between the sheets: emotional stimulation

Sometimes we need to "fill the artistic well". To me this means surrounding myself with things that make me feel a certain way.

BEAUTY: The Oscars last night was perfect timing. Gorgeous men in smashing suits, beautiful women in glamorous dresses. Natasha Oakley has decided she wants to be Reese Witherspoon and I don't blame her. The dress, the hair, the make-up. She looked so lovely. J Lo looked sweet. Nicole K's red dress was sublime. Naomi Watts and her well-hidden bump looked lovely as always. And I am in no doubt that I want to be Helen Mirren when I grow up. Seriously that woman gets more beautiful every year. All that beauty and glamour lifts the spirits. For me anyway. I get the same inspiration when reading through the likes of In Style - inspiration for clothes, for colours, for characters.

MUSIC: I've been playing Jeff Buckley's Grace over and again the past couple of days as well whichy puts me in the right place for this book.

STORYTIME: I like to take my lunch in front of the telly, watching a taped epsiode of West Wing (which is getting so close to the end I am beginning to panic!!!), or perhaps an hour of a movie or TV show I love. When amidst my first Modern Extra Sensual book, I watched lots of Sex and the City. The attitude, the mateship, the emotion all helped get my head in the right place.

Another show that I know can give me the exact right feeling I'm looking for is Coupling, which makes me laugh so hard it hurts. the same goes for Arrested Development.

The movie Cyrano de Bergerac always makes me cry. More than cry. Bawl. To the point of sobbing. I watched it last week to prepare for my March Pink Heart Society Friday Film-night and this film moves me so much I fear the review will be about 2000 words long!!!

Often times it just comes to us. The scene brings it's own well of emotion, dragging us, in our track pants and messy ponytails into a world of glamour, or high stakes danger, or heartbreaking emotion all on its own. But sometimes we need a little help.

I guess it's like actors reaching inside of themselves for a past experience to bring out the emotion they need. For me these things are like a quick and easy way to tap into the emotion I am after. As well as giving me some time away from staring at a blank page, and relaxing me and filling my artistic well.

Today I'm thinking perhaps a little sweet teenage angst by way of John Hughes's lovely lovely lovely Sixteen Candles will go down well with my leftover meatballs on toast ;).