I have a history of having followed paths less travelled and of taking some fairly large and unique risks, so why did I self-deprecate so much when telling people that I was embarking on writing a book? It was like I sensed that I had to protect myself from possible failure.
Thankfully my wise cousin Pam Cy brought me back around to my own "why not try?" attitude. When I self-deprecated while speaking with her about my writing potentially being "frivolous", she playfully ripped into me, saying, “EFF FRIVOLOUS PAUL… DON'T JUDGE THE ART MAN… JUST DO THE ART AND PUT IT OUT THERE!.. ESPECIALLY WRITING… NOBODY WOULD EVER WRITE A WORD, IF THEY HAD TO TRULY ASSESS IT AS BEYOND FRIVOLOUS!”
Actually she didn't say "eff frivolous"... I'll leave it to you to guess if she said "forget frivolous" or if the "eff" is a place holder for a more emphatic word.
What amazing advice for anybody trying something new, especially something new that can be considered to be within the realm of being "artistic"! Pam's words motivated me to refocus myself for the final push of getting out my first self-published book. My little piece of art is titled "Uncorked : My year in Provence studying pétanque, discovering Chagall, drinking pastis, and mangling French".
It is my hope that "Uncorked" will touch and amuse, spark wanderlust, and evoke fond memories of travel to fascinating places! Though what I also hope it does for many people is trigger reflection on the importance of taking risks when afforded new chances in life.
And it is Pam's words "Eff Frivolous" that have motivated me to blog too... to share some additional stories of wonderful experiences that have come from taking risks and having a "why not try?" attitude. I was going to title my blog "Eff Frivolous", though I've gone with "UNCORK YOURSELF" for starters, since "Eff Frivolous" just may be a little too rough-around-the-edges ... time will tell... let me know what you think! My next post will be about working in the world of bobsledding... yes, you heard that correctly... I did really do that and it was a "wild ride".
If you decide to search Amazon for "Uncorked Provence" and to read my whimsical travel memoir, I hope you will enjoy my storytelling even half as much as my new friend Grant Lawrence did...
"Like a wry cross between Bill Bryson and Dave Bidini, Paul Shore’s funny, self-deprecating and wholesome recounting of a year spent in the French Riviera will ring très true for anyone who has made the trip to this special but highly exclusive part of the world. Shore captures exactly what it’s like to be a foreign national trying to bust into the local scene. And if you haven’t been to the South of France, Uncorked will have you looking up AirBnBs in places like Saint-Paul de Vence or Villefranche-sur-Mer while you practice your pétanque rolls. One part travelogue, one part self-help guide, one part memoir, Uncorked is just like a good French wine: light, delicious, and full of flavour."
-- Grant Lawrence, CBC broadcaster and author of Adventures in Solitude: what not to wear to a nude potluck and other stories from Desolation Sound
Get out there and UNCORK YOURSELF a little ... eff frivolous!
And stay tuned for my upcoming post about my time working for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and daring to become involved in bobsledding (and skeleton and luge too).
