Every now and then, readers will ask the common question about where I get ideas, or another author will ask how I publish several books each year. The answers are relatively simple:
1) My brain follows whatever thought comes to it, and my thinking is a tad warped.
2) I regard writing as a job and put my fanny in a chair and work, even when I don't want to.
No secrets.
However, I occasionally think about things I've learned in life that I wish someone would ask about. Or at least not roll their eyes if I suggest something. None of my thoughts are earth-shaking. For example:
1) When working in the kitchen, keep the drawers closed. It's easier to wipe sticky stuff off the floor.
2) If you tie socks together before putting them in the washing machine, they are less likely to end up in the hozone (that part of the atmosphere where vanished socks hide).
3) If you make a list, you get more done. If you lose the list, forget it.
4) Friendships may occur naturally, but retaining them takes effort, especially if you move away. It's worth the effort.
5) If you want to be remembered for something, do it well. Then draft your own obituary.
6) Write down family birthdays. They may be on the same date every year, but your brain wavers as you age.
7) Don't try to memorize any information you can easily look up.
8) Learn to take and organize digital photos. They can bring you joy.
9) Every dime you save in your twenties will turn into at least a dollar when you're sixty. Lose the password to your savings account so you aren't tempted to take money out early.
10) It isn't worth it to go to bed mad. If you must, take a sleeping pill or you'll be awake for hours.
Aren't you glad you read this list? If you aren't, keep it to yourself.
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To learn more about Elaine, go to elaineorr.com or sign up for her newsletter.
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