Only cats and writers live more than one life
I thought of that line the other day when I saw my mother-in-law’s cat run in front of a truck. I nearly had a heart-attack thinking she was going to be squished (you’ll be pleased to know that the cat and the truck survived unscathed).
After the shock subsided I thought about the “nine lives” myth and related it to the many lives I’ve lived through my words. Once a story is finished I close that life and start another. But to do this I need to open a new reality and live through the story.
If I get a phone call when I’m writing it takes me a few seconds to snap back into this reality and remember who I am, what I’m doing and what I’m supposed to be saying.
Hello, is a good start.
What are you doing? Feel like coffee?
Um, not sure at the moment, because saying you’re just about to walk into a serial-killers house to search for bodies doesn’t quite cut it with elderly neighbours.
So I’ve taken to putting my phone on silent when I’m writing.
Having tradesmen working in the house is just as difficult. I’ve had a tiler doing the bathroom in the RUC and he learned pretty quickly to avoid me when I’m at the computer. Actually, he has no choice – I can’t hear what he’s saying when I’m writing. He tells me I’ve been In The Zone and he’s absolutely right.
I got a little crazy and put the words on one of my favourite pictures.
When I’m old and decrepit (like next week the way I’m going) I can pin it up on my wall and brag about how young and fit I used to be 🙂
Have you ever been accused of being In The Zone?
Sometimes I don’t even have to be writing to get to that state (as some people will attest when they say I’ve ignored them in the street!)
I’m feeling pensive today so I thought I would link this post to the WP daily prompt.
xxx Have a great weekend! xxx
Dianne Gray author 
I’ve been accused of being in the zone for most of my life! My mother used to call it ‘head in the clouds’ when she was being nice that is. ha~ My ex used to say I was just ignoring him (of course I was!) I can zone out most anywhere and do. Especially if I’m writing or reading.
Love that picture too!
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Haaaa – me too. My mother used to tell people I was a ‘dreamer’. I think I spent most of my time at school ‘dreaming’ which is why I didn’t really learn much (or maybe that says more about the schooling system than my dream state) 😀
Good idea to ignore people sometimes (particularly the ex) lol 😉
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I like that, Dianne. Been there–when your head is so far into the sorry, you think it’s reality. I wrote all morning one day, took a break to go for a doctor appointment, and told the receptionist I was there to see ‘Dr. Sun’ (who is a character in my book. It took her telling me there was no such doctor to snap me out of it!
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Oh my! I laughed so much when I read this comment, Jacqui. Dr. Sun – LOVE IT! I’m sure I’ll giggle all day about this 😀
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Had to chime in – again – ha! But I was just telling a teen girl about “SAD” and lamp therapy – and how Alaskans use vitamin D3 ((something like that )) and now I have a new term – – dr Sun!!
Yeah baby
And hoping dr sun is joining you with your writing this week – ❤️💕☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
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I’ve always felt sorry for people who didn’t write. They only get one life. We get many. 🙂
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So true, Fen! 😀
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It is often the same for me . I think it has to do with “being in a creative trance”. As we have TWO brains or some call them left and right brain-” spheres”, the visualising one / half is hovering around in other dimensional creative realms some times 🙂
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Such a great explanation, Andreas! Thank you 🙂
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You are welcome 🙂
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Being in “The Zone” is the best. I often get that way when I’m working out too. LOL! I’m laughing at Jacqui’s comment. 🙂 Great meme, Dianne!
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I’m still laughing at Jacqui’s comment as well, Jill. The next time I go to the doctor’s surgery I’m going to ask for Dr. Sun! Haaaa. She’s so funny 😀
I’m glad you like the meme 😉
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I was always the day dreamer when I was a kid. So many times I heard the teacher calling my name, reminding me to stop day dreaming and pay attention.She didn’t know it, but I was writing stories in my head. When you get that call, gotta respond.
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Absolutely, Sharon – we can’t let that muse fly by without grabbing it by the tail 😉
I was the same at school. I can’t say I learned much, but I did come up with some great stories 😉
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Great post! Vince accuses me of being in the zone all the time. He calls it focused. Today I used up two of my lives and one yesterday. #1 the toe of my sandal caught in the guard chain across the museum parking lot. I crashed over the chain in style. #2 This morning I caught my right big toe in the pants legs of my pajamas. Crash onto the soft carpet. #3 I’m leaving the parking lot with my new co-author of Because of Blogging, and out pulls a car without looking. It missed me by inches. Feeling lucky today! 🙂
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Be careful, Marsha! I hope you’re not injured from the bike accident xxx Falling onto soft carpet is a lot safer 😉 but that car was just a little too close for comfort. That’s three close calls – there should be no more 😀
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No injuries. I have six lives still in tact for this week, and it’s already Friday! 🙂
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YAY! Hold on to them, Marsha 😀
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I’m working at it! You, too!
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wel the photo is wonderful – feels like a Ralph Lauren ad (which I think is cool) and also has a hunter’s world magazine feel – ha – that was the first thing I saw when I opened the post- was expecting to find a gun near the backpack and on quick glance I thought that the animal to the right was a hunting dog…. ha! but much different scene – and very beautiful…. captures an essence as you enter the trail.
anyhow, my new blog name is actually “in the zone 2001” because I felt like this highlighted how I felt with my street photography during the year 2001 – and I was starting the new blog for a few reasons, but one of them was to break free of the old blog that was taking on a life of its own….
and so in a way – maybe writers, cats, AND BLOGGERS live more than one life…. oh indeed I am in a fourth blog phase.
anyhow, I struggled so hard with a name – and went from “highways and trails” to a couple other catchy (quintessential) names – and the “in the zone” kept coming back…. I guess I should share this on my blog someday – and will – but your words “in the zone” in this post spoke to me because of the name I chose. Well 2001 was also a turning point year for me and was maybe when a piece of me came back alive in my art and photos = and so my new blog name title started with this quick idea – a five minute decision and half liking it (because “in the zone is everywhere from sports stuff to psychological “flow”)- but I went with it and I am super glad because it was a little foreshadowing of the way posts would unfold –
okay, enough of that –
another thing I like about this post–
well it relates to the fact that I do not follow very many authors (although there are SO many of them in blogosphere) and so I like hearing the inside thoughts of your author life….
lastly- I like your humor splashed in to posts – like the joke about next week being decrepit…
xoxo
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Oh, Yvette – I should have linked In The Zone to your blog! I love the way you explain what you went through to name it. It’s so hard to name anything – because you know it’s going to stick and you want it to be catchy and memorable. I go through hell and back trying to name my stories (it was hard enough picking names for my children!)
I’m really glad you like the photo. That is the trail I hike every day and it gives me a lot of time to think of stories and scenarios (though I try not to get scared). Maybe I should carry a gun 😉
Thank you so much for following me and I’m glad you like my humour – although sometimes it gets me into trouble 😀
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what a cool trial to like every day – and is that a bat I see in the bag???
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No, that’s a machete – we call it a ‘cane knife’ here because in the old days they used these to cut the sugar cane. It’s a pretty dangerous instrument and I haven’t had to to use it (yet). There are plenty of things that may jump out (like snakes and razor back pigs) so I carry it “just in case” 😉
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oh wow – and wow
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“Hello, is a good start.
What are you doing? Feel like coffee?
Um, not sure at the moment, because saying you’re just about to walk into a serial-killers house to search for bodies doesn’t quite cut it with elderly neighbours.”
I love that. It made me chuckle during the last hour of my work day.
I don’t necessarily think in stories, but I do get lost thinking the people in my life and things that have happened to me. Haha, I feel terribly self-centered confessing this is all I think about!
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I’m glad you got a good chuckle in the last hour of your work day (we all need that) 😉
I know a lot of people who get ‘in the zone’ thinking about things that have nothing to do with writing, so you’re not at all self-centered. And thank you so much for coming over to look at my blog 😀
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Ah, yes. The zone. I know it well. I miss it, too. Writing gives me omniscience–I alone know all the threads and backstories. In regular life, I’m as blind as the next guy.
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Haaa – me too, Alta. I have no idea of the reasons people do things in the ‘real world’ sometimes I’m just stumped 😀
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Oh, I just had to stop by. You don’t post that often, and I hate to miss out! As for The Zone, I know it well. Very well. So does my husband. He’s seen my not-so-lovely expression when he disturbs me from it to ask me if I brought the mail in (or some other mundane question). Poor guy. 🙂
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Oh, Carrie! You’re supposed to be taking a (retirement) break – so thank you for dropping by 😀 When I’m ‘not online’ I sometimes drop in to see how my buddies are doing, kind of like putting my hands over my eyes and peeking through my fingers 😉
I have that not-so-lovely expression when I’m disturbed as well, must be a writer thing 😀
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I think so. 🙂
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this made me ‘larf out loud’ a lot.
thank you.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it! 😀
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I need nine lives for when I’m in the zone… I multi-task… my body does one thing but my mind could be anywhere, so I tend to startle spectacularly when disturbed 😊
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I love a spectacular startle, Dale 😉 And I’m sure the ability to multi-task is stronger in women 😀
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I sometimes think I live more in my own head than in the real world, Dianne, but don’t interrupt me when I’m scribbling. I get SO grumpy! 🙂 🙂 Happy weekend, hon!
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Okay – I promise I’ll never interrupt you, Jo 😀 I do a lot of ‘other life living’ in my own head as well – it’s a great way to keep the mind alert and those wheels turning 😉
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Love that line! 😀
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Thank you! 😀
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I can see that as a book title and cover!!! I find it hard to let go of reality and get into the “zone” I’m always aware of what is going on around me, maybe because I am nosy… But Jack definitely goes into the zone when drawing or reading and never hears me say “dinner’s ready”, or “lawn needs mowing”, or…. Then maybe it is just selective hearing!!!
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Haaa – we’ll never know if that’s selective hearing or being in the zone, Pauline. My hubby is always in the zone when I say “the lawn needs mowing” 😀
The title came to me and I googled it to see if anyone else had thought of it and they hadn’t so I used it immediately 😉 It would make a great book title xxx
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Lends itself to a great mystery…
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I’m glad I’m not the only one who travels via words. I’ve also found another escape in my painting. Time seems to evaporate when I’m in another world. Great post, Dianne!
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Ah yes – time evaporation, Barb. I call my writing the time thief because I can’t believe it travels so quickly when I’m in the zone. Great to see you here 😀
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This month I could really do with finding that zone. Focus has definitely been a challenge (although picture taking focus is never a challenge – it’s the running a business side of focus…) Today I’ve given up totally and joined the ‘F*** it Friday’ club. Have a great weekend. 🙂 – Suzan –
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Haaaa – I love the ‘F*** it Friday’ club! And running a business is very demanding. So much paperwork, tax, finance issues, etc… it’d be nice to get to the point where someone else does all that 😀
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I love that meme–we do live several lives, don’t we. That’s probably the thing I love most about writing is living a different story for a while and seeing where it takes me. Different thoughts, feelings, goals.
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So very true. And my characters are so ‘real’ to me I dream about them, Char – and I feel really sad when I have to kill one of them off or when the story is finished. It’s as if they’re just waiting in the wings for me to bring them back to life 😀
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I empathize. I love my characters too. Glad you’re enjoying your 9 (or more) lives.
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I really like your photo Dianne. You look like a woman on a mission. I was in the zone recently at a staff morning tea meeting. They were talking about where to hold our next staff social outing and I joined in and suggested a particular place. They all looked at me weirdly. It turned out they had just been talking about that very place, while I was busy concentrating on removing a delicious cupcake from its wrapper and devouring it! Not quite as productive as your zone but extremely enjoyable.
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That’s a great story, Carol – so involved in getting that delicious cupcake! Haaa, fantastic! 😀
I love this photo too. Hubby always says to me “you look like you’re on a mission” when we’re walking the dogs and he took this pic of me one day without me knowing. I was surprised when I saw it – he was right 😉
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The cupcake was worth the effort!
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Absolutely! 😀
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Love that you get lost in your novels you sound like a true Author Dianne and yes I would put the phone far away when I’m in a zone of art or writing. I wish I had a little studio to escape to….maybe one day. I have a picture of my picture book cat up on my board telling me to get back to work on the picture book. It would be interesting to read what other people have up to inspire them. Love your poster.
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A studio would be wonderful, Kath! one day soon hopefully 😀 I’m glad you love the poster – and the fact that your picture book cat urges you on is brilliant xxx
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I definitely tune out “the world” when I write, paint, meditate, etc. And sometimes resurfacing comes as a BIG disappointment!
Once, I wrote about “my last 24 hours on earth” . . . I was in Florida, on the beach, watching the waves, etc. When I resurfaced, I was in the cold gray dark of a mid-Atlantic winter. YUCK! I immediately switched gears and planned a trip to Florida for Christmas. And the rest is herstory!
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Fantastic, Nancy! I used to dream of having my own place out in the wilderness with wonderful views – you and I know that dreams really do come true 😀
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Write on!
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I LOVE the saying, and I LOVE the picture of you walking – this is exactly how I picture you and Australia. You will never be old as long as you keep writing. You may FEEL old next week or tomorrow even when you get up, but you will never BE old.
One of my favorite quotes that is taped to my computer where I write is “We must have old memories and young hopes.”
Enjoy your weekend!!
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I love your quote, Sheila! And I’m so thrilled that you love my picture and quote xxx
Age is all in the mind, I agree. We will never BE old 😀
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I’ve never heard that saying before, that I can recall. Thank you for making me feel like an authentic writer now that I DO know it! I love being in the zone, but I can still, sadly, be shaken from it fairly easily. There is no such thing as silence in this home of three small children, unless I stay up when everyone else is in bed. Good thing there are no serial killers in my story! Just an invisible girl–which I wish I was at times!
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I made the quote up (although I did google it to make sure no one else had said it before I wrote it down) 😉
I remember when my children were young and it was so nice when they were all safe and comfortable and settled in bed – that is OUR time. Even now they’re grown when they’re all here together I love the feeling that we’re all under one roof again – it’s pure joy 😀
Invisible girl – sounds fantastic!
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Then how cool do I feel being among the first to hear a new quote coined by author Dianne Gray?!
Yes, I do think my book is fantastic–in a completely unbiased objective way, of course. Here’s hoping an agent thinks so too!
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Me too! Best of luck 😀
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Thanks!
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And best of luck to you, too, though I suspect with your track record you’ll need it less than I will. Also, was thinking recently about moving to a house that will situate our children’s families when they’re older and have families of their own. Funny that you should mention that. Ironically, we might have to get a bigger house when we’re empty nesters! 🙂
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First of all, glad the kitty is okay…yay!
This post is perfect timing for me, Dianne doll! Because of the lay-off, I have struggled to sit down with my third draft all month. I finally did it yesterday, but I had to go back and reread the previous chapter to get into the zone. Problem was, I stayed in the zone most of the day because I was out of practice with going in and out of that other life.
Mr. H was like: What’s up with you? Oh, you know. I’m hanging in my dystopian novel. 😉
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I’m going to use these words on the picture of you and your cat, Britt 😀 They suit perfectly xxx
Best of luck with the writing – and get right into the zone! It’s very cool hanging out in a dystopian world 😀
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Oh, I wish I could down in there (in my mind) like that! Unfortunately, our business is in the house and I always have to be available to answer the phone, etc. Grrr. I can imagine how wonderful it is to get into that zone like that!
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You need a studio and an answering machine to get away from it all, Luanne 😉 The zone is a great place to hang out for a while xxx
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What a great description of the joy of writing. I also get this a bit when painting. Time just suspends and my wife has the difficult task of discerning my “uh huh”s. Great photo, by the way!!
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I love the words “time just suspends”, Allen – what a fantastic description!
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I hear you, sister! Been there, done that and will again.
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Keep it up, Cynthia! 😀
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Love this post, Dianne. I have been accused of ‘day dreaming’ all my life – I’m not ‘day dreaming’, I’m in my other reality! 🙂
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Don’t you just love that other reality! I’m so glad you liked the post, Susan 😀
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Diane, I love how you put in words what “the zone” is like. I’ve been there too. It’s hard to leave my book reality after being there for 4-5 hours and then come back to my life. It doesn’t feel real for a few minutes. I’m terrible about being interrupted while working. I can’t shift between realities that quickly. 🙂
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You’re so right. It’s hard to snap from one reality to another, Kourtney – we know because we live it! 😀
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That zone is such a great place to be– your own little world that you’ve made!
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It’s great creating worlds, Dannie – we can skip in and out of them 😉
Thank you so much for the tweet! 😀
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I need to be in the zone, Dianne. I’m constantly being pulled out of it. Too much going on. I need to get back to my daily writing. I just love that graphic. I’d like to pin it! It’s so true. I hope you are well and making good progress on your writing.
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Feel free to pin it, Amy 😀
Getting pulled out of the zone is so frustrating – I hope you get back into the groove with a vengeance 😉
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Thanks, Dianne! I just need to find my groove, hopefully.
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Answer to the question? Yes! Remembering a story about Spike Milligan, from the days we still sent telegrams. Spike did his writing in an upstairs room with a ‘Do not Disturb’ sign on the door. One morning his wife saw a telegraph boy walking up their front path. Dreading bad news, she answered the door. The boy handed her a telegram. It said: “Bring me coffee. Spike.”
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Haaaa – Spike was one of a kind, Fredrick! What a great story 😀
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I can’ t imagine living a life where I couldn’t open up a file or notebook and pen and be whoever I needed to be at that particular moment.
Tim
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The transformation is amazing, Tim (and so much fun!) 😀
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Frequently ~ I am surprised where the time went. I think it is part of the creativity gene. BYW I think you are a long way from old and decrepit. Age is just a number and you are as young as you feel. anyone who walks with a cane knife.
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So true about ‘time’ Pamela! 😀
Thanks for giving me lift with the age thing – most days I feel very young and sprite! 😉
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Oh this happens to me so often when I garden. I say I will only be out for 10 minutes and suddenly hours have gone by!
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Once we get our minds set on things they can really become little time thieves, Letizia 😀
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It’s fabulous and I think you should sell it as a poster! Yes, it is odd to be yanked out of a story’s plotting, and I’m overjoyed to hear I am not alone.
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I’m so glad you like the picture and meme, Renee! I hadn’t thought of it as a poster before, but now you’ve really got me thinking! 😀
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Great post Dianne, and I can so relate. Actually, I think I need to learn that I can allow myself to go into ‘the zone’ when others are around, coz otherwise I’ll never get enough writing done! But the thing is, I feel quite vulnerable when I’m there, because being interrupted can be quite disturbing and I can be quite snappy and unkind in that moment, so I do my best these days to only go there when I know I won’t be interrupted…which is of course not very often. Need to think more about this one….thanks for passing on your pensiveness!! Love and blessings, Harula xxx
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I could never imagine you being snappy and unkind, Harula. But being interrupted can snap us out of the zone too quickly and that is seriously annoying 😉
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Far be it from me to dispel your rosy view of me then Dianne! I don’t know why, but there’s something very satisfying about that phrase ‘seriously annoying’! It’s amply expressive, but at the same time contained and civilized 🙂 Hugs, Harula xxx
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How’d I miss this perfect post? You drew me in immediately with your almost squished cat. Phew. And then I got in the zone, reading about your zone. YES! I’m accused of it all the time. And I absolutely love being in the zone, because I love being inside my characters’ heads and lives as I move away from mine. I adore your boxed photo with words. I’d like to post this on my roughwighting FB page sometime – would that be okay, giving you credit?
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That would be absolutely fine for you to share this on FB, Pam – the more shares, the merrier! 😀
Being inside a character’s head takes time and effort and it’s so annoying when someone yanks you out of it – lol. But I wouldn’t give it up for the world xxxx
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Thanks, Dianne. I’ll put it on my Roughwighting FB page next week. I love it. Now, happy writing (and ignoring everyone and everything around us) weekend.
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That’s a great poster, Dianne. So happy the cat survived. 🙂 I think my hubby must be ‘in the zone’ quite a lot, as he often doesn’t hear what I’m trying to tell him, or is it just selective hearing?
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