Dec. 20th, 2008

mbarker: (Me typing?)
I promise not to spend too much time on this, but . . .

What do the following have in common?
  1. Spreading the jam on toast
  2. Lifting the toilet seat
  3. Drying my legs after a shower
  4. wash and spit after brushing my teeth
  5. sitting down and getting up from the toilet
There's probably a bunch of common elements, but for me, today, the common thread is that they are likely to be painful.

Friday (yesterday) morning I got up, went into my office, and sat down. And almost stood up again, as something in my lower back went into painful spasms. After trying to ignore it for the morning (sitting still worked reasonably well!), I went home at lunch time, and stayed there. Hot pads, exercises, my corset (from back pains five years ago, but it still works and fits), and by this morning I'm just having the occasional tingle. And walking apparently very straight -- Mitsuko says I look like one of those people practicing posture lessons, with a book on my head. I'm certainly very conscious of my back, and trying hard to keep it straight and not turn too fast.

And those little things -- the kitchen table is just a little low, so I have to bend over to spread something on the toast -- or sit down in a chair. Lifting the toilet seat requires me to lean over just enough to be agonizing. Lowering it, luckily, just requires that I start it down, it lowers itself the rest of the way, so that doesn't hurt. Drying my legs -- that requires contortions that aren't advisable right now. Washing and spitting, oddly, requires that little bit of bending that incites lower back spasms -- and deserves a scream, but we're being quiet because it's early. Up and down -- somewhere between standing up and sitting, there's a little bit where you want to lean forward, which stretches those muscles, and means pain.

It's irritating because it is sort of small -- except on the inside it really, really hurts. So, for right now, sit up straight, and still.

Aargh! Why do bodies do these things?
mbarker: (BrainUnderRepair)
Writing Excuses Season Two Episode Seven: Using Writing Formulas With Bob Defendi

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/11/23/writing-excuses-season-2-episode-7-using-writing-formulas-with-bob-defendi/

Key points: Formulas are the basic patterns that we use in stories all the time. Cliches are formulas that have been done the same way a million times already. When the formula drives the characters, you have an idiot plot. Throw out your first ideas, because they've been done before -- and around your fourth or fifth idea, you will start to come up with something that will surprise your audience. Let the story flow from the characters. Don't allow your characters to be slaves to plot, make it the other way around.
more yackity-yack )
[Howard] Tune in next week when you'll hear Bob Defendi say...
[Bob] That's not my thermometer.

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