Fellow writers are invited to describe how they avoid writing; they may even display their writing-avoidance achievements right here on this page.
I’ll go first.
Pointless cross-stitching is, I’ve found, much better for this activity than TV-watching, floor-scrubbing, and mousing around on the web. There’s the pseudo creativity angle, plus the fact that you’re making a surprise gift for a loved one, or even a passing acquaintance. Hell, you could even sandbag a total stranger on the street. Instead of a fistful of germy M&Ms, you could slip the unwitting passerby a one-of-a-kind wall decoration. Below is a keepsake for my son, the fabulously talented jazz keyboardist Ed Kornhauser, who has yet to learn he’s getting it. I got the idea from his Facebook page. I can’t wait to see his face light up with joy. Or possibly alarm. Next I’d love to do “Release the kraken,” although I’m having trouble figuring out who would best benefit from such a memento. The horizons are limitless!
Look, if you’re not going to join me, stop me. It’s up to you.
Note that artistic talent is completely optional.
I would love “Release the kraken.” It’s what I regularly want to say to my co-workers.
Or I should say, it’s what I want to say to the kraken keeper to inflict the beast ON my co-workers when they’re being particularly irritating. Which is a lot.
A better question is clearly who wouldn’t benefit from such a cross stitch! (my cross stitch is much more elaborate, but not free hand. Theoretically it has target audiences as well. One of my non-writer friends has taken to making such things as subway maps in cross stitch.)
Instead of writing my delightful essays, I just spent the last five days submitting entries to a contest on Twitter–Stuff My Muse Says (tagged with #stuffmymusesays). You can read some of my weird, silly entries at:
http://twitter.com/captaincanard
You may find some candidates for your cross-stitching endeavors. Then again, maybe not.
I’m thinking needlepoint … or better yet, bead knitting?
I collect blogs.
And then think about starting one.
And then don’t.
I troll for recipes outside my comfort zone. For example: grouper with mango-habanero reduction. Why am I skittish? I live inland: frozen grouper is depressing.
Love the cross stitch! Picked up Jenny and the Jaws of Life recently and turned some friends on to it who are now Jincy fans. Cheers!
Kelly
I do needlepoint and watch tv – at the same time! Excellent for crushing the guilt of not writing; why I can’t even remember what I was supposed to be doing! Lots of needlepoints on my website (my latest is “A Dyslexic Walks into a – ” – you’ve got to see it to enjoy the super surprise ending) and very little writing, although there is a story I quite like, though I’m sure needs work, but you do have to stop sometime. I mostly write tv, which has a dangling paycheque at the end so at least my writing’s not laying about the house getting dusty. Jaws of Life kills me, it’s so great. I suppose you’ve read and enjoyed “Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About” by Mill Millington?
Anna
Anna Bourque! Love your website and your needlepoint, including the surprise dyslexic ending. Have not read the Mill Millington, but now I’ll have to.
Absolutely priceless!
Dennis Quaid once crossed the street in front of my car to get to his gym. My wife and I had completely different takes on it. My wife pointed out that Dennis is even better looking in person.
I pointed out that Dennis is too cheap to valet park.