Ten-Finger Exercises

Contests

Before I found writing.com I had taken one on-line creative writing class and enjoyed it so much I'd hunted for another. The second one I tried was a bomb. As I was explaining to my husband tonight when I was writing my 15 for 15 entry and he kept interrupting, the contests are really helpful. They make my mind work and teach me new things in the process. Plus they're a kind of discipline, especially the 15/15. Every single day I've looked at a prompt I've thought, oh boy, this is it. I'll never think of anything for this one except maybe a caption. Like for today's 'Sky' prompt of two skiers way high: I was tempted to write, "Take the picture quick! I can't hold this pose much longer!"

There are caption contests from time to time, but I never have any caption ideas for those. Those are the times I want to write a story. See what I mean? Discipline.

Speaking of discipline, I made it to the Y four days this week. Didn't get there today. My knee was feeling a little hot and swollen last night and maybe still today. It's awfully easy for me to get out of things that way though, and so it's hard to know if it was Sensible Sue or Alibi Annie making the decision.

Spent an enjoyable hour with the patient who had been in the CIA in Botswana and elsewhere. He's a born storyteller.

On the flip side, I spent a very dreary 45 minutes listening to a very hard of hearing man with dementia tell me how he'd solved the mystery of the seven seals in Revelation. Over and over he explained how he researched and prayed, was given answers, doubted them, proved them wrong and finally proved one right. He never could tell me a thing about the seals themselves and what he'd doubted or discovered about them, just that it was very simple. Fortunately, it did not appear to frustrate him at all, and he invited me to come back so he could teach me more. He sounded very proud, and I was happy to have helped just by listening. Still, it was frustrating to have so little interaction or meaningful discussion. I know I'm not there for me but....