Not that anyone is following my blog that closely, but I haven’t made a new post in 3 weeks. I’m suffering from writer’s block. And I stress about it which makes it worse. Zero ideas to write about. Zero enthusiasm. Zero motivation to work through it. I was going to write about my new red shoes and relate it to the myriad of songs out there about red shoes. I had notes. I had pictures. I had shoes. I had no peanut butter. You know, the stuff in a story that can bind things together and make it cohesive. I suppose there is an argument in there for super glue but I’m hungry and I like the idea of peanut butter better. Okay, so save this brilliant idea for another day….
So tonight I’m opening the refrigerator for at least the twelfth time, because remember, I’m hungry and what do I find in there? Allergy pills. Pink allergy pills. A generic version of Benadryl. Earlier in the day, I gave my dog half a pink allergy pill. Did you know you can do that? Don’t quote me on this, but there are people things you can give dogs to make them better. A little investigative time spent on the internet and poof! Fewer vet bills.
Anyway… getting back to my story, why were the pills in the refrigerator? Brain fart. That’s the only explanation. Has this ever happened to you? I’m sure it has, whether you want to admit it or not is not my call, but I rather like my brain fart moments, those times when you say, “What the heck, how did that happen?” I remember the time I was looking for my purse and I found it in the dryer. Or the time when I drove all the way down to my office only to realize where I really wanted to go was the store. Once in a moment of sheer absent-mindedness, I stored a head of lettuce in the dishwasher.
I think it’s fascinating and a bit scary how our mind works sometimes. One minute we can be recounting every teacher we had since kindergarten and the next we are trying to remember what we had for lunch. Yesterday, I received a message where someone left me their phone number. I didn’t bother to write it down since I was sure I could remember it from the short time in which I listened to the message, hung up the phone and began to dial… 541-555-4873… 555-4873… 555-487 uh 3? 555-4783? Less than one minute later I dialed the wrong number. Damn! This is stupid. This is frustrating. This is aging.
I don’t want to admit it, but I’m A-G-I-N-G. Bleh. I’m trying not to. I lost weight and I watch my diet and I do logic puzzles and crosswords but there is no denying it. The old lightbulb just isn’t burning as bright as it once was. It’s a fact. I’m fifty-two trying to be thirty-two with a mind that frequently makes me feel like I’m eighty-two.
What else can I do about it? I guess I could stretch my mind and take more community college classes, or stock up on the herbal remedies that are good for memory loss like ginko biloba. Perhaps I could volunteer to be a guinea pig in the next ground breaking scientific study on memory loss and aging.
What I really want to do is eat something. I’m still hungry. I think I’ll go raid my dishwasher and make myself a salad.
Sharon Ogle 
Time for medical marijuana. You will still have the munchies, but you won’t worry about anything else!
Well, I guess that is one option…
I think you just need to golf more. I think that will solve all of your problems. Exercise, improved analytical skills, and a sense of accomplishment – assuming you hit at least one good shot that day!
I’m quickly realizing about one good shot per outing is my limit. It does bring you back for more, however! We will have to work at it when you come home, on WEDNESDAY!
just wait until you ask to drive around to have your groceries loaded into your car and drive home instead! I tell you, you have to keep your sense of humor and then it is OK! Laughter is the best medicine–in or out of the refrigerator.
I say keep writing. Even if you’ve had writer’s block I’d work on your blog, a journal, poetry, or try writing a short story. I bet you’d write one heck of a children’s book or even a romance novel. Nothing quite like writing to keep the brain youthful. Plus you’re only as old as you feel, so load up on the Tylenol, hit a few golf balls, and remember you can still take down a Wednesday NY Times crossword with the best of em!
Hi Sharon —
I found you through Sean’s blog. BTW, congrats on having your boy home for a while. Have a great time with him.
I wanted to share something that I wrote concerning writer’s block. You can find it at http://loumindar.me/shut-up-and-write/. I hope you find it helpful.
I hear you about aging. I’m just two years behind you (although you look younger), and I’m fighting it all the way. I’m eating better, exercising more, and trying to enjoy every minute.
I’m glad I found your blog. I’ll be keeping an eye on it.
Great article, thanks for sharing this. I have subscribed to your RSS feed and am looking forward to reading more from you.
Keep up the good work and don’t stop posting please.
This is the first of your blog posts that I’ve read – but what really struck me was – the sheer genuineness with which you wrote! What you wrote could actually have been a journal entry… That felt nice.
What do I do when I hit writer’s block? Well, one thing that does often work for me, especially when I know what I want to write about is – just typing continuously without pausing to think much. I write and write and get excited about my ideas as if I am writing ONLY for myself. I don’t have to edit or censor or make sense of anything just yet. While I am writing I might feel that what I’ll write won’t make sense, that people will think it is crap – but I neglect all those urges, reassure myself that I am writing only for myself and will edit later and write anyway. And presto! Many times, I find that what I wrote “for myself” just to “keep writing and not stop” now looks wonderful to post directly without editing! Writing this way has definitely helped many times, when I have had writer’s block. Maybe you already do this – and so maybe my advice looks hilarious to you… 🙂 But well, it worked for me.
Thanks of course for the ‘pure and genuine’ blog post.
Good tip! I think I will go try it. Thanks for reading, it’s unexpected, unsolicited comments like yours that keep me motivated.