I knew you used your brain for writing, but I had no idea that your backside was equally important.
The Dayjob took me on a long road-trip on Monday, two hours plus, one-way, to scope out The Flint River Quarium and The Parks at Chehaw for an event we're planning later on in the year. On Saturday, The Kiddo and I'd gone to Savannah to enjoy a mother/daughter tea straight out of Jane Austen at The Isaiah Davenport House. That's another couple of hours on the road.
Needless to say, my backside is molded in the shape of a car seat. And all I can think about is getting up and getting some sort of feeling besides numbness going on in that region of my body.
But, even if I can't concentrate completely on my writing, I had great take-away from both of my trips.
For one thing, the tea has reawakened my love for Jane Austen. It's incredible to have a lady in a gorgeous velvet and brocade dress serve you tea. And gentlemen had to be very skilled to tie a cravat back in 1825. I shall have to go pull out all my Jane Austen books, even Mansfield Park, and reread them again.
The aquarium has also reminded me of how we need unexpected surprises and layers in our writing. The very interesting freshwater "blue hole" exhibit at the aquarium reveals nothing at first, just a picturesque view of a calm pond. But as you go deeper, level upon level, you find things you'd never dream of by just looking at that placid surface. There were really weird gar fish, and then huge bass that looked like they could gobble me up, and even more amazing sturgeon.
The last surprise was what we found when we worked our way up to the top level -- alligators, basking in the afternoon sun, and completely hidden from the front part of the exhibit.
I think that's how writing is supposed to be -- a twist that takes the expected into the realm of the unexpected and makes it fresh and new.
Hopefully I'll be reading and writing again very soon ... when I get over Writer's Butt!
11 comments:
Wow that sounds nice. Traveling is so important for writing. I'm going to Venice soon and hope to get new writing inspiration. It's a nine hour train ride from where I live so I'm sure I'll have the same writer's butt affliction. ;)
I've heard about the Isiah Davenport House and I am so jealous, I want to go. Just for the atmosphere, I write Regency among other things and they used to have a place like that back home and I've only gone once. But not for research. Maybe I'll head down to Georgia over the summer.
I don't know which sounds like more fun--the aquarium or the tea. Both sound absolutely delightful, and well worth a case of writer's butt. :)
(Tee-hee. You said "butt.")
Hemingway wrote standing up to avoid the writer's gut, probably because he already had the tendency to beer gut. I won't even try that. Guess I'm stuck with writer's butt AND editor's butt. Doubly bad.
LR, Venice is WELL worth writer's butt! It's on my PTSBIC list -- Places To See Before I Croak.
Anne, you come to Savannah, and you'll get all KINDS of inspiration. The Kiddo and I will take you on a tour!
See, Linda, I knew you were a bad influence! ;-)
Karen, I can feel EVERYTHING spreading. Aaack.
Writer's Butt! LOL!
Best wishes for a speedy recovery. :)
Here's something to help that writer's butt...maybe...I gave you an award over at my blog!
Writer's butt...a true hazard. And tea, Jane Austen style? Sounds "delightful."
Julie, the tea WAS delightful, plus we got a special extended tour of the Davenport House. What's not to like?!
Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I loved your statement about getting published "years, then right away." It does make sense!
That sounds like an amazing day. As far as writer's butt - a hot bath works wonders. That or wine. Or both. Or just the wine.
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