Tuesday, May 26, 2009

First, yes, I didn't post yesterday because of the holiday. It still feels weird to celebrate US holidays (I got so used to sitting around half the day wondering where everyone was, then remembering it was Memorial Day/Labor Day/MLK Day), but we did; we grilled burgers and hot dogs with my mom and her husband, and a good time was had by all.

Afterwards we sat around on the screened porch discussing all sorts of things. I specifically recall a long period of discussion about Wallis Simpson and Nazis, in which the hubs and I talked about our honeymoon visit to the Imperial War Museum in London. (If you ever have a chance, you really should go; it's a very cool museum.) Our general agreement, unsurprisingly, was that both Wallis and the Nazis were Very Bad.

Of course, the day did set me seriously behind on my wordcount. But sometimes it's important to sit around with family. Especially when part of that sitting around is remembering the people who fought and died for us, and why.

But cooking in someone else's kitchen is weird, isn't it? You don't know where anything is, and you keep reaching for things--your trusty wooden spoon, your favorite pan, a specific seasoning or spice--that aren't there. It can put one a bit out of sorts. I always feel like everyone is watching me when I try to cook in someone else's kitchen. It's generally fun to do, but still. I miss my own kitchen. I really miss all my cooking tools and things, which are not expected to arrive for another few weeks; not to mention we have no home to put them in. They'll all go into storage, but at least at that point we'll be able to go there, open a box at random, and actually touch them. Ahh.

It's especially hard because the house has satellite TV. Which means there's like a million channels, large numbers of which are either sports or infomercials. Point being, the only channel I know by number so far is The Food Network. And so that is what I have been watching, pretty much nonstop. The Food Network. Which I do love; I mean, there's always something on the Food Network, right? It may not be the greatest show, but it's something. So it's on almost all the time, and it's making me want to cook. Which you all know I like doing, at least most of the time.

But in the main it's nice background noise. Something I can tune out while I type, but when I glance up there's invariably something interesting happening.

Sometimes I listen to music when I write. It works especially well when I'm stuck, but not as well when the words are flowing. I either don't hear the music at all, which is more likely, or I stop to listen to a particular song and lose the flow.

Okay. One other thing:

Mark Henry is over at Bitten by Books today, doing some video-blogging and hanging out with readers. Pop on over there for some fun.

But before you do, tell me. What do you have on in the background? Does it change according to what you're doing?

7 comments:

writtenwyrdd said...

I don't do tv as background noise. ADD means if the tv is on, or little birdies are flitting by my window, or someone else is in the room doing something I can't focus well. It seems to be getting worse as I get older, too, so maybe it's a creeping problem I don't want to discover, lol. At any rate, no tv. But I do focus much better with music on. Especially if I listen through headphones.

Charles Gramlich said...

I'm a big fan of quiet. I almost never have anything going when I'm writing, or even when I'm just wandering around the house and reading. No TV or radio.

Angie said...

I'm not into background noise either. The TV is only on in our house if one or both of us is actively watching it, and the one time I roomed at a conference with a woman who had to have the TV on All The Freaking Time I contemplated throwing her over the balcony. [cough]

I'm not really a music person, either. I only play music when I'm sitting there listening to it and doing nothing else, which isn't very often. I go through cycles of being into music or not, and I've been in a "not" cycle for the last ten years or so. [wry smile] I definitely can't have music playing while I write; major distraction.

The Food Network is definitely one of the better ones, though. :D My two favorites are Good Eats and Ace of Cakes. After that I like the Food Network Challenges (especially the pastry/sugar ones, although we'll watch burger or barbecue or whatever competitions too), Iron Chef (mainly because of Alton Brown), Food Detective, Chopped and Will Work For Food. Oh, and we were watching How'd That Get On my Plate too, but it's not on anymore; I'm hoping there'll be a new season in the fall, 'cause it was interesting.

Angie

kirsten saell said...

I have the TV on most of the time when I write, although occasionally it's just on the listings channel, and if I'm in a groove it can stay on that channel for hours. It's a pretty rare show that can pull my attention right away from writing. I usually watch TLC during the day--What Not to Wear is infinitely preferable to Maury Povich or whatever other crap is on.

I can't write to music at all. Don't know why music is more distraction than the TV, but I find myself singing along (sometimes aloud, more often in my head), and can't get anything done. Even classical will distract me.

These days, the soothing tones of bickering kids play in the background. I've almost learned to tune them out. Almost. Summers are poison for my muse.

Stacia said...

Yep, Written, I've been thinking of digging my own headphones out, as the Food shows are proving too distracting, at least with this book. And I need to get some serious WORK done, argh! :-)


Really, Charles? Lol, I had to learn to tune stuff out because of the girls watching TV in the same room. Now I'm not sure if quiet would help me or not.


Oooh, Angie, I'm getting into Chopped, but I do wish they would make a show of that type where the contestants are regular people; housewives who have to be creative every day and make food stretch and everything.

I think people tend to be either TV or music in the background people, if they're background people. And it has a lot to do with what you grew up with too. At least I think. :-)



Oh yeah, Kis, if I'm really going I don't see or hear anything else at all. Whole movies and albums can zip by without me noticing it.

Summers are good for me because I can work late and sleep in, but I know what you mean about the noise. When it gets to a level that even *I* can't ignore, you know it's bad. :-)

Anonymous said...

When I write it has to be quiet. But otherwise I do love listening to music -Ramones, Clash, AC/DC, 3 Doors Down. -JTC

Anonymous said...

er, I mean V95. :~)