What are we talking about today?

I'll get back to theme days once I find a groove of posting regularly. In the meantime, most of my posts are about some variation of books, bikes, buses, or Broadway. Plus bits about writing, nonprofits, and grief from time to time.

This blog is mostly lighthearted and pretty silly. It's not about the terrible things happening in the world, but please know that I'm not ignoring those things. I just generally don't write about them here.

27 April 2011

W is for Writing, Walking, and Without-a-Car Wednesday

I had a hard time deciding on today's topic. Which is why it's 9 PM and I'm only just posting.

So! Since I am car-free, I spend a lot of time on my feet. I do a lot of my commuting via bicycle or bus, 'tis true, but for shorter errands or just getting around on campus, I'm a pedestrian. You know what cycling everywhere does for your walking skills? Nothing. It just makes me cranky when I have to walk, since I know for sure that cycling is faster.

I bet I'd think all sort of deep thoughts if I went walking
here. Thoughts like, "That spider just tried to eat me!"
But, cranky or not, here I come. Because it turns out I do some of my best writing while walking. So good, in fact, that I should probably get myself a dictaphone so I can stop forgetting all those brilliant things I thought out while walking. I keep thinking of that West Wing line that I shared with someone (or possibly blogged? I'm not looking it up) not long ago, when Toby tells Charlie, "Paper is for wimps." By golly, if Toby only needs to have his brain with him and can write while doing other things, then so can I.

And it's not just me, of course. I keep reading that taking a walk has this effect on other people, too. So much so, in fact, that last week in the writing center I told my consultee that she needs to take walk breaks whenever she feels overwhelmed by her writing assignments, to get the thoughts flowing again. (And she was such a sweet person; she agreed right away!)

Do you go for walks when your brain gets stuck?

8 comments:

Trisha said...

Nah, I'm not the going for walks type. I tend to watch some Supernatural instead. hehe

Su said...

LOL! Whatever works!

Anonymous said...

I'm afraid the walking thing doesn't work too well for me...I doodle, knit, watch tv, read, nag the husband (that one works REALLY well)... whatever gets you there.

Charlie's Church of Christ said...

motion is huge for my inspiration. I carried a notebook in my pocket at all times when I backpacked 300 miles. It puts me in in insta-reflection mode.

a runners' life said...

Agree. Walking can really get the brain to work but I find that running too helps a lot though makes it much more difficult to put thoughts down on paper. Keeping a dictaphone around would be a good idea as I tend to forget some of those ideas that pop up too.

Su said...

@mybabyjohn: Doodling & TV don't help me, but knitting & reading do. The jury's out on the nagging-- I'll have to get back to you. ;)

@Charlie: Great idea!

@Runner: Yep, running helps, too. But I find that I forget the running thoughts even quicker than the walking thoughts... do you think it's because I'm moving faster?

Karen M. Peterson said...

I love the ideas that come when I go for a walk.

I also have a really long commute to and from work and often turn off the radio and just give myself some thinking time. I really do need to start recording some of my thoughts because I get some of my best ideas in the car.

Su said...

Very good point-- I used to do a lot of thinking in the car.