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March 21, 2007

You've got vision

At least one of us does

Okay, who here watches TLC’s “What Not To Wear”?

I adore this show because the makeovers are of such magnitude that they really should qualify as supernatural. But there’s no plastic surgery or psychotherapy or grueling diet and exercise. The hosts, armed only with their sharp tongues and style savvy, take these hapless fashion victims—the frumpy, the timid, the terminally apathetic—and turn them into chic, confident trendsetters in the span of a week. It’s amazing how a little external change can trigger a gigantic increase in self-esteem and optimism. These people buy a fitted blazer and well-tailored jeans and tweeze their eyebrows and bam! Their spirits improve, their careers take off, and I would bet good money that the vast majority of participants lose weight post-makeover. My favorite part of the show is the hair and makeup consultation because I am in awe of the vision of the hair stylist. How? How does he know exactly which cut and color will most flatter every face? How does he see past the shaggy bangs, the frizz, the client's often hostile resistance to change? How does he manage to get past all the physical and psychic clutter and hit the bullseye every time?

My friend Karin is like this with home décor. She can take four white walls, beige wall-to-wall carpet, and $100, and in two days, she will turn the place into a centerfold for Better Homes and Gardens. Mr. Tall and I are in the process of remodeling several rooms in our house, and I force Karin to select every shade of paint because she has “the vision.” It’s a good thing, too, because left to my own devices, my guest room would look like a sensory deprivation chamber. I have no vision. Hell, I don’t even have a coffee table in the living room yet, and we moved into the house 3 years ago. But Karin has the gift, so I trust her. (Sort of. Sample conversation:

Karin: Ooh, check out this rich dark shade of red!
Me: Um. Okay.
Karin: We’ll do the east wall in this color, and the other three in that pale gold I showed you yesterday.
Me: But…are you sure?
Karin: Absolutely! They’re both earthy, desert shades. It’ll look great with the wood stain on your furniture! And with the sunlight exposure this room gets…
Me: But isn’t red and gold kind of, you know, ketchup and mustard-y?
Karin:
Me: I mean, I’m no Rembrandt--
Karin: You got that straight.)

I’m insanely jealous of people who can do stuff like this—see breathtaking potential in the most ordinary things. My friend Kelly, who is a fashion designer, can do this with clothes. Give the girl a paper bag, a shower curtain, some aluminum foil, and a box of staples, and she could whip up a couture gown for the Oscars. It’s beyond cool.

But writing, I suppose, requires its own kind of vision. You start with imaginary people in an imaginary situation and you make them real enough so that other people can also “see” them. You have to keep twisting the storyline and tweaking reality so that the plot surprises and delights without drawing the reader up short with disbelief. Most writers secretly hate to be asked, “Where do you get your ideas?” because they honestly have no clue. The universe just sort of picks up the red courtesy phone. It’s probably the same for painters and musicians and Karin with her paint chips.

So what’s your special “vision”? If anyone’s happens to be furniture selection, I could use a living room consult.

This blog was brought to you by The Fortune Quilt, Lani's novel about family, psychics and quilts... and what happens when they all collide at once.

Posted by Beth at 1:18 AM | Comments (8)

Comments

Posted by: Whitney at March 21, 2007 9:00 AM

Posted by: B.E. Sanderson at March 21, 2007 9:27 AM

Posted by: NicoleH at March 21, 2007 9:41 AM

Posted by: TeresaH at March 21, 2007 3:40 PM

Posted by: Sheri at March 21, 2007 6:30 PM

Posted by: Dia at March 22, 2007 12:15 PM

Posted by: Jamie at March 25, 2007 12:17 PM

Posted by: Amber at March 29, 2007 6:36 PM