Wednesday, March 24, 2010

QUANTUM STRETCH

I need more time!
To write/edit/read/respond to blogs.
Yeah, I know...
So does everyone else in the world need more time.
But boy, what would I do to get more time in my day?
And that got me to thinking about time.
At times, time is so adjustable.
“Time flies when you’re having fun” is the old saying.
And that’s true for me.
When I write, it seems like I no sooner sit down in front of my laptop, my mug steaming freshly brewed Trader Joe Bay Blend coffee, the sun’s not even up yet and…
Yikes!
The next thing I know—dinnertime!
But when I have a sinus headache, the day feels like five.
Or think of just ten seconds.
When a woman is in the throngs of hard labor, those ten seconds can seem like eternity.
But when you’re saying good-bye to a loved one, those ten seconds zoom!
Hmm?
It seems to me that pain makes time feel longer. Sort of stretches it.
Hey!
I’ve got an idea!
What if I’m in pain when I write?
Oh, not so much pain that I can’t stand it.
But a little pain.
Enough to make the day drag on.
Hmm? I have to think–
Ah ha!
I’ll just take one of those big clips that keep bags of chips closed…
Grab a hunk of my skin and–
OUCH!
Perfect!
This will work.
The pain on my arm is bothersome, but I can take it.
Well, maybe not all day…
But if I can endure one hour...
It'll feel like two.
So I figure...
1 hr pain factor x 7 hours a week x 52 = 364 extra hours divided into 85,000 words (a good length for a novel) = 234 words to write in one hour.
Wow!
I could have a whole new novel done in a year. Not bad.
Well, that doesn’t include editing and rewrites.
So maybe if I keep the clip on for two hours...
I could do the edits and rewrites.
And then...
If I kept it on for three hours...
Maybe I could finally get to post comments on all the blogs that I read!
I’ll keep you posted.

Always, Em-Musing
 P.S. Why isn't there a "divide" symbol on the keyboard? Or is there one and I just can't find it?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good post about how to stretch out time. I think, after awhile, your skin would just "adapt" to the pinch of the clip and wouldn't experience it as "pain" anymore. So you might need to keep moving the clip around so the pain level remains constant. Just trying to be helpful here. I used to believe in that old adage that you can do "anything" for 1 minute (or fill in another specified time.) Then, I started practicing yoga and trying to hold poses for less than 1/2 that time. Guess what? 30 seconds can feel like FOREVER. In the same class, sivasana (sp?) or "resting pose" would streak by even though it was for the same amount of time! Though we think of time as an objective measurement, it's highly subjective. Good post.

Karen Baldwin said...

Thanks :)