# Bad Writing Habits



## Heavy Thorn (Jun 2, 2011)

*Bad Habits*

I'm unemployed and therefore I read, write, blog, and watch movies  between the hours of 4pm and 6am.  I then sleep until 2-4pm again, at  which time I awake and do weird zombie rituals before beginning my day.

I keep meaning to go apply for jobs, but by the time I feel alive enough to do anything, the only thing I want to do is write or read about writing.

I also drink excessive amounts of coffee and eat a crap-ton of peanuts (they're almost gone!  ), and live on off-brand spaghettios and no-bean chili.

The one good thing I do is take a 2-mile walk about every day, and sometimes do 8 miles even and go down to the Pier.

And you?

(EDIT:  For clarification, what are some bad living/lifestyle habits you've developed as a result of being a writer?  Id est, insomnia, caffeine binging, etc.)


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## Nick (Jun 2, 2011)

Heavy Thorn said:


> do weird zombie rituals before beginning my day.



:shock:


My bad writing habit is probably the same as most other people's: I procrastinate. I'll sit myself down with a notepad, or with my laptop at the ready, and then decide I need to do something else and leave it for 5 minutes. I can usually do this about 10 times before I actually write anything. What I like about my writing is that when I start, I don't take breaks until I'm finished (which makes it good that I write poetry, and not novels, or I'd be exhausted). You mentioned walks, and I too go on long walks of a day. I like to take a notepad with me and try to explore the areas for nice fields, or picnic areas, and that usually stops any bad habits I have.


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 2, 2011)

Oops!  Mea culpa.  I was mostly referring to bad living/lifestyle habits - i.e. insomnia, caffeine binging - that you've developed as a result of being a writer.


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## garza (Jun 2, 2011)

Heavy Thorn has caused me to look at how I spend my days. Not good.

My alarm is set for 0400, but I'm usually awake about ten minutes early. After taking care of personal matters including shower and shave, bowl of oatmeal, one gram of aspirin, and first cup of coffee, I check the 'net, flipping through half a dozen news sites including BBC, Times of India, The ABC, Granma, and Peoples' Daily, I take a look at new ads for cars on prewarcar.com, then to WF to see what's happening. All this takes me to about 05 hrs when I start to write. I go until about 0900, have a second breakfast - beans, chicken, tortilla -then read till lunch at 13 hrs - could be anything, but most often something stewed with lots of onion, garlic, and habanero pepper. 

While the reading I do before lunch relates to whatever I'm writing, my afternoon reading is just for fun. By 15 hrs I'm winding down anyway. By 17 hrs I'm getting very sleepy and need just a bite of dinner, with 325 mg of aspirin for an overnight booster. I'll listen to music for a couple of hours, and usually fall asleep by 20 hrs. 

I pop in and out of WF at odd times throughout the day, and WF is set as my home page on Firefox on the computer next to my bed, so if I stay up late - past 21 hours, or wake up at midnight for the reason old men wake up at midnight, I can have a quick look in.   

So I'm productive for only about a third of the day. 

This thread has prompted this analysis, and I'm not too happy. I need to get some exercise in there somewhere; work in the garden which I have sadly neglected, walk as Heavy Thorn talks about, have a daily swim which I used to do. I believe I'm writing enough and studying enough, but I'm spending most of every day sitting down. That could explain why, when I go through a period of strenuous activity and almost no sleep as happened recently, I don't bounce back from it as I did when I was younger. I don't believe it's just age. Some changes need to be made. I can't write if I'm dead, and if I can't write, I'll never finish that novel I said I'd have ready on my 72nd birthday.


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 2, 2011)

garza, you're a trooper!  I wish I had the stick-to-it-iv-ness to stick to that kind of schedule.  Yeah, sitting down all day (which is about all I do other than the 2-8mile walks) can really rub you the wrong way on days when you're standing up.


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## DuKane (Jun 2, 2011)

Alarm set for 5.30am, I'm usually up before to fetch memsahb her coffee in bed before kicking her out to earn the daily crust at the coalface. During this time will check sports pages on my mobile, then up and repeat process on main computer, just in case.

Will write, or try to, from around 8ish till about 10ish when maid wants to hoover the lounge and dust the fan's etc, so off to local coffee shop, sometimes with netbook, but little work is ever done as I just end up people watching.

Return to DuKane Towers around 11ish, wilt under the heat of the day so off to the pool for an hour. Return full of enthusiasm to continue, but usually to tired after swim, so repeat wilting process until memsahb returns around 3.30ish.
Some days are interspersed with trips to the not so local, since it moved, Korean shop for memsahb's salad and cheese stuff along with the odd visit to a watering hole for lunch.

Back to the pool to accompany memsahb for her swim on her return, hear about her day and what plans have been made for socializing etc,
If I try to write on return to condo, I get berated for ignoring memsahb, even though she is only catching up with soaps and radio prog's online, but sometimes I get away with it.

Bed at 10ish, repeat process.


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 2, 2011)

Do you write for a living, DuKane?


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## Dudester (Jun 3, 2011)

Heavy Thorn said:


> I'm unemployed and therefore I read, write, blog, and watch movies between the hours of 4pm and 6am. I then sleep until 2-4pm again, at which time I awake and do weird zombie rituals before beginning my day.
> 
> I keep meaning to go apply for jobs, but by the time I feel alive enough to do anything, the only thing I want to do is write or read about writing.
> 
> ...


 
When I get annoyed, I complain about my neighbors. Today, I went to the office and complained about their habit of stockpiling shopping baskets at the bottom of my stairs. They moved in, unemployed, and they don't have a car (I live waaaay out in the county-seven miles from the nearest bus line). They are about 25 and very well and capable. I see them bounding up and down the stairs, so they're not disabled. The baskets arrive on the first and fifteenth of the month, meaning they are on welfare. People like them are on a lengthy subsidized vacation paid for by hard working folks like me.


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## elite (Jun 3, 2011)

I wake up at 10:30 every day, do a quick review of what I need to do until 10:40 and then go take a bath. After that I idle around until lunch, maybe play some piano or review school material. After lunch I'm either taking the bus to the city in order to take extra classes from 2pm to 5pm, and then normal classes from 7:30pm to 10:45; or I study until 5pm and take the bus to the city to take my normal classes. I usually come back home at 1am, drink some milk and review stuff and do the obligatory web browsing.

EDIT= I went on tangents!

Actually, I have the really bad habit of dozing off whenever I have something important to do. I always make it in time, but I wish I could just go all out all the time. Actually, I've never gone all out on anything in my entire life, and I respect those who do!

I spend more time thinking than writing, which is something I'd like to change because at this rate I won't ever finish!


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 3, 2011)

Dudester said:


> When I get annoyed, I complain about my neighbors. Today, I went to the office and complained about their habit of stockpiling shopping baskets at the bottom of my stairs. They moved in, unemployed, and they don't have a car (I live waaaay out in the county-seven miles from the nearest bus line). They are about 25 and very well and capable. I see them bounding up and down the stairs, so they're not disabled. The baskets arrive on the first and fifteenth of the month, meaning they are on welfare. People like them are on a lengthy subsidized vacation paid for by hard working folks like me.


 
Erm... wrong thread?


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## TheFuhrer02 (Jun 3, 2011)

Insomnia is definitely one of my worse habits that came out of writing, and the forums, too. X\'D

Especially when I have an idea, I can never leave it without putting some of it in writing, whatever the hours. There's this time where I slept around six in the morning already because I was setting my website up and writing my shorts. One other time, I suddenly had a spark of inspiration for a poem while in a restaurant with the family. I hounded my siblings for a pen, then my parents. None were able to produce one, so I hounded the waiters. I then used an empty receipt to writing the poem on.

No, the poem never got finished. /facepalm


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 3, 2011)

Haha, we have much in common, sir.  I wrote down the opening paragraph of a novel in the margins of a receipt from Panda Express.  And I last slept 32 hours ago.  I just bought 8 2-liters of pop ($0.49 a piece!), some french bread, and rented Seven and The Graduate - both of which I plan to watch tonight.

After I get a little writing and blogging done.


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## Nick (Jun 3, 2011)

Heavy Thorn said:


> Erm... wrong thread?


 
I don't think so; He came on WF to write, and ended up complaining about his neighbours. It's his habit.


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## SAPorcher (Jun 3, 2011)

Bad habits, check. I think insomnia is something every creative person on the planet shares. Currently it's 4:25 AM my time and I'm still wide awake. Sometimes it's a hassle because I'm a full time college student with 7:30 classes. Good thing it's summer!


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## BipBopRealGoodNop (Jun 3, 2011)

When I'm writing sitcoms I have a tendency to try and make things too funny or ridiculous and then they often make no sense. With my sitcom 'The Next Train Home' I got caught up in ridiculous storylines and I ended up discarding the whole show


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## Eluixa (Jun 3, 2011)

I don't think my bad habits began with writing, art maybe, but really I think I was just born inclined to a slovenly lifestyle. Sometimes I daydream about a house with dirt floors, that I might just sweep the debris outside a bit for the chickens.
My husband insists I go to bed on the weeks he is here, or I'd get little sleep. I've plenty of times stayed awake writing until daybreak and the birds start singing. I abuse myself regularly, little sleep, too much sugar tea, chocolate, snacking rather than meals. My kids tell me when it is time to make food [not that any of us goes hungry, we like food mucho]. This is not all the time, but pretty regular, and especially when I am trying to write during the day. I personally forget sustenance, other than liquid, and even sometimes still, tea sits, turning cold. 
I don't make beds, you are just gonna get right back in. Maybe I'll throw the covers over just so I can match socks or fold laundry there.
I like tea in the morning, again at noon, then fourish, then in the evening when I finally have a chance to write. 
I fully realize the luxury I have not working, [well, aside from having four kids and a home to care for], being that my husband goes off to work for all of us.
Generally on school days my day goes thusly. 
I wake, shower, make breakfast, make lunches, drive them to and from alternative school with bizarre part time hours. Go get them, half the time pick up some kids for playdates, unless my kids go elsewhere. Make sure my oldest gets to gymnastics 4 days a week after school two days a week. He's done with school though, woop!
Younger son takes guitar and karate, which of course involves mom's or dad's taxi service.
Little girls in Montessori till 6/22. They want horseback riding classes this summer, not to mention play dates every week. Boys want to see their friends for full day D&D games, building foam swords and medieval weaponry and whatever teen boys do out in the back yard, and sleepovers whenever they can convince us to. That requires grocery trips, they eat a lot.
We did school four days a week this year and very part time. Next year is supposed to be five days full for the girls and part time for the boys who don't want to go really, but need to get out of the house. I don't know if I can do it full time, I'm cringing, it means I have to get up at 7 am, my Gods help me! 
When I have days off, I eat breakfast at the computer, then forget to get off and do other things, and I can't even say I was writing much, mostly browsing forums. I bite my nails too. And chores are on a must do basis, so we have clean clothes and clean dishes, but I am not so picky about the rest. 
It is generally too chaotic to write until the kids have gone to bed. And so that is when I finally get to that, if I can.
And my exercise is walking the dogs through our property throughout the day, we all take turns. It is not much.


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## DuKane (Jun 3, 2011)

Heavy Thorn said:


> Do you write for a living, DuKane?


 
Oh I wish!!! Its up there along with world domination etc.
But no, memsahb was offered job out here, we can live very comfortably on her salary, so I'm getting used to being a house husband.
Writing is so much better that daytime telly, even out here!


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 3, 2011)

Ah yes, snacking instead of meals.  I try very hard not to do that, but still fail.

Does your husband ever get irritated when you write in the evenings?


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 3, 2011)

DuKane said:


> Oh I wish!!! Its up there along with world domination etc.
> But no, memsahb was offered job out here, we can live very comfortably on her salary, so I'm getting used to being a house husband.
> Writing is so much better that daytime telly, even out here!


 
World Domination is third on my list.  Just under Write For a Living and Become the Godfather.


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## SAPorcher (Jun 3, 2011)

Actually, isn't snacking better instead of only meals? It lowers your metabolism and keeps you healthier, so I've heard. I think it only works if you have six or seven smaller meals and snack between them or something...? W.e. Either way, you should tell whoever is bothering you about it that it's healthy. Unless it isn't and I'm dead wrong. In that case I'm sorry for writing this.


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 3, 2011)

If your snacking diet looks anything like mine... not healthy.  <grin>

Nah, but really anything (within reason) can be healthy if you approach it properly.  I don't approach it properly, and so I wind up eating spaghettios and french bread throughout the day, and now I've added Mountain Dew to that list (though I'm still trying to drink plenty of water).  If I had more money, honestly, I'd take better care of myself.  Being broke as hell doesn't help when the only meal that's under $1 is spaghettios or a package of PopTarts.


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## Trides (Jun 3, 2011)

Muahaha! *points rudely, and continues to laugh* I deride you all. I am young, lively, and uncontaminated by such foibles and petty sins as you have described here. O, and Thorn, cur Latinam dicere tam vis?


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 3, 2011)

Trides said:


> O, and Thorn, cur Latinam dicere tam vis?


 
No, I've never been to a french whorehouse.


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## Trides (Jun 3, 2011)

Heavy Thorn said:


> No, I've never been to a french whorehouse.


 Very funny. I salute you. Whorehouses, eh? What a lovely jest to make in the presence of an impressionable adolescent.


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 3, 2011)

Trides said:


> Very funny. I salute you. Whorehouses, eh? What a lovely jest to make in the presence of an impressionable adolescent.


 
Is this a joke or sarcasm?  The cheesy grin on the end of it confuses me.


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## Eluixa (Jun 4, 2011)

Heavy Thorn said:


> Ah yes, snacking instead of meals.  I try very hard not to do that, but still fail.
> 
> Does your husband ever get irritated when you write in the evenings?


 
He does sometimes get irritated, but would rather see me writing than just rambling online. And it's cheaper for him if I am writing, lol, cause otherwise another habit is buying clothes for the kids on ebay or online. He tries to be supportive, does a mostly decent job of it, in fact. Yes, he wants me to be able to write, yes he wants me to get some sleep, mostly so I don't keep him awake, and cause he doesn't want to be the only one up in the morning tending the kids, he does have to go to work early but is a night owl too, so does understand. Yes, he'd love some attention, yes, he can do the dishes too, no, he can't clean the whole house by himself. 
His schedule is every other week, so we have all day together the week he is here, and evenings are not as big of a deal as it would be for someone doing nine to five. The trick is timing. It is better to write on the weeks he is gone, and while he is otherwise entertaining himself reading, working in his shop, or online himself. 

And snacking, yeah, sometimes it's good food, sometimes ice cream or pretzels. Right now its banana muffins. Baking for yourself can be reasonably inexpensive, fairly healthy, if you have an oven? and can be frozen for later if you can't eat a whole batch in a couple days. I have six people. Baked goods are gone in a snap.


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## The Backward OX (Jun 4, 2011)

Regularly falling asleep at the keyboard, mostly with my hand clenched around the mouse. Luckily I learnt about the Undo button.


* * *​ 

garza - why do you still set an alarm?

DuKane - I think memsahib is spelled that way.


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## DuKane (Jun 4, 2011)

Thank you Ox, problem is my spellchecker wont stay on English [British Colonialism], keeps reverting to English [US], an oxymoron if ever I heard one!


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 4, 2011)

That's okay, I don't know what it means either way you spell it.


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## The Backward OX (Jun 4, 2011)

DuKane

Will you tell him or shall I?

For spelling, if you use Word 2003, try this:

Go to Start->All Programs->Microsoft Office->Microsoft Office Tools->Microsoft Office Language Settings, then select a language in both the LH window and in the drop-down menu underneath, and click OK.


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 4, 2011)

Don't bother, I looked it up!  :thumbl:


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## DuKane (Jun 4, 2011)

Heavy Thorn said:


> That's okay, I don't know what it means either way you spell it.



For your info Thorn:

Memsahib: This was a term used to describe the women of the Raj. Usually referring to the wives of Imperial bureaucrats, planters, soldiers etc... serving in India. As they were the masters of the household they developed a reputation for hardiness and sterness especially in dealing with their servants and locals. The term was often used derisively to describe an overbearing, loud and obnoxious woman.

From British Empire: Glossary: M - Here

Just a play on words as are now in the expat community.
Please Note: That my memsahib is in no way an overbearing, loud and obnoxious woman, she's very very nice!


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## DuKane (Jun 4, 2011)

The Backward OX said:


> DuKane
> 
> Will you tell him or shall I?
> 
> ...


 
Oh I dream of having 2003 back, or even better 98! Am stuck with Word 2007 which is as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike!
Just wont behave, keyboard keeps reverting to US as well, conspiracy me thinks?


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 4, 2011)

Cool beans!  I honestly don't think I'd ever heard the term before, but then... I'm American, so that should explain my ign'ance.


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## The Backward OX (Jun 4, 2011)

DuKane said:


> Oh I dream of having 2003 back, or even better 98! Am stuck with Word 2007 which is as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike!
> Just wont behave, keyboard keeps reverting to US as well, conspiracy me thinks?


 
When you have a spare minute, read this:
How to Set the Default Language Dictionary on Microsoft Word 2007 : Big Satchurday 

You might find out how to fix your problem or, if not, at least you'll see there're thousands in the same boat as yourself.

Personally, I've always relied on my own spelling skills and ignored suggestions from on high. Wavy red lines are like a red rag to a bull, where I'm concerned.


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## Trides (Jun 4, 2011)

Heavy Thorn said:


> Is this a joke or sarcasm?  The cheesy grin on the end of it confuses me.


 Good!


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 4, 2011)

Trides said:


> Good!


 
Umm, okay.  Are you like 13 or something?


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## Writ-with-Hand (Jun 4, 2011)

Unlike most boxers Ross Enamait is college educated holding hold a bachelor and master degree. His writing is clear and articulate. He has authored a number of books, maintains a popular blog, and distinguishes himself as an innovative thinker among those into exercising.

I don't know... he often times has food for thought as it relates to ambition, self discipline, and obtaining goals.

RossTraining.com Blog



> May 24th, 2011 | Category: Age Related
> 
> Below is a video of 71 year old John Maulkin performing 15 standing rollouts with an abdominal wheel.





> *        The Kampala Boxing Club       *
> 
> May 18th, 2011 | Category: Combat Sports
> 
> ...


Both the Brazilian and Ugandan gym are Spartan. The Ugandan one especially. These are impoverished people excelling with what materials they have and doing more with what they have then what many inner-city youth do with the vast new technology and resources given to them in public schools. If a math book is not brand new their parents and political representatives complain they can not do math (albeit science books have to stay up to date).

I'm guilty of not building my mind and body the Spartan way too. Laziness and excuses. 

This guy maintaining this site is a photographer and writer also. His photos of the Ugandan boxing gym are worth seeing. He's lived with Tibetan Buddhist monks and written about them as well. He seems to be world traveled.

http://www.seankernan.com/index.php#mi=2&pt=1π=10000&s=0&p=2&a=0&at=0

The video "Kampala Boxing Club (new opening)" is worth viewing too.


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## Writ-with-Hand (Jun 4, 2011)

Addendum to post #38.

Source: Boxing their own worst enemy | Photographers



> On some of my first trips around Sao Paulo after moving here, I caught  glimpses of life under the city’s many highway viaducts, whether it was  of people storing recyclable waste or even living under the bridges. I  refer to my roaming excursions in this city as “trips,” because this  massive city of nearly 20 million inhabitants is a world in itself.





> Under the bridge I met former pro boxer Nilson Garrido, the founder and  owner of the school. Six years ago Garrido started a project in which he  created several boxing academies under the viaducts of Sao Paulo. His  goal was to take the sport to the poor and marginalized population. In  the meantime the project attracted other people who started to  contribute a small monthly fee for the use of the gym.


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## Trides (Jun 4, 2011)

Heavy Thorn said:


> Umm, okay.  Are you like 13 or something?


 It was meant to be a joke, and ita vero, I am 13 years old...
Anyhow, I do expect to be a loser when I grow up. I won't get into MIT, I'll never be an engineer, and I'll never even have the opportunity to touch a solar panel. I'll be working at Wal-Mart, looking on from afar as more capable people, my age and younger, churn out brilliant inventions to save the planet.


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 4, 2011)

At least you're optimistic.


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## Trides (Jun 4, 2011)

By saying "Umm, okay.  Are you like 13 or something?" you seemed to be expressing loathing and disgust for me (as a young brat), so I was forced to contradict you and prove my maturity by acting pessimistic, like a mature, experienced adult would.  Don't I have a strange mind?


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 4, 2011)

Haha, nah, I think your mind just moves a step faster than mine.    You actually seem very intelligent, and well-spoken - I just got confused between the grin and the short response to my confusion.


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## Trides (Jun 4, 2011)

Why, thank you~ Little children love to be praised, and I am no exception.


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## Like a Fox (Jun 4, 2011)

My bad habits in life are too many to mention - although I have found at turning 25 I'm suddenly getting better at lots of things.
A recent example - My driver's side headlight went out a week or so ago. The last time this happened I drove around with a bung headlight for months. Probably two full months before a friend of mine said he could help me fix it.

This time, it was out for less than 24 hours before I'd bought a new globe, and a new one for the other headlight as well, and replaced them both all by myself.
My ability to ignore and adapt to a problem has lessened because I try to avoid extra anxiety in my life at the moment. And I knew I'd feel it everytime I drove around with that crappy headlight.


My writing bad habit is that I never ever get around to writing. I don't even make excuses anymore. I just kinda frown and say 'soon I hope'.


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## The Backward OX (Jun 4, 2011)

Like a Fox said:


> My writing bad habit is that I never ever get around to writing. I don't even make excuses anymore. I just kinda frown and say 'soon I hope'.


 
The secret, young Kath, when you don’t feel like doing something, is to just go and do it anyway. Pretty soon you’ll feel like doing it. Trust me. It works.


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## JosephB (Jun 4, 2011)

That's probably what his woman tells him.


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## Heavy Thorn (Jun 4, 2011)

Like a Fox said:


> I drove around with a bung headlight for months.


 
That just became my new favorite word... _bung_...

(working around problems instead of fixing them is pretty much my life.)


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## The Backward OX (Jun 4, 2011)

Heavy Thorn said:


> That just became my new favorite word... _bung_...


Good Aussie word, that.

Er..._bung,_ that is.


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## Like a Fox (Jun 5, 2011)

Yeah, Ox. I know. And similar advice of yours led to me quitting smoking.
("The amazing thing about stopping is... JUST STOP")

It's not really because I don't want to write. I just don't feel I have time to write. 
I'm still a writer, but that writer is currently buried underneath being a daughter.


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