Power lifting. As a body builder and martial artist last century. The gym was a constant starting in high school. Now having lost 100 pounds of my former identity in the last 8 years I have been musing (in writing) about the loss of my heft. The ability to use my own weight to counterbalance the physical world.
Thanks for reading! Yeah, one day I'm going to write something further about the relationship between writing and lifting. Still putting some more thought to it, but there is a lot to say.
Oh, boy, did this one hit me. I grew up on the reservation! We used an outhouse until I was seven! I was way rezzzzzzy. And now, well, yeah, all the good and bad of literary fame and fortune. My joke is, "In the United States, every brown college kid has to become a lawyer, doctor, or...poet. Turns out I made the right financial decision whenI started writing poems. Who could've predicted that?" I'm working on a novel that seems to have echoes with your forthcoming novel, Victim, based on just the descriptions I've read. Very few past and present Native American writers, especially the more successful ones, grew up in tribal communities. And their writer bios are essentially the same as other non-Native writers: MFAs, Yaddo, Breadloaf, adjunct professor in search of the tenure track, or tenured professor given tenure far earlier than the norm because...well...we all know. My novel deals with this stuff and more. And, hey, for 9 years, I rented an apartment to use as an office and that apartment had an indoor basketball court. BOOOOOOGIE!
Apartment with a basketball court! Damn my bar is too low man. Haha. But yeah, it’s an odd thing to contend with, right? I’m sure for you the contrast is even more stark---I can only imagine. Thanks for reading, Sherman. Looking forward to your novel, too!
I really enjoyed how this essay began with a clear, straightforward premise, and then seamlessly took that premise much farther than I originally expected.
Thank you man! Means a lot, especially since I've had your words on my mind too, in a piece I read of yours a while back about "thinking on the page." That idea has stuck with me and it is something I'm trying to do more of in these Substack dispatches. Appreciate you reading! I have a backlog of your own posts to catch up on---childcare stuff has gotten in the way of my reading of late.
There are some writers who reach great pinnacles of success but can’t escape the mentality that they are the underdog because that’s who they were for so long.
Quite interesting. Though I wonder if it is a bad thing? Like, I guess if it makes you create work that you like it could be useful? I don't know to be honest. I just know for me I didn't want to keep pursuing that because the work would start to feel boring.
“I think it is because for so long, I grew up with this chip on my shoulder: Me against the world. I felt like there were things being held out of my reach, like the game I was playing in was rigged from the start, and it was up to me to make it out despite the odds.”
Power lifting. As a body builder and martial artist last century. The gym was a constant starting in high school. Now having lost 100 pounds of my former identity in the last 8 years I have been musing (in writing) about the loss of my heft. The ability to use my own weight to counterbalance the physical world.
Thank you for going that step further.
Heft as agency. 🤔
Thanks for reading! Yeah, one day I'm going to write something further about the relationship between writing and lifting. Still putting some more thought to it, but there is a lot to say.
Oh, boy, did this one hit me. I grew up on the reservation! We used an outhouse until I was seven! I was way rezzzzzzy. And now, well, yeah, all the good and bad of literary fame and fortune. My joke is, "In the United States, every brown college kid has to become a lawyer, doctor, or...poet. Turns out I made the right financial decision whenI started writing poems. Who could've predicted that?" I'm working on a novel that seems to have echoes with your forthcoming novel, Victim, based on just the descriptions I've read. Very few past and present Native American writers, especially the more successful ones, grew up in tribal communities. And their writer bios are essentially the same as other non-Native writers: MFAs, Yaddo, Breadloaf, adjunct professor in search of the tenure track, or tenured professor given tenure far earlier than the norm because...well...we all know. My novel deals with this stuff and more. And, hey, for 9 years, I rented an apartment to use as an office and that apartment had an indoor basketball court. BOOOOOOGIE!
Apartment with a basketball court! Damn my bar is too low man. Haha. But yeah, it’s an odd thing to contend with, right? I’m sure for you the contrast is even more stark---I can only imagine. Thanks for reading, Sherman. Looking forward to your novel, too!
I missed a word! The apartment BUILDING had an indoor basketball court. My apartment didn't have its own court! Hahahaha.
I was gonna say. Shit I should have been a poet too!
Free verse ain't free!
Andrew, Great stuff. Always love your perspective on things. Really hits home.
Thanks for reading, Ed! Appreciate that
I really enjoyed how this essay began with a clear, straightforward premise, and then seamlessly took that premise much farther than I originally expected.
Thank you man! Means a lot, especially since I've had your words on my mind too, in a piece I read of yours a while back about "thinking on the page." That idea has stuck with me and it is something I'm trying to do more of in these Substack dispatches. Appreciate you reading! I have a backlog of your own posts to catch up on---childcare stuff has gotten in the way of my reading of late.
Thank you, Andrew. I'm glad to hear that it triggered some thoughts for you—I am certainly enjoying your writing.
There are some writers who reach great pinnacles of success but can’t escape the mentality that they are the underdog because that’s who they were for so long.
Quite interesting. Though I wonder if it is a bad thing? Like, I guess if it makes you create work that you like it could be useful? I don't know to be honest. I just know for me I didn't want to keep pursuing that because the work would start to feel boring.
“I think it is because for so long, I grew up with this chip on my shoulder: Me against the world. I felt like there were things being held out of my reach, like the game I was playing in was rigged from the start, and it was up to me to make it out despite the odds.”
Relate 100 💯
Thanks you for reading my man, much appreciated!