My cold is working its way out. Mitch is coming home today so that is probably a big reason why I’m feeling so much better.
I’ve had good rest these last couple of days and got so much writing done I feel basically caught up. Of course, I’m working on Men of Tokyo: Sudden Heat and I reached that point in the story when I fall in love with the characters and I am beginning to feel the deeper connection between them. I know I’m there when I find myself wanting to re-read the scenes I’ve already written simply for enjoyment and to get that…what do you call it…that kind of sigh when the characters are falling in love along with the sizzle of the attraction between them.
Of course while doing that I’ve listened to plenty of Gackt and watched a couple of videos. His music seems to be good for my writing. Even the harder songs are heflpful when I’m writing passion scenes. I’ve been reading translations of his lyrics that a very intelligent woman in Japan did as a labor of love and it really helps to know what he’s saying although I’d listen anyway without the translation. It’s really the quality and sound to his voice that I like to hear beyond the lyrics.
Oh, and of course, I watched a samurai film. Well, I’m not sure Zatoichi is exactly a samurai. He was a master swordsman who was blind and made a living beating yakuza out of their money in their gambling parlours (his hearing was so sharp he could hear how the dice lay and he could hear when a die was loaded) as well as giving massages. Being a masseur was a traditional line of work for many blind people in Japan in the feudal period. In any case, Zatoichi is a fascinating character and I have a small collection of those films. But the one I like to watch from time to time is Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (The literal title of the film is Zatoichi to Yojimbo) because, you guessed it, Toshiro Mifune is in it. Ostensibly, Mifune is the bodyguard of the son of a corrupt silk merchant who’s taken over a small town that was once a dear place to Zatoichi. But things are not what they seem and the interactions between Toshiro Mifune and Zatoichi are at once hilarious and deep. I only recommend the film however if you like sword play with blood, like these characters and don’t mind Shakespearian/Greek style tragedy between family members.