Sometimes, when I carry something heavy, my arms hurt the next day. If I do situps, my stomach hurts later. I can do other things, such as typing, and that doesn't bother me.
Why do I get sore muscles? It's because I'm using ones I don't ordinarily use and they're protesting.
I confess I've let things slide. I've allowed winter weather to interfere with getting to Fitness classes, and my body isn't happy about it. I didn't used to have this problem, and I hope to get to more classes, weather permitting, so I won't have it any more. If weather's not permitting, I'll exert discipline and exercise at home.
The same thing happens with writing. I can blog every day because I've kept up that exercise, but I'm having a harder time finishing my work in progress. Lately, my brain hasn't exercised in that direction. No, I don't get headaches after doing so, thank goodness, but it's harder for me to focus. I fumble around trying to find the right words to say. I have a difficult time coming up with plot points and descriptions. My characters' thoughts elude me.
I've got tons of unwriting projects that need doing. One of them is getting my income tax papers together, which means balancing a checkbook that's been neglected for months. Still, I'm determined to spend more time each day on my novel. I need to get back in writing shape.
What about you? Do you ever get out of writing shape? If you let yourself slide for a while, is it harder for you to come up with ideas when you do write? Or, are you so disciplined you never let this happen? Do you have a routine you follow, no matter what? Please share.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Bedbugs Are Back By Morgan Mandel
I thought mosquitos were bad! For the last few days on WLS 890 AM Talk Radio's Don Wade and Roma Show, one of the subjects has been bed bugs.
The Chicago Tribune newspaper reports a significant rise in United States sightings of these evil bloodsuckers, which attack unsuspecting victims in their beds at night.
Are you itching? Not yet? Keep reading.
These tiny little insects are camping out in hotel beds, on cruise ships, in nursing homes, hospitals and other likely spots. Click this link for a story about them in the New York Times. In this article entomologist Louis Sorkin mentions they're so small they're hard to find. If you see something a quarter inch long and it's reddish-brown, you may have found one, but there are many types. They not only feed on people, but also pets.
These nocturnal critters release some kind of nerve agent when they bite, numbing their victims during their feeds, until the damage is done. Afterwards, the fun and itching begin. If you scratch too much, you risk infection.
Why have they become so prevalent? Some people blame it on our shrinking world. Travelers are visiting more places where these tiny critters dwell and the nasty little things hitch a ride back on clothes or shoes, in suitcases, etc. Another reason is poor hygiene, with people being too busy or unable to spend money to wash sheets and pillowcases.
If you're traveling, what measures can you take to be safe? A few suggestions I heard on WLS were to check your sheets for little splotches of blood (that sound icky, doesn't it?), keep your covers tucked in, and make sure your bed doesn't rest against the wall.
Have you ever seen a bedbug or gotten bitten by one? Have you ever included bedbugs in a book you've written? Do you feel like doing so now? Did I make you itchy?
The Chicago Tribune newspaper reports a significant rise in United States sightings of these evil bloodsuckers, which attack unsuspecting victims in their beds at night.
Are you itching? Not yet? Keep reading.
These tiny little insects are camping out in hotel beds, on cruise ships, in nursing homes, hospitals and other likely spots. Click this link for a story about them in the New York Times. In this article entomologist Louis Sorkin mentions they're so small they're hard to find. If you see something a quarter inch long and it's reddish-brown, you may have found one, but there are many types. They not only feed on people, but also pets.
These nocturnal critters release some kind of nerve agent when they bite, numbing their victims during their feeds, until the damage is done. Afterwards, the fun and itching begin. If you scratch too much, you risk infection.
Why have they become so prevalent? Some people blame it on our shrinking world. Travelers are visiting more places where these tiny critters dwell and the nasty little things hitch a ride back on clothes or shoes, in suitcases, etc. Another reason is poor hygiene, with people being too busy or unable to spend money to wash sheets and pillowcases.
If you're traveling, what measures can you take to be safe? A few suggestions I heard on WLS were to check your sheets for little splotches of blood (that sound icky, doesn't it?), keep your covers tucked in, and make sure your bed doesn't rest against the wall.
Have you ever seen a bedbug or gotten bitten by one? Have you ever included bedbugs in a book you've written? Do you feel like doing so now? Did I make you itchy?
Thursday, February 26, 2009
What Makes You Buy A Book?
How much does a cover influence whether or not you buy a book? If you've heard it's a good book, but you don't care for the cover, will you still buy it? Unfortunately, many times my answer is no. I have to like the cover at least some or I'll put the book down and choose another.
If I like the cover, I'll proceed to the back and read the blurbs. If I like what I see, I'll open and read the first page. Sometimes I feel an immediate click and know I want that book. Other times, I waver and flick to a few other pages, not reading them entirely, just kind of checking.
If I see books that seem interesting in bookstore windows, they're usually hardcovers. Since I can't afford them, except in special instances, I order them from the library.
Of course, if a book happens to be written by a friend, that's a different story. In that case, I'll buy the book, get it autographed and save it as I do all my autographed books.
I can't say that I buy books from reviews, but I have from word-of-mouth, or if it's by an author I like.
What about you? What makes you buy a book?
If I like the cover, I'll proceed to the back and read the blurbs. If I like what I see, I'll open and read the first page. Sometimes I feel an immediate click and know I want that book. Other times, I waver and flick to a few other pages, not reading them entirely, just kind of checking.
If I see books that seem interesting in bookstore windows, they're usually hardcovers. Since I can't afford them, except in special instances, I order them from the library.
Of course, if a book happens to be written by a friend, that's a different story. In that case, I'll buy the book, get it autographed and save it as I do all my autographed books.
I can't say that I buy books from reviews, but I have from word-of-mouth, or if it's by an author I like.
What about you? What makes you buy a book?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Follow the Leader - Yawn, Cough, Smile, Laugh
Do you feel the urge to yawn when someone else does? It's very catching. Even when my dog, Rascal, yawns, I find myself yawning, and vice versa, so this phenomenum spreads to more than one species.
Riding on the Metra to work on Tuesday, someone coughed and for some reason I coughed right afterwards,though I hadn't felt the urge moments before.
What about smiling? When you take someone's picture and tell that person to smile, have you caught yourself smiling,as if you were the person getting a picture taken?
Laughing? Have you wanted to laugh at absolutely the wrong time, and made others want to as well?
Why does this happen? Is there a scientic explanation, or is it just follow the leader?
What about you? Do you exhibit such involuntary reactions? Or, have you reacted inappropriately at the worst possible time, and don't know why? Have you ever started a chain reaction of yawning or something else? Please share.
If you liked this blog, check out Get A Life at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com today.
Riding on the Metra to work on Tuesday, someone coughed and for some reason I coughed right afterwards,though I hadn't felt the urge moments before.
What about smiling? When you take someone's picture and tell that person to smile, have you caught yourself smiling,as if you were the person getting a picture taken?
Laughing? Have you wanted to laugh at absolutely the wrong time, and made others want to as well?
Why does this happen? Is there a scientic explanation, or is it just follow the leader?
What about you? Do you exhibit such involuntary reactions? Or, have you reacted inappropriately at the worst possible time, and don't know why? Have you ever started a chain reaction of yawning or something else? Please share.
If you liked this blog, check out Get A Life at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com today.
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