My Writuals

I was tagged sometime back by Elviza and was honoured to be counted as a writer in her eyes. I assure you I am anything but. Half the time, I do not know what to write about. What sounds good in my head is quite the opposite when it is typed out. That is when I imagine the reader having more interest in the writings of a struggling student in school.

Then again, I should not be too hard on myself. I have not been writing much because another social networking activity has distracted me on top of my other interests. My muse must be burnt out from multi-tasking in Facebook, my garden and kitchen.

So, what are my Writuals (when I am actually writing something other than e-mails)? Read on ...

Where are you?

In a semi-dark living room, TV switched off, with me sitting in my chair and the laptop on a stand in front of me.

What are you writing with?

The gifts of ten fingers (counting the days to arthiritis), a pair of eyes (which needed the help of spectacles 15 years ago) and a hand-me-down laptop.

(Everything's aching right now! yes, even the laptop - he acts erratically when I make him multi-task and expect him to process quickly. Typical male, no?).

What's the oddest object in front of you?

My pencil sharpener/holder which I use as a paper weight. I am not sticking the pencil in it. You know where it goes. :P
(I bought this more than a decade ago when I was working in Kuala Lumpur.)

What are you listening to?

Usually when I want to write, it has to be silent. When I am doing other things like banking and emailing, my TV would be on either the news channel, comedy channel or a current TV series.

Is there anyone else in the room?

My faithful four-legged companion, Peanut, that sleeps on the ottoman. Sometimes he shares the chair with me with his head on my lap.

What time of day is it?

To write - whenever.

Right now, I am taking a break from working in the garden - 5:45pm

What do you look at when you're looking for inspiration?

Outside where I see the road in a distance with cars and trucks zooming by occasionally on a 25mph street (where are the police when you need them?). Sometimes, I get up from my chair and look at my backyard. The green, the neighbour's horses and just the quiet of country life gives me some kind of inspiration.

What is guaranteed to remove your concentration?

1. The phone ringing - mostly from telemarketers.
2. The dog barking for no good reason, which is rare. He sleeps most of the time.
3. Husband walking into the room - suddenly I am not alone (don't count the dog, he does not speak!) :P