Writers Face a Frustrating Paradox and I Need to Figure Out How to Resolve It
Writing is a solitary, sedentary occupation.
We’ve talked about the solitary part before, and probably will again. The sedentary part of it is what concerns me most today.
A big part of writing is just sitting your butt in the chair and leaving it there long enough for the ideas to come, the words to flow, and the fingers to fly across the keyboard.
Unfortunately, there are some definite downsides, a paradox if you will. Too much time with your butt in the chair, and your health suffers. Sitting is bad for you.
Keyboard gymnastics just doesn’t count as real exercise no matter how much, or how fast you type. That’s something you need to make space for as a writer. I won’t go into the health benefits of regular exercise, or the health detriments of frequent, prolonged sitting — you can google it and find tons of great information — but it’s a constant challenge for me.
Part of it is early upbringing. In my house, physical activity was basically frowned upon. Oh, a few things were okay. I didn’t get pushback if I wanted to ice skate, swim, or bicycle. But anything involving a ball and bat, or racket, and I’d get the parental raised eyebrows and “what do you want to do that for? Don’t you have anything better to do?”
It wasn’t even gender specific. My mother wasn’t worried about me acting like a tomboy — yes, that was a thing way back then — my brother got the same reaction. It was just that, somehow, people in our family were above such things. We should be spending our time in more worthwhile ways, like mastering that Bach etude on the piano or reading a good book.
Now, that was a lot of years ago, and I can’t still blame my mother for the fact that I don’t exercise regularly now. But that’s when the foundations were laid.
Over the years there have been times when I was much more consistent. In the 80s I bought myself a NordicTrac (remember those?) and I would use it after the kids went to bed while I watched a TV show. That lasted for several years, but ended when I got pregnant for the last time in 1990.
Then, in the early 2000s I joined the local Y and I would stop on my way home from work several days a week. I took my first aqua aerobics classes there, and loved them. I did Pilates. A couple times a week I used the machines. But then I changed jobs and the times for those classes no longer worked for me, so I gradually stopped going.
Some years after that I joined a different gym that offered aqua aerobics classes, and did those faithfully for several years.
But since the early pandemic lockdown, I haven’t set foot in a gym. And I haven’t found a satisfactory way to incorporate movement into my daily life. I’ve been extremely COVID-conscious and careful. Partly it was living in Florida, where cases have always been high. Partly it was being around my very elderly father-in-law, and trying to be careful for his sake.
When the situation is right, I can work out every day. During the month of January, which I spent in Panama, I was in the pool every afternoon without fail, doing my own private and personal version of aqua aerobics. It was great! The weather was sunny and beautiful, by late afternoon I wanted to get into the water to cool off, and it was totally convenient.
But having my own pool at home isn’t the solution. For one thing, there are months when it’s too cold, rainy, or both, and for another, I’d have to take care of it, keep it clean, balance the chemicals. We had a pool for about 12 years when the kids were all still at home, and it was a lot of work.
Until I figure it out, I’m going to try to make my walks a little more interesting by challenging myself to take at least one decent photo each time. What do you think of the one at the top of this page?
And, on an unrelated note, thanks to several of who who checked a box in the poll I started a couple weeks ago. I asked you to let me know when you like your murder to happen, and, swimming against the current of most advice, the vote for “20% or after” was unanimous. Nobody wanted to see it right away, or at 5, 10, or even 20% of the way through the book. You all wanted to see it later.
I’m leaving the poll open for a little longer, so if you want to weigh in, it’s not too late. You’ll find it here.
What I’m Reading
A Country Wedding Murder by Katie Gayle
This is the fifth in the Julia Bird series, and it may be the best yet, aside from a couple of editing snafus that is.
Julia’s stayed on friendly terms with her ex-husband, who is getting married again, and their daughter has flown in from Hong Kong for the wedding. Everything’s going beautifully until the reception is spoiled by a guest’s strong allergic reaction to something in the food. Probably nuts.
Except he has a known nut allergy, stated that on the RSVP, and the caterer has a stellar reputation and system in place for making sure all the food they serve is allergen free for guests at their events.
It goes downhill from there, and Julia, her daughter Jess, and Dr. Sean end up investigating.
The book was very enjoyable, with some interesting twists and turns. But — the editing and proofreading were substandard. One character was called Goldie most of the time, but a few times she was called Gloria. One character had a husband, who then became a fiance, who then turned back into a husband before finally settling down as a fiance.
If you can overlook that, you’ll enjoy the read.
Buy Me a Chai
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Notable Quotes
The bright shining star of The Door With no Key and The Wicked Sailor’s Lament looked at peace for the first time since I’d met him. I suppose that three bullets through the frontal lobe will do that to a person.
- Murder at Everham Hall by Benedict Brown
For sure — nothing like bullets in the brain pan to give you a peaceful look.
Jeanette Tallis was so perfectly groomed that she looked as if she’d only just been taken out of the box and had the tissue paper removed.
- Clutter Corpse by Simon Brett
I’ve shared quotes from Brett’s books before, because I love the way he can paint a vivid description in so few words.
Wise Words
Last week I introduced a new game here in the newsletter — choose the correct word. Here was the quote:
Was this the woman that the fisherwoman had _____ to? The one who’d been spotted racewalking with Mr. Chips this morning?
Murder at an Irish Chipper by Carlene O'Connor
And the word choices to fill in the blank were alluded or eluded.
The correct response was alluded, so give yourself a pat on the back if that’s the one you chose.