Everybody's Talking

When I was still a single girl, the Wyman family at my church invited me for dinner. And I was delighted to accept. These people were just my type — creative and crazy. The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Wyman (the parents), and their three grown children — all living at home — along with the daughter's two school-aged children. 

Fabulous people. One Wyman son was an artist and the other was a scientist. The daughter was an accomplished pianist. Mrs. Wyman was a poet. 

Dinner was delicious — Mrs. Wyman's famous homemade spaghetti. The conversation at the table was lively and interesting — art, music, science — all topics that interest me. 

There was just one problem. Everyone was talking to me. Everyone. All at once. I looked from one face to the other to the next, not wanting to be rude to any of them. But it was impossible to follow any single thread of conversation. All the threads were as tangled as the pasta on my plate. I couldn't reply to anybody because I couldn't keep it all straight. 

I had fun that night anyway, because I always enjoyed their company. But I knew I couldn't do that every night. My puny brain would explode from all those dangling threads of conversation.

And now, sometimes when I'm on social media, I get the swirly-headed feeling I'm back at that dinner party with the Wymans. Doesn't it sometimes feel like everybody's talking and nobody's listening?  

Some people on Facebook (not you, Dear Reader, just some people) seem to post all the live-long day: "Here's what I had for breakfast / Here's my new puppy / Survey: how many of you like the color green? / Here are 57 random pix of my boyfriend / Need a new therapist -- recommendations? / So, radishes. . .yes or no? / Selling my Honda Civic -- any takers? / Walked 6017 steps on Fitbit today / Plz pray for my sick goldfish, Rudolpho /..../ What? bedtime already? Nitie-nite, Facebook."

And blogs? I'm pretty sure there are about twice as many people writing blogs as there are people reading them. And that's a conservative estimate.

I check my Twitter messages about once a decade, but there must be people tweeting like canaries around the clock as well.

It’s tempting to say that maybe we should all talk a little less and listen more. But I don't think that's gonna cut it. Instead, maybe we need to quit talking AND listening. 

I think the word for that is silence. 

We need a time DAILY when we are unplugged from all the beep-beep-beep, jabber-jabber-jabber. And now and then, a longer vacation from tv, internet, smart phones, email, Pandora, Siri, and Alexa. At least a day. Maybe two. And what restoration and renewal might happen in our minds and spirits in a whole week? 

I think the word for that is peace.

Ahhhhh. Lying down in green pastures. 

Resting beside still waters. 

Soul restored.

And who knows? After a season of silence and peace, we might actually have something to talk about.

Image Credits:
    Spaghetti - Author: Benreis
    Eating spaghetti - © Can Stock Photo / logan5
    Children talking - © Can Stock Photo / lenm
    Woman at computer - © Can Stock Photo / endotune
    Sheep in pasture - Attribution: Chris Upson / Sheep Grazing / CC BY-SA 2.0
    One sheep - Author: Jackhynes, Public Domain;
    Sunset - Author: fir0002 | flagstaffotos.com.au

10 Best Inventions for Writers

Some are simple. Some are complex. But these modern inventions get my vote as the top ten inventions of importance to writers. Leave a comment, and let me know your nominations!

THE ELECTRIC CROCKPOT - You throw stuff in the pot in the morning. At night, voila! You have dinner. In between, you write your brains out. How cool is that!

THE SMART PHONE -- That most portable of computers--for email, chat, gps, research--even the occasional phone call--on the go. 

             

LUGGAGE ON WHEELS - Traveling for research or writing conferences is a lot easier -- thanks to the genius who discovered the real purpose of wheels. For moving luggage, of course. Whether that luggage is clothes and make-up or your computer and peripherals or books for the book table. How did writers survive before these?

CALLER ID - No more annoying interruptions from solicitors, in-laws, and other people you don't want to talk to--not now, not later. What a huge time savings. 

 

THE INTERNET - Look at all this idea has done for writers. Research at the click of a mouse. Online shopping. Online sales and promotion for writers. Social media. Cloud storage. The greatest thing since sliced bread. In fact, if you need sliced bread, you can get it on the internet. 

So why isn't the internet listed as Number 1 or 2? I'm punishing it for its ambivalence. For all that it does for writers, it's also our number one distraction, keeping us from getting our work done. That evil internet. For example, you're reading this blog instead of writing. Aren't you? A mixed blessing!

    

STAPLES (and other office supply stores) -- All those beautiful folders, binders, pens, sticky notes, magnetic sheets, and paper clips in one enchanted writer's fairyland. Ink. Envelops. Hundreds of kinds of paper. Comfy office chairs. Nirvana.

    

COFFEE SHOPS -- A place to escape from the distractions of home, get jacked up on caffeine, and write your magnum opus. Or a place to meet with other writers for collaborations, shop talk, or an informal crit group. And a great place to get a mocha frappuccino with whipped cream. Drooling now!

     

TYPEWRITER -- Even though mostly replaced by computers these days, typewriters gave us a way to mimic printing with the help of a machine. Typewriters taught us to use a keyboard. Who could have predicted that the two years of typing I took in high school would be practically the most important part of my education, the classes that best prepared me for the future!

   

DESKTOP PUBLISHING / POD - Hey, Hatchette Book Group, bite me! 

With indie and self-pub available to just about everybody, I'm no longer sitting by my mailbox waiting to be rejected by you. I can publish my books my way myself. Power to the people, Baby.

The photo above illustrates all the books I could indie publish if I would quit spending all my time on this blog.

   

WORD PROCESSING - I'm going to go all retro and single out word processing as the most important aspect of the new technology for writers. The ability to edit extensively and then push the print button? Priceless. To spill coffee on the manuscript and then reprint? Priceless. 

Sure, we've come a long way from the vintage model pictured above, but for anyone who used to make copies with streaky carbon paper and corrections with crumbly erasers and smelly white-out, surely you will agree that the word processing function of our computers deserves the top honor. If you grew up with fancy-pants computers, you may not understand. Don't worry. Your children won't understand you either.

All of these choices are completely subjective and a bit whimsical. What would you like to include in the list of the top ten modern devices/inventions that help writers?

Photo Credits:
     10 - Crockpot - (C)opyright CanStockPhoto / sumners
       9 - Smart Phone - public domain
       8 - Luggage - (C)opyright CanStockPhoto / happyalex
       7 - Caller ID - (C)opyright CanStockPhoto / kenhurst
       6 - Internet - (C)opyright CanStockPhoto / marcelmooij
       5 - Staples - public domain
       4 - Coffee shops - photo posted to Flickr by ElvertBarnes
       3 - Typewriter - public domain
       2 - Desktop Publishing - Bookcase - photo by Piotrus
       1 - Word Processing - photo by Anthony J. Bentley