Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Writer's Block

I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me and played along with the caption contest at Sar’s place. While we didn’t win (we came in third) you helped us achieve a very respectable showing and I am impressed at the numbers because I only voted once. But those of you who voted more than once kick ass.

I’ve been walking my dog every morning now since the beginning of July and it has done me a world of good. I feel better, I sleep a little better, and I have more strength and energy. And I write some really cool things while I’m walking. Well, I tell myself really good things while I’m walking. I never actually get to write anything down. By the time I get home, sweat all over the place, get undressed, gulp water, shower, get dressed, give The Codes a cookie, pack my lunch, put away the clean dishes, shut off the TV, make sure I have my keys, my reading glasses, my sunglasses, give the pup a fresh bowl of water, try to remember if I forgot to brush my teeth, and look around the house with a dazed look in my eye, I’ve completely forgotten that dazzling story I was going to tell you or that incredible new addition to that sorely neglected Storytime saga.

So, I thought since I already have a tape recorder, I’d bring that along and dictate what I’m thinking into that wonderful contraption of the 20th century. It is voice activated and it’s not too big. But how would I carry it? I have Codel’s leash in one hand and his full poopy bag in the other. It (the recorder not the crap sack) must have a loopy thing. I could hang it from a lanyard around my neck. I don’t care much what I look like while I’m walking. I don’t care about the neighbors seeing me talk to myself.

The few times I’ve used a recorder, it worked out well.

So, I asked myself, “Why can’t I seem to get into the hang of using it?”

And then, another breakthrough (jeez, I’m just evolving like crazy): I don’t like the sound of my own voice. It really annoys me when I listen to myself. I wonder how other people can stand listening to that weak, little girl voice. It doesn’t sound anything like that powerful, intelligent person I hear in my head.

11 comments:

  1. :)) Evolving like crazy? LOLLLL!!! You sure you werent hit by a meteor or something? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Grey: I was abducted by aliens.

    ReplyDelete
  3. When changing my outgoing voicemail message, I make sure I'm either sick with the cold, or have just returned from a night out - b/c then I have my 'hot' voice.

    The lanyard - good problem-solving skills.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Guggs: If I concentrate on my voice then that's just another way to censor myself and I already have about thirteen of those fighting for space in my head.

    My daughter would die of embarrassment if she say me with a lanyard around my neck. Ooo, that could be fun.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I guess our thoughts cease to be spontaneous when we think we are going to record them as is.

    The story is in the unfolding.

    Am so proud of you for keeping up the walking - looks like your roped in the Codes to be a partner of sorts...:)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yeah... very few people enjoy the sound of their own voices. I'm a singer and performer... been doing it for years... yet, I can't stand to listen to a recording of myself singing, either. Gah.

    ReplyDelete
  7. God, when I hear my own voice I really want to smash open the player. I only realised recently - yes, after 31 whole years - how incredibly strong my Malaysian accent is.

    By the way, all three of the captions made me laugh out loud. Yeap - a literal LOL. That doesn't happen often.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jenn: I crave more spontaneity. My constant censoring of my actions and thoughts is really boring me.

    DCMM: Singers impress me, but I am surprised to hear you don’t like to hear your own voice. Don’t you need to listen to yourself to check how you sing?

    Jay: When people first meet my mom and they mention how strong her accent is, I am always amazed because I don’t hear it.

    Glad we could provide.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hey Goldie,

    I talk to myself all the time. I just don't have a recorder to make it seem not crazy.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have the same problem with recorders. I don't want to listen to me. It is hideous -- yet when I worked the switchboard for a sporting complex my voice alone got me asked out on dates, marriage proposals, and one guy actually showed up at the office looking for me! Yet why anyone finds it attractive is beyond me.

    As to voting -- I ran that meter up -- but apparently not high enough. Still, you made the big three. My caption didn't even make it into the running and I truly think it was more original than at least one of them chosen -- still, I am a newby, so I didn't expect to make the running.

    Thanks for playing ion my contest. You did see there is a 150 word count limit, right?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Grunty: I talk to myself all of the time, too.

    Quilly: I must not sound too bad to others either. I don't hear any retching when I'm speaking.

    I appreciate the voting. I don't know how the final choices are made. To be honest with you, I don't think my captions are ever very funny. But it's fun to play.

    And I object to being disqualified for your Liars Contest. My entry is exactly 150 words (not including the title.

    ReplyDelete