Well, dear readers, I posted this yesterday but I think it bears repeating right here in these here notes. For me, taking a hot shower is my creative space, the place where I get some of my best ideas. It used to be jogging, but that has been replaced by the shower. I go in there, let the water run over me, and things just come to me, really good ideas just appear out of nowhere. It never fails. Yesterday while I was showering I got such a great idea – I was in a place in chapter two where I wasn’t sure quite how I’d get from there to the next thing in an interesting way and boy did I get it – what a gift. It was just the perfect solution and opened up so many things that I can use throughout the book, and it also answered a bunch of questions that I needed to figure out. I don’t know what it is about the water and the heat but it works and I recommend it to anyone who’s doing anything creative or who needs to puzzle out an idea.
Otherwise, yesterday was a fine little day. I was up at ten after eight hours of sleep, I answered e-mails and had a telephonic conversation, and then I began futzing and finessing the previous day’s writing. I made lots of little adjustments, added a few things, removed a few things, and smoothed out all of it. Once done, I wrote about two pages. Then I went and had a Philly cheesesteak sandwich and no fries or onion rings. It was good. Then I picked up some packages and came back home.
I wrote two more pages, did some research, and then wrote two additional pages. I then listened to several symphonies of the Swedish composer Kurt Atterberg. I had several here, but I’d listened to them and had to shut them off due to the absolutely terrible sound and not-so-wonderful performances. So, I got a complete set and uploaded them. This time the sound was excellent, as were the performances, and the music is just wonderful – tonal, warm, beautiful melodies, and well constructed. Every one of them is terrific. I also have some tone poem and other shorter pieces and they are also wonderful. I have to check the closet again (but the lower shelf, which is much easier to deal with) because I know I have some other Swedish composers there that I want to check out. I also got all the singers their music except for two – waiting on the sheet music for those, which I should have this day.
Then I took the aforementioned shower, got the aforementioned idea, went back to the computer and rewrote some of what I’d written to accommodate the new idea, added a page-and-a-half of new material, made some notes, then went and had a little snack at the Coral Café – chicken strips. After that, I came right home and wrote another few pages, for a total of just over twelve. A very productive day indeed.
Today, I’ll be up at ten, I’ll have a telephonic conversation with my Apple senior technician about the computer freezing problem and one other weird problem I’m having. I have been having really weird issues finding certain documents – they’re not where they should be, not in my main folder, not in the sub-folders. But when I search them in Spotlight they come up but that doesn’t tell me where they are (they’re not in documents, either). That is a head-scratcher and I’m hoping he can illuminate me as to what that’s about. Then I’ll futz and finesse and write a few new pages, after which I’ll do some banking, eat something light but fun, hopefully pick up packages, and then write more pages, whilst occasionally taking some breaks. I was invited to some little thing this evening, but I’m not sure I can go, especially if I’m in the throes of writing. I’ll definitely finish the chapter I’m on, and then move on to the new chapter.
Tomorrow I have a lunch meeting, otherwise it’s just more writing. The weekend is the same – a lot of writing, and getting Muse Margaret however many pages I have done by either Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, have a call with Apple, futz and finesse, write, bank, eat, hopefully pick up some packages, write, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite kinds of sandwiches? What’s the best sandwich you’ve ever had in a restaurant? The best you’ve made yourself? Your favorite fast food sandwich? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have benefitted again from the shower effect.