Last week, Mr. Busy and I spent four glorious research days in Toronto. I say glorious because:
- I got to read the hand-written diaries and field notes of several Muskoka Road surveyors (and found out the black flies were just as horrific in Muskoka in the 1850s as they are today.)
- We got to go to surveyor David Gibson’s house, which still stands in North York and which in 1851 was a 5-hour horseback ride from Toronto.
- I found the only copy in Ontario of a guidebook called, “The Ferguson Highway: Beauty Spots and Points of Interest in Northern Ontario”, published in 1929. (This was at the Toronto Reference Library and yes, I’ll admit that only another researcher would understand my delight.)
We also went to see the new smash musical “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” which is FABULOUS, although way outside the scope of this blog.
What I want to tell you is this: I should have taken better care of my physical self. Four days of hunching over a microfilm reader has pinched all the muscles in my neck and upper back and aggravated my arthritis, which I have in every joint in my body. I know better – but got caught up in the research.
So aside from a trip to the gym immediately upon our return and a 9-1-1 call to my massage therapist, I have renewed my vow to maintain a healthy balance while writing this book. For me, a healthy balance means that every day of the week I:
1. Do work on the book, then
2. Do something physical, then
3. Do something else.
I think lack of balance is an occupational hazard for writers. The work is sedentary, and the nature of the material we work with – whether researching or creating a fictional world – is so seductive, we are prone to sitting at our desks, living happily in our heads, for way too long. It takes discipline to stand up and walk away from something that is so very interesting.
“Dedication, not discipline” it says on my whiteboard. I meant that as a reminder to myself to not get too intense about the project; to make sure I enjoy the process. But I’m thinking that in another context, discipline is not such a bad idea. A little discipline… a little dedication to staying balanced and physically healthy, is exactly what I need.
Sounds like it was an amazing trip! I know you must have been just silly with excitement :).
I love what you have to say about balance. I find my own writing life is skewed the other way – lots of that other stuff, not as much research/writing as I’d like. I need to work on it!
Maybe now that you’re in your F.O. Forties, you will be able to grab some time to research and write?? This could be the decade for it!
Hi!
Lynn pointed me to you and your blog – and more importantly, your workshops! I’m so looking forward to participating early in the new year (was just too late for your early Nov date).
I’m not a writer, but am hoping to record my grandmother’s story to the best of my abilities.
I look forward to meeting you and learning from you.
Liisa
Hi, Liisa – It’s a pleasure to hear from you! Thanks for connecting. I’m looking forward to meeting you and hearing more about your grandmother’s story!