In a self-pep-talk, I told myself some time ago, “Invite the no.” Don’t falter from fear of it.

I mean if someone is gonna think the work is bad and trash it, I can swing out. They won’t be reading it anyway.

I can have a kind of public privacy, dream for an introvert.

I can tell any kind of story, do anything in it. Experiment with anything. Kill concern that it’s ‘relatable.’

The nature of contests is to find the flaws, to disqualify. So I am gonna get dismissed.

Might as well have fun.

Besides, people see your name enough they become familiar. According to a film funder who I will keep nameless, they develop a kind of unconscious affection toward you due to familiarity with your moniker.

So I will submit, submit, submit, all over the place.

There is no spoon. No… no.