My friend and fellow creative writer, Amanda Socci, has put out a challenge for the month of November: “It’s called: Creative Idea Gal Blog – November Gratitude Challenge. The idea is to write and post for 30 consecutive days on your blog, posting gratitude for all the meaningful things in your life.”
A writing challenge, focused on gratitude, in a month that ends in the Thanksgiving Holiday, is very appropriate.
I’ve done monthly writing challenges before, a Sit Spot Challenge in 2010, and another in 2011, are a couple of examples, so I figured it was time, in my new home, to tackle another one. :-D
As she explains: “Prepare to experience a very different November as we shift some of the focus away from material possessions or desires and move it to a place of thanks. I can assure you, by writing down in black and white the many things that you are grateful for, you will soon realize you have many things to be
thankful for, and it will help to put problems into perspective.”
So, let’s get this month off to a fine start! :-D
I am grateful for a good long soak in the tub.
It’s been years since I last took a bath!
The last 7 years it was showers every day. The tub was too small! Before that it was the same at my previous apartment, so the last bath was probably in 2001, when I lived in a bungalow in Pomona.
To start the day, or end the day, there is nothing like a good long, warm, soak, especially if you bring along something to read for 30 min. or an hour. :-D
Don’t knock it until you try it! :-D
I first began this practice when I was in elementary school, I think, when I shared my tub with Nancy Drew and her friends George and Bess (As well as Frank and Joe Hardy!), or it might have begun in my early teens, when I invited Capt. Kirk and the whole crew of the Starship Enterprise to drop in. :-D
When my sisters entered their teens, by which time I had added comic books, history, politics, The Nation, National Review, The New Republic, Mother Jones, and other serious reading to my interests, even reading a school textbook, my monopolization of prime bathroom time (in their eyes) drove these newly appearance conscious young ladies nuts! :-D
Hey, I considered it just payment for MY making the market and drugstore runs for their tampons because they were too embarrassed to do it themselves!
As I paid for my purchases, suffering the barely suppressed looks of amusement of the cashiers and other customers, I would smile, and say “These ain’t for me, honest! I’m just the errand boy for my silly sisters! Mine not to reason why, mine but to do or die!” :-D
Relaxing in the tub, immersed in warm, soothing, water, reading, or just reflecting on the day, to come, or just ended, ideas would come to me for various writing assignments in school and college, and later for letters to the editor of comics, newspapers and magazines, some of which got published. Even the essay I wrote that ended up being the only piece of writing of mine to be
published in a book (A Star Trek Anthology in 1990), probably got its start with a good long soak.
When I went online, in 1998, many of the early, cat-themed creative writing I posted in a message board community, from 1998 to 2001, also probably got their start this way. :-D
Relaxing in the tub, the cares of the world would slip away; often I’d also think about my life issues and find solutions.
I am grateful for all those years of bath time, and for the opportunity to start up the practice once again, even if my cats sit on the floor watching me read and wash, with an amused, exasperated “What the heck?”, or “Hurry up, it’s time for breakfast!” look on their faces. :-D
To keep up with the entrees of Amanda, and anyone else who attempts the challenge, go here.
Sensational! Love this great blog post. Love the historical values you've added and the many good things that came about as a result of soaking in the tub. Love, love, love how you associated good ideas and the beginnings of your writing with soaks.
You've answered my question about whether you read in the tub or just relax, like they do in the soap commercials. The only question that remains is how you cap your time in the tub, because I'd assume that when you read, you'd get lost in the magic of the words. So, if you stay too long in the tub, wrinkled hands will not bode well for typing ;)
I'm very surprised that, as a man, you'd admit to soaking in the tub. Generally, that is something that women do, but you've given solid reasons why both genders should do it.
Love how lighthearted this blog post. A great contrast to my hard-core stuff. This suits your personality perfectly.
Posted by: Amanda Socci | November 01, 2012 at 01:11 PM
Thanks, glad you liked it, Amanda.
As for the hands...No water on the hands until washed at end of soak, so no wrinkles. :-D
Posted by: Kiril Kundurazieff | November 01, 2012 at 04:32 PM