Habits

Ah, the joys of nervous habits. I've always enjoyed rubbing it in to my sister that I never chewed on my fingernails like she did. My vanity says that's why she finally kicked that habit to the curb but I did it more as the little sister tormenting the elder. Then there's two friends of mine who don't chew their fingernails... they chew their fingers. That has got to be far worse.

What about my nervous habits? I bite my lip. Perhaps it started from the day I decided to try not to hassle my sister. I have no idea but I do it and don't think about it until the pain reminds me. Yet, even as I'm typing about it here I find I am still doing it. Can't stop. So very odd.

Now why an I on about nervous habits when I should be on about writing? Another writer's blog I was reading this evening made me think about the habits and rituals every writer I've read about or spoken with have. When I force myself to think about writing, I bite my lip. When it's flowing nicely I don't. Since I decided to take this writing thing seriously, I've chewed my lower lip until I've drawn blood nearly daily. I am completely wigging myself out here and it shouldn't be that way.

So, as I end this blog I'm trying something I haven't done before... at least not for writing. I do meditate with the candles and instrumental music and all that. That's when a lot of my story ideas come to me. The music is on right now... a classical satellite station to start with but I think I'm going to switch to big band jazz. Louis Armstrong over Mozart at the moment. We'll see if starting this new habit works.

Off to the dark side for me. Keep up the reading, folks.

SK