 Quality Blogs Scalzi's Whatever Dave's Blogography Bookslut The Struggling Writer SF Signal the0phrastus Paperback Writer Scribe's Writing Desk Nathan Bransford Lyons Literary LLC The World in the Satin Bag Book In The Oven The Word Perhaps We Learned Something... Words, etc. Archives March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 Et Cetera Cavan @ Last.fm Cavan @ LibraryThing Feeds Atom Feed RSS Feed	Sunday, August 06, 2006 - On Writing and Moving On Friday I mentioned that I'd been feeling very grownup and urban since the move. To put it mildly, this new living environment feels vastly different from anything I've ever experienced before. Up until now, my life has been pretty much been lived exclusively in suburbia (or some neighbourhood trying its best to simulate a similar feel). Lots of trees and parks and kids riding bikes. Now, one thing thats always fascinated me about suburbia is how the name of the game there is safety. I mean this in a literal sense, as in how there's very little crime and how things are generally family-oriented. However, I also mean it in terms of insulation. What from? Well, subversion, of course. One thing I always hear is how some people who are a little bit lazy as far as property upkeep goes are pressured by neigbours into mowing their lawns more often. Why? No one wants an eyesore like that. Not on their street. Because, you know, that might make people from other streets think that that particular street is a little suspect. A little sketchy. A little "wrong side of the tracks". I'm exaggerating here purposefully to make my point, but I think most people who've lived in a suburban environment can point out some occasion where deviation from the norm was frowned upon. So, when I walked down the street for breakfast this morning, I passed the following (a three block walk, no less): A family (polo shirts, khaki shorts) with two small children, a couple of student types (dress shirts, jeans), a forty-something guy with a pink buzz cut (80s tapered jeans, muscle shirt cut off at the ribs - displaying the paunchy stomach), two hobos (hobo-wear), a business type (shirt and tie, nice shoes) and thirty-something woman who may have been doing the walk of shame (low cut clubbing top, short skirt). Thing was, no one really batted an eye. This is everyday kind of stuff. And, in a way, I'm finding it rather refreshing. What kind of effect will this have on my writing? Well, I'm not so sure yet. I do generally write things that take place in an urban setting, but my depiction of that world has been the product of trips to the downtown core (both here and other cities) and stuff from other novels. I've never lived the environment I write about 24/7 before, though, and I think that doing so can only result in good things. I am curious about other people who might have moved and had it affect their writing. Anyone have a good story on that subject? I'm all ears. Cavan blogged at 8:54 PM \| 2 comments	Progress Zilch! 0/0 Listening A.J. Croce - "Maybe I'm Amazed" My Music Reading Bright Lights, Big City - Jay McInerney My Library Watching Black Book: B Sweet and Lowdown: C Breakfast on Pluto: B Wishlist Bridge of Sighs - Richard Russo Rachael Yamagata - Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart