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Monday, December 6, 2010
The Importance of Exercise for Writers
And as you cast your eye toward self-improvement, might I suggest one of the important fundamentals to the healthy and productive writer: exercise.
Not only because writing is a solitary pursuit, that writers sometime need the occasional mood-lift while pondering the depths of the human condition, and because we want to keep writing as long as Louis Auchincloss.
No. Not just those reasons.
Do it for the creativity boost!
I can't quantify this. I don't know if it's been proven by science (Livia? UPDATE: see her comment for the science).I don't know if it's the endorphins talking. All I know is that when I'm stuck on a plot challenge or can't think of where things go next, I exercise. And it's amazing how it unlocks the brain.
And even from a macro sense, I find myself more productive and happier during weeks where I exercise. The ideas and words just tend to flow better.
Am I alone on this? Does exercise help your creativity?
Photo by Gruban via Creative Commons
142 comments:
- Emma said...
Yes! Absolutely! I've been a runner for twenty-some years, and when I'm not pregnant (I am), I am out there, rain or shine. These days, I still walk. Not only does it help with creativity, but it is great for overall mental health!
- December 6, 2010 at 10:07 AM
- February Grace said...
As someone with multiple physical disabilities, it's impossible for me to work out like real humans (I'm a toy human, or more probably, a Muppet. I'd snap in half.) but I do find that physically doing something else- painting, for example, playing a musical instrument or believe it or not, taking a shower seems to help get my mind un-stuck when I'm trying to write.
I'd love to hear what other people find helpful who also can't go for a jog when they need to clear their head! Or even a drive. Wow, I miss driving...
Happy Monday, Jedi Master!
- December 6, 2010 at 10:08 AM
- Richard Gibson said...
Does exercise help your creativity?
Absolutely, almost always, usually in surprising ways.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:10 AM
- Susan Kaye Quinn said...
Yes, absolutely! Not to mention fighting off the creativity-crazies that happen when you're deep into a plot turn.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:13 AM
- C(h)ristine said...
'fo shizzle it does! Just read "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" by Haruki Murakami--running helped me get through the first draft of my novel. The two are linked in my brain. Writing goes better when I run.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:13 AM
- Chuck H. said...
I'm a grumpy old man. The most exercise I get is rolling out of bed and snagging a cup of coffee. Would more exercise improve my creativity? Probably, but why take the chance?
- December 6, 2010 at 10:14 AM
- Sarah G said...
Exercise sometimes lets my brain have the space (and blood flow) to work stuff out. I've solved more than one serious story issue while doing something invigorating but mindless.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:16 AM
- Jacqueline Windh said...
Doubly yes.
Exercise (running or whatever) is a great stress release that keeps you in a good frame of mind for life in general (including writing).
But I also use my long runs as very productive meditative time, where I can plan things like how to structure and article, or go into my characters' heads or figure out what might happen to them.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:17 AM
- Anna said...
Agreed! I like to run without headphones because it simultaneously clears my mind and allows for creative juices to flow. If anything, it gets my legs moving so they're less likely to fall asleep or get blood clots from sitting down all day!
- December 6, 2010 at 10:17 AM
- J.L. Johnson said...
I do yoga after a morning of writing. Helps to stretch the muscles out after sitting for so long. Bellydancing is good too. Helps to burn off the calories of the crap I eat while I'm writing. :D
- December 6, 2010 at 10:19 AM
- Jim Hill said...
Absolutely agree, even if I did just eat a donut. A nice three to five mile run clears my head every time.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:19 AM
- Joseph L. Selby said...
When I left Fort Knox, I was the fittest I had ever been in my life. I also inexplicably lost half my vocabulary. Words I had known and used for years tripped me up.
Exercise actually interferes with my thought processes and creativity. The more still I am, the more creative I am.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:20 AM
- Jay said...
Yes! I exercise almost every day, doing either biking or resistance training. It releases tension and I find that being relaxed helps with thinking/writing.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:21 AM
- Kathryn Packer Roberts said...
I better do this more often. Right now I'm in rutsville and could use a boost out.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:23 AM
- Red Boot Pearl said...
Sticking my toddler in the stroller for a run or even a walk totally helps boost my creativity. I don't know if it's being outside with the fresh air and all...or just that my toddler is strapped down and occupied. It is seriously my best time to think. I don't listen to music or anything so I can brainstorm without distraction.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:26 AM
- A. J. Larrieu said...
Absolutely! When I run into a plot problem, I lift weights, the heavier the better. And I find cardio is great for letting new ideas drift into my head.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:28 AM
I can't exercise much as I used to be able to because of certain health problems, but I find that any "mindless" task helps. Just window shopping at the mall, walking slowly around, cooking, baking, or gardening, helps. Because it gets you to focus on one thing and one thing only.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:30 AM
- Porter Anderson said...
Nathan, don't forget the reason nobody likes to admit: EXERCISE MAKES YOU LOOK BETTER.
People who like the way they look make happier, more productive writers (or construction workers or doctors or rocket scientists). People who aren't fat think better, in part because they're not battling self-esteem issues every word of the way. The fit body also channels energy to the brain for good writing, no need to waste that energy on fat-support. And people who look fabulous gain a whole lot of confidence for the ego-pummeling business of publishing, about which we're always wringing our hands. (Use those hands to do some dumbbell curls instead.)
So don't underestimate the aesthetic angle, even though it's generally not cool to talk about it. I actually believe the chief motivator toward exercise is the appearance boost for most of us. And how grand that we end up healthier, too. :-)
- December 6, 2010 at 10:31 AM
- David said...
Yes, indeed.
I lift weights for my main exercise. I like to watch mindless TV (e.g., recorded made-for-SyFy Channel Saturday night bad movies), so I don't ponder plot problems while working out. But the wonderful effect on my mood and mental clarity for hours afterwards is great for my writing sessions.
Oh, I suppose it's great for my regular, paid work sessions, too, but, gee, who cares about that?
- December 6, 2010 at 10:31 AM
- kellye said...
Maybe I should try this exercise thing. I usually go for caffeine and sugar for a boost.
Actually, I have seen some reports on exercise and Alzheimer's and how exercise gets blood flowing to the brain, so I think that's a good thing, too.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:31 AM
- summeroutside said...
Exercise absolutely improves creativity!
I am a runner, and it is SUCH a great outlet. It relieves stress, refreshes the mind, and gets the endorphins flowing. After a run, I'm in a better mood and feeling motivated in all senses. Not to mention the ideas that come to me sometimes when I'm out there, just me and the road and the tunes in my ear.
Furthermore, exercise is just flat out good for you, and when you feel better about yourself, you're going to feel better about your endeavors.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:35 AM
- skipperhammond said...
Yes, especially now that it's cold. A 30 minute brisk walk with chill air biting my face sends blood rushing to my brain.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:40 AM
- Mira said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:41 AM
- Hillary Jacques said...
There's a reason nobody ever dreamily proclaims "I'm looking for someone with the body of a...writer."
Exercise helps me to calm my mind enough to sleep, when I'm caught up in characters and plot. That's a small blessing.
Hand-washing the dishes is my plot unraveling, character-developing time.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:46 AM
- Mira said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:47 AM
- Kerrie T. said...
It's true. I even tried to write and recumbent bike at the same time once. It didn't work.
My best ideas/thoughts come at the most inconvenient places: while exercising, in the shower or in the car. I guess I need a recorder and some bath crayons...
- December 6, 2010 at 10:48 AM
- Rick Daley said...
I've plugged many a plot hole while running or swimming. Swimming is better than running because I don't get distracted by my iPod.
WORD VERIFICATION: feday. Iron day, according to the periodic table.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:52 AM
I prefer vodka, sex, and cigarettes.
I'm from NY :)
- December 6, 2010 at 10:52 AM
- Perle said...
Totally true. I walk 5miles almost every morning and I have to carry a notebook in my pocket to capture those wonderful but fleeting words that just start coming around mile 2.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:54 AM
"I've plugged many a hole while running or swimming."
So have I :)
(sorry; just couldn't resist...it was too easy)
Feel free to delete.
- December 6, 2010 at 10:55 AM
- Robena Grant said...
I'm missing my daily swim, brrrr.
I walk the dog twice a day. And that is good thinking time.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:00 AM
- Rebecca Henderson said...
This is definitely true. I can look at my own work from weeks that I'm exercsing and weeks that I'm sedentary and see a huge difference in both the quality of writing and the amount of time it takes me to write it. I don't know how many times in the last few weeks I've solved a problem in something I'm working on by setting it aside to think about during a long run--it really works!
- December 6, 2010 at 11:11 AM
- lotusgirl said...
As much as I hate to admit it, you are so right. Maybe I should go for a walk.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:15 AM
- Ishta Mercurio said...
I love exercise! It doesn't just make me a better writer; it makes me better.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:18 AM
- Raj said...
Very true. And we are in good company. Haruki Murakami's memoir "What I Talk about When I Talk About Running" explores precisely this theme. He explores how his running is interlinked to his writing.
A must read.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:19 AM
- Mark Terry said...
Don't know, but I do know that not long after I started writing from home fulltime I joined a gym. Then I started karate. Then I started running. Some of it just may be the I'm-glued-to-my-chair-for-hours-on-end-let-me-out-of-here, but it sure doesn't hurt to air out your brain (as well as your butt) from time to time.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:38 AM
- Rachel @ MWF Seeking BFF said...
I'm sure I'm echoing what everyone else has said, but I most definitely have had a good chunk of my book/plot aha! moments while I was running. Or taking a shower. Or driving. It's in those moments where I am free to just be alone with my thoughts, where I give myself enough time to flesh out an idea.
Of course by the time I get out of the shower I've forgotten it. Grrr.
I've had many times at the gym where after a treadmill run I have to rush to my phone to jot down a virtual "note" before forgetting..
- December 6, 2010 at 11:44 AM
- Chris Phillips said...
I've never tried jogging or any kind of vigorous exercise to jog the creativity, but often long walks help.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:50 AM
- Carrie said...
According to all the fitness magazines I read at the gym exercise does help keep your brain in shape. I think creativity is included in that. I always feel more creative after a cardio kick session or running.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:50 AM
- E.J. Wesley said...
Do we have to exercise bare-chested like those guys in the picture? If so, we may need our own writer's gym with no windows ... just sayin'.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:53 AM
- Deb said...
I can't speak for whether or not exercise boosts creativity. I do hip-hop dance 2-3 times a week, religiously, and the ONLY thing I am thinking about during that time is the choreography. But it's an amazing outlet and incredibly freeing. So maybe it loosens something up in me creatively. Also, I've been writing a book about the Holocaust, so it's been great to have something on the complete opposite end of the spectrum to balance it all out.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:54 AM
- Munk Davis said...
There is such a thing as physical morality.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:55 AM
- Debbie said...
Yes. Yes. Yes.
I finally figured this out earlier in the year. I took a couple days off work to get a better handle on some rewrites. Whenever I got stuck, I'd jump on my--then--new Wii Fit Plus and play. I thought I was goofing off. But when I sat back down, voila! The problem unstuck.
- December 6, 2010 at 12:23 PM
- Jessica Lei said...
I never exercise. Ideas usually stem through the inanities of life for me--taking a shower, trying to fall asleep, eating dinner. I knew I was a freak...
- December 6, 2010 at 12:38 PM
- J. M. Strother said...
You bet it does. I find bike rides and hiking the best forms, but the rowing machine in the gym works in a pinch.
- December 6, 2010 at 12:42 PM
- Keetha said...
No doubt! It seems to clear my mind of what may be junking it up, making way for ideas and creative fun.
Another big factor for me is how motivational it is: later in the day if I don't feel like writing, I remind myself that I didn't feel like working out but I did it anyway, and how great was that.
That gives me enough internal encouragement and you-can-do-it to make me spring back to my current writing project.
- December 6, 2010 at 12:46 PM
- Watcher55 said...
I've been killing myself for two weeks trying to write the last chapter of my first WIP by locking myself in my room. You just reminded of the one thing that's gotten me this far - dead writer's don't write. I have 1.8 acres of leaves in the yard so I'm going to shut the 'puter down and treat my brain to a few hours of oxygen.
- December 6, 2010 at 12:46 PM
- Watcher55 said...
I've been killing myself for two weeks trying to write the last chapter of my first WIP by locking myself in my room. You just reminded of the one thing that's gotten me this far - dead writer's don't write. I have 1.8 acres of leaves in the yard so I'm going to shut the 'puter down and treat my brain to a few hours of oxygen.
- December 6, 2010 at 12:47 PM
- Karen Fisher-Alaniz said...
Absolutely! I'm a walker. I just listened to an interview with a neuroscientist who studies writing and the brain, so I now have teh science behind why I should get out there and walk! Fascinating. I just blogged about it. Like most writers, I've had many, many experiences where I got a great idea when I was least expecting it.
- December 6, 2010 at 12:55 PM
- D.G. Hudson said...
Exercise/fitness is very important. Walking and weight training are my choices.
We walked every day in Paris on our last visit and probably covered 5-6 miles a day walking, sometimes more. Some walks were uphill (Montmartre) and some were straight up - the Arc de Triomphe 300 steps (+).
There's nothing like fresh air to clear the grey matter, and when it's by water of some kind (river, ocean, lake)it also calms my thinking.
Besides, as an observer, something I've posted about, you have to get out and see the world around you. Exercise just adds another layer.
Very good point, Nathan. We don't want to get sluggish.
- December 6, 2010 at 12:56 PM
- Katherine Hyde said...
I'm with you, Nathan. At my annual writing retreat (a week on the beach in Oregon), the daily morning beach-walk is a crucial element of the great work that always gets done, and I'm pretty sure that goes for everyone there.
My normal workout routine (Curves) is less invigorating, but still essential to keeping my mind clear.
- December 6, 2010 at 1:01 PM
- Nicole MacDonald said...
Yup!! Running and stair climbing and going bush often give me my best ideas :)
BirthRight The Arrival, on Amazon 1.1.2011
- December 6, 2010 at 1:05 PM
- S J Bradley said...
Yes, absolutely! A mid-day walk is absolutely part of my writing routine, and always has been.
In fact, didn't Haruki Murakami write an entire book about this...? ;-)
- December 6, 2010 at 1:14 PM
- Elizabeth said...
I broke my back earlier this year, which meant no more running, and yes, my morale and my writing both suffered. I found myself scrubbing toilets and washing dishes by hand and doing other brainless physical chores to make up for it. There's something about turning your body on and your mind off that's great for getting the creativity going. Plus, having clean clothes to wear and clean dishes to eat off of? Is there anything better?
- December 6, 2010 at 1:17 PM
- anvil said...
"Running! If there's any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can't think of what it might be. In running the mind flees with the body, the mysterious efflorescence of language seems to pulse in the brain, in rhythm with our feet and the swinging of our arms."
— Joyce Carol Oates
If it's good enough for her, it's totes good enough for me!
- December 6, 2010 at 1:24 PM
- Rachel Searles said...
Exercise absolutely helps. A quick run helps get my brain juices flowing, and I've had some of my best plot breakthroughs in the middle of spin class.
- December 6, 2010 at 1:26 PM
- Gina said...
It might, if I had time to actually do it. Between working a full time job, keeping my house clean and my laundry done and all that other stuff that comes with being married and domesticated, PLUS trying to write on top of it, I don't get a whole lot of time to jump on the treadmill.
- December 6, 2010 at 1:42 PM
- Ada said...
Yes, yes! I know I often feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to do it all (paid work, writing time, eating, etc., etc.) but exercise is *so* important! You've got to do or else you turn into a crank with sunken eyes from staring at your computer monitor all day.
- December 6, 2010 at 1:44 PM
- Nicole said...
I used to swim competitively, and there is nothing like the endless rhythm of laps to help you sort out that latest plot tangle.
I love the creative boost that comes with exercise!
- December 6, 2010 at 1:53 PM
I'm making POST-resolutions this year. I'm going to break them all before the year's end, and then break everyone else's resolutions too. Though I am just back from a long and uncharacteristically snowy Irish walk.
No doubt the pic was taken just before those disgustingly healthy-looking joggers leaped into the Reservoir and swam a few laps to cool off after their jog? I hate them! Even though I am better-looking than all of them put together.
- December 6, 2010 at 2:04 PM
- Remilda Graystone said...
I've never heard that exercising helps let the words flow, but I am so willing to try it. I think you may be right, because I know how much happier I feel when I exercise versus how I feel when I haven't exercised.
Interesting post.
- December 6, 2010 at 2:10 PM
I just dictate to my personal assistant while I run on the threadmill.
Hah, I wish. I rarely have free time so all the time I can spare goes to writing. Exercise? I only think about it if a character needs to workout in a scene.
- December 6, 2010 at 2:35 PM
- Sarah said...
For me the best thing about exercising (walking the dog) is the sense of accomplishment. "Today I don't totally suck; I fulfilled my obligation to the dog. In the eyes of at least one other living being, I am a success." It also helps to make my bed as soon as I get up. "Look, I can be a grownup today."
- December 6, 2010 at 2:37 PM
- Carol Riggs said...
Absolutely, great reminder. Just sitting in one place hunkered over a keyboard most of the day takes its toll on a body. Mood-lifter, muscle-stretcher, creativity-booster: That's exercise!
I don't jog but I do walk for exercise. Often, I've seen images along the way that I've incorporated into my novels--rusty shovels and abandoned tricycles under a carport, or black dots of sparrows like stubble on the chin of the sky.
- December 6, 2010 at 2:51 PM
- Kristin Laughtin said...
I totally agree, and not just for the health benefits of exercise. I really believe that you have to do other things once in a while in order to help your brain recharge. If I do nothing but sit in front of a computer all day (or stare at a notebook, or whatever you use to write), it kills my creativity because I start resenting having to be there, if nothing else.
- December 6, 2010 at 3:09 PM
- Mira said...
I took my posts down because they weren't what I wanted to say.
What I want to say is, absolutely! Good topic - writing is not only solitary, but sedentary. In addition to BIC, there's BOOC (butt out of chair). :)
I swim regularly and swimming works out all types of things in my mind. Giving the mind time to rest and roam without my interference is wonderful for my creativity.
I really like that picture, too, it's peaceful.
- December 6, 2010 at 3:21 PM
- TKAstle said...
You are most definitely not alone.
word verif - Wovoless - Apparently I have no wovoes. Can someone please tell me where I can get some? It's rather embarrassing to be without.
- December 6, 2010 at 3:27 PM
- Gretchen said...
Oh I love it when you speak my mind, Nathan! (And it happens fairly often around here, I might add.)
I just posted on a similar topic on my own blog, albeit on a more personal level. A runner-poet friend of mine lent me the words for the title:
"Fatigue is the Heart of Poetry"
Well put, don't you think?
Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone on this one.
- December 6, 2010 at 3:47 PM
- Becky Wallace said...
I stand while I write. Sometimes I mix it up by standing on one leg, great core workout. I'm pretty sure that counts as exercise.
- December 6, 2010 at 3:49 PM
- Zan Marie said...
For me it's either exercise or a hot shower. There's nothing like a well-watered brain after a plot snarl. ; )
- December 6, 2010 at 3:53 PM
Yes, exercise definitely helps-and manual labor. I've stumble across a majority of my "brillent" ideas either while I'm mucking out stalls or scrubbing floors.
- December 6, 2010 at 4:24 PM
- Nikole Hahn said...
Excercise...yes! Definitley. But another good place to lift the mood, awaken the senses, and refill the creative ink well...go to a coffee shop. Sit and pretend to work while your ears, like radar, span the conversations and your eyes peek from beneath your lashes to watch people--their twitches, their gestures, their words, and how they interact. It's a good excercise in itself because your characters won't be the same in every book if you simply spend the time watching human nature.
- December 6, 2010 at 4:27 PM
- Dr. Aaron Lewis said...
I also recommend showering for creativity. Not enough writers shower because they get sucked into their screens. And everyone knows how many great ideas come in the shower.
So, writers, for the love of all that is holy, take showers.
- December 6, 2010 at 4:45 PM
- Teralyn Rose Pilgrim said...
This actually has been proven by science, to a degree. Studies have shown that cardio exercise is an extremely affective treatment for depression and anxiety. Therapists and psychologists encourage their patients to exercise because it's good for emotional health, and I believe you need to be emotionally healthy to write.
- December 6, 2010 at 4:45 PM
- Teralyn Rose Pilgrim said...
I just clicked on your link and found out that you already know all about this... oops. Now you know again.
- December 6, 2010 at 4:47 PM
- Ted Fox said...
Does competitive cranberry eating count as exercise:
Probably not. But it did give me a week's worth of blog posts, so perhaps the effect is the same. :)
And I have to agree on the hot showers; I think that's one of the most effective ways to relieve both writer's block and stress.
- December 6, 2010 at 4:52 PM
- Elizabeth said...
Today I read an article that said that exercising boosted your energy and made you feel better throughout the rest of the day. That's why it probably helps with creativity. I've also read that repeated manual labor gives the brain room to think and that's how some authors get their ideas.
- December 6, 2010 at 5:26 PM
'I believe you need to be emotionally healthy to write.'
Um. No.
- December 6, 2010 at 5:27 PM
- Lori henry said...
A neccessary part of my everyday writing "routine" is taking a dance class. I'm pretty sure some of my best ideas get trapped in my body(!), so I do a lot of stretching and dancing. I often find myself talking into my phone recorder on the way home as thoughts pour out. Hey, whatever works. :)
- December 6, 2010 at 5:40 PM
- The Red Angel said...
Nice post, Nathan! :D It's different from your usual posts. I don't do heavy exercise to get my creative juices flowing, but sometimes a nice long walk around the neighborhood helps!
- December 6, 2010 at 5:49 PM
- Gracie said...
Hmm... I was looking for motivation for exersising (not to mention inspiration)... now I think I've found it. ;)
- December 6, 2010 at 5:51 PM
- Sean said...
Exercise totally helps lift your creativity to new heights. It helps you pick up chicks too!
- December 6, 2010 at 5:53 PM
- Stephanie Garber said...
You are so right Nathan! When people ask me what I do when I get stuck in my writing, my answer is always, "I ride my bike." Exercise is a steroid for creativity.
- December 6, 2010 at 6:15 PM
- Seosamh o Hainle said...
Hi Nathan,
I totally agree, just wrote 500 words in half an hour after a gym session healthy body healthy mind...I like your blog good stuff..keep it up
- December 6, 2010 at 6:15 PM
- Heather said...
Several people have mentioned studies showing that exercise promotes brain health, and it's true! I just read a book on it, Spark, by John Ratey. FYI, Ratey also says that the exercise needs to be aerobic (weight-lifting, for example, doesn't help your brain). But if you want to see the studies (discussed so that non-scientists can understand them), you can find them in Ratey's book.
And yes, I find that exercise really helps me!
- December 6, 2010 at 6:21 PM
- Simon Haynes said...
I don't need convincing - I've cycled over 3000 km since July and lost over 10kg. I'm in the best shape I've been since my early thirties. See new profile pic ;-)
- December 6, 2010 at 6:36 PM
- LM Preston said...
You are so on point with this post. I just started back exercising after a 6 month hiatus while writing. I hurt - literally all over, but I'm doing it again tonight (of course my kid's doing a marathon training and needs someone to be her partner - help! I see lots of pain in my future)
- December 6, 2010 at 6:54 PM
- Trish said...
I used to run and loved it, but now my knees have had it, so I go for a bush walk instead. I fast-walk for an hour every day. and that's where I get most of my inspirations and ideas for plots. It never fails me. If I'm having a problem with a plot, I think while I walk.
Along the way, I see kangaroos, foxes, rundown old houses, old car wrecks and sometimes a person or kids climbing trees.
Try it, you may see some odd characters on your walk, maybe even me. I'm odd. I look like a hobbit.
- December 6, 2010 at 6:59 PM
- Genevieve Graham-Sawchyn said...
Plus ... it's far too easy to just sit on my butt and only exercise my fingers. Okay, okay. I'll join the gym.
- December 6, 2010 at 7:02 PM
- Ashley Hope Pérez said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- December 6, 2010 at 7:05 PM
- Ashley Hope Pérez said...
While I was training for my second marathon (a walk-run plan, nothing extreme) and revising my first novel, I would take an MP3 recorder with me on runs and (breathily) talk out writing problems.
Anything (even funny looks from other folks on the trail) for art.
- December 6, 2010 at 7:06 PM
- Livia said...
Wow, I'm late to the party! The answer is, yes. Plenty of science behind it. A couple things off the top of my head:
1. Exercise puts you into a relaxed state that's more conducive to free associating and coming up with ideas. (I know it's true for a period afterwards, not sure about during, but could happen too) That's the spontaneous pathway mentioned in this article
2. Also, exercise improves bloodflow, and thus oxygen to the brain. Can't think of a specific study that shows that this blood flow makes you perform better, but it's well established that exercise prevents age related cognitive decline. So if you want to be writing into your later years, exercise!!!
My personal favorite booster is the after exercise shower. Two creativity boosters in one!
- December 6, 2010 at 7:11 PM
- Nicole L Rivera said...
Totally agree. Exercise always helps. Days I don't exercise I feel sluggish and need naps to get through the day. I love to swim, really gets the blood pumping :)
- December 6, 2010 at 7:26 PM
- Milo James Fowler said...
Heck yes; gotta get that blood flowing. This will be HUGE next year with Write1Sub1.
- December 6, 2010 at 7:35 PM
- Tambra said...
Exercise helps my creativity. I do Zumba, the treadmill and the weight machines at the gym.
It clears my mind assisting in sharpening my focus on plot or characterization problems.
I'm pretty close to my fitness goals and I think that positive boost is showing in my writing.
- December 6, 2010 at 7:36 PM
- lindenmcn said...
Oh yes. My buddy did her Masters Lecture on this very topic and had a bunch of us writers get hooked on the idea of tread desks. It's not a running experience, but a slow walk. I have my tread desk set up in my writing studio and use it as well as my regular sit down desk. Walking while typing is not really hard and you forget that you are moving. I find that I crave the movement now and when I am stuck I get up and walk right there, rain or shine. I highly recommend it. Not a fad. I am very happy with it.
- December 6, 2010 at 7:37 PM
- Tambra said...
February Grace, I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue so I can't always work out or exercise.
I do what I can and try not to beat myself up when its physically not possible.
Some days getting out of bed and making a cup of hot tea is all I can do.
I'm grateful for each day I'm given.
Hugs to you!!!!!
- December 6, 2010 at 7:39 PM
I'm a distance swimmer, and create problems solve themselves while I go back and forth, back and forth across the pool for an hour or more. The otherwise numbingly repetitions activity uncork the creative juices.
So does sleep. When I wake up, problems that stumped me the night before are often magically solved. If I don't milk myself within an hour of waking, however, they go back into the dark place and they're lost forever.
- December 6, 2010 at 7:48 PM
Marigold, I dictate to my personal assistants while THEY run on the treadmill.
Sarah, put the dog on the treadmill! I only make my bed on Tuesdays, and I be a grownup only on alternate Thursdays.
Carol Riggs, I'm still trying to incorporate images of a snowy Irish suburb into my WIP set largely in the equatorial jungles of an alien planet. Though I do already have an iceberg, a glacier and hundreds of huge Yetis in my jungle. 'LOST', eat your heart out! Polar bears are nothing.
Right on, Mira! Without exercise, I could end up with a bad case of BTBFC, butt too big for chair.
Livia, what kind of a scientist are you? If you can't think of a specific study that shows what you want to show, MAKE ONE UP!
Tambra, some days getting out of bed and making a cup of hot tea can be an act of heroism.
- December 6, 2010 at 8:08 PM
- T. Anne said...
I just came back from a run! I totally agree. I need to get those endorphins going to keep me motivated through the tuff times. In fact I need to stop eating all the holiday food that seems to be planting itself in my path lately. I feel a lot better mentally when I don't fill my diet with cookies and candy.
- December 6, 2010 at 8:58 PM
Yes, but sometimes resting inspires as well. For me, it's making a change--going from a quiet to boisterous room, inside to out, sitting to the stairclimber.
But most of all, it is showing up to the page. Amazingly, I may think I'm unsure where to go next, but once I'm in that dance with the keyboard or page ... poof, I'm productive again.
- December 6, 2010 at 9:10 PM
- Terin Tashi Miller said...
Ah, Nathan. I do wish you were still "in the business." I recently saw another Corona for you on eBay, too...
You got me on this one.
I think exercise is as important for a writer as an open mind and sleep.
Living in your head can cause an awful lot of things to occur, including adrenaline and other build ups.
When I was a kid in college, I found I studied best for tests by doing push-ups. Years later, when learning a new language (Spanish) in my 30s, I did the same and it worked again.
I some days hate going to my Taekwando school for a work out. But every time I do, I love how I feel afterward. All sorts of frustrations released, ideas sparked, head cleared with a fresh sense of preparedness.
I'm a big fan of martial arts for exercise, as it involves discipline, like writing, and self-improvement, and occasionally testing your progress against others as well.
I hope to live as long as Auchincloss, or at least to be as productive as long as him.
At my current rate, I have to. I'm in reasonable physical shape (except for a recent altercation with a minivan, which has me on injured reserve until my torn knee ligament heals), but no longer a bright young star just below the horizon or under 40. So, to achieve my writing goals, I'll probably have to survive at least as long as Auchincloss.
Of course, to achieve my martial arts goals, I'll probably have to do the same as well--if trying for it doesn't kill me first!
- December 6, 2010 at 9:23 PM
- Cathi Stoler said...
I love exercising. It's invigorating and calming all at once and, for me, lets my mind be open to so many possibilites. Even just walking through the city is stimulating. I look at people I pass and make up little stories about them. It's fun.Also, without exercise, I'd really look blubby!
- December 6, 2010 at 9:43 PM
I run two miles every morning, celtic music running into my ears via mp3 player. I usually sing loudly as I go, and am ignored by the continuous line of pine trees (I live in a tree farm). The days that I don't run, I don't usually write. So yes, I have to run or there isn't another chapter!
- December 6, 2010 at 9:44 PM
- Other Lisa said...
Oh, lord yes. I've commented about this before, many times. I'm hardly a jock, but I absolutely have to get out and get some oxygen to my brain. It helps me problem-solve, keeps me from getting hideously depressed and at least prevents a few of those middle-aged pounds from accumulating on my butt from all the "butt in chair" (the rest of them, what can I do?)
Plus I have a bad back from an accident, and if I don't exercise regularly, I have really bad pain to deal with, and nobody likes that.
- December 6, 2010 at 9:50 PM
- Ty Johnston said...
I totally agree with this post. Usually I walk a couple of miles a day around a track, and the whole time I just keep getting fantastic ideas while also working out plot elements and characterizations. Recently I even dug out an old tape recorder from my news reporting days and carry it with me while walking to record my ideas because I was forgetting far too many of them by the time I got home.
- December 6, 2010 at 9:54 PM
- Amanda Sablan said...
Exercise definitely helps my writing! And even if it didn't, how could you say no?
- December 6, 2010 at 10:01 PM
- Tess Cox said...
Absolutely! The other thing is doing something outside myself for someone else. There's something about the look in someone's eyes when they "receive" from me that makes the gears and wheels in my head turn faster. My heart is engaged, but it propels my thoughts to a deeper level of character development. It makes me feel *human* and my writing reflects that vulnerability, I hope.
Good to hear from you, Nathan. Happy Christmas!
- December 6, 2010 at 10:39 PM
- Livia said...
J.T. Shea
Lol, my bad!
- December 6, 2010 at 11:19 PM
- sex scenes at starbucks, said...
Works for me AFTER I write. I pretty much have to write first anyway or my day is screwed.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:34 PM
- Silicon Valley Diva said...
Not only is exercising helpful to stimulate creativity, it is vital to a writer's health. We tend to sit for long stretches at a time. Not good, especially as we get older. It is so extremely difficult to break away when we get in a writing groove, but sometimes we must. I began to suffer some major muscle pain in the past, so I now try to force myself to take breaks and go for a walk or hit the gym. 9 times out of 10 I find doing so will also help rejuvenate my creativity and thus, help improve my work.
- December 6, 2010 at 11:42 PM
- Janette Dolores said...
Preach it from the mountaintop, brother! Exercise boosts self-confidence, which lets you get your mind off of yourself for a minute. In my experience, if I am not happy with myself physically, it consumes too much of my thoughts. I don't mean in a vain way--but in a health-conscious and self-respect-having way.
So I exercise to be a happier me with more mental focus on all things creative. And I know a teeny amount about exercising for the sake of restoring focus--I lost 49 pounds in 2009. One year and four months later and *not a pound* is back. Thanks for the post, Nathan!
- December 7, 2010 at 12:15 AM
- Avery June said...
There's nothing like the pain of running to remind me how pleasant solving a plot problem is.
- December 7, 2010 at 2:16 AM
Does it help me with creativity? Not in the least. In fact, thanks to lymphedema tarda, walking around is pretty much guaranteed to exhaust me, leaving me little energy for writing or daily chores and, most likely, with swollen legs and a lot of pain for the next few days.
Going for regular walks and getting fresh air in my snoot isn't worth suffering bone-aching pain and being unable to sit, stand or walk without feeling that my feet are resting on knife blades pointing upward. It just isn't.
- December 7, 2010 at 5:36 AM
- RobynBradley said...
Does obsessively clicking "refresh" on your email after you send a query to an agent count as exercise for your fingers? :) Seriously, I agree. Some of my best ideas come when I'm focused on something else, be it power walking or showering or cleaning the cat's hairballs off the carpet.
- December 7, 2010 at 8:28 AM
- Hart Johnson said...
I'm a deep believer that when your body is busy and mind relaxed, those connections form that didn't seem to be gelling before, so I'm with you. If I'm REALLY stuck, I don't even take my iPod.
- December 7, 2010 at 9:06 AM
- sinisterechoes.com said...
Definitely! I always go for a long walk when I'm stuck with something in my writing or when I simply need to clear my head. It's also a great way to keep in shape.
- December 7, 2010 at 10:09 AM
- Tart and Soul said...
Feeling blocked? A little downward dog and the blood flows back to the right place and brings them lots of ideas!
- December 7, 2010 at 11:12 AM
- J.C. Martin said...
Definitely! Great stress relief, and the adrenaline seems to help my creativity!
- December 7, 2010 at 11:21 AM
- Kiara Golding - The Secret Writer said...
You are absolutely right!
I walk to and from work every day, and I've thought of so many scenes and ideas while walking. The time alone and away from distractions means I can really think about what I want to happen in a scene or plot, and it's great to have that time while still doing something purposeful.
Great post, you are definitely not alone in this.
- December 7, 2010 at 11:53 AM
- Paul Greci said...
I'm totall with you here. Exercise helps me solve story problems and boost my mood. I even have a treadmill desk and spend part of my writing day walking.
- December 7, 2010 at 3:08 PM
- Rachelle said...
Totally agree! I love to run while listening to my ipod and when I'm concentrating on a story arc, it seems like every other song is describing my characters. The connections I feel to my characters strengthens and it helps me to add depth to them and their situations.
- December 7, 2010 at 5:34 PM
- Claudie A. said...
Nathan, that's the second time you post something I experience right after. Perhaps it's just because I notice it more? ^^
There's been a lot of snow up here in Quebec City, and let me tell you, I'm getting a *lot* of ideas while shoveling. Take that, plotholes! Winter is winning over you! :D
- December 7, 2010 at 6:14 PM
- evelonies said...
i noticed this BIG TIME during NaNoWriMo. normally, i run 3-4 miles per day, plus weight lifting and stretching. i'll occasionally throw in some cycling or swimming as well. i was doing really well until my kids got sick during the 2nd week of november. they were sick, so i didn't work out. my writing slowed considerably and it was a struggle to get a few sentences down. then my husband and i got sick, so again, no exercise, which meant craptacular writing. after thanksgiving weekend (during which i didn't exercise either), i got back into it. everyone was finally healthy, so i made myself get back to the gym. i'll tell you what, i cranked out about 15,000 or my 50,000 words in those last 3 days. about half of it on 11/30.
- December 7, 2010 at 6:35 PM
- Jen P said...
So if it is mutually and equally compatible, if I complete the London Marathon this year, maybe I will complete my novel too?
Sponsors for Whizz-Kidz welcome - and fitness/marathon advice in the forum perhaps? ;-)
- December 7, 2010 at 7:38 PM
- Sara said...
Exercise is key! Gets the blood flowing, gets me out of the house and away from the computer, and it's a change of scenery. All very important :)
I also teach yoga. So if I don't have time to get a workout in and I'm really stuck/blocked/frustrated, I'll try an inversion in the house.
I highly recommend it! It literally flips your perspective, turns your world upside-down, and irrigates your brain with blood. If you're new to yoga/inversions, almost everyone can do downward-facing dog, or just sit/stand and fold at the waist - anything that gets your head below your heart. Give it a try! :)
- December 7, 2010 at 11:58 PM
- Jan Markley said...
It's great for writers to remember to exercise regularly. Thanks for the post!
- December 8, 2010 at 12:22 AM
- Bryan Russell (Ink) said...
Going for a run this morning! The frozen beard effect is always charming, right? Right?
- December 8, 2010 at 8:52 AM
- Jamie said...
My internist says running helps her with puzzling cases. Often out running the diagnosis will pop into her head. For me, it is frustrating to have a great idea while on bike, on run or in pool and not have a place to jot it down.
- December 8, 2010 at 9:27 AM
- Kristina said...
Most definitely. Gets the blood pumping, endorphins running, good feelings going. Love it.
- December 8, 2010 at 10:21 AM
- Lauren said...
I could not agree more, Nathan! I do yoga almost every day, and I have had countless ideas come to me while on the mat.
- December 8, 2010 at 4:37 PM
- SariBelle said...
These post came at a great time. I've just made some pre-resolutions and one of them was to excercise. I made this one knowing there was a high likelihood I would fail.
Maybe this is just the extra boost I need?
- December 9, 2010 at 12:54 AM
There's lots of material on exercise improving learning acquisition and recall, mainly by affecting the activity of a growth factor called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) in the hippocampus.
BDNF is signaled strongly by inflammation, stress hormones, and other such signaling events which are stimulated by exercise. This is more of a long-term effect, as -- per the name -- BDNF is involved in the growth and plasticity of neurons in the hippocampus.
The post-exercise euphoria and creativity boost is likely a function of endorphins (your body's own morphine) and increased blood flow to the brain; there's some research into this but not as much as you'd want to draw real conclusions.
- December 9, 2010 at 3:52 AM
- A.M Hudson said...
Hmmm. Interesting. I will try this exercise you speak of. No, seriously, I never thought of using the pursuit of better heart health as a tool to help writers block/indirection. So thanks!!
- December 9, 2010 at 4:41 AM
- Victoria Snelling said...
Actually, I think it's the switch between mental and physical activity that boosts creativity. If I'm stuck, I do the washing up or the hoovering, or clean out a cupboard. It's not technically exercise, but it is changing to a type of activity that is done by the body rather than the mind. Disengaging conscious thought (and giving yourself the fiction that you're doing something constructive and not procrastinating) allows your sub-conscious to sort out your writing problems.
- December 9, 2010 at 8:21 AM
- Jeffrey Ricker said...
I know this is true from experience: I come up with more ideas and solve more problems when I'm running. Also, I've been known to sit on a weight bench between sets and write down ideas. The people at the gym are occasionally not amused by this....
- December 9, 2010 at 10:01 AM
- Diva said...
I agree completely! Doing anything to get away from your work for a while can provide a new perspective, but there's something special about breaking a sweat.
- December 9, 2010 at 2:24 PM
- Kate said...
I'm terrible when it comes to exercising, but I do find a walk in cold air always clears the cobwebs and I am usually brainstorming (without paper at hand) while I walk.
- December 9, 2010 at 10:32 PM
There's some interesting research being done related to health and sedentary lifestyles (reported for example at http://blogs.plos.org/obesitypanacea/2010/12/10/sedentary-physiology-part-4-future-direction/).
I've always found exercise to be a reasonably pretty good stress reducer. But the most dramatic effect I've felt was on both my creativity and alertness. This was years ago when I was writing a dissertation day and night. On days that I decided I had to devote all day to writing, I managed to stay up until 9 or 10 at night, but I wasn't terribly productive. On days when I convinced myself to start the day with a half hour walk, against my instinct to get to work right away, I ALWAYS was able to focus better and almost always able to continue writing a good 3 hours longer. Strangely, walks in the afternoon or evening weren't nearly as effective. After a couple weeks of noticing this effect, I started walking every morning.
- December 13, 2010 at 8:23 PM
- M. Tate said...
I think overall, you are correct, but not quite for me. I'm a competitive marathon runner, and when I am in training, a lot of my exercise is very intense and long in duration. Basically after a 30mi run, your brain does not function normally for a couple days, or at least mine doesn't.
That makes it difficult to write as you can imagine, plus I require extra sleep and I have a day job to boot.
But now that I'm in 'vacation mode' and I do little exerciwse, I am far more productive in my writing.
Overall I agree with you, but you should mention that you can over do it, and then your writing will suffer.
- December 24, 2010 at 11:38 AM
- Judy Holland said...
What a wonderfully helpful blog -- you are a creative super star!
- October 26, 2012 at 12:47 PM
- Unknown said...
Exercise definitely helps my creativity, although in my case it doesn't take the form of running. I did jog for 2-1/2 years, but had to stop after I was able to run for an hour at a time because my ankles and feet began to give me definite signals they were not coming along for the ride. (I am 56 years old.) These days my exercise takes the form of bodyweight training, some weightlifting, stretching, and active range-of-motion exercises, including capoeira.
Beyond improving creativity, I find physical exercise — especially the kind of exercise I do — improves every single aspect of my being, from mental acuity, to the ability to handle emotional stress, to the ability to get things done quickly and efficiently, to reducing my likelihood of injury. It forces moderation in my vices (such as drinking) and healthy living habits in other areas of my life (such as getting proper sleep, staying hydrated, and eating sensibly). It's far better than any drug because it actually teaches your brain to manufacture its own endorphins, and get a high out of maintaining and increasing your overall health.
- February 26, 2017 at 5:18 PM


text:
Apartment Complex Will Require Doggie DNA Tests to Track Pooper-Scooper Slackers
When I was living in Downtown Evansville and had a dog, it absolutely astonished me how many dog owners fail to take care of business after the dogs DO their business. Cleaning up after your dog in public places is usually required by ordinance. One apartment complex in Riverdale, New Jersey has ordered dog DNA tests to see who is not scooping the poop.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The men and women at the front of the room were introduced as judges, but didn't quite seem the part.
Pants instead of robes, pens instead of gavels. They gave hugs and handshakes instead of rulings.
"Very often when we meet judges, it's not at a good time," courts committee member Jesse M. Soriano said. "We want the public to meet judges at a good time, not when they're faced with some hardship."
As part of an ongoing effort to reach disenfranchised communities including racial and ethnic minorities, and the state's poor and improve fairness and accountability in Utah's judicial system, a panel of judges and court officials led the first-ever Utah State Courts Community Forum at Cavalry Baptist Church on Tuesday. Several more forums are in the works.
By hosting these forums in a range of cities and community hubs, court officials hope to make the judicial process more accessible and regain the trust of the people most affected by legal proceedings.
Legal experts recognize the courts system can convoluted and confusing for anyone, Soriano said. But, he added, the problem is worse among minorities, who also feel underrepresented and misunderstood.
"If I, as a minority, see somebody who looks like me, then I may have more confidence that they'll be fair," Soriano said. "If I feel like they understand where I came from or what I'm about, I may trust them more."
Although more than 21 percent of Utahns are racial or ethnic minorities and 50 percent are women, according to 2012 statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, only 9 percent of judges in the state's Supreme Court, court of appeals, district and juvenile courts are minorities and 24 percent are women.
Judge Shauna Graves-Robertson, the only black female judge in the state, said the significance of who she is and what she looks like is not lost on her when she presides at the Salt Lake County Justice Court.
"Any time defendants come before judges, it allays some of their fears when they don't all look the same," Graves-Robertson said. "The numbers of minorities on the bench is paltry comparison [to the number of minority defendants.] I think it makes a big difference for folks to see a judge who's black, who's female."
Because judges are appointed by the governor, the courts have no control over diversity on the bench. What it can control, officials said, is how the judicial system relates and responds to diverse populations.
For that reason, Tuesday was an informal affair.
Cavalry Baptist is Graves-Robertson's church. There, she's known as "sister."
On Tuesday, she told the audience they could call her Judge Shauna.
Several audience members embraced her before the discussion. After, the judge assembled food plates to send home with audience members.
That's exactly what the courts want, officials said to make people comfortable with the system by helping them relate to the judges and personnel who make it work.
Several Salt Lake City residents peppered the panel with questions.
Some had to do with specific cases: "Do grandparents have any rights to fight for their grandchildren?"
Others with perceived injustices: "How come if a rich celebrity gets arrested for a crime and a poor person gets arrested for the same crime, they get different sentences?"
Mary Jane Ciccarello runs the courts' Self-Help Center, which serves the state through online and phone consultation. At the panel, she offered insight into how to handle the system and who to go to for help.
"If you got sued or arrested, what would you do? Where would you go?" Ciccarello asked the audience.
"Cry," answered one woman.
"Well," Ciccarello said. "We're here to help."
More than 30 people attended and interacted with the judges, who said they hope to learn as much from the community as they are able to teach. The information they gather from these forums may be used in recommending future policies or programs to better engage the state's under-represented communities.
The next community forum, which will focus on the Tongan community, will take place on May 9 at 6:30 p.m.
Twitter: marissa_jae
What's next?
The next Utah Courts community forum will be held May 9 at 6:30 p.m. The location has not yet been decided. Check the Utah State Courts Facebook page for event details.


text:
The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 23.0482 Friday, 30 November 2012
Date: Friday, November 30, 2012 2:25 PM
Subject: ISE/Broadview Julius Caesar Published
It is with great pleasure that I write to let you know that the second play in the ISE/Broadview series has been published: John Cox's Julius Caesar. Congratulations to John on a fine edition, and to Broadview for their usual attractive and professional book design.
You will find it in the Broadview catalogue here:
I'm pleased to say that the next plays in the series—Henry IV, Part One, Twelfth Night, Henry V, and The Winter's Tale—are in various stages of review and preparation.
Michael Best
Coordinating Editor, Internet Shakespeare Editions
Department of English, University of Victoria
Victoria B.C. V8W 3W1, Canada.
[Editor's Note: I have augmented Michael Best's announcement below. Hardy]
Publisher's Description:
Julius Caesar is a key link between Shakespeare's histories and his tragedies. Unlike the Caesar drawn by Plutarch in a source text, Shakespeare's Caesar is surprisingly modern: vulnerable and imperfect, a powerful man who does not always know himself. The open-ended structure of the play insists that revealing events will continue after the play ends, making the significance of the history we have just witnessed impossible to determine in the play itself.
John D. Cox's introduction discusses issues of genre, characterization, and rhetoric, while also providing a detailed history of criticism of the play. Appendices provide excerpts from important related works by Lucretius, Plutarch, and Montaigne.
A collaboration between Broadview Press and the Internet Shakespeare Editions project at the University of Victoria, the editions developed for this series have been comprehensively annotated and draw on the authoritative texts newly edited for the ISE. This innovative series allows readers to access extensive and reliable online resources linked to the print edition.
John D. Cox is DuMez Professor of English at Hope College, Holland, Michigan, and has published widely on Shakespeare's plays and other Renaissance drama.
Table of Contents:
Shakespeare's Life
Shakespeare's Theater
William Shakespeare and Julius Caesar: A Brief Chronology
A Note on the Texts
Characters in the Play
Julius Caesar
Appendix A: Plutarch's Lives
- from Life of Caesar
- from Life of Brutus
- from Life of Marcus Antonius
Appendix B: Montaigne on Stoicism and Epicurenism
Works Cited
Instructor Copies: Academics teaching relevant courses may request examination copies of titles to consider for text adoption. We ask that you limit your examination copy requests to three or fewer at a time; if you are not confident that you will adopt the book, please help us keep costs down by ordering it instead. If in the future you do decide to assign as a course text a book you have previously ordered personally, Broadview Press will be happy to refund your money.
Julius Caesar
A Broadview Internet Shakespeare Edition
Written by: William Shakespeare
Edited by: John D. Cox
Now: CDN & US $13.95
In August: $15.95
Internet Shakespeare Editions edition: http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Foyer/plays/JC.html


text:
Post Doctoral Fellow, Dr. Juan Merlo Receives High Distinction
Based on his accomplishments in research and various publications, The National Research System (SNI) based in Mexico, has awarded Post Doctoral Fellow in Dr. Michael Naughton's group; Dr. Juan Merlo, the highest level of distinction in research for 3 years. This level has equivalency to a full Professorship in the United States and is extremely prestigious. The award is given through peer review and is to grant the appointment of National Enquirer. This award symbolizes the quality and prestige of the receivers scientific contributions. The SNI is to promote and strengthen, through the evaluation, the quality of scientific and technological research and innovation that occurs in the country. The system contributes to the formation and consolidation of researchers with scientific and technical knowledge at the highest level as a key element to increase the culture, productivity, competitiveness and social welfare.


text:
Charlie Daniels staging 'Scholarship For Heroes' concert
Listen to Charlie Daniels on iHeartRadio
Charlie Daniels is set to host his fifth annual "Scholarship For Heroes" benefit. The singer says the special concert serves two purposes.
Clint Black, Kellie Pickler, and The Grascals are some of the performers on board for the show. Charlie says the lineup also includes the U.S. Navy's own Sea Chanters as well as a "secret guest."
The concert will take place at Lipscomb University's Allen Arena in Nashville Tuesday night. Money raised will go to the Charlie Daniels' Scholarship for Heroes Fund, which provides financial assistance to veterans continuing their education at Lipscomb.
Photo Credit Getty Images


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text:
The Statue of Liberty may be the Mother of Exiles, welcoming the huddled masses as they become Americans, but she's not into, you know, intimacy. The approximately 1.2 million people who visit her every year can expect a "combination of vertigo and claustrophobia," says architect Michael J. Mills, FAIA, as they climb her double-helix staircases, navigate her tight archways, and bend to grasp handrails that weren't built for today's calorie-intensive countrymen. That's why, in time for Lady Liberty's 126th birthday on Oct. 28, Mills and the National Park Service have made the Statue of Liberty as open as her purpose intended.
On Sunday, the Statue reopened to the public after a year's hiatus—a period during which Mills and contractor Paul Natoli transformed her 145-foot pedestal. Visitors ascending into the statue can now climb two wider metal staircases, with glass enclosures for a feeling of greater visual transparency (the glass is not yet done) and added safety. Visitors can also egress through a new exterior stairway that uses the same Deer Island granite as the original pedestal. Making the job more challenging, Mills didn't want to lose the original cross-beam girders that immediately identify the interior as the work of Gustave Eiffel. So Mills used lasers to scan and model the old interior pedestal, turning a 19th-century engineering marvel into pure 21st century data. The architect planned his modifications before contractor Natoli had thousands of pounds of steel barged over.
The result, says Park Service Ranger Dennis Mulligan, a Liberty Island veteran, is to "bring Bartholdi's dream to fruition" after 126 years, a reference to sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, who first imagined a copper giantess at the entranceway of New York Harbor. She'll get her first test as Hurricane Sandy rushes up from the south, but the steel tension rods Eiffel designed into the pedestal to absorb heavy winds won't pose a danger. ("She'll be rocking with Sandy," Mulligan concedes.) As the result of Mills' $28 million renovation, the majority funded by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Park Service expects to accommodate an additional 26,000 "crownies"—its term for those with sufficient cardiovascular health to climb the 305 feet from the island to her crown. They'll still be tired masses when they get there, but a lot less huddled.


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The first time I made Thanksgiving dinner, I couldn't FIND the darn giblets. I looked in the turkey, got the plastic bag out of the trash -- couldn't find them. Okay, then. Roasted the turkey and made giblet gravy without giblets. It wasn't until I was tearing the turkey apart to refrigerate that I found the giblets -- under the skin of the turkey, beneath one of the wings! Not exactly a disaster, but it was just really strange.
Sugar and whipped cream and chicken? Oh my goodness. At least Joey from Friends would approve. "Sugar? Good. Whipped cream? Good. Chicken? Gooooood."
This just happened. I'm microwaving some frozen chicken strips. The bag says to place chicken on a plate, cover, heat. I covered it with a paper towel. I smelled burning and I saw a small flame shoot out the top of the paper towel.
... Turns out that there's broken glass inside those glow sticks. ...Also, for the record, that stuff doesn't taste very good.
Pinterest projects usually benefit from a pinch of salt.
Quote from: lady_disdain on July 08, 2013, 01:00:53 PMPinterest projects usually benefit from a pinch of salt.We always go in with a hint of skepticism and a sense of humor.
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NASHVILLE, TN -- Leaders from the Tennessee Automatic Merchandising Association participated in the Tennessee Obesity Task Force annual policy-setting meeting here on Aug. 18, and received support from the coalition on key legislative issues.
The taskforce, funded by the Tennessee Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, was established in 2007 as a statewide coalition of health, civic and government policymakers working to combat the problem of obesity in Tennessee.
During the meeting, TAMA representatives detailed the vending industry's efforts to promote healthier lifestyles and encouraged the taskforce to support legislation that provides real solutions to obesity issues while protecting the livelihoods of those who work in the state's vending businesses.
TAMA reported that the meeting yielded several positive outcomes, including the taskforce's agreement to consider supporting a reduction or elimination of taxes on certain foods and produce, including "healthy" vending items. The anti-obesity coalition also agreed not to support or file a draft of "soda-tax" legislation, and said it would consider TAMA's input regarding the state's procurement process to extend the reach of healthy vending to more entities and employers.


text: Awesome post man. Been a while since I have used BT and I just put it on my VM and was thinking "hmm I see no option for update..hmm I think I might have to apt it to death" you just made my day/night a lot easier lol. Quick qustion and this is probably a dumb one but I have a migraine and am tired since it's a .sh exacutable could you also put a shortcut on say the desktop for simple click update as well?


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