Habits

I've been staring at my monitor for some time now. The new computer has a flat screen monitor as big as the old drive-inn theater in my home town. I feel like I need to put on sun screen sitting before it.
I had almost written off the writer's kit I mentioned a few days ago but tonight rather than tap impatiently on my key board, I opened up the suggestion cards and one spoke to me....not literally, but it said something I needed to hear.
Ten Daily Habits That Make a Good Writer
1. Eat Healthfully - I think this is actually good advice. I get cranky when I eat junk. I can eat chips, candy, Slim Jim's, and fried anything and I start looking for someone so that I can slap them naked and hide their clothes. So today, I tried to eat right.
2.Be Physical - I agree with this too. When I start the day off with a brisk walk or a good yoga routine, I feel good all day long.
3. Laugh - well anyone who has read this blog at any length knows I like to laugh. You feel so alive when you laugh. There is a woman at work that had some health problems and she worked very hard for a long time to recover. The other day at lunch she got tickled at something I said and she laughed uncontrollably for a long time. As a result everyone at the table laughed too. When I went back to my desk, I felt as if I'd had a nap.
4. Read - I only read two or three books a month so there is room for improvement here.
5. Cross Fertilize - OK, I do this. I play music for hours. I can get lost in the sound of wire and wood of my guitar.
6. Practice Spirituality - I rarely go to church, but I do spend time each day being thankful for the many gifts of my life.
7. Pay Attention - I just started trying to do this. The best advice I got from the recent writer's workshop I attended was from a teacher of creative writing. He said pay attention and when you describe something, don't say pine tree when the tree is more specifically a Loblolly Pine.
8. Give back - I have actually started doing this. Jilda and I started a scholarship fund at the high school from which we graduated. The money will go to needy students that aspire to be writers. It's not a great deal of money, but if it buys a kid a book that helps them on their path to becoming a writer, then it will have been worth it.
9. Connect with another writer - Living in the sticks makes it a little more difficult to do this one. I do wish I knew another write who lived near by. I have a lot of question.
10. Write - This too is an excellent habit. I come across a lot of people who say they want to be writers, but when you ask to see something they have written, they have nothing to show.
It's like the old joke, if you want to win the lottery, you have to buy a ticket.
Have a great week.