It’s just like an exercise regimen, I suppose. I’ve never had an exercise regimen, but I have known some guys (and ladies) who have, and I can see the similarities. You gotta have a schedule.
Just listen to Clyde.
“Once you get into the bench presses, the push-ups, the ab crunches, and all the other sweaty stuff those guys put themselves through, they all tell me how much they enjoy it. They actually get into a “zone”, they say, where the rest of the world is somehow off to the side, not really real, but not completely gone either. Problems at work today? They fade into insignificance after the first few drops of sweat begin to form on your brow. Your focus is solely upon the burn beginning to creep throughout your muscles. Stretching and contracting muscle cells convert glucose into lactic acid, creating that burn, then the lactic acid is absorbed and converted to a fuel by mitochondria in muscle cells. Me and my exercising friend then begin to experience an odd sort of feeling of “rightness” that settles in for the rest of the workout.”
Clyde is a retired Marine Drill Instructor, so I guess he knows this stuff.
Personally, I’ve never been one to get high on lactic acid. A couple of decades ago, and a different acid, sure. But not now, and not lactic acid. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy hard work. Even sweaty, stinging-sweat-in-your-eyes hard work. I just don’t get off on jumping jacks.
I’d rather write.
Of course, if you look back at the past examples of my work you might argue that point.
I learned very quickly after I opened my first website that I can’t do the little one or two paragraph daily quick-hits that so many Virginia bloggers excel at. It’s true. Go way back into my archives and find some truly bad stuff when I was trying to do just that.
Jim Hoeft is pretty dang good with a short piece, concise and to the point. SWAC Girl,Shaun Kenney and many others do very well with that format, and most of them manage to post daily. Or almost daily.
Jerry Fuhrman, you truly excelled at it, my friend.
Jerry would have 6 or 8 short, witty, and very well composed pieces published each morning before most of us had our first cup of coffee.
Those who know me know that I seldom talk as much as my readers would assume I do. I am truly a man of few words.
Spoken words.
Unless I’m telling a personal story.
All that proves my point. I’ve taken you, (and myself), off onto a journey that began with sweaty socks and ends up here. Where am I heading, you’re sure to be wondering by now.
Like I said, it’s just like an exercise regimen. Discipline yourself, get yourself motivated, set aside a certain time to do it, and just do it. You will enjoy it once you get past the apprehension. I have decided to do just that.
No, you won’t be finding me down at the YMCA every other day. (I could enjoy hanging out around the entrance to Curves, but some would call that creepy).
Instead I’ve decided to schedule my writing. Every morning at 5:00 I work on my novel. For a strict two hours. Some days will better than others, but that’s my schedule.
After breakfast, whether here or at Clyde’s, I work on my collection of short stories. After lunch it’s either the children’s book or the Christmas play for my sister’s church. Thursday, after a late afternoon lunch with the Williams sisters, my weekly column gets my full attention.
Lately each afternoon has been consumed with a different project, but that won’t last much longer.
Look, it’s either this or you’ll be forced to watch me try to do ab crunches.